Playmobil: The Movie

FamilyFaire: Playmobil: The Movie (2019)  A brother and sister, Charlie (voiced by Gabriel Bateman) and Marla (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy), are still getting over the death of their parents. Charlie sneaks out to visit a toy museum with a Playmobil exhibit. Marla goes after Charlie, and after she scolds him, a lighthouse in the display illuminates them and transports them to the Playmobil world. The film is an attempt to ride the coattails of the Lego series of movies but fails on almost every count. The starts and ends with live-action, before the two kids are transported into the world of Playmobil. The songs in the film, making this a quasi-musical, are boring, except for a Meghan Trainor song where she plays, yes, the kid’s Fairy Godmother. Very young kids may enjoy the brightness and colors of the Playmobil world, but adults will be looking for the exit as soon as the first song starts.    My Rating: Cable     Playmobil: The Movie Facebook Page

My View: The Aeronauts (2019) PG-13   Scientist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) is convinced that he if learns more about the weather conditions in the upper atmosphere that he can eventually predict the weather, helping farmers know when to plant/harvest their crops and warn citizens of impending bad weather. James convinces a balloon pilot, Amelia Rennes (Felicity Jones), to build and fly the largest ever gas balloon to fly almost into outer-space. It turns out that the flight will be an epic fight for their survival, a trip they might not return from. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, which took the difficult task of making a balloon flight seem mysterious and deadly. As you would expect, there is outstanding chemistry between Redmayne, as the meek scientist and Jones as the bold, outspoken pilot. The film unveils the flight in real-time, as we watch both the clock and the altimeter as the balloon flies up to heights that no one had ever gone before. I loved Felicity Jones’ character of Amelia, a woman who overcomes a tragedy in her life to push the boundaries of science.    My Rating: Full Price    The Aeronauts Website

Indiefest: Little Joe (2019)     Alice (Emily Beecham) is a single mother and a scientist who specializes in plant breeding. She has been working on a plant that she has called Little Joe, which can ‘make you happy.’ Alice brings one of the plants home to her son, Joe (Kit Connor), as a gift. Alice notices that as the plant grows, it begins changing her fellow worker’s personalities, and ‘Little Joe’ might be not as harmless as the nickname suggests. Little Joe is an exciting suspense film with a bit of Sci-Fi thrown in. Emily Beecham gives a moving and multifaceted performance as a woman who knows something is wrong with the plant she created, having seen the changes in her child first had, but she can’t get anyone to acknowledge that anything could be wrong. The film effectively builds the tension through the film, with us the audience wanting Alice to find a way to win what seems to be an impossible fight. The film does the unthinkable, makes a beautiful little flower an evil force that could ultimately destroy humankind.    My Rating: Full Price    Little Joe Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Ready or Not (2019) R   A bride, Grace(Samara Weaving), is told that she must participate in a game of hide and seek before coming a part of the groom’s family. What she doesn’t know is if they find her in the family home before sunrise, she will be killed. This film is the perfect example of the definition of a ‘dark comedy,’ a movie that makes light of a subject that is generally considered taboo. In this case, the family that is hunting her is made up of a bunch of crazy individuals, all who believe that if they don’t kill Grace, something horrible will happen to the family. You will be laughing one moment at the ridiculous events that occur, and other moments you will be scared at the jump out of the dark moments in the film. This film does an excellent job of building the tension until the end of the film. The performance of Sara Weaving makes this film worth watching, as she shows she has the chops for both comedy and drama, all in one character. Weaving is a delight to watch on the screen as she starts as the innocent bride, then turns into a victim who is running for her life, and finally, an in your face antagonist who is willing to fight for her life. Go see this film, it’s so much fun to watch and the audience I saw it with had as good a time as I did.   My Rating: Full Price   Ready or Not Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  My Spy (2019)  PG-13   A legendary CIA agent, JJ (Dave Bautista), has been demoted and is sent undercover to surveil a 9-year-old, Sophie (Chloe Coleman) and her family. Sophie is a tech genius, and she discovers where JJ’s operation is set up. She blackmails him into letting her hang out with him and learn what it means to be a spy. I love Bautista in the Guardians series, but I don’t think he has the acting chops or the charisma to overcome this horrible plot.    My Spy Website

Forgotten Film: Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) G    Three brothers go into World War I with hope and love of country only to discover that the songs they sing in the trenches gloss over the reality of death and destruction of trench warfare. Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Sir Richard Attenborough, this is a rather strange musical where all the songs that are sung are from the time period of WWI. Many of the scenes depicted are critical moments in the war, showing the folly of warfare and how it destroys lives. The film is full of some of the most significant British stars of the time and was made at a time that America and the world were discovering the horrors of the Vietnam War. One of the great films in the history of cinema that dealt with the madness and atrocities of war.   My Rating: Full Price      Oh! What a Lovely War Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Aeronauts: Knitted and Crochet Textile Artist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  1917 (2019) R    Two young British privates (Sam Mendes, George MacKay) during the First World War are given what most likely is an impossible task: to deliver a message deep behind enemy lines that will stop a massacre of 1,600 British soldiers. This film is already gathering awards, including a top ten listing on the Atlanta Film Critics Circle 2019 Awards.     1917 Website

Until Next Time!

Angel Has Fallen

My View: Angel Has Fallen (2019) R Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is on the run after being framed for the attempted assassination of the President (Morgan Freeman) and now he has to evade his own agency and the FBI to try and find out who is behind the assassination attempt.  I liked the action sequences but the plot is incredibly dull and implausible. If our Secret Service and the FBI are this dumb in real life than we are in a lot of trouble. Past of the Olympus Has Fallen series, this film feels like it’s a plot that the writers lifted off some old 90’s cop series. Butler is ok in the part but the rest of the cast looks like they are sleepwalking through the film. Skip this film and go see anything else that is coming out this week. Note: There is a bonus clip after the first round of credits.   My Rating: Cable    Angel Has Fallen Website

My View: Ready or Not  (2019) R  A bride, Grace(Samara Weaving), is told that she must participate in a game of hide and seek before coming a part of the grooms family. What she doesn’t know is if they find her in the family home before sunrise, she will be killed. This film is the perfect example of the definition of a ‘dark comedy,’ a film that makes light of a subject that is generally considered taboo. In this case, the family that is hunting her is made up of a bunch of crazy individuals, all who believe that if they don’t kill Grace, something horrible will happen to the family. You will be laughing one moment at the ridiculous events that occur and other moments you will be scared at the jump out of the dark moments in the film. This film does a good job of building the tension until the end of the film. The film is made by the performance of Sara Weaving, who shows she has the chops for both comedy and drama, all in one character. Weaving is a delight to watch on the screen as she starts out the innocent bride, then turns into a victim who is running for her life, and finally, an in your face antagonist who is willing to fight for her life. Go see this film, it’s so much fun to watch and the audience I saw it had as good a time watching it as I did.   My Rating: Full Price    Ready or Not Website

Indiefest: David Crosby: Remember My Name (2019) R  Documentary on the life and music of David Crosby, a founding member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young and a member of the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame. This is a documentary about a very unhappy musician who has undermined almost every relationship he has had, survived a drug addiction that should have killed him ten times over and is about a man who knows he is on borrowed time, determined to play as much music as he can before he is gone. I have always enjoyed David Crosby’s music, especially when he was with CSNY and CSN but man, after watching this film, I don’t like the man. He has lived his life selfishly, always thinking he was right and everyone else was wrong. Other than the wonderful music and some great behind the scenes shots of his early career, this is not an easy film to watch. By the end of the film, you want to slap David and tell him to go apologize and makeup with all the people that you wronged. The problem is, you know he will never do that.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee David Crosby: Remember My Name Website 

Indiefest: After the Wedding (2019) PG-13  A manager of an orphanage in Kolkata, Isabel (Michelle Williams) travels to New York City to meet with a possible benefactor (Julianne Moore). The benefactor invites Isabel to her daughter’s wedding, so they can get to know each other better before the benefactor makes her decision. Little does Isabel know that when she accepts the infestation, her past will rear its ugly head. I liked the two performances of Williams and Moore (who wouldn’t), but this film left me wanting more of an emotional punch. I never really connected with either character and had a hard time understanding their feelings and cations throughout the film. To put it bluntly, the film lacks heart, it all substance on the top but underneath, there is nothing to support the film by connecting with the audience. A big disappointment in my book with the cast that this film had. My Rating; Bargain Matinee     After the Wedding Website

Indiefest: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) PG-13 Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Downs syndrome runs away from his care home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. On the road, he encounters Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) a small-time outlaw that’s on the run that becomes an unlikely coach. They also convince Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a nursing home worker to join their quest. I’m not a big fan of Shia LeBeouf or Dakota Johnson but both giving wonderful and winning performances in this warm and beautiful film about finding a group of people that can become your family. As good as the two leads are, it’s Zack Gottsagen who steals the movie as the young man who is determined to travel a great distance, so he can attend his hero’s (Thomas Hayden Church) wrestling school. I can’t recommend this film more; it is brilliantly scripted and the performances are real and you can see the love on the screen. This is the feel-good film of the summer. You will enjoy every minute of this film.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    The Peanut Butter Falcon Website

Indiefest: Cold Case Hammarskjold (2019)   Documentary about Danish director Mad Brugger and Swedish private investigator Gorna Bjorkdahl trying to solve the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjold who at the time was the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The film tries to determine if the plane of controversial Secretary-General died in an accidental plane crash or was he murdered. The problem the two investigators have is that the crash took place over 50 years ago and therefore, a lot of the suspects are dead. Some that are alive won’t talk or don’t remember the accident. Furthermore, hurting the two investigators is the fact that they cannot excavate the site of where the plane is buried. The film is interestingly put together as the director Brugger sits in a hotel room and dictates the ideas of the film to two different secretaries (to get their separate opinions on things). It is still a mystery by the end of the film but there is plenty of evidence to make up your own mind on if Hammarskjold was assassinated.    My Rating: Full Price    Cold Case Hammarskjold Website

Forgotten Film: Warrior (2011)  PG-13  Two brothers, who are struggling to survive in today’s world, meet in the finals of a mixed martial arts tournament. The youngest brother (Tom Hardy) is fighting to escape the demons of his past; the older brother (Joel Edgerton) is fighting for the survival of his marriage and family. But one brother has an edge over the other, as his trainer is their father(Nick Nolte). What I love about this movie is that it asks you to root for one of the two brothers but both are fighting the good fight and you want both to come out winners. I also like the contrast between the two brothers: Hardy’s character is full of rage, Edgerton’s is the family man who is forced to fight for his family.  My Rating: Full Price    Warrior Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Peanut Butter Falcon: Sticher

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Judy (2019)  PG-13  A penniless and most considered washed up Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger) arrives in London to restart her career with a series of sold-out concerts. Looking at the trailer, this could be a tour-de-force performance by Zellweger and maybe an Oscar for her.     Judy Info   

Until Next Time!

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

My View: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) PG-13 On Halloween night in 1968, a group of teenagers visit a haunted house, one where the family there kept their daughter in a room in the basement. The teenagers find a book of scary legends and the stories are coming to life to threaten their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed this horror film that while does have a few jump out of the dark scares, build’s the tension to where the third act of the film is truly terrifying. The film is based on a YA book series, so the film is aimed at pre-teens and teenagers. Do not take your young children to this film as all the creatures in this film are just ghastly and horrific. What I really liked about this film (besides all the scares) was it also deals with some subjects that were very relevant for the time period: the Vietnam War, Tricky Dick Nixon getting elected President and racism. So go see this film and get your horror groove on.  My Rating: Full Price   Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Website

My View: The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019) PG A dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner) shows us the life lessons he learned from his race car driving master, Denny (Milo Ventimiglia). So the unusual thing about this film is that it’s seen through the eyes of Enzo, who believes in reincarnation and is convinced that what he learns in his life as a dog will help when he comes back as a human. This film is a great one but you laugh and yes, cry. I thought Costner did a masterful job as the voice of Enzo. Ventimiglia is fine as the race car driver who falls for Amanda Seyfried’s character. People that don’t like dogs will hate this movie but if love dogs as much as I do it will be an enjoyable film to watch.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Art of Driving in the Rain Website

Familyfaire: Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) PG   Dora (Isabela Moner) was raised by her parents to be an explorer. Now, aided by a fellow explorer (Eugenio Derbez) Dora is on a mission to save her parents (Eva Longoria, Michael Pena) and find a lost city of gold. I really liked this film and I think parents will too, but I think your kids will fall in love with Dora. This movie works because Isabela Moner is so charismatic on the screen you can’t help yourself to root for her Dora. Kids will also love Boots, the sidekick of Dora, a monkey that seems almost human in his interactions with Dora. There are a couple of things I didn’t like about this movie: Eugenio Derbez is too over the top in his performance, it just doesn’t fit the rest of the film. Also, there is an animated fox called Swiper (voiced by Benicio Del Toro) that just doesn’t look like he belongs, the animation is too cartoony. By the way, there are a couple of times in the film that the film does give homage to the cartoon series this film is based on. Take your family and go on an exploration with Dora, it will be a blast.   My Rating: Full Price    Dora and the Lost City of Gold Website

My View:  The Kitchen (2019) R The wives of New York gangsters (Elisabeth Moss, Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish) in Hell’s Kitchen in the 1970s decide to continue their husband’s illegal business after their husbands are locked in prison. If I had been one of the other three people that were watching with me at the 7 pm Friday night screening, I would have left after ten minutes. This is one of the worst written films I’ve seen in a long time. The dialogue seems to have been written by a high school student writing a script for his AV class. The film wastes the talents of the three woman that head this cast. I did like the performance of Elisabeth Moss, whose character goes from a meek housewife to a tough, confident person. The audience (if you can call three people an audience) that I saw it with laughed at several plot points that were meant to be serious. This film might have worked as a dark comedy but as a straight drama, it is a bomb.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

Indiefest:  Tel Aviv on Fire  (2018)   Salam (Kais Nashif), a young Palestinian man, through good luck and connections gets a writing job on a popular Palestinian soap opera. What I liked about this film is that it shows you the Israeli occupation from the viewpoint of the Palestinians. The soap opera centers on a woman who is in love with a Palestinian operative who is in charge of her trying to seduce an Israeli general but the trouble is she starts falling in love with the general. While I didn’t laugh out loud, I did chuckle quite a bit. The secondary plot is that Salam is trying to get back with his old girlfriend, who he hurt deeply when they broke up in the past. I really liked the performance of Lubna Azabal, who plays the lead actress in the soap that is somewhat a diva. It’s a fine performance and she plays well off of Kais Nahif. This is a fun film to watch but we also learn how hard it is to live under the occupation of Isreal.    My Rating: Full Price

My View: Brian Banks (2018) PG-13   A football player’s (Aldis Hodge) dreams to play in the NFL are shattered when he is wrongly convicted and sent to prison. He teams with a lawyer (Greg Kinnear) to try and clear his name and start his football career. Aldis Hodge gives a powerful and moving performance of a man who just wants his name cleared, nothing more. I also enjoyed Sherri Shepherd’s performance as Brian’s mother who never wavers in her belief that Brian is innocent. I found the direction a little lacking in pace and the dialogue a little too preachy. The storyline is predictable but it’s still a remarkable story that needed to be told.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Brian Banks Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray): Tolkien (2019) PG-13   J.R.R. Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) was an orphan who had to work hard to get anywhere. He falls in love with a fellow orphan, Edith (Lily Collins) and just when he finds his calling, language, he is swept away in the horrors of WW I. I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, so I was excited to see this film. While not bad, the film is a bit dull and spends too much time during Tolkien’s time in the war. I wanted more about how he came up with the idea of the books and less of his time looking for his best friend in the war.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee    Tolkien Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   Ready or Not  (2019) R   A bride (Samara Weaving) is told that she must participate in a game of hide and seek before coming a part of the grooms family. What she doesn’t know is if they find her in the family home, she will be killed. The trailer looks really stupid.    Ready of Not Website

Forgotten Film: Coherence (2013)   During a night where a comet is going to come very close to Earth, a group of friends get together for a dinner party. The eight friends begin to experience problems when their phones all give out and electricity is shut down to the whole street except for a house down the road. The group decides to travel down the road to the house with power and then things get really weird. The tension builds as the film moves on. I would call this a suspense film and not a horror film. What I loved about this film is how natural the dialogue is (actors were not given a script, just a paragraph before each scene from the director, James Ward Byrkit). See this movie and go on a wild ride you won’t soon forget.   My Rating: Full Price   Coherence Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Swamper

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)  PG-13   Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Downs syndrome runs away from his care home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. On the road, he encounters Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) a small-time outlaw that’s on the run that becomes an unlikely coach. They also convince Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a nursing home worker to join their quest. The film has a great supporting cast including john Hawkes, Thomas Haden Church, and Bruce Dern. Everything I have heard about this film is that it is a celebration of life and is incredibly fun to watch.    The Peanut Butter Falcon Website

Until Next Time!