Star Wars, The Force Awakens
We saw this again last week in Milwaukee with the little ones, 8 and 10. We loved it as much and more the second time around. And so did the kids! It seems they have inherited a passion for the cinema. Yippee! Years of fun to look forward to. The Force looks like they will be with us for a while. What fun!
Rating (repeated): 4 Globes
Joy
Jennifer Lawerence and Bradley Cooper just have great chemistry together. Add Robert DeNero and the true to life QVC success story and you have the frame work for a very good story. That said, the telling of the story is fundamental to the film actually connecting with the audience. This one works.
There is a fair amount of drama and trauma throughout this film that can cause some angst. Divorce, in fighting, greed, betrayal, deceit, cheating and perhaps too few moments of joy.
Nominated for two Golden Gobes, it could muster interest from the Academy. I liked it, a lot, but couldn’t love it.
As a side bar, Melissa Rivers delivered a hauntingly impressive depiction of her Mother. Kudos Melissa!
Rating: 2 Globes.
The Lady in the Van
A virtual who’s who of British actors qued up for a cameo or two along with the star performances from Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings. Ms. Smith plays the perpetually down and out homeless character clinging to a ramshackled van between herself and the street.
Alex Jennings plays his character as a kind hearted, yet an unnerving dual personality type that somehow works for this comedic yet befuddling story. There are moments of laughter and moments of painful reality.
Maggie Smith is one of my favorite actors. I liked the movie a lot but felt continuously uncomfortable about the real world connection of the subject matter. Perhaps that was the point after all.
Rating: 2 Globes.
Saw a CBS interview with Maggie Smith and a bit of footage of the “real” lady in the van. Doesn’t sound like “entertainment,” but an important story. Thanks for your insightful review.