Kong: Skull Island
We opted for a 10 AM showing of this film only because it fit our schedule for a busy Saturday. Based only on the audience size of a couple of hundred people one would expect this to be a blockbuster and time will tell if this movie can go the distance.
That said, this is a bold and brawny updated Kong. At first angry about having his corner of the world invaded once again until he goes googoo-eyes for Brie Larson. Additional star power is provided by a really evil Samuel Jockson, a sinister Tom Hiddleston, a trimmed down John Goodman and an over the top John C. Reilly.
Don’t look for any award material here, but the production value is actually pretty good. Rated PG-13 and listed as a Fantasy/Science fiction. Run time is 2 hours.
Rating 
The Last Word
Shirley MacLaine is back with a script and performance ready made for her. Playing a grizzled, grumpy once successful businesswoman getting up there in years, she decides to have her obituary written to her liking while she is still alive.
At first blush the story and the characters are not very likable, but before long Shirley forms her posse and the story finally comes alive. The writing and the acting bring this film back from the brink. Many of the scenes are an absolute hoot.
Rated R for language, this is listed as a Drama/Comedy with a run time of 1 hour, 48 minutes.
Rating
The Ottoman Lieutenant
This film did not get very impressive reviews from most critics. We are not sure why because it is a good solid story about a time and place in history very much deserving of an audience.
It is set in Eastern Turkey in 1914 as World War I starts to boil over into Russia and Armenia. Christian versus Muslim topics are carefully juggled between the exotic and dangerous cultural balancing act.
Michiel Huisman plays the Turkish Lieutenant, Josh Hartnett is the Christian doctor, Hera Hilmarsdottir is the nurse/love interest and Ben Kingsley shines as the senior physician.
Rated R for violence and adult subject matter. It is listed as a Drama/War film. It runs 1 hour, 46 minutes. It is our pick of the week. Having traveled to that part of Eastern Turkey in recent years, this film might peek your interest in history of geo-politics of the time.
Rating 
Thanks.