Movies: Wilson, The Sense of an Ending, The Zookeeper’s Wife, In Search of Israeli Cuisine

Wilson

We all know a Wilson or two.  That overly chatty, often foulmouthed person that just spews every thought that comes into his/her mind.  Some thoughts sound reasonable, others range from absurd to vulgar to virtually insane.

This film is a character study of the Wilson’s out there in the world.  Bobbling through life like corks in a river.  No filters, some thoughts profound and truthful, others caustic and insensitive.

Woody Harrelson is Wilson.  Laura Dern plays his ex-wife whose world seems like one long train wreck.  Judy Greer is the young love interest that ultimately brings stability to the Wilson character.

On the down side, Wilson is his own worst enemy.  One poor decision follows another to the point where this viewer really lost interest in the character.  It is listed as a comedy but it is really a retrospective on so many of the sad, lonely misguided Wilson’s out there in the world.  Run time is 1 hour, 40 minutes.

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The Sense of an Ending

We were looking forward to this film.  We are both long time fans of Jim Broadbent and British themed movies.  Others in the cast were Charlotte Rampling whose performance was a bit lackluster.  On the bright side, Emily Walter was superb as the ex-wife.

By the end of the movie it wasn’t clear who had done what to whom, why, or when.  There was intrigue and emotional content but we are guessing the book read better than the film.

It is rated PG-13 and the genre is listed as a Drama that runs 1 hour, 48 minutes.

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The Zookeeper’s Wife

Our favorite film of the week.  First, it is a true story about the Jewish people of Warsaw, Poland towards the end of World War II where the zoo owners saved over 300 people from Nazi death camps.  A serious topic to be sure, softened by great acting and talented film making by Director Niki Caro.

Jessica Chastain is brilliant as the Zookeeper’s wife.  The German actor Daniel Bruhl plays the sinister German Commander.  The zookeeper’s husband is played by Belgian (actor, playwright, screenwriter, theater and film director) Johan Heldenbergh.

Of course, there is another cast of characters that fill a needed gap, the animals. There is just the right mix of tension, terror and the chemistry between critters and people.

It is rated PG-13, listed as a Drama/History.  It runs 2 hours, 6 minutes.

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In Search of Israeli Cuisine

This documentary film is focused on the current food trends in Israel.  Israeli- born chef of Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia, Michael Solomonov, takes us on a tour of the vast and diverse food scene that is catching the worlds attention.

The film is like taking a mini journey to Israel through the kitchens of chefs from Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, France, Italy and Russia.  It is a unique look at contemporary Israel through fresh eyes: farm to table and sustainable, organic food as a universal neutral zone.  It is a fascinating peek behind the curtain of Israel from a perspective we can all relate to.  It made us want to travel back to Israel too!

The film runs two hours.  Good news, it is mostly in English but there are a few excerpts in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles.

Rating  

2 thoughts on “Movies: Wilson, The Sense of an Ending, The Zookeeper’s Wife, In Search of Israeli Cuisine”

  1. good to hear from you. I do like your movie reviews and almost always agree. Hope life is treating you well. Love and best wishes.

  2. Hi Guys!
    Thanks for your review of ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ as that is a film that I definitely would like to see! A newspaper here in Canada (The Globe and Mail) did not give the movie a great review but I don’t usually trust their reviews. The storyline is intriguing and I love that it is based on actual events.
    All the best!
    Denise

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