Month: June 2018

Hi Everyone!  It’s been an interesting week for movies.  There’s been a lull in new releases so this week we decided to explore a couple of new movies released from China.

It was an interesting experience.  One in Cantonese, and one in Mandarin, both with English subtitles.  The challenge was to speed read the subtitles and pay attention to the visuals at the same time.  That is easier said than done.  Worth a look if you find them in your area.

J&J

Vivienne Westwood is one of Britain’s iconic fashion designers.  This film chronicles her rise to celebrity status and her life and career as a global couture brand.

Ms. Westwood’s conversations range from the Sex Pistols, her resistance to the film’s content, her 26 year marriage to husband Andreas  Kronthaler, and a roller coaster journey from near bankruptcy to global success.

The film drifts from a focus on fashion and design to a passion for environmental activism and ultimately her mixed feelings about her own legacy.  It is interesting, somewhat confusing, revealing and insightful about the life and times of this unique personality.

The film is not rated,  It is listed as a Documentary running 80 minutes.  It is currently in limited release.

Rating 

Lobster Cop

It’s an odd mix.  Four police officers open a lobster restaurant as a cover to catch nearby drug dealers.  Much to their surprise their lobster recipe, which includes 13 spices, becomes a huge success.

It’s heavy on the slap stick, quite gritty but funny.   The cops are more like the three stooges than police officers.  The production is hit and mostly miss.

There are only seven actors in the film, none known to the  international market.  The film is not rated in the U.S.  The genre is Action & Adventure, Comedy.  The run time is 94 minutes.  Mandarin with English subtitles.

Rating 

The Leakers

This action/crime themed film is set in Malaysia.  A new infectious disease out break threatens death to millions of people until a vaccine is developed and released by a local pharmaceutical company.

The pharmaceutical Chairman of the Board’s son turns up dead.  A reporter and police from Hong Kong and Malaysia start a man hunt for the killer.  Along the way a group called the “Leakers” claim to know the “dark truth” behind the scenes.

The story is interesting with lots of twists and lots of action.  The production quality is world class.  The acting is good with occasional goofy moments.

It’s listed as a thriller.  The run time is 1 hour 40 minutes.  Cantonese with English subtitles.

Rating  

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

This fifth in the series Jurassic movie is different from the rest of the franchise.  It is intense, yet intimate.  Epic and suspense filled.  It’s dark and visually stunning.

Lots of critics poo-pooed this film.  And yes, it is a departure from the previous films in the series.  So what?!

It’s a good cast.  Bryce Dallas Howard plays Clare.  Chris Pratt of course as Owen.  Jeff Goldblum is Ian Malcolm. Daniella Pineda is Zia Rodriguez.  Justice Smith plays the techie and B. D. Wong plays Dr. Henry Wu.  Toby Jones is back as Wheaton and James Cromwell is the Patriarch.

We wonder where the next chapter will go, assuming there are more to come.  Some predict the dinosaurs retake the earth and mankind, as we know it, evaporates.

Bottom line, we liked it.  It was interesting, different and certainly entertaining.  See it in a premium theater with recliners, upgraded sound and such.  Run time is 128 minutes and is rated PG-13.

Rating  

Attraction

We were “attracted” to this film because it was different, a Russian production (rare by our standards), and we have exhausted most of the available inventory of films lately.

That said, we were not disappointed.  We were impressed.  It’s a world class production.  An alien spacecraft enters Russian airspace and is shot down over Moscow suburbs. It’s as believable as any Western production of the same genre; i.e. Independence Day.  The edgy tone of the Eastern bloc culture was intriguing and insightful.

The core cast included 14 Russian actors with hundreds of extras.  The story is focused on a few core elements, the military, young adults and their immediate circle of friends and love interests, patriots and resisters.

The film is not rated in the US.  It is listed as Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romance.  The run time is 133 minutes.  Russian with English subtitles.

Note:  This was originally released in IMAX theaters in 2017!  Did anybody see this?!

Rating  

SuperFly

We just heard about this film and decided to squeeze it in.  We were glad we did.  We knew it was a remake based on the 1972 movie.  It’s updated to present time with a contemporary set and screenplay.

Set in Atlanta, the plot follows drug dealers and suppliers, their sources and lifestyles.  The relationships are well developed and the characters feel plausible.  The outcome is a surprise.

The cast is excellent with over 78 actors.  Trevor Jackson, Lex Scott Davis, Esai Morales, Jason Mitchell, Rick Ross, Andrea Londo and Allen Maldonado round out the leading characters.  Jennifer Morrison and Brian F. Durkin are really good as bad cops.

It’s rated R for violence and language throughout, strong sexuality, nudity and drug content.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Suspense.  It is not appropriate for children.  The run time is 108 minutes.

Rating  

 

Gotti

We literally left the theater less than an hour ago.  We came home, turned on the computer where we discovered Rotten Tomatoes critics trashed Gotti with a 0% rating.  We felt that was completely wrong so a digging we did go.  Cross checking with numerous other sources, our unofficial sleuthing showed audiences, in general, liked the film.  What’s more, the folks distributing the movie called the critics “Trolls”.  We are certain there is a much bigger story behind all this and we will share what we learn with all of you.  On with our perspective!

Overall, we liked it.  It is very focused on John Gotti and his son and their families, the code they lived by as part of the Gambino crime family in New York during the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s.  It felt authentic.

It has a pretty nice cast: John Travolta as John Gotti, Sr., Kelly Preston as wife Victoria Gotti, Stacy Keatch as a key member of the “family”, Canadian actor Spencer Rocco Lofranco plays John Gotti Jr.  The rest of the cast includes well over 100 actors.

It is rated R for strong violence and pervasive language.  It is listed as a Biography, Crime, Drama.  We do not recommend this movie for children.  The run time is 104 minutes.

Note: While researching, we discovered much of the movie was filmed in Cincinnati, not New York.

Rating 

Incredibles 2

It is hard to believe it has been 14 years since the first Incredibles came out of the Pixar Studios.  Now part of the Disney empire Incredibles 2 is close to breaking box office records barely a week after release.

Like the original, Incredibles 2 is a fun, clever, action packed epic.  Audiences of all ages are loving it.  Our favorite character is Jack Jack the baby who has 17 super powers.  We will say no more but we are confident you’ll be entertained.

The cast is perfect.  Holly Hunter is Elastigirl.  Craig T. Nelson is Mr. Incredible.  Catherine Keener is Evelyn Deavor, Bob Odenkirk is Winston Deavor.  Isabella Rossellini is the Ambassador.  John Ratzenberger is the Underminer.  Johnathan Banks is Rick Dicker.  Brad Bird plays a hilarious Edna Mode.  Samuel Jackson is Lucius Best/Frozone.

It is rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language.  It is child friendly although very young children may be startled by some rapid actions.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family.  The run time is 118 minutes.  Special Note:  Pixar has put out a disclaimer that a few scenes, using strobe light technology, may affect audience members who have epilepsy.

Note:  While showing in several theaters at the multiplex we went to, our show was sold out.  Customer Service offered us any other showing including IMAX.  It made a good movie even better.  The screen we had is the largest on the West Coast.  Talk about an upgrade!!

Rating 

Let the Sunshine In

This film features Juliette Binoche as a divorced Parisian artist, frequently having sex in one failed relationship after another.

Critics laud this movie as “real”, “relatable” while others call it a “shallow midlife crisis” and an “undiagnosed” Cinderella complex.

French Director Clare Denis crafts a story about a middle aged woman artist seeking happiness from her male lovers de jour.  The story does not judge, in fact, it gently recognizes her faults with sympathy and compassion.

The cast includes Juliette Binoche and Gerard Depardieu as the headliners.  Paul Blain, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Xavier Beauvois, Philippe Katerine and a dozen more French actors.

The film is not rated.  The genre is listed as Art House & International, Drama, Romance.  The run time is 96 minutes.

While we are big fans of International films and Ms. Binoche, this one was just a little too artsy for our liking.

Rating 

Hearts Beat Loud

It’s an interesting concept.  Single dad, vinyl record shopkeeper wants a deeper bond with his soon to be college student daughter by starting a band.

The daughter who dabbles with music, is focused on her freshman year ahead and an emerging relationship with another girl.

The cast is compact.  Nick Offerman is the dad.  Kiersey Clemons is the daughter.  Sasha Lane is the girlfriend.  Toni Collette is the landlord.  Ted Danson is the owner/bartender.  Blythe Danner is the aging mother/grandmother.

The story is interesting and entertaining.  It’s just a bit too contrived.  That said, the onscreen chemistry between the lead characters and the music is satisfying.

It is rated PG-13 for some drug references and brief language.  It’s listed as a Comedy, Drama with a run time of 97 minutes.

Rating 

Nancy

This film is unnerving and strangely creepy at the same time.  Nancy is a very strange person.  No surprise considering her home life and the one she creates for herself on the internet.  Suddenly, she thinks she may be the lost daughter of another couple some 30 years earlier.

The cast is impressive.  Andrea Riseborough is superb as the damaged and delusional Nancy.  Ann Dowd plays her mean mom.  (Note:  This is the third film we saw Ms. Dowd in this week alone!) Steve Buscemi is the older husband with J. Smith-Cameron as his wife.  There are a handful of other actors rounding out the cast.

This film is not rated.  It is undoubtedly provocative.  Fact and fiction are completely blurred in this psychological thriller.  It is not rated but is listed as a Drama.  The run time is 87 minutes.

Rating  

Tag

OK, confession time!  We saw this film only because we exhausted all other movie options available on a Monday afternoon.

Yes, it’s based on a true story about a bunch of guys who started playing tag in school some 30 years ago.  To keep the facts accurate, unlike the movie, they were/are all white guys.

The cast is extensive.  Headliners are Jeremy Renner, Jake Johnson, Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Hannibal Buress, Brian Dennehy, Annabelle Wallis, Isla Fisher, Rashida Jones and Leslie Bibb.

The film is rated R for language, crude sexual content, drug use and brief nudity.  It is listed as a comedy.  It is NOT appropriate for children.

Reviews have been mixed.  Upon reflection, we have decided the story drifted way off target.  It’s unfortunate given the production quality and cast.  The run time is 1 hour, 45 minutes.

Rating  

Ocean’s 8

Ocean’s 8 is different!  It is a sequel to the Ocean’s trilogy to be sure.  Eight talented, attractive women working together to steal a Cartier diamond necklace worth $150 million.  The result is a smooth journey into a fantasy land without blood-n-guts or conflict or fighting.

Audiences clearly liked it considering it racked up $52 million at the box office in just 5 days.

There is an all star cast:  Rihanna, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett (just after childbirth!), Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, and Mindy Kaling make 8.  Dakota Fanning, James Corden, and Carl Reiner round out the remaining cast.

A bit of trivia:  the eight leading ladies collectively have won 4 Oscars, 2 Emmys, 9 Grammys, 6 Golden Globes, 5 BFTAs and 10 SAG awards!

It is rated PG-13 for language, drug use, and some suggestive content.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Comedy with a run time of 110 minutes.

Rating  

Won’t You Be My Neighbor

This is a documentary about Mr. Fred Rogers and his children’s television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS for many years.  The documentary production comes from Oscar winner Morgan Neville.

Mr. Rogers first was an ordained Presbyterian minister and later a puppeteer.  At the age of 30 he developed the concept for Mr. Rogers Neighborhood as a contrast to events of day to day life at the time.  Subjects like assassination, and divorce, and racism were gently introduced to young children in a way in which they could process and think about them.  It was revolutionary television.

The cast includes Joanne Rogers, wife to Fred, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Francois Clemmons played several roles on the show, singer, actor, playwright, and lecturer.  David Newell played Mr. McFeely, the delivery man.

The film is rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and language.  It is a Documentary running 94 minutes.  It is an exceptional story about a television trailblazer in the wacky world of its time.

Rating 

Summer 1993

This film is a gem dealing with an incredibly tough topic.  After the death of her parents, six year old Frida struggles to understand relocating to a countryside home with her uncle’s family.   It is both heart breaking and heart warming at the same time.

Little Frida is confused in her new home.  She is happy to play with little 4 year old cousin Paula.  Her Aunt and Uncle are her new parents.  She doesn’t understand what happened to her life in Barcelona.

Much of the film is from a child’s perspective.  Probably because Writer Director Carla Simon was drawing on her own experience when her mother died of AIDS when she was only six years old.

The movie has won 11 Spanish film awards and numerous international awards.  The film is not rated.  It is noted as Art House & International, Drama with a run time of 96 minutes.  In Catalan with English subtitles.

Rating 

Hi everyone!

We are finally caught up with our movies.  That’s a good thing given the slew of new releases.  Another observation is the significant growth in movie attendance.  We prefer midday or early afternoon (to avoid the crowds).  Much to our surprise, this weekend theaters were half to three quarters full.  That’s holiday season crowds, not mid June.  Even better news, lots of new releases are in the pipeline!

Enjoy!  J&J

American Animals

This movie is unique.  It begins stating it is based on true events and immediately inserts segments throughout the film of the actual people involved.

Four college students from Transylvania University in Kentucky decide to steal the school’s most valuable books worth millions of dollars.

The acting is quite good. Evan Peters plays Warren Lipka. Barry Keoghan plays Spencer Reinhard.  Blake Jenner plays Chas Allen and Jared Abrahamson plays Eric Borsuk.  Ann Dowd plays the Librarian Betty Jean Gooch.

That also means Warren Lipka, Spencer Reinhard, Chas Allen, and Eric Borsuk play themselves in narrative.

Critics and audiences are generally favorable while other reviews are all over the board.  It is rated R for strong language, drug use and brief crude/sexual material.  The run time is 2 hours.

The genre is listed as Comedy, Drama, Mystery & Suspense.  We did not find it funny and do not feel it is suitable for children.  That said, we found the movie a brilliant recreation of actual events.

Rating 

Hereditary

This horror movie is the product of the Sundance Film Festival.  It is a dark psychothriller where one family struggles with a series of family losses that audiences may have difficulty processing.

We did.  It repeatedly gives the audience pause.  What just happened?  Is this family struggling with mental illness?  Are these people possessed or is something else going on?

The cast is small and talented.  Milly Shapiro plays the young daughter in her debut performance.  Australian actress Toni Collette is awesome as the terrified mother.  Young Alex Wolff, best known from a Nickelodean Comedy Series, delivers a compelling performance as the older brother.  Gabriel Byrne is an Irish actor, director and producer is perfect as the brooding father.  Ann Dowd is a very good, but creepy, spiritual medium for the family.

This film is rated R for horror violence, disturbing images, language, drug abuse, and brief graphic nudity.  It is noted as a Drama, Horror.  It is absolutely not suitable for children.  Run time is 127 minutes.

Rating 

Hotel Artemis

Here is an action packed dark film about a 13 story “hotel” where criminals go for “members only” medical care.  The story is set in 2028 Los Angeles.

This has another compact cast.  Jodie Foster is amazing as the nurse along with Sofia Boutella as the international assassin.  Dave Bautista is the enforcer.   Sterling K. Brown plays an international operative.  Jeff Goldblum plays an international “Wolf King”.

The rest of the story is predictable.  Lots of conflict, juggling risks and results.  Staying alive…seems to be the common objective.

It is rated R for violence and language, some sexual references and brief drug use.  The genre is listed as Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense.  The run time is 97 minutes.  Again, this film is not appropriate for children.  It is unique and well worth a look if you are in the mood for a quirky peek on a unique crime story.

Rating  

This was a really good week for movies with lots more on the horizon.  The following four films are very diverse and interesting.  Enjoy!  J & J

Beast

This film is both interesting and confusing.  Interesting because it is set in an English “island town” on Channel Island, Jersey.  Confusing because the viewer is never clear who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.

It is an impressive first feature by writer-director Michael Pearce.

Moll (played by Jessie Buckley) is 27, lives with her parents (mom played by Geraldine James) until meeting gritty Pascal (played by Johnny Flynn) who immediately fall in love.

It gets dicey after that and it is hard to tell what is really going on, i.e. crimes, heartbreak, who did what to whom…

It is rated R for violent content, language and some sexuality.  It is listed as a Drama with a run time of 107 minutes.  To my thinking the film should be titled Beasts, because there are many more than one!

Rating 

Adrift

Here is another story based on actual events.  A young couple who meet overseas befriend an older couple who need help relocating their sailboat back to San Diego from Tahiti.

The title alone tells the next chapter where the young couple are confronted by a massive storm that inflicts injuries and catastrophic damage to the sailboat.

The primary actors are Shailene Woodley, best known for her performance in Divergent, as Tami and Sam Claflin, for his role in Hunger Games, plays Richard Sharp.  It is both a love story and a survival drama.

It is rated PG-13 for injury images, peril, language, brief drug use, partial nudity and thematic elements.  It is listed as a Drama, Romance.  It runs 1 hour, 39 minutes.

Rating  

The Seagull

This is a film version of the Anton Chekov play by the same name.  The lead character is actress Irina Arkadina played by Annette Bening in one of her best performances.  That said as the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly complex, confusing, shifting from one drama to another.  In total, it is a bit too much to absorb.

Nonetheless, the cast is impressive.  Saoirse Ronan is the love interest of the son, played by Billy Howle as Konstantin.  Corey Stoll plays Trigorin, the actor/writer close friend of the family.  Elisabeth Moss plays a brooding friend of the family who marries another family friend played by Michael Zegan.  Brian Dennehy plays the estate owner/brother and Mare Winningham is the estate keeper.

Audience and critic reviews are generally favorable.  It is rated PG-13 for some mature thematic elements, a scene of violence, drug use, and partial nudity.  No surprise the genre is listed as a Drama.  The run time is 1 hour, 38 minutes.

Rating 

Mountain

Every once in a while a Documentary comes along with only a minimum narrative.  In this story Willem Dafoe is the only vocal in the film.  No worries though, it is also appropriately listed as “A Cinematic and Musical Odyssey”, performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra.  It is an instant classic!

The result is a breathtaking series of images of mountaineers, ice climbers, heliskiers (skiers who jump out of helicopters), snowboarders, wingsuiters (folks who literally fly down a mountain in a body suit), and mountain bikers with parachutes.

Overall, the topic and scenery are stunning bordering on overwhelming.  The film is not rated (there are some perilous sports actions, some injury images and brief smoking).  Some scenes are intense.  We do not recommend viewing for young children.

It is listed as Art House & International, Documentary with a 74 minute run time.

Rating 

 

RBG

This is an extraordinary documentary about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, age 84, now a multi generational icon.  Her biography is inspirational and exceptional.

While her critics use words like “blinders” and “prosaic”, few can deny her impact on women’s rights over the course of her career.

Her life story, her tenure on the bench and family experience are inspiring and uplifting.

Audiences loved this film and critics are all over the board.  It is rated PG for thematic elements and language.  The genre is Documentary with a run time of 96 minutes.

Rating: 

The Guardians

This film is set in World War I France where the women of the Paridier farm are lead by the family matriarch, played by Nathalie Baye and the other women must fend for them selves when the men are sent to the war.

The cast is completely believable.  Iris Bry is perfect as Francine, a teenage orphan hired to help.  Laura Smet is the younger daughter Solange.  Cyril Descours is the son Georges.

The scenery is bucolic, set in the lush countryside far from the war.  But the overarching message is how the strength and commitment to the farm played a large part in the survival of the rural farms.  The timeline spans several years.

It is rated R for some violence and sexuality.  The genre is listed as Drama.  The run time is 134 minutes.  Note: it is in limited theater distribution.  It should be available on Disc/Streaming Aug. 28, 2018.  French with English subtitles.

Rating: 

Upgrade

This story is an intriguing concept.  It is intense, violent, inventive and quite graphic.  It is set in the near future where society is less civilized and intelligent technology is both dangerous and out of control.

It has an impressive cast.  Logan Marshall-Green plays the lead character Grey Trace and Melanie Vallejo plays his wife Asha Trace.  Harrison Gilbertson is the mad scientist Eron and Betty Gabriel is the local law enforcement officer.  Benedict Hardie plays an excellent bad guy and the voice of Simon Maiden is the voice of the implant character Stem.

It is rated R for strong violence, grisly images and language.  We strongly do not suggest viewing by any youngsters!  It is listed as Action/Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy.  It is from the creators of Get Out  and the Purge.  It runs 1 hour, 35 minutes.

Rating 

Special Note:  Upgrade was movie 100 for the year to date.