As Spring yields to Summer, the Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning.
This year friends and family gathered at our lake house in Wisconsin for fun, food, water activities and laughter. Lots of love and laughter!
Here are some our favorite pictures:
Book Club
A powerhouse cast: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergan, Mary Steenburgen, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson and Richard Dreyfuss. It’s quite the dynamic with acting as the high point.
Overall the story line is funny, romantic and often quite charming. It is rated PG-13 for sex related material and adult language. We see no reason why children should not watch this film.
Ultimately, the story is more about the key characters adapting to the reality of older life (any of us older than 50 can relate!)
That said, the film grew tedious and “unconvincing”. It’s listed as a Comedy with a run time of 104 minutes. It is worth a look if your calendar permits.
Rating: 
Overboard
It’s an intriguing premise. A working class Mom struggles with her janitorial job for wealthy yacht owners. When the owners son fires the housekeeper and later falls overboard, the wealthy family searches the coastal waters and towns to find their son. The son is found with amnesia on a remote beach by the struggling Mom he just fired along with her young family.
It is rated PG-13 for suggestive material, partial nudity and some strong language. It’s listed as a Comedy/Romance. The run time is 110 minutes. English and Spanish with English subtitles.
Rating:
Raazi
This Indian production is set in 1971 when a Hindi woman spy marries a Pakistani military man during the Hindu-Pakistan War.
It’s an intelligent espionage thriller. It is a unique film with world class acting. With a great cast it is based on true events and the screenplay adaptation of the novel: Calling Sehmet.
British Actress Alia Bhatt plays a leading role. Indian born Vicky Kaushai plays her Pakistani husband. Another 15 Indian actors round out the cast.
This film is not rated. The genre is listed as Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Mystery and Suspense. It runs a hefty 2 hours, 10 minutes. Hindi with English subtitles. It is well worth seeking out.
Rating 
Breaking In
Here is an intriguing film about a young family led by its matriarch with her children as they travel to her deceased father’s estate. It is an ultra sophisticated property with extensive security and electronic protections well beyond the norm.
The acting is pretty impressive. Gabrielle Union plays the Mom. Ajiona Alexus is the daughter and Seth Carr is the younger brother. There are four bad guys: Billy Burke is the ringleader, Levi Meaden, Mark Furze play tough guys while Richard Cabral is the ruthless psycho.
The production creates significant tension and angst. It is intense and suspenseful. It’s a throw back to thriller films of the past with technology upgrades.
Critics were tepid on this movie but we really enjoyed it. It is rated PG-13 for violence, menace, bloody images, sexual references and brief strong language. We were surprised it wasn’t rated R. Nonetheless, we do not feel it is suitable for children.
The genre is noted as Mystery/Suspense. It runs 88 minutes.
Rating
Life of the Party
Melissa McCarthy is the headliner for this playful romp in a collegiate setting after her husband dumps her for another woman.
After an implausible transition as a senior seeking a degree in Archeology, McCarthy’s character becomes “one of the girls” which is kind of creepy albeit entertaining.
Other cast members include a gaggle of coed girls, both friends and adversaries. Most notable are Jacki Weaver as McCarthy’s Mom and Matt Walsh as the Dad, Luke Benward as the bartender/fellow student and boyfriend, Maya Rudolph as the best friend, and Christina Aguilera as herself.
The critics weren’t too keen on this movie either. It is also rated PG-13 for sexual references, drug content and partying. While often funny, the adult content does not make this suitable for young children.
Its genre is a Comedy with a run time of 1 hour, 45 minutes.
Rating 
Deadpool 2
Oh My! Where to begin. Headlines first…Deadpool 2 had an opening weekend of $125 million. This topples Avengers: Infinity War $113 million opening weekend. (Don’t fret about the latest Avengers film, it has already racked up sales of $1.81 billion globally.)
The cast is impressive: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Brianna Hildebrand, Morena Baccarin, Jack Kesy and TJ Miller play the main characters. Leslie Uggams is a hoot as Blind Al. There are another dozen actors rounding out the cast.
This episode takes a lot of liberty with its R rating. It is free to use snarky themes, gore and trashy antics to appeal to its followers. Be prepared for strong language and loads of violence. There are also sexual and brief drug references. It is absolutely not appropriate for children.
It’s listed as an Action/Adventure/Comedy. We found it quite violent, often gross, and goofy crazy just for good measure. Fans loved it. Us…not so much.
The run time is two hours. Fans will want to stay through the credits. (There are 5 different clips mixed into the credits.)
Rating
Bad Samaritan
We hadn’t paid much attention to this film until we read a good review from our home town SF Chronicle. We generally disagree with its reviews. Nonetheless, yesterday we found ourselves the only ones in very nice theater in Menomenee Falls, WI.
The story is pretty messed up. Parking valets engage in petty theft and see things they should not see. The bad guy is nuts. The police are clueless…
The acting isn’t half bad. David Tennant is chilling as the bad guy. Robert Sheehan’s character, or his friend played by Carlito Olivero, are not the sharpest guys. Kerry Condon is the victim. Lisa Brenner is the girlfriend. There is lots of tension and angst. The last scene is quite good.
The reviews have not been complementary. It is rated R for violence, language, drug use and brief nudity. It is absolutely not appropriate for children. The genre is noted as a Drama/Thriller running 107 minutes.
Rating:
Truth or Dare
This film is odd, creepy, intense and not the Truth or Dare from our young adult days. The rules are simple: tell the truth or die, do the dare or die, if you stop playing you die. Doesn’t that sound like a lovely plot?!
Six college students and close friends begin the game in Mexico and quickly realize the danger they are in. Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Violett Beane, Sophia Taylor Ali, Landon Liboiron and Hayden Szeto play the core characters.
It is rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing content, alcohol abuse, some sexuality, language and thematic material. It is listed as Horror, Mystery Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy (pick any combination of your liking). It is not at all suitable for children. The run time is 1 hour 43 minutes.
Rating
Disobedience
This film explores the rare but restrained Jewish territory where mutual female attraction shatters the boundaries of faith and sexuality.
The film is an intense peek at a thought provoking and sophisticated topic. The collateral fallout impacts a Jewish community, its patriarchal leaders and their community.
The cast is superb. Rachael McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser, Alexis Zegerman and Allen Corduner round out the lead characters.
It is rated R for strong sexuality. It is not suitable for children. It is noted as a Drama, Romance. The run time is 1 hour, 54 minutes.
Rating
This last weekend we had a visit and dinner at John’s parents house along with John’s niece Brianna, her husband John and little 5 month old Gracie.
It was our first visit with little Gracie. There is nothing quite like a little baby.
Here are a few photos:
Big HELLO to all!
It’s been one week at the lake house. The weather, flora and fauna changes quickly. A week ago, no leaves on the trees. Today everything is bursting with life, leaves and blossoms. The absence of critters has yielded with birds, squirrels, turkeys, deer, possums and newborns daily. Based on last year, there is so much more to come!
Here are a few photos we thought you might like.
The charming town of West Bend, Wisconsin hosts an equally charming art museum. We went for another visit and discovered two new collections.
Bicycleing is a popular activity in Wisconsin. So why not an exhibit that incorporates art? It seemed a bit odd at first but once incorporated with fine art, it made a nice juxtaposition.
We hope you enjoyed. J&J
Tully
This is a unique story about a suburban New York couple having their third child while balancing careers and the stress on a growing household. The wife seems to carry the brunt of the load until they accept an offer for a ‘night nanny’ hired by her brother. Suddenly, their lives and the household finds a growing sense of ‘normal’.
Charlize Theron gained 50 pounds for the role and shines. Ron Livingston plays the clueless husband. Mackenzie Davis is scary good as the nanny. Mark Duplass plays the brother.
It is rated R for language and some sexuality/nudity. It is not suitable for children due to the adult subject matter. The genre is listed as a drama/comedy, but it is also a suspense, mystery, surprise ending story as well. The run time is 94 minutes. We think if this film was released later in the year there would be Oscar buzz.
Rating
Rampage
This Action Adventure release is directed by Brad Peyton and stars Dwayne Johnson as a primatologist and caretaker to a rare and exceptionally intelligent albino gorilla who was rescued as a youngster.
Meanwhile, back at the lab, mad scientists with Energyne are creating new pathogen genes designed to make any recipients bigger, faster killing machines intended as biological weapons.
Dwayne Johnson is the leading actor. Breanne Hill and Naomie Harris are the leading ladies. Lots of good bad guys include Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Joe Manganiello, Urijah Faber, Matt Gerald and Demetrius Grosse.
The movie was rated PG-13 for violence, action, destruction, brief language and crude gestures. It is not suitable for younger children. It is listed as and Action Adventure, Drama, Sci Fi, and Fantasy running 1 hour, 55 minutes. It is an enjoyable romp, highly entertaining albeit a bit far fetched.
Rating
Little Pink House
This is a true story of the court battle between the City of New London , Connecticut and Susette Kelo, an EMT worker. It is a classic ‘David and Goliath’ story that made history, resulting in an unprecedented US Supreme Court ruling.
At odds are the City wanting to collect more revenue from a redevelopment project benefiting the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a modest residential neighborhood with river views and a nearby sewer plant.
The cast is compact but excellent. Two time Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener stars along with popular theater actor Jeanne Tripplehorn.
This film is not yet rated and we see no reason movie goers of all ages should not attend a showing. It is listed as a Drama running 1 hour 39 minutes.
Rating:
Avengers Infinity War
This is the latest in the Marvel Comics Avengers franchise. The evil character Thanos vows to inflict his dominance over the Earth and much of the universe once he acquires all six Infinity Stones.
It is epic in scale. Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, and most of the rest of the Avengers come together to stop Thanos. The result is an intense, nonstop action film with just the right amount of humor, surprises and intensity to keep viewers on the edge of their seats for the 2 hour, 40 minute run time.
You already know all the actors: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Pratt, Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch and a dozen more A list actors.
We are not sure what is next to come but this seems to be a build up for Marvel’s next Fantasy/Science Fiction blockbuster.
It is rated PG-13 for intense Sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and crude references.
Rating:
Traffik
Reviews and audience approval have been all over the board. We thought it was a good film about a very serious topic and worthy of an audience.
A Sacramento couple head to the mountains for a romantic weekend in a pristine setting. It is an intense thriller that is both realistic and brutal. It is occasionally difficult to watch.
It has a small cast. Paula Patton and Omar Epps are the romantic couple. Roselyn Sanchez and Laz Alonso are their best friends. Missi Pyle plays the Deputy Sheriff. Luke Goss is a really good, really bad guy.
It is rated R for violence and disturbing material, language throughout, some drug use and sexual content. It is not suitable for children. The genre is listed as a Mystery/Suspense. The run time is 96 minutes.
Rating
The Rider
Set in South Dakota, this is a coming of age film about a young cowboy whose life takes a turn after a severe rodeo accident.
What is unique about this film is most of the characters are real people playing themselves. At least six of the actors are Sioux cowboys from South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation. Director Chloe Zhao created a gem of a movie with a remarkable cast of nonprofessionals. We found it gripping, sensitive, heart breaking and uplifting at the same time.
It is rated R for language and drug use. It is listed as a drama with a run time of 104 minutes.
Rating
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami
This is a fascinating and intimate documentary about the life and performances of super model, singer and actress Grace Jones. There is both public and personal footage showcasing her career.
Director Sophie Fiennes collected footage from four years beginning in 2008 in Jamaica and continuing through the world tour.
The result is a fascinating peek at the life journey of a truly one of a kind global icon. This film is very entertaining.
This film is not rated. We do not feel this film is suitable for children as there is simply too much drug use, nudity and adult subject matter. It is listed as a Documentary running 1 hour, 56 minutes. English, Jamaican English and French with English subtitles.
Ms. Jones will turn 70 next month.
Rating
Ismael’s Ghosts
This 2017 French film spans a large part of a movie director’s life: his wife who disappeared 21 years earlier, his new girlfriend/muse and his career as a world renowned film Producer/Director.
The compact cast includes Mathieu Amalric as Ismael Vuillard, Marion Cotillard as his wife Carlotta, Charlotte Gainsbourg as the muse. There is a short list of additional French actors rounding out the cast.
We found the story confusing with repeated flashbacks and flash forwards leaving us unsure of what was occurring. By the end of the story we didn’t much care who did what to whom or why.
It is rated R for sexuality including some graphic nudity, language and brief strong violence. Children should not view this movie. It is listed as a drama. It runs 2 hours, 15 minutes. French with English subtitles.
Rating