Author: James Hathaway

Good Time

We have no idea where this title comes from, but this Crime/Drama film from New York Directors Ben Safdie and Josh Safdie delivers a tense and dangerous trip for two desperate brothers who botch a bank robbery.  The night goes down hill from there.

That said, it’s the acting that brings this film to life.  Robert Pattinson and Buddy Duress give riveting performances.  The script is compelling and intriguing.  The tone is exhilarating and discomforting at the same time.

This movie is not for everyone.  It is gritty and earned an R rating for language, violence, drug use and sexual content.  It is absolutely not appropriate for children.

Run time is 1 hour, 40 minutes.

Rating:  

Ingrid Goes West

Stalker and stalked come together in this social media gone bad film about two young ladies and their fixation with social media as a life style.  The film is not timid about commentary, sometimes loathsome and/or pathetic.

The acting is a strong suit here.  Aubrey Plaza dazzles as the damaged Ingrid.  Elizabeth Olsen is perfect as the idolized Taylor Sloane.  O’Shea Jackson shines as the boyfriend/landlord.  Billy Magnussen is superb as the evil brother.

Rated R for stalking, drugs and role play sex, with a run time of 1 hour, 37 minutes.  The genre is listed as a Drama/Comedy although we found very little to laugh about.

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Wolf Warrior II

Hollywood and the Western movie machines have long been criticized for pontificating national pride and self righteous commentaries into movies big and small.  Move over Western studios, China is entering the global cinematic scene.

This film, to date the second highest grossing film in Chinese history, is making more money in China than Avatar made in the US.  Think a Chinese Rambo saves a nameless African country from bloodthirsty rebels and mercenaries.

Chinese heart throb Wu Jing is China’s super soldier and Yu Nan is his love interest. Frank Grillo is the enemy bad ass and Samuel Thivierge is the evil assassin.  There are a dozen more actors contributing to this second in a series of films depicting China as a global military tour de force.

Entertaining, refreshing, heavy handed and suspenseful, all at the same time. Very good but, there is unilaterally “too much” of everything, including commentaries and glorified Chinese messages.

The genre is noted as Action/Adventure/Drama/Art House/International.  It runs 121 minutes.  It is not rated, however parents should note there is extensive violence and destruction, and some adult themed material.   Mostly Mandarin with English subtitles.

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Lady Macbeth

This story is set in rural England in 1865.  The wife of an older man has an affair while her husband is away.  Wrapped in guise of a tasteful period piece, the story suddenly turns dark as the sweet obedient wife turns evil.

There is a good cast fulfilling an equally good screenplay.  Florence Pugh is the wife, Cosmo Jarvis is the love interest, Christopher Fairbank is the evil husband, and Naomi Ackie is the disapproving servant.

The script has more twists and turns than the freeway.  At the same time, the story is unsettling and quite surprising.  The screenplay is based on novella, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk written by Nikolai Leskov.

It is listed as a Drama running 1 hour, 29 minutes.  It is rated R for mature subject matter.  Definitely not appropriate for children.

Rating

Logan Lucky

This Steven Soderbergh film is a rob-the-racetrack crime comedy/drama.  It is one part clever, one part amusing, one part farce and one part absurd.

It has an all star cast including goofy Daniel Craig, endearing Channing Tatum, impressive Adam Driver, a stoic Seth MacFarlane.  There were also bit parts by Hilary Swank and  Dwight Yoakam just for good measure.

The result is a film with high energy, just the right touch of humor, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

It is rated PG-13 for some language and crude comments.  The genre is noted as a Comedy, running 119 minutes.

Rating 

The Hitman’s Bodyguard

What a fun story if you like international crime action/adventure films.  It is not perfect, in fact hardly believable.  But once past that, it is an action packed wild ride, intense and surprisingly funny.  The location spans from London to Amsterdam to The Hague.

The cast couldn’t be better.  Ryan Reynolds plays a once world class protection agent foiled by a notorious hit man played brilliantly by Samuel L. Jackson.  His wife is played by Salma Hayek in an over-the-top role.

The film has a James Bond edge to it but ultimately the humor takes the rough edges off the constant and intense action scenes.  Many critics poo pooed this film as having too many cliches.  We say relax, roll with the ride and laugh a little.

It is rated R for violence and strong language.  It is difinitely not suitable for children.  The genre is listed as action, adventure, comedy.  Run time is 111 minutes.

Rating 

 

Greetings to all!

Two weeks after returning to San Francisco, we are generally up to date on movie releases with the exception of a handful of films that came and went (or were never in wide release).  Nonetheless our movie count stands at 115 to date this year.  At this rate we will exceed our record of 2016.

The big surprise this week was Columbus.  Since many of you are avid movie goers like us, we welcome your take on this film, especially since our view is the polar opposite of most critics.

We send our best to you all!

J&J

Wind River

Set in winter in a remote area of the American West, Wind River is both a beautiful and heartbreaking story about death and despair.  Filmed in Wyoming, it captures the setting and tone Director and Screenplay Writer Taylor Sheridan wanted for this movie.

The acting headlines Jeremy Renner as a contract traker, and Elizabeth Olsen as an FBI outsider from Florida.  It was nice to see several Native American actors filling the roles including Julia Jones, Gil Birmingham, Martin Sensmeier, and Tokala Clifford.

This crime drama gets gritty as the scenery gets more beautiful.  It is quite the visual backdrop for such a tragic story.

Rated R for violence and adult subject matter, running 1 hour 51 minutes.  It is listed as a Mystery/Crime genre.

Rating  

Columbus

This is a unique film about a Korean father and son relationship set in a small Indiana college town.  Enter Casey, recent college graduate with a passion for architecture.  Soon a friendship develops. There is angst and drama, blah, blah blah…

Let’s get right to it.  The story drags on and on ad nauseum.  There is a ridiculous amount of time chatting about modernist architecture and horrible upbringings and such.

In full disclosure, we are the odd men out.  Critics nationwide thought this film was the greatest thing since sliced bread, giving it a 9.0 rating out of 10.  It was just way too artsy fartsy for our sensibilities.

It is listed as a Drama/Romance.  It is not rated and runs a long 1 hour, 44 minutes.

Rating  

Menashe

Here is a rare and insightful peek behind the curtains of the New York Hasidic Jewish community and one mans struggle to raise his son after the the death of his wife.

The actors are impressive.  The Menashe character, who works in a grocery store, is played by Menashe Lustig, who in reality is a Hasidic widower whose nature is warm and sensitive.  His son is played by the young Ruben Niborski.

The neighbors and relatives are all involved, especially the rabbi who insists Menashe’s son can only be raised in a household with a father and a mother.

The film is rated PG and the genre is listed as a Drama.  Runtime is 1 hour, 22 minutes.

Rating 

 

All,  Thanks for your patience for the disconnect on “Part 4” of our return drive.  We have been home in S.F. just over one week and we finally have all our technology issues resolved.  So, time to pick up where we left off…

Day 4:  Laramie to Salt Lake City.

We were up early and on the road shortly before day break.  The storms have past and the temperatures dropped into to 60s.  So off we went, westward toward Utah.

Soon we realized the horizon was murky with smoke from the Montana fires and the temps steadily rose into the 90s by the time we arrived in Salt Lake City.

Oh, did I mention more freeway construction?!  Fortunately, traffic was lighter than usual so the slow downs weren’t nearly as bad as the last couple of days.

We arrived in downtown Salt Lake City in the early afternoon.  We decided to catch a movie at the newly developed Gateway Shopping Center.  Bonus: free secure parking courtesy of Megaplex Gateway Theaters.  (See review: Kidnap, post dated 8/4/17.)

Since our room at the Residence Inn was a fully equipped one bedroom apartment we decided to eat in for dinner. Where to shop?!  Nearby Harmons of course.  (Move over Whole Foods…)

Day 5: Salt Lake City to Reno.

At the last minute, we decided to adjust our travel plans.  By extending our driving distance on day 5 we determined we could shave off one day and get home a day sooner.

Day 6:  Reno to San Francisco.

Another early morning departure.  “California here we come…right back where we started from…”

Total miles 2,288.

 

Special Note:  We were delighted to retrieve our computer this morning.  All is well and we are ‘back on line’!  Thanks for your patience and support. J&J

The Midwife

Here’s a movie to seek out if you are a fan of foreign language films.  Set in metropolitan Paris, Catherine Frot plays a midwife whose profession is under attack by the evolution of the medical industry.

Along comes her late father’s mistress, Beatrice, played by the incomparable Catherine Deneuve who humbly declares she has brain cancer and has nowhere left to turn to.

The acting is the reason to see this film.  It is a drama but not overly dramatic.  It is sometimes not too funny and not too melodramatic, but just about right.

The genre is Drama and is not rated in the US.  The run time is 117 minutes.  It is a great opportunity to see two exceptional French actresses in great roles.  French with English subtitles.

Rating 

The Glass Castle

This movie is based on the memoir by the same name.  This actually makes the film better than fiction though it is not always easy to watch.  Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts play the free spirited parents whose unconventional approach to raising children ultimately results in a serious disfunctional dynamic.  There are moments of humor counterbalanced by moments of significant angst.

Once again, acting is front and center.  Since the story covers the children through adulthood, several actors fill the roles.  Most notably Oscar winner Brie Larson plays the oldest daughter.  Max Greenfield is her fiance.

It is rated PG-13 but there are several scenes that are not suitable for children.  The genre is noted as a Drama/Biography.  It runs a long 2 hours, 7 minutes.

Rating 

A Ghost Story

This is a truly unique film.  Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara play the leads. When Casey’s character suddenly dies, he continues as a ghost observing his heartbroken partner and a series of evolutions.

The story requires a lot of patience and imagination from the viewers.  Those patient enough will be rewarded with a haunting yet voyeuristic view of the world from the ghost’s point of view.

The genre is noted as Drama, Fantasy, Romance and runs 1 hour, 32 minutes.  It is rated R for “imitations of mortality”.  (First we have ever seen that!)  It is sure to prompt conversation.

Rating

Detroit

This film is a recreation of the 1967 racial and civil unrest in Detroit.  It recounts the takeover of the Algiers Motel by Local, State and National Guard forces and the events that unfolded one night.

It is powerful and sometimes painful to watch.  It is often raw and unsettling. It is directed by Kathryn Bigelow and based on historical events.  It is not easy to watch but stands as required viewing for those who seek a better understanding of racial history and its aftermath.

There is a cast of almost two dozen actors who deliver powerful depictions of real life characters.  It is rated R for strong violence and language.  It is listed as a Drama, Mystery, Suspense.  Run time is 142 minutes.

There is lots of deserved Oscar chatter about this film.  We will follow this closely as the awards season draws nearer.

Rating 

The Little Hours

Well, you won’t see a film like this everyday!  Set in a medieval period convent, young nuns verbally and viciously attack the convent’s day laborer who flees.  The replacement, played by Dave Franco, poses as a deaf mute to avoid “temptation” by the nuns.

Alison Brie, Aubrey, Kate Micucci play the young nuns. Molly Shannon plays the Mother Superior, and John C. Reilly plays Father Tommasso.

While the theme is spoofy comedy and R rated, we were surprised with the blunt, contemporary language.  There is full frontal nudity, sexual encounters, and extensive profanity.

While a bit taken aback by the style, it was a fresh, inventive, relentless and irreverent, but without malice, film.  Be advised, this is not a movie for everyone.  Rated R with a run time of 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Rating 

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

This is an update to the first documentary ten years ago.  While there is some updated information in this rendition, the real focus shifts to global wrangling, the future of the Paris Agreement and, arguably the most compelling element, the current updated state of climate change to date.

Critics are many.  Animal Agriculture and its impact on climate change were never mentioned.  Carbon emission energy is still polluting the air with little slow down.  It is clear, there is a long way to go before climate change is in check.

That said, it is still encouraging to have an update and focus on the state of the environment.   There are moments that are funny and poignant at the same time.  This film is rated PG and runs 1 hour, 40 minutes.

Rating 

All,

So sorry for so few reviews lately.  We’ve been super busy with family, friends, last minute touring and gads about town…  The truth be told, access to films, especially independent and foreign, has been pretty lean.  We’ll have to fix that going forward.

In the meantime, we arrived in Salt Lake City this afternoon to temps in the mid/high 90’s.  So what better reason to seek refuge but in a comfortable movie theater.

Girls Trip

Despite the chemistry with this talented cast, this story is raunchy, crass and down right sleazy.  This is NOT what you would expect from a cast of Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish.

Let’s just say it was a painful two plus hours, although most audiences seemed to enjoy the movie.  We could only reflect on the countless women we have known and worked with and their years of struggle to gain respect and recognition.

Lest we forget it was a comedy.  OK, maybe not our genre.  But we were not expecting crude public behavior that pushed the comic envelope quite so far…

Rated R for crude sexual content, pervasive language, nudity and drug matter.

Rating 

Atomic Blonde

Oh my goodness.  Step aside 007.  Hello Lorriane Broughton!  She’s MI6’s elite spy with the best skills of any agent…ever!  She is strong, relentless, committed, unpredictable, and smart.

The cast is compact but effective.  Charlize Theron is the star agent.  James McAvoy plays the double agent, Sofia Boutella is a love interest, John Goodman is pulling strings behind the scenes.  Roland Moller, Johannes Haujur Johannesson take turns as counter agents.

Some reviewers are not liking the plot.  Too much “ass-kicking”, not enough spy drama.  We liked it because it bursts with energy, relentless action and a new breed of super spy.

The genre is a Mystery/Thriller.  It is rated R for violence and adult subject matter.  Run time is 1 hour, 55 minutes.

Rating  

Kidnap

Every parent’s nightmare!  You are out in a seemingly safe public place and in the blink of an eye, your child disappears.  You scramble into action and lose your mobile phone in the process…

This sets the stage for the next tense hour and a half as Mom (Halle Berry in an intense role), and her son (Sage Correa, whom we will surely see more in time) desperately struggle to find each other.

The acting is good to excellent.  The tension is off the charts.  The bad guys are really bad!  And the story…well you’ll just have to decide for yourself.  We thought it was pretty darn good.

It is rated R for violence and intensity and viewing by children is cautioned by these viewers.  Its genre is listed as a Thriller/Mystery with a run time of 1 hour, 35 minutes.

Rating