Category: Movies

Greetings to all!

These two movies bring our year to date total to 175 films!  That’s a new year to date record for us!

Today is also the beginning of our big Fall trip to Europe.  In a few hours we will be on our way to the airport for our flight to Rome and six weeks in and around Italy.

As always, we’ll keep in touch with posts on our travels and discoveries.  Our theater time will be reduced to near none but we often manage to squeeze in a screening or two.  We will try to catch up when we get home at the end of October.  We send best wishes to all!!

J&J

Inventing Tomorrow

This is an interesting and inspiring documentary about high school teenage innovators who identify environmental threats in their own regions of the world and develop potential solutions.  They then present these ideas to scientists from around the world at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles.

While the topics are reminders of the environmental devastation our world faces, it is also an inspiration to see thousands of students working together, sharing their knowledge and passion for a healthier planet.

Director Laura Nix chose to focus closely on the teenagers, their commitment, enthusiasm, perspectives and energy on their projects.

This film is not rated.  This is a story children of all ages should see!  The run time is 87 minutes.  English, Spanish, Hindi, Indonesian with English subtitles.

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The Predator

This edition of the Predator is the 4th in a series. The first was in 1987, then 1990, and then again in 2010.  This one features “genetically upgraded” creatures from across the universe accidentally summoned by the son, played by Jacob Tremblay (from The Room).

The acting was just so so.  The script bounced around quite a bit.  A little slap stick, a little creature feature, a lot of military combat.  Lots of ‘shoot em up’, blow it up, and such.  Visually this is a very dark film.

The rating is R for strong bloody violence, language throughout and crude sexual references.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy.  Clearly, it is not appropriate for children.  The run time was 1 hour, 58 minutes.

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A Simple Favor

Oh my!  This is a romp through suburbia we did not see coming.  It quickly becomes a dark mystery thriller set in a small Connecticut town where everyone knows each other.  It’s based on the 2017 novel by the same title authored by Darcy Bell.

It’s not perfect.  Some of the antics are a bit corny, borderline slapstick.  Other scenes reveal way more than we were expecting but overall its clever, intriguing and unique.

The acting makes it work.  Blake Lively is the sexy wife who befriends Anna Kendrick as the single Mom.  Henry Golding is Blake’s husband.  Youngsters Ian Ho and Joshua Satine play the children.  Another 60 plus actors play bit parts to round out the cast.

It’s rated R for sexual content, language and some graphic nude images, drug use and violence.  We do not think it is appropriate for children.  It’s listed as a Mystery & Suspense running 116 minutes.

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White Boy Rick

Once again, some true stories are better than fiction.   Fresh from the Toronto Film Festival, it’s set in Detroit in the 1980s when crack and drug wars were everyday events.  Rick Wershe Jr. was a street hustler, FBI Informant, and Drug Kingpin as a teenager.  We won’t say anymore because there is a stunning ending.

The cast is impressive.  Matthew McConaughey plays the dad.  Richie Merritt plays the son.  There are scores of other actors, most notably are bit parts by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eddie Marsan, Bel Powley, Piper Laurie and Bruce Dern.

It’s not easy to watch.  There is conflict, violence, criminal activity, undercover operations, family conflict, and drug use.  It is rated R.  It is absolutely not appropriate for children.

It is listed as a drama/mystery.  The run time is 1 hour, 56 minutes (it felt longer!).

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Kusama: Infinity

This is a fascinating Documentary film about the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, now the top selling female artist in the world.  It covers her entire creative life from childhood to today.

She left Japan and settled in New York City in the 1960’s.  Her art challenged all conventional standards for decades and she ultimately became a world renowned artist.  She has spent the last 30 years living in a mental institution in Japan.

The film is not rated and parents should be cautioned there are clips of nudity, drug use and news clips from the 60’s and 70’s that may not be suitable for children.  The run time is 85 minutes.  English and Japanese with English subtitles.

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The Apparition

This is a fascinating peek at what might happen or has happened when an apparition occurs somewhere in the world, in this case a remote French village.  The Vatican recruits a respected French journalist to conduct a committee to determine the legitimacy of an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

It doesn’t take long before the many and varied interests present themselves.  There are believers and skeptics abound with both awe and angst.

The core cast is small.  Vincent Lindon is perfect as the journalist.   Galatea Bellugi delivers a powerful role as the novitiate nun.  Anatole Tauman did a good job as the opportunist.  Romanian actress Elina Lowensohn is excellent as the Doctor.

All that said, while interesting, the film falls short.  It simply does not deliver a conclusion one way or another.  That is frustrating when you have invested 2 hours, 24 minutes.  This film is listed as a Drama and is not rated.  French and Italian with English subtitles.

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Pick of the Litter

Here is a charming Sundance documentary film about five puppies who are selected and groomed from birth and trained on several levels to be guide dogs to the blind.  The story spans an intense two years of training and the many stages of evaluation for these pups.  Not all of them make the grade.

It is a delight to watch as these little critters grow, learn, fail, and overcome the challenges before being matched with blind persons.  Equally interesting is the process.  At eight weeks the pups are farmed out to “puppy raisers” for their initial training and onward to 16 months of training and development.

This documentary is not rated with a run time of 81 minutes.

Surprise note:  Our screening was followed by a Q & A with the Writer/Director Dana Nachman, and two of the people in the movie and two of the dogs.  We learned all the puppies were born in San Rafael, CA.  Raised and trained in the Bay Area.  It is clearly our “pick of the week”!  J&J

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The Nun

The film is set in 1952 Romania.  Humm…Romania…home of Transylvania, Dracula and a host of dark stuff dating back centuries!  The film itself is super creepy, disturbing, often frightening and consistently intense.  This story is a spin off of the 2016 Conjuring 2 and the fifth installment in the The Conjuring Universe.

The acting is pretty good.  The cast includes Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene and Bonnie Aarons as Sister Victoria.  Demian Bichir plays the male lead as Father Burke.  Belgian actor Jonas Bloquet is excellent as the character Frenchie.  The next dozen actors fill in the rest of the cast.

The film has been rated R for terror, violence, and disturbing/bloody images.  It is absolutely NOT appropriate for children!  We do not recommend viewing it alone or late at night.  It’s listed genre is Horror running 96 minutes.

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Kin

This film is about a disconnected family coming together…with more than a few twists.  Overall, it toggles between good and not so good, believable and not so believable.  Much of the story is unique, different and imaginative.  Some of it is implausible and far fetched.

That said, the acting is pretty good.  Dennis Quaid plays the tough father.  Jack Reynor plays the ex-con son.  James Franco plays the bad guy really well.  Myles Truitt plays the young son.  Zoe Kravitz (Lenny Kravitz’s daughter) plays the exotic dancer.  Michael B. Jordan has a bit part from another world.

It is listed as Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy.  It is surprisingly rated PG-13 given the gun violence and intense action, suggestive material, language, thematic elements and drinking.  It runs 102 minutes.

Footnote:  We think this movie is designed for a sequel.

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Note for this next movie: You will get a chuckle when telling you we thought we were going to see an Indian Bollywood film by the same name.  Imagine our surprise to see a Chinese Action/Drama instead!  Oye!

Big Brother

What an interesting yet perplexing story start about a Chinese High School set in Hong Kong, one of its teachers and the drama that unfolds soon after.  On one hand its cheesy if not corny.  On the other hand there are other messages that are encouraging and quite entertaining.  Ultimately, it turns into an action story with martial arts, lots of action, drama, and surprises.

The main characters number only a few.  The rest of the cast includes over two dozen actors ranging from children to the elderly.  The prolific martial arts expert Donnie Yen is the new teacher.  Taiwanese actress Jo Chen is one of the other teachers.  Kang Yu is one of the bad guys and does battle with Mr. Yen.

The film is not rated but there is significant prolonged violence, some extreme action and exaggerated scenes that make this film inappropriate for children.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Drama.  It has a run time of 101 minutes.  Mandarin with English subtitles.

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Peppermint

Every once in a while a film is released that turns out to be an unexpected surprise.  This one is from French Director Pierre Morel of the Taken franchise.  It is a dark story (literally).  It’s a story about justice, not revenge.  It’s about a wife and mother who loses her family to drug violence and ends up in jail because of the corrupt system.  It’s a pretty heavy plot to be sure.  It’s incredibly realistic and speaks to a wide range of social, political and emotional elements of society.

Jennifer Garner is perfect in her role.  Tyson Ritter plays her husband Sam with the adorable Cailey Fleming as their daughter.  Chris Johnson is the husband’s friend.  Juan Pablo Raba is the cartel ringleader.  John Gallagher is the really bad cop while Annie Ilonzeh is great as the FBI agent.  Another dozen actors round out the core cast.

We were a bit shocked to hear many disappointing reviews from the critics.  It is hard to tell what those critics are looking for these days.  The lead character experiences a horrific set of circumstances and loss where just about any horrific response would seem justified.

The film is rated R for strong violence and language.  This film is not appropriate for children.  It is listed as an Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense running 102 minutes.  We think this will become a classic and might even muster some Oscar chatter for Acting.

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Warm greetings to all!

Movie buffs may recall this holiday weekend was one of the biggest weekends of the year with Telluride, Venice and the Toronto Film Festivals launching their programs.  Two Documentary hopefuls include the yet to be released Pick of the Litter and Active Measures.  Critics also noticed The Little Stranger.  We were fortunate to catch a showing this weekend.  Our review is below.

Enjoy!!

J&J

Searching

This film is focused on a missing 16 year old San Jose girl.  After 37 hours with no leads, her father decides to investigate via his daughter’s lap top.  This approach yields an ever expanding number of communicating options on the daughters smart phone and laptop all with little or no tangible results.  Soon a detective is assigned to the case but the progress is slow and frustrating.

The leading actors are John Cho as the father and Debra Messing as the detective.  Both give solid believable performances.  Michele La plays the daughter Margo, while the center of the story, her screen time is quite short.

The suspense factor gradually becomes more intense as the story unfolds.  Overall, the tone builds and tension grows and grows.  The surprise ending is executed nicely.  It’s clever and inventive.  Overall, it’s a unique movie.

It is rated PG-13 for thematic content, drug use and sexual references, and for language.  The numerous and continual computer screen shots became tedious after a while.  It’s listed as a Mystery & Suspense with a run time of 101 minutes.

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The Little Stranger

Opening in Telluride Labor Day weekend, this film yielded poor box office receipts elsewhere.  Our theater had less than 10 ticket holders.  That was a bit of a surprise given the Director, Lenny Abrahamson, of Room.  It is an odd story of class and privilege set in 1948.  There is a creepy undercurrent to the plot that ebbs and flows.  It is subtle and unsettling.

The cast is quite good.  Domhnall Gleeson is excellent as the Doctor.  Will Poulter plays the son.  Ruth Wilson, Josh Dylan and Charlotte Rampling, who plays the mother, rounds out the key characters.

Unexpectedly the house and its occupants incrementally get weird.  Is the place haunted?  Are the characters all nuts?  We never really know!  One critic said it best  “an elegant, cold-to-the-touch blend of drama and gothic horror.”  We say it was slow, confusing and unsatisfying.

It’s rated R for some disturbing bloody images.  It’s listed as a Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense.  It runs a long 1 hour 51 minutes.

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Gabriel and the Mountain

One part travel story, one part documentary, and one part fiction.  The total is apparently ‘all of the above’.

Brazilian student Gabriel Buchmann decides to spend a year traveling around the world before continuing his education at a prestigious American University.  After 10 months he finds himself in Kenya.

He is intelligent, educated, resourceful, adventurous and likable.  He is also naive, impulsive, persistent and stubborn.

His girlfriend joins him for some of the remaining weeks before she returns to Brazil to finish her education as Gabriel decided to climb his last conquest, Mount Malawi in Malawi.

Travel film, check.  Adventure film, check.  Love story, check.  Happy ending?  You’ll have to discover for yourself.

This film is not rated.  It is listed as an Art House & International, Drama.  The run time is 127 minutes.  English, French, Portuguese with English subtitles.

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Operation Finale

This film is about the pursuit and capture of Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi officer that masterminded the logistics and the killing of 6 million innocent Jews during World War II.  In researching the background on this film, we discovered numerous details that were not quite accurate.  None of the disconnects really alter the content of the film much but is valued information for those seeking only the facts and the truth.

The cast includes 20 key characters.  Ben Kingsley plays Adolf Eichmann.  Oscar Issac plays the kidnapper.  English Actor Joe Alwyn plays Eichmann’s son.  Peter Malkin plays an Israeli Agent who spent 27 years with Israeli Intelligence tracking down Nazi criminals.

The movie is intense, with a quick pace and constant tension.  It feels real.  It is sometimes difficult to watch.  Much to our surprise it is rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic content and related violent images and some language.  We do not recommend this film for children under 14.  It is listed as a Drama/Thriller running 2 hours, 3 minutes.

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Alpha

This film is enjoyable, quite unique and ultimately satisfying.  It’s set 20,000 years ago, apparently in Europe, although it would be hard to confirm or deny from the available information.

The beginning of the film is a bit awkward, early man and its primitive culture immediately prompts imagining early Native Americans and early buffalo hunts.  That said, we decided not to share more of those opening scenes because they are pivotal to the rest of the story.

The small international cast is impressive.  The 22 year old Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee is excellent as the tribe leader’s son.  Chilean actress Leonor Varela plays the Shaman Mom.  Swedish actor Jens Hulten play a tribal leader Xi.  Less than a dozen actors fill in the gaps.

Overall, the cinematography is front and center.  The focus on man and wolf is second next in line.  Survival is pivotal but third in line.  And there is a surprise ending that warms up the whole experience.  To be fair, this film will not be a threat to National Geographic but it is good film making and deserves an audience.

It is rated PG-13 for intensity but we think its fine for children.  It’s genre is noted as Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Suspense running 97 minutes.

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The Bookshop

This is an interesting film if for no other reason than the tumultuous array of feedback on the internet.  It’s not a blockbuster or a major cinematic release, yet the posts on the web seem to create a major controversy.

In our opinion, it is a charming film loosely based on the 1978 novel by Penelope Fitzgerald.  The story is set in 1959 in an English coastal village in East Anglica.  It is about a war widow who decides to open a bookstore only to discover the forces of old money wealth and influence are in play to replace the bookstore with an art center.

The main reason to see this film is the cast.  Emily Mortimer plays the widow.  Patricia Clarkson plays a wealthy operative.  Bill Nighy is brilliant as the neighbor.  A half a dozen other actors fill out the remaining characters.

It is rated PG for some thematic elements, language and brief smoking.  It is listed as a drama and runs 113 minutes.  It is worth a watch if it fits your interest.

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Papillon

So much to share about this movie!  Many of us will recall the instant classic film from 1973 by the same name staring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.  More important, Papillon is based on the real story of the French convict Henri Charriere who was imprisoned in 1933 in French Guiana (then Northeast South America) and later escaped in 1941.

The cast is exceptional.  Charlie Hunnam plays Papillon.  Rami Malek is equally good as the counterfeiter and fellow prisoner.  Danish actor Roland Moller plays the prisoner Celier.  Scottish actor Tommy Flanagan plays the cruel Masked Breton.  Dutch actor Yorick van Wageningen is the ruthless warden.

The film was shot in several locations around Europe including Montenegro, Malta, and significantly in Belgrade Serbia.  The story is gritty, violent, intense and sometimes difficult to watch.  It is rated R for violence including bloody images, language, nudity and some sexual material.  It absolutely is not appropriate for viewing by anyone under 18.  It is listed as a drama with a run time of 136 minutes.  DO NOT miss this film.

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We the Animals

This is an unusual yet poignant film about a young family with volatile parents and three children who adore their Mom and Dad who are barely adults themselves.  The youngest struggles to keep up with his brothers and often isolates himself in a self made world of his own.

The acting is surprisingly good.  The father is played by American actor and playwright Raul Castillo.  The mom is played by the American actress known for here role in Argo, Sheila Vand.  The boys are played by Evan Rosado as Jonah, Isaiah Kristian as Manny and Josiah Gabriel as Joel.  Their performances are  well beyond their years thanks to the skills of Writer/Director Jeremiah Zagar.

It is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some underage drug and alcohol abuse.  It is often difficult to watch, heartbreaking at times.  Children should not see this film!  For that matter, adults with challenging upbringings may find this movie uncomfortable.  All that said, it is uniquely executed and deserves an audience.

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Support The Girls

It is a pretty straight forward plot.  Double Whammies is a Sports Bar with minimally dressed waitresses.  It is managed by a tough and tender woman who is kind, encouraging, positive, realistic and optimistic.  On the flip side her personal life is a train wreck.

The cast has a handful of actors:  Regina Hall is the manager, the waitresses include Haley Lu Richardson, Shayna McHayle, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer and Amanda Michalka.  There are a handful of male characters but no notable performances beyond “sports bar patrons”.

It is supposed to be heartwarming and charming, uplifting and positive.  We found it depressing and borderline annoying.  Comments like “rough around the edges” and “truthful but not cynical” are hardly compliments.

It is rated R for language including sexual references and brief nudity.  It’s listed as a comedy but we heard little to chuckle about.  Children should not see this film.  The run time is 90 minutes.  Pass on this one, there are plenty of worthwhile films out there worthy of your patronage.

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Breaking and Exiting

This is a bit odd as story lines go.  Man and sidekick rob houses for a living.  Sidekick bales and man goes to rob house alone.  Robber discovers a suicide in progress while robbing home.  Robber saves victim and romance/comedy plays out.  Geez, that happens every day…right?!

That said, the acting is not half bad.  Milo Gibson (yes, father Mel…) plays robber #1, Jordan Hinson plays the attempted suicide victim, Adam Huber plays robber #2, James Kyson plays the ex, Lily Ann Harrison is the new girlfriend.  Colin Ferguson plays the local policeman, and Spanish actor Joaquim de Almeida has a cameo part.

It probably won’t attract any major industry awards but it was interesting and clever, just unique enough to keep your attention, real enough to hold your interest, with a very good execution to make it satisfying.

It was a surprise to find the film Not Rated.  It is listed as a comedy. (Go figure?!) The run time is 78 minutes.

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The Wife

Let’s get serious.  Glenn Close delivers one of her most stunning performances ever!  Jonathan Pryce is the husband about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.  But there is a dark undercurrent that runs though this story that starts tepid, builds to a boil and ultimately bursts for all to see.

We will step out and predict Glenn Close will undoubtedly have a nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal as the wife.  In addition to Close and Pryce, the cast includes Christian Slater, Max Irons, Harry Lloyd, Elizabeth McGovern, Annie Maude Starke and a dozen more.

The story is great, the production world class, and it is an excellent example where the concept, script and acting converge to deliver a satisfying experience for the audience.

It is rated R for language and some sexual content.  It’s probably not appropriate for audiences under thirteen years old.  It’s listed as a drama with a run time of 100 minutes.

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Juliet, Naked

This film is based on the 2009 novel by Nick Hornby.  It is a quick paced romantic comedy about a couple living together for a decade in coastal England.  Annie works in a museum, her boyfriend Duncan is an Arts Professor and steadfast fan of a ’90s rocker, played be Ethan Hawke.

The couple have a unique relationship.  In fact, the story is about self realization and personal fulfillment run a muck and an attempt to right the wrongs in their lives.

The actors that make it believable include Rose Byrne as Annie, Ethan Hawke as Tucker, Chris O’Dowd as Duncan, Johanna Thea as Rosie and several more in small (extended family) roles.

This film is listed as a comedy/drama and rated R for language.  In our opinion it is suitable for mature teens, adult content not withstanding.  It is a complex story that is often humorous and heartbreaking at the same time.  It runs 98 minutes.

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Never Goin’ Back

To where?  The beach… too late, you can’t afford it.  School?  Na, you already dropped out.  To work?  Nope, you burned that bridge.  Home?  You have no money, can’t pay the rent.  You live with dead beats with no education, skills or money.  Looks like this film is doomed in the first 5 minutes…

OK maybe a bit harsh but these two girls are annoying from the get go.  They are selfish, delusional, self consumed, but…they are funny together.  The chemistry between them is excellent.  Think of the TV show Two Broke Girls but younger and unrealistic.

It is outrageous, funny, dumb and implausible.  That said, there is something redeeming about the two girl’s overcoming the odds no matter what.

The acting is pretty good.  Austrailian actress Maia Mitchell is excellent as the leading Angela.  Actress and model Camila Morrone is the side kick friend.  The brother is played by Matthew Holcomb, his roommate is played by Kyle Mooney.  All the boys are dumb as stumps.

To top it off, it is rated R for crude sexual content, language throughout, drug use and brief nudity involving all teens.  It’s listed as a comedy and runs 83 minutes.  Save your money and time.  (OR if you have preteens, strap them to a chair and force them to watch this continuously until they swear on their souls they will never behave like this.  Just a suggestion.)

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Slender Man

The good news is you won’t see much of Slender Man on the screen.  He is most illusive.  He’s a tall faceless guy with multiple arms that are sometime tentacles.  He seems to abduct children or “infect” them from afar.

In the current rendition he seems to like teenage girls.  Slender Man seems to know when his young victims are online where he can track them.  The kids learn that seeking or watching Slender Man online actually summons the creature.  The youngsters compare notes, draw pictures, save recorded images and generally freak themselves out on a regular basis.

The cast is a band of talented young actors and a few adult professionals.  There are six teenage girls, a few boys, a few adult males and Javier Bolet as Slender Man. (Who knew he had a face?!)

In researching this film, we were NOT surprised to see some of the lowest scores ever!  9% favorable on Rotten Tomatoes, 2.9 out of 10 on IMDb, and 29% on Metacritic.

Again, save your time and money.  It’s pretty boring, the acting is well below average, the creepy factor doesn’t work and isn’t even cringe worthy.

It is rated PG-13 for disturbing images and sequences of terror, thematic elements and language.  It is listed as a horror movie (but there is not much there).  It runs 93 minutes.

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McQueen

The winner of this blog must be McQueen.  It is a Documentary on the life and career of Alexander McQueen, the British fashion designer whose 18 year career is noted for its artistry and creativity ranging from “Bonkers” to “Genius”.

His body of work has often been characterized as sculptural, shocking and impeccable.  It’s also a personal look at the person, his family and his demons.

His story is incredible, insightful and tragic.  Reviews have been exceptional and audiences very favorable.  It is a stunning display of his work, career and personal history.

The genre is noted as a Documentary.  The film is not rated.  It runs 111 minutes.  It is stunning and heartbreaking at the same time.

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Mile 22

All action, very little plot, copious amounts of blood, the film is like driving a car with no brakes.  Mark Wahlberg stars as a CIA operative trying to deliver an asset to an extraction point.  That’s it!

Don’t expect explanation on the threat, or what’s behind it or any clues about the danger, or the purpose, or any reason for the film.  It’s all about the constant uninterrupted action.

There are really only six actors of note in the whole movie.  In addition to Wahlberg, there is John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey and Terry Kinney.

It is rated R for strong violence and language throughout.  Children should not view this film.  It’s listed as an Action & Adventure running 90 minutes.  We suggest not wasting your time or money.

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The Captain

Wow!  This is an amazing movie, on and off the screen.  It is set in World War II toward the end of the war when Germany was in chaos, Hilter’s Reich was in shambles and it was obvious to all the war was about to end.

What is especially important is the movie is based on true events called the Executioner of Emsland.  A German Private becomes separated from his comrades and discovers an abandoned car with a suitcase filled with the uniforms of an SS Officer.  Soon the Private assumes the position, clothes, car and identity of the SS Officer and assumes authority directly from Hitler himself.

The cast is excellent.  25 year old Swiss actor Max Hubacher plays the SS Officer. Frederick Lau, Alex Fehling, Blerim Destani and Britta Hammelstein round out the leading characters.

The film is not rated and is not appropriate for children due to the extreme violence and disturbing images.  The genre is noted as Art House & International, Drama.  It is currently in limited release and is soon to be released for streaming in November.  Run time is 118 minutes.  German with English subtitles.  Do seek this out if you have any interest in the subject matter and let us know what you think.

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Crazy Rich Asians

When was the last time you went to the theater and found it near capacity on a Sunday afternoon?!  That is exactly what we experienced this afternoon to see this film.

We knew the film was about an American Asian woman who falls in love with the son of an extremely wealthy power broker in Singapore who are attending a friends wedding.   Family pressures interfere with planned events and “family values” becomes hurtful on many levels.

It’s the cast and production that make this story work.  There is a huge cast of characters.  Awkwafina is hilarious as the family muse.  Constance Wu is exceptional as the fiance.  Henry Golding is equally good as the wealthy groom.  Michelle Yeoh is perfect as the iron strong Mom.  Several other notable actors include Gemma Chan, Ken Jeong, Nico Santos and 20 other Asian actors.

It’s often very funny, terribly sad, non-stop surprises, down right goofy and occasionally serious.  It is rated PG-13 for some suggestive content and language.  It is listed as a comedy but there are plenty of serious topics mixed in.  We came away satisfied and feel it is well worth a look as a cultural lesson and more.

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