Category: Movies

Oscar News!

As you undoubtedly know, the 2017 Oscar nominations were announced this week.  Most of the nominations did not come as a surprise to us.  It was quite a busy year in the movie industry.

There were a few big omissions that caught our attention including:

• Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals, Screen play
• Amy Adams, Arrival, Best Actress
• Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane, Best Actress
• Jake Gyllenhaal,  Nocturnal Animals, Best Supporting Actor
• Tom Hanks, Sully, Best Actor
• Elle, Best Foreign Film

The Academy Awards will be presented February 26 this year.  Unfortunately we will be in the Rajasthan desert of India that day unlikely to have Television access.  But fear not!  We will post our Oscar Predictions Ballot before we leave next Thursday, February 2.

Happy viewing.   J&J

Split

This film was written and directed by the prolific M. Night Shyamalan.  As with most of his movies, there is a contemporary supernatural plot.  This one is especially creepy, intense and somewhat mind boggling.  The focus is on a man with dissociative identity disorder (split personalities).  In this case 23 personalities.

James McAvoy is brilliant as the kidnapper.  The young victims are played well by Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula and Anya Taylor-Joy.   Betty Buckley shines as the psychologist.

It is rated PG-13 but we suggest it is not appropriate for young children.  It is scary and quite unsettling.  It is listed as a Thriller/Drama with a running time of 1 hour 57 minutes.

This is arguably the best film Mr. Shyamalan has delivered in recent years.  “He’s back…”

Rating  

The Handmaiden

Let’s start with the good.  This film is visually stunning.  The story has more twists and turns than a bag of pretzels.  The acting overall is very good to excellent.  It is a throw back to the grand cinema productions with its fable of love, betrayal and tragedy set in Korea of the 1930’s.

That said, it is broken into three different versions of the same story line, each revealing a different aspect of the plot.  This takes almost three hours to unfold. There are copious scenes depicting erotic fantasy, love and betrayal, and…lots of sex.  OK, call me a prude, but this is just an artsy fartsy porn movie.

The critics loved this film and gave it one of the highest ratings of the year.  The film was released without a rating.  Can you guess why?  Obviously, children should not see this film (and we would suggest adults shouldn’t either!).  Korean and Japanese with English subtitles.

Rating  

Toni Erdmann

This is a most unusual film.  Toni Erdmann lives in Germany.  He is the estranged father of his career driven daughter who is working in Bucharest as a business consultant.

She is not happy when her Dad unexpectedly shows up and inserts himself, and his copious pranks, into her daily life.  Again the critics are raving about this movie.  Again garnering some of the highest ratings of the year.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are plenty of funny moments.  Unfortunately, much of the humor comes from silly antics and slap stick routines popular years ago.  That said, there is a charming quality to much of the material.  (Many of the scenes of Bucharest brought back warm travel memories too.)

Sandra Huller is exquisite as the daughter.  Peter Simonischek perfect as the goofy father.  Ingrid Bisu shines as the assistant.  There is a large cast of actors playing as business associates and regional locals.

It is rated R for nudity (there is a party that is too funny!) and adult material.  It is not suitable for youngsters.  Here is another 2 hour 42 minute run time.  English, German, Romanian with English subtitles.

Rating  

20th Century Women

The much anticipated release of this movie has been enjoying very favorable reviews from audiences and critics alike.  The story is set in 1979 Santa Barbara where a single Mom is raising her only son with the help of three boarders:  two young women and a carpenter/mechanic.

It is an interesting story, intelligently written and well acted, but ultimately fails to deliver any punch or powerful emotional conclusion.  Annette Bening delivers an often exceptional, and yet somewhat inconsistent, performance as the Mom. Elle Fanning, Gretta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup are the boarders.  Lucas Jade Zumann shines as the teenage son.   There are a dozen other cast members as well.

It is listed as a Drama/Comedy with an R rating for adult themes.  The movie was written and Directed by Mike Mills and runs just short of two hours.

Rating  

Sleepless

This is an unflattering story about the undercover Las Vegas Police, the Department’s Internal Affairs, and drug gangsters.  It is a remake of the 2011 French thriller Sleepless.  Critics and audiences have not been kind to this film. We saw it because it was one of the only new releases in theaters early this January.

Jamie Foxx was the leading man.  Gabrielle Union was well cast as the wife. Michelle Monagan, David Harbour, Dermot Mulroney, and Scoot McNairy rounded out most of the rest of the main actors.

There was plenty of action and twists but the production itself was weak.  Shaky camerawork, story blunders, i.e. Foxx gets stabbed in the abdomen on the left side and the wound for the rest of the film appears on the right side, puts this movie on the B list.

It is rated R for violence and strong language.  It is listed as a Crime/Thriller running 1 hour, 35 minutes.

Rating 

The Founder

Based on true events, this film chronicles the roots of the creation of the McDonald’s restaurant empire.

Michael Keaton is excellent as Ray Kroc, the struggling traveling salesman turned founder.  Mac, played by John Carroll Lynch and Dick McDonald, played by Nick Offerman are equally good.  The latter two created the brand and mapped the business model in 1950’s San Bernardino, California.

While much of the world sees Kroc as the genius “Founder”, the reality is deception, double crossing, manipulation and legal maneuvering played a major role in how this enterprise evolved.

The film is well made, acted and produced.  Ultimately, the commentary on the underbelly of Corporate steamrolling is what many viewers will recall when digesting this story.

Rated PG13 as a Drama/History.  1 Hour, 55 minutes.

Rating  

Live By Night

It was the Roaring ’20s and Prohibition was in full swing.  This is a story of rum running from Florida to Boston, power, corruption, the KKK, religion and so much more.

It boasts a great cast.  Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Zoe Saldana, Sienna Miller, Chris Cooper, Scott Eastwood, Brendan Gleeson and Remo Girone.  It is visually stunning, a throw back to an earlier style of film making.

It is not perfect, though.  It tends to get a little lost in itself, and some parts are confusing.  The critics scored the film good but not great.  Audiences were not so kind and were less than 50% favorable.

We liked it overall.  Ben Affleck wrote the screenplay, directed, starred and co-produced this movie.  It is listed as a Crime/Drama.  It is rated R for sexual content and violence.  It runs a whopping 2 hours, 8 minutes.

Rating  

Patriot’s Day

Patriot’s Day is a recreation of the April 15, 2013 bombing at the Boston Marathon.  The attention to detail is impressive and disturbing at the same time. The focus on the personal trauma and the aftermath was a grim reminder of those real events.

The cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, and Michelle Monaghan among several others.  The angst, tension, pressure and fear were captured and delivered with skill and compassion.

This film is listed as a Drama/Thriller with an R rating for violence and graphic images.  Some if it was difficult to watch.  Run time is 2 hours, 13 minutes.  It is not suitable for young children.

Rating  

Neruda

This is the story of the Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda.  It takes place in 1948 when Chile was struggling with democracy, communism and the emerging dictatorship of Pinochet.

Ultimately it is the story of the struggle between political authority and the creative arts mixed with class warfare between the privileged elite and the struggling working class.

There is a huge cast of characters.  Most notably Gael Garcia Bernal as the relentless detective, Luis Gnecco as Neruda and Mercedes Moran as his steadfast wife.

The cat and mouse plot is lengthy but far from boring.  It journeys from refuge to hideout to exile.  The story is unorthodox, filled with idiosyncrasies and ironies of the human ideals.

It is listed as a Biography/Drama.  It is rated R for nudity and violence.  It runs 1 hour and 47 minutes.  Spanish with English subtitles.

Rating  

Paterson

This much acclaimed film Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch flows gently from scene to scene.  Everything about this film is subtle, gentle and mellow (except a short scene or two).

Paterson, a bus driver and poet is played by Adam Driver.  (The role is quite the departure from his recent performance as the Jesuit missionary in Silence.) His costar, the talented Iranian actress, Golshiftteh Farahani, is a delight as the quirky and lovable wife and muse.  Their chemistry together is core to the storyline.  There is also a bulldog named Marvin that plays a pretty important role.

Audiences and critics really liked this film and so did we.  It is listed as a Drama/Comedy and runs almost 2 hours.  It is rated R but we cannot imagine why.  It is a charming feel good story, told in a unique way.

Rating  

Underworld: Blood Wars

First, we didn’t realize there have been five movies in the “Underworld” series.  Nor did we understand the conflict between the “Draculoids” and/or the “Werewolves” and the “hybrid” versions of either.    We are guessing, once again, we were clearly not part of the market demographic for this franchise.

We knew we were going to see a Kate Beckinsale movie.  The last one we saw in which she starred was the charming and witty Love & Friendship of last year.  Oh no no no!  This was a slash ’em up, blow ’em up, rip ’em up, blood and guts kind of thing.

I am surprised it was only rated R.  And I certainly would not let any person under 21 see it. (The Puritan in me!  BTW we were the ONLY ones in the theater over 21!!  And as long as I am on a rant, I’m blaming John for picking this movie out of the 10 new releases this week!)  It is listed as an Action/Adventure and runs 1 hour, 32 minutes.  Sorry Kate Beckinsale!  I must give this a rare blazing zero globes.

Rating  

 

The question was asked ‘Where were the film reviews from last week?’

The answer:  There were no new films released (that we were aware of) in the last  week of the 2016.  No worries!  There are several new releases the first Friday of 2017.  Here’s what we have seen:

Mifune: The Last Samurai

The latest Documentary by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki is focused on the career of Toshiro Mifune and Director Akira Kurosawa who together made 16 incredible films during the post WWII Golden Age of Japanese Cinema.

The documentary is narrated by Keanu Reeves and features commentaries by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Wataru Akashi, Kyoto Kagawa and Hisao Kurosawa.

It is important to note the influence of these movies on the American film industry.  They inspired films like the Magnificent Seven, A Fistful of Dollars and ultimately Star Wars.  Think Samurai’s future as Darth Vader!

It is hard to say if this will be nominated for any major awards but it is worthy of a look from any serious movie fan.  It is also an intriguing look at the Japanese and American film industry of the mid 20th Century.  The genre is Art House and International Documentary.  Run time is 80 minutes.  English and Japanese with English subtitles.

Rating: 

Julieta

This is Spanish Director Pedro Almodovar’s best work in many years.  It is the story of heartbreak and guilt.  It is both a thriller and melodrama.  The film spans 30 years in the life of Julieta.

The core cast includes over 14 actors, most notably Adriana Ugarte as the younger Julieta, and Emma Suarez as the older Julieta.  The amazing Rossy de Palma gives a great performance as the disapproving housekeeper.  Daniel Grao gives a compelling performance as Julieta’s husband.

The story is unique, well executed and great storytelling. Rated R for adult themes.  Listed as a Drama/Romance and running 1 hour 39 minutes.  Spanish with English subtitles.

Rating:  

Silence

Martin Scorsese delivers an epic story about the introduction of Christian Missionaries into 16th century Japan when Christianity was outlawed by Japan’s rulers.  The film is based on the 1966 novel authored by Shusaku Endo.

The film has an R rating for graphic violence and torture.  It is not always easy to watch.  At the same time, it is beautiful, often magnificent and masterfully filmed.

It boasts another large cast including lead performances by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver as Jesuit Priests, the prolific Liam Neeson, and a long list of talented Japanese actors.

This may well be an Oscar worthy movie.  It is listed as a History/Drama with a hefty 2 Hour 41 minute run time.  English and some Japanese with English subtitles.

Rating  

A Monster Calls

This story is about a boy, his ill Mom, her Mom, and of course a monster.  It is listed as a Fantasy Drama with a PG-13 rating. It is beautifully crafted, well acted and remarkably creative.  That said, the subject matter is pretty mature for children and adolescents.

It has a great cast.  Liam Neeson is the monster, Felicity Jones plays the mother, Signourney Weaver is Grandma and Lewis MacDougall plays the young boy Conner.

The screenplay was adapted by author Patrick Ness.  At times it can be emotional and heart wrenching.  It is also innovative, complex and wildly creative.  Run time is 1 hour 48 minutes.  Even with the often serious subject matter, we liked this movie, a lot!

Rating  

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!  These are the last four films we viewed in 2016.  We wish everyone a healthy and happy 2017.  Enjoy!  J&J

Fences

This film is based on the August Wilson Tony Award winning play by the same name.  While some critics claim the movie does not stand up to the stage production, the film captures the essence of the story and it translates well to the big screen.

Viola Davis and Denzel Washington deliver stunning performances.  Russell Hornsby and Jovan Adepo play the sons, and Stephen Henderson plays the coworker and friend.  The story is set in 1950’s Pittsburgh.  Troy, the Denzel character who cannot read, was a talented baseball player who after a long prison sentence became too old to play professionally.  The film is intense, exhausting and riveting.

Rated PG-13.  The subject matter may be too intense for young children.  This Drama runs a hefty two hours and 19 minutes.  It is worth the investment.  We think this film will garner several Oscar nominations and possibly win best actor/actress categories.

Rating  

Hidden Figures

This film looks back to the space race of the 60’s to tell the story of a group of well educated African-American women whose contribution to the successful launch of the NASA space program went largely unrecognized until recent years.

The lead performances by Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae and Taraji P. Henson have exceptional on screen chemistry.  Ample use of humor and perserverance help tell the story when racial segregation and workplace sexism was the norm in much of the country.

Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons also give good supporting roles.  Director Theodore Melfi smartly lets the story’s honesty, and the performers acting skills, evoke an emotional sting for the audience to process.

Rated PG, this film is appropriate for younger children.  Run time is 2 hours, 7 minutes.

Note:  We found it interesting the SAG and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress went to Octavia Spencer but not to Taraji P. Henson whose performance was center to the story.  We are hoping the Academy does not make the same oversight.

Rating  

Moana

From the prolific Disney Studios comes another instant classic.  This time chronicling the Polynesian history and culture.  There is no shortage of catchy songs and characters along with exceptional animation.

The story is supported by an excellent vocal cast: Auli’i Cravalho as Moana, Dwayne Johnson as Maui, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Jemaine Clement as Tamatoa, Alan Tudyk as Hei Hei (the rooster), Rachel House as Gramma, Temuera Morrison as the Chief and Phillip Soo as a villager.

The movie is rated PG and listed as an Action/Fantasy running 1 hour, 53 minutes.  This is sure to be Oscar nominated.  This will be a tough category filled with many superb front runners.  It will not be an easy call for our upcoming Oscar picks.

Rating  

Things to Come

The latest film by the talented young French director Mia Hanson-Love tells the story of a successful philosophy teacher whose world is rattled by the news her husband of 25 years is leaving her for another woman.

The lead is played by the amazing Isabelle Huppert, Roman Kolinka supports as her student, Andre Marcon is the husband, Edith Scob is the mother and Sarah Lepicard rounds out the core cast as the daughter.

It is an insightful look at how a life crisis can quickly change and challenge adaptability and resilience.

Rated PG-13, listed as a Drama, running 1 hour, 42 minutes.  Ultimately it was intriguing and interesting but light on the wow factor.  French with English subtitles.

Rating  

Good morning to all!  Six calendar days until the end of the year.  It will be a mad dash for us to cram in as many Oscar hopeful films between now and this Saturday.  The always challenging Animated Short Subject and Live Action Short Subject releases will not be out until January!!

As a reminder, we will be in India the entire month of February.  That said, we WILL have our Oscar Predictions out before we leave!

Mark your calendars, the 89th Academy Awards are Sunday, February 26, 2017, 5:30 PM Pacific Time.  We will be somewhere in Rajasthan.  We don’t know where exactly but if there is a TV with coverage, we may skip any planned activities that day and watch. (Should be about 5 AM India time.)  We’ll make it part of the adventure if possible.

In the meantime, please enjoy the following!  More to come soon.

J&J

Sing

This is another animated animal cartoon musical comedy that has become so popular over the last few years.  This time, Illumination Entertainment, (of Despicable Me fame), finds theater owner mouse making a last ditch effort to save his business by hosting a singing competition (sound familiar?!).

The best news is the cast: Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Matthew McConaughy, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, John C.Reilly, Jennifer Hudson, Rhea Perlman and several more.

All does not go well, with one disaster followed by mishap followed by catastrophy.  Finally, there is one last show that captures the local news on TV.  You can guess the rest.

It is just a lot of fun.  The theater was packed with families and lots of quiet as a mouse children.  Rated PG and listed accurately as a Drama/Musical.  Running 1 hour, 50 minutes.

Feature length animated films are going to be a tight race come Oscar season!

Rating 

Passengers

This is very interesting movie about the future of space travel taking over 90 years with guests and crew in a state of hibernation.  It is clever and inventive.  The cinematography is spectacular.

The acting is quite good.  The chemistry between the lead characters is impressive.  Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt share great on screen chemistry. That is until, well, they don’t.  Michael Sheen is great, along with Laurence Fishburne and Andy Garcia.

The critics were not kind in their reviews.  We thought that was a bit harsh.  It is a thought provoking concept with lots of clever twists and turns.

It is listed as a Fantasy/Science Fiction running just under two hours.  It is rated PG-13.

Rating 

Assassin’s Creed

I’m not sure how this movie got on our play list but since we saw it, we will review it.  It is based on a video game series.  That would explain why there was only young males in the audience and one woman, apparently a girlfriend/wife.

The cast was quite impressive.  Michael Fassbender who is typically exceptional in every role, gave a good delivery.  Marion Cotillard, who has been having a stellar year, was also good.  Jeremy Irons also performed well as the Dad.  Other performances included Brendan Gleeson, Michael K Willims and a bit part by Charlotte Rampling.

Overall, the film was dark, confusing, and disorienting.  We now assume you need to know the game in order to understand the movie.  A bummer because the connection to 15th century Spain, the Templar Order and the Assassins was the draw in the first place.

Rated PG-13, but we would caution parents about significant and prolonged violence.  It is listed as a Fantasy/Science Fiction that runs 2 hours, 20 minutes.

Rating  

Man Down

We recently saw this film.  It was a bit confusing and sometimes overwhelming.  Overall, it did a good job of showing what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can look like.  Some of this movie can be difficult, if not painful, to watch.  That said, it is probably the most effective movie representation on the topic.

The acting was impressive.  Shia LaBeouf plays the lead character, a young Marine, husband and father sent to war.  Gary Oldman plays a military doctor trying to unravel the mental damage.  Kate Mara plays the wife and mother.  Jai Courtney plays the best friend and fellow soldier.

Listed as a Drama/Thriller and rated R for extreme violence.  Run time is 1 hour, 32 minutes.  Absolutely not appropriate for children.

The critics mostly trashed this film.  I think it is a necessary story that needs to be told and taken seriously.  In limited release.

Rating  

La La Land

Who says the ‘good old days’ of Hollywood musicals is dead?!  La La Land shatters that myth once and for all.  This film is visually stunning.  Director Damien Chazelle definitely hit a home run with this production.  Lead actors Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have a glowing chemistry together.

The cinematography is brilliant.  As an example, the film opens with a phenomenal single shot in the middle of an LA freeway that turns into an extraordinary musical jam session.  The story flows effortlessly from scene to scene like a river.

This Romantic Drama is rated PG-13 with a running time of 2 hours and 8 minutes.  This is a charming story that never loses focus on what it wants to say. Oscar material to be sure.  This is sure to be an instant classic.

Rating 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The much anticipated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was recently released to excited audiences and well received by most critics.  We found it interesting and somewhat entertaining.  It had all the usual bells and whistles we have come to expect.

But, for life long Star Wars fans we were disappointed.  It felt “pieced together”, like tons of loose ends were recycled from the conference room white boards and cutting room floors with the goal: “Let’s see what we can come up with folks!  This is all good material and there ought to be a good story our customers will buy!”

The cast was typically good.  Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed and Forest Whitaker all delivered on their character performances.

Rated PG-13 and listed as Science Fiction/Action.  Directed by Gareth Edwards and a $200 million budget.  Worth it?  Share your comments.

Rating  

Miss Sloane

This film is powerful, intelligent, thought provoking and above all timely.  It is an inside peek at the all powerful political lobbying industry in Washington, DC.

Jessica Chastain dominates the cast with an iron clad performance as Elizabeth Sloane, the alpha lobbyist.  She already has nominations for best actress for the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards.  It’s too early to tell regarding the Oscar as the holiday releases are coming in hot and heavy right now.

Other excellent performances are given by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, Allison Pill, Michael Stuhbarg and Jake Lacy.  Veteran actors John Lithgow and Sam Waterston also give noteworthy performances.

Directed by John Madden.  There is an excellent, yet complex, screenplay by Jonathan Perera.  Rated R for mature subject matter.  It is listed as a Drama Thriller with a run time of 2 hours, 12 minutes.  If you like political insider stories, don’t miss this one.

Rating: 

Jackie

This film is focused on Jackie Kennedy’s personal journey after the assassination of her husband, John F. Kennedy.  It is a personal chronicle of her trauma, grief, her children, their future, his funeral and ultimately her husband’s legacy.

The film is intense, insightful, sometimes harsh and painful to watch.  For those of us of a certain age, it recalls that time warp when we all remember where we were and the angst that prevailed.

The acting is exceptional.  Natalie Portman, as always, is stellar.  She is Jackie! She is accompanied by Caspar Phillipson as John F. Kennedy and Peter Sarsgaard as Robert F. Kennedy.  There is Billy Crudup as the Journalist, John Hurt as the Preist and the charming Sunnie Pelant as Caroline Kennedy.

Rated R for some graphic images.  Listed as a Drama/Biography, 1 hour and 40 minutes.  It is a unique perspective on history well worth a look.

Rating: 

Collateral Beauty

We just saw this film yesterday and were moved by its storytelling.  There is a great cast and a candid connection to everyday life.  So I was surprised to see so many harsh comments from so many critics.

Perhaps the theme of the grief stricken Will Smith character withdrawing from normal life and challenging the concepts of Love, Time and Death was too artsy fartsy for many reviewers.

I thought is was an intriguing perspective, told in a unique and thought provoking way.  It was delivered by good solid performances.  Will Smith is the Dad, Kate Winslet is the coworker, Keira Knightly plays ‘Love’, Helen Mirren shines as ‘Death’ and singer Jacob Latimore impresses as ‘Time’.  Other strong performances by Ed Norton, Naomie Harris and Michael Pena round out the cast.

It is rated PG13 but the subject matter might be challenging for young ones.  Listed as a Drama, running 1 hour 37 minutes.  If you like stage dramas and engaging performances, you will probably like this film.

Rating: 

We are finally caught up on our movies after a lot of travel.  So bring on the December rush of releases and the remaining Oscar hopefuls for 2016.  We are ready!

The Duelist

This Russian film features Czarist Russia in St. Petersburg during the 19th century when royalty hired “representatives” to act on their behalf when challenged to a duel.

The cast is made up of attractive Russian actors portraying the nobility and settling disputes of the day using a strict code of behavior.  The sets and costumes are truly stunning.

That said, the drama, trauma and horror drags on for way too long.  There is treachery, backstabbing, bludgeoning, shootings, stabbings that seems never ending.

Listed as an Action/Adventure/Drama/Thriller and runs 1 hour, 50 minutes (it seemed longer…).  It is rated R for strong violence and some sexuality/nudity.  Russian and German with English subtitles.

Rating 

Rules Don’t Apply

This story about Howard Hughes, his businesses and his pack of Hollywood contract actresses was Produced, Directed and stars Warren Beatty as Mr. Hughes.

It is beautifully filmed with a very good cast that includes Warren Beatty, Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, Annette Bening, and Matthew Broderick.  It is just believeable enough, goofy enough and funny enough until you recall this was mostly true enough.

The reviews have been all over the board.  Rated PG-13 (but I would not take a child to see it.  How do you explain some of Mr. Hughes behavior?!)  Listed as a Drama/Romance (I guess ‘delusional farce’ is not yet a category) with a run time of 2 hours, 38 minutes.

Rating

Closet Monster

Stephen Dunn Directed and wrote the Screenplay, a gem for his first feature film. The film flashes between a young boys youth and teen years and is haunted by his traumatic memories.

The acting is believable with solid performances by Conner Jessup as the teen, Aaron Abrams as the Dad, Joanne Kelly as the Mom.  A surprise performance from Isabella Rossellini as Buffy’s voice (the hampster).

It’s original, unpredictable, sometimes ambiguous, and engaging.  It displays all the aspects of a coming of age story in a classic agenda yet there are a few surprises in store for the viewer.

Listed as a Drama with a run time of 1 hour, 30 minutes, is not rated.

Rating  

Note: It is always fun to discover a new movie venue in San Francisco.  The Alamo Drafthouse New Mission is a recently restored/reinvented theater dating back 100 years.  Originally a massive single screen venue, later remodeled with an art deco decor.  It later still sat idle for decades until the recent overhaul.  Today it retains much of the art deco trappings with one huge main screen and four other screens on two additional levels.  There is also full bar and food service at every stadium seat with roving waiters.  There are also several bars and dining options throughout the building.  We loved it and will return as often as practical.