Category: Film

Genre: Film

Grade: B+

Notable People: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody

Harrelson, Directed by Todd Haynes

Title: Hunger Games- Mockingjay Part Two

Review: well- its now over after four years. Jennifer Lawrence went from being a girl to full grown woman, with even some insinuated sex scenes in the movie (nothing too obvious). The fourth and last was well done and had quite the extravagances. The character roles in this film were really great (Woody, Sutherland, PS Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore). Stayed pretty consistent with the marvelous books with a semi-happy ending. Lawrence was born for this role. If this is your kind of thing, make an effort to see it on the big screen- it is deserving of that.

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Cate Blanchet, Rooney Mara, Directed by Todd Haynes

Title: Carol

Review: This a wonderful film about two women in love I the forbidden 50s. Blanchet and Mara sparkle together- incredible chemistry. Mara is luminous as the young, naive woman who can’t say no. Blanchet is haunted as a repressed lesbian trying to maintain a foothold in the traditional world of the era. Magnificently shot, with enormous attention to detail of the times. The first half of the movie dragged a bit, but once it captured you, it did not let go. I really loved this film.

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent. Directed by: John Crowley

Title: Brooklyn

Review: This is an absolutely beautiful movie in every way conceivable. In early 1950’s young Irish girl, sponsored by the far away benevolent priest, comes to America form Ireland to find a better life, settling in the large Irish community in Brooklyn. This is the story of her transition, of grief and endings and beginnings, and falling in love..…filled with poignant moments that are so clearly life defining for those in them. I just loved this movie. Ronan is stunning in the lead role, Cohen is just right and Broadbent is a throwback to the priests of 1940s Hollywood. Beautifully shot, both in Brooklyn and Ireland, attention to all the details of 1952 life. Wonderful!

Genre: Film

Grade: A-
Notable People: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason-Leigh, Walton Goggins, Directed by: Quentin Tarentino
Title: The Hateful Eight

Review: My, my , my…it’s the new Tarantino. The man is utterly outrageous- a non-stop ride for almost three hours. This nod to classic westerns takes place for a bit inside a stagecoach and then the rest is all in a one room cabin (Minnie’s’ Haberdashery!) with 8-9 people inside in a blizzard (listen to that wind blow throughout the film). You get the usual flashback stuff, vice-overs, hidden surprises, and philosophical rambling psychopaths. There are also the great long narrative- monologue stories- in this case presented by Jackson. Russell does a pretty good job channeling John Wayne and Jackson is in his element. Leigh gives a great portrayal of a crazy woman going to get hung and defying everything with a snarl and a snicker. I cannot but like every film this man puts out (this is his eigth)- but I did not think this ranked with one of his best- I got a little fidgety in the middle parts…but it typically ended with bang. You know you’re going to see this- so got out and do it.

Genre: Film

Grade: B
Notable People: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Directed by Adam McKay
Title: The Big Short

Review: Illuminating film about the bust of the housing bubble and the subsequent financial collapse of 2008. Fascinating look at the people who predicted this would happen and how they profited from it…and pretty damning about the big banks and government having their heads up their arses and/or powder up their noses. I found the film very disturbingly informative but VERY dry- almost like a funny documentary with a lot of weird artistic flourishes. The ensemble cast is good, but I was not moved in any way by it. I’d wait to see on Netflix or such.

Genre: Film

Grade: B+
Notable People: Directed by and starring Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, many Turkish actors
Title: The Water Diviner

Review: This was second movie we watched on all day flight to Hawaii and a surprisingly good one. I am not a big Crowe fan but he is undeniably good in this film about a grieving father in Australia trying to bring back his lost three sons’ bodies from the Battle of Gallipoli. Great cinematography, wonderful period costumes and flourishes and an intriguing story. Kurylenko is a ravishing Turkish beauty and her interactions with Crowe are riveting. The story is a bit of a tear- jerker, but well done nonetheless. A good one to rent.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: Tom Hanks, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, Mark Rylance, Directed by Steven Spielberg

Title: Bridge of Spies

Review: This is real biography and one of three films we watched on our exhaustive flight to Hawaii. Not only directed by Spielberg, but produced and co-written by the Coen brothers, it is bit of a surprise for their resumes. Still, a well done film about late 50’s cold war antics between Russia and the U.S. with the closing down of Berlin and the erecting of The Wall as a backdrop. Hanks is his usual steady but magnificent self and Ryan is really understated as the committed Eisenhower era American housewife. Rylance is a revelation as the Soviet spy- very coyly played and a lot more subtly complicated than he might have been . The simmering tensions underlying the time are well done….see the scene with Hanks son filling up the bathtub to deal with the potential nuclear attack he hears about in school each day. This was a very good in-flight movie and worth seeing at the cinema.

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-
Notable People: Who knows- a bunch of Canadian B actors
Title: Trailer Park Boys

Review – So, I am truly embarrassed to admit I love this CBC show available on Netflix- apparently a cult phenomenon in the far recesses of Canada. This is low brow humor and it’s most low brow, slapstick schlock at its most endearing. There have been 12 seasons, it is so popular, and I imagine a required activity for stoners…but…it is hard not to laugh all the way through this one. A “mockumentary” that has camera crew following the astounding Julian and Ricky from their annual release form Nova Scotia prison and their return to their beloved trailer park life. The characters are beyond astounding and the acting…well these guys are either a bunch or world class morons or damn good actors….not sure which. “Bubbles” deserves an Emmy of some sort, or whatever you get for bad Canadian television. Watch three episodes and you will be hooked. Best watched in bed at night.

Frankly, I am a little embarrassed to say I went to see this move…for God’s sake, I AM an avowed movie snob. But I was on a date night with my daughter Tess and trying to find something I thought she would like. So….I liked it. This is not an American film classic, but Schumer is a really funny person in a slutty, filthy, over the top sort of way. Hader is an excellent foil for her and Quinn, my god…the opining scene is worth five times the price of admission as he explains in a flashback to his very young daughters why he and his wife are getting divorced. The man is a gem. The movie has all the usual Apatow touches and Lebron James is actually quite good as Hader’s good friend and confidant. Schumer wrote the script…good for her. Ok- I did go see this movie AND I did like it-so shoot me.

Notable People: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Colin Quinn, Lebron James, Directed by Judd Apatow

Grade: B+

This is wonderful- film- go see it now. We drove over an hour to Dartmouth in  the rain to make it happen (and to  avoid the local offerings of Ted, Max and Entourage-call us film snobs) I’ve been waiting for years for someone to adequately tell the amazing story of the great Brian Wilson(Beach Boys) –and this does the job. Starting with the making of Pet Sounds and Smile into the eighties and going back to the beginnings of Brian’s struggles with mental illness –this story is beautifully told. Full disclosure- in spite of Lennon/McCartney, Dylan and Neil Young- I believe Brain Wilson to be the genius composer of our generation and of the last half of the 20^th century-bar none. It comes alive here as he composes Good Vibrations both from musical genius and the demon voices in his head. Dano and Cusack are amazing as the younger and older Wilson (watch Cusack nail his walk and posture and Dano sing for the heavens), Giamatti is the definition of evil as the control freak shrink- Eugene Landy and Elizabeth Banks is everyone’s wet dream as a true savior. And, the music is phenomenal. Must see film.

Genre:   Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Paul Dano, John Cusack, Paul Giamatti,  Elizabeth Banks, Directed by Bill Pohlad