Jack and I quite liked this story about a single woman who plans to have a baby on her own before she gets too old. Greta Gerwig, who usually plays brainy eccentric characters such as Maggie (and Frances Ha), doesn't stray from that formula and is supported here by Ethan Hawke (last blogged for Born To Be Blue), the multifaceted Julianne Moore (most recently in Freeheld) who here plays a brilliant but cold Danish Georgette, Bill Hader (last in Trainwreck), and Maya Rudolph (most recently seen in these pages in Sisters), among others.
Director/screenwriter Rebecca Miller (covered in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee) works from a story by herself and Karen Rinaldi (new to me), which takes a few turns and is entertaining all the way through.
I would like to suggest a nomination for Maggie's kooky wardrobe and Georgette's stylish outfits by Malgosia Turzanska (dressed Ain't Them Bodies Saints, among others).
The lilting music by Michael Rohatyn (also profiled in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee) can be found by playing this video and moving on in the order that youtube suggests. The adorable three-year-old actress in the second act is Ida Rohatyn, so I'm pretty sure she's related to the composer.
Now gone from this area, this movie has an estimated DVD release date of August, 2016. We're in line with Rotten Tomatoes' critics, averaging 84%, and not its audiences at 61, and recommend you see this some time.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Now You See Me 2 (2016)
We weren't expecting much and were pleasantly surprised by the high production values and a bit of flash in this sequel to the 2013 magician caper, where almost all of the original cast returns and travels the world. Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco haven't been in anything else I've written about since the first Now You See Me. Jesse Eisenberg was in The End of the Tour, Mark Ruffalo was Oscar-nominated for Spotlight, Morgan Freeman was in Lucy, and Michael Caine was in Youth. Added this time are Lizzy Caplan (last blogged in 127 Hours before starring in three seasons of Masters of Sex) and Daniel Radcliffe (most recently in The Brothers Grimsby). Eisenberg in particular phones in his performance, while Caplan is pretty funny. We saw it over two weeks ago when bad weather was predicted on one of our vacation days, but the rain (and hail!) held off until we were outside, walking back to our hotel.
Director Jon M. Chu (new to me) takes up the helm this time with a screenplay by Ed Solomon (profiled in Now You See Me) and a story by Solomon & Peter Chiarelli (wrote The Proposal).
Composer Brian Tyler (last scored Truth) returns with an appropriate score which can be streamed in its entirety from this link. I'm enjoying it as I write.
Comedian John Oliver hated this movie. “‘What am I doing here? What’s the point?'” Oliver said, in a story about doping. “She’s a world class athlete, and she was left feeling like anyone who paid for a ticket to Now You See Me 2.” Rotten Tomatoes' critics agree, averaging 34%, while its audiences are coming in at 63. It's still playing all over the country and seventh at the box office last weekend. That said, no need to rush to see it.
Milestone alert: This is the 850th movie I have seen since beginning the blog September 3, 2008. The complete alphabetized list is here and can be found at the right side of any page on the blog.
Director Jon M. Chu (new to me) takes up the helm this time with a screenplay by Ed Solomon (profiled in Now You See Me) and a story by Solomon & Peter Chiarelli (wrote The Proposal).
Composer Brian Tyler (last scored Truth) returns with an appropriate score which can be streamed in its entirety from this link. I'm enjoying it as I write.
Comedian John Oliver hated this movie. “‘What am I doing here? What’s the point?'” Oliver said, in a story about doping. “She’s a world class athlete, and she was left feeling like anyone who paid for a ticket to Now You See Me 2.” Rotten Tomatoes' critics agree, averaging 34%, while its audiences are coming in at 63. It's still playing all over the country and seventh at the box office last weekend. That said, no need to rush to see it.
Milestone alert: This is the 850th movie I have seen since beginning the blog September 3, 2008. The complete alphabetized list is here and can be found at the right side of any page on the blog.
A Bigger Splash (2015)
Entertaining and sexy, this story of a rock star whose idyllic vacation with her boyfriend is interrupted by her ex and his daughter boasts intense performances, beautiful scenery, glorious cinematography, and gratuitous nudity. Both Tilda Swinton as the Patti-Smith-style singer Marianne (more on that in a moment) recuperating from throat surgery and Ralph Fiennes as her relentless narcissistic ex-lover Harry were last blogged in Hail Caesar! and they are formidable in this movie. Mattias Schoenaerts (most recently in The Danish Girl) and Dakota Johnson (covered in How To Be Single) are also great as the current boyfriend Paul and Fiennes' daughter Penelope, respectively. Apparently the filmmakers have said that the rock star is a blend of Patti Smith, David Bowie, Chrissie Hynde, Joan Jett, and others, and did quite a bit of research with the Rolling Stones to flesh out Marianne and Harry's "old days."
Director Luca Guadagnino (last helmed I Am Love) works from a story by Alain Page (the same story Page contributed to La Piscine (1969)) and screenplay by David Kajganich (both new to me). Jack commented that it's a classic scenario--a group of damaged people trapped together--and things do go haywire.
Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux (he shot Swimming Pool (2003)--another adaptation of the 1969 movie above, I Am Love, and Clouds of Sils Maria) brings us magnificent photography making me yearn for an Italian beach trip.
We are in line with Rotten Tomatoes' critics' 89% way more than its audiences' 62. My "gratuitous nudity" remark is taken from a movie-goer's criticism but Jack and I have no problem with it, at least in this case. We saw it three weeks ago and it's gone from our area, but when I looked at the official website and zoomed out on the map, I could see plenty of places it's still playing. Or you could wait for the DVD release, estimated to be around Labor Day, 2016.
Director Luca Guadagnino (last helmed I Am Love) works from a story by Alain Page (the same story Page contributed to La Piscine (1969)) and screenplay by David Kajganich (both new to me). Jack commented that it's a classic scenario--a group of damaged people trapped together--and things do go haywire.
Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux (he shot Swimming Pool (2003)--another adaptation of the 1969 movie above, I Am Love, and Clouds of Sils Maria) brings us magnificent photography making me yearn for an Italian beach trip.
We are in line with Rotten Tomatoes' critics' 89% way more than its audiences' 62. My "gratuitous nudity" remark is taken from a movie-goer's criticism but Jack and I have no problem with it, at least in this case. We saw it three weeks ago and it's gone from our area, but when I looked at the official website and zoomed out on the map, I could see plenty of places it's still playing. Or you could wait for the DVD release, estimated to be around Labor Day, 2016.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
The Lobster (2015)
This insane drama about a society in which single people are banished to a hotel where they are given a short time to couple up or be transformed into animals left us puzzled. Colin Farrell (last blogged in Saving Mr. Banks) does bring in a masterful performance as the befuddled David. He told an interviewer that he gained 40 pounds for the role so he would always be in costume. The reliable Ashley Jensen (profiled in Hysteria) and John C. Reilly (most recently narrated Bears) provide sad-clown comic relief to an essentially glum tale. Ben Whishaw (last in The Danish Girl) is another despondent pal for David, and Olivia Colman (most recently in Hyde Park on Hudson) has great comic timing as the hotel manager. In the second act we have Rachel Weisz (last in Youth) and Lea Seydoux (most recently in Spectre) as two women whose roles become clear after a while.
Director/co-writer Yorgos Lanthimos and co-writer Efthymis Filippou (both new to me) have won quite a few awards for this project, about which Jack said, "Can you imagine the table read?!" The cinematography is gorgeous, however, shot by Thimios Bakatakis mostly in and around the Parknasilla Hotel in County Kerry, Ireland, with only natural light and no makeup in most scenes. No composer is credited. Instead, there's a long list of songs, mostly classical.
Critics have been raving about this (90% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still playing in these parts, almost four weeks after we saw it. We're on the low side of its audiences who are averaging 69. Maybe you won't agree with us, but we found it weird and disturbing.
Director/co-writer Yorgos Lanthimos and co-writer Efthymis Filippou (both new to me) have won quite a few awards for this project, about which Jack said, "Can you imagine the table read?!" The cinematography is gorgeous, however, shot by Thimios Bakatakis mostly in and around the Parknasilla Hotel in County Kerry, Ireland, with only natural light and no makeup in most scenes. No composer is credited. Instead, there's a long list of songs, mostly classical.
Critics have been raving about this (90% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still playing in these parts, almost four weeks after we saw it. We're on the low side of its audiences who are averaging 69. Maybe you won't agree with us, but we found it weird and disturbing.
The Meddler (2015)
We really liked this dramedy, not the slapstick we expected, about a 60-something widow who moves from New York to LA to be near her depressed daughter. Susan Sarandon and Rose Byrne are great in their lack of chemistry as a pushy mom and a daughter learning to push back. They were last blogged in the Melissa McCarthy comedies Tammy and Spy, respectively. J.K. Simmons (won an Oscar for an abusive bastard in Whiplash) joins us in the second act as a really nice guy.
Adding to the cast are Michael McKean (after he was profiled in Whatever Works he gained more TV credits, including four episodes of Family Tree and 21 of Better Call Saul), Cecily Strong (hosted last year's White House Correspondents' Dinner in addition to her 84 episodes of Saturday Night Live), the hilarious Brit Lucy Punch (last in Into the Woods), and Jason Ritter (most recently in these pages for The Perfect Family).
Director/writer Lorene Scafaria (covered in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) has put together an entertaining story of a dysfunctional family that we saw four weeks ago. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes are averaging a respectable 84% and audiences merely 70. You can check it out when it's released on DVD in September, 2016.
Adding to the cast are Michael McKean (after he was profiled in Whatever Works he gained more TV credits, including four episodes of Family Tree and 21 of Better Call Saul), Cecily Strong (hosted last year's White House Correspondents' Dinner in addition to her 84 episodes of Saturday Night Live), the hilarious Brit Lucy Punch (last in Into the Woods), and Jason Ritter (most recently in these pages for The Perfect Family).
Director/writer Lorene Scafaria (covered in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) has put together an entertaining story of a dysfunctional family that we saw four weeks ago. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes are averaging a respectable 84% and audiences merely 70. You can check it out when it's released on DVD in September, 2016.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
The Nice Guys (2016)
Jack and I laughed long and hard at this violent farce about an odd couple of crooked private eyes in 1977 Los Angeles who join up to find a missing girl. With spot-on acting by Ryan Gosling (last blogged in The Big Short) and Russell Crowe (most recently in Noah), it has terrific production values and a soundtrack that doesn't quit (more on that in a moment). In supporting roles we have a botox-ed Kim Basinger (won an Oscar for L.A. Confidential (1997) in which she co-starred with Crowe; I also liked her a lot in Never Say Never Again (1983), The Man Who Loved Women (1983), The Natural (1984), Fool for Love (1985), 9½ Weeks (1986), Blind Date (1987), My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988), Batman (1989), Cool World (1992), Ready to Wear (1994), 8 Mile (2002), The Door in the Floor (2004), and Cellular (2004)), Margaret Qualley as the missing girl and Jack Kilmer in a cameo (they are offspring of Andie MacDowell and Val Kilmer respectively, and both appeared in Palo Alto).
Director/co-writer Shane Black (last helmed Iron Man 3) is no stranger to action pictures but he works well without sci-fi in this case from the script co-written with Anthony Bagarozzi (his debut; however, he has three upcoming projects).
Some of the movie was shot in Atlanta, but most of it used actual LA locations and the geography seemed right to me, other than one driving scene where they put the Roxy east of Tower Records (it was a couple of blocks west--I lived near there from 1982-2001) on the Sunset Strip. There are a few slight anachronisms, including the use of 911, but they won't detract from your enjoyment.
A five minute preview of the score by John Ottman (most recently scored X-Men: Days of Future Past) and David Buckley (worked on The Brothers Grimsby) can be streamed from this link, but what you're likely to remember are the wonderful 1970s songs, listed here and available for preview here.
We're in complete agreement with Rotten Tomatoes, whose critics average 90% and audiences 82, and recommend this for those who can stomach the gore.
Director/co-writer Shane Black (last helmed Iron Man 3) is no stranger to action pictures but he works well without sci-fi in this case from the script co-written with Anthony Bagarozzi (his debut; however, he has three upcoming projects).
Some of the movie was shot in Atlanta, but most of it used actual LA locations and the geography seemed right to me, other than one driving scene where they put the Roxy east of Tower Records (it was a couple of blocks west--I lived near there from 1982-2001) on the Sunset Strip. There are a few slight anachronisms, including the use of 911, but they won't detract from your enjoyment.
A five minute preview of the score by John Ottman (most recently scored X-Men: Days of Future Past) and David Buckley (worked on The Brothers Grimsby) can be streamed from this link, but what you're likely to remember are the wonderful 1970s songs, listed here and available for preview here.
We're in complete agreement with Rotten Tomatoes, whose critics average 90% and audiences 82, and recommend this for those who can stomach the gore.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
The Family Fang (2015)
We enjoyed very much this dramedy of a family who made disturbing performance art when the children were young and then forward to their troubled lives as adults, starring and directed by Jason Bateman (last blogged for acting in Horrible Bosses 2, and for his directing debut Bad Words) as the grown son. Nicole Kidman (most recently in Before I Go to Sleep) is the grown daughter, Christopher Walken (The Jungle Book) and Maryann Plunkett (Center Stage (2000), The Company Men, Blue Valentine) are the old parents, and Kathryn Hahn (after I wrote about her in Tomorrowland, she was in 14 episodes of Transparent) and Jason Butler Harner (I know his face, probably from his three episodes of Scandal) as the young parents. All are quite convincing in their neuroses.
David Lindsay-Abaire (wrote Oz the Great and Powerful) adapted the novel by Kevin Wilson. Carter Burwell (last scored Hail, Caesar!) provides a dreamy soundtrack, samples of which can be heard here.
We missed it when it showed for a week in our area so we streamed it from our cable provider about two weeks ago. Rotten Tomatoes' critics are more in our camp with 78% than its audiences with a mere 55. It's not must-see TV but we thought it was good.
David Lindsay-Abaire (wrote Oz the Great and Powerful) adapted the novel by Kevin Wilson. Carter Burwell (last scored Hail, Caesar!) provides a dreamy soundtrack, samples of which can be heard here.
We missed it when it showed for a week in our area so we streamed it from our cable provider about two weeks ago. Rotten Tomatoes' critics are more in our camp with 78% than its audiences with a mere 55. It's not must-see TV but we thought it was good.
Money Monster (2016)
Jack and I liked this taut thriller about a finance TV show host held hostage during a live broadcast, with reliable star power from George Clooney as the madcap host and Julia Roberts the sensible producer. Jodie Foster works from the actual director's chair (last blogged for Hail, Caesar!, August: Osage County, and The Beaver, respectively). Jack O'Connell (covered in '71) adapts a New York accent instead of his native Irish to convincingly play the aggrieved gunman. Lenny Venito (a character actor with dozens of projects on his resumé) is the cameraman who says his name is "Lenny with a Y not an I-E," among the many supporting roles.
The script by Jamie Linden (new to me, he has three others to his credit), Alan DiFiore (ditto, with several credits), and Jim Kouf (Stakeout (1987) and Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), among others), with story by the latter two, was on the 2014 Blacklist, an honor for the best unproduced screenplays of the year.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique (most recently in these pages for Chi-Raq) gives us crisp images inside and outside the studio, and the music by Dominic Lewis is suitably exciting. It can be streamed from this link.
Despite a tepid rating of 55% critics and 60 from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, this is still playing on big screens in this area. Fans of the stars should check it out.
The script by Jamie Linden (new to me, he has three others to his credit), Alan DiFiore (ditto, with several credits), and Jim Kouf (Stakeout (1987) and Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), among others), with story by the latter two, was on the 2014 Blacklist, an honor for the best unproduced screenplays of the year.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique (most recently in these pages for Chi-Raq) gives us crisp images inside and outside the studio, and the music by Dominic Lewis is suitably exciting. It can be streamed from this link.
Despite a tepid rating of 55% critics and 60 from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, this is still playing on big screens in this area. Fans of the stars should check it out.
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