Movie #1022 ........................."The Divergent Series: Insurgent"

Movie #1022 "Insurgent" --- I went into this not expecting much, since the critics seemed unkind to it.  I also couldn't remember much about the book I had read.  Lots of fighting is all I could remember, but I really enjoyed this and was glad I saw it on a big screen.   What redeemed the film is the final 20 minutes and the special effects.  For example,  what they do to the Chicago landscape is a sight to behold, esp. since it isn't really Chicago but Georgia.  Usually I am not a huge fan of action films because there seems to be very little intelligence involved, and I usually think many of the problems the main character has could be solved with more thinking and less fighting.  That being said, I like that this isn't all fighting.  That there is substance and thought behind a lot of this, and for that reason, and the competent young cast (esp. Miss Woodley who really really worked here!) , and seeing Naomi Watts give it to Kate Winslet, and those dream sequences, I recommend this.  I also think if you haven't seen the first one nor read the book (I couldn't remember it) you still probably will find it entertaining and thoughtful.  And that's all we want, many times, in a movie theatre, right?
















The Divergent Series: Insurgent2015PG-13   I would give this 4 stars out of 5

With war rumbling, Beatrice Prior looks for allies and answers in the second installment of the film series based on Veronica Roth's popular science-fiction novels. "Tris" will have to be fast, though, because the Erudite leader is in hot pursuit. 

Cast:

Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer

Genre:

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Movie #1021 ........................."Woman in Gold"

Movie #1021 "Woman in Gold" -- had some problems.  The past story overshadows the present.  I kept feeling that most of the action in the present was done somewhere else, and we were just told "6 months later"  blah blah blah.  Now, Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren make up the film, and actually Daniel Bruhl (from "Rush") adds a lot, too, but take that away, and the modern day story isn't told well, nor is it believable --- too much was left out, in my opinion.  And I don't know how truthful Helen Mirren's character is nor Ryan Reyolds, but they were both hard to believe ---they seemed to be hot and cold --- let's just say the actors were asked to do some things they were probably uncomfortable in doing to get the characters across, and I blame the script. For example, Reynolds leaves a scene and goes into a bathroom and cries against a wall --- did we miss something?  what happened that he was so moved?   There were holes in the script.  However, I gave it 3.5 because the back story is interesting and well done, and I always like backstories on famous pieces of art, and in that case, the film doesn't disappoint.  It's just how they got there that's part of the trouble.  

Woman in Gold

2015 PG-13 

I would give this 3.5 out of 5 stars

Six decades after World War II, Jewish octogenarian Maria Altmann begins a quest to reclaim the artwork confiscated from her family by the Nazis -- including a famed Gustav Klimt masterpiece.

Cast: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl

Movie #1020 .........................."Wish I was Here"

Movie #1020 "Wish I was Here" is a very different film and one that is hard for me to review.  I am a huge fan of Zach Braff and loved loved loved "Garden State" but this is not "Garden State."  In fact, it's the least of all of his efforts to write scripts.  There were things I didn't like about the film --- first, I had a hard time liking the main couple --- from the first scene, they seemed to act and speak inappropriately in front of their kids.  Okay, they are going through a crisis in the family, but taking on home schooling and having them fix the outdoor pool seems a tad in appropriate.  I guess I get skeptical around the term "home school" and let's just say this film did nothing to defend the concept.  I also had problems with the Josh Gad (who is Zach's brother) character --- he was too far "out there" to be believable to me.  And I didn't care about him, either.  Well, then, the patriarch of the family, Mandy Patinkin (I'm a huge fan of him) was so mean-spirited and said awful things about and to his sons that I had a hard time liking him, as well. I also didn't like the making fun of the jewish school the kids were in.......but the kids were cute, and I think this is the best acting job I've seen Kate Hudson do, so I do like some of the things (esp. the acting comments, because Zach plays an actor)in the film, but I was disappointed overall, and I can't highly recommend it at all. Possibly, if you can look past the things I mentioned above, you might like it, but I think there are so many other films that you could be spending time watching instead of this one.  Sorry, Zach.  And this was a kickstarter project.....disappointing.  I so much wanted to like it more!

Wish I Was Here

2014 R 106 mins

3.3

With his acting career moribund, Aidan Bloom steers a new tack in life, taking over his children's education when private school becomes too costly. Finding much to learn as well as teach, Aidan develops his own unique curriculum for the kids.

Cast: Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Mandy Pantinkin

Movie #1019 ........................."One Small Hitch"

Movie #1019 "One Small Hitch" --- I saw this gem of a film at the Naperville Film Festival and voted it #1 last year so I highly recommend it.  The reason I'm critiquing it here is because while I was looking up other films on netflix, I found this in its library so I thought I'd write a blog on it to get others to see it.  There are very few smart romantic comedies, and I thought this was one of them.  You can read the premise below, and the leads aren't anyone you would know, but take it from me, this is a fun one to see, if you like romantic comedies.  If you don't, I don't know what I could recommend to you because this is my favorite genre, and I've been known to like movies in this genre that the critics don't.  I guess I think the chemistry has to be there and both guy and girl should be equally good actors, the script has to be somewhat smart,  & something about it should be something I haven't seen before (which is tough, but I don't expect that everything has to be original (which some critics use to decide if romantic comedies are good or not) , and this movie fits all those and more.  So yes, I recommend it.  So even though you might know none of the actors in it, give it a try.  It's fun.

One Small Hitch

2013NR 1hr 45m  I give this 4 stars out of 5

I

On their way to a wedding, friends Josh and Molly agree to fake an engagement to please Josh's dying father, but things don't turn out as planned.

Movie #1018 ........................."Sinatra: All or Nothing At All"

Movie #1018 "Sinatra:  All or Nothing at All" was on HBO last night, and since we have it for the next couple of weeks, I thought I'd check out what was on last night and found this.  And I'm glad I did because this documentary was very entertaining (and I don't say that many times when watching documentaries)!  I liked the way it mixed in his music (for the background), with his friends' and his interviews, film footage, personal home footage, pictures.....etc.  It confronts the controversy of Frank being friends with the mob --- the film said there was no truth to it.  It deals with him leaving Nancy, his first wife and the mother of his kids, for Ava Gardner, and then the breakup with Ava.  It stops after "From Here to Eternity" academy award, so I'm thinking there may be another part to continue his life?  But this one was very entertaining and informative.

Sinatra: All or Nothing at All

2015 NR 1 season

3.5

• Rate 5 stars
• Rate 4 stars
• Rate 3 stars
• Rate 2 stars
• Rate 1 stars

I would give this 4 out of 5 stars

Paying tribute to one of America's most revered singers, this documentary miniseries features the reminiscences of an array of Sinatra's friends and colleagues, as well as never-before-seen home movies from the crooner's Hoboken youth.

Movie #1017 ........................."While We're Young"

Movie #1017 "While We're Young" was the closing film of the Phoenix film festival with the idea that we festival goers would see the film before it was released (like by about 1 day) , and it was just okay.  Dave thought there was too much angst, but I enjoyed all the problems this 40+ year old   couple had like trying to decide once and for all if they should have kids, &  if they should befriend the 20 year old couple that has just come into their lives.  Yes, we've seen this subject before in film, but the four people are all played by good actors, so that keeps the film going (except for a drug party that goes awry and loses the humor on the way).  I would give this 3.5 , which is kind of in the middle , because I'm not sure who would like this, but I found it entertaining, esp. with the pop culture references that the 40 year olds had no idea about!  Mostly because I'm there ---- way there!

While We're Young

2015 R 

3.3 I

• Rate 5 stars
• Rate 4 stars
• Rate 3 stars
• Rate 2 stars
• Rate 1 stars

I would give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars

Documentary filmmaker Josh Srebnick is up against a creative wall when he meets an attractive and quirky young couple, Jamie and Darby, who bring new vigor and energy to the lives of Josh and his wife -- until a professional conflict arises.

Cast: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver,Amanda Seigfrid

Movie #1016 ........................."The Glories of Tango"

Movie #1016 "The Glories of Tango" was the last film I viewed at the Phoenix Film Festival, the award winner for foreign film, and it was quite enjoyable, and the story was well told.  What a trip to watch this story unfold, since the main characters talk to each other just using tango lyrics! The story unfolds through flashbacks with an  actor playing the patient at a younger age.  It's a detailed story so I had to pay attention to every scene as it unfolded, and as the synopsis says below, it was an excellent patient/doctor relationship that was shown and that ultimately triumphs in the end.  And the tango scenes were fun to watch, as well.  I've seen tangoing a lot like on DWTS but this was so balletic, so steamy, so entertaining,  and it took its time but then occasionally took a quick turn, like the story, to unfold.  So I guess you could say the movie was like a tango , and I found it very intriguing.  I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars.




Glories of Tango (Argentina)

Directed by: Hernan Findling, Oliver Kolker
Run Time: 2:00

Cast: Hector Alterio, Gaston Pauls, Luciano Caceres, Antonella Costa , Dalma Maradona, Luis Ziembrowski, Rodrigo Pedreira, Emilio Disi, Oliver Kolker, Silvina Valz, Esteban Bortnik, Carlos Copello, Mariano Frumboli, Juana Sepulveda

Synopsis: Fermin Tundera (Hector Alterio) is an 85 year-old patient at a typical "third-world" public hospital being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. It has been decades since Fermin was committed to the institution yet his condition has not improved. Ezequiel Kaufman (Gaston Pauls) is a 33 year-old psychiatrist who comes on the scene to treat the difficult patient and discovers that he is only able to communicate by using the cryptic lyrics of Tango, a peculiar characteristic indeed.
We witness a wonderful doctor / patient relationship develop as we are periodically taken back in time to Fermin's younger years as one of the most popular tango dancers in 1940s Buenos Aires. In an effort to better understand his patient, the young ambitious doctor finds himself immersed in the tango world. Not only does Ezequiel find passion in this beautiful dance but also finds love when he meets Fermin's beautiful granddaughter, Eva (Antonella Costa), herself a popular tango dancer.
Fermin's condition steadily improves as we ultimately learn the reason for his peculiar illness.

Movie #1015 ........................."Dear White People"

Movie #1015 "Dear White People"  - I saw this on netflix, and it isn't a masterpiece in any way.  It has some moderately funny situations, comes close to speaking the truth in others, but as far as "stories" (referred to below), I didn't find much storewise.  And acting was weak --- the two females I didn't think were strong enough to carry 1/2 the film, so I got bored easily through this.  I don't recommend it unless you are really in the mindset of a satire on a subject that in my opinion should be discussed much more than it is.

Dear White People

2014 R 108 mins

3.1

• Rate 5 stars
• Rate 4 stars
• Rate 3 stars
• Rate 2 stars
• Rate 1 star

A satire that follows the stories of four black students at an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over a popular 'African American' themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in 'post-racial' America while weaving a universal story of forging one's unique path in the world.

Cast: Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson,