Movie #1307 ........................."Passengers"

Movie #1307 "Passengers" -- I can't remember seeing a science fiction movie in a very long time --- it's about time, and I was ready to be entertained.  And surprisingly (and I say this because rotten tomatoes gave this only 37%), I was entertained (like the people exiting this film that gave it 67%).  Some times critics can be wrong, and I think they were on this one --- complaints are that the visual effects and acting work but the script is a limp love story.  Hmmm.  What if they take it as a fluff, romantic film  with some great acting and great visual effects?  Here's the problem, I think.  The sci-fi genre expects too much, maybe?  Look at the ones that get good marks from the critics:  "2001 Space Odyssey," "Alien," "Avatar," "Bladerunner,"  "Matrix," "Close Encounters," "Terminator," "Star Wars," "ET"  ---- well, it isn't one of these.  But why can't it be just fun to watch and have a nice love story?   Maybe it's because the visual effects cost so much they think the story line has to be worthy of all that money spent? Why can't it be anothaer "A.I." with an interesting premise, well-acted, good visual effects, but has a couple of problems with the script?  Because that's what it is.  One critic said, " a sleek, well-designed curiosity" -- and I'd like to steal that idea.  It was a fun watch.  I, for one, enjoyed the sleekness, and the well designed set with the cool props (which are all nominated for an academy award this year -- and it was my ulterior motive in seeing it so I didn't listen to the critics this time)  It was a curiosity to me and the movie allowed me to enjoy all the visuals and enjoy the chemistry between the two leads, who seemed so different in acting style that it was one of the fun things to watch for me.  It's obvious, the big acting was handled by Jennifer Lawrence, but his nonchalance in most scenes seemed a nice buffer and added so much to the humor and believability of the whole ordeal.  So I guess what I'm saying is that if the actors, the visuals or the trailer make it look like a fun watch for you, go for it, in spite of the jaded critics.  It might be fun for you, too.  I give it 4 stars out of 5.

PASSENGERS    2016    PG-13 (for sexuality, nudity and action/peril)116 minutes

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt star in an exciting action-thriller about two passengers who are on a 120-year journey to another planet when their hibernation pods wake them 90 years too early. Jim and Aurora are forced to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction as the ship teeters on the brink of collapse, with the lives of thousands of passengers in jeopardy.

• 
  
  
  
  
  
• Genre: 
  Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Directed By: 
  Morten Tyldum
• Written By: 
  Jon Spaihts
• In Theaters: 
  Dec 21, 2016  Wide
• Box Office: 
  $94,480,200.00
• Runtime: 
  116 minutes
• Studio: 
  Columbia Pictures

Movie #1306 ........................."20th Century Women"

Movie #1306 "20th Century Women" was an intriguing watch for me.  It deals with the possibility of raising a boy/man by women.  Well, at least Annette Benning a mother of a 15 year old boy, is trying to do that without a male influence around, except for handyman Billy Crudup, but he's too odd to help that much.  So Annette (Dorothea) elicits the help from two neighbors:  Elle Fanning and Greta Gerwig --- they are fun to watch because most of the time they don't know what they are doing either.  So the film is full of lots of starts and stops, little vignettes of each one dealing with the building of his character.  It's an odd film, but the characters are well fleshed out, the actors are real and convincing, and the situations show some raw reality that other films seldom do.  So I liked it and I would recommend it to you if you don't mind your films being a tad quirky, but real.  The characters are so fleshed out, that the director/writer felt they owed it to their audiences to finish off the stories of all these characters and tell us where they go after the film ends..... I welcomed that and I think you will, too, if you get to see this quirky, indie- in- spirit, film.



"20TH CENTURY WOMEN"    2016     R rated            4 stars out of 5

In 1979 Southern California, bohemian single mom Dorothea Fields looks to a pair of women from different generations to help teach her teenage son lessons about love and life. But he gets another perspective after Dorothea takes in a male boarder.

Cast: Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig,Billy Crudup

Movie #1305 .........................."Kubo & the 2 Strings"

Movie #1305 "Kubo & the 2 strings" --- still another over rated film --- don't get me wrong , it's very pretty, but I didn't like the story AT ALL!   THIS IS NOT FOR KIDS. Let me repeat, do not have kids see this, even though it is now nominated for an academy award (go figure?).  The story takes on almost Shakespearian tragedy when his quest becomes going after his grandfather (I'm not giving much away there -- it is said in the first scene that he is in hiding from him.  And he has nasty aunties, and his mom is sick, and it goes on and on..... story doesn't really take off until about half way through when the beetle and monkey take over --- their banter is the only thing that kept the story alive for me.  There's too much fighting, too much fade to white or black and then no explanation (?) and too many flights of fancy from a more linear storyline --- at least for me.  Not my kind of film at all.  And I would not recommend it.  This one you can skip!

"KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS" PG?  worse than that, were they watching this?  3 stars out of 5
1 hour and 42 long minutes

Young Kubo's peaceful seaside existence is abruptly upended when he unintentionally conjures a spirit from the past and soon finds himself on the run from a horde of gods and monsters, including the ruthless Moon King.

Cast: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes,

Movie #1304 ........................."Captain Fantastic"

Movie #1304 "Captain Fantastic" was one of the most unusual films I have seen this year ---- a one-of-a-kind, and if you are looking for something like that, you might want to check this one out; however, you need to get past the very first scene --- pretty violent and gross, but after that, it gets better and tackles such universal topics as freedom, parenting, education, creativity, critical thinking, individuality, rights of the dead, rights of the parents, good decision making, planning for the future vs. whimsical lifestyle, respect for the land and animals, and many more.  The story deals with a father who is left to raise his 6 kids in the lifestyle that he and his sick wife have decided upon --- they home school and put the kids through a boot camp pacing that is questioned by her folks.  It was much better than I thought the trailer presented it as being, and I'm really glad we sat down to watch it --- I got a better impression of the solid acting of Viggo Mortensen in here (and I'm not the only one, because it garnered him an academy award nomination on Tuesday for best acting). So if you are looking for something that could challenge all the beliefs you have about good parenting and so many other subjects, check "Captain Fantastic" out.  It is available on DVD in red boxes.  P.S.  the kids are all very good actors and memorable, as well.  And the mom's dad is Frank Langella!

"CAPTAIN FANTASTIC"   2016    4 stars out of 5        1 hour and 59 minutes       R rated

Having raised his six children in the wooded isolation of the Pacific Northwest, Ben Cash is suddenly drawn back into civilization by a shocking tragedy. As the kids face an unfamiliar world, Ben begins to reexamine his approach to parenting.

Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, Ann Dowd

Movie #1303 ........................."Elstree 1976 (2015)

Movie #1303 "Elstree 1976 - 2015" is a documentary on what the extras and smaller parts feel about the Star Wars phenomenon.   The film covers how they feel about being action figures, how many of them sign autographs at fairs, some stories on the actual filming, what brought them to the casting for this famous franchise and what they have done since that time.  It's slow going, but it was intriguing to me to hear from the "little guys" on the set who had no idea just how big the film would be in the future.  It runs a tad long, so it might not be your cup of tea, but since we just saw "Rogue 1," we found it quite interesting on topical.

"ELSTREE 1976  (2015)    1 hour and 37 minutes        2016          


Though working on the production of "Star Wars" in 1976 brought only fleeting fame for the masked bit-part actors and extras, it became a life-changing experience for them, as chronicled in this engaging documentary.

Cast: Paul Blake, Jeremy Bulloch, John Chapman

Movie #1302 ........................."Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"

Movie #1302 "Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story"-- I don't pretend to be an expert on Star Wars' films like some of you reading this --- I am just a fan who has only seen them once or twice.  I am always asking who is who when I first walk in to one of these -- there are way too many names and places for my pea-brain of a memory.  So I don't want my blog to insult the 25% of the world that are HUGE fans of this franchise, but here goes.  I enjoyed this one A LOT, more than 1, 2, 3 and 7.  For my money, it ranks right up there with the first three (oops!  I might have pushed a lot of buttons there, but sorry)  Why did I like it so much?  It's different in that there doesn't seem to be the space opera kind of approach to the fights --- see, I hate seeing fighting in film --- really tired of it --- the star wars type of fighting is star troopers falling down, sometimes rebels take a spill, but they don't bleed.  Well, this one is different --- the lines aren't drawn so much ---- you get close to people, and you see them hurt, bleed and die in characters' arms (I hope I am not saying too much here --- sorry, I try not to)  The sets are still good --- the visual effects and sound are like no other --- "of another time and place, out of this world" .  I have to admit, it takes a while to get into the story --- lots of exposition in this one, but after that, the high point is really stunning --- time to sit back and marvel, if you can pull yourself away from the fight  and see the visual effects in action!  Wow!  And Felicity Jones is wonderful!  Very strong female, and Alan Tudyk as K is a robotic Sheldon (from Big Bang Theory) and added lots of humor to the film , which likens it to the original 3, too!  I give it 4 stars out of 5.  Well recommended from this fan of "Star Wars" films --- but a fan light.  P.S.  and it fits right into the puzzle 3.5 before 4 (which was the first one we have ever seen)  And as an added treat, we came home and watched 4 over again so we could really appreciate the nice fit!




"ROGUE ONE:  A STAR WARS STORY" 2016 -- PG-13  -- 4 stars out of 5


Before the events of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, the Rebel Alliance enlists a team of rogue fighters to steal plans for the Galactic Empire's new space station -- a powerful superweapon called the Death Star.

Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn

Movie #1301 ........................."Moana"

Movie #1301 "Moana" --- well, I finally saw a Dwayne Johnson movie, and it wasn't bad.  Of course, it was animated, Disney, with Lin Manuel Miranda music, and it will probably be nominated for best animated feature for the Academy Awards, so it did have a lot going for it.  I liked it.  I can't tell if the kids in the theatre along with me did, but they were quiet.  It takes some focus to follow the story, I think, and there is some humor but it isn't overt.  The Maui (Johnson) character has some shape-shifting tattoos that are a source of constant amusement, and the bad guys , esp. the "shiny" one is pretty humorous (and his sung reminded me of Ursula's in "Little Mermaid") -- The music is what I liked the best -- reminded me of "Hamilton" in many sections, so that kept my interest.  The film has a rather long exposition that I was snoozing off through (warm theatre), but the second half took off, the songs got better. Maui was finally introduced and Moana and he together make a fun duo to watch.  Really strong female, and the guy in the film, as big as he is, is playing what a female would have done in previous films, so I was liking that a lot!  I found it quite good, good strong theme, but a bit of a convoluted story, and kind of a lame secondary chicken that gets tiring after a while --- Disney characters have had better secondary helpers!  Cast is small for this one, but it was an enjoyable afternoon.  Not sure it is good enough to beat "Zootopia," though.  We'll see.  It IS strong in music, did I say that?  4 stars out of 5


"MOANA"  2016   2  hours (longer than usual Disney films)  4 stars out of 5    PG

This aquatic animated tale follows the journey of Moana Waialiki, a plucky Polynesian teen who sets out on a long and perilous ocean voyage in search of a mythical island, aided by the demigod Maui.

Cast: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Tudyk

Movie #1300 .........................."The Night Manager"

Movie #1300 "The Night Manager" -- we rented this from the library after seeing that this particular miniseries won all three golden globes for the three main actors nominated:  Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Olivia Coleman.  It is very good.  It has 6 episodes, each 52 minutes, and they are all full of John Le Carre intrigue and twists and turns and memorable secondary characters.  Of course, like all t.v. shows , that first episode is a toughie because you are learning all the names of people and places and trying to get a handle very quickly on what is happening, but after that, it becomes clearer,  and that's when you start to bite your nails as the story builds to  every surprise you see!  We really enjoyed watching this  as the time flew by , and we were sorry when we got to the end --- rumor has it, that if John L. writes a sequel, all the actors would sign on to do, because they had so much fun doing it, as well.  And you can tell.  I have sat through a lot of movies based on this author's books, some I have liked more than others, and oftentimes, they are tough to follow completely, but I always feel better informed when I am done, and this was an example of that.  I highly recommend this miniseries, if you have the time to watch it.  And the library and netflix have the two disc set.

"THE NIGHT MANAGER"  2016         1 season        4 stars out of 5

While working as the night manager for an exclusive European hotel, Jonathan Pine becomes intricately involved in a cat-and-mouse game between rival intelligence services and illegal arms dealers that quickly turns lethal.

Stars:

 Tom Hiddleston,  Hugh Laurie,  Elizabeth Debicki 

Director:  Susanne Bier

Writers:  David Farr and John Le Carre

Movie #1299 .........................."The Fits"

Movie #1299 "The Fits" - Michael Philips, movie  critic for Chicago Tribune, pointed to this film as one of the best of the year, and it was on a list for spirit awards (which are given the night before the AA's) so I thought I would get it through netflix and see it. It is an interesting viewing, for sure.  It follows the life of a little African American girl  who hangs out at the high school, working out in the boxing ring when her brother and his friends aren't using the equipment, and she helps clean the school with him afterwards.  Meanwhile, she watches the female drill team and decides to try out for it.  The rest of the film is her going to practices and cleaning the school.  This would  be pretty boring if one thing didn't happen ---- for no apparent reason, one at a time, a girl on the drill squad experience a "fit" --- spinning around, speaking incoherently, throwing up, experiencing pain...etc. Then, the story starts to become something else..........the lead girl is one of the littler, more capable girls on the squad, but she seems to feel once again, left out while one by one of her friends has a "fit" --- is this a film about peer pressure and wanting to fit in?  is it about how we have to be more observant of the water we drink? (because the school keeps saying to drink bottled water, just in case)  Is it a film about how we overwork kids in the extracurriculars?  Is the whole film a metaphor for something bigger possibly concerning the issue of racism?  Who knows?  And critics don't seem to know either because I looked at what they had to say. I must say the film seems to want to say something, we just aren't sure what it is.....the little girl in the lead is very good and the camera quietly follows her and her brother (where's the rest of the family?  no background here) and his girlfriend, and her little friends and the drill team, but unless it is successful in giving some unifying message to an audience, I don't see why I would recommend that people see it.  Perhaps, that's my problem, but to just give us some info on what this little girl does on a daily basis,  and  to maybe shed light on how much work it takes to be on the drill team . that doesn't seem enough to warrant the making of such a film.  So I don't recommend it.  And I wonder what Michael Philips saw in it.  He never said in his review either. hmm.

"THE FITS"  1 hour and 12 minutes          2016                 2.8 stars out of 5

Captivated by a dance drill team known as the Lionesses and yearning for social acceptance, insecure tomboy Toni tries out for the squad and lands a spot. But just as she starts to gain confidence, inexplicable episodes of fainting plague the group.

Cast: Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Da'Sean Minor

Movie #1298 ........................."Lion"

Movie #1298 "Lion" -- what a story! Since this film was based  on a true story, I don't want to give a lot away because I feel once someone tells you the story, or you've seen the 60 minutes cover of this book-made-into-film,  it takes away from the pleasure of it unfolding in front of you as you watch.  Well, I saw the 60 minutes bit  so I knew where it was going, so I guess I had time to sit back and watch the cinematic techniques at work.  As in "Hidden Figures,"  this film relies on  (not mathematics but) google earth to keep us the suspense, and it works for the most part.  In this film, we spend a good first 1/2 hour with the little guy (Saroo as the little kid who grows up to become Dev Patel later in the film)  so we get close to him and we are pulled in to his story.  I am a sucker for films that show this true story about someone and then in the final credits they show you the real person ---- it kind of legitimatizes the film, its message, the costumes, makeup, hair styling, etc.  Patel is coupled with Roony Mara, and they both are very good at showing how his inability to shake his guilt of leaving his home as a kid   gets in the way of starting any adult relationships. And, of course, Nicole Kidman gives a lot of support as the adopted mom --- she has her own story which I wish they would have fleshed out even more because we can only guess (often in the film)  what she went through.  The film is powerful, and this director and the actors hit most of the key moments.  I esp. liked the shot of the white mom and the black one,  arm and arm around Saroo  --- very effective and says volumes in just the one shot!  And it speaks to us today, for sure.  I give this 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it.  Good story --- not for the little kids, because there's a lot of tenseness involved, and a couple of  tame sex scenes.


"LION"  PG-13        2016        4 out of 5 stars

In this affecting true story, 5-year-old Saroo is adopted by an Australian couple after losing his way in the urban jungle of Kolkata. More than two decades later, new mapping technology prompts Saroo to search for his lost family in India.

Cast: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman  

Movie #1296 ........................."Jackie"

Movie #1296 "Jackie" was extremely difficult for me to watch.  I don't think I am the only one.  We who watched every minute of news coverage those 3 or 4 days can't help but have difficulty in re-living it in this film, for that IS the subject at hand here.  Just a sidebar here of how involved I was --- I had read EVERY book that was ever written on Jackie, I wore my hair like her, I wore pillbox hats and suits like her when I dressed up --- bottom line?   I wanted to BE HER!  And that adoration of her increased to the nth degree as she carried all of the country's grief on her back during those days.  And all the iconic moments are still fresh in our mind --- some in this movie, some surprisingly not, but when they appeared on the big screen, audience members  take in a breath reliving that awful, sad time.  Well, you can guess, this movie is not AT ALL a feel good film (understatement), and I'm not sure I recommend it to many people.  Besides it being hard to watch, I'm not sure the reasoning behind the film is that clear.  I think it is supposed to be showing the Camelot idea vs. the reality, but it could do a much better job, if that was the premise it is based on.   Why so foggy?  Well, the editing is artsy, the music is annoying (choir much of the time), there are so many quiet moments that could use more explaining, the main story follows a rather antagonistic interview she is giving months after the ordeal --- as a result, we aren't really sure what message the film is trying to convey.  Let's just say, it could be clearer.  So what we are left with is watching what we saw on t.v. during those tragic days just  replayed , in between moments of Jackie smoking (she does it constantly --- yes, she was a smoker (a surprise to many of us, I think), drinking, walking around the white house in a fog (that's expected but it isn't intriguing to watch for an extensive amount of time)   & conducting  the famous  t.v. tour through the white house.   I'm not sure this was the plan, but when we watch that tour  now in the 21st century, she seems to be a bubble head in comparison to what our first ladies have been doing lately, so I guess it makes us appreciative of Michelle Obama and Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton --- but is that what the film meant to do?  I think the ending ties it all together, somewhat, but too late, to me ---- up to that time, a bit of a mish mash of a story, even though we know the key moments --- I DID learn/think about a couple of things that I hadn't thought of back then, but it might be because I was in elementary school and didn't really think about such things....such as having to tell the kids, having to make those decisions like marching with the casket, arguing about those decisions,  & having to pack and leave right after his death. She seemed so alone --- where was family?  I don't know about this one -- I thought Natalie Portman was excellent, but she's it --- the best thing in it, and I'm not sure a good acting exercise for her makes the best reason to do a film.
I give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.


"JACKIE"   2016       R-RATED (really?)            

Still reeling from her husband's shocking assassination in Dallas, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy battles through exhaustion, overwhelming heartache and anger to preserve his legacy -- and to define her own.
Cast: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup

Movie #1295 ........................."Fortitude" -- t.v. series

Movie #1295 "Fortitude" disc 1 of season 1.  This was recommended to me by my brother, and I liked a lot of things about it.  It would be good to watch in the cold winter season up here in Wisconsin, because it looks so cold there that it makes where we live warm and cozy.  In this show you are way out in nowhere land, and while the mayor is addressing a group of land developers to think about investing in the building of some more motels, the police come in with news that they are under quarantine because someone just suffered an agonizing death due to a possible bear on the loose.   The irony becomes pretty funny (in a dark way) as the mayor continues to push on while people are scared at the bear possibility.  Stanley Tucci shows up in the 2nd episode to investigate how this guy actually died, and once he comes in, you are ready for something to energize it!  Some very interesting characters that take a minimal amount of time to keep them straight.  I may go back to this show in the coming months, but this was a nice intro for me.  I give it 3.5 stars out of 5.



"FORTITUDE"    2015        1st season, disc 1

As one of the most isolated towns on earth, the Arctic Circle community of Fortitude has never had much of a crime problem. After a shocking and brutal murder occurs, a British police detective comes looking for clues

Cast

Stanley Tucci, Richard Dormer, Sofie Gråbøl, Christopher Eccleston, Michael Gambon, Luke Treadaway, Verónica Echegui, Sienna Guillory, Nicholas Pinnock, Jessica Raine

Movie #1294 ........................."Hidden Figures"

Movie #1294 "Hidden Figures" -- this is my type of movie --- it has everything that I like about film ---- good story, strong females who can act, a secondary cast that is capable of supporting them in their story, good cinematography with memorable visual effects, a good mixture of humor and drama, believable (although, I suspend belief here sometimes - i.e., it isn't the most important element I am listing here --- because I am oftentimes a sucker for the inspirational ending); it offers knowledge (about NASA program, science, technology and math) and historical information (racial conflicts during the 1960s), good music that doesn't get in the way but propels the story, editing that you can easily follow (in this , 3 stories are followed and no hitches in it), strong themes that we can use in our every day lives, and lacks car chases and doesn't rely on fighting or shooting at the high point.  Voila, "Hidden Figures" --- really, out of all the movies I have been seeing lately that will probably get at least one nod at Oscar time, I enjoyed this one the best so far.   It's so inspirational, and generally "up" and after this past election, I crave for this kind of film now -- the news is so bad on a daily business that I rely on films to remind me that things can be better --- esp. if they respect each other and work together for a common goal --- and that's what this film shows.  In that way, it reminded me of Apollo 13, another film I thoroughly enjoyed and that I would highly recommend.  4.8 out of 5 stars.  (the director here also directed "St. Vincent," another movie that I recommend highly)

"HIDDEN FIGURES"   2016    4.8 stars out of 5

In the race to space between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, three black female mathematicians play a key role in launching astronaut John Glenn into outer space, making him the first American to orbit Earth.

Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe

Movie #1293 ........................."Chicklit"

Movie #1293 "Chicklit" was a movie I picked up because:  the story sounded funny and sounded to  me like the plot in the  wonderful film "Calendar Girls,"  and the cast included a couple of people from Doc Martin so I felt comfortable watching them along with some new British actors I hadn't seen before.  Well, the film does have a funny premise, but that's about it.  There are a couple of cute moments but the story didn't seem to build to a crescendo (or maybe I missed it, so it wasn't that big?) and so I would hesitate recommending it ---- It's always a cute idea reversing roles  (like in "Some Like It Hot"), but the idea seemed to fizzle out quite quickly in this one.  3 stars out of 5
P.S.  for what it is worth --- I HaTE the title phrase --- never use it or refer to it and don't recognize that it exists..........and I think the film's message (making fun of it by reversing the roles and feeding into the stereotypes)  comes across well!










"CHICKLIT"      2016          1 Hr and 36 mins       3 stars out of 5


ChickLit is a comedy drama about four guys trying to save their local pub from closing down. They group write a chick lit, or more specifically a 'mummy porn' novel in the style of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and it gets snapped up. The only snag is that the publisher insists that the young woman 'author' does press and publicity. The guys have to keep their involvement a secret and so engage an out of work actress to 'role play' the part of the author. This leads to her becoming the star in the film of the book, the tables are turned on the guys and she is in control - leaving them with the awful prospect of having to secretly churn out sex novels for the foreseeable future.

Director:

 Tony Britten

Writers:

 Oliver Britten,  Tony Britten

Stars:

 Christian McKay,  Dakota Blue Richards,  Caroline Catz

Movie #1292 ........................."Barry"

Movie #1292 "Barry" --- I watched this the other night after I sat through and enjoyed the entire farewell address that President Obama made in Chicago.  This movie is about his early years in college --- the people he met, 4 in particular, and a girl that makes him politically more conscientious.  The guy playing him was very good, but the story didn't seem to go anywhere and the film was really slow.  Overall, it was kind of a soft-ball approach to our president's college story --- as if, it was afraid to offend? or take a stand?  I was left a bit confused as to how I was to feel about the early years of Barak Obama.  I saw that he was very very observant --- he was no nonsense ---- he was a smoker ---- curious ---- charming.....I know all of these traits, but I guess I was looking for more surprises.  Didn't see much, so I don't recommend the film.  There isn't much here.  2.8 stars out of 5.
P.s.  I was interested in one aspect of the film, and forgot to say that --- his racial identity, commented on below.   Since President Obama didn't refer to it very much, I was interested to know how he felt about that at the young age of junior in Columbia University.


"BARRY"   2016    (saw it streamed on netflix)   2016     NR

Set in 1981, this engrossing biopic charts President Barack Obama's transformative experiences during his junior year at Columbia University, where he grapples with his racial identity and undergoes a galvanizing period of adjustment.

Cast: Devon Terrell, Anya Taylor Joy, Jason Mitchell,

Movie #1291 ........................."Mr.Church"

Movie #1291 "Mr. Church" --- finally, a refreshingly good film I can recommend that I watched on Amazon prime tonight (it is also available on DVD (netflix).  It is somewhat autobiographical about a young girl and her sick mom who one day for breakfast find Mr. Church in their kitchen cooking for them ---- he's been hired by her dead boyfriend to take care of them for a designated amount of time --- and it's a very intriguing story how this man can cook, sew, play piano, etc. and become one of the family in such a short amount of time.  Eddie Murphy does a nice job of playing this eccentric character (once again a non communicative male character --- they seem to be in abundance in 2016 films) but kudos to Brit Robertson, the young girl Charlee, who acts her butt off in this film (and every film I've seen her in so far!) to help us even more understand what a huge presence this man was in her life.  I never knew where the film was really going because this seemed a rather unique story and I just enjoyed the way it unfolded.  I'm not sure why it wasn't widely released because it is so worthy of that (esp. in light of what is out there right now), but maybe they felt it was a quiet "little" film better seen in the confines of your home (?) I don't know, but if you get a chance, check it out --- because it is really a gem!  4.5 stars out of 5.

"MR. CHURCH"   2016       PG -13        1 hour and 44 minutes

Hired to lend a hand to a single mother diagnosed with cancer, Henry Joseph Church wins the hearts of mom Marie Brody and daughter Charlie through his cooking, establishing a bond that lasts long beyond Marie's death and Charlie's childhood.

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Britt Robertson, Xavier Samuel,.

Movie #1297 ........................."Moonlight"

Movie #1297 "Moonlight" --- saw this the other night and have been thinking about it ever since..... trying to figure out why I thought it was just okay.  Once again, I was feeling that  a film that was  well touted by critics was just okay.  Hmmmm.  Becoming a trend this year?  Perhaps, it has to do with me  going in with huge expectations?  maybe.  I respect the playwright (saw and enjoyed  some of his stuff at Steppenwolf) knew  Mahershala Ali won a critics' choice award for supporting actor, knew the two women (the mom and Theresa) were being suggested for supporting acting awards for sag, etc., and I also knew that the film was about growing up black and gay in Miami --- a subject not covered a lot in film.   With all that going for it, while I was watching it, I found myself with way too much time to do everything BUT feel the emotions I think I was supposed to be feeling in the film ---- I had lots of time to be.......... confused (as to what was happening), because not enough is said or relationships and characters aren't delved into enough; or time to be  bored (things were going so slowly, I found myself at times  counting the  seconds per shot or scene); or having  time to check out how repetitive some of the scenes or pieces of dialogue were;  that's not to say there were some fine moments here, it's just as a film, it didn't meet my expectations.  It's a good indie film, but I wouldn't recommend it wholeheartedly because it has its faults.  So why did it win a golden globe last night?  I don't know.  I guess critics and the foreign press see something in it that I didn't....  It IS multicultural, but then why wasn't the foreign press swayed to give the best picture award to "Fences" (which I thought worked better) ?  I don't know, but I DO feel that  for these awards shows perhaps Hollywood  should be looking farther back in the year for the "best" nominees because these end- of- the -year films aren't all that great.......so far.

"MOONLIGHT"    2016    R rated            3.6 stars out of 5

Growing up in the drug-soaked world of 1980s Miami, young Chiron struggles to make his way through a helter-skelter adolescence while also grappling with confusion and anxiety about his emerging sexuality.

Cast: Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Mahershala Ali, Naomi Harris....

Movie #1289.........................."My Christmas Love"

Movie #1289 "My Christmas Love" was very entertaining, There's a lot to like here ---- the two leads are interesting , quirky yet believable.  The story line keeps moving at a quick pace as the lead girl tries to figure out who is sending her the 12 days of Christmas presents on a daily basis --- ooh, a mystery!  There's a big surprise in it (as to who is doing it) , and it works as a cute (but not very believable?) romantic comedy --- But it has enough going for it to make it stand out as one of the better ones, so I give it 4 stars out of 5.  I'd recommend it.

"MY CHRISTMAS LOVE"    2016     2 HOURS      4 STARS OUT OF 5

"My Christmas Love" is about a hopeless romantic (Meredith Hagner), who can't ever seem to give a guy a real chance, that is until she starts receiving each of the "12 Days of Christmas" as gifts, anonymously, at her door (yes, from the song... a partridge, leaping lords, milking maids... 5 golden rings!!). It's a fun mystery that she tries to solve with her core group (including her sister, who's about to have a Christmas wedding) to see if there's a suitor on the other end to finally live up to her expectations.

Director:

 Jeff Fisher

Writers:

 Garrett Frawley,  Brian Turner

Stars:

 Meredith Hagner,  Bobby Campo,  Megan Park

Movie #1288 ........................."12 Gifts of Christmas"

Movie #1288 "12 Gifts of Christmas" -- was probably the last of the Hallmark Christmas movies that I'll be watching this year because tonight this station is showing "Golden Girl" reruns...........Anyway, it was not the worst of the bunch, nor the best.  This one falls in between.  The two leads had very little chemistry throughout ---- they both had one major thing in common --- they had a hard time being believable and authentic.  They seemed more worried about looking  awkward with each other through more than half of the movie (the getting to know you time)  and  when push came to shove, they had a hard time dealing with the "real  moments."  They always looked uncomfortable....and their big conflict seemed manufactured.  I did like the idea of the personal shopper and that being used to get the two "lovers" together so often, but like I said, when the conflict came, it seemed to come out of nowhere and then solved way too easily.  I'd give this 2.8 stars out of 5.


"12 GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS"   2015    1 hour and 23 minutes      2.8 stars out of 5.

With two more weeks until Christmas, a busy business man, Marc Rehnquist, hires a struggling artist, Anna Parisi to help him pick out gifts for his friends and family.

Director:

 Peter Sullivan

Writers:

 Lynn Grant Beck (story),  Lynn Grant Beck  |2 more credits »

Stars:

 Katrina Law,  Aaron O'Connell,  Donna Mills

Movie #1287 ........................."La La Land"

Movie #1287 "La La Land" is a very gutsy movie that is getting lots of good press at this point in time.  But it isn't for everyone ---- it is truly a musical, and  it sets the pace in the opening number.  That itself is gutsy --- it makes no bones about it --it's in your face from the first downbeat --- people are dancing on top and over cars, etc.  But this opening number isn't just a fluff number --- it sets the pace --- it sets the place, la la land -- it sets up the main subject --- dreams --- how many of us haven't dreamt in a big long line of traffic to be able to get out of the car and just walk, run or socialize among the rest of the cars?  It also introduces Gosling and Stone stuck in traffic and dealing with it.  Then, it follows each of the characters to give brief exposition on who each is until they meet in a restaurant where he is playing -----all I can say to Gosling's piano playing is WOW!  Very impressive.  As far as their singing and dancing, I'm sure there are a lot of dancers/singers out there in the audience saying they could do better, so once again this was a gutsy move to have Gosling/Stone dance and sing on their own ---- singing is a bit breathy and somewhat soft/weak, the dancing is passable, the acting is stellar, the script has problems, but bottom line, I really enjoyed this, as romantic comedies work, this one has chemistry and heart,  and the final moment makes it all worthwhile to me.  But I am the demographic who WOULD enjoy this because I  usually love musicals --- but  if you don't "get" them, don't bother with this, because it will annoy you.  But if you can buy what they are doing, and marvel at the guts it took to put this together, and you can appreciate the beautiful sets and shots, then this is a must-see, and this is a movie to be reckoned with at awards time --- it may just sweep by all the sad, depressing offerings in a time period when we need uplifting films like this that remind us that if we dream big, there may be huge sacrifices we need to make along the way. 4.3 out of 5 stars.

"LA LA LAND"     PG-13     2016     4.3 stars out of 5

While pursuing showbiz fame, jazz pianist Sebastian falls for aspiring actress Mia, and the two embark on an intense love affair. But as their separate paths of ambition force them to make tough choices, their relationship starts to fray.

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend,

Movie #1286 ........................."A Rose for Christmas"

Movie #1286 "A Rose for Christmas" was a good offering tonight, on New Year's Day, because it concerned a group of people working under the gun on a rose bowl parade float.  The film shows just how much work it takes to get one of those ready --- makes us think twice the next time we see that parade.  Of course, there's a nice love story, and the two leading actors make it worth your while to watch.  I liked this one a lot --- daughter and father have a good relationship, there's some conflict in trusting others to get the job done, there's parental pressure on kids to do what the parents have done, as far as career --- some good universal sidelines to keep the story interesting. I'd rate this 3.8 stars out of 5.


"ROSE FOR CHRISTMAS"    2017      2 hours       3.8 stars out of 5

• Andy (Rachel Boston) is a passionate artist, whose family has been building Rose Parade floats for generations. When her Dad gets sick, Andy is forced to take the helm and supervise the construction and decoration of their client's float. And to make matters worse, she's saddled with the extra challenge of dealing with demanding businessman Cliff (Marc Bendavid), whose company commissioned the float.
  
  

  Director:

   Kevin Fair

  Writers:

   Gregg Rossen,  Brian Sawyer

  Stars:

   Marc Bendavid,  Rachel Boston,  Jenson Kerr