Movie #3084 ......................."Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" (movie theatre)

 Movie #3084 "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" (movie theatre)  When I think  of all the years I have waited for the last installment on this franchise, I really felt let down when I saw this a week ago.  I felt it was very disappointing.  Oh, it was action-packed, but with very little quality dialogue or scenes in between --- just one chase  scene after another, and one way-too-long car chase to boot.  The Stunt people were unbelievably good and the best thing about the film to me (well, along with "Fleabag" actress mostly arguing with Indy on top of the  multitudes of action scenes) .  It was fun  watching all the problems the script sent their way, but the story was pretty predictable and feeble --- I ended up not caring halfway through, and lost count on where the two parts of the dial  were by the end of the film.  Harrison Ford is good, so if you are going to see the film for  him, then the film is worth seeing, I think.  In fact, he had one very serious, eye-watering scene that might move it to a possible nomination --- but it would be a nomination for the character in the entire series, because like I said above, there's not all that much here to judge his acting on.  He comes to the film with his character well-known and in tact, but I just wish there was more homage to the earlier films --- not even his fear of snakes?  He uses the whip once, but not like in earlier times...... if you are doing a chase scene, why isn't there a nod to the Yakima Cannut stunt under the vehicle that was used int he first film? ---- there was one very rickety bridge, but I guess I wanted even more.  And here's one last complaint..... it's not that I hate action films at all, but the camera is too close to really SEE the action --- just hands and arms and weapons -- we miss the true action being done..... that's what occurs here in this film --- I kept wanting to say, "turn on some lights" and "step back with the camera."   I would give this film a 3 --- but with disappointment and every intention to watch "Shrinking" to feast my eyes on Harrison Ford's true ability. 

 P.S.  it WAS  great to see the very end of the film  with Karen Allen back in it -- I wanted to say, "I bet she can still drink you under the table, Indy!"  )  

"INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY"    2023    Pg-13     2 hrs and 34 mins

Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.

Director:  James Mangold

Writers:  Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp

Actors:  Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas

Movie #3083 ........................."The Thing About My Folks" (netflix DVD)

 Movie #3083 "The Thing About My Folks" (netflix dvd)  This is a film full of nice and tender moments, esp between father and son, who haven't gotten along all that much up until now.  This isn't the best father-son film ever made, but it brings up a lot of topics they should talk about, if given a chance and reason.  The reason here is mom has left dad, so the son takes his dad on a trip to get his mind off of being lonely, but it ends up to be so much more.  It brings up a bunch of baggage that they both need to talk about and say to each other.  The script penned by Paul Reiser is good and real, and the actors are more than competent.  I esp. liked that every night, the dad would say:  "thanks for being my son,"  and the son would say, "thanks for being my dad."  that hit home to me.  I'd give it a 4.

"THE THING ABOUT MY FOLKS"    2005     PG-13     1 hr, 36 minutes    Netflix DVD

Ben's dad, Sam, shows up one night with a note that Ben's mother has left.  While Ben's wife and his three sisters try to find her, Ben takes San on a day trip to see a farmhouse that is for sale.

Director:  Raymond De Felitta

Writer:  Paul Reiser

Actors:  Paul Weiser, Pewter Falk, Olympia Dukakis

Movie #3082 ........................."The Great Train Robbery" (miniseries on BritBox)

 Movie #3091 "The Great Train Robbery" (miniseries on BritBox)  This should not be confused with the GREAT film by the same name with Sean Connery, but still based on a  famous Train Robbery of 8 August 1963 , and it's a two part mini series --- the first is entitled "robbers" and the second one "cops."  The first part came across as way too slow to me and tedious, and it didn't tell enough of how things were supposed to go, so I didn't care much for it.  However, I did get into the "cops" section --- it was  intriguing to see how most of them got caught --- and not because of one telling on the other --- but the steadfast work by the "cops" led by Jim Broadbent.

"THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY"   2013, 1 hr and 30 mins.  two parts     BritBox

A two-part drama which portrays The Great Train Robbery of 8 August 1963, firstly from the point of view of the robbers and then from the point of view of the police who set out to identify and catch the robbers.

Creator:  Chris Chibnall

Actors:  Robert Glenister, Jack Roth, Luke Evans

Movie #3081 ........................."Company" (netflix dvd)

 Movie #3081 "Company" (netflix dvd) I never really liked this show all that much; it never really clicked for me, but transitions are a little smoother here and they connect the dots for us on the meaning of the show -- much like the movie version of "Chicago" when the director made more sense of the musical with his transitions.  We did see this show once on the college level with one of our own alums as the lead, and he was great, but the show overall  lacked the depth in the secondary people, and seem to move out of focus from one vignette to the next  --- this one with a loaded cast of very skillful people (including Patti Lupone, and Martha Plimpton) hits  100% as a strong backup to an equally strong Bobby played by Neil Patrick Harris.  I'd give this a 5 out of 5.

"COMPANY"    2011        2 hr, 25 mins      netflix dvd

Following five couples and their friend Robert, the perpetual bachelor, Company explores the true meaning of being in a relationship through a series of nineties.  Winner of the 1971 Tony Award for Best Musical, Neil Patrick Harris led an all-star cast in a sold-out event at the New York Philharmonic.

Director:  Lonny Price

Writer:  George Furth

Actors:  Neil Patrick Harris, Patti Lupone, Martha Plimpton   

Movie #3080 ........................."Truly, Madly, Sweetly " (Hallmark)

Movie #3080 'Truly, Madly, Sweetly" (Hallmark)  This was a don't bother Hallmark film with a guy who is stiff as a board in his acting, but Nikki Deloach still manages to act around him and get across her part fairly well --- but it's like watching a ping pong game with the one server hitting to the wall instead of a player opposite him.  Anyway, the climax point was so quick, one could hardly notice it, and the story wasn't much either.  I thought the film would be more about the differences in dealing with food truck vs. a one location restaurant, but it didn't --- the film suggested the food truck is the less desirable. But that slams what she has been doing up until now.... because of this guy who enters the story?  I like  Nikki Deloach and I always find myself rooting for her.  So I felt bad  when she had to give up the food truck and bakery  dream.  But that's life in Hallmark kingdom!  3 out of 5

"TRULY, MADLY, SWEETLY "     Hallmark    2018    1 hr, 22 mins

Natalie, a cupcake food truck owner has always dreamed of owning her own bakery.  Eric has always wanted his own business.  When an inheritance throws these two opposites together, neither could have imagined what fate had in store for them.

Director:  Ron Oliver

Writers:  Becky Southwell, Dylan Neal, Ron Oliver

Actors:  Nikki Deloach, Dylan Neal, Matt Hamilton

PS -- I just noticed the male stiff actor in the film is one of the writers.  I think he should stick to writing, and work on that more.  But that's easier said than done.

Movie #3079 ........................."Asteroid City" (movie theatre)

 Movie #3079 "Asteroid City" (movie theatre)  Well, this was a movie I had little reaction to when it was over, so I was supposed to think about it.  And guess what?  I really didn't think much about it afterwards, either.  Now, it has been several weeks since I've seen it, and I still am pretty MEH about it.  And I usually enjoy Wes Anderson films for their quirkiness but also their underlying themes and sarcasm.  This one, like the last one ("The French Dispatch") , left me cold ---- overall.  But I have to admit there were some good moments; it is just that they were few and far between.  The film lost its focus with so many layers (a play within a play within a play... etc.)  But  I loved the cast.....Adrien Brody with his angst, Ed Norton with his auteur attitude, Jason Schwartzman with his  deadpan sobriety, and Scarlett Johansson with her drama queen/dying swan looks (the monologue in the bathtub was hysterical to me).  The powers that be missed a great idea to match this film with "Oppenheimer" instead of "Barbie"  - just for the chance to scare the heck out of moviegoers who see both back to back!!!!  a MEH film with some beautiful photography gets a 3 from me.

"ASTEROID CITY"    PG-13 (there was a little nudity, did anyone notice?)       1 hr, 45 mins     2023

Following a writer on his world famous fictional play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to small rural Asteroid City to compete in a junior stargazing event, only to have his world view disrupted forever.  (is that what it was about?  hmmmmm) 

Director:  Wes Anderson

Writers:  Wel Anderson, Roman Coppola

Actors:  Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks (it was funny watching Tom Hanks, the actor fighting the Wes Anderson style of minimal use of facials, hands and body) 

Movie #3078 ........................."Elemental" (movie theatre)

 Movie #3078 "Elemental" (movie theatre)  Disclaimer:  I don't like a lot of animation, even since I was a little kid -- to me, it is all in the story, and as a former teacher of writing, I guess that makes sense.  That being said, this story was lacking sense to me --- but I have felt that way about  a lot of the latest ones, so once again, it is tough for me to judge if kids would like this --- the kids we had with us did like it, but I didn't.  I missed the point of the whole thing, except for a major comment on climate change.  I can honestly say I was never drawn in to the story, the love angle, or the conflict --- I just didn't care.  But the film was colorful and busy on the eyes.  I'd give it a weak 3.  This one needed a lot more comedy.

"ELEMENTAL"             2023      1 hour and 41 min (long for animation, to me)

Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, land-and air-resident live together.

Director:  Peter Sohn

Writers:  John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh

Voices:  Leah Lewis, Mamoudzou Athie, Ronnie Del Carmen

Movie #3077 ........................."Rififi (netflix dvd)

 Movie #3077 "Rififi" (netflix dvd)  We like heist films ,and this one has appeared on a lot of lists as "one of the best,"  but we didn't think so.  It takes a long, serious, and at times boring seat up, and when the heist actually happens, there are 20 wordless minutes in the film -- ugh!  However, the last couple of minutes were the best and moved it from a 2 to 3 for me. (PS - movie seemed misogynistic to me --- women not used well) 

"RIFIFI"      1955                       1 hour and 58 mins          

Four men plan a technically perfect crime, but the human element intervenes...

Director:  Jules Dassin

Writers:  Auguste Le Breton, Jules Dassin, Rene Wheeler

Actors:  Jean Servais, Carl Mohner, Robert Manuel 

Movie #3076 ......................... " A Very Very Valentine" (Hallmark)

 Movie #3076 "A Very Very Valentine" (Hallmark)  I really loved this one, except for a bit of fantasy  in it (made it hard to believe that she wasn't so much smarter than the average viewer like me!  hah! ); otherwise, I enjoyed the mystery involved, I really like most everything Danica is in, and she made the guy less stiff than he usually is as an actor.  I'd give it a 4.

"VERY, VERY, VALENTINE"        2018       1 hr, 26 mins

When florist Helen meets a dreamy mystery man at a masquerade ball, she and her friend Henry set out of find him.

Director:    Don McBrearty

Writers:  Fariba Cain, Marcy Holland

Actors:  Danica McKellar, Cameron Mathison, Damon Runyan