Movie #2191 "The Vault" (netflix)

 Movie #2191 "The Vault" (netflix) this was recommended , and we ended up liking it a lot --- a very good heist film full of interesting characters (could be more women, though).  I found it pretty technical as to how it was all going "down" so I guess it isn't for everyone --- I like the way the Oceans movies set out the plan because they use visuals and help us dumb viewers  slowly understand the plan --- this one was quick in pace, very tense but with some viewers not always understanding every detail....but at least we can follow the drift of the plan.   And not giving anything away, but a lot of this was filmed under water so very cool photography.   I would give this a 4 out of 5.

"THE VAULT"      2021      R     1 hour and 58 minutes

Follows a genius engineering graduate who is interested in the Bank of Spain's safe.

• Director
  • Jaume Balagueró
• Writers
  • Rafa Martínez(storyline by)
  • Andrés M. Koppel(storyline by)
  • Borja Glez. Santaolalla(storyline by)
• Stars
  • Freddie Highmore, 
  • Astrid Bergès-Frisbey ,
  • Sam Riley

  See production, box office & company info

Movie #2190 "Quiet Place II" (redbox)

 Movie #2190 "Quiet Place II" (Redbox) - I just reread my blog on "Quiet Place," and I'm about to write ditto ---- ditto to it be very very tense, and ditto to it relying on just sounds and very little dialogue, and ditto because of relying just on sound,  it has to be a very creative film in getting across the story.  However, a sequel should bring more to the table --- and like the first one, I didn't think it answered enough questions that I had while watching it.  Once again, it could be my fault, but the person I watched it with agreed with me --- so I am thinking it isn't just me.  There just wasn't enough info --- and I again dislike that guns get them out of most predicaments --- now, granted, there is another device they use, and that is smart, but still guns blow off heads of the creatures and allow people to live "happily" every after (with a lot of PTSD, I am guessing)  Oh, those poor kids that were put through the wringer making this film!  I give it 3.5 out of 5 --- not as good as the first one, to me.  (PS -- a good 1/2 hour is redoing the first one in the opening)  One thing I most enjoyed:  the challenge of keeping a baby silent through this whole ordeal!  Wow!

"QUIET PLACE II"    2020    PG-13               1 hour and 37 mins    3.5 out of 5

Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path.

• Director
  • John Krasinski
• Writers
  • John Krasinski
  • Bryan Woods(based on characters created by)
  • Scott Beck(based on characters created by)
• Stars
  • Emily Blunt , 
  • Millicent Simmonds , Noah Jupe, 
  • Cillian Murrphy 

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Movie #2189 ..........................".My Neighbor Totoro" (animated dvd)

 Movie #2189 "My Neighbor Totoro (animated dvd) - I was at half p[rice books and saw that this movie was a Hayao Miyazki film with the Fanning girls (Dakota and Elle), and I picked it up for $2 and then recently watched it.  He couldn't have cast it any better with the Fanning girls giggly as little sisters throughout the film  and with one of my favorite actors playing their Dad (Tim Daly).  They keep visiting their mom in the hospital (the inimitable Lea Salonga), who I think has TB.  It had  beautiful animation, and a terrific  cast, but the story could be clearer and better and it was very slow paced for modern day kids to watch --- I think if you can get them to sit down and get involved with the story, the themes make the film well worth the time, but in this day and age, I'm not sure that would happen.  And  a big part of this film is Tortoro, which might scare some kids --- I personally didn't get pulled in by that character , but I would still rate it a 4 for its beautiful photography and a tremendously talented cast of voices.  

"MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO"    1 hour 26 mins        1988     rated G

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother , they have adventures with the wondrous forest creatures who live nearby.

Director:  Hayao Miyazaki

Writer:  Hayao Miyazaki

Cast:  Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, Pat Carroll

Movie #2188 ........................."Luca" (disney)

 Movie 2188 "Luca" (disney) This was a good watch for us, and I am not always drawn to animation.  The lead boy (Jacob Tremblay from the movies "Room" and "Wonder") has a great voice for this mostly because he is playing a young boy and he is one --- his compatriot is also still in his teens, and so is the girl who plays "Guilia" in the film ---- Put those voices with Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan and you got a powerhouse for the cast.  The story rapidly moves from one part to the next --- the trick here is done quite smoothly by the disney artists --- that is, every time the sea fish (Jacob, Maya and Jim G. ) are out of water, they take on human form, but when they are in the water, they are sea monsters --- and you have to buy that premise to get through the film.  Not surprising (Hey, this is Disney), this gimmick is used in a variety of ways.  The two lead boys have a bromance much like the two sisters in "Frozen" -- and that's what drives most of the beginning part of the film --- when they meet Guilia (about 1/3 of way through) the story turns to a great race (like a triathlon, but since it is in Italy, the entrants have to be able to swim, bicycle and eat pasta).  I really appreciated that the movie doesn't have a big fist  fight between the good guys and the bad at the end ---- it's more a bike off, so  there's lots of action to keep kids interested in the film.  Up to the point, the movie tries to keep everyone's interest with mini chases and learning how to bicycle, etc.  I would say the story meanders a bit, but this is so much easier to follow in comparison to "Soul" --- and quite universal in themes.  I'd give it a 3.8 out of 5 and recommend.  You'll have to let me know if your kids see it, what they thought, but I thought kids would find it enjoyable.  But it isn't "Beauty and the Beast "--- but more interesting to me than "Brave," for example.  

" LUCA"  2021       PG            1 hour and 35 mins

On the Italian Riviera, an unlikely but strong friendship grows between a human being and a sea monster disguised as a human. 

Director:  Enrico Casarosa

Writer:  enrico Casarosa, Jessie Andrews, and Simon Stephenson

Stars:  Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudiolph, Jim Gaffigan 

Movie #2187 ........................."Good on Paper" (netflix)

 Movie #2187 "Good on Paper" (netflix)  - I was looking for something light to watch, and this caught my eye.  This is another movie about a stand up comic and her love life --- but this was quite brave in its comedy --- some of it hits, and some of it was a bit too silly for me, but I can say that overall, I liked it.  There are lots of funny parts that balance out  the raunchy ones.  It has the comedienne narrate the bits in between as she tells this story of the meeting of this guy who appears "good on paper" --- The ending is satisfactory and surprised me  in the direction it took.  The film overall made me think about how women are mistreated in the dating world, and the voice of the actress (who is also the writer) comes through quite strongly on that subject.    I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 and moderately recommend it.

"GOOD ON PAPER"      2021      1 hour and 32 minutes     unrated (I'd give it an R)

After years of putting her career first, a stand- up comic meets a guy who seems perfect :  smart, nice , successful and possibly too good to be true.

Director:  Kimmy Gatewood

Writer:  Lliza Shlesinger

Actors:  Lliza Shlesinger, Margaret Cho, Ryan Hansen

Movie #2186 ........................."Coda" (Apple)

 Movie #2186 "Coda" (apple) LOVED this movie!  Loved the story, loved being thrown into this family to see what it was like being in a deaf family, loved the young girl -- she does an outstanding job.  I thought the teacher was a tad too effusive for the part, but that's just me.  (I have seen him before and he always seems to overact for film)  I love watching sign language --- to me it is ballet for the hands.  The conflicts are so real, and boy they face a lot of them in the film --- it seemed from the get go, everyone was on pins and needles --- a stressful, struggle from the outset --- I would have wanted a few more calm moments, and eventually the film offered them past the halfway mark, and I was grateful.  I don't want to ruin the high point of the film , but sufficeth it to say, that I wondered why we hadn't seen her be more inclusive of her own family in regards  to her singing, but when you get to the end you will understand why.  I liked this film so much that I checked on line to see if the original is available - and I think I found it to stream free on Amazon Prime --- entitled "The Belier Family" --- it is in French, but I hope they offer subtitles with it.  I will come in and update this if/when I do.  I will not ever forget many moments in this film --- moments that made me appreciate my sense of hearing ---- made me appreciate and empathize with those who don't have the sense of hearing --- made me appreciate if a member of the family is set apart from the others to no fault of his/her own  and how that must feel --- made me realize the importance of making connections in any way possible --- made me appreciate the quiet moments as well as the singing ones!  I must say that it takes getting used to their communicating --- it goes by swiftly, and sometimes it looks overdone, but the hands are so expressive and lovely to watch, that the viewer gains an appreciation of it as the film goes on --- you get used to it, just like subtitles, just like accents, just like so many other things, if it is worth it. And THIS IS WORTH IT!  5 out of 5.

"Coda"    PG-13 (language, very little tho)       1 hour and 51 mins

As a CODA (child of deaf adults)  Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family.  When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents.

Director:  Sian Heder (female)

Writers:  Sian Heder (screenplay) , Victoria Bedos & Stanislas Carre de Malberg ((motion picture La Famille Belier) )

Actors:  Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin (her family is played by deaf actors - Emila took 9 months to immerse herself in ASL )

Movie # 2185 ........................."Three Wishes (netflix)

 Movie #2185 "Three Wishes" (netflix) Here is an example of a good director, but a lame movie.  I don't ordinarily expect much from a Patrick Swayze movie (except for a couple of titles), so when I saw the title whiz by me and noticed the film was in the capable hands of Martha Coolidge ("Real Genius," "If These Walls Could Talk," and my favorite "Lost in Yonkers") , and a bigger AND - Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was in it, I checked out the story line --- (see below)  that looked to be interesting, so I watched it.   It was just okay --- lame in spots (due to dialogue and story line) but I liked the frame of the story --- Older guy, upset with his life, almost hits a dog in the street while his wife and kids are yammering in the car, and it reels him back to when he was a little kid in a similar situation.  That dog changed everything.  Actually, if the film stuck with that dog even more, it would have been a lovely kids' movie.  It showed a woman trying to raise her two kids, and one gets sick and she doesn't know where to turn.  A dog brings this vagrant into her house because she accidentally hits him while steering away from hitting a dog.  Swayze comes into the boys' lives at just the right time that they could use some fatherly love (their dad is away in the service).  So a nice father-son thing going on there with a mother who is trying to be strong with no dad's advice,   So why throw  some magical dog into the story that would scare the bejeebers out of any kids in the audience, and put a love scene in there to boot?  This is not a kids' movie --- not that the  love scene is hot and sexy, but I can't imagine trying to explain all the reasons why this woman would engage in a love scene with this vagabond --- it's just too adult.  There are some pretty filmic moments, the kids are great, Mary Elizabeth always is a wonder to watch, but here's an example of something that doesn't work.  It's Father's Day, and the little boy gives a shaving mug and brush to Swayze.  A possible wonderful "Aw" moment in the film.  What does Sw,ayze's character say?  Thanks but I don't shave!  Balloon bursts.  Yikes, becomes a lame moment to me.  Why show it?  Is this guy that shallow?  By the end, aren't we supposed to see him as some kind of "angel" that came to help them?  The very end works with the rest of the tone of the film, but like I said, some of it just doesn't seem to mesh.  But then I look back at the other films she's done, and I guess there are a lot of misses, and this is one of them.  I'd give it a 3 out of 5.

"THREE WISHES"   1995           PG (should be PG13)          1 hr, 55 mins

In an unexplained act of charity , Jeanne picks up an injured apparent tramp and takes him home to care for him little realizing who he was (note:  it was never clear) or the effect he would have on her life and those of her family.

Director:  Martha Coolidge

Writer:  Clifford Green (Story), Ellen Green (story), Elizabeth Anderson (screenplay)

Stars:  Patrick Swayze, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Joseph Mazello (great little boy)