New Film Review: Night School

NIGHT SCHOOL
3 out of 5 stars

After playing a really bad trailer in  the theaters for months I really did not have much hope here.
I pleasantly surprised.
Sure it had a fight scene that did not fit the story line...and was rather stupid...and unfunny. Sure it had a corny ending. Sure in a very strange way it pushes up against its point to better yourself by insulting all in the fast food industry which made me cringe often. However when you buy a ticket for this film you want to laugh and I did laugh often. Plus the story line...yes silly...kinda of worked.
Better than average for sure.


From the shadows as always thanks for your time

New Film Review: Love Gilda

LOVE GILDA
3 1/2 out of 5 Stars

I loved it. A mixture of sadness and laughter.
She was so talented...maybe up there with Lucy as maybe the smartest and funniest comedian ever.
I think it is worth a look at home when it is available.
The strange thing is...I have to separate the talent of Gilda and the documentary.
The documentary is scattered a bit. Nobody from the original cast that are still alive are interviewed.
The documentary uses pictures more than videos. It seems close to ...uneventful....and lazy.
Thankfully the talents of Gilda pushes it through.
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: THE BOOKSHOP

THE BOOKSHOP
2 stars out of 5

It has a very good performance by Bill Nighy as Edmund Brundish in a very small part.
Also has a well done difficult performance by Emily Mortimor..in a difficult part where she rarely shows emotion as a woman who wants to open up a bookstore in a small town inside an historic building she owns.
There is a young girl named Honor Kneafsey...who somehow becomes the heart of the story and is fantastic as the helper Christine in the bookshop.
Patricia Clarkson is wasted and really on the screen for maybe 5 minutes. I feel like her part was edited out...
Which brings me to the story itself. It feels flat. Too quiet. Too depressing. Moving slow if not at all moving. A depressing ending trying to hide within the lesson of the value of books.
Maybe worth a look for home viewing but it is slow be warned.

NEW FILM REVIEW: WHITE BOY RICK

WHITE BOY RICK
2 STARS OUT OF 5


You know...it was well acted.
That's all I can say...I found the story annoying. Not one person was likable not even the police. I need someone likable!!!
Just a hard annoying watch.
It is a true story...if that is anything.

New Film Review: A Simple Favor

A SIMPLE FAVOR
3 1/2 OUT OF 4 STARS


Just well acted by both Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively ...and that makes the film work.
One is meek and the other is harsh and outgoing. They are an odd couple for sure...even in size. Emily (Lively) towers over the smaller meek Stephanie((Kendrick). They also both have secrets...No Spoilers Here!!
The script worked however I often wanted to shout at the screen to Stephanie...ahhhh call the police NOW!!! Call the police NOW!!! Then there is the police. They have to see Stephanie's video blog...DO SOMETHING!!!!
The there is the end...odd..they told us in writing about what happened to certain characters. AAAHHH why not show us? Did they run out of money. Its not a true story...so...it felt lazy..thrown in after a test screening said...what happened afterwards.


Well anyway...it is intense and worth a look for the story and the acting.

New Film Review: Juliet Naked

JULIET NAKED

4 out of 5 stars

There is not much wrong with this film. Rose Byrne is wonderful.
Chris O'Dowd has great comic timing as usual. Ethan Hawke, maybe one of our most underrated actors, gives a brilliant performance.
The script is tight,,,full of "feels" and laughter. The film does not overstay its welcome...however leads me to a couple negatives.
I wanted to feel it more, a little more emotion...I think more time between Annie (Byrne) and Tucker (Hawke) was needed for that. When they are together you want to just hear them talk. The chemistry is that good. I also wanted to laugh a little more ...but I do understand there is a lot going on here and stories have to be told (No Spoilers).

Still maybe the best romantic comedies of the year. Find it if you can and see it. It is not a knock your socks off movie. However it is fun and it stays with you.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: BlacKkKlansman

BLACKkKLANSMAN

2 out of 5 stars

The story is crazy and it is true....often, sadly, laugh out loud funny at how stupid people are.
Well acted by John David Washington and Adam Driver. Then Topher Grace comes in as David Duke and also is wonderfully unintentionally (I think) funny. There is a weak link in the acting department and that is Laura Harrier as Patrice. Boy was she bad, and she was so good in Spiderman!!! What happened??!! She was almost reading her lines in front of us.
Now the biggest problem with this film is Spike Lee. Choppy editing I can ignore. A story that could have been told in 90 minutes he went over 2 hours. I can almost ignore.
But the AWFUL decision by a film maker to throw in anti Trump real footage at the end was just in-explainable. The viewers saw the film. We have brains. We can watch and see what is the common thread then and now. However he decides to pull away from the magic of this film...pull away from the wonderful actors who worked hard to put this point across and treat the viewer as if they are stupid. We cannot figure out the thread???!! For pulling us away from the film. For not trusting the viewer and the actors. This movie crashed for me. I was stunned. It lost 2 stars from me.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time

New Film Review: Puzzle

PUZZLE
3 out of 5

Exceptionally acted by Kelly Macdonald; David Denman: and one of the worlds greatest actors Irrfan Kahn.
Yes the movie moves slow. Yes Macdonald sneaks in her Scotland accent once in awhile. Yes Kahn does not have much to do.
However the story line is interesting. A housewife who wants more. SA husband who does not understand why. A lonely man who wants a partnet in more ways than one. A son who wants something else that the father does not understand. Thrown all together sdomehow it works, and stays with you. You see the puzzle is a metaphor for something bigger...life.