Mondays I try to dig up a movie that I liked that may have passed you by. So today:
THE IMPOSSIBLE
Directed by J.A. Bayona
Screenplay by Sergio G. Sanchez
Story by Maria Belon
Starring Naomi Watts; Ewan McGregor; and Tom Holland
The story of a family of tourist Maria (Watts); Henry (McGregor); and their three children in Thailand who get caught in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami destruction and aftermath as the family gets separated.
If you have not seen this film...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??!! Yes you already know the ending because the family told their story but still it is an exciting real life adventure.
The special effects are outstanding and scary. The acting is fantastic with Naomi Watts getting a nomination for her role. Also Tom Holland as the oldest son almost steals the film.
This film has been criticized by being racist and only showing whites and their story. I disagree, I think it shows people of all color helping each other out in a awful situation. It shows the best of humanity.
4 out of 5 stars for The Impossible. It is 114 minutes that fly by, filled with excitement, sadness, and love. Move it to the top of your Netflix Queue.
In recognition of Mothers Day Weekend I am giving you my top 5 Moms in film from the year 2000 to now!!
NUMBER 5
FRANNIE LANCASTER
Played by Laura Dern in Fault In Our Stars 2014
Faced with a dying daughter who does not have much time on this earth she rollercoasters from fighting to keep her going but also making sure Hazel Grace lives life know matter what. She pushes Hazel out to experience things and not just crawl up in a corner and die. She even figures out a way to get Hazel to Amsterdam, Hazel's dream trip.
From the beginning of the film she says to Hazel "have fun, make friends". A wonderful mom.
NUMBER 4
LEIGH ANNE TUOHY
Played by Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
Leigh Ann did what moms can do best, teach by example. She takes into her house a homeless Michael Oher which shows compassion and trust, but she also shows her children a fierceness and bravery to fight for the young man.
Leigh's best line:
When a friend says to her that she is changing that boys life....
Leigh's response: No. He is changing mine.
NUMBER 3
BREN MACGUFF
Played by Allison Janney in Juno 2007
A step mom makes it to the top 5!! We have read in stories about evil stepmoms. I imagine there are some. However I like to think that 99% of them are like Bren Macguff. Faced with a pregnant stepdaughter she does not insult Juno she keeps her in line, stands beside her, and keeps Juno thinking realistically about the job ahead. She is nothing but loving. And will fight for her as noted by this exchange with an Ultrasound Technician who makes a snide comment about Juno being a pregnant teen:
"Well, I'm a nail technician and I think we both ought to just stick to what we know"
"Oh, you think you're so special because you get to play Picture Pages up there? Well, my five year old daughter could do that and let me tell you, she's not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed. So why don't you go back to night school in Mantino and learn a real trade."
She is awesome!!!
Number 2
MOLLY WEASLEY
Played by Julie Walters in the Harry Potter Series
As noted before with another mom, Leigh Anne Tuohy, a mother can teach by example. You cannot help but fall in love with Molly Weasley. She does not have much money but she makes robes and socks for her children and does the best with what she has. She takes in Harry, not because he is the chosen one, but because she senses his sadness and wants to show him love. She is kind, but as we all saw in the last fim, she will fight for her children. Which brings us to her most famous line, when Bellatrix Lestrange aims her wand at Ginny Weasley, Molly aims her wand at Bellatrix and says: "Not My Daughter You Bitch!" So Great!!
AND MY NUMBER 1 MOM!!!!
SYBIL STONE
Played by Diane Keaton in the Family Stone 2005
Facing death and knowing it will be her last Christmas, she is concerned about her family and how they are going to be after she is gone. So she quietly, not forcefully, trys to steer them in a direction that can put them on a track to a peaceful life. At the same time she comes across as a little bit cool, by laughing at the Christmas disasters all around her and understanding being happy is more important than anything.
Maybe, one of the best table scenes ever when she stands for her gay/deaf son Thad when she feels he has been insulted by their guest:
She throws a fork at Thad to get his attention and says, "I love you. And you are more normal than any other... asshole sitting at this table. OK? OK. I need a fork."
Love her!!!
From the shadows, thanks for your time as always and happy Mothers Day!!
Hot Pursuit
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Screenplay by David Feeney and John Quaintance
Starring: Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara
An uptight police woman (Witherspoon) tries to protect the widow of a drug informant as they race through Texas pursued by many a bad guy.
I have not watched a good comedy in the theatre for a long time. Sadly...this film is not one.
So much went wrong here. Bad jokes. Bad plot twists that are just ridiculous. A grating Sofia Vergara. I am wondering if Sofia Vergara is a one act actress. Playing the same part over and over again. And if that is true her one act is getting old, it is not funny anymore. Reese Witherspoon, at one point she dresses as a boy. This is not funny and it almost feels cringe worthy. I could go on and on giving you scenes that were suppose to be funny and just fall flat. This is a mess.
The strange thing is the funniest moment did not come from the leading ladies it came from Jim Gaffigan as a righteous farmer.
During the credits they show us outtakes from this film. The outtakes show many laughs between the two leads, sadly it seems they had more fun making the film then I did watching it. 1 1/2 star out of 5 for Hot Pursuit.
It is Wednesday and Yay Or Nay Trailers are back!! I judge the film just by watching the trailer so play along!
I'll SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS
Release date May 15
The trailer had funny parts in it, however I get a gut feeling that may be all the funny parts. I mean it is listed as a drama, and it seems like the subject is dealing with getting older. I am okay with a drama, and I really like Sam Elliott. I am leaning toward......YAY!!!!!
POLTERGEIST
Release Date May 22
Oh no they did not!! After what happened to the cast in the last Poltergeist movie!! As a parent of a child actor I do not know if I would let my child be in this film. The first film was jinxed (at least I think), I would not play with fire. Even after watching the trailer, which did not change my mind....NAY!!!
RETURN TO SENDER
No release date
Wow...just from the trailer...it seems like Rosamund Pike is still playing Amazing Amy in Gone Girl!! Still the trailer looks like a good thriller with a bit of a creep factor. YAY!!
There are three releases of note for home viewing:
SELMA
Directed by Ava DuVernay
Screenplay by Paul Webb
Starring David Oyelowo
A chronicle of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights with help of marches in the USA, including this historical march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965, in hope of bringing more attention to their rights as Americans.
Based on a true story. This phrase is used often during the opening of films. The key word is BASED. So I am not on the bandwagon with people who criticized this film that it played around with facts. However, I will criticize Ava DuVernay for not using her editor enough, the film really seems to drag in the middle, knowing full well we are there to see the march but the film takes forever to get there including some info that, for a film, could have been left on the floor. I guess that is where a book comes in lol!!
3 out of 5 stars for this well acted film by Oyelowo. Well worth a look at home, where you can watch it in two nights.
BLACK OR WHITE
Direction and screenplay by Mike Binder
Starring Octavia Spencer; Kevin Costner; and Jillian Estell
A widower (Costner) is drawn into a custody battle over his granddaughter (Estell), whom he helped raise her entire life.
This film was a hard watch. I wanted to scream cant we all get along!! The film is filled with racism on both ends, Black vs White and White vs Black, and the film tries to make jokes about it, and I think those jokes miss. Costner looks like he wanted out from the start. Then they throw in a kumbaya ending. This film is not enjoyable to watch.
Ugh 1 1/2 stars out of 5.
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY
Directed by Sam Taylor Johnson
Screenplay by Kelly Marcel
Based on the book by E.L.James
Starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan
No film description needed. Unless you have been living under a rock the last few years, you know what the film is about.
Well where do I start:
Miscasting of Jamie Dornan. I don't think he can act and he seems to be over acting the whole time. And his Mr Grey has a much bigger creep factor then the book and that may be because of the bad acting.
There are big fans of this book. Passionate (no pun attended) fans. And they left out many parts of the film that those fans loved. Afraid of an NC17? Maybe? Well...who made that decision? People over 17 are the only ones who should see this and will pay. Are you marketing to 16 year olds...that would be creepy. Well the Blu/ray is coming out with an Unrated Version....why not show this in the theatre??!! People know what to expect by reading the book. It makes no sense.
And the worst decision....no ending. There is no ending. An elevator door shuts. What?!! Even the split of the last Hunger Games movie/book (which I was not a fan of) at least tried to have an ending..a spot to finish.
Now the good:
I thought Dakota Johnson was fantastic. She came across even smarter and less naïve then the Anastasia in the book. To be honest with the readers, I am a big fan of Dakota, I think she is a wonderful actress. Do yourself a favor and watch her in the short lived series Ben And Kate, she is very good..
I also thought the look of the film was beautiful from the offices, to the living areas. Credit goes to set decorator Sandy Reynolds Wasco, who usually does sets for Tarintino.
Well 2 out of 5 stars for Grey. Just too many bad decisions.
Screenplay and Direction by Joss Whedon
Starring : Many a Superhero
When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a peacekeeping program, things go south quickly. With that mistake, Ultron emerges, and it is up to the Avengers to stop him from enacting his plans to destroy the Avengers and earth itself.
Settle down. I know you are excited I am back.
I like superhero movies. They are fun to watch. However I understand they are not made for me. They are made for comic-con fanatics and children. The producers make the film for that moviegoing category, then hope that group of people pull "outsiders" along by being swept up into the wave of excitement.
This is not a very good film, it is just okay. For the second film in a row I felt like I was watching a video game for more than half the film while buildings get destroyed (with out mentioning in the real world people live and work in them and most likely died as the fight contuinues). It is a long 2 hours and 20 minutes with a waste of a short scene during the credits. Also throw in that this is marketed to children and some of the language is questionable. I am not a prude, and I understand they probably hear those words on the playground. Still I was surprised a bit knowing who they are marketing this film to.
Postives: I like the story line developing between Bruce Banner/Hulk (Ruffalo) and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Johansson). I also like being able to see the life behind a superhero with Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Renner) (If you decide to watch this film, watch carefully during the dart game. It is a quick joke but I laughed). I thought James Spader was perfectly cast as Ultron, his voice almost drips with snarky evil. Elizabeth Olson as Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlett Witch is fun to watch and takes over the screen outshining all the Avengers. Well all these positives were only about 30 minutes of the film the rest is a video game.
2 out of 5 stars for the Avengers. A new director will take over for Whedon next time which may add a much needed spark.
