Father and Mother (Movie Thoughts: Eastern Boys/Mommy)

Robin Campillo's "Eastern Boys" is an odd film.  It starts out so interestingly - the camera follows a group of male hustlers at Gare du Nord Train station in Paris and we see them running, frolicking, hustling. We see them operate wordlessly as if spying. Then a businessman, Daniel, played by Olivier Rabourdin, zeroes in on one, named Maerek,  follows him, and they under the stairs.  he gives him his address, planning to meet the next day.  Someone else arrives the next day, and forces himself into the apartment. Then other young men do, and take over the house - and strips it of its contents. Daniel doesn't resist, probably because of shame of being found out as gay. Marek then comes back later, and he lets him in, and they develop a sort-of relationship, getting to a point that Daniel gives him a monthly stipend. The last third of the film centers around Daniel helping Marek separate from the gang (the tone of the last third - that of a suspense/action movie - is jarringly different) Emotion wise, we go through a roller coaster, and the ending seems a bit off - you wonder how they arrive to where they eventually end, wherein Daniel becomes a literal father figure to Marek - but darn it if these characters don't get to you. I found myself caring for these characters and I still think about them.

I had the opposite reaction to the characters in "Mommy."  Set in Montreal, it tells a story of a sassy mother who is taking care of her ADHD-addled son. There is non-stop fighting, screaming by mother and son here. Anne Dorval is the kind of actress who hammers her point by shrieking at the top of her lungs, and after a while you are so exasperated that you stop caring. Yes, I know what director Xavier Dolan is trying to do: he is trying to show you what she is going through, and having you "experience" it.  But one hundred twenty nine minutes of it? I can only take so much.

In Love And War (Movie Thoughts: Testament Of Youth)

Wasn't I just raving about Alicia Vikander in "Ex-Machina"? Well, here she is again, giving a fine performance in "Testament Of Youth."  She is the reason to watch this movie - it is one of those star-making performances and should cement her status as the new go-to girl for those young British girl roles usually played by Kiera Knightley. The film, directed by James Kent, is one of those regal, elegant films one associates with something like Masterpiece Theater. (I have to check - are they produced by the same people?) It's a movie about war but it doesn't show explicit war scenes - we experience it through the eyes of Vera Brittain, who leaves her studies in Oxford to volunteer as a nurse, and then sees her fiancee, her brother, and most of their friends perish from the war. Though we see some familiar set up of scenes (train station farewell between lovers, overhead shot of injured bodies at war sites) we feel like they aren't cliched. There is one harrowing scene where Vera looks for her brother amongst those injured, and I couldn't look at the screen from the pain. So did I love this movie? I shoudl say yes, but I have to admit there were lulls in it that kind of bored me. But I like it enough to recommend - this is a story that should be heard by everyone, if only to hammer the thought that war is stupid.

Love In The Afternoon (Film Thoughts: 5 To 7)

Imagine if Woody Allen today were still writing love stories. What you would get would be very similar to "5 to 7." This is a movie that was made for someone like me - it tells of a love story that any other person would think would be doomed from the start: a young man gets infatuated with an older married French woman. When she first meets him, she says she is only available to meet from 5 to 7 pm, which is a code for her wanting just an affair. he is hesitant at first, but acquiesces to the set up, and the rules. This film captures that feeling when someone just falls in love, and throws caution to the wind, and just dives in that pool, not caring, not thinking five steps ahead. You know you are going to be hurt, you can practically taste the hurt, but still, nothing compares to the euphoria of being in love. We have all been there. It wouldn't take a genius to tell where this love story is headed, but it gets there so beautifully, in a poetic, romantic, heady kind of way. I was enchanted, I felt ever single scene of this movie. Anton Yelchin, as Brian, will make you remember that feeling of love, and he engages you in his love instantly.  This is also for me, a New York film. the city and its inhabitants are a separate character here. It made me miss it, it made me want to fly right now and sit t a bench by Central Park. I can't remember the last time a film really touched me, and I hope this film means as much to you. Please see it.

A Dull Murder (Film Thoughts: Let's Kill Ward's Wife)

Everyone hates Stacey.  Her friends annoy her, and she is a pain in the ass to Ward and his friends. So there is only one way to get rid of her, right? By killing her. If you find that premise funny, then you may like "Let's Kill Ward's Wife," a black comedy of sorts. Written and Directed by Scott Foley (I know everyone knows him now from 'Scandal,' but to me he will always be Noel from 'Felicity') it starts out kinda fun, but by midpoint, you kind of feel all of them trapped with nowhere to go. They had this big idea but nowhere to go with it. I will watch anything Patrick Wilson is in, so I finished the movie, but then I had to ask myself, "Why?"

54th And 8th (Film Thoughts: 54 The Director's Cut)

I remember being excited when the film "54" originally came out (in 1998) and now it seems so weird that I remember very little about it. I do remember that the movie released was not the original cut of the director. It turns out 40 minutes of "dark" material was excised from the original version and reportedly Harvey Weinstein wanted to beef up the love angle between Ryan Phillippe and Neve Campbell (who was promoted from a glorified extra to love interest)  So here we are seventeen years later with the Director's cut of "54," and while I wouldn't call it a cinematic masterpiece, this is a more textured movie that is more focused. The heart of "54" now is the love triangle between the characters of Phillippe, Salma Hayek, and Breken Meyer (and the latter looked so handsome in this movie)  There is a clearer characterization of Shane's sexuality here: it is clear that he swung both ways, and the only ambiguity here is whether he was pairing up for advancement in his career. There has been a lot of talk in that brief kiss between Phillippe and Meyer, and it is a sweet and tender moment, representing the affection the two characters for each other (almost in a non-sexual way, even)  And I know that Mike Myers is still getting accolades for his portrayal of Steve Rubin, but for me he is sort of the weak link: I could never discern if his performance was mimicking or paying tribute. I love the fact that the director Mark Christopher did not treat this as a straightforward morality tale. While Shane, after all he has gone through, did fall down, you just know that he woke up the next day, and persevered. Lastly, if there is one shallow reason to see this movie, it is to celebrate the beauty that is Ryan Phillippe: he is everything in this film - innocent, angelic, sexualized, demonized, menacing, objectified. On that level, it is sheer perfection.

Deal Or No Deal (Film Thoughts: Unfinished Business)

Not gonna lie. I mainly was interested in watching "Unfinished Business' because of my irrational crush on Dave Franco. These kind of raunchy testosterone filled comedies aren't really for me. About twenty minutes into the movie - Dave Franco or no Dave Franco - I was ready to give up. But I persevered, and I knew I wanted to write about it. And you know what? I am glad I did. In the midst of all the sex jokes, this movie had a tiny beating heart. It's a small one, but it's there, it's alive. And there is even a small and sweet gay angle to the thing - I was ready for a homophobic tone, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the opposite. And it is partly shot in Berlin, and they kind of capture the city in its glory: slightly deranged, slightly off, but an interesting city like no other.  And yes, I thought Dave Franco was kind of dopey adorable here, and perfectly gave his all to the role, even at times outshining his co stars Vince Vaughan, and Tom Wilkinson - no small feat. And yes, he satisfied my weird craving for him/ If only for that reason I don't regret seeing this. But truthfully, I left with a little more.

Pitch, Please (Movie Thoughts: Pitch Perfect 2)

I wasn't in love with the first "Pitch Perfect," but I know a lot of people were. Hence, a sequel. And i know it has been raking in money, so for better ot worse, I thought to myself I might as well see it. (There are also not that many choices out there, right now) I think it is interesting that this movie was directed by actress Elizabeth Banks, and I think giving the film a nice feminine touch would serve it well. (She does double duty as one of the commentators in the film) So the verdict? I don't think it succeeds fully, but at the same time it;s pleasant, it's entertaining enough, it didn't annoy me so all in all not a total waste. So - meh. Let's start with the good: Anna Kendrick can do no wrong, Brittany Snow is solid, and Rebel Wilson made me laugh a lot more times than I care to admit. I have seen that opening scene (where her character Fat Amy accidentally flashes the President) numerous times in the preview yet it still made me laugh. And her scene where she professes her love to Adam DaVine was genius, and has markings of musical comedy. (Can someone please give the two of them their own movie?) Still, the pacing is glacial, and more jokes fall flat than land.The addition of Hailee Steinfeld didn't serve a purpose, and the film was overly long. I guess kids will have a lot of extra time this summer and they can do worse. So can you.

Saints And Sinners (Movie Thoughts: Saint Vincent, The Last Time You Had Fun)

I  had a chance to catch up on some movies that I have meant to watch and write about. First up is "Saint Vincent," which was a crowd-pleasing hit last year. Directed by Theodore Melfi, we've seen this movie before, about the curmudgeon with a heart of gold. It's just a slight variation on the hooker with a heart of gold, but wait, Naomi Watts plays that character in this movie as well. So we see a whole bunch of people here with hearts of gold. In hard circumstances. Melfi squeezes the tears out of the viewer with a carefully manipulated story, and at first the cynic in me was trying to resist it, until i realize that I was tearing myself up. The performances here are what's golden: on a lesser year, Bill Murray would probably have had Academy Award mentions, and I was duly impressed with Naomi Watts as a Russian hooker who takes care of Murray's character. And even though I really loathe Melissa McCarthy as an actress, it was nice to see her more subdued here - no need for her larger than life characterizations. This movie as a rental more than delivers. I bet it can even make you cry.

And I was crying, too, while watching "The Last Time You Had Fun," but more from boredom and regret. I can't even discern why this movie exists. It focuses on four unhappy married people (not too each other)  They are all white, they are all privileged, but boo hoo for one reason or another they look for reasons why their life sucks. I can't bother with this people. Somehow I couldn't find the strength to empathize with these insufferable and shallow folks.

Once You Go Black (Movie Thoughts: Chocolate City)

Okay, I get it. Everyone (including the characters in the movie) is saying that "Chocolate City" is the black "Magic Mike." They wish.  Magic Mike may not have been Soderbergh's best work, but it certainly was above par. "Chocolate City" is bad. It doesn't belong in the "so-bad-it's-good" category (it has miles to go before it becomes 'Showgirls')  Rather, I would put it under So-bad-it's-kinda-okay category.  First of all, there 's only a whisper of a plot here, and it's familiar: doting son needs money for his family so he turns into stripping. We've all seen these whore with a heart of gold movies. And Robert Ri'Chard, as Mike (get it?) may look like fine chocolate, but he is dead in t he eyes. As a male ingenue, Alex Pettyfer had miles more charisma. Tyson Beckford, as his nemesis, is just as bad, but his character suffers from being underwritten and having no motivation. Ri'Chard's character is all over the place, too. He goes from one scene being unsure about stripping to the next performing a dance number so intricate and well-prepared for that I endedup guffawing. And despite the stripping numbers being well choreographed, I found myself bored: there's no soul or edge to the numbers. The saving grace: the flippant tone of the movie. It doesn't take itself way too seriously, and a lot of scenes in the last quarter were hilarious: some intentional, some unintentional.  I suspect some of these scenes would be camp classics. And lastly, when did Vivica A Fox - in an over the top wig - start being so "motherly"?  This may be a case of once gong black, to (the original) Magic Mike you go back.

Send In The Clowns (Movie Thoughts: Hot Pursuit)

I knew this movie was going to be bad. And I was right, "Hot Pursuit" is a hot mess. I mean, going into it, I wasn't expecting the next Citizen Kane but I thought I would at least get a chuckle or two out of it. But I honestly did not even crack a smile. With buddy movies, the one thing essential between the  main principals is chemistry. Sad to say, Reese Witherspoon and Sophia Vergara do not have any. Vergara fares just a tiny bit better, playing the Latina clown, but it's not like she put some thought into her character - this is just an extension of her character from "Modern Family" and after a while,  it's just a repetition of a repetition. Witherspoon even fares worse - I don't know what possesses her to do this movie. She is sorely miscast (I am imagining this could have worked better with, say, Melissa McCarthy) and cannot do comedy to save her life. I mean, she was brilliant in a black comedy, like in "Election" but she has no comedic timing to speak off for this role. The story is a disjointed mess, and I couldn't help but root for them to get caught so the movie can end right away. This was a total waste of my time, and I imagine anyone else's.

Me & My Machine (Film Thoughts: Ex-Machina)

We are responsible for what we create. Wasn't that a quote from "The Little Prince?" I can't help but think of that quote after I finished watching "Ex-Machina," a movie I did not realize would even affect me. I remember seeing the trailer a while back and thinking to myself that this is not my kind of movie. But this is one of those movies that instantly grabs you once you start watching it. The story unfolds like an onion, as you dig deeper into it, you get more and more layers, and most of it is surprising. I don't think I have seen any of Alex Garland's previous movies (he is also a novelist) since his oeuvre is mostly sci-fi (not my genre at all, as I had mentioned) but points for him for keeping my attention, and getting me engaged. We also get wonderful performances here, especially from the trio of Oscar Castillo, Domhnall Gleason, and Alicia Vikander (the latter is a major star in the making) I don't think I will ever watch this movie again, but for the time I gave it it entertained me - and made me think.

Hooray For Hollywood (Movie Thoughts: Maps To the Stars)

Julianne Moore won Best Actress last year for the movie "Maps To The Stars," and some say it is a better performance than her Academy-Award winning role in "Still Alice." I don't know if I agree with that. While her role as Havana Segrand here is more daring, and a braver choice, her refined elegant take as an early Alzheimer patient in "Still Alice" was more crowd-pleasing. But everyone else in "Maps To The Stars" despicable, and that is probably why I am having a hard time warming up the movie.  The movie shows different characters in Tinseltown, and every single one of them is damaged. There's the thirteen year old boy Evan Bird who is on a box-office hit franchise, his sister who tried to burn down their house, their father who does self-help books, and all of them act miserably. Director David Cronenberg paints Hollywood as a sick town filled with sick people. And this is not a film with black humor. This is pretty serious stuff. By the end of the movie, I felt exhausted.  Maybe that is the point of the movie, and I do get that, but maybe I am just too old to pay good money for a bad experience.

There's Trouble (Movie Thoughts: Apartment Troubles)

Some movies go straight to VOD for a reason. Why would anyone want or pay to see "Apartment Troubles," for example. This movie, written and directed by Jess Wiexler and Jennifer Prediger is so bad I am scratching my head how and why it was done. We get two lifeless unlikeable characters, who in the beginning of the movie, declare that they have opted to not use electricity, for political reasons. Yet they would also be the the same people who would use a private jet, and audition for a reality competition television show. It doesn't make sense. They fly to New York, and we see Megan Mullaly do a character that is once again reminiscent of her Karen Walker character from "will And Grace" How could they have attracted talent such as Mullaly, and Will Forte, even. (He plays an obnoxious character) Seventy seven minutes of my life has been wasted on this movie.

Tehran To Park Slope (Movie Thoughts: Appropriate Behavior)

If you read reviews of the movie "Appropriate Behavior," you will find mostly glowing reviews not only of the film, but also of its writer and director, Desiree Akhavan. Akhavan bases thsi movie from her own experience in dealinf with the breakup of her lover, and in the film the character is named Maxine. The protagonist of the movie is named Shirin, and just like Akhavan is a bisexual Iranian young woman, but more so is a twenty something hipster from Brooklyn. I was on board until that last detail, and I told myself, no not another film about an annoying and entitled millennial Brooklynite.  Sure, I get the wit in her screenplay - she has been described as a Middle-Eastern Lena Dunham - but really, there is nothing much to see here beyond that. I guess we get a glimpse of how someone her age thinks, but for me, no big whoop there. So she goes through lovers - male, female, even a couple, but what about her dates give her the wisdom and acceptance that she supposedly arrives at in the end of the movie? Maybe I also need to be her peer in order to get it? What I get here is just another self-absorbed young woman with a typewriter and a camera, not much ellse.

Isn't It Bromantic? (Movie Thoughts: The Wedding Ringer)

Before I saw this movie, I had no idea what Kevin Hart did. Well, I knew he was a comedian and he is the next big thing, but other than that...nada. And "the Wedding Ringer" I knew was some kind of comedy movie, and based on the previews I saw, one of those that catered to young me, so, yeah not my demographic at all. But it was a Saturday night, and I chose this, because I guess I wanted to see something that I thought would not really make me think, that would be fun. I wasn't wrong. "The Wedding Singer" is exactly what the doctor ordered. And for the record, I liked it much more than I thought I ever would - because and despite the fact that Josh Gad is an actor I can't stand. Here he plays the "straight man," mostly setting the jokes for Hart. I thought of this more as a buddy car movie without the car. or perhaps a Bromantic-comedy - a genre where two guys don't realize they are best friends, even as we, the audience, can see it from the beginning. I must say that Hart (and Gad) did make me laugh, even as the situations got a little too raunchy and too testosterone-filled for my taste. But I am not the target audience for this, and the fact that even I appreciate this movie has to be some credit for it.

Young Man In Paris (Movie Thoughts: 24 Days)

As I turn my television on and watch riots and protest marches in Baltimore, I watch the French movie "24 Days" and realize that other countries have demons of their own to deal with, and in this movie's case France and their history with anti-semitism. This movie tells the story of the kidnapping of Ilam Halimi, a young man in Paris who was targeted because he was Jewish. The movie acts like a procedural crime drama, but told more from the point of view of Halimi's family. On one hand, it is a moving, powerful, and disturbing film that shows how the French police bungled the investigation and that may have aggravated the case and Hiliam's demise. Yet, the movie is also sympathetic to the family's message. I wish it gave a little more depth into some details from the French police side. Much was said that the police force was very late in assessing that the crime was a hate crime. Yet, we see that while the gang members targeted Jews, it was more because of stupidity than religious beliefs. Still, this movie is fast paced and engrossing, and will get you involved from the first scene to the last. You just need to open your mind about it and listen to both sides.

And When I Grow Too Old To Dream (Movie Revew: The Age Of Adaline)

When was the list time I Paid attention to Blake Lively? I mean, she wasn't even my favorite in "Gossip Girl." But here, in Lee Toland Krieger's "The Age Of Adaline," she is a major movie store. She is beautiful, luminous, and charming. Dhe knows how to use those traits for the camera, and I predict people will notice, as I have. The movie? It's a mixed bag. Lively makes the most of an underwritten character, and her co-stars also shine (Harrison Ford is unforgettable in a smaller role) all their efforts cannot mask a tepid screenplay. We never really know who the real "Adaline" is, and her character is written a little too "modern" for someone who was born in the early 1900s.  But all in all, I liked the movie a lot more than what confused me about it. The story was believable enough (even with the scientific mumbo jumbo explanation as to why Adaline doesn't age) and nowadays it's kind of hard to find a movie aimed at adults.

Some People Can Get A Thrill (Movie Thoughts: Such Good People)

"Such Good People" is kind of a rare thing: a gay screwball comedy. Actually, it can even be just a screwball comedy, because the "gay" aspect of the main characters is inconsequential. Randy Harrison and Michael Urie play a couple who finds a million dollars inside a house they are sitting. What would you do if you were int heir position? It is not an easy decision, of course, and everything gets compounded by the actions of another couple, played Carrie Whilta and James Urbaniek. The best thing about this movie is the easy performances of Harrison and Urie, and actually by everyone else, including cameos by Lance Bass and Alec Mapa. The movie tries hard, it tries way too hard to be funny, and I couldn't say that it was, for me, too successful. Too many plot points and not enough laughs. But I give it an A for effort - smooth technical elements present a very professional job. And for some people, this movie can be satisfying. 

EIght Second Romance (Movie Thoughts: The Longest Ride)

I don't think I have ever read a Nicholas Sparks novel. However, I think I have seen most, if not all, of the movie adaptations of his noels. For some reason, his movies are easier to take than his novels. Yes, they are sentimental and sappy, but let's face it, I am the target audoence for sentimental and sappy. The newest movie adaptation, "The Longest Ride" is as sentimental and sappy as they come, and I loved every minute of it. I can always check in logic and disbelief when I watch a Sparks movie, and I gladly do it to experience and see people falling in love, and having them beat all the odds to achieve a happily ever after. I don't think I am spoiling anything anyway by saying that - I think a Sparks story guarantees a HEA, right? But before that, everything but the kitchen sink gets thrown at them. In here, we even get a 1 for 1: a modern couple, Luke (Scott Eastwood) and Sophia (Britt Robertson) in a city vs country love affair, and a 40s romance set amidst the second world war. They are both simple stories, and perhaps was put in to augment the thin storylines. Eastwood is in a star-making appearance: the camera objectifies him at every turn and we are so much better for it. He is one of those actors who the camera loves, and I gladly will look at him for two-plus hours. In fact, I can barely remember Robertson. I credit the movie for having a bit of spice: the 40s characters are Jewish, and the faith is mildly displayed - nice to see diversity in a Sparks movie which more often than not has Christian subtexts. If you are a fan of romance, you will be satisfied and if you aren't, you shouldn;t even be looking at a poster of this movie.

(A bizarre thought, though: why is the movie loaded with so many horror movie trailers? I would think teh two genres would have two different demographics?)

Young And Foolish (Movie Thoughts: While We're Young)

I never know what to expect whenever I see a Noah Baumbach movie. I like half of them (Margot) and loathe the other half (Frances Ha) But I always feel something, and I because of that, I hold his films with high regard. So of course, I was looking forward to "While We're Young."  I even liked the idea of the plot - a couple in their 40s (Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts) befriend a young one (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried) and discover things about themselves. The film starts out funny, and I can identify with a lot of the situations. This is one of those New York movies - perhaps only New Yorkers can really understand the film - and this one even has a Brooklyn touch. Stiller and Watts are so convincing as a couple - I have met and known this couple - and Driver and Seyfried represent the typical young hipster couple to a T. But I wanted more a movie that is more internal than the semi-morality play that we have here. There are tons of funny bits, but the last third of the move turned irritating for me. It's still worth seeing all in all - the performances alone is worth the price of a ticket - but your mileage may vary.