"5 Flights Up"

Every once in a while, you just need what I call a "nice" movie. One where nothing really bad happens and you feel good after watching it. This is a prime example of a "nice" movie. It stars Diane Keaton and Morgan Freeman.They play an older couple who met when he was a young, aspiring artist and she was a model. After they married they bought an apartment in Brooklyn. Fast forward to today, and a real-estate agent friend tells them that their place is worth close to a million dollars. The area is being gentrified, like all of New York, and they get caught up in a selling frenzy. The whole neighborhood is turning hipster. Not a lot happens plot-wise, and just about the only bad thing in the movie is when their dog gets sick and they have to take it to the vet. But overall, it's a charming little movie and there's definitely chemistry between the two leads.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

"Sleeping With Other People"

First off, let me say this is a pretty raunchy movie. I can think of a more appropriate title, but it would never get by the censors. That said, it a very funny, smart movie. What can you say about a film that includes lines like, "He's the Pontiac Aztec of human beings" and "He has the charm of a broken Etch A Sketch"? The story is about a couple of college kids, Jake (Jason Sudeikis) and Lainey (Alison Brie) who lose their virginity to each other, then go their separate ways. When they reconnect several years later, they become best friends, while having casual sex with everyone but each other. Fairly predictable story line, but very well written. It's the kind of movie I find myself wanting to watch again to catch all the humorous lines I missed.
4 out of 5 stars

"3 Generations"

If there was an Elle Fanning fan club, I'd be a charter member. I've been a fan of hers since I saw the remarkable 10-year olds performance in "Phoebe in Wonderland." In "3 Generations", she plays Ray, a young woman who wants to transition into a boy. In order to do this, her mother, played by Naomi Watts, must get permission from her estranged, biological father. Ray lives with her mother and lesbian grandmother (Susan Sarandon) in a New York apartment. The story is touching and poignant, and while the storyline is a bit thin, the acting was quite remarkable. It's all about finding out not only what, but who you truly are.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Our Idiot Brother"

Based on the title of this movie, I had pretty low expectations. I figured it would be something along the lines of "Dumb and Dumber." But was I pleasantly surprised. The film stars Paul Rudd who plays, you guessed it, the idiot brother. He plays Ned, an organic farmer who lives with his hippy wife and Willie Nelson, his beloved dog. When he unwittingly sells a joint to a cop, he ends up in jail. When he gets out he lives with his three sisters. Ned's problem is he just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut, which gets him in trouble with each of his sisters. Ultimately, he means well, and without being too much of a spoiler, everything works out well in the end. If you're up for some good laughs, don't miss this one.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Mother and Child"

Another movie that I like to define as, "a multi-storied story." It follows the lives of a 50-year old woman (Annette Bening), her adult daughter (Naomi Watts), who she gave up at birth, and a young couple trying to adopt a child. It's a powerful and sad movie, that I found difficult to watch at times. Both Bening and Watts are so cold and detached, I almost stopped watching a third of the way through. But I hung in there and I'm glad I did. The stories intersect at the end of the film, and you're left with the question/feeling: "What if..."
4.5 out of 5 stars