"Frank & Lola"

Frank (Michael Shannon) a celebrity chef in Las Vegas is obsessed with Lola (Imogen Poots). The two fall in love, but when Lola reveals she was raped by her mother's boyfriend, Frank travels to Paris to confront her assailant. The movie takes several unexpected twists and turns, but keeps you guessing right until the closing moments. It's one of the more unusual tales of love and obsession I've seen in quite a while. The plot may be somewhat thin, but the two leads are so good, you don't mind the wild ride at all. If anyone understands the ending, could you please email me and file me in?
3.5 out of 5 stars

"Get Him to the Greek"

It's not just about drugs, sex, and rock and roll. But it's a big part of this fun movie. A nerdy young intern at a record company (Jonah Hill) gets a choice assignment: to get an out of control rock star (Russell Brand) from London to The Greek Theater in L.A. for the opening night of a new world tour. As you'd expect, it's one wild ride, filled with plenty of drugs and booze, loose babes, and a whole lot more. But this movie has its serious moments as well. Without giving away too much, it ends up well for everyone. A much better movie that it looked like in the trailers. Give it a shot! I don't think you'll be disappointed.
4 out of 5 stars

"The Interview"

Stupid. Offensive. Vulgar. Sexist. Outrageous. I.E., Just about what you'd expect from a Seth Rogan movie. It definitely appealed to the inner 14-year old high schooler in me! I  laughed out loud several times, which I really do watching a movie. It stars Mr. Rogan and James Franco and about a popular interview show that Kim Jong Un is a huge fan of. He invites the team to North Korea for an interview. When the CIA gets wind of it, they plot to have them assassinate the feared leader. It's fairly predictable, but I thought the writing was top notch. One of the funnier movies I've seen in a long time. In these troubling times, it's a great hour and a half diversion.
4 out of 5 stars

"All the Bright Places"

I've been a huge fan of Elle Fanning since I saw her in one of her first films, "Phoebe in Wonderland."  What a gifted actor. And she absolutely shines in this Netflix movie. The story, based on an international best-selling novel, is about a young couple with emotional and mental issues. Together, they help each other heal, come out of their protective shells, and discover the beauty of the world around them. The movie is somewhat slow paced, as it needs to be, however I was captivated from the first few minutes in. If you're a fan of Ms Fanning, I highly recommend this one.
4 out of 5 stars

"Rich Kids"

This a perfect example of why I love indie films. It's fairly low budget, but features a brilliant script and excellent acting from a relatively unknown cast of young actors. On the surface, the story is simple. A group of poor, teenage Latinos break into the estate of some rich people who are away on vacation. They play in the swimming pool, raid the bar, and dress up in the family's fancy clothes. But the story goes a lot deeper. They explore their relationships with each other and the world in general. It gets pretty deep and philosophical and ends up in places I didn't expect when the film started. And the acting is practically flawless. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. Highly recommended.
4 out of 5 stars