"Pee-wee's Big Holiday"

If you're a fan of Pee-wee, you're going to love this movie. It's Pee-wee at his best. He hasn't done anything in a long while, but I think it's been worth the wait. He's not as goofy as he was, and his story actually has a plot. Either you like Pee-wee or you don't. I'm a fan and I thought this movie was a lot of fun.
4 stars out of 5

"Before We Go"

This is not just another "into the night in a big city adventure" movie. This move has an incredible soul to it. The premise of the movie is about two people who are stranded in New York. A guy is afraid to go to a bachelors party because he might run into an ex-girlfriend. He plays trumpet to practice for an audition at Grand Central where he runs into a woman who's had her purse stolen. And she has to get back to Boston before her husband does. Anyway, the two hook up and try to resolve their mutual problems.

Enough about the plot. This is one of the most heartfelt and beautiful indie films I've seen an a long time. The acting was great and the chemistry between the two actors was amazing. And I thought the writing was fantastic as well.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

"Tenured"

A middle-school teacher is devastated when he learns that his wife is leaving him. He's already a terrible teacher, but his teaching skills take a deep dive when he gets this news. The school administrator is looking for any excuse to fire him, and since she can't, because he's tenured, punishes him by making him direct the school play. So he turns "The Three Little Pigs" into a play about his failed marriage. It may sound like a painful movie, but it's really quite funny. I laughed out loud several times, and my wife, who's a harsh critic, actually enjoyed it.
4 stars out of 5

"The Way, Way Back"

A wonderful, coming of age movie that's very real. This is not one of these corny, everything's going to be okay movies. The actors are very believable as is the plot. It's about a young teen who has to spend the summer with his mom and her overbearing boyfriend (a really dicky Steve Corell). He gets a job at the local WaterWorld Park and bonds with the park manager. Sam Rockwell plays one of the funniest characters I've ever seen in a movie. He mentors the young characters in the movie. Highly recommended.
4.5 out of5 stars.

"Leon: The Professional"

All I can say is to witness a 12-year old Natalie Portman and you'll shake your head thinking, "She's going to be a huge star." What talent. However, I have to say, she certainly has starred in some unusual films over the years. Like "Garden State." This one is pretty offbeat as well. She plays a young girl who witnesses her family gunned down in a DEA raid. She's determined to get back at the corrupt officials who murdered her family. She's taken in by a professional hit man who lives next door. And the story unravels from there. The two of them turn in amazing performances. And the last few minutes will have you pumping your fist, for sure.
5 out of 5 stars.

"The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies"

Wow. This movie just blew me away. It's about an oddball, eccentric retired English professor. A murder is committed in his neighborhood, so everyone assumes he did it. The police drag him in and question him for three days without a bit of evidence. Then the press has a field-day, making all kinds of crazy accusations. He's basically guilty before he's had his day in court. I won't tell you the outcome, but it is based on a true story. Jason Watkins gives one of the most remarkable performances I've seen in years. His facial expressions and mannerisms are absolutely priceless.
4.5 out of 5 stars

(There are no previews for this movie, so you just have to trust me on this one.)

"All is Lost"

There are only a few words spoken in this movie. And one of them is the "F" word. You can see why. Robert Redford plays a sailor who's out at sea by himself and encounters a series of setbacks. He does a magnificent job, but like his role in "A Walk in the Woods." it should have been played by a younger actor. I know it's hard to give up, but some times you just have to do it. I have to say, he did a commendable job. To anyone who ever sailed, see this movie.
4 out of 5 stars