2017 * Not Rated * 1h 39m I'm a big fan of J.K. Simmons. Part of it is because he hails from my hometown--Grosse Pointe, MI. But mostly it's because he's a tremendous and versatile actor. And his talents really shine in this heartfelt movie. Maybe his best performance to date. And he's not the only one that turns in a great performance. Josh Wiggins, Odeya Rush, and Julie Delpy are all amazing here.
In "The Bachelors," we follow Bill (Simmons) and his son Wes (Wiggins) as they move to a new town and school, a year after the loss of his wife. Bill was married to his true soulmate and he has a difficult time dealing with the devastating loss. Meanwhile, Wes, who's an excellent student, is assigned to tutor a classmate Lacy (Rush). She's a troubled girl who cut's herself, as a way to deal with her parents abusive relationship. Of course he's attracted to her, but she want nothing to do with a relationship. Bill also is attracted to a fellow teacher Carine (Delpy), but is afraid to make a commitment.
I found the story quite moving. The way both father and son deal with their loss is heartbreaking, and the way it affects their relationship is powerful. As mentioned earlier, the performances by all the leads are incredible. And the writing and directing are both outstanding. If you're in the mood for some heavy-duty drama, don't miss this fine film. I simply don't know why it isn't better known.
4 out of 5 stars.
Currently streaming on Hoopla.com (with your library card). Also on Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, and Prime Video.
2014 * PG-13 * 1h 30m Sometimes you just need a no-brainer, funny rom-com to lift your spirits. And this film fits that to a "T". I'll admit it, the writing is okay, the storyline is totally implausible, the acting is pretty good. But overall, it adds up to a delightful hour and a half of escapist movie viewing. Actually, the acting is quite decent, especially from Evan Rachel Wood and Scott Speedman, who have wonderful chemistry in the film
Jay Wheeler (Speedman) comes from a wealthy family. However he's down on his luck and is on parole, working at a psychiatric hospital. When he gets invited to his brother's wedding, he wants to show his family that he's back on his feet. But who to take to the big event? One evening, he inadvertently helps a young patient Daisy (Wood) escape. Then he hatches a plan. Why not take her as his girlfriend. Well, Daisy is not exactly worldly--she's been raised in isolation practically her entire life. Which is the basis for most of the humor in the movie.
It's a lot of fun watching the two of them in their various awkward situations. It's somewhat predictable, but is a blast nonetheless. And the addition of J.K. Simmons and Treat Williams round out a decent cast.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming on Netflix and to rent on Prime Video.
2021 * Not Rated * 1h 42m I don't know why this movie isn't better known. After all, it does star the always wonderful Michael Caine. I know he's made some mediocre films in the last several years, but this one was a lot of fun. It also stars Aubrey Plaza, who's taken on a few more challenging roles since her "Parks & Recs" days. The two have great chemistry in this fun, heartfelt film.
Lucy Stanbridge (Plaza) has inherited a publishing company. The firm gained fame by releasing a best-selling and controversial novel by the irrepressible author Harris Shaw, some forty odd years ago. The business has fallen on hard times and Lucy pays a visit to the reclusive, hard-drinking author with the hopes he has a follow-up novel to publish. As luck would have it, he does . However, there's a stipulation in his contract that says he's obligated to go on a book tour when its published.
This is where the story gets interesting. Lucy goes on tour with him, and as expected, the cranky and unpredictable author behaves quite badly. It's fun to see the two interact. The story is somewhat predictable, but what a wild ride it is. There are a few surprises, which makes it all the more enjoyable. And there's an ending that I sort of saw coming, but it's charming nonetheless.
Note to parents: While the film is unrated, there's quite a bit of swearing and drinking in the film.
Currently streaming for free on Hoopla.com (with your library card and to rent on Prime Video.
2012 * Not Rated * 1h 57m It's always fun to see a new young actor in a film. And when you see three promising stars in one movie, that's a rare treat. Camilla Dickinson stars Adelaide Clemens, Gregg Sulkin, and Colby Minifie in a beautiful coming of age film. It's based on a novel by Madeleine L'Engle who wrote it several years before penning her famous Wrinkle in Time classic.
The story takes place in the late 1940s and is set in New York City. Camilla (Adelaide Clemens) is from a wealthy family and lives a relatively sheltered life. Her best friend is Luisa Rowan (Colby Minifie) and the two of them share all their secrets and dreams. Camilla's parents are constantly battling, mainly over her mother having an affair. Luisa's parents don't exactly have a harmonious relationship either--they're both drunks and her father is a borderline bum. Camilla begins to look for an outlet by befriending Luisa's brother Frank (Gregg Sulking) who has an unwarranted reputation for being a bit of a hoodlum.
I'm not sure why the critics panned this film. I thought it was an absolutely sweet film. I also really enjoyed the beautiful soundtrack--it added to the emotional impact of the movie. And the sets and costumes perfectly captured New York in the late 40s. Ms. Clemens reminded me a little of a young Michelle Williams. She hails from Australia and she did a great job of losing her accent. I think the future looks bright for all three young stars.
4 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on Kanopy.com and Hoopla.com (with your library card) and Tubi.
2004 * R * 2h 8m I knew next to nothing about the famous painter Amedeo Modigliani, so this was a great introduction to his life. And Andy Garcia and Elsa Zylberstein both do a marvelous job bringing the two star-crossed lovers to the big (or little, depending on where you view this) screen.
This biopic takes place in 1919 Paris and focuses on the last years of his life, and his ongoing rivalry with Pablo Picasso. Modigliani has a child by his lover Jeanne Hebuterne, however since he was Jewish and she was Catholic, her parents sent the illegitimate baby away to be raised in an orphanage. Modigliani was a drunk and a druggie, and just barely scraped by. However, he enters a lucrative and prestigious art competition, with the hopes of raising enough money to take care of his lover and child.
The film does a commendable job depicting Paris in the beginning of the last century. The acting overall was remarkable. I especially enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads, and the interactions between Modigliani and Picasso (Omid Djalili). I also thought the use of flashbacks was quite effective in revealing the backstory about the great painter's life. This film made me want to do a bit more research into his life. And that's a perfect compliment to a well-made biopic, in my opinion.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on both Kanopy (with your library card) and Tubi. Also on Plex, Pluto TV, Prime Video, and The Roku Channel.
2014 * R * 1h 43m Not sure how I missed this one when it came out, but I'm glad I saw it. What an excellent all-around movie. It has an interesting plot great writing, and a cast that can't be beat. When you have stars like Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, and Adam Driver, you just know you're in for an interesting ride. And what a ride it is!
The film is all about the Altman family. It's starts with Judd (Bateman) catching his wife in bed with his boss. Then he gets a call informing him his father has just died. So he heads home to join his brothers and sister for the funeral. His mom Hilary (Fonda) informs her children that their dad's last wish was for a traditional Jewish funeral, and for them to sit Shiva--which means they had to stay together in the family home for seven days. It's here that all their marital problems come out.
This Is Where I Leave You is an emotional roller coaster, and that's what makes it so much fun. There are plenty of laughs, but there are also a fair share of angst and sad moments as well. If you're looking for a solid, well-made film, I highly recommend this one. The entire cast does an excellent job and we the viewer are better off for having witnessed it!
4 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming on Netflix and available to rent on Prime Video.
If you enjoy quirky, off-the-wall British comedies, this is definitely a movie for you. “Brian and Charles” really caught me by surprise. I discovered it in the “More like this” section of IMDB while looking up some other film. It stars David Earl, who was great in the Ricky Gervais TV show “After Life.” If you haven’t seen that one, you might like it, even if you’re not a Gervais fan. The movie evolved from a 2017 short with the same name, and can be seen on YouTube. The full-length movie was a crowd favorite at the Sundance Festival.
Earl plays Brian, an eccentric, lonely inventor who lives in a rural area of northern Wales. The film begins in mocumentary mode where the viewer is very aware of the camera. Brian takes us on a tour of his rundown abode and along the way he proudly shows off a few of his madcap inventions—products of what he calls his “Infamous Inventions Pantry.” They include a pinecone bag, an egg belt, a flying cuckoo clock, and a trawler net for shoes. You know right from the get-go you’re in for a fun time. I don’t know how Earl managed to keep a straight face while giving the tour, but he did.
One day he discovers a mannequin head and he has a eureka moment. Since he’s so lonely why not create a robot to keep him company? He looks around his workshop for usable parts and cobbles together a bizarre looking creation. His creation has a washing machine for a torso and long legs for mobility. It’s a thoroughly comical companion. When a storm hits and a bolt of lightning strikes, his robot comes to life. It’s a nod to the birth of Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” character.
After coming to life, the robot and Brian brainstorm on a name for him, and he settles on Charles Petrescu for a moniker. Chris Hayward is the voice of Charles, and he delivers his lines in a monotone, machine-like voice, a bit like Max Headroom, if you remember that wonderful show. He has a child-like curiosity about him, which slowly evolves into a rebellious teen-age persona. Charles marvels at the world around him and he’s prone to asking philosophical questions like “Can birds do what they like?” and “How far does the outside go? Does it stop at the tree?”
It’s so wonderful to see the two interact. Charles is just a big, gangly, loveable lug, all seven feet of him. There’s a playful series of vignettes where the two are goofing around together, including a hilarious pillow fight scene that made me laugh out loud. It’s all set to the tune “Happy Together,” the old Turtles tune. It captures a sense of childhood wonder and joy. If only we all could have a bud like Charles!
Brian makes an occasional foray into the village where he interacts with the kindly general store owner June (Cara Chase). He’s also friends with Hazel (Louise Brealey), who lives with her mother and a chatty parrot. The two are rather awkward around each other, however Brian fancies her and with the encouragement of Charles, starts seeing more of her. The village is also home to a bully Eddie (Jamie Michie), whose family terrorizes the place. You know after Brian’s first confrontation with Eddie, it’s going to eventually lead to a showdown of some sort.
“Brian and Charles” is the first feature film for Jim Archer, who has done a few notable projects for British television. The director of photography Murren Tullett does a fine job capturing the stark beauty of the Welsh countryside. But the big kudos has to go to David Earl and Chris Hayward who co-wrote the movie. They’ve delivered one the funniest, most endearing movies I’ve seen in a long time. I hope we see more of them in the future.
Note: Be sure to stick around when the end credits roll. Charles delivers an amusing rap that I missed the first time I watched it.
If you like AI- and robot-themed movies, here are a few I’ve enjoyed over the years: “Robot & Frank,” “I, Robot,” “Blade Runner,” “Ex Machina,” and “Silent Running.”
