Ex Machina called to me as a film to see in the theater, but life got busy, and I didn’t make it. But I finally caught up with it let month on DVD. I’m glad I did not miss it entirely. And to be fair, I’ll admit that it’s been a few weeks since I…
I’m not sure if Tarantino has mellowed or improved or reined in what before felt like too-scattered, too-off-key, too-*too* something films, but I’ve very much enjoyed his last two flicks, this most recent being The Hateful Eight. Please don’t misunderstand me: this is still very much a Tarantino film; his signature is all over it…
Fates and Furies was an interesting read—written first from the perspective of the husband in this complicated relationship, then from the perspective of his wife. Their love seemed to take hold early with a brightly glowing flame, but as with many things that look so easy on the surface, darkness and secrets lingered underneath. The book…
What fun! Amy Poehler and Tina Fey deliver a silly, raunchy, sweet film that was a perfect escape for a couple of hours. And I watched it with my sister, which made it even better! I’ll borrow the words a friend used in describing the movie—that although the plot did not completely hold up as…
The Danish Girl is a beautiful film—warm and thought-provoking. It moved a bit too slowly for my preference, but I get that. It is about the characters and their difficult journey in navigating an emotional state of their marriage and life. This character study needed a pulled-back pace. It needed time to reflect on what…
Daddy’s Home is a light, fun, all-around run-of-the-mill comedy. It was our pick for the family movie on Christmas Day, and it suited everyone well enough, age 14 to 73. It was better than I expected. Sure, it’s corny sometimes. Sure, its humor sometimes tries too hard. But the laughs were as varied as our…
I had no idea how much I would enjoy this movie. But I did. As with another seen that week, the theme was nostalgia. And again, it worked. Creed is, essentially, Rocky retold. But Rocky worked for what it was. And so does Creed. Granted, it is a typical boxing movie. And I’m not at…
Don’t worry, I will include no spoilers. I promise. I will say that I very much enjoyed this movie. And I will admit that I had not seen a Star Wars movie since, I’m sure, the early 80s. I was the sort of person who probably watched each one once or twice when it came…
Excellent movie. Excellent. I should back up. I cannot unread the book. And the book was phenomenal. But that, to me, makes the movie even better: it was beautifully true to the book. To its voice. To its story. To its feel. The book is written from the perspective of young Jack. Five years old.…
If you know me and know anything about this movie, you’ll likely–and correctly–guess that I enjoyed it. The movie is a wonderful, aptly timely, social commentary on bigotry, fear, and the risk of being quick to judge and quick to condemn. The story follows the screenwriter Dalton Trumbo while he is blacklisted in Hollywood. The…
This book is a collection of short stories, with one storyline making a few repeat appearances over the course of that character’s dating and engagement. The writing is light. It is good writing. I *want* to say that it is funny. But I just cannot bring myself to do so. I did laugh at the…
First, I’ll acknowledge that this book probably will not appeal to a wide audience. But for me, I loved it. I loved its poetic rhythm. I loved its metaphor-laden prose. I loved its mystery and its depth. I even loved its dreadfully sad and self-pitying first-person protagonist. We Were Liars follows a handful of cousins…
As is within my realm of reflections, this movie, less than a year old, was fair game for review. I’m glad I took the time to watch it. Love and Mercy is certainly not a traditional biopic. It jumps between Brian Wilson as a younger Beach Boy to his life as an adult in the…
Charming. Soft. Lovely. Touching. Bittersweet. These are the new film, adapted from the novel, Brooklyn. It’s a wonderfully quiet film, entertaining gently, but leaving the viewer better for sharing the story—the story of a young girl as she moves from Ireland to Brooklyn, starting life over in the 1950s. It is not just a story…
I laughed—loudly out loud. I snorted. I groaned. I rolled my eyes. I exclaimed loudly—more than once. Yes, that is the kind of comedy The Night Before is. And it’s a wonderful respite in a season of otherwise (for me) heavy movies. (‘Tis okay. I do this to myself.) Seth Rogan did not disappoint. And…