Saturday movie review: SCORE: A Film Music Documentary

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My CD collection and iTunes application boast many a movie soundtrack. My husband and I have long loved cinematic scores of all sorts.

Which is why SCORE: A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY was a must-see for us both from the very moment I saw it listed on the schedule for the 39th Denver Film Festival, which I have the privilege of covering this year.

SCORE, directed by Matt Schrader, is a joyous examination of the work and dedication of those who masterfully match music to movies. Composers, film historians, and...

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Saturday movie review: The Edge of Seventeen

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Nearly everyone reading this movie review is likely a grandparent. Or at least far beyond the high school years.

Despite the decades since those tumultuous years kids are continually told to appreciate because they're "the best years of your life," we all easily recall our school days... and how very not the best years they were for many of us.

the edge of seventeen movie

THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN is a film for teens. Older teens. And older folks (i.e., adults). It perfectly captures the angst, insecurity, and absurdity of...

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Saturday movie review: A Family Affair

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The documentary A FAMILY AFFAIR is one of those films I'm glad I watched but certainly wouldn't say I enjoyed it. Or liked it. In fact, I didn't like the subject — a grandmother, no less — one single bit.

A Family Affair movie

Yet I couldn't stop watching this film by Danish documentarian Tom Fassaert, who filmed a fascinating attempt to figure out his grandmother, a famous model in the '50s. Primarily, Fassaert hoped to...

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Saturday movie review: Miss You Already

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MISS YOU ALREADY is about girlfriends. Life-long girlfriends. True BFFs.

Toni Collette and Drew Barrymore play Milly and Jess, who became quick chums as school girls and shared milestones major and minor ever since.

Now, as adults, adventurous and outrageous Milly has a gorgeous husband, a lovely family, and a high-power position. More grounded and even-tempered Jess has an adoring yet less glamorous hubby, a more earthy career, and struggles endlessly with fertility issues.

Miss You Already film

Milly and Jess balance one another. Milly encourages

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Saturday movie review: Queen of Katwe

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I don't know how to play chess. Disney's QUEEN OF KATWE is about chess. Despite my lack of knowledge of the game, I found the film intriguing — even suspenseful at times — but most of all inspiring. Because QUEEN OF KATWE is about much more than excelling at a board game.

Queen of Katwe

QUEEN OF KATWE tells the true tale of a 10-year-old girl living in Katwe (pronounced CAT wee or CAT way), a slum in Kampala, Uganda. Phiona Mutesi (newcomer Madina Nalwanga) and ...

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Saturday movie review: Learning to Drive

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LEARNING TO DRIVE is a chick flick. Literally. The touching dramatic comedy was written by a woman (Sarah Kernochan), directed by a woman (Isabel Coixet), produced by women (executive producer Eleni Asvesta and producer Dana Friedman), and stars always intriguing Patricia Clarkson in a story primarily about a woman.

LEARNING TO DRIVE also stars a few men, Ben Kingsley most prominently. Which factors into the film resonating with men as well as women. Yet Kingsley's presence isn't the only reason men might enjoy the insightful movie made primarily by women. That can be attributed most fully to the engaging, uplifting story of a broken marriage, a new marriage, and an unexpected friendship forged.

learning to drive movie

The film opens with Wendy (Clarkson) and her husband...

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Saturday movie review: Max Rose

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Jerry Lewis is back in business. Back in the movie business, that is.

For many, many years, it seems Jerry Lewis' primary business — and passion — was supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Association in myriad admirable ways. It's been more than 20 years, in fact, since acting was his primary gig, since he starred in a movie.

That last movie — FUNNY BONES — was released in 1995. Like most of Lewis' films dating back to his first in 1949, FUNNY BONES was a comedy. Lewis plays funny like no other.

MAX ROSE proves Lewis plays serious and heartbroken like no other, as well. At 90 years old, Jerry Lewis is back in fine form, albeit a form most of us might not expect from the comedic genius.

Jerry Lewis in Max Rose

MAX ROSE stars Lewis as the title character, a retired...

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Weekend movie review: The Light Between Oceans

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Regular readers of Grandma's Briefs likely know I'm a huge fan of movie trailers. I share them often here on my blog. I always ensure I get to the movie theater in plenty of time to see all the previews preceding a feature film. I even went so far recently as to set my DVR to record an AXS TV program called "Nothing But Trailers" — three full hours of trailers every Monday night.

About six months ago I stumbled across the trailer for THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS. Deeply moved by it, I passed it along to my oldest daughter, who was so deeply moved she purchased the novel, written by M. L. Stedman, within 10 minutes of watching the trailer. She in turn passed along a glowing, nay, raving recommendation of the book so I then purchased it too. Hardcopy versus her digital version that she couldn't share with me.

I was as enthralled by the book as my daughter, and we agreed when the movie came out, we absolutely must see it together.

the light between oceans movie 

Needless to say, when I lucked out and was invited to screen THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS earlier this week...

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Saturday movie review: Special Correspondents

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Not long ago, my husband and I saw a Graham Norton Show (our favorite talk show) episode in which his guests included Eric Bana and Ricky Gervais. They were plugging the upcoming release of their Netflix original feature film, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS, written and directed by Ricky Gervais. From the giggles and guffaws their banter elicited from the host and other guests — as well as my husband and myself — I figured the comedy would be a fun diversion and quickly added it to my queue.

We finally got around to watching it last week, and it was indeed a fun diversion. Far different from most everything else in my Netflix queue, but far more fun, for sure.

special correspondents netflix film

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS stars Eric Bana as Frank Bonneville, a self-absorbed radio journalist who hasn't reached the career level he hoped for and believes he deserves. Problem being...

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Saturday movie review: Recent stinkers

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I've recently had a bad run of films in my quest for under-the-radar-but-awesome movies to review for you. It's fairly common to come across a stinker or two between several movies I'm happy to watch and pontificate upon here on Grandma's Briefs. Rarely does it happen, though, to have three in a row — on DVD, not streaming — that just plain stink.

Such a trio made an appearance on my big screen this past week. Each one I had added to my Netflix queue, requested be mailed to me ASAP upon seeing their trailers. Because each one had a trailer that made me think This will make a great review!

Each one stunk. Big time. Leaving me feeling overwhelmingly obliged to tell you to avoid it. Regardless of how good...

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