Saturday movie review: Gifted

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The storyline of GIFTED — about a bachelor raising his young and astonishingly brilliant young niece after his sister's suicide — had me braced for a sweet and sappy affair when I was invited to a free screening of the film a few weeks ago. You know, a predictable tale typical of television movies most often run and rerun on basic cable channels.

gifted movie

GIFTED surprised me by its lack of sappiness and degree to which it rose above and beyond my expectations. What made it so much better than I braced for? Could be the feisty and frank gifted girl of the title. Perhaps it's the handsome bachelor who proves himself far more than eye candy as well as the blunt and beautiful teacher enamored by the fella. Could also be the the one-eyed cat named Fred, the bitchy grandmother, the outspoken and overly...

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Saturday movie review: Captain Fantastic

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For the record, I'm a big fan of Viggo Mortensen. I think he's one of the more subtly amazing yet underrated and too often overlooked actors out there. So when I read that he received a Best Actor nomination for his role in CAPTAIN FANTASTIC, I thought, Well good for him! It's about time.

I then immediately thought, But that's certainly not a film I'll be watching. Because I don't care much for super hero movies and having seen no trailers or such, that's what I figured it was.

Captain Fantastic movie

I'm here to confess I'm an idiot. Not because I don't like super hero movies, but because CAPTAIN FANTASTIC is so very not a super hero story despite the super hero sound of the title. CAPTAIN FANTASTIC is a super dad story. A story about a good dad with good intentions. A brilliant dad with grandiose ideas when it comes to life in general and raising his kids in particular. Lofty ideas. So lofty, in fact, they border on lunacy.

And Viggo Mortensen does an insanely fantastic job portraying that extraordinary...

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Saturday movie review: Brothers... Plus, a one-month free Sundance Now freebie

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Documenting the daily doings of beloved children is nothing unusual. Thousands (hundreds of thousands?) mommy — and grandma — bloggers across the globe do exactly that, day in and day out, sharing stories and such on their little sweeties.

Documenting the very same on film day in and day out — for decades — is unusual. Is unique. Is exactly what Norwegian director and cinematographer Aslaug Holm did in her documentary BROTHERS. In doing so, she confirmed that a (moving) picture is indeed worth 1,000 words. And then some.

brothers documentary 

Holm set out making the ultimate home movie of her two young sons, Markus and Lukas, more than a decade ago. She kept the camera rolling for eight years. Day in, day out Holm...

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Saturday movie review: Dough

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The movie DOUGH is about Muslims. And Jews. And immigrants. And marijuana-infused baked goods. All hot topics in our current volatile (and often downright vile) political climate.

Unlike political discussions on such hot-button immigration, race and religion matters, though, DOUGH leaves no sour taste for viewers.

DOUGH movie

While DOUGH touches on — embraces even — serious issues, the British comedy drama turned out to be quite sweet and digestible. Because of the story and honest performances more so than the bakery goodies featured throughout.

The bare bones of the humorous and heartwarming plot: Nat Dayan (Jonathan Pryce), an aging Jewish bakery owner struggling to keep afloat his family business in London's East End reluctantly hires the troubled son of his Muslim cleaning woman, Safa (Natasha Gordon), an immigrant from Darfur. Ayyash ...

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Saturday movie review: Demolition

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Losing a beloved spouse must be one of the most painful experiences of a lifetime. Bewildering, too, especially if the surviving spouse didn't really love the one who passed. Or at least feels that may be the case once a partner is gone.

Such is the challenge Jake Gyllenhaal as Davis wrestles with in the drama (with a believable dose of humor) DEMOLITION.

demolition film

Davis is a successful investment banker with a lovely wife, a high-end home, a fancy-schmancy car, and good looks to boot. Then his wife dies tragically — which isn't a spoiler, I assure you, as the film is about...

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Saturday movie recommendations: Our post holiday viewing

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My husband and I recently discovered a few new streaming series to binge watch (Z Nation and The Crown at the top of the list) so we've spent less time on films of late. Which has severely narrowed my options for Saturday movie review posts.

That said, we have watched a few movies in the past month or so worth recommending. Some on DVD or streaming, and one in the theater.

Why recommend rather than review? Well, reviewing the first one just wouldn't be right as a review would surely reveal a major plot line that you must not know in order to fully appreciate the film. So I'll simply recommend it here versus review. The other two recommendations I've thrown in to make for a more meaty post. And because I liked them.

My three recent movie recommendations, three movies to consider adding to your Hmmm... Maybe We Should Watch That list:

COLLATERAL BEAUTY (in theaters)

Collateral Beauty ...

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Saturday movie review: A Hologram for the King

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Tom Hanks in a black comedy? Yes!

Tom Hanks playing a frustrated, sometimes bitter man who has lost his home, his wife and is pretty darn close to losing his job, too? Yes!

Tom Hanks portraying a middle-aged businessman trying to find himself... in Saudi Arabia? A man struggling to function in a foreign culture with foreign customs then falling for a woman borne into — and committed to — said culture and customs? Yes!

a hologram for the king movie

Hanks masterfully (could he do it any other way?) covers all of the above and more in the offbeat — and far from typical Hanks — A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING, a dramedy based on Dave Eggers' 2012...

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Saturday movie review: La La Land

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This movie review will be like no other. Because LA LA LAND is like no other movie — at least not any other movie released in the past several decades.

LA LA LAND is, though, similar to the magical musicals of the '40s, '50s and early '60s, those spectacular song-and-dance spectacles that swept viewers away. Made them swoon, smile, sometimes sob a teensy bit. Those cinematic wonders moviegoers experienced not simply watched.

Which makes LA LA LAND special, worthy of a special review.

la la land movie

So instead of telling you about LA LA LAND, I'm going to show you LA LA LAND. Or as much as I can find to share without...

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Saturday movie review: Coming Through The Rye

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I probably shouldn't admit this, but I never read Catcher in the Rye. At least I don't recall reading J.D. Salinger's classic.

I kinda sorta remember thinking a few decades ago that I should read it, because, ya know, it's a classic that everyone has read. In my hazy recollection of that time, I think I may have started reading it but didn't finish because I didn't care for it. Or maybe I did finish it but it didn't resonate with me because I was a young mom with three kiddos under the age of five at the time, not a cynical male teen.

Whatever the case may be, I don't know the story that resonated with millions.

COMING THROUGH THE RYE is about one of those millions who did read the book, one of those millions for whom the tale not only resonated but changed their lives.

Coming Through The Rye movie

The endearing coming-of-age film is based on true experiences of filmmaker James Sadwith, who...

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Saturday movie review: Sing Street

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I have never been an Irish teenage boy. Especially not one who idolizes pop musicians and desperately longs to be one in hopes of securing the attention and affection of a pretty girl so they can run off together to create a brighter future far away from parents on the brink of divorce.

I have, though, been an American teen who idolized musicians and longed to be one — Barbra Streisand? Stevie Nicks? — in hopes of creating a brighter future far away from parents on the brink of divorce. Whether I secured the attention and affection of a cute guy or not.

Which is why SING STREET resonated deeply with me. Why it made my heart sing.

sing street movie 

Writer and director John Carney (ONCE, BEGIN AGAIN) masterfully captured the intense feelings of adolescents — across the globe, throughout generations — who crave and voraciously...

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