Saturday movie review: The Bachelors

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Saturday movie review: The Bachelors

Coming-of-age films — one of my favorite movie genres — relate a character's transition from childhood to adulthood. Many times, the death of a loved one precipitates the maturing of the young guy or gal featured in the film.

I'd like to propose another category of film: coming-to-terms films. Like coming-age-films, the storyline of coming-to-terms tales feature a person dealing with the death of a loved one. Difference being, though, that the character is far beyond childhood or adolescence coming-of-age doesn't accurately describe the emotional transformation of the guy or gal.

For the purposes of reviewing the dramedy THE BACHELORS, let's just say coming-to-terms films is indeed a recognized film category. Because that's...

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Saturday movie review: The Hollars

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I have a soft spot for movies about messed up families. If dysfunctional families were a film sub-category, you know, like coming-of-age is, I'd have to say it's one of my favorites.

I don't simply have a thing for dysfunctional families. I come from a dysfunctional family. And, trust me, if a film were made called The Aukemas (my maiden name) and based on the Aukemas (my family of origin), it would not make for enjoyable viewing.

THE HOLLARS, though, is enjoyable to watch. Trust me on that, too. The dramedy puts fun in dysfunction and proved a pleasurable hour and a half with the Mom, Dad, and two adult brothers who make up the fictional Hollar clan.

the hollars on DVD

I give (most of) the credit for that fun and pleasure to John Krasinski. Sure, he played the youngest Hollar brother to perfection, but his acting takes a backseat here to his directing (he also produced it).

His first time in the director chair, Krasinski — working with a stellar screenplay...

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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: The Family Fang

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Jason Bateman is an amazing director. His most recent go at the role, THE FAMILY FANG, confirms his name should be prominently and permanently emblazoned across an on-set Director chair.

That's it. That's all you need to know about THE FAMILY FANG. End of review.

the family fang

Okay, okay. You deserve to know more about THE FAMILY FANG. And Jason Bateman deserves for you to know more about the quiet, quirky, independent film he directed. And stars in. With Nicole Kidman. And Christopher Walken. And Maryann Plunkett, who...

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Saturday movie review: Infinitely Polar Bear

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Two of the most important commitments we make in our lives can be the most challenging to uphold. Those being vowing to remain with a spouse for better or for worse and committing to placing the needs of children ahead of our own wants and needs. Such commitments become even more of a challenge when mental illness is a factor, as is the case in INFINTELY POLAR BEAR.

Infinitely Polar Bear

INFINITELY POLAR BEAR is an autobiographical tale from the perspective of a young teen in the '70s whose bipolar father (Mark Ruffalo as Cam Stuart) and black mother...

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Saturday movie review: Darling Companion

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As I gather together the elements for my movie reviews—the trailer, movie poster, a featurette or two—I usually find that my fondness for the film I'm reviewing increases. I'll watch the trailer and think, Oh, yeah! I really did like this film!

Darling Companion movie

Not this time. The only thing that increased while gathering the review elements for DARLING COMPANION was my...

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Saturday movie review: While We're Young

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If you're one of those people who, regardless of your age or stage of life, still feel like you're not quite one of the grown ups, that you're a youngster pretending to do and be what folks your age should be doing, then WHILE WE'RE YOUNG will resonate. I assure you I am one of those people, and I assure you the recent dramedy from writer/director Noah Baumbach hit home—and the heart—on multiple levels.

While We're Young comedy

Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts, both teetering on joining the 50+ club in real life play 40-something Josh and Cornelia, a...

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