New This Week in Theaters, May 5, 2016

Posted on May 5, 2016 by laurarachel4

  Captain America: Civil War (PG-13)
Opens on Friday, May 6
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson

Political interference in the Avengers’ activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man.

 Elstree 1976 (NR)
Opens on Friday, May 6
Starring: David Prowse, Jeremy Bullock, Garrick Hagon

Actors and extras reminisce about their time on the set of Star Wars and how making the film affected their lives

 Dark Horse (PG)
Opens on Friday, May 6

An inspirational true story of a group of friends from a working men’s club who decide to take on the elite ‘sport of kings’ and breed themselves a racehorse.

 Mothers & Daughters (PG-13)
Opens on Friday, May 6
Starring: Sharon Stone, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon

Interwoven stories of what it is to be a mom seen through the lens of photographer Rigby Gray.

 Pele: Birth of a Legend (PG)
Opens on Friday, May 6
Starring: Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro, Diego Boneta

Pele’s meteoric rise from the slums of Sao Paulo to leading to Brazil to its first World Cup victory at the age of 17 is chronicled in this biographical drama.

 A Bigger Splash (R)
Opens on Friday, May 6
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes, Dakota Johnson

The vacation of a famous rock star and a filmmaker is disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend and his daughter.

 Being Charlie (NR)
Opens on Friday, May 6
Starring: Nick Robinson, Common, Cary Elwes, Devon Bostick

Charlie is a troublesome 18-year-old who breaks out of a youth drug treatment clinic, but when he returns home to Los Angeles, he’s given an intervention by his parents and forced to go to an adult rehab. There, he meets a beautiful but troubled girl, Eva, and is forced to battle with drugs, elusive love and divided parents.

Synopsis by IMDB.

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Z (1969) Rated PG

Posted on May 5, 2016 by laurarachel4

zAfter the murder of a prominent leftist, an investigator tries to uncover the truth, while government officials cover their tracks. Based on the novel Z by Vassilis Vassilikos. Starring Yves Montand, Irene Papas, Jean-Louis Trintignant.

Based on the true story of the assassination  of Grigoris Lambrakis. Costa-Gavras’s direction of the film is fast-paced and keeps us on the edge of our seats. As a political film, though, I struggled to identify with it.  I wasn’t alive at the time of these events, and I had no knowledge of them until I saw the film.  Apart from the excellent direction, it was a pass for me.

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The Christmas Secret (2000) Rated G

Posted on May 4, 2016 by laurarachel4

christmas SecretA scientist sets out to prove reindeer can fly, and along the way he learns the meaning of faith, family, and Christmas. Based on the book Flight of the Reindeer by Robert Sullivan. Starring Richard Thomas, Beau Bridges, Maria Pitillo.

This is a charming, original take on the story of Santa Claus.  Unlike other Christmas films, this one plays out the fight between science and faith: the scientists don’t believe anything until it is proven, and the people of faith believe in what they cannot see.  I think the film veers off course with regard to Santa Claus.  In the end, it’s really not worth a watch.

 

 

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Hello, My Name is Doris (2015) Rated R

Posted on May 3, 2016 by laurarachel4

hello my name of dorisA sixty-something woman meets a young man, and hopes for more to her life than what is. Starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs, Elizabeth Reaser, Tyne Daly, Peter Gallagher.

This film was better than I expected. Field is funny as ever, and Daly is the perfect sidekick as her best friend. The movie begins with Doris (Field) imagining what life with a younger man would be like.  Her humorous fantasies are woven deftly into her real life, which is far more serious.  Her mother, whom she had been caring for, has just died, and Doris is coming to terms with the life and dreams she gave up to be a caretaker.   Some of the transitions are clumsy, but the story and acting make this an enjoyable film overall.  It’s worth a watch.

 

 

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New This Week on DVD, May 3, 2016

Posted on May 3, 2016 by laurarachel4

 400 Days (NR)

With their four hundred day mission simulation nearing completion, four astronauts begin to feel that something is amiss. Starring Brandon Routh, Dane Cook, Caity Lotz, Tom Cavanagh

 The 5th Wave (PG-13)

Four waves of increasingly deadly alien attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. Starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Matthew Zuk, Gabriela Lopez, Ron Livingston, Liev Schreiber, Maria Bello

 The Choice (PG-13)

Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbors in a small coastal town and wind up in a relationship that is tested by life’s most defining events. Starring Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Maggie Grace, Tom Wilkinson, Tom Welling

 Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors (TV-G)

Based on the inspiring true story of living legend Dolly Parton’s remarkable upbringing, this once-in-a-lifetime movie special takes us inside the tight-knit Parton family as they struggle to overcome devastating tragedy and discover the healing power of love, faith and a raggedy patchwork coat that helped make Dolly who she is today. Over the years, many have attempted to bring this story to life, and now, finally, fans across America can experience the heartwarming tale of a courageous nine-year-old girl from Tennessee and the loving family that taught her the power of inner strength. Starring Alyvia Alyn Lind, Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder, Gerald McRaney

 Joy (PG-13)

Joy is the story of the title character, who rose to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini, Susan Lucci

 Remember (R)

With the aid of a fellow Auschwitz survivor and a hand-written letter, an elderly man with dementia goes in search of the person responsible for the death of his family. Starring Christopher Plummer, Dean Norris, Martin Landau

 A Royal Night Out (PG-13)

On V.E. Day in 1945, as peace extends across Europe, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are allowed out to join the celebrations. It is a night full of excitement, danger and the first flutters of romance. Starring Sarah Gadon, Bel Powley, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett

 God’s Compass (NR)

On the night Suzanne Waters celebrates her retirement, she is faced with a series of crisis she could not have imagined. Starring Karen Abercrombie, T.C. Stallings, Jazelle Foster

 The Last Ship: The Complete Second Season (NR)

The crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic kills off most of the earth’s population. Starring Travis Van Winkle, Jocko Sims, Eric Dane, Rhona Mitra, Adam Baldwin, Charles Parnell, Marissa Neitling, Christina Elmore

Synopsis by IMDB.

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Mother’s Day Films 2016

Posted on May 2, 2016 by laurarachel4

 Stepmom (1998) Rated PG-13

A terminally ill woman has to settle on her former husband’s new lover, who will be their children’s stepmother.

 

 Forest Gump (1994) Rated PG-13

Forrest Gump, while not intelligent, has accidentally been present at many historic moments, but his true love, Jenny Curran, eludes him.

 

 Mermaids (1990) Rated PG-13

An unconventional single mother relocates with her two daughters to a small Massachusetts town in 1963, where a number of events and relationships both challenge and strengthen their familial bonds.

 

 Steel Magnolias (1989) Rated PG

A young beautician, newly arrived in a small Louisiana town, finds work at the local salon, where a small group of women share a close bond of friendship and welcome her into the fold.

 

 Beaches (1988) Rated PG-13

A privileged rich debutante and a cynical struggling entertainer share a turbulent, but strong childhood friendship over the years.

 

 The Blindside (2009) Rated PG-13

The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

 

 The Sound of Music (1965) Rated G

A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower.

 

 Hope Floats (1998) Rated PG-13

Birdee Calvert must choose between her morals and her heart after her husband divorces her and a charming young man, who her daughter disapproves of, comes back into her life.

 

 Georgia Rule (2007) Rated R

Rachel comes to stay with her Grandmother Georgia for the summer leaving some obvious problems behind at home. Her alcoholic mother doesn’t even stay the night before rushing back out to California to be with her husband. Rachel shakes up the town, a beautiful girl in the boring Mormon country. Then she reveals her deepest secret to one of her new friends, and her mother comes rushing back to find out if its true. In the midst of this crisis the three woman become closer than ever and start to understand each other more.

 

 All About My Mother (1999) Rated R

Young Esteban wants to become a writer and also to discover the identity of his father, carefully concealed by his mother Manuela.

Synopsis by IMDB.

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Recipe for a Perfect Christmas (2005) Rated TV-PG

Posted on May 1, 2016 by laurarachel4

Recipes for perfect christmasA food critic’s life is turned upside down when her mother comes for a visit. Starring Christine Baranski, Carly Pope, Bobby Cannavale.

This is a cute, romantic Christmas comedy from Lifetime, which provides a little more kick than the Hallmark films do. A young woman, trying to do her job, is upended by her meddling mother’s visit.  To get her mom out of her hair, she sets her up with a charming chef.  As the holidays draw near, she begins to realize that she and her mom aren’t so different after all, and that family and love are worth fighting for.  This is worth a watch.

 

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Victor Victoria (1982) Rated PG

Posted on April 30, 2016 by laurarachel4

Victor VictoriaA talented female singer finds work impersonating a man who is impersonating a female. Starring Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, John Rhys-Davies.

This is a comedy, and it definitely has its funny moments. Andrews deftly pulls off a woman playing a man playing a woman.  Preston portrays a gay man who comes up with a hilarious scheme to make some money. Blake Edwards puts these characters into interesting positions of near misses- a comedy of errors. Add in Garner who falls for the woman Andrews is playing as a man,  making him unsure of who he is falling for. Comedy ensues. This is a farce which does have feminist and homosexual undertones. It’s worth a watch.

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The Yearling (1994) Rated PG

Posted on April 29, 2016 by laurarachel4

The YearlingIn 1870s Florida, a lonely boy befriends a fawn. Based on The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Starring Peter Strauss, Jean Smart, Wil Horneff, Philip Seymour Hoffman.

There’s only one thing I don’t like about these kinds of movies: they make me too emotional.  But, I guess that’s the point of them, right? 🙂  This rich film takes you back to the joy and hardship of life in the 1870’s.  Much like today, parents were responsible for teaching their children respect for life and the value of hard work, while nurturing their tender hearts.  The performances in this film were superb, with Strauss as the father and Horneff as the son (who was able to masterfully balance the strength and emotional aspects of his character).  Smart was a surprise as the mother struggling with her losses while trying to stay present in her life, and Hoffmann was at his usual best.  This film is worth a watch.

 

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New This Week in Theaters, April 28, 2016

Posted on April 28, 2016 by laurarachel4

 Keanu (R)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Will Forte, Keegan-Michael Key, Luis Guzman

Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen kitten by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.

 Mother’s Day (PG-13)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Britt Robertson, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts

Three generations come together in the week leading up to Mother’s Day.

  Viva (R)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Hector Medina, Jorge Perugorria, Luis Alberto Garcia

When everything is for sale, what’s the value of love? Jesus does make up for a troupe of drag performers in Havana, but dreams of being a performer. When he finally gets his chance to be on stage, a stranger emerges from the crowd and punches him in the face. The stranger is his father Angel, a former boxer, who has been absent from his life for 15 years. As father and son clash over their opposing expectations of each other, Viva becomes a love story as the men struggle to understand one another and become a family again.

 A Beautiful Planet (G)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence

An exploration of Earth and beyond as seen from the International Space Station. Narrated by Jennifer Lawrence.

 Ratchet and Clank (PG)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Bella Thorne, James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye

When the galaxy comes under the threat of a nefarious space captain, a mechanic and his newfound robot ally join an elite squad of combatants to save the universe.

 The Man Who Knew Infinity (PG-13)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Devika Bhise

Growing up poor in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar earns admittance to Cambridge University during WWI, where he becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories with the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy.

 Papa: Hemingway in Cuba (R)
Opens on Friday, April 29
Starring: Minka Kelly, Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson

In 1959, a young journalist ventures to Havana, Cuba to meet his idol, the legendary Ernest Hemingway who helped him find his literary voice, while the Cuban Revolution comes to a boil around them.

Synopsis by IMDB.

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