I, Tonya has ice-melting performances by Allison Janney and Margot Robbie

Movie Title:  
   I, Tonya

Grade:   A-

Rating: R, 119 minutes

In a Nutshell: Tonya Harding is old news, but Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are two powerhouses that, combined, make for an entertaining biopic movie that somehow feels fresh and worthy of awards for the two outstanding actresses.

Robbie and Janney are so amazing that they were just nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance in their roles.  Well deserved.

At the beginning of the movie, there is a message that says, “Based on irony free, wildly contradictory, totally true interviews with Tonya Harding and Jeff Gillooly.

 Tips for parents: 

• F-bombs and sooo much profanity.
• Most people under 30 won't even remember this ice skating drama and will wonder why on earth Tonya Harding is even being featured in a movie now.  Good question.
• Two scenes with a topless woman half-heartedly dancing in the background at a strip bar.

                                       

Uplifting theme: 

•  Hard work
• Athletic ambition
• What people do to be loved...
• Truth

Things I liked:

• I love Margot Robbie in everything she does. Her career is still pretty new and she just keeps getting better and better.  She was actually a member of an amateur ice hockey league before the movie.  She trained for the role and did a lot of the skating, but they had to use visual effects and CGI to make it look like she was doing the triple axel that very few people in the world can do.  If you Google "triple axel", you see videos of Tonya Harding.  It really was an impressive accomplishment what she did.
• When the audience is introduced to LaVona Golden (Allison Janney), the song Devil Woman is playing.  Perfect.  She is so incredibly awful that it's just a pleasure to watch Allison Janney work her evil magic.  Her haircut, oxygen tank,and pet bird are hilarious. Allison Janney had actually trained to be a professional figure skater when she was young, but had an injury that dashed her leg and her dream. Professional ice skating's loss is most definitely our win. I first took notice of her in The West Wing: The Complete Series Collection and thought she was absolutely fantastic, certainly worthy of her 4 Emmy awards for her role as C.J. Cregg.  Everything she does is stellar.
• It was fun to see the evolution of Tonya's ice skating outfits.
• Great ending.
• I always like seeing footage of the real people at the end.  You get to see Tonya do her famous triple axel.  Keep watching during the credits at the end.
• I thought the scene where Tonya puts on her makeup was really clever.  For a minute, she looked like a clown, which is what the ice skating community thought of her.

Things I didn’t like:

• Sooo much profanity.
• Sooo much white trash behavior and violence.
• Why is this a movie now?  I wonder if Tonya is getting any money from this film.  She's certainly getting the recognition she constantly craved.
• Maybe I missed it, but I didn't hear the title phrase in the movie. It sounds like something she would say while giving testimony in court, but there is no scene like that.  Why do you think the director chose that for the title of the movie?
• The movie was just nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category.  While it's extremely well done, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.  I'm not saying all movies need a happy ending, but I do wish that Best Picture winners were ones with redeeming values that made you a better person by having watched it.  I know, that's asking a lot.  I also know we can all learn from bad examples too.  In that regard, this movie wins.
• The news cycle.  AAAAH!

Funny lines:

• “So, do you like food?” - Jeff’s big pick-up line when he first met Tonya. ha ha
• “We don’t even know anything.” – Tonya

“Well, that must make life difficult.” – FBI agent

• "What do you think I should do?" - Jeff
•     I don't know.  I really think you should kill yourself." - Tonya
• Apparently, when Tonya Harding saw the movie, she said she really liked the line, "Suck my dxxk" and wished she had said that in real life.  Weird, right?  Shouldn't she be completely embarrassed by this film?

Interesting lines:

• “Ordinary.  Nothing special there.” – LaVona Golden
•  "I was loved for a minute.  Then I was hated. Then I was just a punchline.  It was like being abused all over again." - Tonya

                                                 

                                            @trinaboice 

The Rewrite inspires you to create your own life story

Movie:   The Rewrite

Unrated, although I would probably give it a PG-13 rating

1 hour 46 minutes

Grade:    B+

In a Nutshell:   I stumbled upon this romantic comedy on an airplane, flying home from England this week.  It was given a very limited release in US theaters in February 2015, and then was immediately out on DVD only one month later.  Hugh Grant gave a special greeting to Delta passengers on the airline release, explaining “It’s a comedy.  At least, I think so.”

Hugh Grant is an expert at a stammering, dashing, befuddled leading man.  The dialogue is witty, quick, and charming.  The story isn’t completely original, but the message is one worth hearing again.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Like a carousel, keep moving forward.

·         “As long as you’re alive, you can forgive and be forgiven.  Once you’re dead, it gets significantly harder.” – line from Keith’s movie “Paradise Misplaced”

·         “Selfishness must always be forgiven, because there is no cure.” Mansfield Park by Jane Austin

·         Your 3^rd Act hasn’t been written yet.

Things I liked:

·         I adore Allison Janney in anything.  She plays Professor Weldon, an uptight Jane Austin expert who is hilarious and steals all her scenes.  Merchandising for this movie will revolve around her character and this "What Would Jane Do? item.

                                                

·         J.K. Simmons is such a likeable actor, as is his character in the film.

·         When is Oscar winner Marisa Tomei ever going to start aging?

·         There are a lot of funny moments.  My favorite is the faculty cocktail party.

·         I’ve never been to Binghampton, New York, but it’s apparently one of the Top 10 most cloudy/rainy cities and home of the “Speedy Sandwich.”    Want to see what one looks like?
                                      

·         I thought it was sweet when Keith said “My son is the only thing I had a hand in producing that didn’t need a rewrite.”

·         Other movies referenced in this movie areMarty and Dirty Dancing .

Things I didn’t like:

·         I know some people can’t stand Hugh Grant, but I quite fancy him.  Didn’t that sound British?  In real life, he may be a scoundrel, but I like a lot of his movies.

Funny lines:

·         “Nice alliteration.  I’m an English major.” – Chloe (Olivia Luccardi)

“I thought I recognized a fellow sufferer.” – Keith

·         “U.S. Marine Corps.  I like to follow the rules.” – Dr. Hal Lerner

“Writers Guild of America.  I feel the same way.” – Keith

·         “Dr. Lerner?  You must have an opinion on this.” – Keith

“I have a wife and 4 daughters.  I have no opinions.” – Dr. Lerner

·         “When I was young, I thought having the perfect Shakespeare quote for any given situation would be helpful.” – Jim Harper (funnyman Chris Elliott)

“It’s surprisingly unhelpful.” – Keith

“Yeah, it seems to really annoy people.” – Jim

·         “Give teaching a shot.  It gets its hooks in you.  You’ll see.” – Jim

“With all respect, I don’t believe anything worth knowing can be taught in the classroom and I intend to do as little as possible while carrying on this charade.” – Keith

“Yeah, if I gave it any thought, I’d probably feel the same way.” – Jim

·         Professor Weldon scolds Keith for not acting like a professional teacher and Keith assures her “I’ll watch Dead Poets Society to prepare.”   GREAT movie!  I highly recommend it.

·         “What about my car?” – Keith

“It’s a Hyundai.  It’ll be there in the morning.” – Holly

·         “Are you trying to fill a spiritual vacancy with alcohol and young women?” – Holly

“Yes.” – Keith

·         “I’ll work on reality TV…either as a writer or a contestant.” – Keith

·         “I’m hoping there will be something else.  Much more else.” - Keith

Writing tips learned from the movie:

·         As an author, I aspire to be a great writer.  As a realist, I know I have a long way to go before anyone would ever call my work “great.”  There is an interesting conversation between Keith and his agent.  She asks him “You know what J.K. Rowling said?”  He quips “Where did I put my last billion?”  She tries to inspire him by explaining “J.K. Rowling said that failure was the best thing that ever happened to her because it freed her from the inessential; it allowed her to focus on the thing that mattered most – writing.”

·         “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and a lightening bug.” – Mark Twain

·         Keith explains to his screen-writing students what a protagonist is by asking “What is his goal and how will he overcome obstacles?”

Tips for Parents:

·         In the airplane version I saw, all mild profanity was bleeped out, as well as a soft blur that was used to cover up someone flipping the bird.
 ·         Keith sleeps with a young girl, but you only see him crawl out of bed.

Great movies about inspiring teachers:

        

The DUFF makes you glad you're not a teen anymore

Movie:  The DUFF

PG-13, 1 hour 41 minutes

Grade: B

In a Nutshell:  Teenagers have always lived in the world of bullying and underdog struggles for greatness, but this movie takes a modern tech, funny look at YOLO cyber terrorists.  Based on the book by Kody Keplinger, it gives hope for teens currently in high school, struggling to survive it.  If you’ve already graduated, it makes you feel grateful you don’t have to do it again.

By the way, DUFF stands for "Designated Ugly Fat Friend."

Uplifting Theme:

·         “Believe. Retrieve. Achieve. Just don’t conceive.”  - Dottie

·         “When you become proactive, your problems become subtractive.” – Dottie

·         “When I went to school in the 90’s, we didn’t have emoticons.  We had actual facial expressions.” – teacher

·         Self-acceptance
-   "Only you can define yourself." - Bianca
-   "Honey, you're weird.  So?  Own it!  Be the best weirdo you can be." - Dottie

Things I liked:

·         I love Allison Janney in anything.  

·         Mae Whitman does a good job as a snarky underdog with teenage angst.
-    Clever rolling credits at the end.

Things I didn’t like:

·         I’m a big The Walking Dead: Season 1 fan, but how can Bianca possibly get a good night’s rest with those gross zombie posters on her bedroom wall?

·         The movie is a bit shallow and predictable, like some of the teens in it.
-     It's pretty sad how teenagers can be so cruel to each other.  

Funny lines:

·         “Irregardless.”  - Wesley

“Not a word.” - Bianca

(True.  I’m such a Grammar Nazi)

·         “We’re sizing up your strengths and weaknesses.” – Wesley

“And?” – Bianca

“You’re horrible.  I hope you like cats.” – Wesley

·         “J-date?  You’re not Jewish.” – Bianca

“I know.  That just makes me more exotic on the site.” – Dottie
- "I just thought of something funny and now no one's going to know."  - teen in hall after cell phones were taken away from the students.
- "You're racist against jocks.  You're jockcist." - Wesley

Terrible advice from teens:

·         “What happens in high school stays with us forever.  Most people don’t think so, but most people are losers.” – snobby girl

·         “No one’s making out if they’re 3 feet apart.” – Wesley
-    Pick-up line:  "I could tell from across the room we might be into each other.  Now that I'm here, I know.  your move."  - Wesley

·          

Tips for Parents:

·         A LOT of sex jokes, discussion about porn, and sexual acting out

·         A LOT of profanity. 

·         Teenage partying
-     The only F-bomb dropped in the movie comes out of the mouth of Bianca's MOM.
-     Two male teachers kiss during the rolling credits at the end.

If you like any of these below, then you're going to like the movie The DUFF: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) :

   

Mr. Peabody and Sherman touch hearts and funny bones

Movie Title:   Mr. Peabody & Sherman

PG, 1 hour 32 minutes

Grade:   B+

In a Nutshell:   You may remember these lovable guys from the old Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Series cartoon from the 1950’s and 60’s.  They finally get the feature animation they deserve.  Back then we didn’t realize that Mr. Peabody would invent tear-away pants and Zumba. 

True to the TV series, there are a lot of silly puns that will make you laugh and moan at the same time. There were potty-humor gags that kids tend to love, such as when a ship flies out of a Sphinx’s rear end, as well as wordplay references to movies that kids won’t recognize, but parents will enjoy, like when King Tut yells Runaway Bride!   Sherman often said “I don’t get it” when the adult jokes would fly over his head.

The WABAC machine (pronounced “Way Back”) is used to transport various characters in the movie to different periods of time and was originally created on the TV show to poke fun at the names of some of the first computers (UNIVAC and ENIAC).  Surprisingly, it is still a term used in some internet applications (Wikipedia) to describe the ability to go back to older content…”Not where, but when.”

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure fans will get a kick out of this animated run through select historical moments.

Uplifting theme: 

• Be proud of who you are and whose you are.   
• It’s a sweet, perhaps overly-sentimental, father-son movie that will leave you grinning as you walk out the movie theater.   
• Every dog should have a boy.

Things I liked:

• I thought it was cute when Mr. Peabody found Sherman as an orphaned baby in a box wearing glasses.
• I got a kick out of hearing funnyman Steven Colbert voice Paul Peterson.  He called Sherman “Dos Shermanos” when he got a little tipsy from Mr. Peabody’s dinner party drinks.
• I can never get enough of Allison Janney, Stanley Tucci, Leslie Mann, and Ty Burrell.  I was tickled to hear Mel Brooks brings Albert Einstein to life.
• The audience laughed with delight during the scene when Mr. Peabody plays a bunch of different audiences.
• A recurring gag occurred every time someone dropped something in Egypt; a servant would race by, pick it up and say something so fast I couldn’t quite tell…“I got it!"
• The audience I sat with instantly fell in love with Agamemnon.  Patrick Warburton always knocks it out of the park with his awesome voice and perfect comedic timing.  I thought his armpits were hilarious.  I thought it was cute when he recruited “Shermanis” to join his Greek fighting team.  One of his many funny lines was “My father is half man, half minotaur, all judgment.”  I thought the Trojan war scene was amusing how they tried to make it look like the movie 300 with slow-motion action sequences.
• Adorable Spartacus scene with Kirk Douglas cameo.

Things I didn’t like:

• The animation design of the hills outside the city of Florence was disappointing.  I loved the detail on the famous Ponte Vechio and the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.  I was in beautiful Florence a few months ago and was reliving my trip through those scenes.  Unfortunately, the ocean water animation was also poorly done.
• It was hard to cheer for Penny Peterson who was such a brat.  I didn’t care if she got left behind in another time or not.
• I was kind of surprised when Mr. Peabody said something about booby traps and Sherman giggled “You said boobie!”

Funny lines:

• “When Sherman says “I love you Mr. Peabody”, his adopted dog father says “I have a deep regard for you, as well, Sherman.”
• “Pictures were taken for insurance purposes.”  - Principal Purdy
• “Wait, what kind of cake?” – a French man in the crowd during the French revolution scene, responding to Marie Antoinette’s famous line “Let them eat cake!”
• “A cantaloupe?  The lowest of the fruits!”  - A French man
• “When it comes to my daughter, nothing is more important than…(answering cell phone suddenly)  Shello?  Sure, I’ll take a survey.”  - Mr. Peterson
• Penny asks Sherman “Do you do everything Mr. Peabody says?”  “Yeah.”  She asks “Do you know what that makes you?”  “An obedient son.”  “No, a dog.”
• “Oy plagues.  Why did I ever move to Egypt?” – A random Jewish man in the crowd
• “You can’t marry him!  His name rhymes with butt!”  - Sherman
• “This is a little home-spun concoction I like to call ‘Einstein on the Beach.’” – Mr. Peabody
• “So, he’s literally a dog.”  (Mr. Peterson)   “I prefer the term “literate” dog.”  (Mr. Peabody)

Things to look for:

• Van Gogh with bandages on his ears
• The little boy in Sherman’s classroom whose feet can’t reach the floor when he’s sitting down at his desk.
• Boxers with hearts on them
• The dog with the cone on its head at the beginning of the movie.
• Try to figure out what the mystery meat is on the cafeteria food trays.
• The picture of cats hanging in Principal Purdy’s office at school.
• Picture of Ghandi next to Sherman’s bed.
• Rubic’s cube (Hint:  look for Einstein).
• “I love New York” t-shirt and underwear.
• Bill Clinton cameo.

Tips for parents:  Some inappropriate jokes, but mostly harmless.  Parents and children watching the movie in the audience I sat with enjoyed the movie equally.  It’s certainly no Frozen magic, worthy of an Oscar, but it’s very energetic and fairly entertaining family fun.  The visits through time should spark some conversations with your kids about history…."not where, but when.”