Cafe Society charms Woody Allen fans

Movie Title:  
    Cafe Society

Grade:   B

Rating:   PG-13, 85 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Woody Allen is a master at quirky characters and conversations.  In this dark comedy about love, regret, and existentialism, old Hollywood and Manhattan glamour drip with nostalgia.

As Bobby Dorfman says, you will be “half bored, half fascinated.”   

Uplifting theme: 

• “Live every day like it’s your last and someday you’ll be right.” – Evelyn’s mom
• “I guess some feelings never die.  Is that good or bad?” – Bobby Dorfman
• Regret, longing, love.

 Things I liked:

• The talented cast includes Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, and Blake Lively, and Rad Taylor.
• The end will leave you thinking about the love that got away in your own life.
• You get to see beautiful homes, theaters, clubs, and even famous celebrity homes.
• This is the third time that Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart have worked together in a film.  Their chemistry is evident and they both deliver spot-on performances.  I love Jesse Eisenberg in everything he does.  Turns out, he's perfect for Woody Allen material too.
• The stylized music in the very beginning does a great job of setting the tone and enveloping you in the time period throughout the entire movie. 
• It pokes fun at the superficiality of society life, but it sure makes being rich look fun.  (wink)

Things I didn’t like:

• A lot of movie critics say this movie is “charming.”  I’m sorry, but I do NOT find adultery charming.
• It’s very “Woody Allen.”  If you like his style, you’ll enjoy the movie.  If not, it’s more of the same.

Interesting lines:

• “Unrequited love kills more people in a year than tuberculosis.” – New York writer
• “Dreams are dreams.” – Vonnie (Kristen Stewart)

Funny lines:

• “First a murderer, then a Christian.  What did I do to deserve this?” – Evelyn
• “Too bad Jews don’t believe in an afterlife.  They’d get a lot more customers.” – Evelyn
• “Socrates said, ‘The unexamined life is not worth living’, but the examined one is no bargain.” – Leonard (Stephen Kunken)

Tips for parents:   

• Children will be completely bored.  It really is a movie meant for adults.
• There is an awkward conversation with a prostitute.
• Some mobsters knock off a bunch of people.

The Shallows features a lively Blake, shark, and seagul

Movie Title:      The Shallows

Grade:   B

Rating:   PG-13, 87 minutes

In a Nutshell:  This ain’t no Sharknado.  In fact, this shark is extremely realistic looking, gigantic, and scary.  

But who’s looking at the shark when you can watch gorgeous Blake Lively in a bikini…according to all of the men in the audience.   She actually gives an impressive performance, so even the females in the audience will enjoy this "girl vs. nature" thriller.

I know the feeling of being out in the ocean and suddenly wondering what’s underneath.  It’s pretty creepy.  I’m a terrible swimmer and would be dead so fast if I were in this movie.

Uplifting theme: 

•  Tip:  Learn how to whistle loudly for help; screaming doesn’t always work.
• Be a fighter to the end.  Tenacity, persistence, hope.
• Carlos tells Nancy to stop looking down at her cell phone and instead, look up to appreciate all the beauty around her.  Great advice.

Things I liked:

• There are some easy jumps and scares that you can see coming a mile away, yet they still get ya!
• Steven Seagull!   He reminded me of Tom Hanks’ Wilson in “Castaway.”  I've read that he was real and that he was CGI.  Either way, the friendly bird provided some comic relief to ease the tension and give Blake someone to talk to.
• Thank goodness for GoPro, eh?  Other merchandising spotlights were Baby G watch, Uber, and Body Glove.
• The underwater footage is really great.
• Do big ocean buoys have flare guns on them?  Good to know.
• Blake Lively does most of her own surf shots, with a body double stepping in for the more dangerous moments.  A couple of local guys also do some pretty good surfing before becoming shark bait.  Speaking of awesome surfing, congratulations to Jordy Collins, my friends' son who just won the 2015/2016 Surfing America prime Series Season Crown for Boys Under 18!  
• The cove where the movie takes place is supposed to be in Mexico, although filming actually took place in Australia.  The scenery and colors are beautiful.

Things I didn’t like:

• I’m sure no real animals were harmed in the making of this movie, but you see a dead whale in the ocean, which becomes the shark’s feeding grounds.
• The family story in the background doesn't quite reach the emotional depths I had hoped it would.
• It's still not as good as JAWS.  
• Nancy keeps asking people what the secret beach was called in the beginning of the movie.  By the end of the movie, no one mentions it again and the running theme just gets dropped.

Funny lines:

•  “Get a life, Buddy.” – Nancy to Steven Seagull
• “Ew” – Nancy after she eats a crab and vomits it back up
• “You know my friend we left at the hotel who smells like Don Julio and bad choices?” – Nancy
• “Not very many Americans here…bummer.” – Nancy

“Gracias a dios.”  (Thank God) – Carlos  (Oscar Jaenada)

• “What’s this place called?” – Nancy

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” – surfer

“Well, that would ruin my whole day.” - Nancy

 Interesting lines:

• “I’m NOT dying here!” – Nancy 

Tips for parents:   

• The audience sees a LOT of Blake Lively.  She’s in a bikini the entire time.
• You see Blake try to sew her leg that has been bitten by a shark, so it’s really bloody and gory.
• Profanity, including 1 F-bomb.

The Age of Adaline moves slower than her years

Movie:   The Age of Adaline

PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes

Grade:  B

In a Nutshell:   So, staying young and gorgeous forever is a problem?  It's hard to feel very sorry for the protagonist in this story. I suppose this movie is about every woman's true fantasy: to stay 29 forever while man after man falls in love with you. It’s kind of embarrassing how predictable chick flicks can be.  Still, we women love them.

Uplifting Theme:

* Don't just live each day, but live your life.  

* Create the life you really want to live.

* Life passes by quickly; enjoy every minute.

Things I liked:

·         First of all, Gossip Girl star Blake Lively is gorgeous.  Did you know she’s married to the handsome Ryan Reynolds?  This age-less  movie doesn’t have the charm that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button had, but it was still fun to just watch Blake Lively do anything.

·         The narrator gives a quasi-scientific explanation of why Adaline survived the car crash.  It's related in such a serious, magical tone, but it is mostly amusing to see how the writers decided to try to make the story believable.

·         Ah, Harrison Ford.  I love pretty much anything he’s in.  This film takes a better, dramatic turn when he shows up in it.

·         I’m glad to see that Adaline spent some of her many years learning languages.  It’s fun to imagine having that much time to develop talents, skills, and knowledge.  
*    There is some humor, but not enough to include my regular section entitled "Funny Lines".

Things I didn’t like:

·         I’ve always thought one of the worst ways to die would be to crash into a cold lake.  Of course, if that resulted in my looking like Blake Lively and never dying, I wouldn’t be so afraid of it.

·         The movie is pretty slow-moving…kind of like Adaline's aging.

·         Blake's  surname seems ironic, given her almost stone-faced performance.  (Beautiful stone though)
*    There could have been so much more depth to Adaline because of all her life experiences, but we only get to see an evolving wardrobe and hairstyles, mixed with a little sadness and cynicism.
*    SPOILER ALERT: I'm imagining the future, awkward family dinner conversations as the movie ends...

Interesting lines:

·         “It’s better this way.” – Adeline

“No, it’s not.” – Ellis  (the scruffy Michiel Huisman)

·         “Tell me something I can hold on to forever and ever and not let go.” – Adeline

“Let go.” – Ellis

·         “If I had your looks and energy, I’d fall in love tomorrow!” – Flemming (the lovely Ellen Burstyn)

·         “She was an amazing woman.” – William

“It runs in the family.” – Ellis

Tips for Parents:  
* There is a pre-marital sexual encounter.
* You get to see Michiel Huisman shirtless.  Oh....clears throat...there is a scene where an actor isn't wearing a shirt.
* Teenage girls will think the film is romantic, but young children will be pretty bored.

If you love time-travel themes in movies like I do, you'll probably like these movies too:


    

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