The Leisure Seeker movie review

Movie Title: The LEISURE SEEKER

Grade:   

Rating: R, 112 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Academy Award winner Helen Mirren and Golden Globe winner (twice!) Donald Sutherland make for a powerful couple dramedy.

Tips for parents: 

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Uplifting theme: 

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Things I liked:

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Things I didn’t like:

• While the journey was entertaining, the ending was predictable.
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Funny lines:

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Interesting lines:

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MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice

The Post shows that the power of the press is still relevant in a day of fake news

Movie Title:      The Post

Grade:  B+

Rating: PG-13,

In a Nutshell: Spielberg, Hanks, Streep.  Powerhouse combination that reminds us why they’re the masters of their trade. 

Surprisingly, this is the first time all three have worked together on a film. 

Oscar bait?  Yeah, probably.  It has already received several nominations by the Golden Globes and National Board of Review.  Is an Academy Award next?  Probably not.  We’ll see.

                                        

Tips for parents: 

• Children and teens will be bored out of their minds.
• Some profanity.
• As more and more traditional newspapers die a slow death due to the internet, kids might think the film is irrelevant, but there is much to be learned about the Constitution as the Pentagon Papers are introduced to this younger generation.  As talk of “fake news” has become a part of everyday conversation, director Steven Spielberg raced to finish this film with unprecedented speed.  Clearly, he thought the content was extremely relevant.  Spielberg thought it was ironic that the pendulum has swung in journalism from ’71 to ’17.

Uplifting theme: 

• Women in  business.  The film is dedicated to a woman, Nora Ephron, who helped  uncover the Watergate scandal in 1972.
• Freedom of the press vs. government security
• “The Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy.  The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”  Justice Black’s opinion
• Power, politics, truth

                                            

Things I liked:

• I loved how the last scene bleeds into the Watergate scandal.
• Nixon’s actual voice is used when he’s talking from the Oval office.
• Interested in this topic?  You’ll want to see the movie All The President's Men.  In fact, the last scene of this movie is almost shot for shot the same as the first scene in All The President's Men.
• I always get a kick out of Bradley Whitford in everything.
• Usually the comic relief, it was interesting to see David Cross as a serious journalist.

Things I didn’t like:

• The first half of the movie moves very slowly.
• It's a bit heavy-handed.
• It can get confusing with lots of names to try to keep straight.

Funny lines:

• “It must be precious cargo.” – Flight attendant

“Yeah.  It’s just government secrets.” – Bob Odenkirk (Howard Simons)

Interesting lines:

• “The only way to protect the right to publish is to publish.” – Ben Bradlee   (Tom Hanks)
• “I always wanted to be part of a small rebellion.” – Bob Odenkirk
• “Whatever happens tomorrow, we are not a little paper anymore.” – Ben Bradlee 
• “You know what my husband used to say about the newspaper?  He called it the first rough draft of history.” -  Kay Graham  (Meryl Streep)

Other good movies about the freedom and power of the press:

             

                                        @trinaboice

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri surprises you in every scene

Movie Title:      Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Grade:  A

Rating: R,  115 minutes

In a Nutshell:  From the minute Francis McDormand appears on the screen and starts chewing her fingernails in contemplation, you know you’re seeing an award-winning performance. 

To date, she has been nominated for Best Actress in a dramatic role by the Golden Globes, surely with an Oscar nod to follow.   

Director Martin McDonagh has also been nominated for a Golden Globe and the movie is on the short list for Best Picture.  This movie is that well done.  The movie balances dark humor with tenderness, racism, revenge, and rage, sometimes all in the same scene.

What makes this movie especially impressive to me is its unpredictability.  I see a LOT of movies and can usually guess what’s going to happen.  Not with this film.  Characters made surprising choices and scenes unfolded in ways I never would have imagined.  For me, that’s a delight and why I love movies so much.

                                                           

Tips for parents: 

• TONS of profanity.  Soooo many F-bombs.
• Use of the “N” word and lots of other racial slurs.
• Disrespectful talk of homosexuality 
• Talk of civil rights
• Talk of rape and abuse
• Robbie talks so disrespectfully to his mom all the time and uses extremely ugly language about her.
• Someone commits suicide.
• Lowest body count (2) in a Martin McDonagh film.
• Very strong, tough female lead. She basically stands up alone for what she believes against an entire town.

Uplifting theme: 

• Life, death, and everything in between
• Parenting decisions, family
• Choices and consequences
• “Hate never solved nothing.” – Woody
• “Anger begets greater anger.” – ex husband
• Hope
• Justice, revenge

                                                     

Things I liked:

• Francis McDormand is amazing as always.  She thought she was too old for the role and initially declined, but her husband said, “Shut up and do it.”   
• Entertaining conversations.
• Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell are extremely entertaining, as always, and the entire cast knocks it out of the park.
• While the movie title suggests that it was filmed in Ebbing, Missouri, the location was actually Sylva, North Caroline, where my mother was born!  I read that the production staff welcomed the locals in Sylva to watch the filming.  After a scene was shot, the actors would sign autographs.  Woody Harrelson gave an impromptu guitar performance.
• Pay attention to books people read and TV shows that people watch.  They actually have meaning to what the characters’ motivations are.  I love that
• Many of the characters have arc, which is what you want to see in a movie.  There is personal growth and understanding, which gives the film depth and meaning.
• I first noticed Zeljko Ivanek in the popular TV show Madam Secretary: Season 1 and have liked him ever since.

Things I didn’t like:

• I couldn’t quite figure out what kind of accent Abbie Cornish was going for.
• The excessive profanity is tiresome (for me), although appropriate for the film.
• The ignorant racism towards African Americans and bullying of a gay man is jolting.

Funny lines:

• “I don’t know what the compensation scheme is before you throw a guy out a window, Ma. I guess I shoulda looked into that beforehand.  I should Google it.” – Officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell)
• “Do you think I care about dentists?  Nobody cares about dentists.” – Sheriff Bill Wiloughby (Woody Harrelson)

Interesting lines:

• “You aren’t trying to get me to believe in reincarnation or something are you, cuz you’re pretty, but you ain’t her.” – Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand)

                                              @trinaboice 

Pull out the red carpet for the 2018 Golden Globe award nominations

The 2018 Golden Globe Awards nominations were just announced this morning in Los Angeles!
Seth Meyer will be hosting the 75th annual awards show on January 7, 2018.  These announcements are exciting, because they're also a sneak peek into who might be nominated and awarded the highly coveted Oscar in the Academy Awards ceremony that follows.

Below is the complete list.  Who do you think will win?  Did your favorites get included in the list?

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a.	Call Me By Your Name
	Frenesy Film / La Cinéfacture Productions / Water’s End Productions; Sony Pictures Classics
b.	Dunkirk
	Warner Bros. Pictures / Syncopy; Warner Bros. Pictures
c.	The Post
	DreamWorks Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox
d.	The Shape of Water
	Double Dare You; Fox Searchlight Pictures
e.	Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
	Blueprint Pictures; Fox Searchlight Pictures

2.     BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a.	Jessica Chastain	Molly's Game
b.	Sally Hawkins	The Shape of Water
c.	Frances McDormand	Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
d.	Meryl Streep	The Post
e.	Michelle Williams	All the Money in the World

3.     BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a.	Timothée Chalamet	Call Me By Your Name
b.	Daniel Day-Lewis	Phantom Thread
c.	Tom Hanks	The Post
d.	Gary Oldman	Darkest Hour
e.	Denzel Washington	Roman J. Israel, Esq.

4.     BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

a.	The Disaster Artist
	Good Universe / Point Grey / Ratpac-Dune / WB/New Line Pictures; A24
b.	Get Out
	Blumhouse / QC Entertainment / Monkeypaw Productions; Universal Pictures
c.	The Greatest Showman
	Twentieth Century Fox; Twentieth Century Fox
d.	I, Tonya
	Clubhouse Pictures / LuckyChap Entertainment; NEON
e.	Lady Bird
	IAC Films; A24

5.     BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

a.	Judi Dench	Victoria & Abdul
b.	Helen Mirren	The Leisure Seeker
c.	Margot Robbie	I, Tonya
d.	Saoirse Ronan	Lady Bird
e.	Emma Stone	Battle of the Sexes

6.     BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

a.	Steve Carell	Battle of the Sexes
b.	Ansel Elgort	Baby Driver
c.	James Franco	The Disaster Artist
d.	Hugh Jackman	The Greatest Showman
e.	Daniel Kaluuya	Get Out

7.     BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED

a.	The Boss Baby
	DreamWorks Animation LLC; Twentieth Century Fox
b.	The Breadwinner
	Cartoon Saloon / Aircraft Pictures / Melusine Productions; GKIDS
c.	COCO
	Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
d.	Ferdinand
	Blue Sky Studios; Twentieth Century Fox
e.	Loving Vincent
	Breakthru Films / Trademark Films; Good Deed Entertainment

8.     BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE

a.	A Fantastic Woman	(Chile)
	Fabula, Participant Media, Komplizen Film, Muchas Gracias, Setembro Cine; Sony Pictures Classics
b.	First They Killed My Father	(Cambodia)
	Bophana; Netflix
c.	In the Fade	(Germany / France)
	Bombero International / Macassar Productions; Magnolia Pictures
d.	Loveless	(Russia)
	Non-Stop Productions, Fetisoff Illusion, Why Not Productions, Arte France Cinema, Les Films du Fleuve, Senator Film; Sony Pictures Classics
e.	The Square	(Sweden / Germany / France)
	Plattform Produktion / Arte France Cinéma / Coproduction Office / Det Danske Filminstitut / Essential Filmproduktion GmbH / Film i Väst; Magnolia Pictures

9.     BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

a.	Mary J. Blige	Mudbound
b.	Hong Chau	Downsizing
c.	Allison Janney	I, Tonya
d.	Laurie Metcalf	Lady Bird
e.	Octavia Spencer	The Shape of Water

10.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

a.	WILLEM DAFOE	THE FLORIDA PROJECT
b.	ARMIE HAMMER	CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
c.	RICHARD JENKINS	THE SHAPE OF WATER
d.	CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER	ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD
e.	SAM ROCKWELL	THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

11.  BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

a.	GUILLERMO DEL TORO	THE SHAPE OF WATER
b.	MARTIN MCDONAGH	THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
c.	CHRISTOPHER NOLAN	DUNKIRK
d.	RIDLEY SCOTT	ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD
e.	STEVEN SPIELBERG	THE POST

12.  BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

a.	GUILLERMO DEL TORO, VANESSA TAYLOR	THE SHAPE OF WATER
b.	GRETA GERWIG	LADY BIRD
c.	LIZ HANNAH, JOSH SINGER	THE POST
d.	MARTIN MCDONAGH	THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
e.	AARON SORKIN	MOLLY'S GAME

13.  BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a.	Carter Burwell	Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
b.	Alexandre Desplat	The Shape of Water
c.	Jonny Greenwood	Phantom Thread
d.	John Williams	The Post
e.	Hans Zimmer	Dunkirk

14.  BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

a.	“Home” — Ferdinand
	Music by:	Nick Jonas, Justin Tranter, Nick Monson
	Lyrics by:	Nick Jonas, Justin Tranter
b.	“Mighty River” — Mudbound
	Music by:	Raphael Saadiq
	Lyrics by:	Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq, Taura Stinson
c.	“Remember Me” — Coco
	Music by:	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
	Lyrics by:	Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
d.	“The Star” — The Star
	Music by:	Mariah Carey, Marc Shaiman
	Lyrics by:	Mariah Carey, Marc Shaiman
e.	“This Is Me” — The Greatest Showman
	Music by:	Benj Pasek, Justin Paul
	Lyrics by:	Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

15.  BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a.	THE CROWN	NETFLIX
	Left Bank Pictures / Sony Pictures Television
b.	GAME OF THRONES	HBO
	HBO Entertainment / Bighead, Littlehead / Television 360 / Startling Television
c.	THE HANDMAID'S TALE	HULU
	MGM
d.	STRANGER THINGS	NETFLIX
	Netflix
e.	THIS IS US	NBC
	20th Century Fox Television

16.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a.	CAITRIONA BALFE	OUTLANDER
b.	CLAIRE FOY	THE CROWN
c.	MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL	THE DEUCE
d.	KATHERINE LANGFORD	13 REASONS WHY
e.	ELISABETH MOSS	THE HANDMAID'S TALE

17.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a.	JASON BATEMAN	OZARK
b.	STERLING K. BROWN	THIS IS US
c.	FREDDIE HIGHMORE	THE GOOD DOCTOR
d.	BOB ODENKIRK	BETTER CALL SAUL
e.	LIEV SCHREIBER	RAY DONOVAN

18.  BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

a.	BLACK-ISH	ABC
	ABC Studios
b.	THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL	AMAZON
	Amazon Studios
c.	MASTER OF NONE	NETFLIX
	Universal Television / Oh Brudder Productions / Alan Yang Productions / Fremulon Productions / 3 Arts Entertainment
d.	SMILF	SHOWTIME
	ABC Signature Studios / SupahSmaht, Inc / Quantity Entertainment / Groundswell Productions
e.	WILL & GRACE	NBC
	Universal Television

19.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

a.	PAMELA ADLON	BETTER THINGS
b.	ALISON BRIE	GLOW
c.	RACHEL BROSNAHAN	THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
d.	ISSA RAE	INSECURE
e.	FRANKIE SHAW	SMILF

20.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY

a.	ANTHONY ANDERSON	BLACK-ISH
b.	AZIZ ANSARI	MASTER OF NONE
c.	KEVIN BACON	I LOVE DICK
d.	WILLIAM H. MACY	SHAMELESS
e.	ERIC MCCORMACK	WILL & GRACE

21.  BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a.	Big Little Lies	HBO
	HBO Entertainment / David E. Kelly Productions / Pacific Standard / Blossom Films
b.	Fargo	FX
	MGM Television / FX Productions
c.	Feud: Bette and Joan	FX
	Fox 21 Television Studios
d.	The Sinner	USA NETWORK
	Universal Cable Productions
e.	Top Of The Lake: China Girl	SUNDANCETV
	SeeSaw Films

22.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a.	JESSICA BIEL	THE SINNER
b.	NICOLE KIDMAN	BIG LITTLE LIES
c.	JESSICA LANGE	FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN
d.	SUSAN SARANDON	FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN
e.	REESE WITHERSPOON	BIG LITTLE LIES

23.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a.	ROBERT DE NIRO	THE WIZARD OF LIES
b.	JUDE LAW	THE YOUNG POPE
c.	KYLE MACLACHLAN	TWIN PEAKS
d.	EWAN MCGREGOR	FARGO
e.	GEOFFREY RUSH	GENIUS

24.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a.	LAURA DERN	BIG LITTLE LIES
b.	ANN DOWD	THE HANDMAID'S TALE
c.	CHRISSY METZ	THIS IS US
d.	MICHELLE PFEIFFER	THE WIZARD OF LIES
e.	SHAILENE WOODLEY	BIG LITTLE LIES

25.  BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a.	DAVID HARBOUR	STRANGER THINGS
b.	ALFRED MOLINA	FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN
c.	CHRISTIAN SLATER	MR. ROBOT
d.	ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD	BIG LITTLE LIES
e.	DAVID THEWLIS	FARGO