A Wrinkle in Time isn't smooth sailing through the universe

Movie Title:    

A Wrinkle in Time

Grade:   C+

Rating: PG, 1 hour 49 minutes

In a Nutshell: Despite its best intentions, A Wrinkle in Time is disappointing as a film, although kids will probably still like it.

Based on the very popular book A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet) by Madeleine L'Engle , it doesn't quite deliver the magic I hoped for, especially since screenwriter Jennifer Lee had done such great work with Disney's Frozen , Zootopia (DVD) Wreck-It Ralph and even Frozen Fever. 

                                                  

Tips for Parents:

• LOTS of moral lessons kids and parents can feel good about.
• Kids in peril
• Mrs. Whatsit uses the word “prodigious.”  In case your kids ask you what it means, you can tell them “remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree.”  Your kids will be so impressed that you know. 
• Bullying
• No profanity.  Thank you!
• Multi-racial family

                                               

Uplifting theme: 

• The only way to defeat the darkness is to become the light.
• Love rescues
• “Be a warrior.” – Mrs. Which  (Oprah)
• Center yourself.  Become one with the universe and yourself.
• “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” – Mrs. Who

Things I liked:

• Chris Pine!  I love him in anything.
• Storm Reid is adorable and did a pretty good job, although a bit straight-faced during most of the movie.  Her best scene, by far, was with Chris Pine towards the end.
• It's a colorful ride.  The gossiping flower scene was the best part of the film.
• Fun hairstyles on the Mrs.'s.
• Zach Galifinakus was pretty funny and did a lot with the very small role he was given.
• I think frequencies and energy are so interesting. If you're fascinated by science, check out A Wrinkle in Time Book of Fun, Facts, and Science  Energy is everything.
• Some of the scenes were shot in gorgeous New Zealand.

Things I didn’t like:

• While director DuVernay was very enthusiastic and creative, her vision was probably overly ambitious, resulting in a choppy mess.
• A lot of the green screens look fake with some special effects that don't really work. 
• Some weird moments with missing details.  Sometimes I really wish directors would let me see their movies before they released them so that I could point out some of the mistakes that could be quickly fixed.
• Deric McCabe as Charles Wallace is super cute, but sometimes it was hard to understand what he was saying.
• I couldn’t understand a word Storm Reid was saying during the tornado scene in the woods.
• Cliched scene where someone says, “Do you trust me?”
• Mindy Kaling looked so awkward trying to run in her ridiculous dress.  What was her character's purpose?  She didn’t actually do anything to help.  
• Over-the-top make-up.  The costumes were creative, but they looked like costumes.The “Mrs’s” looked more fake than magical. 
• You don’t need to pay extra money to see this in IMAX.  It's fine on the regular screen.  Better yet, watch it when it comes out on Netflix.
• The dialogue may sound good in the book, but it's awkward in the movie.
• Lots of close-ups that don't really work.
• A scene in the second trailer was completely cut out of the movie.
• I actually looked at the clock on my cell phone.  That's never a good sign.
• There's no real villain.  There's only a wispy, menacing "it." 
• Kids who haven't read the book might think that Oprah's character's name is Mrs. Witch.  While Oprah really is bigger than life (I laughed when Mrs. Which was gigantic), her acting is not good.  I heard her speak to a room full  of 10,000 a number of years ago at the California Governor's Conference for Women and she was mesmerizing.
• Surprisingly, some of the acting was not good by quite a few of the other actors too.  It felt forced and contrived.

Interesting lines:

• “You can do this.  You’re choosing not to.” – Happy Medium (Zach Galifianakis)
• “It’s ok to fear the answers, Meg, but you have to face them.” – Happy Medium
• “What if we are not just in the universe, but the universe is in us?” – Mr. Murry (Chris Pine)
• “You just have to find the right frequency and have faith in who you are.” – Mrs. Which (Oprah)
• “We can’t take credit for our talents.  It’s how we use them that counts.” - Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon)
• “Your house is so warm.  You’ve done a good job keeping the darkness out.” – Mrs. Whatsit
• “Love is always there, even if you don’t feel it.  It’s always there for you.” – Mr. Murry
• “Don’t give up hope.” - Mrs. Murry (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) 

                                   

                                               @trinaboice

Home Again is not Reese Witherspoon's best rom-com

Movie Title:   Home Again

Grade:   C

Rating: PG-13, 1 hour 37 minutes

In a Nutshell:   No, this movie isn’t related to the 2013 Home Again movie with Tatyana Ali. This rom-com features America’s sweetheart, Reese Withersppon, but certainly is not her best work.  You'd think they would have picked a different name. Something like "Shacks Up with An Impetuous Boy Toy" would be appropriate.

 

Uplifting theme: 

• “This is your day, your year.  Get ready Alice.  The future is yours!”  - Alice’s father
• Family comes in different shapes and sizes.
• Be open to change.

Things I liked:

• Alice’s little blonde daughter is adorable, played by Eden Grace Redfield.  She has a bright future in film and TV if she wants one.  You can also see her in The Glass Castle.
• They play Heads Up! in a musical montage, so you might miss it.  It's a free app and a lot of fun!
• Alice’s boy toy is played by Pico Alexander.
• Teddy is played by Nat Wolff.  Did you know his mother is Polly Draper (thirtysomething: Season 1) and his father is Michael Wolff, the bandleader on the old Arsenio Hall Show?  Nice pedigree!
• I love Candace Bergen in anything.  It’s always great to see her.
• Jon Rudnitsky playes the only one in the movie who acts like a responsible grown up.  We’ll see him again in James Franco’s upcoming movie The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made

Things I didn’t like:

• Throwing up, sleeping with a stranger after just meeting.  Nope.  Not glamorous.  Alice and her boy toy are sluts.  What happened to old fashioned romance?
• Lots of music montages with talking, laughing, drinking, and kissing.
• The boy toy acts selfishly when he storms out when his friends explain they’re working on additional projects.  Instead, he should be happy for them.  He seems young and immature and self-centered the entire time.
• Alice (Reese Witherspoon) makes some very bag parenting choices.  For example, she brings in three male strangers to live in her house, even though she has two young daughters.  That's just asking for trouble in the real world.  Sleeping with one of them is irresponsible and confusing for the children. It's supposed to be adorable and charming in the movie, but it frustrated me.
• The premise is pretty unrealistic and ridiculous.
• Instantly forgettable. 

Tips for parents: 

• “Can’t I just go on anti-depressants just like everyone else?” – Isabel (Lola Flanery)  She talks about having anxiety and depression and watches her mom pop pills every time she has a problem.
• Profanity.  I hate it when kids swear.
• A married woman sleeps with a young guy (you only see kissing)

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice 

Sing has lots of toe-tapping heart and humor

Movie Title:   Sing

  

Grade:  A

Rating:  PG, 108 minutes

In a Nutshell:   All creatures great and small will really enjoy this delightful musical journey brought to us by the clever creators of Minions and Despicable Me.  

The music is fun and uplifting, the animation is imaginative and ADORABLE, and the story is heartwarming and inspiring.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Dream big dreams!” – Mr. Moon (Matthew McConaughey)
• “Don’t let fear stop you from doing the thing you love.” – Mr. Moon
• “Do what you love to do, then you won’t be afraid, because you’re doing it!” Mr. Moon
• “You know, the one thing that’s good about hitting rock bottom?  The only way is up.” – Mr. Moon

Things I liked:

• There is a lot of good, toe-tapping music that can’t help but make you leave the theater in a good mood, 65 hit songs to be exact.  There’s a nice variety of styles of music too.
• There are so many entertaining animals to see in every frame.
• The main characters are voiced by extremely talented A-List actors, such as Academy Award winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, and Seth MacFarlane.   
• All of the actors do their own singing!  Tori Kelly, Taron Egerton, and
• Each of the characters struggle in his/her own way, adding several layers to the story.
• The scene where Mr. Moon is at the carwash is HILARIOUS and absolutely adorable.  It’s a scene that will stick with you for a long time.  The audience was howling with laughter.
• You can smell the ending a mile away, but there are a few twists and turns that keep the characters in peril and the audience engaged.
• The talented cast who voiced the characters is an impressive list that includes some names you haven’t seen in some time or ever in animated films, including Laraine Newman, Rhea Perlman, Jennifer Saunders, Nick Offerman, Leslie Jones, and John C. Reilly.

Things I didn’t like:

• There is some really bad behavior from a lot of the characters: Johnny’s dad robs banks; Mike the mouse is a deceitful, cranky bully and con man; Mr. Moon is dishonest and steals things; Eddie is spoiled and lazy. 

Funny lines:

• “Stand back…moody teenager in the way.” – Mike (Seth MacFarlane)
• “You can’t just sing; you have to show the fire and desire!” – Gunter (Nick Kroll)

  

Interesting lines:

• “Wonder and magic don’t come easy.” – Mr. Moon

Tips for parents:   

• It’s a kid’s movie, so yes…there is farting.
• No profanity.
• There are criminal acts by several of the characters.   

Hot Pursuit is a cold disappointment

Movie:  Hot Pursuit [HD]

PG-13, 1 hour 27 minutes

Grade: B-

In a Nutshell:  With better writing, this could have been a hilarious movie.  Unfortunately, the script is weak and the dialogue weaker.  I adore both Reese Witherspoon (she won an Oscar for Walk The Line ) and Sophia Vergara (fantastic in Modern Family: Season 1 ) and I know they could have nailed it if given good material to work with.

They're still fun to watch in this Odd Couple, on-the-run buddy comedy, but it could have been so much better.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Look for the strengths in others and appreciate the differences.

Things I liked:

·         Some audience members enjoyed the physical humor, but I thought it was silly slapstick that could have been done so much better.

·         I lived in the South for 15 years and got a kick out of the sign at the gas station that said “Hep yourself.”  Aw, Southern Hospitality.

·         The funniest scene is when Reese Witherspoon accidentally breathes in a cloud of cocaine powder and talks a mile a minute, saying ridiculous things.  Well done Reese.

·         The outtakes at the end of the movie were often funnier than the movie itself.

      Wow...that dress.  Sophia Vergara is so gorgeous.  Reese Witherspoon is so adorable.

Things I didn’t like:

·         If you’re Christian, you might be offended by some lines that mock Christians.

·         The biggest punch lines in the movie poke fun at the height difference between Witherspoon and Vergara…over and over again. 

·         I really wanted to laugh, but was mostly disappointed.  If you are big fans of Witherspoon and Vergara, your expectations will be high and you’ll be let down, but if you’re really going to the movie for two other things, then you’ll enjoy it.

Funny lines:

·         “What is that white thing?” – Daniella Riva

“It’s my underwear.”  - Officer Cooper

“That’s not underwear…it’s a diaper!” – Daniella Riva

·         “I’m totally crushing it as a dude.” – Officer Cooper

·         “It might have rabies or worse…herpes!” – Officer Cooper

·         “You’re the real Cooper...as in ‘you just pulled a Cooper’?” – officer at the station

·         “You’re teeny, tiny…I could put you in my purse.” – Daniella talking about Officer Cooper

·         “I know she looks like she can’t protect nothing, because she looks like My Little Pony.” – Daniella talking about Officer Cooper

·         “I kinda like your smile” – Randy

“I’m not smiling.” – Officer Cooper

“Then I got something to look forward to.” - Randy

Tips for Parents:

·         Lots of profanity in Spanish.  No worries if you don’t speak Spanish, but your kids may think it’s funny to say them.  Reese Witherspoon’s character expresses her anger with a softer “Dangit!”.  The closest she ever gets to profanity is when she says “I am the Mother F-ing police!”  (pronounced “effing”)

·         There is an inappropriate scene that uses descriptive language to discuss women’s periods.

·         There is a lesbian scene that is supposed to be funny, but it’s mostly stupid.

·         You see a part naked guy in a shower scene and hear a lot of sexual innuendos during the entire movie.

The Good Lie uplifts and inspires with its profound simplicity

Movie:  The Good Lie

PG-13, 1 hour 52 minutes

Grade: A-

In a Nutshell:  It’s very touching to watch the lives of these “Lost Boys” (and girls) from Sudan unfold.  I wanted to adopt them all. It’s truly heart-breaking what they had to endure to survive, walking hundreds of miles barefoot in search of safety and meaning. I love that some of the actors were actually “Lost Boy” refugees themselves. You get to see their pictures at the end of the movie.    

The title of this simple, yet uplifting movie comes from a phrase in Mark Twain’s book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .”  A night school teacher asks her class what it means.  One of the students responds “Huck uses lies to survive in undesirable situations.”  But the lies change later in the story. Mamere offers insight by explaining that the lies change because Huck changes.  “When he tells the slave hunters that he has no slaves, his lie is credible, so he lies well.  But what is more important is that it is an unselfish lie that saves Jim.  Jim’s freedom means more to him than the money he would get for turning him in, so it is a good lie.”  Before the end of the movie, there are several “good lies” that will both break and warm your heart.

Things I liked:

• ·    The camera lingers on the actors’ faces so you can watch their emotions develop layers.
• ·         I thought it was really cute when the young men from Sudan discovered the “Why did the chicken cross the road” joke and kept laughing about it later.
• ·         I thought the movie was understated, especially considering the profoundly touching and powerful subject matter. Reese Witherspoon's character and role is also muted by the colorful story of the Lost Boys.

Things I didn’t like:

• ·         I enjoyed the movie very much.  What I didn’t like was seeing some of the ugly sides of humanity.  The world is full of horror and beauty.  One of the great challenges in life is to focus on the good and create more of it to outweigh the bad.
• ·         It would have been interesting to see more of how they lived in the refugee camp in Kenya for so many years.

Funny lines:

• ·         “Your survival skills are most impressive.”  - Mamere
•        “Um…thanks.”  - Carrie
• ·         “May you find a husband to fill your empty heart and home.” – Mamere
•        “I’ll work on that.”  - Carrie
• ·         “Man, I wish they wouldn’t do that.”  -  Jack (when he sees the Sudanese young men holding hands)

Interesting lines:

• ·         “I miss Sudan.”  - Jeremiah
•       “Why?”   - Carrie
•        “Because in Sudan you know what a lion looks like.”   - Jeremiah after dealing with a boss he disagrees with
• ·         The movie ends with this line: “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.”  - African Proverb

Tips for Parents:

• ·         Some stupid, lazy Americans introduce one of the sweet Sudanese young men to drugs. 
• ·         It may be too slow-moving for young children, but teens can learn a lot about values, honor, Sudan, humanitarian aid, war, and sacrifice for others.
• ·         This film will make you want to do more.  Your family may want to discuss how you can help other refugees.  There are many organizations online that you can look into, as well as local churches that offer aid to those in camps abroad and who have recently arrived in America.   
• A lot of Americans get angry about all of the money and energy that is spent helping people abroad, especially when there are so many people in our own country who need help.  After you watch this movie, you'll be grateful that the good ole USA has done something to help ease suffering in the world.  It's an interesting and important question: Should we use our resources to help those outside our own boundaries and problems?  If we don't, who will?  

       To learn more about the refugee children of Sudan, check out these interesting stories: