Book Club puts the sex back into sexagenarian

Movie Title:  
    Book Club

Grade:  B-

Rating: PG-13, 104 minutes

In a Nutshell:  I guess you could say that this movie puts the sex back into the word “sexagenarian", although the majority of the leading ladies are in their 70's and 80's.

Sex is the main focus of this movie which, honestly, disappointed me because this talented cast could have done so much more.  There are so many interesting topics that could have been explored to develop the characters better.

The stellar cast includes four Oscar winners and two nominees: Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Andy Garcia, and Richard Dreyfus.    

Designed for an older viewing crowd, the audience I sat with laughed non-stop, while I mostly rolled my eyes.

                                                 

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity, crude language, and 1 F-bomb.  As Candice Bergan’s character says in the movie, “Must you always be so crass?”  Exactly.
• TONS of wine.  Someone is drinking wine or some other kind of alcohol in almost every single scene.
• Lots of sex out of wedlock and LOTS of talk about sex, often with metaphors. Just so you know, the four women in the BOOK CLUB read all of the books in the Fifty Shades of Grey series, which is what triggers the focus.  Sharon says, "I'm not sure this qualifies as a book."  Exactly.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Reaching millions of people doesn’t come close to reaching just one you love.” – Arthur (Don Johnson)
• “I know I’m getting older, but I’m still learning and one of the things I’ve learned is that I deserve to be happy.” – Diane (Diane Keaton)
•  Friendship
• Self-esteem
• Love and connection
• The power of books!

                                            

Things I liked:

• I thought Candice Bergan’s character was the most enjoyable and realistic.  As a federal judge, I thought it was cute that she named her cat after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  She's 72 in real life.  By the way, have you heard her famous hit TV show Murphy Brown: Season 1 is coming back to TV?  I used to love that show and am excited to see what they do with its revival.
• The food at the ladies’ Book Club gatherings always looked so good.
• Jane Fonda is 80 and looks amazing.  Have you seen her recent TV show Grace And Frankie Season 1 ?  She's really great in it and looks stunning.
• You should read Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.”  It’s great and referred to in the movie.  What do YOU think it means?
• Keep watching the rolling credits at the end for a few more scenes.
• Craig T. Nelson and Mary Steenburgen also played a married couple in the movie The Proposal.  She is only 65, the youngest in the group.  He's 74.
• This was Bill Holderman’s directorial debut.  Hopefully, he’ll bring more older actors and actresses to the Big Screen.  As evidenced by the large audiences I saw for this film on opening day, there is definitely a market there.  Jane Fonda revealed that studio bosses wanted younger stars to play the characters in this movie. Ageism is alive and well in Hollywood.

Things I didn’t like:

• As much as I adore Diane Keaton, and I do, she pretty much plays the same character in all of her movies, including her clothing style with scarves, hats, and pant suits.  She even wore an Annie Hall hat in the pool scene.  It’s like she’s just playing herself in movies.  In fact, her character’s name in this movie is Diane.   Ha ha
• There is such a huge age difference between Ed Begley Jr.'s character and Mircea Monroe's character that it was ridiculous.  I know this is a comedy, but it was just silly.
• This is a true rom-com Chick Flick where all of the men fall all over themselves to please the women (except one). 
• Sometimes it’s annoying when everyone in a movie has unlimited time and money to do whatever they want.
• The second half of the movie really dropped for me. 
• Andy Garcia played Diane Keaton’s nephew in The Godfather, so I thought their ages were unmatched in this film.  In this movie, she says she was born in  1951.  In real life, she was actually born in 1946 and is 72 years old.  Andy Garcia is 62.
• The movie franchise of Fifty Shades of Grey is so pornographic and I’ve never understood how those movies could ever make it to mainstream box offices.  Don Johnson, who is one of the leading men in this movie, is the real-life father of Dakota who stars in those sadistic sex movies.  Gosh, isn’t he proud?
• Blatant brand merchandising always annoys me.  This movie had tons, including Zillow, Bumble, Buca de Beppo, Brooks Brothers, Mercedes, and more.
• Diane Keaton’s character never says “goodbye” when she talks on the telephone.  Do you know people in real life who do that?  So annoying.
• I wanted to see more of Richard Dreyfuss and Wallace Shawn.  They're both so awesome.

Funny lines:

• “The last time she went on a date, she got pregnant.” – Sharon (Candice Bergen)

“I don’t think that’s going to happen this time.” - Vivian (Jane Fonda)
*  "They say that memory is the second thing to go." - Arthur (Don Johnson)
    "What's the first?" - Vivian
    "I don't remember." - Arthur

Interesting lines:

• “Cupid is blind.” – Sharon
• “The choice should be ours.” – Vivian  

                               

                                           @trinaboice

Traffick puts the spotlight on human trafficking in the USA

Movie Title:  Traffik

Grade:  C-

Rating: R, 1 hour 36 minutes

In a Nutshell:   

I was in the Las Vegas airport recently and saw a sign on the bathroom door stall that gave an emergency phone number for women who were trapped in human trafficking.  

The number is 1-8888-3737-888.   That’s a fantastic idea and easy number to remember, but I wonder how many girls who get kidnapped happen to have a cell phone on them.  Right?

At the end of the movie, it says, “It is estimated there are 1.9 million women being trafficked in the United States.  Worldwide, 21 million victims of human trafficking generate illegal profits each year of 150 billion dollars.”  For more information about this despicable crime, go to www.polarisproject.org or www.endslaverynow.org

I applaud writer/director Deon Taylor for trying to create a movie that puts the spotlight on an important issue, but the film itself has some serious flaws.  One of my biggest gripes about this movie is that it attempts to criticize human traffickers who exploit women, yet the movie itself spends a LOT of time sexualizing Paula Patton.

                                                         

Tips for parents: 

• Profanity and lots of F-bombs.
• Pre-marital relations
• Lots of cleavage and skimpy clothes.  You see a woman’s naked backside.  The rest of the time, she has a hard time keeping her shirt strap on.
• Crude gestures
• Violence with blood splatters
• Parents, talk to your daughters about how to be safe and avoid being a victim.

Uplifting theme: 

• Be aware of your surroundings
• Think smart

                                                             

Things I liked:

• It was suspenseful a few times, although there were some fake jumps and scares that annoyed me.
• Paula Patton didn’t use a stunt double.
• I think this was the first time I have ever seen Missi Pyle in a dramatic role.  Good for her.  Did you know she’s also a great singer?  She always wanted to be in a rock band, which she did for a number of years.
• Roselyn Sanchez is so beautiful.   You’ve seen her in  Act of Valor and  Rush Hour 2.

Things I didn’t like:

• The movie tries to be a romantic thriller with meat, but it doesn’t quite get there.
• Dumb slow-motion bad guy scene.
• Laz Alonso’s character is so over-the-top and ridiculous that the audience laughed almost every time he opened his mouth.
• Some of the acting and crying is really bad.  Lots of useless whimpering.
• This is one of those movies where people make dumb choices.
• I didn’t feel any chemistry between Paula Patton and Omar Epps.
• For some reason, this movie isn't even listed on Rotten Tomatoes, but it's getting mixed reviews on IMDB.

Interesting lines:

• “This is the real world.  Everything is trafficked.” –  Deputy Sally Marnes (Missi Pyle)

                                 

                                         @trinaboice

I Feel Pretty just might give women more confidence

Movie Title: 

    I Feel Pretty

Grade:   B+

Rating: PG-13, 110 minutes

In a Nutshell: 
Every female is going to relate to this movie.  I think it’s fairly safe to say that every woman has insecurities about herself.  

Whether it’s a lack of confidence about how we look or speak or do certain things, we all wish we felt better about ourselves.  We can be our own worst enemy. The mirror certainly doesn't help.  This isn’t a movie about body shaming, but one of having self-confidence and trying to be your best self. In an interview with with Gayle King, Amy Schumer explained it as a journey, both the struggle for feeling good about one's self and her own career.

It’s kind of a mix between Jack Black’s comedy Shallow Hal and Tom Hank’s charming movie Big (I loved both of them).  It’s a fun chick flick…meaning, take your besties to the theater, share a giant bucket of popcorn, and don't beat yourself up for not being so perfect.

                             

Tips for parents: 

·      Some profanity.

·      You see a lot of Amy Schumer’s cleavage, mid-section, and bare naked back side a couple of times, complete with tramp stamp.  There is also a scene with a bunch of beautiful women in skimpy bikinis.

·      There is a lot of talk about sex, as well as a super awkward sex scene where you see some skin.  Pre-marital relations.

·      2 gay men.

·      Renee (Amy Schumer) gets drunk.

·      One of the girls confesses she has HPV and explains it away by saying, “Everyone has HPV.”  Um….nope.  That’s not true.  Guess what?  If you don’t sleep around, you won’t get it.

 Uplifting theme: 

·     “Believe in yourself.”  - Renee Bennett (Amy Schumer)

·      It’s confidence that makes you beautiful and sexy.

·      “Change your mind, change your life.” – Soul Cycle teacher

·      “We are real women.  What a great thing to be.” – Renee Bennett

·      Do YOU really see people?  Do you judge people just by how they look?

                                                      

Things I liked:

·  Michelle Williams is hilarious and awesome.  She's so effective in dramas, but it's also nice to see her in a comedic role.  She has had an amazing few months in the success of The Greatest Showman , as well as All The Money In The World .  We'll see her again in the upcoming movie "Venom." She's on a roll!

·   Most young people won’t know who Lauren Hutton is.  There is a picture towards the very end of the movie that shows Lauren Hutton when she was at the peak of her modeling days as a young woman.  I thought it was really fun to have her in the movie as Lily LeClaire.

·      Yep, it’s true.  Kentucky Fried Chicken does use Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.

·      I liked that the Soul Cycle teacher told all of the class participants to “set an intention.”  If we were all more mindful and proactive about our lives, we’d be surprised at how much better things turned out.  Renee (Amy Schumer) wears a sweatshirt at the beginning of the movie that says “Get it Girl!” which is the anthem of the movie.  Take your flaws and STILL believe in yourself.

·      It’s refreshing to see how brave Amy Schumer is about making fun of herself and flaunting her more than size 2 body.  Her stand-up comedy bits have always been completely honest, although extremely raunchy. I admire that she doesn't let Hollywood make her feel terrible about herself.

·      I’ve been a big fan of Saturday Night Live ever since my college roommate and I would watch it together on a tiny TV in our dorm room.  I love seeing a lot of the comediennes from SNL on movies lately.  This one features the talented Aidy Bryant and Sasheer Zamata. 

·      You’ll see a lot of beautiful women like Naomi Campbell and Emily Ratajkowski.

·      I laughed at the beginning when the camera scanned all of Renee’s beauty products in her bathroom.  Most of us spend ridiculous amounts of money on products, hoping they will FINALLY be the magic pill to make us look prettier and feel better about ourselves.  The ironic thing about this movie is that Renee works for a cosmetic company and her speech at the end sells more make-up.
*  I loved Renee's color-coordinated boxes behind her desk in the China town basement.  

Things I didn’t like:

·   You know what else is attractive?  Virtue and humility.  While Hollywood has been pumping out a lot of "be who you are" movies lately, there is a serious lack of movies that celebrate women, or men for that matter, who are virtuous and humble and chaste.  Religious values are, more often than not, mocked in Hollywood movies. Yeah, that doesn't exactly get laughs or sell box office tickets, but I sure would like to see more well-behaved, good girls in movies being honored for a change.

*  Everyone loved Amy Schumer when she first hit the scene, but for some reason, it’s now popular to hate her.  Her stand-up routines are super trashy and she seems to celebrate being a skank, but I love that she doesn’t apologize for not being the skinny model that Hollywood thinks she should be.

·   I thought it was funny that they grouped Busy Philipps with the “average” girlfriends, because I’ve always thought she was pretty.
*  I thought for sure that some time during the movie we'd hear a modern version of the famous  West Side Story song, I Feel Pretty.  Nope, it never played.  Missed opportunity, right?
*  Women are definitely going to appreciate this movie more than men.

Funny lines:

·      “Can I be you when I grow up?” – Ethan (Rory Scovel) 

Interesting lines:

·   “I think a lot of people are confused about themselves.” – Ethan

·      “I started to believe that if I wanted it bad enough, all my dreams could come true.” – Renee Bennett

·      “What if we never lost that little girl confidence?” – Renee

·      “This make-up line won’t change your life – only you can do that.” – Renee

·      “I know I look good.  I don’t need a room full of drunk guys to confirm it.” – Renee

·      “I am brave.  I am blonde.  And I got this!” – Mason (Adrian Martinez)

                                                     

                                                @trinaboice

Single Moms Club movie review

Movie Title:   Tyler Perry’s Single Mom’s Club

Grade:   C

In a Nutshell:   It’s a fact: women need each other, whether single or married.  We just do.  The women in the audience I joined laughed and loved this chick flick.  Were they single moms?  I don’t know, but they seemed happy to escape their own lives and celebrate the common and crazy threads that tie women together. 

Unfortunately, the acting was not very good and the plot was terribly predictable, but there were some powerful truths and gentle words of encouragement along the way for women who struggle with life in its many forms.

Uplifting theme: 

• No matter our different backgrounds, we all battle with problems and need one another to survive and thrive.
• There is nothing stronger than a mother’s love for her children.

Things I liked:

• Terry Crews is over-the-top funny in every movie.  The sign on his truck cracked me up: “Body & Booty by Branson.”
• I always enjoy outtakes at the end of a movie, especially comedies.

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s both narcissistic and brilliant brand marketing that Tyler Perry puts his name in all of his movies.
• In most of the scenes, all of the moms wore super high heels.  As if.
• Zulay Henao is sexy and sultry, belonging more in a porn movie than one about moms.  Did Tyler Perry create this movie for moms or the men who would be dragged along to the theater with them?
• Struggling single moms don’t usually have such nice houses.  I’m just sayin…
• All of the single moms end up with a man.  Is that the message Tyler Perry really wants to tell women at the end of the day?
•  It felt a bit more like a sitcom than an actual feature film, and I won’t be surprised if we end up seeing a variation of this on the small screen next season.  

Funny lines:

• Looking at her son’s homework, she asks “Did you do your homework?  Is that right?”  - Lytia  (Cocoa Brown)
• There were actually quite a few funny lines, but many of them were too inappropriate to list here.

Inspiring lines:

• Hillary asks Lytia “How do you do it?  How do you be a single mom?”  Lytia answers “You can’t think about it or it’s overwhelming.  You take one snotty nose and one dirty diaper at a time.”
• “My grandmother used to say a woman’s purse is a reflection of her life.” – May.  It’s kind of true, but certainly doesn’t paint the whole picture.  It’s a glimpse of a woman’s priorities on-the-go.
• “Divorced 4 years.  We’re good people, just not good together.” – T.K.

Best line in the entire movie:

• “You don’t have to be good at starting over.  You just have to be good at letting go.” - Peter

Tips for parents:   Discussion about a daughter’s period, inappropriate sexual innuendos.