Minions get their own fun flick

Movie:   Minions

Grade:  B+

In a Nutshell:   Adorable.  Silly. Colorful.  Like eating pure sugar. Imaginative prequel to the beloved Despicable Me movie franchise. The plot isn’t deep, but their crazy antics will still make you smile.

Warning: It may be too much sugar for some people.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Don’t mess with a minion’s teddy bear?

·         Working together, you can accomplish your goal.

Things I liked:

·         I love the minions’ cute jibberish language.  Adorable.  I noticed that they include quite a bit of Spanish bits, such as “Si”, “Gracias” and “Que paso?”  (What happened?)

·         There are a lot of fun pop icon moments, like the Campbell Soup Can art by Andy Warhol. I got to see the original one a year ago at a conference! 

·         I liked Scarlett’s husband’s play on words.  For example, he called Stuart: “Stu-ART”, “Stewperman”, and “Beef Stu”.

·         It was so fun watching Kevin, Stuart, and Bo go to London, so that I can share my vacation photos with you.  I was just there last week!  Awesome pic, right?

Even the famous Tower of London guards known as “Beefeaters” are featured for a moment. When I visited there last week, I learned that "Beefeaters" actually have many years of military experience before they can even apply for the job.  They live on site and exhibit such pride for their job.  

·         Great music from the 60’s and 70’s.

·         I loved the new Buckingham Palace guards with the yellow Minion hats.  Yep, I just saw the real changing of the guards there last week too!    I got this close to them during the ceremony...

·         There is a scene that shows the House of Commons in Parliament.  I saw that too!  The chairs really are green!  The House of Lords is so much more beautiful and fancy.  Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos on the tour.

·         Cute Abbey Road Beatles moment.  Did you catch it?

·         Funny faked landing on the moon conspiracy theory moment.  Did you see it?

·         The minions visit Westminster Cathedral too.  

 ·         After spending days on the London Tube, I got a kick out of the “Mind the Gap” voice on the train.  The location scouts for the movie did a great job of including authentic images for the London scenes.  What a great excuse to share some of my vacation moments with you!       

·         Keep watching while the credits roll at the end of the movie.
-    Terrific voice talents include the lovely Sandra Bullock, the handsome Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, and a bunch of unnamed yellow blobs.
-   The movie begins with an evolution backstory of the minions.  I loved their different clothes changes as the decades passed.  Yeah, I wore jean overalls in the '60s and 70's too.
-  Did you notice that Bob has one green eye and one brown eye?

Things I didn’t like:

·         Scarlett asks “Doesn’t it feel so good to be bad?”  Um, I’m not sure I want my kids repeating that message.

·         It doesn’t have the heart of Despicable Me, although it does explain how the minions found their ultimate villain.  No tissues required.

·         It’s more fun to see in 3D.

·         Uneven pacing.
-     Despicable Me is more magical, but these cute little guys deserved their own fun flick.

Funny lines:

·         “Who are you, my knights in shining…denim?” – Scarlett

·         “Steal me the crown and all your dreams come true: respect, power, banana!” – Scarlett

·         SPOILER ALERT:   “Bob, who appears to be a bald, jaundiced child, has pulled the famed sword right from its sword and has become the new king.” – TV reporter

Tips for Parents:

·         Some characters take off their shirts and do suggestive dancing.  You also see another character’s buns.  Come on now….that’s just not necessary in a kids’ movie.

·         Parents will be amused by references to pop culture that most kids won’t catch.
-   Unlike a lot of kids' movies, this one doesn't have a ton of bodily functions, although Bob farts once.

What?  You haven't seen the Despicable movies?  Hurry and catch up!  They're AWESOME!

Let the adorable merchandising begin:




Did you know?
During opening weekend, this film’s incomprehensible yellow henchmen, took in a whopping $115.2 million at U.S. box offices this weekend—the second biggest opening of all time for an animated film. (Shrek the Third holds the record, with $121.6 million in 2007.) “They’re bigger than Spongebob. They just have that mass appeal right now and are basically a merchandiser’s dream,” a senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations told USA Today.

Jurassic World is predictable fun

Movie:    Jurassic World

PG-13,  2 hours 3 minutes

Grade:  B+

In a Nutshell:   I was so excited to see the newest installment of the dino franchise!  Of course, we already know what the plot will be: bad dinosaur escapes and people get eaten.   The dinos destroy more than a theme park; they roared at the box office and actually broke two major records as the biggest weekend opening, domestically, as well as globally.  

Most people are right to be skeptical when another movie is added to a franchise, but love for the original and curiosity seem to be driving audiences to the theater. One of the characters in the movie plays an investor who says “We want to be thrilled.”  Claire responds “Don’t we all?”  Yep!

Uplifting Theme: 

·         In a battle between Mother Nature and Man, she wins every time.

·         Going to a dinosaur theme park is, apparently, never a good idea.

Things I liked:

·         I loved the very beginning of the movie when you see dinosaur eggs crack open and you hear a heart beating.  That’s how I felt…the hope and excitement of something new…a new Jurassic movie!  As expected,  the special effects and action were great.

·         This franchise has one of the best theme songs ever, don’t you think?

·         I adore Bryce Dallas Howard in anything.  I love her cute haircut.  I tried an A-frame bob, but it never looked like cute like hers.  Love the color.  You know she’s Ron Howard’s daughter, right?

·         As if we need an excuse to go to Dairy Queen, the ice cream chain is featuring the new “Jurassic Smash Blizzard”, an adventure in every bite.  Yum.

·         I LOVED Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy, so I was excited to see him again.  There is talk of him playing Indiana Jones in the next installment of that franchise.  He’d be great.  Can he get any cooler than riding a motorcycle while leading a pack of raptors?

·         I’m happy to see Judy Greer in something other than a TV commercial lately.  She’s so talented and fun to watch.

·         I liked seeing Dr. Wu (B.D.Wong) again.  SPOILER ALERT: Nice twist.

·         New Girl fans will be happy to see Jake Johnson as the comic relief in the movie.  I thought the conversation about the Jurassic Park T-shirt from Ebay was pretty funny.
                                                            

·         It’s definitely better in 3D.

·         The gyroscope “hamster ball” ride was friggin awesome.  The bored attendant was hilarious. “C’mon guys, I just work here.”

·         Jimmy Fallon.  Ha ha

Things I didn’t like:

·         The side story of the boys kind of derailed the story

·         People talk, but say very little.

·         I wonder how much money Verizon Wireless paid for the shout-out.

·         Sure, there are some holes in the story.  Who cares.

·         Someone in the movie should have said “Must go faster!”

·         One of the boys should have red hair.  Just sayin.

Funny lines:

·         “You’re the new guy, right?  Ever wonder why there was a job opening?” – Owen

·         Extinct animals have no rights.” – Vic Hoskins

“They’re not extinct anymore, Hoskins.”  - Owen

·         “”Drones can’t search tunnels and caves.  And they’re hackable.  The minute a real war breaks out, all that fancy tech is gonna go dark!” – Vic

“Yeah, but that tech’s not gonna eat them if they forget to feed it.”  - Owen

·         “What kind of diet doesn’t allow tequila?” – Owen

“All of them, actually.” – Claire

·         “Think it’ll scare the kids?” – Claire

“The kids?  This will give the parents nightmares!” – Simon

“Is that good?” – Claire

“It’s fantastic!” – Simon

·         “They’re dinosaurs.  Wow enough.” – Owen

·         “We’re going to get arrested.  They’ll shave our heads and we’ll have to make root beer in toilets.” – Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins)

·         “It’s just like taking a stroll through the woods…65 million years ago.” - Owen

Did you know?:

·         Steven Spielberg made Jurassic Park and Schindler's List the same year! 

·         There have been lawsuits about who was going to get control of this movie.

Interesting lines:

·         “War is part of nature.” – Vic Hoskins

·         “A promise tomorrow is worth a lot less than I’m trying today.”  - Karen Mitchell

Tips for Parents:

·         Some profanity.

·         High body count.  Blood splatters.

·         Intense action scenes might frighten very young children.

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 Cobbler features a shy Adam Sandler

Movie:    The Cobbler

PG-13, 1 hour 38 minutes

Grade:    D

In a Nutshell:    The Cobbler is a curious little film that hit the big screen in March 2015 and then landed on DVD 2 months later.  If you blinked, you missed it.  Guess how much money it made....$4 million?  $2 million?  Try $24,000.  Yikes.

While considered a complete dud, it's still a refreshing departure from Adam Sandler’s usual mix of crass and stupid; however, what could have been a charming fairy-tale gets muddled along the way.  

The premise is interesting: what would you do if you could transform yourself into other people’s lives?  Unfortunately, co-writers Thomas McCarthy and Paul Sado fail to dig deeper and we never get to really know the people whose shoes Adam Sandler’s character wears.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Sometimes walking in another man’s shoes is the only way to discover who you really are.

·         “It is a privilege to walk in another man’s shoes.” – Abraham

Things I liked:

·         The delightful Dustin Hoffman makes a welcome appearance.

·         “Method Man” gets a lot of screen time, and you’ll recognize Melonie Diaz from that sweet and quirky film Be Kind Rewind .

·         It’s always a pleasure to see Steve Buscemi.

·         Ellen Barkin is always at her best when she plays hardball.

·         Orange Is the New Black: Season 1 fans will get to see Dascha Polanco for about 3 minutes.

·         The ending is fun, but completely nonsensical.  Don't even try to figure it out.

Things I didn’t like:

·         It’s odd that a successful director like McCarthy could create such an uneven mess.

·         So many of the scenes are shot from boring, non-creative angles.

·         Droopy Jewish chords play in the background throughout the entire first half of the movie.

·         Max continues to make such dumb mistakes.  That’s super frustrating for me to watch.

Interesting lines:

·         “Who do we have to worry about? – Max

“Dry cleaners.  They’re not nice fellows and they’re very powerful.” - Abraham

Tips for Parents:

·         Kids will be curious about this film because it has Adam Sandler Sandler in it.  They might be entertained by it, but it’s definitely not what they’re expecting.

·         Some mild profanity and someone flips the bird.

The Longest Ride surprises with depth

Movie:   The Longest Ride

Pg-13, 2 hours 8 minutes

Grade:   B+

In a Nutshell:   What I thought would just be a sappy, predictable Chick Flick turned out to be a romance with great depth and heart.  We recently saw the beautiful Britt (Brittany) Robertson in Tomorrowland , looking like a spunky teen with gorgeous hair.  A minute later, she’s all grown up and falling in love.  Her boo is the handsome Scott Eastwood whose life revolves around the “toughest sport on dirt”, bull-riding.  He’s the old-fashioned gentleman and hero that every girl wants.

The film is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks.   Also featured in two love stories for the price of one are: Alan Alda, Oona Chaplin, and Jack Huston.  I love it when stories intersect and it works well in this movie.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Ruth asks “What right do I have to be happy when there is so much suffering in the world?”  Young Ira wisely states “What right do you have to not be happy?”  Despite life’s trials and challenges, we need to find our own happiness.

·         “Even an accident will have purpose and direction.” – Black Mountain College art teacher

·         Luke explains to Sophia that “All bull riders get hurt.  It’s not a matter of if, but when.”  I think that’s true for humans in general.  We’ll all get hurt emotionally in our lives.  The idea is to get through it gracefully and with love.

·         “Love requires sacrifice.  Always.” – Ira

·         “We focused on all the things we had, rather than the things we didn’t.” - Ira

Things I liked:

·         I live in Las Vegas where “Cowboy Christmas” takes over the town every December.  It was fun to see the bull-riding trials before that big championship.

·         I love the cute  look of a skirt with cowboy boots.  Another good  look is a shy cowboy holding a bouquet of flowers.

·         The film is full of great country music from the Pistol Annies, Black Pistol Fire, The Wild Feathers, Ryan Adams and more.  The Longest Ride (Original Soundtrack Album) will surely be popular.

·         Beautiful North Carolina scenery near where my mother grew up.

·         The first kiss can really say a lot.  Ira explains “Our first kiss – it was the promise of everything to come.”   Couples often spend their lives trying to recapture that original magic.  An older Ira sadly noted “It’s a scary thing how the people closest to you can become strangers.”

·         SPOILER ALERT: I love inspiring World War II movies.  I was surprised to see a cowboy chick flick include a war twist.

·         Sophia explains that her favorite comfort food is a Polish dumpling called “Koldenny”. Want to see what it looks like?
 

·         I thought Ruth was so sweet to her students.  A good elementary school teacher can truly change the direction of a child’s life.

·         The film touches on childless couples and the painful process of adoption.

·         SPOILERT ALERT: The target audience will love the sweet, fairy tale ending.

Things I didn’t like:

·         Over two hours long, some guys in the audience may find new meaning to the title The Longest Ride

·         The ingredients are pretty predictable.  Somebody’s gotta get wet and have to get undressed at some point, right?

·         Both couples include a spunky girl and a quiet, country boy.  Maybe more variety would have added increased depth to the characters.

Funny lines:

·         “I want a cowboy!” – One of Sophia’s sorority sisters

·         “She has the coldest hands I’ve ever felt.  I think she soaks them in ice water before she comes by.” – Ira Levinson  (the wonderful Alan Alda)

·         “How are you feeling?”  - Sophia to Ira

“The better question is how do I look?” – Ira

“Very handsome.” – Sophia

“That’s all I care about.” - Ira

Sappy lines that girls fall for every time:

·         “Our chance at being together was greater than being apart.” – Ira

·         “Today started out like any other day, but when you walked through the door of my father’s store, looking so beautiful and vibrant, I knew my life would never be the same.” – Young Ira (Jack Huston)

·         “I just don’t know how to make this work.” – Luke

“I don’t either, but I know that I want to.” – Sophia

·         “I love you so much, even if that means it doesn’t include me.” – Ira

·         “it’s only 8 seconds.  That girl could be the rest of your life.” – Kate (Lolita Davidovich)

·         “Ruth had an eye for talent.  I only had eyes for Ruth.” - Ira

Tips for Parents:

·         There are moments when you see some naked parts during pre-marital sex, including Scott Eastwood’s bum.  Both couples end up in bed.

·         Mild profanity.

Good for Britt Robertson for having two movies out this summer!

       

Still Alice moves

Movie:   Still Alice

Grade:  A-

In a Nutshell:   Julianne Moore won a Golden Globe for her stellar performance in this important drama.  The script isn’t brilliant, but Julianne’s use of subtle nuance is.  Her grace and skill in this realistic, heart-breaking film is what earned her a well-deserved award..  My mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so this movie felt very personal to me.   It’s hard to watch someone you love lose herself.

Uplifting Theme:

·         My grandmother lost her memory long before her body finally gave out.  On the other hand, my father-in-law’s mind was super sharp until the day his body stopped.  I’ve often wondered which way of dying is worse.  If you could choose, which way would you want to go?  I think the goal is to be kind and brave until the end.

·         Alice uses the keyword “butterfly” on her computer as an important marker, as well as wear butterfly jewelry that has symbolic meaning.  A butterfly  represents change and metamorphosis; our lives are constantly evolving.  Later, Alice comments “butterflies don’t live a long time, but they have a nice life.”

Things I liked:

·         My mother has become very childlike as her Alzheimer’s has progressed.  So did Alice.  I appreciated the accurate details in the movie that showed the writers and directors had truly researched this debilitating illness that affects an estimated 5.1 million people in America in 2015.

·         Alice does all of the right things to exercise her brain, including use mobile apps like “Words with Friends”.  What are you doing to give your brain a workout?  She also takes good care of her body.  Alice’s doctor says “Get some exercise.  It’s good to get the blood pumping.  Hydration helps memory.”

·         It was fun to see Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore together again as a couple.  They played a dysfunctional, but passionate couple on the comedy TV show 30 Rock: The Complete Series (Seasons 1-7 Bundle) many years ago.  As a married couple, they modeled a good example of informing themselves of the issues and asking good questions of Alice’s doctor.  It’s important to take an active role in your health and work with your health care professionals, rather than blindly accept whatever they say.

·         I thought it was interesting that the camera didn’t focus on the doctor in the beginning.  He didn’t make eye contact with the patient which, sadly, happens to me.  That’s so annoying and unprofessional.  My aunt was visiting a doctor who never looked at her husband, the patient.  Instead, the doctor sat at his desk, typing on his computer.  Finally, my aunt was fed up with the doctor and sharply scolded him by saying “You might want to look up from your monitor to actually see your patient.”  True story.

·         As a college professor, I have a twisted love for big words.  Ironically, Alice teaches phenology (the study of the sound of language) at Colombia University and is surrounded by academic nerds who use words like “vituperatively” (bitter and abusive), “seminal” (of a work or event that strongly influences later developments), and lexicon (the vocabulary of a person or branch of knowledge).
-    I thought it was important to show the affect this illness has on the family.

Things I didn’t like:

·         This is a serious movie with only a little bit of subtle humor.   It ends with a good message, but it can be quite depressing.  With an inevitable end of life, I was curious to see at which point of Alice's illness the movie would finish.

Insightful lines:

·         “Who can take us seriously when we are so far from what we once were?” – Alice

·         “Live in the moment.  That’s all I can do.”  - Alice

·         “Nothing is lost forever.” – Lydia (Kristen Stewart)

·         “It’s all about love.” – Lydia

·         “Now, you may say this falls into the great academic tradition of knowing more and more about less and less, until we know everything about nothing.” – Alice

·         “I wish I had cancer. “ – Alice

“Don’t say that.” – Dr. John Howland

“No, I do.  I mean it.  I mean I wouldn’t be so ashamed.  People have cancer and they wear pink ribbons for you , and go on long walks to raise money, and you don’t have to feel like some kind of a social…I can’t remember the word…”  - Alice

·         “I don’t have to be fair – I’m your mother.” – Alice

Tips for Parents:

·         This isn’t exactly a movie for children; however, if they have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it might create an environment for discussion. 

·         There is one F-bomb in the movie, which is spoken by Alice.  When my grandmother neared the end of her life with Alzheimer’s, her sweet little lips turned into a foul-mouthed sailor’s!  We had never heard her use profanity before!  You have to  keep a sense of humor even with the most serious of illnesses.