I shouldn't have to watch a film about how to be single, considering I've basically been single my whole twenty-six years, save about a month, and have perfected my independence enjoying the moments that are not fleeing for me, reading like a nerd. It's not like I get many opportunities, unlike Alice (Dakota Johnson). She has a great boyfriend, Josh (Nicholas Braun, who needs more roles in Hollywood) but decides that they should take a break as she's never been single and wants to experience what that is like for a little while, despite quickly regretting it when Josh moves on before her.
Fortunately, Alice meets wild party girl Robin (Rebel Wilson) who love being single and having one-night stands with randoms. She isn't ashamed of her lifestyle. And even introduces Alice to bartender Tom (Anders Holm) who is a afraid of a permanent relationship while one of his regulars, Lucy (Alison Brie) wants nothing more in the world to get married and is awkward about it, carrying a wedding planning book on her person at all times.
The last main character is Alice's level-headed career minded older sister, Meg (Leslie Mann) who likes focusing on her career until she is forced to hold a patient's baby and falls in love and decides to use donated sperm to have a baby.
This film follows the characters over the course of a year and a half, with Alice struggling to get over Josh and her failed relationship with the widower David (Damon Wayans, Jr.) who doesn't talk about his late wife. And though Lucy might have feelings for Tom, he realizes that he does also too late as she is already engaged to the awkward George (Jason Mantzoukas), leaving him alone but willing to be open to something permanent. Robin still loves her single lifestyle and Alice finally accomplishes one of her dreams, hiking the Grand Canyon on New Year's Eve, which must be truly amazing.
Meg has a baby and even accepts the love of the younger Ken (Jake Lacy) despite herself trying to sabotage the relationship as she never even told him that she had IVF, but she is in a happy, secure relationship because she wants to be, not because she needs to be, which is how all relationships should be.
Now, while the film had some good qualities, including my surprise that Lucy and Tom don't end up together when they should, the guys are all pretty decent, honest and up front with the women in their lives. But it shows how people can change, if they meet the right person. I have to hope that real life works like that.
Mechanically, the film works pretty well, though Lucy's story doesn't fit in well with that of Alice, Robin and Meg, yet, steady performances anchor the film.
However, the problem I have in general is that all the women are too willing to just hop into bed with people they barely know, which isn't realistic or typical. It causes men to think that sex is guaranteed without so much as a conversation about it first. And it's a shame, as this film is pretty good, though it isn't funny, but I liked it anyway. Grade: B
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Sully
This is finally a film that caused me to get misty eyed.
The film is a simple one. Is Sully (the always great Tom Hanks) a hero or not? Was he capable of landing that plane back at the airport or was landing in the Hudson his best option?
Taking place directly after the miracle landing, Sully has several interviews and is the subject of a lengthy and in-dept investigation regarding what he did, as the mathematics and computer stimulations show that Sully could have made it back to the runway or been diverted to another airport closer in New Jersey.
The film unfolds slowly, not even showing the crash until half an hour in. The whole city pulled together to save those people stranded on the wings of the plane. I sobbed, it is devastating and heart-warming at the same time. But the people are saved, after a few harrowing moments in the frigid weather. And Sully is determined to make sure everyone is okay, not resting until he knows everyone is accounted for.
But he suffers from PTSD and has nightmares of the plane crashing instead into a building and he is at fault.
In the end, Sully is cleared as the pilot simulations are too robotic and mechanical, not allowing for human error and the time a person would need to process everything of that devastating event of birds flying into the engine and both engines blowing out at 2800 feet.
Hanks is amazing, showing utter devastation at what happened but refusing to bow to the pressure, yet he is a reluctant hero, showering his co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart, also good) with praise. Laura Linney isn't in many scenes as his money-conscious wife who doesn't realize how serious what her husband survived is at first.
The crash scenes are realistic and it is truly a miracle that everyone on board survived with barely any major injuries. It was a harrowing twenty-four minutes but the city of New York needed a good story and it doesn't get much better than this.
Sure, there are some problems, like you don't really know what the problems with the Sullenberger marriage is and the investigators including Mike O'Malley and Anna Gunn are stick figures, but some of the passengers are humanized and given personalities, which is wonderful. This film is a must-see and among the best of the year. Grade: A-
The film is a simple one. Is Sully (the always great Tom Hanks) a hero or not? Was he capable of landing that plane back at the airport or was landing in the Hudson his best option?
Taking place directly after the miracle landing, Sully has several interviews and is the subject of a lengthy and in-dept investigation regarding what he did, as the mathematics and computer stimulations show that Sully could have made it back to the runway or been diverted to another airport closer in New Jersey.
The film unfolds slowly, not even showing the crash until half an hour in. The whole city pulled together to save those people stranded on the wings of the plane. I sobbed, it is devastating and heart-warming at the same time. But the people are saved, after a few harrowing moments in the frigid weather. And Sully is determined to make sure everyone is okay, not resting until he knows everyone is accounted for.
But he suffers from PTSD and has nightmares of the plane crashing instead into a building and he is at fault.
In the end, Sully is cleared as the pilot simulations are too robotic and mechanical, not allowing for human error and the time a person would need to process everything of that devastating event of birds flying into the engine and both engines blowing out at 2800 feet.
Hanks is amazing, showing utter devastation at what happened but refusing to bow to the pressure, yet he is a reluctant hero, showering his co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart, also good) with praise. Laura Linney isn't in many scenes as his money-conscious wife who doesn't realize how serious what her husband survived is at first.
The crash scenes are realistic and it is truly a miracle that everyone on board survived with barely any major injuries. It was a harrowing twenty-four minutes but the city of New York needed a good story and it doesn't get much better than this.
Sure, there are some problems, like you don't really know what the problems with the Sullenberger marriage is and the investigators including Mike O'Malley and Anna Gunn are stick figures, but some of the passengers are humanized and given personalities, which is wonderful. This film is a must-see and among the best of the year. Grade: A-
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
I could watch Gene Kelly dance all day.
The film is a swift one, filled with several elaborate dance numbers and some witty dialogue.
Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a big-time movie star, despite his humble and rough beginnings. He goes together with Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) like bacon and eggs. They are the Angelina and Brad of their day, only he doesn't really like her and she believes all the fake headlines about them. But they have a great partnership, something Don doesn't question until his accidental meeting of Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) who doesn't think film acting is real acting like stage acting is. She says that if you've seen one film, you've seen them all, words Don takes to heart. But he likes his job and the money it gives him.
And then, sound arrives, meaning that Don and Lina will need to refilm their picture but Lina's voice is high-pitched and squeaky, unbearable to listen to for long. The picture is a disaster, but fortunately, Don gets the idea to transform it into a musical and his friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, with bright blue eyes) is struck with inspiration that Kathy can dub Lina's lines and musical numbers, which is the launching point to her career. But then Lina discovers the truth and threatens to ruin Kathy's budding career, only to have the audience hear her finally speak for herself.
Everything is right in the end. Don and Kathy are together, how wonderful must that be. I'm only a little cynical about love at the moment, knowing that that will probably never happen for me, but at least this film allowed me to forget about all that for a little while. Singin' in the Rain is truly a glorious song, what a wonderful feeling, I'm happy again, if only for a fleeting moment.
The dancing and singing is incredible, with O'Connor giving Kelly a run for his money with the dancing, matching each other beat for beat. Reynolds, despite not being trained as the men were, more than holds her own. It is also interesting to see how the studios adapted to adding sound to the films, and how awkward it was and how much of a learning cure there was.
Now, I do have a few problems with the film, mostly with Kathy's character, who is weak and underdeveloped. At the end, though Don had a master plan to destroy Lina, he must use Kathy to do that, and she is bitter, knowing her career is ruined as she signed a five-year contract and Lina wants Kathy to solely dub her voice in films. Kathy does that, but never wants to see Don again, of course, that doesn't happen and they end up happily together. She isn't angry enough and doesn't fight for herself enough. Lina is a much more developed character and Hagen deserved far more than her mere Oscar nomination for this role. She's great.
But the film is a masterpiece, with excellent songs and dance numbers and brilliant sets and costumes. This film is not to be missed. Grade: A
The film is a swift one, filled with several elaborate dance numbers and some witty dialogue.
Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a big-time movie star, despite his humble and rough beginnings. He goes together with Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) like bacon and eggs. They are the Angelina and Brad of their day, only he doesn't really like her and she believes all the fake headlines about them. But they have a great partnership, something Don doesn't question until his accidental meeting of Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) who doesn't think film acting is real acting like stage acting is. She says that if you've seen one film, you've seen them all, words Don takes to heart. But he likes his job and the money it gives him.
And then, sound arrives, meaning that Don and Lina will need to refilm their picture but Lina's voice is high-pitched and squeaky, unbearable to listen to for long. The picture is a disaster, but fortunately, Don gets the idea to transform it into a musical and his friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, with bright blue eyes) is struck with inspiration that Kathy can dub Lina's lines and musical numbers, which is the launching point to her career. But then Lina discovers the truth and threatens to ruin Kathy's budding career, only to have the audience hear her finally speak for herself.
Everything is right in the end. Don and Kathy are together, how wonderful must that be. I'm only a little cynical about love at the moment, knowing that that will probably never happen for me, but at least this film allowed me to forget about all that for a little while. Singin' in the Rain is truly a glorious song, what a wonderful feeling, I'm happy again, if only for a fleeting moment.
The dancing and singing is incredible, with O'Connor giving Kelly a run for his money with the dancing, matching each other beat for beat. Reynolds, despite not being trained as the men were, more than holds her own. It is also interesting to see how the studios adapted to adding sound to the films, and how awkward it was and how much of a learning cure there was.
Now, I do have a few problems with the film, mostly with Kathy's character, who is weak and underdeveloped. At the end, though Don had a master plan to destroy Lina, he must use Kathy to do that, and she is bitter, knowing her career is ruined as she signed a five-year contract and Lina wants Kathy to solely dub her voice in films. Kathy does that, but never wants to see Don again, of course, that doesn't happen and they end up happily together. She isn't angry enough and doesn't fight for herself enough. Lina is a much more developed character and Hagen deserved far more than her mere Oscar nomination for this role. She's great.
But the film is a masterpiece, with excellent songs and dance numbers and brilliant sets and costumes. This film is not to be missed. Grade: A
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
I can't believe I haven't reviewed this film before, but here it goes.
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, a tradition, but the coordinator, Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) has a huge problem, her Santa Claus is drunk. Fortunately, she is in luck, the actual Santa Claus, Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) himself has arrived to save the day.
He is much loved and almost immediately becomes some sort of local celebrity, and is even hired to be Macy's mall Santa and as he has the child's happiness to be the most important thing, he gladly tells the parents exactly where to find the correct toy, even if it is at another store. At first, this policy isn't much liked but soon, with all the high-praise Macy's receives, they embrace it.
But Kris Kringle's plight is also a personal one, as Doris has been jaded by her divorce when daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) was only a baby so she doesn't believe in fairy tales, make-believe or Santa Claus and he wants to convince her that she's wrong.
He and lawyer neighbor Fred Gailey (John Payne) have the same method, get to the mother through the child and Kris Kringle starts to make Susan believe as he can speak Dutch and is wonderful with the children. He has only one enemy, Mr. Sawyer (Porter Hall), the psychiatrist Macy's has with issues of his own. He is what nowadays we would call a quack and even back then is just odd, believing that no good deed is done selflessly or out of kindness. Kris gets into a large argument with Mr. Sawyer and lands himself in the mental hospital which leads to a trial to prove that he is indeed Santa Claus.
With Mr. Gailey representing him, the case quickly goes to trial and things get awkward, with one side determined to prove him wrong and the other determined to prove that Santa Claus is real. Finally, the US Post Office delivers all of the letters it receives for Santa and the judge is forced to admit that Santa is real. Doris and Susan believe and celebrate Christmas for a change with Fred and Kris and just when Susan starts to doubt his existence, he finds her wish, something that she didn't even tell her mother. He finds her perfect little house with a swing in the backyard. Everything is right in the world.
Now, the film is simple but the performances are great and yes, you do have to suspend disbelief for this film to work for you. Do that anyway. This film is a treasure to be watched over and over again, despite the plot holes. How did the romance really develop between Doris and Fred? And at the beginning, the plot moves quickly with a lot of stuff happening on the day after Thanksgiving and having the last part of the trial on Christmas Eve? A little far fetched, but that all being said, this film is great, with all the little details portrayed correctly. Gwenn won a much deserved Oscar for this role and Wood is a treasure who died far too young. Grade: B+
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, a tradition, but the coordinator, Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) has a huge problem, her Santa Claus is drunk. Fortunately, she is in luck, the actual Santa Claus, Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) himself has arrived to save the day.
He is much loved and almost immediately becomes some sort of local celebrity, and is even hired to be Macy's mall Santa and as he has the child's happiness to be the most important thing, he gladly tells the parents exactly where to find the correct toy, even if it is at another store. At first, this policy isn't much liked but soon, with all the high-praise Macy's receives, they embrace it.
But Kris Kringle's plight is also a personal one, as Doris has been jaded by her divorce when daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) was only a baby so she doesn't believe in fairy tales, make-believe or Santa Claus and he wants to convince her that she's wrong.
He and lawyer neighbor Fred Gailey (John Payne) have the same method, get to the mother through the child and Kris Kringle starts to make Susan believe as he can speak Dutch and is wonderful with the children. He has only one enemy, Mr. Sawyer (Porter Hall), the psychiatrist Macy's has with issues of his own. He is what nowadays we would call a quack and even back then is just odd, believing that no good deed is done selflessly or out of kindness. Kris gets into a large argument with Mr. Sawyer and lands himself in the mental hospital which leads to a trial to prove that he is indeed Santa Claus.
With Mr. Gailey representing him, the case quickly goes to trial and things get awkward, with one side determined to prove him wrong and the other determined to prove that Santa Claus is real. Finally, the US Post Office delivers all of the letters it receives for Santa and the judge is forced to admit that Santa is real. Doris and Susan believe and celebrate Christmas for a change with Fred and Kris and just when Susan starts to doubt his existence, he finds her wish, something that she didn't even tell her mother. He finds her perfect little house with a swing in the backyard. Everything is right in the world.
Now, the film is simple but the performances are great and yes, you do have to suspend disbelief for this film to work for you. Do that anyway. This film is a treasure to be watched over and over again, despite the plot holes. How did the romance really develop between Doris and Fred? And at the beginning, the plot moves quickly with a lot of stuff happening on the day after Thanksgiving and having the last part of the trial on Christmas Eve? A little far fetched, but that all being said, this film is great, with all the little details portrayed correctly. Gwenn won a much deserved Oscar for this role and Wood is a treasure who died far too young. Grade: B+
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Manchester by the Sea
Casey Affleck is phenomenal in this film, fully deserving of every award he receives for his role of Lee Chandler, a depressed man who can't see the joy in life anymore, not after (spoiler alert!) a fire claims the lives of his three small children.
He lives in Boston, whittling his days away as a janitor/handyman, not understanding or caring when a woman flirts with him, he picks fights for no good reason at a bar. And then his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) dies of a heart attack. The poor man had congestive heart failure and he wasn't even fifty yet. Lee returns home and is greeted with his brother's dead body.
The main plot of the film is Lee being given guardianship of Joe's sixteen-year-old son, Patrick (Lucas Hedges), something Joe never bothered to mention to Lee as Lee almost without a doubt would have said no, with good reason, as some members of the town blame Lee for the fire, including himself. But he temporarily takes custody, though it is a struggle, even planning Joe's funeral is challenging as the ground is too frozen for Joe to even be buried yet and Patrick isn't thrilled with Joe's body being shoved in a freezer until that time comes.
And seeing his ex-wife Randi (the great Michelle Williams) with her new husband and new baby is just painful, clearly etched on his face.
But Lee ultimately wants what's best for Patrick and tries to stay in that town as Patrick actually has stuff doing on, including two girlfriends, a band and plays hockey. Lee only likes one of the girlfriends.
It is a struggle for Lee to get out of bed in the morning as he blames himself for not putting the screen in front of the fireplace before he left the house to get some snacks and just when you think Patrick understands why Lee isn't able to make small talk with another grown adult, the point is never brought up. Patrick wants to stay and keep his father's boat going. Fortunately, by selling some valuable collectible guns, the motor is able to be replaced and that also leaves the temptation of Lee once again trying to shoot himself off the table.
Patrick also reconnects with his mother, Elise (Gretchen Mol) who is now a recovering alcoholic but that meeting does not go well. Her fiance, Jeffrey (Matthew Broderick) is controlling and no longer wants her to have any contact with her only child, so that leaves Lee to care for Patrick.
And he tries, though he is still battling his old fears, confronting them head-on when he leaves something to burn on the stove, but this time, nothing bad happened, but it makes him realize that he can't care for Patrick. He arranges with George (C.J. Wilson), a good friend of the family to care for Patrick until Patrick turns eighteen. Earlier in the film, he mentioned that he was trying to get rid of kids instead so I don't know why he changes his mind. But he will at least put in a better effort to be closer to his nephew, as that is all the family he has left.
While the plot is simple, though the use of flashbacks is both odd and necessary, it is a little odd. The film is almost Lee's stream of conscious as all the memories in the past are his. Despite this, and the overall depressing ton without really any redemption at the end, the film is excellent with great, natural performances from everyone. The scenery is great and the camera angles are well thought-out. The film makes you grateful for everything you have, perhaps that is reason enough for the film to be made. Grade: A-
He lives in Boston, whittling his days away as a janitor/handyman, not understanding or caring when a woman flirts with him, he picks fights for no good reason at a bar. And then his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) dies of a heart attack. The poor man had congestive heart failure and he wasn't even fifty yet. Lee returns home and is greeted with his brother's dead body.
The main plot of the film is Lee being given guardianship of Joe's sixteen-year-old son, Patrick (Lucas Hedges), something Joe never bothered to mention to Lee as Lee almost without a doubt would have said no, with good reason, as some members of the town blame Lee for the fire, including himself. But he temporarily takes custody, though it is a struggle, even planning Joe's funeral is challenging as the ground is too frozen for Joe to even be buried yet and Patrick isn't thrilled with Joe's body being shoved in a freezer until that time comes.
And seeing his ex-wife Randi (the great Michelle Williams) with her new husband and new baby is just painful, clearly etched on his face.
But Lee ultimately wants what's best for Patrick and tries to stay in that town as Patrick actually has stuff doing on, including two girlfriends, a band and plays hockey. Lee only likes one of the girlfriends.
It is a struggle for Lee to get out of bed in the morning as he blames himself for not putting the screen in front of the fireplace before he left the house to get some snacks and just when you think Patrick understands why Lee isn't able to make small talk with another grown adult, the point is never brought up. Patrick wants to stay and keep his father's boat going. Fortunately, by selling some valuable collectible guns, the motor is able to be replaced and that also leaves the temptation of Lee once again trying to shoot himself off the table.
Patrick also reconnects with his mother, Elise (Gretchen Mol) who is now a recovering alcoholic but that meeting does not go well. Her fiance, Jeffrey (Matthew Broderick) is controlling and no longer wants her to have any contact with her only child, so that leaves Lee to care for Patrick.
And he tries, though he is still battling his old fears, confronting them head-on when he leaves something to burn on the stove, but this time, nothing bad happened, but it makes him realize that he can't care for Patrick. He arranges with George (C.J. Wilson), a good friend of the family to care for Patrick until Patrick turns eighteen. Earlier in the film, he mentioned that he was trying to get rid of kids instead so I don't know why he changes his mind. But he will at least put in a better effort to be closer to his nephew, as that is all the family he has left.
While the plot is simple, though the use of flashbacks is both odd and necessary, it is a little odd. The film is almost Lee's stream of conscious as all the memories in the past are his. Despite this, and the overall depressing ton without really any redemption at the end, the film is excellent with great, natural performances from everyone. The scenery is great and the camera angles are well thought-out. The film makes you grateful for everything you have, perhaps that is reason enough for the film to be made. Grade: A-
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
The Middle: A Very Marry Christmas
Welp, this episode picks up right where last week's left off, with Sue (Eden Sher) not believing that she heard Axl (Charlie McDermott) correctly. He couldn't have married April (Greer Garson). He finally starts to realize that he didn't think things through, after getting married at the courthouse, they went to a taco truck and because she had to work, he took her back to Orson. And, the worst part is that he married her to piss off Mom (Patricia Heaton).
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) has his own issues, being forced to watch the Peterson kids and Mrs. Peterson (Emily Rutherford) doesn't even ask his name first. She has to take the baby to the doctor's and her other kids will tear the place to shreds. Now, while it is odd that Brick watches the three kids at the Heck house, he kills it by forcing them to use their imagination. However, he does so well, that the kids want to come over all the time. And he is sick of it, trying to hide from them, even burying himself in a snow pile for a too-long period of time. But later in the episode, the Hecks are freaking over over Axl's big reveal, she tells her kids never to go over there again, ending Brick's plight.
Axl might have tried to get out of everything Christmas in the past, but not this year; he decorates the tree, bakes Christmas cookies, sets up the Christmas village and doesn't even default putting the people in compromising positions. Frankie is thrilled that he's back and he can't bring himself to tell her the truth, not wanting to disappoint her, while the secret is eating Sue alive, causing her to throw up every so often.
Mike (Neil Flynn) doesn't have much to do until later but he is befuddled by Bill Norwood (Pat Finn) gifts him some awesome sunglasses. Mike tries to get him something of equal value and is upset that he's thinking about Bill Norwood now and finally settles the score with cold, hard cash, but he does love the sunglasses.
And then April's mom calls Frankie who acts calm, cool and collective on the phone and then turns around and promptly beats up her oldest son. She is livid and Mike asks the question, did Axl have to marry her? Which he didn't and that only makes it worse, according to Mike. As the Petersons watch the Hecks freak out, she tells her kids never to go over there again, ending Brick's plight. This leads to the conversation of whether Axl should stay married or not? Finally, Mike says that if he has to ask, then he shouldn't be married so instead of that lovely new transmission for his car, they get him an annulment and then he and April go out for pizza. So life goes on, hopefully he's a little wiser now.
Despite the funny moments of Brick being adored by the neighbor kids and the great reactions of Frankie and Mike when they discover Axl's secret, I wish more time had been devoted to each plot as they were both so strong and vital for some major character development. The performances were great, but I wish Axl's plot line had ended differently. Unfortunately, this is the season's weakest episode so far. Grade: B
Side Notes:
-Axl started having second thoughts in the line at the courthouse but didn't want to get out of line because everyone else said how young and cute they were.
-Also, Sue is upset that she wasn't a bridesmaid.
-I guess Axl didn't have time to buy a ring which would have been a better way for Frankie to find out though that already happened with Sue and Darrin (John Gammon).
-Of course Axl would put the librarian with the baker as she does need to get some. Yikes. She's long overdue. Great sneaky pun.
-Sue makes some great references to depressing shows, believing this secret is a cloud over this lovely celebration.
-Never buy glue-on nails at a gas station. Frankie had arm numbness up to her elbow.
-Sue was so stressed over Axl's big secret that she twisted her hair until some came out.
-Brick gives not knowing the location of Doris as one of the reasons why he shouldn't babysit.
-Brick looks up reasons for obtaining an annulment in Indiana and one of the reasons is if a member of the union is crazy and that is the reason I'm assuming is listed on the paper.
-Sue also reversed her reversal comforter.
-Brick also uses Mike's toothbrush, but for a purpose that doesn't involve brushing his teeth.
-My favorite line is when Axl is hiding behind a light-up wise man and Mike tells him that he has no business being around wise men now.
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) has his own issues, being forced to watch the Peterson kids and Mrs. Peterson (Emily Rutherford) doesn't even ask his name first. She has to take the baby to the doctor's and her other kids will tear the place to shreds. Now, while it is odd that Brick watches the three kids at the Heck house, he kills it by forcing them to use their imagination. However, he does so well, that the kids want to come over all the time. And he is sick of it, trying to hide from them, even burying himself in a snow pile for a too-long period of time. But later in the episode, the Hecks are freaking over over Axl's big reveal, she tells her kids never to go over there again, ending Brick's plight.
Axl might have tried to get out of everything Christmas in the past, but not this year; he decorates the tree, bakes Christmas cookies, sets up the Christmas village and doesn't even default putting the people in compromising positions. Frankie is thrilled that he's back and he can't bring himself to tell her the truth, not wanting to disappoint her, while the secret is eating Sue alive, causing her to throw up every so often.
Mike (Neil Flynn) doesn't have much to do until later but he is befuddled by Bill Norwood (Pat Finn) gifts him some awesome sunglasses. Mike tries to get him something of equal value and is upset that he's thinking about Bill Norwood now and finally settles the score with cold, hard cash, but he does love the sunglasses.
And then April's mom calls Frankie who acts calm, cool and collective on the phone and then turns around and promptly beats up her oldest son. She is livid and Mike asks the question, did Axl have to marry her? Which he didn't and that only makes it worse, according to Mike. As the Petersons watch the Hecks freak out, she tells her kids never to go over there again, ending Brick's plight. This leads to the conversation of whether Axl should stay married or not? Finally, Mike says that if he has to ask, then he shouldn't be married so instead of that lovely new transmission for his car, they get him an annulment and then he and April go out for pizza. So life goes on, hopefully he's a little wiser now.
Despite the funny moments of Brick being adored by the neighbor kids and the great reactions of Frankie and Mike when they discover Axl's secret, I wish more time had been devoted to each plot as they were both so strong and vital for some major character development. The performances were great, but I wish Axl's plot line had ended differently. Unfortunately, this is the season's weakest episode so far. Grade: B
Side Notes:
-Axl started having second thoughts in the line at the courthouse but didn't want to get out of line because everyone else said how young and cute they were.
-Also, Sue is upset that she wasn't a bridesmaid.
-I guess Axl didn't have time to buy a ring which would have been a better way for Frankie to find out though that already happened with Sue and Darrin (John Gammon).
-Of course Axl would put the librarian with the baker as she does need to get some. Yikes. She's long overdue. Great sneaky pun.
-Sue makes some great references to depressing shows, believing this secret is a cloud over this lovely celebration.
-Never buy glue-on nails at a gas station. Frankie had arm numbness up to her elbow.
-Sue was so stressed over Axl's big secret that she twisted her hair until some came out.
-Brick gives not knowing the location of Doris as one of the reasons why he shouldn't babysit.
-Brick looks up reasons for obtaining an annulment in Indiana and one of the reasons is if a member of the union is crazy and that is the reason I'm assuming is listed on the paper.
-Sue also reversed her reversal comforter.
-Brick also uses Mike's toothbrush, but for a purpose that doesn't involve brushing his teeth.
-My favorite line is when Axl is hiding behind a light-up wise man and Mike tells him that he has no business being around wise men now.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Joy (2015)
Jennifer Lawrence is a good actress, killing it in basically every role she has ever taken and Joy is no exception.
She's dead-broke, her dead-beat but kind ex-husband, Tony (Edgar Ramirez) living in her basement, her mother, Terry (Virginia Madsen) stuck in her bedroom wasting her life away in front of the TV filling her head with lame soap operas and now her father, Rudy (Robert De Niro) has been dumped by his girlfriend so she has to divide the basement to fit him too.
She is brilliant but had to stay at home to care for her mother and help her father with his business but that changes when she gets another idea for a self-wringing mop. She is on the boat of her father's new girlfriend, Trudy (Isabella Rossellini) and a few wine glasses broke on the boat deck and she gets her hand's all scratched up by wringing out the mop filled with glass shards. And now the film really begins. Joy's story is interesting the film moves along quickly, her struggling to get her product patented, to find a factory that would make her products and then to finally sell her product. She finally meets Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper) who works for QVC, he was an old friend of Tony's and Joy doesn't exactly know what she's getting into. He takes on her product but the spokes model botches its TV debut. So Joy takes matters into her own hands and urges him to sell it on TV herself and fortunately, her life-long friend Jackie (Dascha Polanco) calls in and gets Joy to stop focusing on the bright lights and the product sells itself, which is good as Joy took out a second mortgage on her house and is up past her eyeballs in debt only her battle isn't over. The factory out in California ups the price on the parts needed and her half-sister Peggy (Elisabeth Rohm) makes matters worse leaving Joy to head out there herself. Once there, she discovers that Trudy's lawyer didn't know what he was doing when he researched her patent and now the company owns her idea. Fortunately, Joy stays up all night reading the fine print on her contract and fortunately, discovers that they never owned her idea and that the person who had a similar idea didn't know if said idea would actually work so Joy comes out on top and will go on to become a millionaire.
Now, the film is a little weird, using magical realism from time to time, letting Joy live in the soap operas her mother adores and Diane Lane as the grandmother, unrecognizable, is the narrator only she dies halfway through the film is an odd choice and while the film takes place mostly in 1995, it looks like it takes place earlier, with a cell phone never appearing at all. I wish the ending would have been different with her success being shown differently instead of Joy walking down the street like she owned it.
Fortunately, though Lawrence is too young for the role, she is excellent. Everyone else is pretty good but she is amazing, lifting this film to something above a mediocre film and that is impressive. Grade: B+
She's dead-broke, her dead-beat but kind ex-husband, Tony (Edgar Ramirez) living in her basement, her mother, Terry (Virginia Madsen) stuck in her bedroom wasting her life away in front of the TV filling her head with lame soap operas and now her father, Rudy (Robert De Niro) has been dumped by his girlfriend so she has to divide the basement to fit him too.
She is brilliant but had to stay at home to care for her mother and help her father with his business but that changes when she gets another idea for a self-wringing mop. She is on the boat of her father's new girlfriend, Trudy (Isabella Rossellini) and a few wine glasses broke on the boat deck and she gets her hand's all scratched up by wringing out the mop filled with glass shards. And now the film really begins. Joy's story is interesting the film moves along quickly, her struggling to get her product patented, to find a factory that would make her products and then to finally sell her product. She finally meets Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper) who works for QVC, he was an old friend of Tony's and Joy doesn't exactly know what she's getting into. He takes on her product but the spokes model botches its TV debut. So Joy takes matters into her own hands and urges him to sell it on TV herself and fortunately, her life-long friend Jackie (Dascha Polanco) calls in and gets Joy to stop focusing on the bright lights and the product sells itself, which is good as Joy took out a second mortgage on her house and is up past her eyeballs in debt only her battle isn't over. The factory out in California ups the price on the parts needed and her half-sister Peggy (Elisabeth Rohm) makes matters worse leaving Joy to head out there herself. Once there, she discovers that Trudy's lawyer didn't know what he was doing when he researched her patent and now the company owns her idea. Fortunately, Joy stays up all night reading the fine print on her contract and fortunately, discovers that they never owned her idea and that the person who had a similar idea didn't know if said idea would actually work so Joy comes out on top and will go on to become a millionaire.
Now, the film is a little weird, using magical realism from time to time, letting Joy live in the soap operas her mother adores and Diane Lane as the grandmother, unrecognizable, is the narrator only she dies halfway through the film is an odd choice and while the film takes place mostly in 1995, it looks like it takes place earlier, with a cell phone never appearing at all. I wish the ending would have been different with her success being shown differently instead of Joy walking down the street like she owned it.
Fortunately, though Lawrence is too young for the role, she is excellent. Everyone else is pretty good but she is amazing, lifting this film to something above a mediocre film and that is impressive. Grade: B+
Friday, December 9, 2016
The To Do List (2013)
Aubrey Plaza is Brandy Klark, a character whom could not be any more different than her signature role of April Ludgate on the great, late Parks and Recreation. Brandy is intelligent, well-spoken and organized. She is prepared to go to Georgetown in the fall, after graduating at the top of her high school class, though many can't believe she's still a virgin. She doesn't really care until her friends, Wendy and Fiona (Sarah Steele and Alia Shawkat) take her to a minor rager against her will. There she sees the super hot, older Rusty Waters (Scott Porter) whom she instantly develops a large crush on. It is then she is determined to do things leading up to her losing her virginity to Rusty.
She is organized, writing everything down, even if she has no idea what it means and gets to work.
The film meanders around things, including her summer lifeguarding job with her lazy boss, Willy (Bill Hader) who has no problem hazing his new employees. She has no emotions when it comes to her list and even lets Wendy's ex, Duffy (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) dry hump her. Wendy is very upset but Brandy doesn't really understand why it is that big of a deal as no emotions were involved. She ruins her friendship with the kind Cameron Mitchell (Johnny Simmons) as he has feelings for her but she doesn't in return. And yes, eventually she does lose her virginity to Rusty, though by this time everyone knows about her list. With Rusty's reaction to it, I thought things were going to go differently, but I was wrong. In the end, Brandy realizes that sex can either be a big deal or not, depending on how you approach it.
I also liked Rachel Bilson as Brandy's sexually experienced older sister who dumps her fiance and takes her sister's advice, a man is not needed, she can support herself. They also had the funniest scene with Amber listening to the phone conversation of Cameron asking Brandy out on a date and the two sisters got into a fight. Connie Britton and Clark Gregg kill it as Brandy's parents.
Now, I didn't truly understand why the film took place in 1993, though the music was good and it was weird not seeing the characters constantly on their cell phones. And I wish the film told a better message but at least they made the ride enjoyable. The ending should have made a better impression and Brandy should have learned something more important and relevant. But she was in control of herself and was a strong character. I'm glad she mended fences with her friends and decided that they were more important than any guy, which is always refreshing to see. Grade: B+
She is organized, writing everything down, even if she has no idea what it means and gets to work.
The film meanders around things, including her summer lifeguarding job with her lazy boss, Willy (Bill Hader) who has no problem hazing his new employees. She has no emotions when it comes to her list and even lets Wendy's ex, Duffy (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) dry hump her. Wendy is very upset but Brandy doesn't really understand why it is that big of a deal as no emotions were involved. She ruins her friendship with the kind Cameron Mitchell (Johnny Simmons) as he has feelings for her but she doesn't in return. And yes, eventually she does lose her virginity to Rusty, though by this time everyone knows about her list. With Rusty's reaction to it, I thought things were going to go differently, but I was wrong. In the end, Brandy realizes that sex can either be a big deal or not, depending on how you approach it.
I also liked Rachel Bilson as Brandy's sexually experienced older sister who dumps her fiance and takes her sister's advice, a man is not needed, she can support herself. They also had the funniest scene with Amber listening to the phone conversation of Cameron asking Brandy out on a date and the two sisters got into a fight. Connie Britton and Clark Gregg kill it as Brandy's parents.
Now, I didn't truly understand why the film took place in 1993, though the music was good and it was weird not seeing the characters constantly on their cell phones. And I wish the film told a better message but at least they made the ride enjoyable. The ending should have made a better impression and Brandy should have learned something more important and relevant. But she was in control of herself and was a strong character. I'm glad she mended fences with her friends and decided that they were more important than any guy, which is always refreshing to see. Grade: B+
Pitch: Series Recap and Reaction
First of all, I'm calling it, this show will not be renewed despite the devastating cliffhanger. But with a mere 2.5 million viewers per week, this show won't be allowed to continue.
That said, I can't wait to see what happens next as the show ends with Ginny (Kylie Bunbury) going into a CAT scan machine, having severed her relationship with her huckster brother, Will (BJ Britt) and fiery, fierce agent Amelia (Ali Larter, great), and most likely not pursuing her budding relationship with billionaire Noah Casey (Tyler Hilton).
Ginny truly does come into her own in the finale, though I wish the season built that up better. Ginny is not the most consistent character, having broken her own rule and dated another player in the minors and was foolish enough to have some naked pictures taken. She had every right to do that and while she should have known better, the fact that everyone is scandalized that she has some, it doesn't matter what or how many risque photos the guys have on their phone. It is a double-standard that needs to stop. She deals well with the dated sexist comments her coach, Al (Dan Lauria) said along with a taking a stance on the rape of a female athlete. She even has a breakdown after signing a lucrative deal with Nike, not believing that she belongs on the same list as President Obama and wondering what her life would be like if she had gone to college or wanted to do something else other than baseball. But she recovers and handles the ridiculous underground release of her photos with ease. And then her brother shows up. He is first portrayed as a person who wants the best for his little sister and forces her to take Amelia as her agent but now, he isn't thrilled that Amelia doesn't trust him. Will is deep in debt and owes people money, but Ginny nevertheless writes him a check to start his own restaurant. Amelia forces Will to tell Ginny the tell truth, which Ginny picks out of him, devastated that he used her money for a purpose he never told her about. If he had been honest, she still would have given him the money. She wants her brother back. But she's still mad at Amelia and Amelia has had it, leaving Ginny to fend for herself.
Now to my main problem with the show: Ginny's relationship with catcher Mike Lawson (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). At first, it's rocky though Mike eventually grows to respect Ginny as a teammate and fellow athlete and dates her agent which she abruptly ends it, though he wasn't over his ex-wife, journalist Rachel Patrick (Joanna Garcia-Swisher). Then, he decides he wants to be traded, after fifteen years of being a Padre. He doesn't realize that he has a crush on Ginny until he tells another teammate that there is no way Oscar (Jason Canela) likes her because he doesn't even know Ginny whereas Mike does. And he does like her. It gets awkward on what we believe will be Mike's last night in San Diego, they almost kiss and I was livid and then he doesn't even get traded and some of his teammates are furious as Mike had given up on the Padres.
During Ginny's last start, as statistic guru Ross (Josh Peck) is worried about Ginny's pitch count, she is throwing a no-hitter and nearly faints after seeing that zero on the big board, Mike goes to calm her down and she calls him out, saying she doesn't need a man to rescue her, doesn't even need a billionaire to take her around the world, she's on the mound and needs to own the moment which she nearly does, until she injuries herself fielding a routine bunt. Amelia sees this on the TV at the airport and boards her flight nonetheless. It is wonderful having a main character decide she doesn't need a man to succeed, only it doesn't exactly work out for her, which is a shame, the moment is wasted.
Now, that is only Ginny's plot line, and I didn't even get into all the flashbacks, some of which worked better than others, which is probably the last three episodes were far superior than the previous seven. We know that Ginny's father was killed by the alcoholic drunk driving father of one of her best friends in high school and that Mike's mother was con-artist but at least Ginny's past doesn't translate well into her present, never mentioning how much the characters drink though you never see her drive, which I find interesting. But all Mike wants is a family and might have a chance as he sleeps with his ex-wife in the finale. Things might work out between them now, as she does even show up at the game, witnessing Ginny's injury firsthand.
I haven't mentioned Ginny's center fielder Blip Saunders (Mo McRae). First of all, what kind of name is Blip? He is sort of a jerk, not understanding how many sacrifices his wife, Evelyn (Meagan Holder) makes for him and doesn't appreciate her for it. Evelyn is actually not a bad character, supportive of Ginny, who doesn't have many female friends and is the one who finally sees through Will's crap and cuts him out of the business but still wants to pursue it herself, opting to focus on herself for a change. That marriage is slightly rocky as Blip wants another baby.
And the office staff including new president of operations (Kevin Connolly) hasn't yet meshed with the general manager Oscar (Mark Consuelos), but their action isn't the most important.
While the acting is top-notch the plot lines are all over the place and though this show might be cooperating with MLB, it isn't accurate. There are too many day games, not enough road trips and Ginny develops a new pitch too quickly, among other issues, but the show is sound, with great music and cinematography and it is a shame that the acting is wasted. Bunbury, Larter and Gosselaar kill it every episode but despite the importance of this show, I feel that it quickly be forgotten and that is just a shame. Bunbury is the real breakout star, doing much better work here than in her previous TV venture, Under the Dome. This is the one she should be remembered for and she deserves a great career. Grade: B
That said, I can't wait to see what happens next as the show ends with Ginny (Kylie Bunbury) going into a CAT scan machine, having severed her relationship with her huckster brother, Will (BJ Britt) and fiery, fierce agent Amelia (Ali Larter, great), and most likely not pursuing her budding relationship with billionaire Noah Casey (Tyler Hilton).
Ginny truly does come into her own in the finale, though I wish the season built that up better. Ginny is not the most consistent character, having broken her own rule and dated another player in the minors and was foolish enough to have some naked pictures taken. She had every right to do that and while she should have known better, the fact that everyone is scandalized that she has some, it doesn't matter what or how many risque photos the guys have on their phone. It is a double-standard that needs to stop. She deals well with the dated sexist comments her coach, Al (Dan Lauria) said along with a taking a stance on the rape of a female athlete. She even has a breakdown after signing a lucrative deal with Nike, not believing that she belongs on the same list as President Obama and wondering what her life would be like if she had gone to college or wanted to do something else other than baseball. But she recovers and handles the ridiculous underground release of her photos with ease. And then her brother shows up. He is first portrayed as a person who wants the best for his little sister and forces her to take Amelia as her agent but now, he isn't thrilled that Amelia doesn't trust him. Will is deep in debt and owes people money, but Ginny nevertheless writes him a check to start his own restaurant. Amelia forces Will to tell Ginny the tell truth, which Ginny picks out of him, devastated that he used her money for a purpose he never told her about. If he had been honest, she still would have given him the money. She wants her brother back. But she's still mad at Amelia and Amelia has had it, leaving Ginny to fend for herself.
Now to my main problem with the show: Ginny's relationship with catcher Mike Lawson (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). At first, it's rocky though Mike eventually grows to respect Ginny as a teammate and fellow athlete and dates her agent which she abruptly ends it, though he wasn't over his ex-wife, journalist Rachel Patrick (Joanna Garcia-Swisher). Then, he decides he wants to be traded, after fifteen years of being a Padre. He doesn't realize that he has a crush on Ginny until he tells another teammate that there is no way Oscar (Jason Canela) likes her because he doesn't even know Ginny whereas Mike does. And he does like her. It gets awkward on what we believe will be Mike's last night in San Diego, they almost kiss and I was livid and then he doesn't even get traded and some of his teammates are furious as Mike had given up on the Padres.
During Ginny's last start, as statistic guru Ross (Josh Peck) is worried about Ginny's pitch count, she is throwing a no-hitter and nearly faints after seeing that zero on the big board, Mike goes to calm her down and she calls him out, saying she doesn't need a man to rescue her, doesn't even need a billionaire to take her around the world, she's on the mound and needs to own the moment which she nearly does, until she injuries herself fielding a routine bunt. Amelia sees this on the TV at the airport and boards her flight nonetheless. It is wonderful having a main character decide she doesn't need a man to succeed, only it doesn't exactly work out for her, which is a shame, the moment is wasted.
Now, that is only Ginny's plot line, and I didn't even get into all the flashbacks, some of which worked better than others, which is probably the last three episodes were far superior than the previous seven. We know that Ginny's father was killed by the alcoholic drunk driving father of one of her best friends in high school and that Mike's mother was con-artist but at least Ginny's past doesn't translate well into her present, never mentioning how much the characters drink though you never see her drive, which I find interesting. But all Mike wants is a family and might have a chance as he sleeps with his ex-wife in the finale. Things might work out between them now, as she does even show up at the game, witnessing Ginny's injury firsthand.
I haven't mentioned Ginny's center fielder Blip Saunders (Mo McRae). First of all, what kind of name is Blip? He is sort of a jerk, not understanding how many sacrifices his wife, Evelyn (Meagan Holder) makes for him and doesn't appreciate her for it. Evelyn is actually not a bad character, supportive of Ginny, who doesn't have many female friends and is the one who finally sees through Will's crap and cuts him out of the business but still wants to pursue it herself, opting to focus on herself for a change. That marriage is slightly rocky as Blip wants another baby.
And the office staff including new president of operations (Kevin Connolly) hasn't yet meshed with the general manager Oscar (Mark Consuelos), but their action isn't the most important.
While the acting is top-notch the plot lines are all over the place and though this show might be cooperating with MLB, it isn't accurate. There are too many day games, not enough road trips and Ginny develops a new pitch too quickly, among other issues, but the show is sound, with great music and cinematography and it is a shame that the acting is wasted. Bunbury, Larter and Gosselaar kill it every episode but despite the importance of this show, I feel that it quickly be forgotten and that is just a shame. Bunbury is the real breakout star, doing much better work here than in her previous TV venture, Under the Dome. This is the one she should be remembered for and she deserves a great career. Grade: B
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
The Middle: Trip and Fall
Well, just when Mike (Neil Flynn) thought he had everything under control, he thought wrong. When he's leaving work, he trips and falls down the three steps outside of his trailer and falls flat on his face. His men rush to his side coddling him in their odd way but Mike doesn't want to make a big deal out of it though Dave (Malcolm Foster Smith) is in charge of safety and has to report the incident which means a visit from OSHA to teach them how to properly walk down steps. And then corporate comes and ruins their accident free list, meaning they won't get a cupcake party. Needless to say, the men are mad at Mike, mouths already watering from the mere thought of those cupcakes. So Mike attempts to make some himself, with some help from Brick (Atticus Shaffer) who says that he does embarrassing stuff everyday but never lets it bother him and if it isn't bad enough for him to go cry in a cave, then it really isn't that bad.
Mike puts himself out on a limb and shows the tape to corporate, biting his tongue as they laugh but his men love him forever as they get their cupcake party.
Sue (Eden Sher) is hell-bent and getting Axl (Charlie McDermott) is reconnect with the family. She loves that he messes up all the nice plans they have for Christmas. The Heck's Christmas will go smoothly without him and that isn't how they roll. But he is resilient at first, as he can't be around people who don't love April (Greer Garson).
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is about to call off work, siting mental health reasons, when Rita Glossner (Brooke Shields, great in this role) shows up ordering Frankie to drive her somewhere. Frankie is reluctant at first, but then they bond over the perfectness of Nancy Donohue until Rita saws off her ankle bracelet. Fortunately, this trip to Georgia turns out unexpectedly. Rita's a grandmother and the item in her bag wasn't anything bad, just a beautiful custom ornament. Frankie nearly cries as she sees Rita hold her grandson so she decides to mend things with Axl, despite the cost.
April comes to visit Axl and says that her family doesn't like him, they believe she can do better which is sickly funny. Axl is a real catch for her. But, as he insists, they have each other.
And then, the bomb. Axl runs to find Sue, still in her temporary housing and announces the bombshell, he did indeed do something stupid, he marries April. I'm just grateful she wasn't pregnant. I wonder how the Hecks will react to that news.
Again, this was another solid episode, with great performances all-around and I love seeing Mike's crew and Rita is always welcome. There aren't any laugh-out loud funny moments, but this show will quietly charm you. And make you wonder what will happen next. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Chuck (Greg Sipes) has room to drive Mike home on his dirt bike.
-Sue has always been a good dice roller.
-When Rita says Cheez-It she means only one.
-I love when Sue yells over her shoulder saying that journalism is dead and to start a blog.
-A mixing bowl is a good place to store your mail.
-And yes, the paper around cupcakes is important.
-Sprinkles do make everything more festive.
-Rita drives Frankie's car with her feet.
-Good callback to that Halloween episode where Frankie abandoned Rita in that forest.
Mike puts himself out on a limb and shows the tape to corporate, biting his tongue as they laugh but his men love him forever as they get their cupcake party.
Sue (Eden Sher) is hell-bent and getting Axl (Charlie McDermott) is reconnect with the family. She loves that he messes up all the nice plans they have for Christmas. The Heck's Christmas will go smoothly without him and that isn't how they roll. But he is resilient at first, as he can't be around people who don't love April (Greer Garson).
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is about to call off work, siting mental health reasons, when Rita Glossner (Brooke Shields, great in this role) shows up ordering Frankie to drive her somewhere. Frankie is reluctant at first, but then they bond over the perfectness of Nancy Donohue until Rita saws off her ankle bracelet. Fortunately, this trip to Georgia turns out unexpectedly. Rita's a grandmother and the item in her bag wasn't anything bad, just a beautiful custom ornament. Frankie nearly cries as she sees Rita hold her grandson so she decides to mend things with Axl, despite the cost.
April comes to visit Axl and says that her family doesn't like him, they believe she can do better which is sickly funny. Axl is a real catch for her. But, as he insists, they have each other.
And then, the bomb. Axl runs to find Sue, still in her temporary housing and announces the bombshell, he did indeed do something stupid, he marries April. I'm just grateful she wasn't pregnant. I wonder how the Hecks will react to that news.
Again, this was another solid episode, with great performances all-around and I love seeing Mike's crew and Rita is always welcome. There aren't any laugh-out loud funny moments, but this show will quietly charm you. And make you wonder what will happen next. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Chuck (Greg Sipes) has room to drive Mike home on his dirt bike.
-Sue has always been a good dice roller.
-When Rita says Cheez-It she means only one.
-I love when Sue yells over her shoulder saying that journalism is dead and to start a blog.
-A mixing bowl is a good place to store your mail.
-And yes, the paper around cupcakes is important.
-Sprinkles do make everything more festive.
-Rita drives Frankie's car with her feet.
-Good callback to that Halloween episode where Frankie abandoned Rita in that forest.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Love the Coopers (2015)
This film had one good plot line, the rest is a toss away.
The good one: Olivia Wilde previously having caught her fiance doesn't believe in love and under values herself by sleeping with a married man and avoiding the disappointment in her family. Fortunately, she runs into her total opposite Jake Lacy, about to join the army. He is a Republican. But they slowly fall in love and she even gets him to pose as her boyfriend for her family, though he takes it one step further saying that he is her fiancé. It is beautiful, watching the two of them fall in love so quickly and perfectly though even this plot line is slightly ruined when Olivia dumps her doctor boyfriend also quickly, but it needed to happen.
Now to all the other crappy plot lines: Diane Keaton and John Goodman are the parents of Ed Helms and Olivia Wilde and are having struggles with their marriage and are on the brink of divorce. They haven't had the best marriage and still haven't fully recovered from the death of their daughter decades ago.
Alan Arkin is great as another grouchy old man bewildered as to why his daughters don't exactly like each other. He eats at a crappy diner every day just because he bonded with the young waitress Amanda Seyfried, missing the opportunity to steal scenes in her painfully underwritten role. Amanda wants bigger things and is moving elsewhere leaving Alan with little to look forward to each day.
Ed Helms is unemployed and still upset over his divorce, struggling with his kids, and that's pretty much it.
Marisa Tomei steals things and is upset over never having settled down but the world's longest record police ride with Anthony Mackie forces her to face her life for what it is. Mackie does make the most of his underwritten role.
Everything works out in the end, though the opportunity is missed to either have Amanda and Ed end up together or have them just be friends. I would have also liked an epilogue or something at the end, though the St. Bernard, Rags (voiced by Steve Martin) narrated the whole film, which is just odd, the dog with the unstainable appetite telling the whole story.
This film was a disappointment, with no humor and too many serious plot lines with uneven screen time between them. The talent was sorely wasted which is just unfortunate, please pick better projects next time. Grade: C+
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Eye in the Sky
The plot is fairly simple, launch the missile to stop some nasty suicide bombers but kill a young girl in the process or let them go where they could most likely kill many, many more.
This film is done in almost real time and spans almost the whole world with Coronal Katharine Powell (Helen Mirren) in command, the one who wants the Syrian terrorists, living in Kenya killed, including previous British nationalist who turned when she was young. But it is the Americans, including the pilots Steve and Carrie (Aaron Paul and Phoebe Fox) who have the titlular eye in the sky and the missile to launch when given the word while the Kenyans have some ground forces including Barkhad Abdi who might have a character name.
The little girl is selling bread right in front of the house where the terrorists are loading up their suicide vests and though Abdi tries to buy her bread, his true identity is almost uncovered and the girl merely picks up the fallen loaves and continues selling while Steve simply can't while the girl is in range of most likely ending up dead, which once again sets off a whole international debate with the British having the biggest issue while the American Secretary of State doesn't mind a few minor deaths if the main people are eliminated.
In the end, the missile's position is moved but needs to launched again to kill one of the targets and the poor little girl dies in the crude Kenyan hospital with Steve and Carrie having tears streak down their cheeks. But they did probably save many more lives.
The acting is top-notch including Alan Rickman as another military man who is on Powell's side but has to convince the government officials and legal that this move is the proper one. The dialogue is also great and the plot is tight and realistically done looking at the decisions from all angles.
It would be nice to get some background on the characters especially as to why Steve can't aim the missile once he sees the little girl, but nevertheless the film is intense and heart-wrenching and will force you to think about things differently and will leave you wondering if the right decision was actually made? Grade: A-
This film is done in almost real time and spans almost the whole world with Coronal Katharine Powell (Helen Mirren) in command, the one who wants the Syrian terrorists, living in Kenya killed, including previous British nationalist who turned when she was young. But it is the Americans, including the pilots Steve and Carrie (Aaron Paul and Phoebe Fox) who have the titlular eye in the sky and the missile to launch when given the word while the Kenyans have some ground forces including Barkhad Abdi who might have a character name.
The little girl is selling bread right in front of the house where the terrorists are loading up their suicide vests and though Abdi tries to buy her bread, his true identity is almost uncovered and the girl merely picks up the fallen loaves and continues selling while Steve simply can't while the girl is in range of most likely ending up dead, which once again sets off a whole international debate with the British having the biggest issue while the American Secretary of State doesn't mind a few minor deaths if the main people are eliminated.
In the end, the missile's position is moved but needs to launched again to kill one of the targets and the poor little girl dies in the crude Kenyan hospital with Steve and Carrie having tears streak down their cheeks. But they did probably save many more lives.
The acting is top-notch including Alan Rickman as another military man who is on Powell's side but has to convince the government officials and legal that this move is the proper one. The dialogue is also great and the plot is tight and realistically done looking at the decisions from all angles.
It would be nice to get some background on the characters especially as to why Steve can't aim the missile once he sees the little girl, but nevertheless the film is intense and heart-wrenching and will force you to think about things differently and will leave you wondering if the right decision was actually made? Grade: A-
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Poldark: Season Two Recap and Reaction
Well, forget what I said about last season. Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) is a big idiot and far too stubborn for his own good.
He does go on trial for pirating, but is miraclously found not guilty, though that doesn't stop him from further crimes including allowing illegal storage of goods on his cove, despite Demelza's (Eleanor Tomlinson's) pleas of the contrary. He opens up a new mine which also nearly bankrupts him though it does strike riches toward the end of the season, but it comes at a cost. Francis (Kyle Soller) is actually one of my favorite characters this season shockingly. He nearly succeeds in killing himself in the season opener but doesn't and then embraces life. He grows a pair and tells off the evil weasel-faced George Warleggen (Jack Farthing) in a great scene. But his growth comes at a cost. He learns more about mining. Unfortunately, he still cannot swim so he drowns tragically, leaving Elizabeth (Heida Reed) penniless and without means of earning money. And Ross is right, Demelza is resourceful while Elizabeth was trained to be a lady, so her needs might be more than his wife's, but that doesn't mean he should abandon his beloved.
Ross is neglectful of his wife and even goes as far as proclaiming that he doesn't want another child as losing Julia nearly killed him. Too bad she's already pregnant, though their son is born healthy and still alive at the end of the season.
It isn't until Elizabeth decides to accept George's proposal and Ross is livid. He's in bad form as the mine just collasped, killing two of his workers so he goes over to the ancient Poldark estate and basically rapes Elizabeth. Though apparently in the book, it was rape, BBC declared that now it was going to be consensual and I kept thinking that there was nothing consensual about that. Earlier in the season, when Elizabeth did declare that she still loved Ross while also loving her husband, she might have been willing, but not now. And then the version shown in England was even worse, leaving the gray area away, it was rape, plain and simple. And Demelza knew what he was up to. When Ross returns home, doing the walk of shame, she smacks him so hard, he falls to the ground, in an epic moment for all womenkind. She even tries to cheat on him, though she can't bring herself to follow through. Ross does apologize and state that he no longer has any feelings for Elizabeth and in the season finale, things are finally better between, but the damage has been done, my favorite couple, the one I shipped so hard in season one is ruined beyond my wildest dreams.
Fortunately, there was another couple I did ship this season and I have high hopes for them. Dr. Dwight Enys (Luke Norris) and the wealthy heiress Caroline Penvenen (Gabriella Wilde) love each other, but her uncle is against the match and Dwight is too dedicated to his patients. But in the end, love wins. And I can't live in a world where it doesn't.
In the end, Elizabeth is pregnant, believing the baby to be George's while her aunt Agatha (Caroline Blakiston), a great character, tells her that the baby would come early. Agatha also has all the great lines, calling George the devil which completely applies. And though George may love Elizabeth he is also cruel in sneaky way including wishing to send the child with too many names to a great school, just so Elizabeth won't have to divide her attention between the two of them. Things will get interesting in the next season.
As for my favorite character, Verity (Ruby Bentall), she finally has the baby she longed for and things are better with her step-children and her family, though her aunt misses her greatly. Still, she deserves better scenes as she is too good of an actress to be wasted like that.
While I may have had big time problems with the direction the main character took, going off the deep end, the acting is still top-notch and the sets truly take you back to a place far away and long ago, with excellent camera work and editing. I just wish Ross was still a character I could admire. Grade: B+
He does go on trial for pirating, but is miraclously found not guilty, though that doesn't stop him from further crimes including allowing illegal storage of goods on his cove, despite Demelza's (Eleanor Tomlinson's) pleas of the contrary. He opens up a new mine which also nearly bankrupts him though it does strike riches toward the end of the season, but it comes at a cost. Francis (Kyle Soller) is actually one of my favorite characters this season shockingly. He nearly succeeds in killing himself in the season opener but doesn't and then embraces life. He grows a pair and tells off the evil weasel-faced George Warleggen (Jack Farthing) in a great scene. But his growth comes at a cost. He learns more about mining. Unfortunately, he still cannot swim so he drowns tragically, leaving Elizabeth (Heida Reed) penniless and without means of earning money. And Ross is right, Demelza is resourceful while Elizabeth was trained to be a lady, so her needs might be more than his wife's, but that doesn't mean he should abandon his beloved.
Ross is neglectful of his wife and even goes as far as proclaiming that he doesn't want another child as losing Julia nearly killed him. Too bad she's already pregnant, though their son is born healthy and still alive at the end of the season.
It isn't until Elizabeth decides to accept George's proposal and Ross is livid. He's in bad form as the mine just collasped, killing two of his workers so he goes over to the ancient Poldark estate and basically rapes Elizabeth. Though apparently in the book, it was rape, BBC declared that now it was going to be consensual and I kept thinking that there was nothing consensual about that. Earlier in the season, when Elizabeth did declare that she still loved Ross while also loving her husband, she might have been willing, but not now. And then the version shown in England was even worse, leaving the gray area away, it was rape, plain and simple. And Demelza knew what he was up to. When Ross returns home, doing the walk of shame, she smacks him so hard, he falls to the ground, in an epic moment for all womenkind. She even tries to cheat on him, though she can't bring herself to follow through. Ross does apologize and state that he no longer has any feelings for Elizabeth and in the season finale, things are finally better between, but the damage has been done, my favorite couple, the one I shipped so hard in season one is ruined beyond my wildest dreams.
Fortunately, there was another couple I did ship this season and I have high hopes for them. Dr. Dwight Enys (Luke Norris) and the wealthy heiress Caroline Penvenen (Gabriella Wilde) love each other, but her uncle is against the match and Dwight is too dedicated to his patients. But in the end, love wins. And I can't live in a world where it doesn't.
In the end, Elizabeth is pregnant, believing the baby to be George's while her aunt Agatha (Caroline Blakiston), a great character, tells her that the baby would come early. Agatha also has all the great lines, calling George the devil which completely applies. And though George may love Elizabeth he is also cruel in sneaky way including wishing to send the child with too many names to a great school, just so Elizabeth won't have to divide her attention between the two of them. Things will get interesting in the next season.
As for my favorite character, Verity (Ruby Bentall), she finally has the baby she longed for and things are better with her step-children and her family, though her aunt misses her greatly. Still, she deserves better scenes as she is too good of an actress to be wasted like that.
While I may have had big time problems with the direction the main character took, going off the deep end, the acting is still top-notch and the sets truly take you back to a place far away and long ago, with excellent camera work and editing. I just wish Ross was still a character I could admire. Grade: B+
The Middle: Look Who's Not Talking
Well, Frankie's (Patricia Heaton's) actions from last week are still having consequences. Axl (Charlie McDermott) is still not talking to her though he does text Mike (Neil Flynn) to ask if he is allergic to penicillin. She is still furious at him, livid that he is mad at her when she should be mad at him for skipping Thanksgiving.
Frankie tries, even sending him a picture of a anatomically correct mutant carrot which he found hilarious, but she insulted his lady and that does not fly with him. Mike even drives all the way up there just to get him to mend the fences with Frankie, but then only makes things worse, saying that April is indeed as dumb as a box of hammers and that Sue (Eden Sher) and Brick (Atticus Shaffer) agree. So now Axl isn't talking to the whole family. Which is just great.
Sue finally gets some sparkle or glitter in her life when Brad (J. Brock Ciarlelli) comes to visit. She is in temporary housing which sucks as there are some kids of both genders with just half a bunk bed to call their own. Brad helps decorate the temporary housing and fortunately the warden ultimately doesn't care. But he has a bombshell of his own. Upset with the dark people at NYU, he dropped out, shocking Sue. Sue urges him not to change who he is and that he should still follow his theatre dreams and that East Indy has a great program.
Brick is having issues but it takes you a little while to figure out that him saying "You're going to love our pizza," is a new tick. Anxious over all the family drama, he has taken to saying that whenever he first talks before moving on to something relevant. It lands him in detention which means that he has to have a talk with Dr. Fulton (Dave Foley) who encourages Brick to have more fun to let off some steam.
His parents are upset that the family drama is having such a devastating affect on him and let off some built up tension and hit the mutant fruit pieces in the backyard, having fun. It is nice and truly wonderful to see them having fun with their youngest son.
Though I wish things had mended with Axl, he is truly in love with April and believes that he was a whole different person before he met her, things like that are not forgiven overnight and it will be some time before the family is whole again. I'm glad we will probably be seeing more of Brad as his presence is always welcome. Sue is always excellent in the role of the most positive character on TV. Frankie and Mike have honed their roles to a perfection over the years and while Brick needs more screen time, he makes the most of what he is given. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Frankie got some misshapen fruit from a store that is even cheaper than the Frugal Hoosier. It is called Yesterday's Bounty.
-Frankie bites into some of the cereal she bought and chokes thinking that it is dishwasher detergent but then changes her mind and decides that it is actually cereal.
-In New York, you can get a hot pretzel any time of the day.
-Brad fainted when he thought he saw Greg Kinnear at a coffee shop.
-The twenty-four mini mart doesn't close until eleven at night.
-Dr. Fulton is seeing a sixty-eight year old woman who is great at power walking.
-If you don't want it to be a karaoke bar, then you shouldn't play Katy Perry.
-Telling Sue not to decorate her room is like telling Michael Phelps not to get wet. That is a mental image I did not need.
-Sue's name in the bin is retainer drooler before they finally introduce themselves to each other.
-When Brad first arrives, he pretends to be a predator and so Lexie (Daniela Bodadilla) attacks him. When Sue offers to give him a tour of the campus, he asks to start with the ice machine.
-Axl's Winnebago home still has a hole in the roof which sucks now that it is winter.
Frankie tries, even sending him a picture of a anatomically correct mutant carrot which he found hilarious, but she insulted his lady and that does not fly with him. Mike even drives all the way up there just to get him to mend the fences with Frankie, but then only makes things worse, saying that April is indeed as dumb as a box of hammers and that Sue (Eden Sher) and Brick (Atticus Shaffer) agree. So now Axl isn't talking to the whole family. Which is just great.
Sue finally gets some sparkle or glitter in her life when Brad (J. Brock Ciarlelli) comes to visit. She is in temporary housing which sucks as there are some kids of both genders with just half a bunk bed to call their own. Brad helps decorate the temporary housing and fortunately the warden ultimately doesn't care. But he has a bombshell of his own. Upset with the dark people at NYU, he dropped out, shocking Sue. Sue urges him not to change who he is and that he should still follow his theatre dreams and that East Indy has a great program.
Brick is having issues but it takes you a little while to figure out that him saying "You're going to love our pizza," is a new tick. Anxious over all the family drama, he has taken to saying that whenever he first talks before moving on to something relevant. It lands him in detention which means that he has to have a talk with Dr. Fulton (Dave Foley) who encourages Brick to have more fun to let off some steam.
His parents are upset that the family drama is having such a devastating affect on him and let off some built up tension and hit the mutant fruit pieces in the backyard, having fun. It is nice and truly wonderful to see them having fun with their youngest son.
Though I wish things had mended with Axl, he is truly in love with April and believes that he was a whole different person before he met her, things like that are not forgiven overnight and it will be some time before the family is whole again. I'm glad we will probably be seeing more of Brad as his presence is always welcome. Sue is always excellent in the role of the most positive character on TV. Frankie and Mike have honed their roles to a perfection over the years and while Brick needs more screen time, he makes the most of what he is given. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Frankie got some misshapen fruit from a store that is even cheaper than the Frugal Hoosier. It is called Yesterday's Bounty.
-Frankie bites into some of the cereal she bought and chokes thinking that it is dishwasher detergent but then changes her mind and decides that it is actually cereal.
-In New York, you can get a hot pretzel any time of the day.
-Brad fainted when he thought he saw Greg Kinnear at a coffee shop.
-The twenty-four mini mart doesn't close until eleven at night.
-Dr. Fulton is seeing a sixty-eight year old woman who is great at power walking.
-If you don't want it to be a karaoke bar, then you shouldn't play Katy Perry.
-Telling Sue not to decorate her room is like telling Michael Phelps not to get wet. That is a mental image I did not need.
-Sue's name in the bin is retainer drooler before they finally introduce themselves to each other.
-When Brad first arrives, he pretends to be a predator and so Lexie (Daniela Bodadilla) attacks him. When Sue offers to give him a tour of the campus, he asks to start with the ice machine.
-Axl's Winnebago home still has a hole in the roof which sucks now that it is winter.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Loving
Imagine a time where it was a crime to marry your true love. Imagine a place that would have law against interracial marriages.
The time was 1958 and the place, Virginia, United States, not terribly long nor far away.
The film begins with Mildred Jeter (Ruth Negga) telling her white boyfriend Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) that she is pregnant. Instead of being angry or something similar, which I was expecting, he merely says good. Fortunately, he proposes a few weeks later, which is mighty nice of him, considering he impregnated her. They live in Virginia but marry in Washington D.C. where they won't have as much red tape, when it is in fact illegal in Virginia, as Mildred is colored. They are arrested, with the police sneaking into Mildred's father's house in the middle of the night to catch them in bed together, which is sick. They plead guilty and are sentenced to one year in prison, beyond harsh, but the judge says that if they leave immediately for Washington, they won't have to spend any time in prison, which is what they do, though they briefly return for the birth of their oldest son.
Fortunately, their lawyer (Bill Camp) takes the bullet for them, telling the judge that he wrongly informed them that they could return. For the next five years, they live in D.C. where Richard finds a job in construction. Though Mildred has family in the area, she doesn't like the lack of trees and grass for the kids to run around in. She eventually takes matters into her own hands and contacts the attorney general, Bobby Kennedy himself to help out her family. The lawyer she is assigned from the ACLU, Bernard Cohen (Nick Kroll) suggests that they return to Virginia where they can get arrested again so they can appeal the sentence. They are hungry to get this case to the Supreme Court.
It isn't until Donald is injured when he is hit by a car that Mildred defies her husband and starts to pack to return.
The family returns where the original court decision is still upheld so the family gains some sort of publicity as they have a Life magazine photo shoot and the case eventually does go to the Supreme Court where it is fortunately overturned. The year is 1968, ten years after they first married.
Richard is finally able to build Mildred he promised her all those years ago.
The plot is simple enough, so this film should be more of a character study than it is. First of all, the film starts when they have already been dating for some time, it would be nice to see how they got together and when they fell in love. At least they did have mostly support, though Richard's mother didn't agree with them marrying, probably because it made his life harder, which it did. Only one of his co-workers had an issue with it. It was only the law standing in their way.
The film didn't have enough scenes with dialogue between the two main characters so they seem disjointed together most of the time with Mildred being warm and open to the reporters while Richard is pretty closed off and tight-lipped, but he does truly love his wife and children. Though each actor is excellent, I wish the script gave them more to do instead of staring intently into the distance while the camera attempts to capture their emotions.
But you do feel like you are being transported to another time in another place, so the film succeeds in that regard, thank goodness, with the brilliant sets and costumes.
I just wish that you got to know Richard and Mildred better. Grade: B+
The time was 1958 and the place, Virginia, United States, not terribly long nor far away.
The film begins with Mildred Jeter (Ruth Negga) telling her white boyfriend Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) that she is pregnant. Instead of being angry or something similar, which I was expecting, he merely says good. Fortunately, he proposes a few weeks later, which is mighty nice of him, considering he impregnated her. They live in Virginia but marry in Washington D.C. where they won't have as much red tape, when it is in fact illegal in Virginia, as Mildred is colored. They are arrested, with the police sneaking into Mildred's father's house in the middle of the night to catch them in bed together, which is sick. They plead guilty and are sentenced to one year in prison, beyond harsh, but the judge says that if they leave immediately for Washington, they won't have to spend any time in prison, which is what they do, though they briefly return for the birth of their oldest son.
Fortunately, their lawyer (Bill Camp) takes the bullet for them, telling the judge that he wrongly informed them that they could return. For the next five years, they live in D.C. where Richard finds a job in construction. Though Mildred has family in the area, she doesn't like the lack of trees and grass for the kids to run around in. She eventually takes matters into her own hands and contacts the attorney general, Bobby Kennedy himself to help out her family. The lawyer she is assigned from the ACLU, Bernard Cohen (Nick Kroll) suggests that they return to Virginia where they can get arrested again so they can appeal the sentence. They are hungry to get this case to the Supreme Court.
It isn't until Donald is injured when he is hit by a car that Mildred defies her husband and starts to pack to return.
The family returns where the original court decision is still upheld so the family gains some sort of publicity as they have a Life magazine photo shoot and the case eventually does go to the Supreme Court where it is fortunately overturned. The year is 1968, ten years after they first married.
Richard is finally able to build Mildred he promised her all those years ago.
The plot is simple enough, so this film should be more of a character study than it is. First of all, the film starts when they have already been dating for some time, it would be nice to see how they got together and when they fell in love. At least they did have mostly support, though Richard's mother didn't agree with them marrying, probably because it made his life harder, which it did. Only one of his co-workers had an issue with it. It was only the law standing in their way.
The film didn't have enough scenes with dialogue between the two main characters so they seem disjointed together most of the time with Mildred being warm and open to the reporters while Richard is pretty closed off and tight-lipped, but he does truly love his wife and children. Though each actor is excellent, I wish the script gave them more to do instead of staring intently into the distance while the camera attempts to capture their emotions.
But you do feel like you are being transported to another time in another place, so the film succeeds in that regard, thank goodness, with the brilliant sets and costumes.
I just wish that you got to know Richard and Mildred better. Grade: B+
Friday, November 25, 2016
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Thank goodness for technology.
Newt (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York where the wizarding world is very, very separate from the no-mag, short for no magic, aka Muggles, as the Brits call them but this term hasn't carried across the ocean. Despite the law that it is illegal to have magical animals in New York, Newt has several missions with his creatures, including letting one of them loose in his native Arizona.
But he is distracted when one of his thieving animals who likes shiny things gets loose and his suitcase is switched with that of aspiring Muggle baker Jacob (Dan Fogler, excellent), so things get complicated really fast.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, former Auror Tina (Katherine Waterston) is on his case and is at first livid that he got a Muggle mixed up in his mess and doesn't care, at first, about him rescuing his animals. She brings him and Jacob back to her nice apartment which she shares with her mind-reading younger sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol) who develops an instant attraction to Jacob.
The film truly gets interesting when Newt and Jacob travel into his suitcase where he has a whole world devoted to Newt's magical creatures including some that are very rare and exotic. Redmayne finally becomes alive and at ease among his true loves. Those are his best scenes.
Though part of the film is Newt sneaking around the city getting his animals back, there is another plot line that gets complicated.
In addition to Newt and Tina committing crimes as they have gotten the Muggle world involved, they have an Auror, Mr. Graves (Colin Farrell), after them, and there is a force that lives in a select few Muggle children who have magical abilities but cannot foster their gift and if it escapes, the consequences can be deadly, which is what happens. Samantha Morton is wasted as a woman who runs an orphanage and speaks out against any magic of any kind. That plot is less interesting and more complicated and confusing than the gathering up of the animals, though everything works out in the end, with the force being destroyed and the bad guy in prison.
The problem with the film, in addition to the chunky plot, is the acting. Some are great, but Redmayne (whom I love and is usually quite good) is an oddball of a character, with a hunched posture and the inability to look others in the eye, though he is an intelligent man. Though his actions have thought behind them, it isn't in the right direction. His performance is confusing, at best, and bizarre at worse. It is a shame as everyone else is great.
The technology is wonderful with my favorite scene being when Queenie assembles strudel in mid-air, you can see the ingredients come together, including the powdered sugar.
With melancholy colors, the cinematography has a dark, dense look about it, as though it was still filmed in Britain as the others had been, there should have been a different feel to this film. It should have been more American. Grade: B-
Newt (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York where the wizarding world is very, very separate from the no-mag, short for no magic, aka Muggles, as the Brits call them but this term hasn't carried across the ocean. Despite the law that it is illegal to have magical animals in New York, Newt has several missions with his creatures, including letting one of them loose in his native Arizona.
But he is distracted when one of his thieving animals who likes shiny things gets loose and his suitcase is switched with that of aspiring Muggle baker Jacob (Dan Fogler, excellent), so things get complicated really fast.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, former Auror Tina (Katherine Waterston) is on his case and is at first livid that he got a Muggle mixed up in his mess and doesn't care, at first, about him rescuing his animals. She brings him and Jacob back to her nice apartment which she shares with her mind-reading younger sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol) who develops an instant attraction to Jacob.
The film truly gets interesting when Newt and Jacob travel into his suitcase where he has a whole world devoted to Newt's magical creatures including some that are very rare and exotic. Redmayne finally becomes alive and at ease among his true loves. Those are his best scenes.
Though part of the film is Newt sneaking around the city getting his animals back, there is another plot line that gets complicated.
In addition to Newt and Tina committing crimes as they have gotten the Muggle world involved, they have an Auror, Mr. Graves (Colin Farrell), after them, and there is a force that lives in a select few Muggle children who have magical abilities but cannot foster their gift and if it escapes, the consequences can be deadly, which is what happens. Samantha Morton is wasted as a woman who runs an orphanage and speaks out against any magic of any kind. That plot is less interesting and more complicated and confusing than the gathering up of the animals, though everything works out in the end, with the force being destroyed and the bad guy in prison.
The problem with the film, in addition to the chunky plot, is the acting. Some are great, but Redmayne (whom I love and is usually quite good) is an oddball of a character, with a hunched posture and the inability to look others in the eye, though he is an intelligent man. Though his actions have thought behind them, it isn't in the right direction. His performance is confusing, at best, and bizarre at worse. It is a shame as everyone else is great.
The technology is wonderful with my favorite scene being when Queenie assembles strudel in mid-air, you can see the ingredients come together, including the powdered sugar.
With melancholy colors, the cinematography has a dark, dense look about it, as though it was still filmed in Britain as the others had been, there should have been a different feel to this film. It should have been more American. Grade: B-
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
The Middle: Thanksgiving VIII
No one does Thanksgiving like the Hecks and this year is no exception though Christmas also managed to sneak in.
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is determined to take and actually send out a family Christmas picture only Axl (Charlie McDermott) brings April (Greer Grammer) over and is fine with her being in the photo while Frankie is livid and sets out to get her out of the picture, even sending a false text message to lure Axl in alone, only the message goes wrong so she just bags the photo rather than send a picture to all with April in the photo.
It gets worse, Frankie has a full breakout declaring that April is no good for him and that he is special and she is not. The rest of the family isn't thrilled either, especially since Axl will be spending the whole Thanksgiving with her family, then her great-aunt and then this woman that is called Grandma but is actually a babysitter. Frankie is second-best now and isn't pleased. April is calling out the shots now. Mike (Neil Flynn) isn't upset until he finds out that Axl won't be home to watch the football game with him. He declares that if that happens, he won't have a son anymore, though Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is standing right next to him.
The problem with Frankie's breakdown is that Axl overhears the whole thing, which results in him not showing up at all, so eventually the family does eat without him. This is one of the saddest Thanksgiving ever.
In the meantime, Sue (Eden Sher) is stressed out about work as Spudsys is short staffed. Brick needs some money so he gets hired but things turn sour. Sue micromanages him instead of letting him make his own mistakes and when her eyes start burning from extra jalapeno peppers, Brick has to make sure that is what actually happens so the front is out of employees because they are both not great together. But Sue was always told to watch out for him and that made sense when he was younger, but he's in high school now, he should be able to take care of himself.
Though I love Thanksgiving episodes, this one wasn't their best. I wish April was smarter, more worthy of Axl's attention. I understand that not everyone can be smart, but she's just well, I have nothing nice to say. Though Frankie was out of line, I still wish that conflict could have solved in this episode. And I thought Frankie would be thrilled to have dinner at breakfast time leaving her more time to go shopping for those deals she loves so much.
Though the acting is good, I expected more from McDermott, he is often the unsung hero of the show and despite some good parts, his role was underwritten in this episode and he didn't make the most of it. But I hope we have more scenes of Sue and Brick working together, that will be interesting to see. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Frankie is on a new vitamin that makes her hungry. Yeah right.
-She also gives him the finger when he calls her out on the way she pronounces April's name.
-April's favorite holiday is the one where people play pranks on each other.
-Cindy (Casey Burke) wants a fitbit for Christmas and if she doesn't get what she wants, then Brick doesn't get what he wants, which is reading time.
-April thinks Brick is in the army or some other military unit when she sees him in his Spudsys uniform.
-At work, for Brick's meal, he eats almost five pounds of bacon, considering Frankie ate his breakfast.
-You should always think about how many pumps of twenty percent real cheese product your potato should have before going in.
-Mike has a great callback to Axl's previous girlfriends: the smart redhead and the sporty one from college. For the record, I have liked Cassidy best.
-The Donohues also make an appearance to use the Hecks's oven which is actually better than theirs, shocking. Sean (Beau Wirick) finally shaved his beard, which is a miracle.
-But leaving their food at the Heck house comes at a cost, the Hecks eat it all, and cover up their mistakes.
-April's middle name is Rose.
-April blow her nose into Sue's jeans thinking that they were a towel. That's just gross.
-Also, Brick, you should take the rocks out of your pocket before going in the pool.
-Mike wouldn't be comfortable dying in front of strangers.
-April opens the wrong side of the car for storing a chair.
-Frankie says that April is a baby deer in human form.
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is determined to take and actually send out a family Christmas picture only Axl (Charlie McDermott) brings April (Greer Grammer) over and is fine with her being in the photo while Frankie is livid and sets out to get her out of the picture, even sending a false text message to lure Axl in alone, only the message goes wrong so she just bags the photo rather than send a picture to all with April in the photo.
It gets worse, Frankie has a full breakout declaring that April is no good for him and that he is special and she is not. The rest of the family isn't thrilled either, especially since Axl will be spending the whole Thanksgiving with her family, then her great-aunt and then this woman that is called Grandma but is actually a babysitter. Frankie is second-best now and isn't pleased. April is calling out the shots now. Mike (Neil Flynn) isn't upset until he finds out that Axl won't be home to watch the football game with him. He declares that if that happens, he won't have a son anymore, though Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is standing right next to him.
The problem with Frankie's breakdown is that Axl overhears the whole thing, which results in him not showing up at all, so eventually the family does eat without him. This is one of the saddest Thanksgiving ever.
In the meantime, Sue (Eden Sher) is stressed out about work as Spudsys is short staffed. Brick needs some money so he gets hired but things turn sour. Sue micromanages him instead of letting him make his own mistakes and when her eyes start burning from extra jalapeno peppers, Brick has to make sure that is what actually happens so the front is out of employees because they are both not great together. But Sue was always told to watch out for him and that made sense when he was younger, but he's in high school now, he should be able to take care of himself.
Though I love Thanksgiving episodes, this one wasn't their best. I wish April was smarter, more worthy of Axl's attention. I understand that not everyone can be smart, but she's just well, I have nothing nice to say. Though Frankie was out of line, I still wish that conflict could have solved in this episode. And I thought Frankie would be thrilled to have dinner at breakfast time leaving her more time to go shopping for those deals she loves so much.
Though the acting is good, I expected more from McDermott, he is often the unsung hero of the show and despite some good parts, his role was underwritten in this episode and he didn't make the most of it. But I hope we have more scenes of Sue and Brick working together, that will be interesting to see. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Frankie is on a new vitamin that makes her hungry. Yeah right.
-She also gives him the finger when he calls her out on the way she pronounces April's name.
-April's favorite holiday is the one where people play pranks on each other.
-Cindy (Casey Burke) wants a fitbit for Christmas and if she doesn't get what she wants, then Brick doesn't get what he wants, which is reading time.
-April thinks Brick is in the army or some other military unit when she sees him in his Spudsys uniform.
-At work, for Brick's meal, he eats almost five pounds of bacon, considering Frankie ate his breakfast.
-You should always think about how many pumps of twenty percent real cheese product your potato should have before going in.
-Mike has a great callback to Axl's previous girlfriends: the smart redhead and the sporty one from college. For the record, I have liked Cassidy best.
-The Donohues also make an appearance to use the Hecks's oven which is actually better than theirs, shocking. Sean (Beau Wirick) finally shaved his beard, which is a miracle.
-But leaving their food at the Heck house comes at a cost, the Hecks eat it all, and cover up their mistakes.
-April's middle name is Rose.
-April blow her nose into Sue's jeans thinking that they were a towel. That's just gross.
-Also, Brick, you should take the rocks out of your pocket before going in the pool.
-Mike wouldn't be comfortable dying in front of strangers.
-April opens the wrong side of the car for storing a chair.
-Frankie says that April is a baby deer in human form.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
The Middle: Road Kill
Once again, the Hecks are proving that they should be parents of the year. It is Brick's (Atticus Shaffer's) birthday, his fifteenth, and his caring, loving parents (Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton) completely forgot. Fortunately, Brick doesn't care much about the festivities, he just wants someone to take him out to drive as he now has a shiny new learner's permit. However, driving with both Mike and Frankie goes so bad, they hide from him so Axl (Charlie McDermott) is left to take him. And Axl thinks its a good idea to take him in his house, aka the Winnebago. This goes badly as Brick takes Axl's direction of going straight far too seriously, doesn't brake in time and hits the Orson cow, knocking it to the ground. Brick wants to tell the truth, just come clean while Axl doesn't want to get in any trouble. They have to bury one of the horns in the front yard.
Naturally, everyone in town is so upset over this and believes that it is an attack on the town, people are scared. Bill Norwood (Pat Finn) buys a padlock for his front door. Nancy Donohue (Jen Ray) organizes a search party. Yeah, it's that serious. Brick still wants to tell the truth, while Axl still doesn't. He offers up a fake reward which backfires big time in his face as someone else confesses to the crime and it is believable considering it is the Glossners. Frankie and Mike, I'm pretty sure, figure out that their sons are guilty when they offer a five hundred dollar reward. No way they have that sort of money. But the Glossners want the money which forces Axl to whisper the truth to Mrs. Donohue. Of course they are punished, but it is light, plenty of hours of community service and Brick can't drive again for another year, so that will give us something to look forward to. Yikes.
Sue (Eden Sher) also has a big fish to fry. She has just two days to pick her major and is waffling between German, theatre, and large animal science. Her parents know how unrealistic these majors are and that she isn't good at theatre so Frankie has a talk with her, basically telling her that she needs a job that will pay good money and then spills the beans on the sacrifice Mike made for her.
Mike never wanted Sue to know, but he also should have known that Frankie can't keep a secret. Sue is very grateful and tells Mike to pick something for her, after all, that is what they did with Axl. Mike wants Sue to not be on the first name basis with the person at the gas company, share a battery between cars and waiting for a natural disaster to provide them with their next new appliance. He wants his children to have a better life than they have, and he's right, it is hard living the way they do, without two pennies to rub together.
Fortunately, Sue finally puts a lot of serious thought into her major and selects something perfect for her. She picks hospitality and hotel management, which is what the college is known for. After their initial surprise that, yes, is an actual thing, her parents are completely on board and I also feel that it will be a good fit for her.
This was another strong episode, though it was a little fuzzy on how Mike and Frankie figured out how their sons had tipped the cow, but it is so touching between Mike and Sue, they are really the best part of the season so far. The acting is great, the characters are realistic and the actions they do fit in line perfectly with everything they have done in the past, which is something you can't take for granted in TV shows anymore. This show is always the underappreciated gem on TV. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-After Mike is done driving with Brick, Frankie asks if there is anything she should know and Mike tells her the Lord's prayer, and that she's the best thing that ever happened to him.
-Frankie, Mike and Sue all hide when Brick wants to go driving again, in Mike and Frankie's closet. When Brick comes in, he steals one of Frankie's nightstand cookies.
-When Doris got her head stuck in a hole, Sue ran to the police officer in her underwear.
-According to Mike, there are only four fun majors: baseball player, football player, basketball player and bounty hunter.
-The Orson Patch put their full-time reporter on this cow story, which is fifteen hours a week.
-Axl thinks his head would look good on anything while Brick's head doesn't even look good on his body.
-Axl also needed to be told to close his mouth in the shower.
-The person at the gas company lets them split the bill over three credit cards.
-The best gag is when Mrs. Donohue tries to recruit Brick and Axl to inform the young people about what is happening and a dog tries to dig a hole where the cow horn is buried and Axl has to chase him away.
-On her sign, Brick says that Mrs. Donohue used the most serious of fonts.
-Axl does finally remember the plot of Captain America.
-Sue loves binders.
Naturally, everyone in town is so upset over this and believes that it is an attack on the town, people are scared. Bill Norwood (Pat Finn) buys a padlock for his front door. Nancy Donohue (Jen Ray) organizes a search party. Yeah, it's that serious. Brick still wants to tell the truth, while Axl still doesn't. He offers up a fake reward which backfires big time in his face as someone else confesses to the crime and it is believable considering it is the Glossners. Frankie and Mike, I'm pretty sure, figure out that their sons are guilty when they offer a five hundred dollar reward. No way they have that sort of money. But the Glossners want the money which forces Axl to whisper the truth to Mrs. Donohue. Of course they are punished, but it is light, plenty of hours of community service and Brick can't drive again for another year, so that will give us something to look forward to. Yikes.
Sue (Eden Sher) also has a big fish to fry. She has just two days to pick her major and is waffling between German, theatre, and large animal science. Her parents know how unrealistic these majors are and that she isn't good at theatre so Frankie has a talk with her, basically telling her that she needs a job that will pay good money and then spills the beans on the sacrifice Mike made for her.
Mike never wanted Sue to know, but he also should have known that Frankie can't keep a secret. Sue is very grateful and tells Mike to pick something for her, after all, that is what they did with Axl. Mike wants Sue to not be on the first name basis with the person at the gas company, share a battery between cars and waiting for a natural disaster to provide them with their next new appliance. He wants his children to have a better life than they have, and he's right, it is hard living the way they do, without two pennies to rub together.
Fortunately, Sue finally puts a lot of serious thought into her major and selects something perfect for her. She picks hospitality and hotel management, which is what the college is known for. After their initial surprise that, yes, is an actual thing, her parents are completely on board and I also feel that it will be a good fit for her.
This was another strong episode, though it was a little fuzzy on how Mike and Frankie figured out how their sons had tipped the cow, but it is so touching between Mike and Sue, they are really the best part of the season so far. The acting is great, the characters are realistic and the actions they do fit in line perfectly with everything they have done in the past, which is something you can't take for granted in TV shows anymore. This show is always the underappreciated gem on TV. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-After Mike is done driving with Brick, Frankie asks if there is anything she should know and Mike tells her the Lord's prayer, and that she's the best thing that ever happened to him.
-Frankie, Mike and Sue all hide when Brick wants to go driving again, in Mike and Frankie's closet. When Brick comes in, he steals one of Frankie's nightstand cookies.
-When Doris got her head stuck in a hole, Sue ran to the police officer in her underwear.
-According to Mike, there are only four fun majors: baseball player, football player, basketball player and bounty hunter.
-The Orson Patch put their full-time reporter on this cow story, which is fifteen hours a week.
-Axl thinks his head would look good on anything while Brick's head doesn't even look good on his body.
-Axl also needed to be told to close his mouth in the shower.
-The person at the gas company lets them split the bill over three credit cards.
-The best gag is when Mrs. Donohue tries to recruit Brick and Axl to inform the young people about what is happening and a dog tries to dig a hole where the cow horn is buried and Axl has to chase him away.
-On her sign, Brick says that Mrs. Donohue used the most serious of fonts.
-Axl does finally remember the plot of Captain America.
-Sue loves binders.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Arrival
While this should have been a good movie, I am in the minority. I didn't like it.
It had all the ingredients but it failed to make a point. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a linguistic professor living a mundane existence when something strange happens. Twelve mysterious pods appear randomly around the world. In order to figure out how they are communicating, her services are required. She is joined by Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) who is a theoretical physic from Los Alamos. The rest of the characters aren't explained that well.
This was the problem for me. None of the characters, with the notable exception of Adams really had personalities or character quirks. Where The Martian succeeded, this film failed. Even Renner just lets Adams take the reigns, and it truly explores the language of the heptapods, the dementer like creatures who live in the pods, while his research is never mentioned again. The language of the heptapods is circular, just like their view of time, which comes to play big time in this film.
The big twist in this film is that all the flashbacks of Louise spending time with her now dead daughter are actually in the future as she doesn't meet her husband until the pods appear. Yes, that's right. She marries Ian. In the future, or is the past? Does it matter, time is circular?
The other big twist is that the aliens want the whole world to work together to figure out the language. And China is about to put up a fight, but Louise sneaks a satellite phone and calls the Head of the Chinese army and tells him, in perfect Mandarin, the words of his dying wife, which had been, in turn, told to her eighteen months in the future when the two finally meet in person.
While this film does truly make you think, for me it was Louise having a baby even though she knew her daughter would die too young from cancer and that her marriage was doomed to fail, it lacked things a film should have, such as fully developed characters. And I love a good love story, and it failed on that level, with not enough chemistry or fun flirting or even many loving looks between them, especially coming from Louise. The only time she is in love, it is with her baby, Hannah. To me, it is unclear why a bomb is planted inside the pod and who in particular does it. And yet, they still let Louise and Ian enter, knowing that it could kill them. Fortunately, the aliens, called Abbott and Costello by Ian save them.
It is unfortunate that I didn't like this film as the cinematography was earthy and the music haunting, but the script was deeply flawed, at least in my humble opinion. While it is nice and different having friendly aliens, helping to save the planet, to save the world from starting an unnecessary war that wouldn't have started in the first place if the pods had never showed up. Grade: B
It had all the ingredients but it failed to make a point. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a linguistic professor living a mundane existence when something strange happens. Twelve mysterious pods appear randomly around the world. In order to figure out how they are communicating, her services are required. She is joined by Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) who is a theoretical physic from Los Alamos. The rest of the characters aren't explained that well.
This was the problem for me. None of the characters, with the notable exception of Adams really had personalities or character quirks. Where The Martian succeeded, this film failed. Even Renner just lets Adams take the reigns, and it truly explores the language of the heptapods, the dementer like creatures who live in the pods, while his research is never mentioned again. The language of the heptapods is circular, just like their view of time, which comes to play big time in this film.
The big twist in this film is that all the flashbacks of Louise spending time with her now dead daughter are actually in the future as she doesn't meet her husband until the pods appear. Yes, that's right. She marries Ian. In the future, or is the past? Does it matter, time is circular?
The other big twist is that the aliens want the whole world to work together to figure out the language. And China is about to put up a fight, but Louise sneaks a satellite phone and calls the Head of the Chinese army and tells him, in perfect Mandarin, the words of his dying wife, which had been, in turn, told to her eighteen months in the future when the two finally meet in person.
While this film does truly make you think, for me it was Louise having a baby even though she knew her daughter would die too young from cancer and that her marriage was doomed to fail, it lacked things a film should have, such as fully developed characters. And I love a good love story, and it failed on that level, with not enough chemistry or fun flirting or even many loving looks between them, especially coming from Louise. The only time she is in love, it is with her baby, Hannah. To me, it is unclear why a bomb is planted inside the pod and who in particular does it. And yet, they still let Louise and Ian enter, knowing that it could kill them. Fortunately, the aliens, called Abbott and Costello by Ian save them.
It is unfortunate that I didn't like this film as the cinematography was earthy and the music haunting, but the script was deeply flawed, at least in my humble opinion. While it is nice and different having friendly aliens, helping to save the planet, to save the world from starting an unnecessary war that wouldn't have started in the first place if the pods had never showed up. Grade: B
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
The Middle: True Grit
This was another great episode. Despite being in its eighth season, this show always has new, strong plot lines, and excellent gags both new and old.
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) decides to embrace the school spirit bug but is disheartened when his bestie, Troy (Jovan Armand) is recruited for the football team. Brick tries to be happy, he really does, despite knowing that this means Troy will be missing font club, but he finds it to be too big of an effort to fit in with the crowd. He prefers the silence.
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) embarrassingly buys herself some saucy undergarments and is at first ashamed of having 'I'd Hit That' on her butt, but the sales woman treats her like someone who is older and Frankie isn't having it, so she buys far more underwear just to prove that she still has it. Needless to say, she turns beet red when she falls off the treadmill at the gym and the EMTS come to see if she is okay.
But the episode belonged to Sue (Eden Sher), who is fed up with her crappy relationship with Jeremy (Will Green) so done with it, that she asks Axl (Charlie McDermott) for advice and it isn't actually bad. First, she tries, rather successfully despite it being out of character, to be a crappy person, saying that corporations and oil are good things, openly and blatantly disagreeing with him. But he won't give up on them and Sue reluctantly agrees. Axl even tries to break up but is taken in when Jeremy admits that he loves her and Axl can't give up on love, considering that is what he is in himself.
Finally, Sue does it herself when Jeremy proclaims that he is a natural born leader and Sue is a natural born follower and Sue isn't going to take that. She will no longer hold his pee bottle nor will she be that sponge that soaks up all his knowledge. He only cares about his ideas which will change the earth. They are never, ever getting back together.
I am so glad that Sue finally found her strength to end that toxic, disappointing relationship. She is a strong character but was allowing others to walk all over her. Frankie also found her strength, in a different way and for something petty compared to Sue. The characters are all happy in the end, as they should be.
Once again, the acting is top-notch, even from the supporting characters with the smaller roles, but there performances are no less important than the main actors. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Brick doesn't like the other team because of their geographic location. Which is just as good of a reason as any.
-Axl comes into Sue's room for some girl chocolate.
-For whatever reason, despite being in a solid, satisfying relationship, Axl still believes that Lexie (Daniela Bobadilla) is interested in pursing him romantically and keeps telling her to restrain herself.
-There are some great font puns in this episode, including my favorite of you shouldn't want a font to slap you in the face.
-Frankie has to stop drinking the Dr. Pepper as she has stomach issues.
-Sue's room is still horrible and it now sucks up stuff as the heat is now on. They pack up their stuff and leave the room though I have no idea where they are headed.
-Sue sends her no-cut acapella group to break up with Jeremy but they sing the wrong song, so the message isn't delivered properly.
-Axl charges Sue to have him break up with Jeremy for her, including a great callback to Boss Co. break-up service.
-Mike (Neil Flynn) tells Brick that he should tell a joke at the party. It is your mother needs to buy a ticket to leave the zoo and has to explain it all to Brick as he doesn't understand.
-Brick also wishes that he was fifty so he could just at home. Mike merely says that there are trade-offs.
-Will Frankie ever truly quit the gym?
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) decides to embrace the school spirit bug but is disheartened when his bestie, Troy (Jovan Armand) is recruited for the football team. Brick tries to be happy, he really does, despite knowing that this means Troy will be missing font club, but he finds it to be too big of an effort to fit in with the crowd. He prefers the silence.
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) embarrassingly buys herself some saucy undergarments and is at first ashamed of having 'I'd Hit That' on her butt, but the sales woman treats her like someone who is older and Frankie isn't having it, so she buys far more underwear just to prove that she still has it. Needless to say, she turns beet red when she falls off the treadmill at the gym and the EMTS come to see if she is okay.
But the episode belonged to Sue (Eden Sher), who is fed up with her crappy relationship with Jeremy (Will Green) so done with it, that she asks Axl (Charlie McDermott) for advice and it isn't actually bad. First, she tries, rather successfully despite it being out of character, to be a crappy person, saying that corporations and oil are good things, openly and blatantly disagreeing with him. But he won't give up on them and Sue reluctantly agrees. Axl even tries to break up but is taken in when Jeremy admits that he loves her and Axl can't give up on love, considering that is what he is in himself.
Finally, Sue does it herself when Jeremy proclaims that he is a natural born leader and Sue is a natural born follower and Sue isn't going to take that. She will no longer hold his pee bottle nor will she be that sponge that soaks up all his knowledge. He only cares about his ideas which will change the earth. They are never, ever getting back together.
I am so glad that Sue finally found her strength to end that toxic, disappointing relationship. She is a strong character but was allowing others to walk all over her. Frankie also found her strength, in a different way and for something petty compared to Sue. The characters are all happy in the end, as they should be.
Once again, the acting is top-notch, even from the supporting characters with the smaller roles, but there performances are no less important than the main actors. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Brick doesn't like the other team because of their geographic location. Which is just as good of a reason as any.
-Axl comes into Sue's room for some girl chocolate.
-For whatever reason, despite being in a solid, satisfying relationship, Axl still believes that Lexie (Daniela Bobadilla) is interested in pursing him romantically and keeps telling her to restrain herself.
-There are some great font puns in this episode, including my favorite of you shouldn't want a font to slap you in the face.
-Frankie has to stop drinking the Dr. Pepper as she has stomach issues.
-Sue's room is still horrible and it now sucks up stuff as the heat is now on. They pack up their stuff and leave the room though I have no idea where they are headed.
-Sue sends her no-cut acapella group to break up with Jeremy but they sing the wrong song, so the message isn't delivered properly.
-Axl charges Sue to have him break up with Jeremy for her, including a great callback to Boss Co. break-up service.
-Mike (Neil Flynn) tells Brick that he should tell a joke at the party. It is your mother needs to buy a ticket to leave the zoo and has to explain it all to Brick as he doesn't understand.
-Brick also wishes that he was fifty so he could just at home. Mike merely says that there are trade-offs.
-Will Frankie ever truly quit the gym?
Friday, October 28, 2016
Sing Street
Except for one major inconsistency, this film was pure magic.
Poor Conor Lawlor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) starts a new school, thanks to his parents' money struggles. Brother Baxter (Don Wycherley), the principal, is downright cruel. For whatever ridiculous reason, the school has a rule where black shoes must be worn but Conor doesn't have any and his parents have no money for new ones, so he is forced to walk barefoot. Worse, when he wears make-up to school, Brother Baxter shoves his head underneath the sink to wash it off, which is incredibly abusive. Yet, they didn't seem to care about abuse to child back then, in Ireland. Oh yes, this film takes place in Dublin in 1985, with the country in dire straights, jobs being lost left and right.
Now, while Conor is upset about his new school, something manages to brighten his day. A girl is standing across the street and it is love at first sight. Raphina (Lucy Boynton, looking like a young Felicity Jones) wants to be a model and doesn't give Conor much of her time, though when he lies and announces that he is in a band, it whets her appetite.
Which means that in order for Conor to see her again, he needs to create a band, which he manages to do. The little redhead, who befriended him, Darren (Ben Carolan) is the manager and together, they gather some musicians, including the incredibly talented Eamon (Mark McKenna). They start with covers but thanks to the advice of Conor's stoner big brother, Brendan (Jack Reynor, the real breakout star of the film), they begin to write their own songs, which are just lovely, truly.
The band uses Raphina in their music videos and she is moved by their music, and the band continues to grow and get better. Conor uses everything around for inspiration for his songs, including the nasty Brother Baxter and his parents (Aidan Gillen and Maria Doyle Kennedy, the nasty first Mrs. Bates in Downton Abbey) arguments and eventual separation, which Brendan completely predicted.
But there is a problem. Raphina is seeing someone else, who is much older and does fulfill his promise and takes her to London, though that doesn't work out. Conor is so upset that she left without saying a word to him, he barely shows emotion when Raphina admits that her ex hit her.
But when she shows up at their first gig, as they give Brother Baxter what he deserves, all is forgiven. With Brendan's help, they escape to Wales on Grandad's little boat, the waves spraying them as they sail away.
The film is truly excellent, except for the inconsistency I mentioned, Eamon's mother told him that his band couldn't practice on Saturdays because of his small weekend job, but they film their first music video on Saturday, as the film clearly states. Oh well. The talent is good and while Walsh-Peelo is great, I feel that Jack Reynor is even better though his part is smaller yet he shines as the sacrificing big brother who needs to understand that his moment to shine will never happen. Boynton is also great.
Also included is a dream sequence, something that I'm not particularly fond of, though this one works wonders, getting inside the imagination of Conor of what he really wants his music video to look like. And the song is great. While I would have liked a more solid ending, the film tells a simple story but makes it sing, and the songs are the true stars of the film. Grade: A-
Poor Conor Lawlor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) starts a new school, thanks to his parents' money struggles. Brother Baxter (Don Wycherley), the principal, is downright cruel. For whatever ridiculous reason, the school has a rule where black shoes must be worn but Conor doesn't have any and his parents have no money for new ones, so he is forced to walk barefoot. Worse, when he wears make-up to school, Brother Baxter shoves his head underneath the sink to wash it off, which is incredibly abusive. Yet, they didn't seem to care about abuse to child back then, in Ireland. Oh yes, this film takes place in Dublin in 1985, with the country in dire straights, jobs being lost left and right.
Now, while Conor is upset about his new school, something manages to brighten his day. A girl is standing across the street and it is love at first sight. Raphina (Lucy Boynton, looking like a young Felicity Jones) wants to be a model and doesn't give Conor much of her time, though when he lies and announces that he is in a band, it whets her appetite.
Which means that in order for Conor to see her again, he needs to create a band, which he manages to do. The little redhead, who befriended him, Darren (Ben Carolan) is the manager and together, they gather some musicians, including the incredibly talented Eamon (Mark McKenna). They start with covers but thanks to the advice of Conor's stoner big brother, Brendan (Jack Reynor, the real breakout star of the film), they begin to write their own songs, which are just lovely, truly.
The band uses Raphina in their music videos and she is moved by their music, and the band continues to grow and get better. Conor uses everything around for inspiration for his songs, including the nasty Brother Baxter and his parents (Aidan Gillen and Maria Doyle Kennedy, the nasty first Mrs. Bates in Downton Abbey) arguments and eventual separation, which Brendan completely predicted.
But there is a problem. Raphina is seeing someone else, who is much older and does fulfill his promise and takes her to London, though that doesn't work out. Conor is so upset that she left without saying a word to him, he barely shows emotion when Raphina admits that her ex hit her.
But when she shows up at their first gig, as they give Brother Baxter what he deserves, all is forgiven. With Brendan's help, they escape to Wales on Grandad's little boat, the waves spraying them as they sail away.
The film is truly excellent, except for the inconsistency I mentioned, Eamon's mother told him that his band couldn't practice on Saturdays because of his small weekend job, but they film their first music video on Saturday, as the film clearly states. Oh well. The talent is good and while Walsh-Peelo is great, I feel that Jack Reynor is even better though his part is smaller yet he shines as the sacrificing big brother who needs to understand that his moment to shine will never happen. Boynton is also great.
Also included is a dream sequence, something that I'm not particularly fond of, though this one works wonders, getting inside the imagination of Conor of what he really wants his music video to look like. And the song is great. While I would have liked a more solid ending, the film tells a simple story but makes it sing, and the songs are the true stars of the film. Grade: A-
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
The Middle: Halloween VII: The Heckoning
It is fall, almost autumn, according to April (Greer Grammer). Axl (Charlie McDermott) is still madly, hopelessly in love with her and is just the sweetest to her while he is pretty nasty to his family, telling Sue (Eden Sher) that dogs can't eat chocolate.
However, Sue has bigger problems. She is desperate to get her very own room back, but Brick (Atticus Shaffer) isn't budging. In fact, quite the opposite, he even put a chain lock on the door for even more privacy. Despite Sue's good points on why she should get her room back, Brick refuses, forcing Sue to take extreme measures which end badly for all involved. Mike (Neil Flynn) breaks down her door as the chain is latched and Brick shoves through the not-yet healed hole in Sue's room so now she has a huge hole in her wall. Mike is livid but Brick once again, pulls the pity card, saying that he has never had anything that belongs just to him. The family does feel sorry for him, though there are bigger fish to fry.
While carving pumpkins with April, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) rushes to protect her precious People magazines and Sue learns that Brad Pitt was once married to Jennifer Aniston but they divorced over the issue of children which leads to a discussion of who the Heck children would live with if Mike and Frankie ever got divorced. Needless to say, the kids say Mike without any hesitation. Frankie is hurt at the speed in which they said it.
While Frankie admits that the divorce discussion is hypotetical, her feelings were very real and so she storms out. On Halloween night Frankie is so angry that the family is just so cruel to her, making fun of her clapping visibly flinching whenever she puts her hands together that she leaves the house. But she's okay with her decision, even stopping by the Donohue's Bible-themed haunted house, a combination I never thought I would see, but it oddly works for them.
Frankie does return, only mildly reluctantly where she is greeted by April who told Axl that he should be nicer to Frankie as you only have one Mom. Mike is the only one still awake when Frankie gets in the door, with some donuts still remaining. She wonders what she is doing wrong and Mike tells her nothing, but that he wouldn't take the kids anyway in a divorce. I think he's only have joking.
The episode does end happily with Mike finding another matching chair down in the basement underneath a pile of junk and Brick is thrilled, he finally feels like he belongs in the family, and just think, it only took fourteen years.
While this episode was good and had some fun gags throughout, it lacked the emotional punch of last weeks. Still, there is never a false note when it comes to the acting or realism and the dialogue is always great. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-The episode begins by the whole family staring in amazement as Axl and April are frolicking in the fall leaves.
-Sue is still twenty percent scared of ghosts.
-Axl tells Mike that he should force Frankie to be more organized.
-When April is carrying the pumpkin into the house, she runs into the glass sliding door twice before Axl opens it for her. The looks on Frankie's and Mike's face is priceless.
-Still, while Axl thinks that Brad Pitt played Thor, April miraclously corrects him and informs him that it was Chris Hemsworth.
-Frankie thinks her job is on to her stealing toilet paper.
-As Sue is still in Axl's room, he puts on one of her shirts.
-In addition to Brick refusing to give up Sue's room, he also steals the bowl for her cereal right out from under her.
-The kids don't know who Jerry Lewis is.
-When prompted, Brick almost starts writing a list on all of his problems with Frankie, but she wasn't serious.
-Mike eats crackers with sardines on them once a week. That sounds disgusting.
-April and Axl dress up as Cinderella and Prince Charming for Halloween. Axl isn't thrilled, but April wanted to pass out candy and he sucks it up for love. But April doesn't get Frankie's joke that April's car will turn into a pumpkin at midnight.
-Brick and Cindy (Casey Burke) are a bowling ball and bowling pin, which is very creative, only Brick stands Cindy up as he is more concerned with saving Sue's room for himself.
-Brick keeps a picture of Cindy on his nightstand.
-Even Mike is reading an issue of Frankie's magazine on trick-or-treat night.
-The names of the room still stands. Sue named her room Tina while Brick thought Santiago suited it better.
-Also, a good call-back to the other baby they brought home from the hospital.
However, Sue has bigger problems. She is desperate to get her very own room back, but Brick (Atticus Shaffer) isn't budging. In fact, quite the opposite, he even put a chain lock on the door for even more privacy. Despite Sue's good points on why she should get her room back, Brick refuses, forcing Sue to take extreme measures which end badly for all involved. Mike (Neil Flynn) breaks down her door as the chain is latched and Brick shoves through the not-yet healed hole in Sue's room so now she has a huge hole in her wall. Mike is livid but Brick once again, pulls the pity card, saying that he has never had anything that belongs just to him. The family does feel sorry for him, though there are bigger fish to fry.
While carving pumpkins with April, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) rushes to protect her precious People magazines and Sue learns that Brad Pitt was once married to Jennifer Aniston but they divorced over the issue of children which leads to a discussion of who the Heck children would live with if Mike and Frankie ever got divorced. Needless to say, the kids say Mike without any hesitation. Frankie is hurt at the speed in which they said it.
While Frankie admits that the divorce discussion is hypotetical, her feelings were very real and so she storms out. On Halloween night Frankie is so angry that the family is just so cruel to her, making fun of her clapping visibly flinching whenever she puts her hands together that she leaves the house. But she's okay with her decision, even stopping by the Donohue's Bible-themed haunted house, a combination I never thought I would see, but it oddly works for them.
Frankie does return, only mildly reluctantly where she is greeted by April who told Axl that he should be nicer to Frankie as you only have one Mom. Mike is the only one still awake when Frankie gets in the door, with some donuts still remaining. She wonders what she is doing wrong and Mike tells her nothing, but that he wouldn't take the kids anyway in a divorce. I think he's only have joking.
The episode does end happily with Mike finding another matching chair down in the basement underneath a pile of junk and Brick is thrilled, he finally feels like he belongs in the family, and just think, it only took fourteen years.
While this episode was good and had some fun gags throughout, it lacked the emotional punch of last weeks. Still, there is never a false note when it comes to the acting or realism and the dialogue is always great. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-The episode begins by the whole family staring in amazement as Axl and April are frolicking in the fall leaves.
-Sue is still twenty percent scared of ghosts.
-Axl tells Mike that he should force Frankie to be more organized.
-When April is carrying the pumpkin into the house, she runs into the glass sliding door twice before Axl opens it for her. The looks on Frankie's and Mike's face is priceless.
-Still, while Axl thinks that Brad Pitt played Thor, April miraclously corrects him and informs him that it was Chris Hemsworth.
-Frankie thinks her job is on to her stealing toilet paper.
-As Sue is still in Axl's room, he puts on one of her shirts.
-In addition to Brick refusing to give up Sue's room, he also steals the bowl for her cereal right out from under her.
-The kids don't know who Jerry Lewis is.
-When prompted, Brick almost starts writing a list on all of his problems with Frankie, but she wasn't serious.
-Mike eats crackers with sardines on them once a week. That sounds disgusting.
-April and Axl dress up as Cinderella and Prince Charming for Halloween. Axl isn't thrilled, but April wanted to pass out candy and he sucks it up for love. But April doesn't get Frankie's joke that April's car will turn into a pumpkin at midnight.
-Brick and Cindy (Casey Burke) are a bowling ball and bowling pin, which is very creative, only Brick stands Cindy up as he is more concerned with saving Sue's room for himself.
-Brick keeps a picture of Cindy on his nightstand.
-Even Mike is reading an issue of Frankie's magazine on trick-or-treat night.
-The names of the room still stands. Sue named her room Tina while Brick thought Santiago suited it better.
-Also, a good call-back to the other baby they brought home from the hospital.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
The Middle: A Tough Pill to Swallow
Well, Brick (Atticus Shaffer) I understand. I can't swallow pills either and I'm a whole lot older than you. Apparently, Brick had an ear infection and now must take a pill in order to get better, but that is something he is not capable of. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) tries many tricks, even putting it in a bowl of pudding but Brick is too smart for that trick. He picks it out of the pudding, licks the pill off and lays it down beside him and gulfs down the pudding. But when Frankie must sneak out of work to pick him up from school, she is livid and tries to tell him that adults have to do stuff that they never want to do. Brick compares it to her never, ever parallel parking. To prove a point, badly, she attempts to parallel park and it goes badly, but it finally forces Brick to swallow the pill. Hopefully he'll have better luck next time.
Sue (Eden Sher) has far bigger fish to fry. She forgot to renew her financial aid and thus, is not even enrolled in college anymore. Yeah, this makes the pill look like nothing. She missed the email to re-enroll and now there is nothing that can be done unless her parents can actually pay for college, which of course they can't. Mike (Neil Flynn) even decides to charm the burser, though he warns Sue he's not proud of it. But the deadline is firm one, set by the Department of Education. Of course Mike is mad at Sue and she's so disappointed. She's the one who doesn't get to go to college anymore.
Axl's (Charlie McDermott's) problems are also petty in comparison, he merely doesn't care about his housemates by driving the Winnebago back to Orson at the drop of a hat so he can visit April. That's a lot of gas money to do so. Hutch (Alphonso McAuley) wakes up somewhere else and nearly misses his classes which makes him very angry, understandably. But, as it turns out, he is most upset that he had to find out about Axl's wonderful relationship from Kenny (Tommy Bechtold) of all people. Hutch does love love, after all. Things are hopefully better between the two of them. But Axl does need to consider his roommate's needs also. It can't be all about him. But he has always been pretty self-centered.
Sue's problems aren't as easily solved. Without her financial aid, she is packing up her bags when she gets a miraculous email. She's back in college. And she's so grateful, though it doesn't last long, as her dorm room is the worst.
Frankie is thrilled that Mike solved the financial aid problem, only he didn't. He loves Sue so much that he sold his half of the diaper business and wrote out the twenty thousand dollar check for her tuition. Frankie is shocked and even I was too. He made a huge sacrifice for his only daughter. He does have a soft spot in his heart for her. She will never know how much he truly does love her.
It is a sweet moment and adds some needed gravity to the episode as Axl's and Brick's plot lines are stupid and petty in the long run, albeit realist. I can relate to both, though I never lived in a Winnebago and woke up in another town, yet it could happen.
The acting is top-notch as this episode was especially a highlight for Flynn. It wasn't as funny as most episodes are, but it was serious and real, both of which are also very important. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Frankie can take her bra off underneath her clothes and once that happens, she is done for the day.
-Mike can fake charming very well.
-Sue is boycotting her boyfriend, Jeremy (Will Green) as he sent the pizza delivery guy back as he didn't like where the pizza cheese came from. Color me not surprised. Sue shouldn't have been either.
-I wonder what would truly happen if you could and did harness the power of a young man in love.
-Booze is Frankie's opinion of a people treat.
-Brick can now finally be in the same room as scotch tape. There must be more to the story than just that. I would love to know more.
-April's eyes are the color of a lake and her hair smells like lemons.
-Great cut from Axl saying only losers introduce themselves to the professors to Sue explaining to the administration that she was introducing herself to all of her professors.
-Sue forwarded the email the cafeteria soup menu to her mother for whatever reason.
-Sue, you need to get another back-up plan. You are too good to work at Spudsys forever.
-Sue also loses checkers to her stuffed dog.
-Mike admits that the Hecks have no records, financially speaking.
-Mike really does suck up to the burser. We see a whole other side of him.
Sue (Eden Sher) has far bigger fish to fry. She forgot to renew her financial aid and thus, is not even enrolled in college anymore. Yeah, this makes the pill look like nothing. She missed the email to re-enroll and now there is nothing that can be done unless her parents can actually pay for college, which of course they can't. Mike (Neil Flynn) even decides to charm the burser, though he warns Sue he's not proud of it. But the deadline is firm one, set by the Department of Education. Of course Mike is mad at Sue and she's so disappointed. She's the one who doesn't get to go to college anymore.
Axl's (Charlie McDermott's) problems are also petty in comparison, he merely doesn't care about his housemates by driving the Winnebago back to Orson at the drop of a hat so he can visit April. That's a lot of gas money to do so. Hutch (Alphonso McAuley) wakes up somewhere else and nearly misses his classes which makes him very angry, understandably. But, as it turns out, he is most upset that he had to find out about Axl's wonderful relationship from Kenny (Tommy Bechtold) of all people. Hutch does love love, after all. Things are hopefully better between the two of them. But Axl does need to consider his roommate's needs also. It can't be all about him. But he has always been pretty self-centered.
Sue's problems aren't as easily solved. Without her financial aid, she is packing up her bags when she gets a miraculous email. She's back in college. And she's so grateful, though it doesn't last long, as her dorm room is the worst.
Frankie is thrilled that Mike solved the financial aid problem, only he didn't. He loves Sue so much that he sold his half of the diaper business and wrote out the twenty thousand dollar check for her tuition. Frankie is shocked and even I was too. He made a huge sacrifice for his only daughter. He does have a soft spot in his heart for her. She will never know how much he truly does love her.
It is a sweet moment and adds some needed gravity to the episode as Axl's and Brick's plot lines are stupid and petty in the long run, albeit realist. I can relate to both, though I never lived in a Winnebago and woke up in another town, yet it could happen.
The acting is top-notch as this episode was especially a highlight for Flynn. It wasn't as funny as most episodes are, but it was serious and real, both of which are also very important. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Frankie can take her bra off underneath her clothes and once that happens, she is done for the day.
-Mike can fake charming very well.
-Sue is boycotting her boyfriend, Jeremy (Will Green) as he sent the pizza delivery guy back as he didn't like where the pizza cheese came from. Color me not surprised. Sue shouldn't have been either.
-I wonder what would truly happen if you could and did harness the power of a young man in love.
-Booze is Frankie's opinion of a people treat.
-Brick can now finally be in the same room as scotch tape. There must be more to the story than just that. I would love to know more.
-April's eyes are the color of a lake and her hair smells like lemons.
-Great cut from Axl saying only losers introduce themselves to the professors to Sue explaining to the administration that she was introducing herself to all of her professors.
-Sue forwarded the email the cafeteria soup menu to her mother for whatever reason.
-Sue, you need to get another back-up plan. You are too good to work at Spudsys forever.
-Sue also loses checkers to her stuffed dog.
-Mike admits that the Hecks have no records, financially speaking.
-Mike really does suck up to the burser. We see a whole other side of him.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
The Middle: The Core Group
Thank goodness this show is back! My favorite family is back on TV.
Sue (Eden Sher) does arrive back from Dolllyworld and Mike (Neil Flynn) is anxious waiting for her to finally arrive, but when she does, he smiles, gives her a quick hug and immediately turns on the TV, his favorite.
Sue has a major announcement of her own. She wants to change her major to acting. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is shocked but says that that could be a good idea. Though I love Sue, even though she is the most naive character on TV, acting is not in her wheelhouse. She would be much better sticking with psychology. But she needs to be all in. Yet, she also feels that she needs a back-up plan.
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) has started high school and miraculously has a real book bag. His plan of hanging with the cool kid (Matt Cornett) doesn't work out as the cool kids want to sit with someone even cooler so poor Brick is stuck talking to his book bag, whispering to himself and whooping.
Axl (Charlie McDermott) finally introduces his new girlfriend, April (Greer Grammer) to his parents and though he is clearly in love, she is dumber than a brick, believing that world peace is merely good. Frankie can't believe it, while Mike and Brick don't seem too concerned.
Frankie, desperate to hold on to her family, plans a nice dinner and actually makes a noodle casserole. Though it can't hot as they don't use hot pads to place it down on the table, but whatever. But Frankie's well-meant plans are shattered when April shows up and then Jeremy (Will Green) shows up after some major protesting. No feeding antacids to cows. Mike is thrilled to hear that Jeremy is from Indianapolis as that is where the Colts are from. However, Jeremy doesn't like football because of the underpaid factory workers who make the balls. Mike is livid and instantly hates Jeremy far more than Frankie dislikes April. Yes, that's right, they are rooting for Cindy (Casey Burke), who is mad that the dinner doesn't include shrimp.
Frankie manages to give her toast though she must call her family away to the fridge and snaps at them that she loves them and these moments are truly fleeting. And that these moments should be appreciated. Isn't that what life is, fleeting?
Despite meaning to tell Axl off about April, she can't as she understands and blatantly sees that he's in love and she doesn't wish to ruin that. Mike is mad that Jeremy could take away the one thing he truly loves. Not Sue, mind you, but the Colts.
While there are few minor problems, such as the inconsistency of Jeremy being from Iowa last season and now being from Indianapolis, this was still a solid episode and the kids' significant others will blend awkwardly with the Heck family so funny times are ahead. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Fall has officially arrived. Frankie removed the duck tape from the sprinkler and put it back on the rake.
-Mike really should stop staring out the windows. Frankie snaps at him saying that the baby next door is already scared of him. Great callback, by the way.
-Sue's part was incredibly small. She was the girl in the well. And yes, if a kid punches his mom, he does have serious issues.
-Axl asks April if she found the place (the Heck house) okay after she sees him and kisses him and she says that she thinks she found the house okay.
-Frankie may have been pretty upstairs but Mike was far more interested in her downstairs. Yikes.
-Mike doesn't know what Team Aniston is and Frankie bemuses on how they can even be a couple.
-Cindy's mom went to bed early so she is fending for herself and was eating apples from a neighbors tree when Brick texted her.
-Also, only three out of the five people who saw Brick talking to his backpack made fun of him, so according to him high school is better.
-Sue urges Brick to create a secret back-up plan for her and give a copy to someone else in case he dies.
-Axl can't share a glass of wine with his mother despite her breastfeeding him.
-The most awkward line of the night is when Sue decides to live for college and Jeremy says that he will strap his bike to her Earth killer four-wheeler car. I wouldn't like my boyfriend saying that about my car. He should be glad about car pooling, which cuts back on gas. Also, my car has a name. It is Max. Please call my car Max instead.
-Brick shoves almost a whole pizza in his new backpack but still gets a lunch at school. Interesting.
Sue (Eden Sher) does arrive back from Dolllyworld and Mike (Neil Flynn) is anxious waiting for her to finally arrive, but when she does, he smiles, gives her a quick hug and immediately turns on the TV, his favorite.
Sue has a major announcement of her own. She wants to change her major to acting. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is shocked but says that that could be a good idea. Though I love Sue, even though she is the most naive character on TV, acting is not in her wheelhouse. She would be much better sticking with psychology. But she needs to be all in. Yet, she also feels that she needs a back-up plan.
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) has started high school and miraculously has a real book bag. His plan of hanging with the cool kid (Matt Cornett) doesn't work out as the cool kids want to sit with someone even cooler so poor Brick is stuck talking to his book bag, whispering to himself and whooping.
Axl (Charlie McDermott) finally introduces his new girlfriend, April (Greer Grammer) to his parents and though he is clearly in love, she is dumber than a brick, believing that world peace is merely good. Frankie can't believe it, while Mike and Brick don't seem too concerned.
Frankie, desperate to hold on to her family, plans a nice dinner and actually makes a noodle casserole. Though it can't hot as they don't use hot pads to place it down on the table, but whatever. But Frankie's well-meant plans are shattered when April shows up and then Jeremy (Will Green) shows up after some major protesting. No feeding antacids to cows. Mike is thrilled to hear that Jeremy is from Indianapolis as that is where the Colts are from. However, Jeremy doesn't like football because of the underpaid factory workers who make the balls. Mike is livid and instantly hates Jeremy far more than Frankie dislikes April. Yes, that's right, they are rooting for Cindy (Casey Burke), who is mad that the dinner doesn't include shrimp.
Frankie manages to give her toast though she must call her family away to the fridge and snaps at them that she loves them and these moments are truly fleeting. And that these moments should be appreciated. Isn't that what life is, fleeting?
Despite meaning to tell Axl off about April, she can't as she understands and blatantly sees that he's in love and she doesn't wish to ruin that. Mike is mad that Jeremy could take away the one thing he truly loves. Not Sue, mind you, but the Colts.
While there are few minor problems, such as the inconsistency of Jeremy being from Iowa last season and now being from Indianapolis, this was still a solid episode and the kids' significant others will blend awkwardly with the Heck family so funny times are ahead. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Fall has officially arrived. Frankie removed the duck tape from the sprinkler and put it back on the rake.
-Mike really should stop staring out the windows. Frankie snaps at him saying that the baby next door is already scared of him. Great callback, by the way.
-Sue's part was incredibly small. She was the girl in the well. And yes, if a kid punches his mom, he does have serious issues.
-Axl asks April if she found the place (the Heck house) okay after she sees him and kisses him and she says that she thinks she found the house okay.
-Frankie may have been pretty upstairs but Mike was far more interested in her downstairs. Yikes.
-Mike doesn't know what Team Aniston is and Frankie bemuses on how they can even be a couple.
-Cindy's mom went to bed early so she is fending for herself and was eating apples from a neighbors tree when Brick texted her.
-Also, only three out of the five people who saw Brick talking to his backpack made fun of him, so according to him high school is better.
-Sue urges Brick to create a secret back-up plan for her and give a copy to someone else in case he dies.
-Axl can't share a glass of wine with his mother despite her breastfeeding him.
-The most awkward line of the night is when Sue decides to live for college and Jeremy says that he will strap his bike to her Earth killer four-wheeler car. I wouldn't like my boyfriend saying that about my car. He should be glad about car pooling, which cuts back on gas. Also, my car has a name. It is Max. Please call my car Max instead.
-Brick shoves almost a whole pizza in his new backpack but still gets a lunch at school. Interesting.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
A League of Their Own (1992)
This film was quite good. It is the story, ultimately, about two sisters, Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and her younger but equally as talented and hungier Kit Keller (Lori Petty).
With America at work and all of the baseball players leaving to fight overseas, a businessman (Garry Marshall) decides that women should have a shot. Thus, he and his right-hand man, Ira Lownstein (David Strathairn) form a baseball league for women.
In Oregon, Dottie is hand plucked by the scout, who likes his animals out of the way and his women beautiful (Jon Lovitz) but she doesn't want to go. Kit, on the other hand, isn't picked and is devastated. She is allowed to come but only if Dottie does. Dottie gives in. Along the way, before the try-outs in Chicago, they pick up the talented but largely unattractive Marla (Megan Cavanaugh). She isn't picked until Kit and Dottie nearly boycott.
In Chicago, they pick up the rest of the team among the many of girls who try-out. We have the boy friendly Mae (Madonna), the tough Doris (Rosie O'Donnell), the illiterate Shirley (Ann Cusack) and the mom Evelyn (Bitty Schram). They are managed by the alcoholic, burned out baseball player Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) who could care less about his job at first. Dottie is basically running the team for the first month. He is tough on the girls, but treats them similarly to men, which is interesting. He still can't believe that girls are playing baseball. But when one of the players gets word that her husband has been killed, Jimmy is rightfully sympathetic.
The season continues, and even Marla finds love in the form of a guy she met at a bar and leaves to get married though she promises to return the next season. Shirley even learns how to read, though Mae lets her read mostly sexual material. The girls experience things that they never have before. Life is changing though the threat of being shut down is always a reality. But after some much need publicly, not always the most appropriate kind, fans start turning out in droves.
But there is also some hostility which forms between the two sisters. Dottie is celebrated and praised while Kit is constantly overlooked and when Dottie asks to get traded, Kit is traded to Racine instead.
Fortunately, for Dottie, at least, Bob (Bill Pullman) returned, injured and they begin the drive to return to Oregon despite Jimmy's objections.
The World Series begins, between the Rockford Peaches (Dottie's team) and the Racine Belles (Kit's team). And it is all tied up. Dottie does return which is good as the back-up catcher, Alice (Renee Coleman) isn't nearly as popular. She did have baseball in her blood, and yes, it is more than just a game to her. She wants one last hurrah. And it comes down to Kit at bat. Kit has always liked high balls and Dottie uses that knowledge to her advantage but fortunately, Kit finally hits one and manages to slide into home as Dottie can't hang onto the ball.
Kit finally has her moment to shine. Dottie isn't that upset as she knows that the game was always more important to Kit than to her.
The film actually begins with Dottie's daughter begging her to go the reunion, as Dottie doesn't realize how important her story is. It was so vastly important, what she was a part of and it didn't mean that much to her. It ends with the new wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame commemorating them.
This film does truly tell an important story. The league continued until 1954 and then I guess America decided it couldn't handle two different leagues anymore which is a shame.
The acting is impecable though Hanks shouldn't have top billing, Geena Davis should. But I would have liked Lori Petty to have had more screen time, but the script overlooks her just as everyone else does, an interesting technique.
All-in-all, this film was put together well, with the scenery and costumes, transporting you back to 1943. Some husbands are supportive while others force their wives to take the kids with them on road trips because they can't be bothered to watch their own child properly. And yes, at first, the public isn't understanding about women playing baseball but soon, that goes away. Yet, all the players are white, nothing is discussed about color. I suppose that didn't fit into the story written. This film is a must-see for any film lover and baseball fan alike. Grade: A-
Friday, October 7, 2016
Love and Basketball (2000)
This film is another one that should have been better than it was.
The film is told in four acts, with the first one starting when the main characters, Monica and Quincy (Kyla Pratt and Glenndon Chatman) are just eleven years old. Quincy can't believe that a girl can play basketball, but she can and she's good. Their relationship gets off to a rough start, given that Monica won't do everything Quincy asks her to do.
Seven years later, things aren't exactly much better. Monica (now Sanaa Lathan) is driven, hard working but isn't praised on the court for her rough sportsman-like conduct while Quincy (Omar Epps) often does the same and is loved for it. But things come easily to him. He has the woman falling over him while Monica's sister, Lena (Regina Hall) has to dig up a date for her for the spring dance. Yet, they are friends. Whenever Quincy's parents argue, he will go to Monica's house (she lives next door) and sleep on her floor, something that he has done more than once.
They do get together and even go to the same college where they both place basketball and the story mostly focuses on Monica whose coach is rough and tough on her but Monica is rewarded with a starting spot halfway through the season. Quincy starts off strong but falls apart when he learns of his beloved, former NBA star father's (Dennis Haysbert) infidelity. Monica is supportive but must leave him when he is feeling low as she has a strict 11:00 pm curfew imposed by her coach. Quincy is so upset that she isn't taking his needs into consideration that he gets someone else on the side, though it isn't really that serious. Needless to say, Monica ends the relationship.
Five years later, she is playing professionally in Spain as America doesn't yet have any professional teams for woman (it is 1993) and Quincy, who entered the NBA draft against his father's wishes) is mostly warming the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, neither are completely happy. Monica might love basketball but not in a foreign county without her family around playing for a coach she can't understand. So she returns home and gets an office job at her father's bank while Quincy faces months of rehab having severely injured his ACL. He is also engaged to a flighty flight attendant (Tyra Banks), which is a big shock to everyone and Monica's mother (Alfie Woodward) is against the match believing, rightfully so, that her daughter would be better than the flight attendant.
Monica decides to play Quincy one-on-one. The prize: his heart. Though Quincy does win, he can't let Monica go and we get the epilogue.
Who knows what Quincy is up to, though he did express his desire to return to school and get his degree, which would have made his father proud, but they did get married and Monica plays for the WNBA with Quincy and their young daughter supporting her in the stands.
Though the film was pretty good, it showed each main character differently, focusing more on Monica's career while focusing on Quincy's love life not his skills on the court. The issue of infidelity should have be mentioned and discussed more, as Quincy saw firsthand how devastating something like that was, as it broke up his family and ruined his relationship with his father. Monica and her mother did have a good conversation on the role's women play. Monica is often critical of her mother 'just' being a housewife while Woodward defends her choices, pleased that she was able to be around her family. That tone should have mentioned previously, not just in the last act.
Sure, the performances were good and it was realistic enough with some great typical dialogue and the film did go quickly, it didn't feel like it was two hours long. And the music was good too. It did tell a good story, I just wish it had been done better. Grade: B+
The film is told in four acts, with the first one starting when the main characters, Monica and Quincy (Kyla Pratt and Glenndon Chatman) are just eleven years old. Quincy can't believe that a girl can play basketball, but she can and she's good. Their relationship gets off to a rough start, given that Monica won't do everything Quincy asks her to do.
Seven years later, things aren't exactly much better. Monica (now Sanaa Lathan) is driven, hard working but isn't praised on the court for her rough sportsman-like conduct while Quincy (Omar Epps) often does the same and is loved for it. But things come easily to him. He has the woman falling over him while Monica's sister, Lena (Regina Hall) has to dig up a date for her for the spring dance. Yet, they are friends. Whenever Quincy's parents argue, he will go to Monica's house (she lives next door) and sleep on her floor, something that he has done more than once.
They do get together and even go to the same college where they both place basketball and the story mostly focuses on Monica whose coach is rough and tough on her but Monica is rewarded with a starting spot halfway through the season. Quincy starts off strong but falls apart when he learns of his beloved, former NBA star father's (Dennis Haysbert) infidelity. Monica is supportive but must leave him when he is feeling low as she has a strict 11:00 pm curfew imposed by her coach. Quincy is so upset that she isn't taking his needs into consideration that he gets someone else on the side, though it isn't really that serious. Needless to say, Monica ends the relationship.
Five years later, she is playing professionally in Spain as America doesn't yet have any professional teams for woman (it is 1993) and Quincy, who entered the NBA draft against his father's wishes) is mostly warming the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, neither are completely happy. Monica might love basketball but not in a foreign county without her family around playing for a coach she can't understand. So she returns home and gets an office job at her father's bank while Quincy faces months of rehab having severely injured his ACL. He is also engaged to a flighty flight attendant (Tyra Banks), which is a big shock to everyone and Monica's mother (Alfie Woodward) is against the match believing, rightfully so, that her daughter would be better than the flight attendant.
Monica decides to play Quincy one-on-one. The prize: his heart. Though Quincy does win, he can't let Monica go and we get the epilogue.
Who knows what Quincy is up to, though he did express his desire to return to school and get his degree, which would have made his father proud, but they did get married and Monica plays for the WNBA with Quincy and their young daughter supporting her in the stands.
Though the film was pretty good, it showed each main character differently, focusing more on Monica's career while focusing on Quincy's love life not his skills on the court. The issue of infidelity should have be mentioned and discussed more, as Quincy saw firsthand how devastating something like that was, as it broke up his family and ruined his relationship with his father. Monica and her mother did have a good conversation on the role's women play. Monica is often critical of her mother 'just' being a housewife while Woodward defends her choices, pleased that she was able to be around her family. That tone should have mentioned previously, not just in the last act.
Sure, the performances were good and it was realistic enough with some great typical dialogue and the film did go quickly, it didn't feel like it was two hours long. And the music was good too. It did tell a good story, I just wish it had been done better. Grade: B+
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Pitch: Pilot
This is a show that isn't true, but it has the potential to be true. Major League Baseball finally has its first female player, Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury, who spent months training for this role). Ginny is a pitcher and most of her teammates are not thrilled that a girl is on their team.
The cast is great: Ali Larter is the cut-throat agent, Amelia, who believes that Ginny is the best thing ever, telling the limo driver point blank that Ginny is the most important passenger he's ever driver with Dan Lauria as the team's manager, pissed at a girl disrupting the status quo and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the team's catcher, not pleased with having to share his spotlight with a woman. Bob Balaban is the team's owner with Michael Beach as Ginny's overbearing papa, thrilled that at least one of his children loves baseball, but tough, determined to give her a secret weapon which results in the waste of perfectly good nectarines.
Ginny also has her own private locker room where she can hear what her teammates truly think through the vent, dealing with mixed comments from Mike Lawson (Gosselaar) who thinks she's talented but still isn't fond of her.
Ginny is the heroine of many little girls and has so much pressure on her. She isn't nervous, at first, but as it gets closer to her start, the nerves kick in and she's wild on the mound, disappointing in her first, brief appearance. She insists on leaving the game after just ten pitches, none of them any good. She is furious at herself and urges the little girls to find another role model, because she just can't cut it. And she's experienced, with five seasons of minor league and two seasons of winter ball under her belt. They don't send her down because they can't stomach the bad publicity it would bring. So she gets another chance, and takes it, after some great, inspiring words from the womanizing Mike.
The only problem I have with the show is that you, the audience, is lied to. That's right. Ginny's dad, unable to smile at his only daughter as she makes her major league debut, is actually dead, killed in a tragic car accident just after a major league scout selects Ginny. It's all an hallucination. I hate being lied to and I think that this could cause problems in the long run. And the fight in the locker room after her first victory sours the moment. A new coach may be found soon as he hasn't completely changed with the times.
Now, the show is very stylized, great to look at and amazing, with the life-sized stadium, all realistic. Nothing is out of place and Bunbury is up to the task of an important and difficult role and fortunately, she just like Baker does have a good support system, but unlike Ginny, she doesn't need it. I just hope this show, unlike Empire, doesn't turn into a huge mess. And the camera work is amazing. Grade: B+
The cast is great: Ali Larter is the cut-throat agent, Amelia, who believes that Ginny is the best thing ever, telling the limo driver point blank that Ginny is the most important passenger he's ever driver with Dan Lauria as the team's manager, pissed at a girl disrupting the status quo and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the team's catcher, not pleased with having to share his spotlight with a woman. Bob Balaban is the team's owner with Michael Beach as Ginny's overbearing papa, thrilled that at least one of his children loves baseball, but tough, determined to give her a secret weapon which results in the waste of perfectly good nectarines.
Ginny also has her own private locker room where she can hear what her teammates truly think through the vent, dealing with mixed comments from Mike Lawson (Gosselaar) who thinks she's talented but still isn't fond of her.
Ginny is the heroine of many little girls and has so much pressure on her. She isn't nervous, at first, but as it gets closer to her start, the nerves kick in and she's wild on the mound, disappointing in her first, brief appearance. She insists on leaving the game after just ten pitches, none of them any good. She is furious at herself and urges the little girls to find another role model, because she just can't cut it. And she's experienced, with five seasons of minor league and two seasons of winter ball under her belt. They don't send her down because they can't stomach the bad publicity it would bring. So she gets another chance, and takes it, after some great, inspiring words from the womanizing Mike.
The only problem I have with the show is that you, the audience, is lied to. That's right. Ginny's dad, unable to smile at his only daughter as she makes her major league debut, is actually dead, killed in a tragic car accident just after a major league scout selects Ginny. It's all an hallucination. I hate being lied to and I think that this could cause problems in the long run. And the fight in the locker room after her first victory sours the moment. A new coach may be found soon as he hasn't completely changed with the times.
Now, the show is very stylized, great to look at and amazing, with the life-sized stadium, all realistic. Nothing is out of place and Bunbury is up to the task of an important and difficult role and fortunately, she just like Baker does have a good support system, but unlike Ginny, she doesn't need it. I just hope this show, unlike Empire, doesn't turn into a huge mess. And the camera work is amazing. Grade: B+
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