A Tale Of "Wonder"

Wonder (2017)

Rated PG

Starring Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic, Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts, Mandy Patinkin

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

The Story:

Auggie (Tremblay) is a little kid who is about to embark upon his greatest adventure: he's going to public school for the first time in his life. The facial deformities that he was born with have been fairly well fixed and hidden over the first part of his life thanks to his parents who were there for him and homeschooled him. But now it's time for Auggie to branch out and see if the real world will accept him or reject him.

So if you saw the trailers, you hopefully got the misty eye or the lump in your throat as it hit all the cliche notes that a movie like this is going for.

The movie will not disappoint you.

Cliche after cliche, note after note, this film ticks off every block that you're expecting to see in a coming of age dramedy about a little boy who fits in nowhere but at home, and yet has a profound impact on everyone around him.

The greatest strength of this movie is they realized that telling Auggie's story might get a bit redundant after 90 minutes of over and over, cliche after cliche of what Auggie is dealing with.

So in the wisest move ever, the movie shifts off of Auggie and instead tells side stories that run parallel (and have flashbacks) to life with Auggie in in. Friends. Family. Those that have known him forever and those that are just getting to know him.

Again, you know the road they are going down from the moment the movie starts, but it's still an enjoyable road nonetheless.

Final Grade:  B+

DeNiro Tries To Be "The Comedian" To Mixed Results

The Comedian (2017)

Rated R

Starring Robert DeNiro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Patti LuPone, Edie Falco, Charles Grodin,

Directed by Taylor Hackford

The Story:

Jack Burke (DeNiro) is an aging insult comic who is relegated to playing small clubs because that's all his manager (Falco) can get him booked for. However, when he's booked for assault, his community service leads him to new opportunities, both personally and professionally.

I guess the biggest question from this film would be "what went wrong"?

The cast, including those named above and those that I didn't list are a phenomenal group of actors and real life comedians.

Yet the biggest complaint of this movie is that it isn't funny.

I don't think it was supposed to be.

It's a dramedy.

There is humor in it, but the proceedings aren't slapstick fall down funny.

Perhaps it wasn't dramatic enough, or funny enough, as it tries to tow the line and be the best of both worlds.

Or perhaps it's the romantic subplot between Jack and Harmony (Mann) who meet during community service?

Not sure.

It wasn't a must-see movie, but it held my attention throughout.

I laughed at the actually funny parts, and it held my interest through the dramatic.

Hey, I didn't turn the movie off, and since I consider that a sign of a really bad movie, it can't be all bad.

So it's not exactly what went wrong, more of what could they have done better?

I think the biggest thing, as an insult comic, the world has to love the man doing the insults.

See Don Rickles.

In this movie, nobody liked Jack, except his old fans, and they only liked the old sitcom Jack, a character he was desperately trying to forget.

So if you start with an unlikable character, you're already facing an uphill battle to earn the love from the audience.

It's a hard balance to achieve, and I think that all things considered, they did the best job possible.

Final Grade: C+

It's Called T.M.I. For A Reason..."Thanks For Sharing"

Thanks For Sharing (2012)

Rated R

Starring Mark Ruffalo, Gywneth Paltrow, Tim Robbins, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, Patrick Fugit, Pink,

Directed by Stuart Blumberg

The Story:

Adam (Ruffalo) meets Phoebe (Paltrow) and the two really hit it off. It's the first girl he's been seriously interested in, possibly ever. She tells him up front that she just has to make sure she never dates another guy who's an addict. No problem...

Except Adam is addicted to sex, and is in year 5 of his recovery.

And there you have the basis for one of the most  unusual, yet compelling romantic dramedies that you're likely to see.

Supporting Ruffalo are Robbins as his sponsor, and he is saddled with issues of his own and his family (Richardson & Fugit).

Then there is Josh Gad as a leacherous member of their group who doesn't seem to want to even change, but ends up having possibly the biggest storyline changes of them all by the end of the film.

The movie wisely incorporates these addtional stories to make a fuller movie instead of one that just concentrates soley on Phoebe & Adam's relationship. It allows the focus to shift and not just burn the audience out on a love story.

There were a few hiccups along the way that keep this movie from being a must-see, but the cast makes you empathize with them and want to see it through to the end.

Final Grade:  B

Seize The Day..."Hello, My Name Is Doris"

Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)

Rated R

Starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Tyne Daly, Stephen Root, Peter Gallagher,

Directed by Michael Showalter

The Story:

Doris (Field) attends a self-help seminar where Willy Williams (Gallagher) instills in her a confidence that she's never had before. Doris begins to make some changes in her life, all in an effort to possibly woo a new co-worker (Greenfield)  who is half..maybe...her age.

So far, it seems to be quirky romance week here at Review Central.

Following up on yesterday's Mr. Right, comes a triumphant tour de force for Sally Field as Doris, the best role she's had in ages.

It's funny, sad, heartwarming and heartbreaking, but it's never dull.

These are characters that may very well exist in the real world, yet have been given a tweak here and there to up their quirkiness.

Believable, but never overblown, Doris will suck you up right into her world, and you'll find yourself excited for her one moment, and cringing with (or for) her the next.

Never once do you expect the relationship to work, yet deep down, you're totally pulling for her to make it work.

It's a terrific cast and a genuinely heartfelt dramedy.

Final Grade: Solid B

And You Thought Your Family Was Weird..."The Family Fang"

The Family Fang (2015)

Rated R

Starring Jason Bateman, Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken, Maryann Plunkett,

Directed by Jason Bateman

The Story:

Annie (Kidman) and Baxter (Bateman) Fang have grown and left their eccentric parents (Walken & Plunkett) out of their lives as much as possible. When Baxter gets injured, his family comes to take care of him, and the family is reunited one more time. But their parents being weird performance artists have left emotional scars on the siblings. However, when their parents go missing and are presumed dead, the kids aren't too sure that this isn't just their latest masterpiece.

If it sounds weird, it's because it was weird.

It's a quirky dramedy that explores the relationship between a family that was so dysfunctional, they had no clue what dysfunction even was.

And yet, they also had a very good time growing up, and the bond between brother and sister is remarkably strong for all that they endured.

It's a very character driven story that flashes back to when the kids were younger and shows what they endured growing up.

The oddest part of the movie is how it seems like it's also part documentary in narration, which gives the movie a bit of an odd flow to it, but it's nothing that is too hard to look past.

Good performances by all of the actors involved, and that's what propels your interest in the movie from start to finish.

Final Grade: C+

Meryl Streep: Guitar Queen! "Ricki and the Flash"

Ricki and the Flash (2015)

Rated

Starring Meryl Streep, Rick Springfield, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Stan, Nick Westrate

Directed by Johnathan Demme

The Story:

Ricki (Streep) loves performing with her band, The Flash. So much so, that she left her husband (Kline) and their kids (Gummer, Stan, Westrate) to pursue her passion. When their daughter Julie winds up nearly killing herself, Ricki is invited back home to help deal with the depression. She may have been a terrible mom, but she still loves her kids and might do better with this second chance.

Once Meryl Streep decides she wants to sing, she's going to keep on singing. Apparently Mama Mia scratched an itch for her, and she's going to indulge it.

This dramedy actually has quite a bit going for it, and Streep's singing is actually the least of it.

Watching her reconnect with her kids that clearly don't want her around, then come to accept that she is who she is, which is their mom, and she's doing the best that she can, the only way she knows how is not really rushed as it unfolds.

Kevin Kline, charming as ever, plays the dad perfectly, however the clear winner of the cast here is Audra McDonald who comes in late to the action as "Mom # 2". She's sweet, charming, level-headed, and everything that Ricki was not to the kids. In fact, it was all of her intervention over the years that even allows the kids to have a relationship with their mom at all.

Now, if the struggle with her former family isn't enough, there's also the romantic subplot between her and her lead guitar player (Springfield). He clearly loves her, but she wants to keep things strictly physical.

There's a lot to like here, and I will have to chalk this one up to being pleasantly surprised at how engaging it was, considering how many different minor subplots they try and toss in the air to juggle at the same time.

Final Grade: B-

Set Those DVRs..."Welcome To Me"

Welcome to Me (2015)

Rated R

Starring Kristen Wiig, Linda Cardellini, Joan Cusack, James Marsden, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Robbins,

Directed by Shira Piven

The Story:

Alice Klieg (Wiig) has issues. When she ends up winning the lottery, she decides to take her winnings to a television station that makes infomercials and create her own talk show. The show is a trainwreck, yet begins to draw an audience. As her new form of therapy, Alice is about to bare her soul to the world and maybe learn a few things about herself in the process.

I don't know, this is one of those movies that is impossible to describe accurately.

A dramedy, to be sure, Alice suffers from borderline personality disorder.  Apparently this is a real thing that a lot of people suffer from, and reading some reviews around the internet, apparently Wiig nails the disorder perfectly and did indeed provide some therapeutic relief for many people who were able to go, "that...that's me!"

The supporting cast, and it is a great one, do just that, they support Wiig fully. While at first the station is eager to get their hands on the money, most of the workers there end up caring a great deal about Alice as her life unspools before them.

Get ready for a quirky experience.

Available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C+

Cumbersome Title, A Couple Laughs... "This Is Where I Leave You"

This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

Rated R

Starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Dax Shepard, Timothy Olyphant

Directed by Shawn Levy

The Story:

After their father passes away, all of his family reunites at his house and is forced to stay their for a week due to Jewish customs. They naturally all find this very odd, since their dad wasn't Jewish... Naturally, whenever a dysfunctional family is forced to be together under one roof for more than about an hour, chaos and insanity ensues.

For a very funny cast, the laughs are few and far between.  If you're expecting a laugh riot, you will be disappointed.

It's a dramedy in every sense of the word.

Divvying up screen time to allow the stories of each of the children to unfold is naturally rather difficult. Most centers on Judd (Bateman) who starts the movie with a shock to the system, even before he finds out his father passed away.


The cast does a fine job balancing their angst with their humor.

Not a bad movie in any sense of the word, just nothing that memorable that would require another viewing down the road.

Final Grade: C+

It's Not All Fun And Games In "The Single Moms Club"

The Single Moms Club (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Nia Long, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Amy Smart, Zulay Henao, Cocoa Brown, Tyler Perry, Terry Crews

Written and Directed by Tyler Perry

The Story:

5 single mothers (Long/Covey/Smart/Henao/Brown) are forced to work together when their children all misbehave at school.  Initially resistant due to their conflicting personalities and social statuses, as time goes on, they begin realizing that they could help each other out.  They form a Single Moms Club to allow for babysitting and some time out away from the kids.

Well, I actually preferred this one to the last Tyler Perry offering.

Getting away from heavy drama (though there is a bit of drama in this one) and going for more humourous, but not over-the-top Madea comedy, Perry instead gives us a slice of life dramedy.

The ladies all have their issues with their exes, each other, their jobs and the men that are trying to be in their life.

Some characters are more sympathetic than others.

I will give Perry credit for a bit of dialogue that is lost in the middle of the movie.

When Lytia (Brown) is late picking up her kid from her sister (sister!) and is berated for trying to make a better life for her and her son by having a job when she could make so much more on welfare...

Yeah, let that logic sink in for a moment, and realize that a great deal of the population probably thinks that way.

Adding in some love interests for most of the ladies that are a significant step-up over their previous paramours is a smart move.

Hiring Terry Crews as one of those is genius.

:)

While not as crazy as he normally gets to play in movies, he does have some fun in the film and is always fun to watch.

Final Grade: C+/B- range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No need to own it, but I could have it playing again in the future. Mostly harmless and a few pretty funny spots.

We Need To Talk "About Last Night"

About Last Night (2014)

Rated R for language and situations

Starring Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Michael Ealy, Joy Bryant

Directed by Steve Pink

The Story:

Bernie (Hart) and Joan (Hall) hit it off on a date, so naturally they hoped to hook up their best friends Danny (Ealy) and Debbie (Bryant) and maybe those two would hit it off and be happy.  And they do, and they are for some time.  However into every life some reality will come, and when the going gets tough, will these couples fight to keep a relationship, or simply go their separate ways?

A romantic comedy/dramedy remake of a 1986 film starring Rob Lowe and Demi Moore that I never bothered to get around to watching.

Given what I've seen of this film, there's no big loss, though they do offer a nice meta-moment by having the characters in this film watch that film during the movie.

Clever.

This movie is watchable, but not very memorable.

The best part of the movie is probably the unleashing of Hart and Hall to literally go at it (figuratively and literally) in the movie.  So over-the-top, you can't help but laugh at their conversations.

However, they are supposed to be second-fiddle to the main love story, so when the main story is kind of boring...

That doesn't exactly set this up for a memorable picture.

So yes, it's watchable, but on the list of recent Kevin Hart pictures or romantic comedy/dramedy, this one comes in a dead last place.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was enough.  Hopefully this doesn't get remade again in 30 years.

Bet You Haven't Seen This One In Some Time..."A Simple Twist Of Fate"

A Simple Twist of Fate (1994)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, Catherine O'Hara

Directed by Gillies MacKinnon

The Story:

Michael McCann (Martin) lives alone making furniture for a living.  Into his life toddles a little one, and Michael adopts the child and names her Mathilda.  He uses an unconventional parenting style, but Michael and Mathilda form a loving bond over the years.  However, local politician John Newland (Byrne) is the girl's real father, and since he cannot have children with his own wife (Linney), they decide to sue for custody of the girl.

That's a simplistic narrative for a story with much more complex layers than that.  Based on the novel Silas Marner by George Eliot, Steve Martin adapted the story for himself to bring to the screen.

What he brings is a heartwarming dramedy where he plays a role unlike any he'd ever played before.

He's not wild and crazy. He's not tossing jokes left and right.

There are a few fun situations he falls into along the way, so it's not without humor.

However, it's a story of love and redemption that is worth a viewing.

Instead, the meat of the story takes place after Mathilda has grown and the court case to decide if she should stay with Michael, or go live with her real father who can provide for her in ways that Michael could never dream.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film, it had been about 15 years since I last saw it.

It still holds up very well in my eyes.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, I simply must not let so much time pass between viewings next time.

What Are The Odds I Watch "A Million To Juan" Again?

A Million To Juan (1994)

Rated PG

Starring: Paul Rodriguez, Tony Plana, Bert Rosario, Polly Draper

Directed by Paul Rodriguez

The Story:

Juan (Rodriguez) is struggling to raise his kid and become a citizen.  He was born in America, but moved to Mexico as a kid and now that he's back, he's got no proof.  His immigration officer, Olivia (Draper) is trying to help him any way she can.  Then one day, Juan receives a check from a stranger for One Million Dollars!  The catch? He has to give the check back in 30 days.  The check is indeed real, and it gets Juan instant credit all around the city, but that promise of money actually changes Juan's life for the poorer.  At the end of the month, Juan is actually worse off than before...

Or is he?

While billed as a comedy, and filled with some great comedic actors, this film is more of a dramedy than anything.

And a romantic dramedy at that.

There aren't hysterical laughs abounding through the movie, but a steady stream of pleasantry.

Paul Rodriguez is pleasant as the star of the film, and he is surrounded by excellent character actors that drive the story.

Now celebrating 20 years, the movie holds up rather well for itself, this being the 2nd time I've seen it in 20 years!

The mysterious benefactor of the million dollars leaves itself open as a question mark. Was he real? Was he an angel?

The film does resolve itself nicely, with the happiest of endings that the film could come up with.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Apparently it's good for one viewing every 20 years. :)

Farewell To March... "Shall We Dance?"

Shall We Dance (2004)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci

Directed by Peter Chelsom

The Story:

John Clark (Gere) is a lawyer who has found that something is missing in his life.  He loves his wife (Sarandon) and family, but he's not quite happy.  On the ride home one night, he sees Paulina (Lopez) at a dance studio and impulsively rushes over to take dance lessons.  He winds up with a different teacher (Anita Gillette) but still, something about dance seems to make John...happy.  So he continues to practice, but keeps his new secret from his wife which sets off a chain of misunderstanding that threatens his homelife.

Not a bad flick at all.

It's a tough sell though...is it a romantic comedy? A Dramedy?

It's charming and humourous throughout.

It straddles a fine line because John isn't happy in life, but he's not cheating on his wife, though it's possible that was his intention when he first got off the train.

Instead, he finds that dance is that passion he never knew he was missing.

Add in the always sensational performance from Stanley Tucci as a co-worker who also secretly enjoys to dance, and you've got a pretty enjoyable flick .

Final Grade: B/B- range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would have no problem letting this play again...not sure I would need to buy it though.

Dysfunctional Coming of Age Tale... "The Way Way Back"

The Way Way Back (2013)
Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Liam James, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell

Directed & Written by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

The Story:

Duncan (James) is a shy 14 year old coming to spend the summer at the beach house of his mom's (Collette) new boyfriend (Carell) and his daughter.  Next door is the beautiful Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and her crazy mother (Allison Janney) and the lazy-eyed brother, Peter.  Also spending a lot of time at the house are neighbors Kip and Joan (Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet).  Sam absolutely hates it there, and finds a bike and rides off into town.  He goes to Water Wizz, the local fun park and befriends Owen (Rockwell) and gets a job.  Finally starting to come out of his shell thanks to his co-workers, Duncan is about to have the best summer of his life.

As the poster proclaims, from the studio that brought you Little Miss Sunshine, and really, that should tell you everything you need to know.

However, unlike Ruby Sparks which was brought to us by the director of Little Miss Sunshine, and sits on my list as the most hated movie of 2014 so far...

The Eighth Dwarf: Mopey

This one is at least watchable.

I've been outspoken that Little Miss Sunshine was overrated, and this one lines up to receive the same accolades, but to me it is a dramedy that isn't nearly as funny as previews or critics would have you believe, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The laughs are genuine and serve the story well when they come, and not overplayed antics to serve a storyline.

If anything, the story is slow and deliberate, almost too slow at times.  There is an awful lot of the same thing happening over and over again, but yet it is compelling enough to not turn it off, and that mostly comes off the strength of the actors.

If I had to choose to watch either of these movies again, this would be selected.

It's the Sam Rockwell Show!

The main reason is a simple tour de force by Sam Rockwell who delivers another great performance, but then, when doesn't he?

Had there been any other actor in the role, I likely would have downgraded this movie farther.  But he's entertaining and keeps me coming back, hoping more of the movie will be centered around his character and less about Duncan's troubles at home.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No, I'm good.  If I were to watch it again, I would simply fast forward to Rockwell's parts and call it a day.

Easily The Worst Movie of 2014...So Far... "Ruby Sparks"

Ruby Sparks (2012)
Rated R for Language, and possibly making me want to kill myself instead of watching the film...

Starring Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan,  Elliot Gould, Steve Coogan

Directed by Johnathan Dayton & Valerie Faris

Now I need therapy...

The Story:

According the to the internet, this movie was supposed to be about a novelist (Dano) who creates a girl named Ruby Sparks (Kazan) who mysteriously and magically comes to life with all of the attributes that he said she would have. 

Yes, it's Weird Science remade!

The Best Part of the Review: You Now Have the "Weird Science Song Stuck in Your Head! : )

Except...

It wasn't funny.

John Hughes was not involved in any way.

And after 15 minutes that felt like 45 minutes of torture, it was turned off, thrown back into the Netflix envelope and sent back to Netflix HQ.

Looking at overall reviews for this film, apparently I'm the one that doesn't get the awesomeness of this movie.

I'm okay with that.

Watching Dano go through therapy with Elliot Gould and whining about not knowing what to write next to his agent, Steve Coogan, I had enough.

This was a waste of talent on a hackneyed script that lost any goodwill with the premise by being...

Boring.

"Can We Look Now? Is He Done Bashing Our Movie?"

It's marketed as a comedy.  It wasn't funny.

It's marketed as a drama.  It wasn't dramtic.

It wasn't a dramedy.

It. Was. Boring.

ZzzzzZzzzzZzzzz.

"I Can't Believe He Doesn't Like Us!!"

Written by Kazan, the script is tedious at best from the time it starts until I clicked it off.  If it had a better ending, hooray, but nothing could beat my ending of removing the film.

Directed by the team that brought us Little Miss Sunshine, I now begin to understand all the accolades for the film.  I felt that Little Miss Sunshine was one of the most overrated films of the 2000s.  Again, a movie that was neither drama nor comedy.  It simply existed.  The best part of the film was Alan Arkin, and the rest was simply a tedious waste of a really good assembled cast.

"We're What Everyone Is Buzzing About!"

Sounds familiar.

Apparently Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas, both of whom I love to watch in the movies were in this film. 

I never made it that far.

"But This Is What You're Missing!!"

No thanks, I'll pass.

And welcome to the Top of the List for Turkey of the Year, 2014:  Ruby Sparks.

That makes 2 for the year so far.

Yikes.

I haven't even found a movie to go on the "Best of the Year" list yet!

If you want a good movie about a writer who controls the fate of their character,  watch Stranger Than Fiction instead.

"It is Your Destiny..."

Please.

I'm begging you.


Final Grade: F

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No. Never.

The Bittersweet Tale of a "Girl in Progress"

What's a girl to do?

The Story:

Grace (Eva Mendes) is a single mother who is raising her daughter, Ansiedad (Cierra Ramirez)... well, barely raising her daughter.  When her daughter decides to write her own coming of age story with her own life, will Grace even notice?  Ansiedad figures that the sooner she become an adult, the sooner she can get away from her mom.

I've debated on this review.  It has its moments, but the movie was very yo-yo like... not sure if it wanted to be a comedy...a drama...

The tone was uneven, but the overall story, especially of Ansiedad (who names their kid Anxiety...I mean really...) is compelling.

Watching her want to get away from her mother, and going to great lengths to create her own coming of age storyline to ensure that she meets all the checkpoints on the road to adulthood is quite fascinating.  It's both cute and heartbreaking to see the pains she goes through to make such dramatic changes in her life, and the only one that is noticing is her teacher (Patricia Arquette).  Cierra Ramirez easily owns this movie, and when she's onscreen, the pace picks up tremendously and is involving and a complex story unfolds.

Grace's story is more convoluted than it should be, and she really isn't that great of a mom, even when she tries to be.  Having an affair with a Doctor (Matthew Modine) who has every intention of leaving his wife, until she comes home...well you can figure out what's going to happen long before Grace will.  Men are Grace's Achilles' heel, and it drives her daughter crazy.  Naturally Grace cannot figure out why her daughter is acting so irrationally, but perhaps if she took a moment to just look in the mirror, she'd understand.

Come for the daughter's story, and see how not to raise a child.

Available for streaming now on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B-  Like I said, I debated.  It was good, and had flashes of brilliance...and then would stray...

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Wouldn't buy it. Could watch it again on a slow night.