Movie Review Madness - Late Night

Late Night - the movie. Screenplay written by the incomparable Mindy Kaling - score!

The awesome Emma Thompson stars.  I am biased. She can do no wrong.

My friend Linda and I gave this a huge thumbs up. We chuckled. We enjoyed. It was good.
And as Linda said as we left the movie, " Gee, nothing blew up and there were no car chases."
I guess that's an epic failure for a summer movie. But for us - super duper thumbs up and win!!!!!!!

Emma plays Katherine Newbury - a female Late Night host. She's funny, sharp, spot on, and ratings are dropping. She's about to be canceled.  How to fix this? Hire her first female... OMG...a diverse female of color...and see what happens.  This just rocks the writer's room - lots of angst among the all white male writers.  But gee..it kinda works, and then it kinda kicks ass.

I liked the theme and execution. Amy Ryan is the CEO of the channel and she's ultimately turned around. Emma's character does have to face current situations and reality - that's the key to the movie. She "needs" Mindy's character Molly - so fresh, so young, so current, and willing to speak her mind. It's not all sunshine and rainbows and that's okay.

I totally went with the plot and movie and found it quite good.  The movie Late Night is a talkie - it's all about the dialogues, monologues, and acting. What a concept.  All in all - I'm ready to watch this again and absorb more of the message.  Yes,  this is very current and worth watching. And Emma is awesome..........total support!!!

Movie Review Madness - Beauty and the Beast

A tale as old as time….Beauty and the Beast gets a live action Disney remake that is absolutely gorgeous and worthy. Go see it on a monster big screen. Spring for the good theater with XD fancy screen and sound. Get the big tub of popcorn and bask in an old fashioned musical.  Not much new to the story. Belle (Emma Watson) is the odd girl in an old French town. She reads books, for goodness sake, and dreams of more to life. No, she does not want to marry Gaston (Luke Evans) – the hot male in town who’s an egomaniac.  Her father (the always good to see Kevin Kline) is eccentric and when he goes off to market loses his way and ends up a prisoner in an odd creepy castle. His faithful horse shows up and takes Belle to find him. There she says, “Step into the light” and meets the Beast.

This formerly vain prince had a curse placed upon him and his castle.  Now, until a final rose petal falls, he must remain a hideous creature and his servants are stuck as candelabras (Ewan McGregor), clocks (Ian McKellan), teapots (Emma Thompson), and the fancy wardrobe (Audra MacDonald- fabulous voice),  etc.   Belle swaps places with her father and shows her strong will. She’s not going to put up with crap from the Beast. But slowly she realizes he is her match – he’s well read, has a fabulous library, and she slowly makes him less selfish. Meanwhile, she charms the characters and they love her.

Emma Watson is perfect in this role. She projects intelligence. Her interplay with the Beast (a charming and worthy Dan Stevens) works. And he slowly wins her favor and ours. Deep down he is human, he does care, and does need and seek love. Can she fall for him in time to save them all?  Oh, you must enjoy the film to the end – bask in the lavish numbers (Be Our Guest). Love is unpredictable, and sometimes you do have to look into the soul, into the core of a creature to find what’s worthy.  So, yes, a bit of a lesson in this day and age. But the supreme goal of Beauty and the Beast is to entertain, to tell a tale as old as time…and golly gee, it will win your heart. 

Movie Review Madness: Saving Mr. Banks

Saving Mr. Banks is a PG-13 Disney film. Do not take young kids. P.L. Travers wrote Mary Poppins, a book beloved by children and parents alike. This was her baby and she refused Walt Disney's request for rights for 20 years. However in 1961, she needed money to maintain her life. Thus Mrs. Travers (played by the impeccable Emma Thompson) crosses the Atlantic to discuss the Mary Poppins movie. She insists on no animation, no cavorting penguins, no songs, etc. Let's just say the meetings don't go well.  

Slowly Walt (Tom Hanks) has to figure out her angle. What's the real scoop behind Mary Poppins, the flying nanny? In a series of flashbacks, we see the child, Helen, interact with her charming but alcoholic father (Colin Farrell). Ultimately who arrives to save him, the kids, the mother, and the father? In peeking behind the scenes, we see Mrs. Travers' vulnerability. As she stiffens her lip and refuses to sign over rights, Mr.Disney works harder to penetrate her emotions.  

Hanks and Thompson are actors beyond peer. The give and take banter is superb, and ultimately the Sherman brothers' song "Let's Go Fly a Kite" melts her heart. For all of us who know the beloved Mary Poppins movie - this Saving Mr. Banks is a gem. For anyone who appreciates writing, this movie shows the depth of love for a created character.  

Stay through the credits and you will hear actual taped conversation of P.L. Travers at the Mary Poppins meeting. It is uncanny. Emma Thompson absolutely nailed the character. This is an example of the power of film and storytelling.  Huge thumbs up for adults who love Disney. Get a babysitter for your kids.  

Movie Review: Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures is a good replacement for anyone in Twilight withdrawal. This time it's mortal boy hooking up with the new young lady in school who happens to be a witch in training. Set in a small town in South Carolina, Beautiful Creatures is full of one-liners and good acting. Emma Thompson is the evil mother witch inhabiting the body of the town conservative. Jeremy Irons plays the malevolent uncle. Viola Davis is a caretaker of our hero and of the town library - both for the public and for the supernatural.
Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan is a cutie, eager to get out of the town and drawn to the girl he's been seeing in his dreams. Alice Englert, as Lena, is mysterious with her dark hair, brooding face, and quick wit. The movie is a doomed forbidden love story that works. As Lena slowly learns about her powers, she also learns that she must give up Ethan in order to keep him safe.

With Spanish moss dripping from stately trees, and the soft drawls oozing love and hate, the movie has a goth feel but with 21st century twists and turns. Beautiful Creatures is a fun movie experience, appropriate for February valentines, cupids, and witches everywhere.