Wednesday Movie Silly Fun - 80 For Brady

 Oh so silly and ridiculous.  80 for Brady is totally entertaining and fun. I finally succumbed to seeing it and I laughed all the way through it. How can you not love the cast - Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, Rita Morena.  All fabulous women and maybe they are peaking now.  They all have amazing  resumes. Now, they are having the times  of their lives. 

The key to this movie is the power of female friendship.  Through thick and thin, no matter what - just  go for  it. 

Gotta love it. 

and yes, Tom Brady is a damn pretty man - he could have a film career ahead if he didn't already sign a zillion dollar contract to be a sport commentator. Who Cares?  I will  not  discuss plot. Who Cares?

It's all about these ladies - they are awesome.   Don't judge. (especially if you are younger than 60ish)  Sheer stupid fun!!!!!

Movie Review - Book Club

Book Club, the movie, is a good Sunday morning matinee -  beat the heat of TX summer – chick flick time killer. I went in with low expectations and came out amused. I like all of the actresses and I try to support “more mature” women.  Entertainment Weekly summed it up well – enjoy the novelty of four of the best actresses of their generation splash around in a film that actually lets them live, not just tastefully fossilize in some designated elder-citizen corner of the screen.

The book club meets monthly – federal judge Sharon (Candice Bergen), widow Diane (Diane Keaton – my fave), chef Carol (Mary Steenburgen), and hotelier Vivian (Jane Fonda). Vivian decides to liven up the club with E.L. James Fifty Shades of Grey – shocking. The group protests and groans but end up reading it secretly embarrassed and yet fascinated. From there, we have sensual re-awakenings, however contrived. Diane meets a pilot (Andy Garcia) on a trek to  AZ to see her daughters who are convinced mom should move to assisted living. Sharon tries on line dating and meets Richard Dreyfuss – a normal schlumpy guy just trying to connect. She realizes there is more to life than her cat. Vivian runs into an ex (a very scrumptious Don Johnson) and learns that maybe she should not just love ‘em and leave ‘em. And Carol works to put some spark back into her marriage to Craig T. Nelson. He’s newly retired and has issues of his own.

There are funny lines, lovely homes and décor, and great fashion. The ladies look great and aren’t plastic scary. There are some poignant scenes along with some silly stuff. This is fluff – plain and simple. I think critics gave it a solid C.  I’m more generous and was entertained – I’ll go with B.  B for Book Club

Movie Review: This is Where I Leave You

“This is Where I Leave You” is a typical throw a family together under funeral circumstances and hilarity will ensue film. This is an okay film, probably better for rental or streaming in a few months. I only paid matinee price and was amused. Jason Bateman’s Judd walks into his apartment with a birthday cake  for his  wife, only to find her in an inappropriate situation with his boss. Ooops. Now he’s getting divorced, needs a job, and gets a call from his sister (Tina Fey) that his father died. He arrives to sit shiva with his whole family. Mom (Jane Fonda), older brother Paul (Cory Stoller), sister, and baby brother (Adam Driver). Add in assorted wives, kids, neighbors, and former hometown loves (Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant).  

But the point of the film is family. No matter what -  you can battle, have some grudges, and your siblings will still love you. I was very happy that throughout the film, no bad secrets came out about the father. That’s often the twist for films these days. All in all, he was a glue for the family and they all missed him in their own way. Very nice.  

The siblings did fall into stereotypes but thanks to decent acting rose above the material. Tina Fey as the only girl was the heart and boss of the group. The older brother was looked up to and yet “disliked” for being the “good one who set the example”. Judd as the middle brother was popular, cool, and Bateman does bemused snarky well. Despite outward appearances, Judd is an insecure mess – sure that he’s always never quite made it. Peter, the youngest, is the beloved screw-up. He gets away with shenanigans, but really wants to be like his older siblings.  

“This is Where I Leave You” does have a lot of good moments and lines. It solves things a bit too easily with pregnancies and the whole “circle of life” cliché. And yet, that is life, and as we leave the film, we have to hope the characters have grown and will succeed in new paths, plus stay in touch.