Movie Review: Spy

Here's a review I never posted. Now this is out on DVD,etc.  Enjoy

CIA analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is the brains behind Bradley Fine (Jude Law). She’s in his ear as he covers the globe in daring spy adventures. Unfortunately, Fine’s been killed (??) by Bulgarian arms dealer (Rose Byrne) and it’s time for Susan to get out in the field and track her. No one knows Susan, so she’s the best CIA option. From the James Bond-like opening credits of Spy to the closing credits, this movie is a hilarious romp. It’s a hoot.  

McCarthy is funny physically and verbally. She’s believable as a spy who’s making it up as she goes along and ends up “befriending” Rayna while saving her life. Byrne’s Rayna is over the top funny with a ridiculous hair-do and accent. As they criss-cross Europe together pulling together funds and making contacts, the laughs (and bodies) pile up. Who’s on to whom? What crazy scheme will Cooper pull now? She has her CIA boss, Allison Janney at wit’s end with assorted shenanigans. Meanwhile, Cooper’s British co-worker joins her and she’s hilarious. Jason Statham has gone CIA rogue and he’s a help and hindrance in the plot twists.  

I can’t explain more. I liked Spy a lot for its silliness and for Melissa McCarthy’s performance. She carried this flick and is worthy of good comedic scripts.  Get your passport stamped and your stomach ready for belly laughs.

 

Movie Review Madness: The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a Wes Anderson creation, and that can spell weird or wonderful. In this case, you are in for a wonderful  filmmaking treat. The cinematography is cotton candy pastel pretty. You enter a magical world and it transcends a level of shine. The cast is impeccable and the story is all encompassing. Basically a writer, played by Jude Law, meets a man who owns the Grand Budapest (now a bit of a fallen gem).  He dines with the owner (F. Murray Abraham) and hears the story of the past and how he came to own the hotel. It’s quite a fanciful story and you’ll embrace every second.  

Ralph Fiennes plays M. Gustave the premier concierge. Oh he gives service all right – to every golden haired senior lady around. He captivates Tilda Swinton, and she leaves him a painting in her will. Now the family is up in arms. Ralph must flee and he takes the lobby boy with him (that’s the F.M. Abraham character). Are you following? There’s a wild chase all over Europe as love, treachery, theft, loyalty, and service play out.  You’ll need a cheat sheet to identify all of the characters and actors involved. It’s a treat. There’s a prison breakout, a crazy snow chase, and every hotelier around is involved.  

Anderson’s world is magical and you’ll chuckle at every twist and turn in the plot. Ralph Fiennes, often so stodgy, is a comic genius. This is an indie film worth discovering. You’ll want to check in with the lobby boy and stay awhile. Enjoy!

Movie Review: Side Effects

Side Effects stars Jude Law, Channing Tatum, Rooney Mara, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in a pharmaceutical thriller. Don't expect big things from this movie, but there are more twists and turns than a doctor's scribbled handwriting on a prescription. Channing is newly released from prison for insider trading. His wife, Rooney, suffers from depression. She is assigned Jude Law as her psychiatrist after she tried to drive her BMW into a wall. Is she suicidal? Can Jude help her and what did her previous doctor, Zeta-Jones, do for her.

Rooney Mara, in her teeny body with her large expressive eyes, seems to be a nutcase and grows more so as she's prescribed new meds. She can't focus at work, she can't sleep, or sleeps too hard and is up sleepwalking, sleep cooking, and yes..........sleep killing!!!! Who's responsible? Rooney, Dr.Jude Law, or the drug makers themselves? Suddenly, Jude Law finds himself having to defend his practice.

This is not just a movie about the evil drug companies. A large proportion of society takes anxiety medicine and there are huge dollar sums involved. Side Effects gets rather convoluted as it guides us along the trail of murder and money. For this time of year (often a dumping ground for stinkers), the movie is entertaining and has a great cast. I was suprised at various times, and wondered if I needed meds to figure things out. In the end, probably better to stick with popcorn.


Netflix Queue:

Ruby Sparks - a writer needs to conquer writers' block. But when he jots down the attributes of his dream girl, she comes alive.Things get weird as he tries to duplicate his early successes as a writer. This movie is quirky and amusing. It stars Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Elliott Gould, and Annette Bening

Undefeated - this Academy Award winning documentary is quite impressive. A white coach volunteers to lead a West Memphis high school football team that has never gone to a playoff game. We meet him as he starts to work with a group of eighth graders and manages to keep them in school on into high school. These are very poor young black men without fathers who are on a path to failure. However, football is their lifeline and this exemplary coach loves them, guides them, yells at them, and uses terms like character and team. It is quite a tale and you'll root for the Manasas Tigers to win.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes - Game of Shadows is jolly good fun. This is what Christmas movies are all about - breezy dialogue, plenty of action, and Robert Downey, Jr surprising us at all times. Robert's Sherlock and Jude Law is Dr. Watson. Poor Dr.Watson. He thinks he's getting happily married and going to Brighton for his honeymoon. Well, doesn't that sound dull? At least to Sherlock it does. There have been bombings in London, and anarchy appears to be in the offing courtesy of Professor Moriarty. Oh, he seems harmless enough, but Sherlock has diagnosed him as an immoral terrorist.

Thus, forget the honeymoon. Dr. Watson's wife is pushed out of a train (on purpose) to be saved by Sherlock's brother. Meanwhile, Sherlock and Dr.Watson must join up with a gypsy (Noomi Rapace in her first American role) to put together pieces of the puzzle. Is there going to be an assassination and where will it occur? Only brilliant minds, quick footed work, swordsmanship, and the trust of true friendship can foil Moriarty's dastardly plans.

Game of Shadows is well filmed and sharp looking. Rich backdrops and plentiful explosions keep viewers on their toes. It's obvious that Downey, Jr and Law are having a heck of a good time on screen, and they share the wealth of laughter with their banter. Enjoy this holiday treat with the whole family (and sneak in a Christmas cookie or two).