Wednesday Whatever - Ticket to Paradise

 I love a good rom-com and Ticket to Paradise filled the heart. It was set in Bali - fabulous scenery. It had a solid cast - George Clooney (David), Julia Roberts (Georgia), Kaitlyn Dever (Lily), Maxime Boutier (Gede), Billie Lourd (Wren), and Lucas Bravo (Paul). It had a nicely predictable story that was executed well. Plenty of laughs, plenty of drama - all in under two  hours. 

I wanted to be entertained and I was, coming out of the theater smiling.   Clooney and Roberts were effortless, tossing off lines so easily. You can tell they were having fun  together  on the screen. As a bickering ex-couple trying  to keep their only daughter  from dumping her law career and marrying a guy she just met to live in Bali and work a seaweed farm, they were hilarious. 

As for Dever and Boutier, they were an earnest young couple in love, full of hope, and completely sincere. You rooted for them and had faith that this would pull together - families and cultures. 

Oh there's mishaps, miscommunications, and very tidy solutions. That's a rom-com. 

Punch your Ticket to Paradise and escape our  world for a few hours. Trust me.

Movie Review Madness - Money Monster

Money Monster is a very slick ninety minute movie, directed by Jodie Foster, with nothing really new to say. It’s entertaining and attention grabbing, and yes we know that Wall Street is evil, the little guy has no control, and yes, there’s a reason for financial anxiety.  George Clooney is perfect as Lee Gates, host of a financial advice show filled with props, dancers, and eye popping presentations of money matters and stock tips. He’s the money snake charmer, glib but ultimately has a conscience.  Behind the scenes in the production room, Julia Roberts keeps the ball rolling with a ready rapport and a nose for news. Unfortunately an intruder with a gun, Jack O’Connell, stops the show with his rant, demanding to know what happened with Ibis Clear Capital. How could a computer “glitch” ruin lives.

Julia keeps all the balls in the air as the drama plays out on live TV, and she has reporters and connections scurrying everywhere to find out “what happened”. Was Dominic West (Walt Camby) really in Geneva or were there secret shenanigans with Ibis? Eyes are on the young man pleading about how “they” are stealing from us, but nobody asks how.  Meanwhile, cops are swarming while folks in bars, work, and all over the world are watching this “new reality” play out on television.

Money Monster is fast paced, tension filled, has some humor, and shifts in tone with ease. Solid acting raises the bar, and you’ll be entertained. Then go home and tuck some money under the mattress, just in case.

Movie Madness: August: Osage County

 

August:Osage County is based on Tracy Lett’s play and the movie feels staged. I have a feeling seeing it with live actors would have been better.  However, the movie has a stellar cast and some very good lines. BUT – it’s a truly miserable film about a truly miserable family and it’s two hours of angsty drama. Don’t go see it. There – I’ve saved you from wasting two hours of your life.  

Meryl Streep is nominated for an Oscar as Violet, the drug addled cancer ridden matriarch. I normally like Meryl, but she overacts this over-the-top character. It was quite annoying. Sam Shepard is good as the patriarch and he’s smart to exit the film quickly with a suicide. But his death triggers the family gathering with their spite, anger, and miserable lives. Julia Roberts is good as the eldest daughter, but you always know it is Julia on screen. Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper, Dermot Mulroney, Benedict Cumberbatch all join in this mess.  

The viewer keeps waiting for something redeeming or nice to happen on screen. Sadly, it doesn’t and I’m not ruining any major plot point here. Some folks and families just wallow in their own nastiness. Life is bleak in August: Osage County.