MARRIAGE STORY (2019) – My rating: 7.5/10

Marriage Story is a drama written, directed and produced by Noah Baumbach. The film follows a married couple going through a coast-to-coast divorce. Marriage Story is probably an unlikely scenario for divorce but not impossible.  I was annoyed by their situation because I was hoping for better but didn’t get it.

Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) is a successful theater director in New York City. His theater company is currently producing a play that stars his wife Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), a former teen film actress. The film delves into happier days when the couple only had good analogies to define each other.  They have a son Henry Barber (Azhy Robertson)  that they both adore.  Suddenly things begin to go sour initiated by Nicole. The couple begins to experience marital troubles, which sends them to see a mediator, who suggests that they each write down what they like about one another. Charlie writes his feelings but Nicole refuses to read hers aloud so they decide to forgo the counseling.

Meanwhile, Nicole is offered a starring role in a television pilot in Los Angeles, and she decides to leave the theater company and temporarily live with her mother Sandra (Julie Hagerty) in West Hollywood, taking the couple’s young son, Henry with her. Charlie decides to stay in New York, as the play is in the process of moving to Broadway. Despite the couple agreeing to split amicably and forgo lawyers, Nicole hires the family lawyer Nora (Laura Dern).  Nicole tells Nora the full story of her relationship with Charlie and how she gradually felt neglected by him and how he rejects her ideas and desires.

Because I’m a happy ending kind of gal, I’m always looking for one.  I truly dislike endings that leave me in tears or unknowing what happened or “make it up yourself”, resulting in open-ended closures.  Marriage Story gave me semi-quasi closure but not the one I was hoping for.  Driver and Johanssen are two of the best actors around and played Nicole and Charlie excellently.  In some parts, the movie was a tad bit boring but was interesting for the most part.  I didn’t really care for their son’s attitude but I think it’s a cultural thing.  I’m not sure what message Marriage Story sends but it was well-acted.  An awful lot of people really liked it and that’s what counts.  Since Marriage Story is airing on Netflix, it’s easy to see it at your leisure, just remember the Oscars are presented on February 9th this year, so you don’t have that much time if you follow the award shows.  Check It Out!

[MARRIAGE STORY is Oscar-nominated for BEST: Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress,  Original Score and Original Screenplay — TOTALLING 6 OSCAR NOMINATIONS]

 

BIRDMAN (2014) – My rating: 8.5/10

Birdman tells a powerful story about a has been, washed up actor who was renown as a super hero called The Birdman.  Michael Keaton (The Birdman/Riggan Thomas) played the heck out of this role.  Riggan, a father and divorcee is feeling the pain of age and abandonment of a once robust and exciting crowd, known as his world,  and so decides to show the world that after 20 years, he’s not washed up but a big time Broadway theater director putting on a play of the short story, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” that was written over 60 years ago.  Everything was going south, mostly because he hadn’t cast a good enough actor in the lead role.  In comes Ed Norton, who saves the day with his super talented acting abilities.  Of course, extraordinary comes with a price.  Between Riggen’s screw-up of a daughter (Sam) played by Emma Stone, the critic (Tabitha) played by Lindsay Duncan,  who could render his play it’s doomsday exit on the very first day and Ed Norton’s shenanigans, Riggan has his hands full — perhaps more full than he can handle.  Birdman is an extremely well acted movie with a touch of crazy that makes for an entertaining day at the cinema.  Naomi Watts (Lesley) gave a brilliant performance as the love interest for Ed Norton and the lead actress in the play.  I don’t want to reveal anything that would be considered a spoiler so I’ll just say the ending was my only pet peeve.  Things were not clear enough for me but I loved that I could use my imagination.  It’s possible that Birdman could get an Oscar nod.  Since this movie has flown under the radar, it’ll be out on DVD soon.  Pick it up and see what I’m talking about — it’s worth your time.

[BIRDMAN is nominated for Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Sound Editing, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Original Screenplay (writing)]

LAST VEGAS (2013) – My rating: 7/10

Last Vegas is a pretty good movie.  Michael Douglas (Billy), Morgan Freeman (Archie), Robert Di Nero (Paddy) and Kevin Kline (Sam)  are best friends from childhood.  Now senior citizens, they get together to attend a wedding in Las Vegas.  Michael Douglas is getting married to someone half his age and is not in good favor with one of the members of this elite party of long time friends.  It seems they butted heads years ago because Paddy’s wife died and Billy didn’t attend the funeral, among other things.  To complicate matters more, they meet a singer in Las Vegas, Diana (Mary Steenburgen) and both Paddy and Billy fall for her.  Eventually they suck up their differences and the journey continues. Last Vegas is  a lesson in friendship, trust and doing the right thing.  An enjoyable movie with a wholesome message.  Now that it’s out on DVD,  I think it’s certainly worth checking into.  There are some very funny moments and its interesting to see how the team works out all their problems.  

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014) – My rating: 8/10

Maybe it’s me but I didn’t like the second version of Captain America as much as the original.  It started out okay but turned into a plot I’ve seen and heard much too much.  I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t get too in depth.  There’s lots of action and special effects however, I didn’t feel the excitement and mystery as I did in the first Captain America.  There was a good twist but still, it wasn’t strong enough to make me say wow!!  One of the problems with today’s movies and TV/Cable series, is they wait too long to release a new sequel or start the next iteration of the series.   Many times, people forget some significant pieces of the original story.  Sometimes the producers are banking on our memories to get a point across.  A couple of folks told me that they were confused about Captain America’s age.

In the first Captain America, Steve Rogers played by Chris Evans, is a native New Yorker who at the age of 20 something, weighing around 90 lbs and only 5 feet tall with asthma tried to enlist in the United States Army.  The year was 1942.  After the Army doctor perused Steve’s medical file, which read like that of a 90 year old man, he rejected him.  Along comes Dr. Abraham Erskine, played by Stanley Tucci  who discovers Steve and recruits him for a top secret project called Rebirth.  Steve undergoes a transformation that turns him into Captain America.  Of course, he had to have the ambition and character to pull this off.

In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve is still trying to adjust to his new environment and modern times.  He is well accepted as Captain America and has proven himself as a leader in combat.  The story focuses on The Winder Soldier who has a metal arm and strength that matches Captain America.  Many stars helped to make this production as good as it was: Samuel L. Jackson (who had a bigger role as Nick Fury, manager of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Scarlett Johansson renewed her role as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow,  Anthony Mackie played as the forever loyal Sam Wilson aka Falcon,  Robert Redford played a villain (Alexander Pierce) and Sebastian Stan renewed his role as Chris’ best friend Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier.  I’m not saying that this was not a good movie nor am I saying not to go see it, I’m just saying it wasn’t as different or conceptually new as I had hoped.    I’ve also been watching Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on TV and got use to a smaller and personable S.H.I.E.L.D.  organization.  Hollywood’s  version of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a bit detached.  Most will disagree with my critique of Captain America and to those I say sorry, but I call it like I see it.  I still think it’s worth seeing on the big screen and  I did rate it 8 out of 10.  So, check it out and enjoy!

[CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is nominated for Visual Effects]

BAGGAGE CLAIM (2014) – My rating: 7/10

Baggage Claim is an average girly flick about the oldest daughter, out of 3 sisters, who is still not married or engaged.  Paula Patton plays Montana, the daughter of an annoying mother, played by Jenifer Lewis.  Hunks like Taye Diggs, Djimon Hounsou, Boris Kodjoe and Tyler Lepley ended up in hot pursuit of Montana but none were worthy.  Montana wanted to please her mother by getting married and providing her with grandchildren but just wasn’t feeling any of her suitors.  Montana’s best friend, played by Derek Luke, lives in the same apartment building with his fiancé and is always lending her a shoulder to cry on.  Montana is a flight attendant whose co workers/friends are Jill Scott who plays Gail and Adam Brody who plays Sam.  Together, they pull out all the stops to help Montana find someone, within 30 days, to take to her sister’s rehearsal dinner. At this point, she would do anything to get her family off her back about getting married.  The pressure is on since her sister’s marriage will leave Montana as the only woman in the family not to have taken the plunge.  Baggage Claim is a cute film that holds a cute message.  Worth seeing on DVD.