Saturday, August 31, 2019
First Lines: Michael Punke - The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge
"My keelboat from St. Louis is due here any day, Monsieur Ashley."
Greenfingers (2000)
A prison inmate with a green thumb goes on to compete in a national gardening competition.
Likeable, but unremarkable comedy drama.
Halliwell (no star): "Corny comedy of an isolated group of macho men gaining self-respect in an unexpected way; it is loosely based on a true story but has little connection with reality."
Maltin**1/2: "Minor but diverting film...A bit too pat, but pleasant."
Friday, August 30, 2019
A Monster Calls (2016)
A boy seeks the help of a tree monster to cope with his single mother's terminal illness.
Finely directed drama interspersed with animated sequences is fascinating and hold's one's attention to its unbearably heartwrenching ending.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
First Lines: M. T. Anderson - Feed
We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck.
Paradies: Hoffnung (2013)
A chubby, virginal teen at a weight-loss camp develops a crush on her doctor and becomes determined to seduce him.
Grim, bleak and unpitying look at human aspriations and desires in a heartless world; no paradise and not much hope to be found.
Hidden Figures (2016)
The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.
Well-meant, likeable vindication of the female African-American's participation in NASA is professionally staged with an excellent cast, but is disappointing in its bending the singular success stories into white savior tales.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Monday, August 26, 2019
First Lines: Alison Croggon - The Gift
For almost as long as she could remember, Maerad had been imprisoned behind walls.