Woman in Gold: Movie Review

Succeeds in telling a story that's interesting.

Woman in Gold took an interesting story and just told it. Which is all it needs to do because it is interesting. Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) is a Jewish refugee who fled from Austria during World War II and since built a life for herself in California. After the death of her sister, Maria discovers letters from her Aunt detailing their family's rightful ownership of several Gustav Klimt paintings stolen by the Nazis, including the famous portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, simply known as the Woman in Gold.		2015 Directed by: Simon Curtis Screenplay by: Alexi Kaye Campbell Starring: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds

Walter: Movie Review

Tips too heavily to the drama side of quirky comedy.

Walter (Andrew J. West) believes his father is God. But he's not Jesus, that was some other guy. Walter has a great comedic premise but then takes itself too seriously for its own good. Walt, or Wally, or Walter, as different people call him by different names, is an emotionally-stilted awkward young man who takes his job (as son of God) telling people if they're going to Heaven or Hell very seriously.		2015 Directed by: Anna Mastro Screenplay by: Paul Shoulberg Starring: Andrew J. West, Justin Kirk

Home: Movie Review

Leaves the comedy behind as home becomes over-populated with aliens.

Home is DreamWorks Animation's children adventure film about finding where home really is, but it's a rather misguided attempt that says a lot less about the title concept than they should. Home is where family is. That's it. The rest is filled with childish toilet humour, aliens who might look cool (but really aren't endearing at all), one cat and one human girl who is our only connection to emotion and maturity.		2015 Directed by: Tim Johnson Screenplay by: Tom J. Estle, Matt Ember Based on the book by Adam Rex Starring: Jim Parsons, Rihanna

Cinderella: Movie Review

Sticking to the story, highlighting the magic and the romance.

The film's tenacity in sticking to the original fairy tale is an unneeded crutch and they would have been served better by kicking it to the side and coming up with a fresh spin on the old story. At times, it plays like an uninspired adaptation, but the glory in the Grimms' fairy tale is that Cinderella is a unversally enjoyable story. The simplicity in the story allows each element to be imagined and brought to life and lessons imparted that include just being yourself and being kind.		2015 Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Screenplay by: Chris Weitz Starring: Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Richard Madden

Playing It Cool: Movie Review

Forgets the structure of a rom-com and loses the romance and comedy.

Playing It Cool. A generic title for a generic movie. The premise attempts to poke some light fun at all the over-used elements in romantic comedies. Our narrator (Chris Evans) is a screenwriter who has to write a Hollywood rom-com before he can get the job for writing an action movie. But he hates it. He doesn't care about love, romance, nor movies which combine the above with clichés. I was all set for his life to play out exactly like the movie that he's writing that he hates.		2014 Directed by: Justin Reardon Screenplay by: Chris Shafer, Paul Vicknair Starring: Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan

Two Night Stand: Movie Review

From one night stand, to two night stand, to a funny romantic comedy.

Two Night Stand tries to juggle the typical romantic comedy storyline with the typical indie film saving grace of limiting it to one location, two characters and a chance to rely on the dialogue. It is an indie romantic comedy, so the mix works even if it doesn't live up to the best of either genre. Megan (Analeigh Tipton) is a lonely, heartbroken, directionless young woman who has a roommate trying to get her off the couch. In a number of clever lines for Megan, she points out that she's lazy, so an online hook-up is easier.		2014 Directed by: Max Nichols Screenplay by: Mark Hammer Starring: Analeigh Tipton, Miles Teller