Saturday, September 14, 2024

Millers in Marriage: Movie Review



Rich people and their champagne problems.

“You’re a good writer, Mags; you always have been, but it’s rich people and their champagne problems.” “Well, I write what I know.” That passage from husband Nick (Campbell Scott) to wife Maggie (Julianna Margulies) is the perfect quote to summarize Millers in Marriage. By far, the most common – and fair – complaint about Edward Burns’ latest is that it’s just rich people and their boring problems. This is true, but also true is that Burns is still a very good writer and has armed these characters with some witty dialogue and moments where things come together in an understated manner.   2024

Directed by: Edward Burns

Screenplay by: Edward Burns

Starring: Julianna Margulies, Gretchen Mol and Edward Burns

Friday, September 13, 2024

Addition: Movie Review



Grace (Teresa Palmer) likes to count thing. That’s not exactly accurate, she has a compulsive need to count otherwise she has a panic attack and feels like she has no control in this world. So she likes to count to feel safe and in control. She especially likes to count things in groups of 10. When she realizes she accidentally picked up 9 bananas at the grocery store, she needs to quickly find a 10th banana.   2024

Directed by: Marcelle Lunam

Screenplay by: Becca Johnstone, Toni Jordan

Starring: Teresa Palmer, Joe Dempsie

Thursday, September 12, 2024

The Luckiest Man in America: Movie Review



The Luckiest Man in America is based on a true story that you’re likely not familiar with. There were no affecting consequences, it was just a day for big swings in opinions and personalities in front of the camera and behind the camera for the 1980s daytime game show Press Your Luck. Michael Larson (Paul Walter Hauser) is winning big money on the small-time game show, but nobody is sure if that’s a good thing, a bad thing, or a potentially fraudulent thing.   2024

Directed by: Samir Oliveros

Screenplay by: Maggie Briggs, Samir Oliveros

Starring: Paul Walter Hauser, David Strathairn

Friday, September 6, 2024

A New York Story: Movie Review




A love story that really pulls you in.
A New York Story is heavily influenced by Whit Stillman and Woody Allen. A tale of class differences in New York City anchored by a pair of young lovers who often find themselves walking the New York sights as autumn changes to winter. It’s a romantic aesthetic which I loved as a teenager but in recent years it no longer feels fresh or mature. However, it really fits the tone and these characters as they make their way towards each other across the class lines.   2024

Directed by: Fiona Robert

Screenplay by: Fiona Robert, Sofia Robert

Starring: Fiona Robert, Paul Karmiryan

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: Movie Review




A vibrantly crafted mess.
It’s been around 30 years since I last watched the original Beetlejuice, but I don’t remember it having so much nonsense. I remember Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse, the larger-than-life demon, and Wynona Ryder’s goth girl. Both of whom, plus Lydia’s mother Catherine O’Hara, have returned for the sequel. Keaton warned producers that he can’t be in the movie too much or else his character gets over-done, which is why the first worked so well. They get the ratio right again, but the rest of the afterlife and underworld is just so ridiculously filled with nonsense that goes nowhere.   2024

Directed by: Tim Burton

Screenplay by: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Seth Grahame-Smith

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, and Jenna Ortega

Deaner '89: Movie Review




Deaner (Paul Spence) is supposedly an iconic Canadian character. I think that’s a bit of an oversell. Regardless Deaner is getting the origin story treatment as many famous Canadian actors show up for a laugh. That is being generous though as all the jokes are buried in extreme rural Canadian accents and adding an “ ’er” or an “eh?” onto the ends of most words and then chugging beers while swearing.   2024

Directed by: Sam McGlynn

Screenplay by: Paul Spence

Starring: Paul Spence, Star Slade