ON CHESIL BEACH--Some audience members didn't care for this version of the Ian McEwan novella, but the actors are fabulous (another earth shattering performance by Saoirse Ronan among others) and the plotting had many people talking and disagreeing. British newly weds have troubles on their wedding night, some funny, some tragic, and this is the early 1960's. GRADE--------------A-
HEARTS BEAT LOUD--Likeable, musical drama of father and daughter starting up a musical group in the weeks before daughter goes off to college. It reminded me of the film ONCE (but made in the U.S. )where music takes a big part in the drama, and the characters are dominate over the drama. With Nick Offerman, Ted Danson, Toni Collette and Kiersey Clemons. GRADE------------------------B+
FAKE TATTOOS--I wasn't sure I was going to like this Canadian (Quebec) film with its wild camera work and heavy metal music in the first 7-8 minutes, but things calm down when these young millennials meet and start a tentative relationship. I ended up loving the characters--they were like an onion slowly peeling off their armour to reveal some young souls worth learning and caring about. GRADE-------------B+
PICK OF THE LITTER--Who wouldn't love a documentary about adorable dogs being trained to be guide dogs for the blind. It becomes a cheerful, moving journey for the dogs and the audience. GRADE--------------B
A KID LIKE JAKE---There's a bit of a TV movie feel, since the cast is all from TV, but this is an otherwise intelligent drama that concentrates on the feelings of ADULTS (teachers and parents) who have a hard time realizing that there beloved child may be transgender. With Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Octavia Spencer, Ann Dowd and others. GRADE-------B
THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST--Well meaning drama (not an inch of "camp" here) about teens stuck at a conversion therapy camp to cure their gay inclinations in the 1990's. The film tries to give equal time and sympathy to both the protagonists and the counselors, but feels at times watered down from stories I've heard and read about. The actors are all good, including Brit Jennifer Elhe and Chloe Grace Moretz and Sasha Lane (she's also in HEARTS BEAT LOUD) but this film won the Grand Jury award at Sundance Film Festival, and it makes me think it must have been a slow year for them. GRADE---------------B
LET THE SUNSHINE IN ----Romantic French drama with lovely Juliette Binoche making some poor choices of men--most of them already married, and she comes across as insecure and needy. Ironically, and amusingly, she ends up listening to the mumbo jumbo of a charlatan fortune teller, which explains a lot of her problems. Mostly for fans of Juliette Binoche. GRADE-----------C+
WARRIOR WOMEN--Well meaning documentary of women and Indian rights activist Madonna Thunder Hawk and her daughter Marcella. The film touches on Alcatraz, Wounded Knee and the Dakota Pipe line protest, but the film feels underwhelming where it should be triumphant and it felt wanting. GRADE--------------C+
SKATE KITCHEN---Nearly all HAND HELD camera work here feels chaotic and head ache inducing. This is all about girl skate boarders, who spend time smoking pot, talking trash and skating, skating, skating--doing tricks and surviving accidents. There's not much story or drama here (except trite stuff like running away from home, breaking a bone, or "you slut you stole my boy friend"), and I have very little interest in watching all that skating. Some women audience members thought it was novel to watch--saying they would not have been interested if it were boy skaters----unfortunately, I'd agree with that also. GRADE-----------C-
THE SONG OF SCORPIONS--Indian film set in Thar Desert, but it moves at a snail's pace, and after one hour I slipped into unconsciousness and snored softly for a few minutes, but didn't seem to miss a thing. Tove didn't think it necessary to wake me. What was happening? Why? Where did grandma go, and why? Do scorpion stings kill everyone or just occasionally? Nothing seems to be resolved, but main woman is angry, and she sings, sings, sings. Why? Even after murder attempt, husband still loves his wife. Why? What the hell is this movie about? In general, most men I talked to were befuddled and hated this film. Some women seemed to find the film fulfilling. Yikes. GRADE-------D
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