Category: Three Sentence Movie Reviews

Robbins, Ruffalo and Gad play three men in different stages of their twelve-step process, their addiction of choice being sex.*  All actors bring their A-games and the story is compelling due to the complications of staying clean even for people with five or fifteen year coins. It’s always nice to see Patrick Fugit, playing Robbins estranged son, but my favorite part of the movie was watching Josh Gad and Alicia Moore help each other through their early days of sobriety by becoming friends.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home

*I feel like this is the first addiction movie I’ve seen that is completely focused on the twelve-step process and the fact that they chose sex-addiction is interesting, mostly because watching someone have sex is something we do all the time in movies and it’s much more familiar than a drug or alcohol bender.  Also sex addiction is tough like food addiction, in that a lot of people don’t really recognize either as an addiction. Also complete abstinence isn’t the goal.

http://www.impawards.com/2013/thanks_for_sharing.html

I can see why this got mixed reviews, as this is what I call a Sunday Afternoon Movie, meaning a movie where the premise is light, no new ground will be broken and you can see what’s coming a mile away; but, when it’s done well, it’s the kind of movie that’s a good bridge between the loveliness of your weekend and the harsh reality that soon you will have to shut off the TV and start prepping to go back for another five days of work.  This particular Sunday Afternoon Movie does things very well, the actors all bring their A-game, and it was funny enough that I laughed out loud several times, sounding like a crazy person cackling to myself all alone in my house.  Much like going to the restaurant you know you like and ordering the entree you know you love, so is this movie, peppering a well trod path with delights and enjoyment.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/intl/canada/2014/grand_seduction.htm
(This is a terrible poster. It’s not helping.)

I didn’t see a lot of what was coming in this movie, including the fact that that is Billy Crudup on the cover.*  Both Crudup and the increasingly reliable (and intriguing) Anton Yelchin have great chemistry with Crudup playing the wasted and drifting old guy to Yelchin’s youthful enthusiasm.  There are women’s names listed on the poster, but this very satisfying movie is about men and the music that brings them together.**

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home

*I mean, I could see his name right there at the top, but I thought they put some other grizzled guy on the cover.
**It also has a fabulous soundtrack.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2014/rudderless.html

Halfway through my theater experience I realized that it would have been smarter to wait and watch a DVD copy of this movie, because the extras are probably going to be pretty good, what with the improve and what-have-you.  This was an entertaining movie, (but too long*) and peopled with a lot of really good cameos.  I think the reason behind the romance could have been better developed–for both of them it was more of a telling “I like him/her” than a showing–but overall the film hit its marks, was funny, and aside from her formidable comedic chops, I also enjoyed the vast variety of dresses Amy Schumer wore.**

Cost: $5.00
Where watched: Regal City Center Stadium 12

*Here’s what we’re going to do. Half of the country is going to take Judd Apatow and the other half is going to take Martin Scorsese and we are going to lock them in their editing rooms and make them trim their movies to acceptable lengths.
**Though her gait had me wondering if she is perhaps a person who does not wear high heels in real life.***
***Feeling guilty that I ended this critique of an actor-who-is-female by talking about dresses and shoes, but there you have it.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2015/trainwreck.html
(I do not believe she wore this dress in the movie.  The fact that it is on the poster bugs me.)

I was glad I watched this with Matt because the buzz about this movie was that it was funny, but I only cracked a smile a few times, while Matt laughed many times.*  Regardless, this was an enjoyable film with Mr. Brenden Gleeson pulling in a great performance as a Guard who isn’t really that interested in following the rules. Don Cheadle (who always elevates his material) was also a good straight man.  Overall, a solid film, and really funny, if you are a guy/have a guy sense of humor.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home with Matt

*I think this would be a boy humor/girl humor difference.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/intl/misc/2011/guard.html

This is one of those movies where you spend two hours with people you wouldn’t choose to spend time with in real life, but thanks to the Hogan Family Jason Bateman has imprinted on me* and I greatly enjoy a many of the other actors, so overall, I liked this movie.  This movie has parallels to those zany comedies where you think: “that would never happen in real life” but some of the things could possibly occur means you aren’t thrown too terribly far out of reality.  There are some nice moments here and there, so overall it wasn’t time wasted.**

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home

*despite the fact that he plays essentially the same role in every single movie he is in: the guy who is smart enough to know he shouldn’t be doing what he’s doing, but he’s doing it anyway.  (Exception: Juno.) (Although, now that I think about it, not really.  He was just smarmier than usual in that film)
**Wow, is this a lukewarm review or what?

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2014/this_is_where_i_leave_you.html
(Lots of complaints about the amount of Photoshop for this one.)

I knew Alexandar Pettyfar was British, but imagine my surprise when I watched the DVD extra and discovered that so was the female lead, the guy that played her brother and also the actress playing their mother.*  This was a by-the-book romance that threw in a few surprises now and then.** Overall, a fine way to pass an afternoon, though it will be quickly forgotten.

Cost: free from library (a “why not?” selection)
Where watched: at home.

*I find Pettyfar’s American accent to be far into the “dumb jock” register to really like listening to him talk (see: this movie, Magic Mike) but the rest of the cast’s accents were flawless. Though certainly not Southern-by-way-of-Atlanta, where everyone was supposed to live.
**It is also apparently a remake of a 1981 movie of the same title starring Brooke Sheilds.  The library does not have it, alas, but just the quick plot synopsis tells me that a significant number of details were changed.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2014/endless_love.html

I enjoyed this film on one level because all of the characters seemed like real people, which meant that they were both likable and flawed.  But I mostly enjoyed this because it had a range of actresses of a variety of ages who were fun to watch.   There was nice tension about living with/around your neighbors too.

Cost: free from library (I think someone is watching all of Nicole Holofscener’s films as this is the second I’ve plucked from the rack.)
Where watched: at home.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2010/please_give.html

I thought this movie did a very good job of condensing the themes of the book and that the acting was top-notch.*  However, I found the interruption of the frenetic road trip (my favorite part of the book) brought a halt to the movie’s forward momentum.  Overall, a very nice film and also the rare teenage film where the happy ending isn’t what you think it’s going to be.**

Cost: $5.00
Where watched: Regal Vancouver City Center 12

*Special props for the people who mostly cast actors who look like teenagers to play the teenagers.
**And, I must add, I’ve taken a bus from Upstate New York to Massachusetts, which is the state next door.  It took 12 hours to go 364 miles.  There is no way he could get from New York to Florida via bus in anything less than several days.

http://www.impawards.com/2015/paper_towns.html