Tag: three sentence movies

I found this to be a very nice movie in that I liked the premise (menopausal women play basketball against high school girls basketball team to raise money for a cause) and enjoyed the actresses, many of whom I don’t see a lot of any more.  However, it was very predictable and most of the characters were fairly solid stereotypes ultimately making this a so-so endeavor.  Put it on your list for when you are home sick with the flu.

Cost:  free from library
Where watched:  at home.

This was a complete 80s movie from the kind of odd muppet-like things, to the Nazi themed segment to the creepy kid stuff.  It did have Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson etc.) onscreen as well as many recognizable stars.  I was down with the Creedence sing along and the Nazi segment and the rest was kind of eh.

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

This is a lot more talk-y than the other Kelly Reichardt film I watched, but by Hollywood movie standards–and especially in comparison to the last movie I watched–it’s nearly silent.  Which is okay, because that gives you a lot of time to think about what’s happening on screen.  It builds tension like crazy, especially for how laid back it was, and the acting is fan-tabulous.*

Cost:  $5.00, possibly $6.00.
Where watched:  Hollywood Theater.  Which is right on the 75 bus line.  I need to go here more.

*Mmmmm.  Peter Sarsgaard, why did you never become famous for your hunky good looks?  Probably better that you didn’t, since your acting is so spot-on.  Also Jesse Eisenberg is his usual wonder and it’s always nice to see Alia Shawkat.

Shailaine Woodley was perfectly cast (although missing the puffy steroided face, but hey!  At least Hollywood let her keep the cannula and have a bad haircut and too-loose clothing) in this very faithful adaptation of the beloved novel and I loved every moment she was on the screen.  I cannot say the same about her counterpart, Ansel Elgort, who was full of nervous ticks and goofy mannerisms and didn’t even have the whole I’m-supposed-to-have-a-prosthetic-leg thing down.  It got to the point where every time he was on the screen I found myself wishing they would cut back to Shailaine and by the end of the movie I was very angry that Ansel Elgort was even present.*

*Which was a complete bummer because this movie had a lot going for it, otherwise.

Cost:  $10.00
Where watched:  Living Room Theaters with Matt, Kelly, Laurie and Burt.

This is exactly the type of movie I want more of because it features: 1)realistic dialogue between women.*  2)Hilarious patter between the two romantic leads.** 3)An entirely stupid premise that I totally went for just because everything else was so perfect.***

Cost: free from library
Where watched.  At home.  By myself, and then two hours later, watched it again with Matt.****

*probably because it was written BY women
**One of which is Chris Evans, who is easy on the eyes.
***Including the fact that it was set in Boston and almost no one had a Boston accent.  Because that accent is hard to do and it’s best if no one tries.
****Yes, I watched the same movie twice in one day.  Which I have never done before.  It felt rather wicked.

I’m a Zooey Deschanel fan and even with that, I found the first few episodes were a little too much Deschanel for me.  However, by the Thanksgiving episode, they had hit their stride and this became a very amusing show.  I also appreciated it because I enjoyed watching it, but didn’t feel compelled to watch ALL of it in a short amount of time.*

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.  (The boyfriend got interested in the show too.)

*This sounds like a back handed compliment, but it’s a really good thing.  Trying to clear your schedule because you have no willpower and must watch multiple episodes in one setting is no fun.  Even if the shows in question (Friday Night Lights, Mad Men, Heroes Season 1, etc.) are very, very good.

Women getting to dig their teeth into weighty dramatic material and really tear through it in the best way possible!  Yep, I was a fan of this movie!  I particularly loved how every time I thought Meryl Streep had done her dastardly worst to her family, she managed to top herself.

Cost:  free from library thanks to T. who lent it to me after she watched it.
Where watched: at home.