Sunday, September 29, 2013

James Gandolfini - Enough Said

 'A divorced and single parent, Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) spends her days enjoying work as a masseuse but dreading her daughter's impending departure for college. She meets Albert (James Gandolfini) - a sweet, funny and like-minded man also facing an empty nest. As their romance quickly blossoms, Eva befriends Marianne (Catherine Keener), her new massage client. Marianne is a beautiful poet who seems "almost perfect" except for one prominent quality: she rags on her ex-husband way too much. Suddenly, Eva finds herself doubting her own relationship with Albert as she learns the truth about Marianne's ex. Written by ID-PR'
Rated PG-13 (93 minutes)

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I have always had a soft spot for big lovable guys. So it goes without saying I always love the James Gandolfini's...the John Goodman's....so....guess who could barely get through this movie without bawling every 5 minutes (and it wasn't really that sad).  James Gandolfini's early departure from this world was a great loss for film lovers like me.  We are all lucky he was able to finish this little gem.  Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is the perfect fit as well.  I imagine her heart broke when she watched the final cut.  Enjoy " Enough Said":


I was lucky to see both Don Jon and Enough Said within a few days of one another.  While I LOVED "Don Jon", I felt like I was watching someone else's life.  Watching "Enough Said" felt like home.  Warm and comfy.  Instead of nightclubs, we have "Pajama Sundays".  Instead of "my boys" we have "our daughters." Refreshing and very real.  And very, very sad given that Mr. Gandolfini passed away unexpectedly at the young age of 51, before the film was released.

This is no Tony Soprano movie. It is a charming, lovely snapshot of the dating world for single parents in the "middle ages."  "Albert" is your regular guy -- slightly overweight, a little bit of a slob.  But totally loveable.  It is no stretch to imagine Louis-Dreyfus' "Eva" falling for him. 


Empty Nesters will totally get this movie.  Anyone tossed into the thankless job of step-parenting will TOTALLY get it.

It's not a movie that will probably get much attention, but it is a fun way to spend an afternoon.  I even went alone, and still felt like i was amongst friends.  All James Gandolfini fans will be happy to have this gift he left for us all.  That's a good thing.






Thursday, September 26, 2013

My Body, My Pad, My Ride, My Family, My Church, My Boys, My Girls, My Joseph Gordon-Levitt

With a Trailer like this, there's really not a whole lot I need to say about Don Jon so let's just start here:




 I went to Don Jon for two reasons:


1.  My daughter insisted

2.  My other daughter insisted
 3.  It was my birthday so my arm really didn't need to be twisted too hard. 


Two of my daughters are IN LOVE with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  When I think of him, I just think of "Third Rock From The Sun" so I did not get it:



This was circa 1996.  Man am I old.  MAN were they right - look who is ALL grown up:


Hubba.  Hubba.


Go to this movie for the eye candy alone.  Not to mention JGL wrote it, directed it, and starred in it.  

And yes girls, you can take your SO.  For God's sake, Scarlett Johannson is his conquest:




This movie is so "naughty" I felt myself blushing in the dark theater - but at the same time it is one of the sweetest movies of the year. It is also one of the funniest. I absolutely loved it.  

Perfectly cast, we meet Jon Martello (a bartender?) winningly played by Mike The Situation--Er I mean Joseph Gordon-Levitt. In one of the funniest runs of the movie, Jon faithfully attends church to make his confession to his priest.  He then moves on to the gym where he times his workouts based on the number of "Hail Mary's" he has been assigned.  And sometimes this number can be high.  Not only does Jon have the pick of the bar-scene babes, he also has a dirty little secret.  An addiction to online porn.





Back to that perfect casting:  Enter Barbara Sugarman (played by the over-the-top sexy Scarlett Johannson).  It seems Don Jon has met his match.  He'll do about anything to make her happy - even swear off porn (apparently cell phone pics don't count)
Dutifully taking night classes to impress Barbara, Jon and his cell phone sneak peeks attract the attention of a Non-Trad named Esther (again - perfectly cast Julianne Moore).  I am gonna leave it at that.  This little twist sealed the deal for me.  Fantastic script.




Tony Danza plays Jon's father so convincingly, I might suggest the two men trace their family tree.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it connect somewhere.





The main story of the movie  - porn does for men what chick-flicks do for women - was something I hadn't given much thought to.  But once I started thinking about it, I couldn't believe how exactly right he got it.  It is the same damn thing.  I left there shaking my head...and wondering where beautiful men like Joseph Gordon-Levitt were when I was 25...or where I might sign up for my next night class.




Saturday, September 21, 2013

Prisoners - The Ending Held ME Prisoner....


How far would you go to protect your family? Keller Dover is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver, Alex Jones, but a lack of evidence forces his release. As the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts, knowing his child's life is at stake the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family? Written by Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated R - Disturbing violent content including torture, and language 
2 hr. 26 min.


September kicks off "awards season", & Warner Bros. is buzzing early on. 
Newbie Director Denis Villeneuve's name is being thrown around along with his stellar cast, Hugh Jackman (who plays Keller Dover), Jake Gyllenhaal (Dectective Loki), and the entire production for Best Picture.  Am I surprised?  Maybe just a little.  
More surprising, or perhaps disappointing, is the fact that Paul Dano's (the pitiful Alex Jones) name ISN'T being mentioned.  Once again, he gives us a performance so believable, so raw, you feel almost sick to your stomach.

 
 Paul Dano portrays Alex Jones, the mentally delayed suspect in the disappearance of two girls, and Melissa Leo is his protective aunt. (Provided by Warner Bros.)

The beginning of the movie is much better than the ending, and Villeneuve takes forever to get there.  But just as you start to get fidgety and bored with all the cliche's, desperate mom's starting to question dad's..alcohol fueled rage...he grabs your attention back with a twist.

While we know we should focus on the kidnapping crime, the unimaginable "other crime" is so profound and thought provoking, I imagine lots of "what would you be willing to do" conversations on the drive home.
 
 I really think Villeneuve missed the mark in the end, though.  There were too many things left unanswered.  Too many things thrown into the mix that didn't need to be there.  
And I hated the ending.  That's all I will say about that.



 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

A Review, A Rumor, A Disappointment and A Dream - where do I begin?


There is so much going on in Hollywood,  I hardly know where to begin!   
So…in no particular order:



We’re The Millers             Rated R                1 hr. 40 minutes





In We're the Millers, Jason Sudeikis plays David, a small-time pot dealer who sells to local soccer moms. Always trying to keep a low profile, he is forced to take on a gang of gutter punks and losers. Having lost his pot AND all his cash to these hoodlums, he becomes a drug smuggler to help out his supplier played by Ed Helms. Lucky for us, he is able to convince his stripper/neighbor Rose to go along and play his “wife-next-door." Rose is played by Jennifer Aniston.  You can thank the casting director for Aniston. She is simply amazing.  Will Poulter and Emma Roberts tag along pretending to be their kids and the adventure begins. 
Lots of laughs for sure but don’t feel bad if you wait until this one comes out on DVD.   No matter how you see it, make sure you stick around for the bloopers. Some of the funniest parts will be found there.





What's That Jack?



Hollywood is abuzz over a report that Jack Nicholson has retired from show business.  RadarOnline reports “memory issues” behind this decision.  However, don’t count him out just yet. This gossip hasn’t been confirmed.  The actor's name quickly became a trending topic on Twitter as fans panicked over the prospect of one of the greatest living American actors exiting stage left.  In typical Hollywood fashion however,  a separate source told NBC News that reports of Nicholson’s demise were greatly exaggerated.  Even if the three-time Academy Award winner hasn’t officially retired however, it certainly has been a while since fans have seen him on the big screen.  A rep for the actor has not responded to a request for comment. (Thanks www.nydailynews.com)    

Personally, I think his best recent performance was this little exchange with Miss Lawrence at the Oscars:  (feel free to stop watching when Hathaway shows up)






And last but certainly not least – we got THIS news:


Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam Cast as Leads in Fifty Shades of Grey

I panicked when I googled this Hunnam character and was met with this:



I mean seriously this guy looks NOTHING like Christan Grey. I was beyond upset!! But upon further research, I came across this version. Yes this is the same man…and my pulse slowed (or raced, depending on what you mean...wink wink..)


All of this happened Sunday mid-morning, while I was on the back of the Harley.  I tried to tell Jay the seriousness of the situation, but he refused to pull over so I could calmly do my research.  I am sure those who saw me on the bike thought I was having a seizure or had lost my mind.  It was so stressful trying to Tweet and Google while going 70 mph on a bike!!
Let’s just hope the latter picture is who shows up to play Christian Grey.  

If you know me, you know I was rooting for Dylan McDermott.  Sigh.  It wasn’t meant to be.  Who knows, maybe he will get cast as Christian’s sexy Dad, Carrick. A girl can dream, can't she? 





I am really looking forward to screening Don Jon next week. How convenient that the screening is the eve of my birthday?! After watching the trailer, you'll agree that this is the best possible way to celebrate my birthday, especially since my daughters will be going with me! 



My BFF Bridget and I really, really want to go to the Oscars in 2014.  Think we can make it happen?  I sure do.  Be sure and check back often and follow me on Twitter @take2review to see how close we can come to making this dream come true.  We are pretty resourceful girls!