ABOUT TIME 2.7***

 

Writer-director Richard Curtis (who wrote and directed the critically acclaimed hit “Love Actually” and wrote or co-wrote  “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Bridgett Jones’  Diary”) helmed this 'time travel romantic comedy-drama'. It stars Domhnall Gleeson (who's most famous for playing Bill Weasley in the last two “Harry Potter” films) as a 21-year-old lawyer in training who discovers from his father that he can time travel and then uses his gift to get a girlfriend, Rachel McAdams. Bill Nighy plays his also time travelling dad. The film is as much a father-son tale as it is a romance.  

 

At the root, this film's message is living life to the fullest. Enjoying the simple things in life, like seeing your children growing up, sipping tea with a loved one, or just the pleasure of buying a sandwich at the local store during a lunch break. The film reminds us that much of our lives are spent worrying about what has happened in the past and what could happen in the future, and that much of this worry will never come to be and ends up just being lost time and wasted emotions.  

 

This isn't one of Richard Curtis's best films, as a writer or a director, but it does have most of what you expect from a Richard Curtis movie: a hapless, awkward, unexpected leading man, a beautiful, almost unattainable leading lady, a whole host of colorful supporting characters and, not to forget, a wedding. Throw in some time travel and you have yourself a story. But the problem is that the story goes over the top at times with too much sugary sentiment. But Curtis does a fine job balancing the comedy and the emotional drama although  eventually it feels like it's being laid on a bit too thick when subtlety would have been better.

 

There is a nice shift from a boy-girl story in the first half to focusing on the father-son relationship in the second half, and both were  enjoyable to watch in their own right. Bill Nighy was fantastic in the movie and pretty much a scene-stealer. He had great chemistry with Domhnall Gleeson who at first I was unsure of but he quickly won me over. He delivers a great comic performance in the more light-hearted rom-com areas of the first half, and a subtle dramatic performance in the emotional, albeit overly sentimental, second half.  McAdams, who is no stranger to the time-travelling love story narrative, venturing in her third quest as the desired love interest, first in the” Time Traveler's Wife” and two years later in Woody Allen's acclaimed “Midnight In Paris”, enchants and reminds us just how adorable and likable she really is in these roles.  

 

Surprisingly it is rated “R” which I disagree with… this is a  “PG13”. There is some language and sexual content but not enough to rate an “R:”.

 

Clark

 

 HOW I LIVE NOW  2.5***     

 

          This is a movie taken from  an award-winning book and the story covers a world crisis that could very easily become a reality .. Set against the backdrop of a worsening world political situation… a WWIII,  Saoirse Ronan's Daisy, a New-York teenager with a chip on her shoulder, is dropped into a world that could not be further from what she is used to - the British countryside. She has promised herself that she will push her boundaries and get out of her comfort zone, not knowing that the journey that awaits her will require her to push herself further out than she could ever imagine . She eventually bonds with her 3 cousins and even falls in love with the oldest who is about her age.

 The movie is nicely  artistic - not just in the beautiful countryside but also in showing  the outbreak of a massive global conflict and thence the nature of war. Notably, the enemy is not identified once, beyond the fact that they are "terrorists." Our only interactions with them in the movie could imply that they are anarchists, but this is mere speculation. And it is not told from the military point of view, who might be used to threats like this, but rather from the point of view of the civilians, whose lives have been torn apart.

I found Saoirse Ronan's performance as Daisy to be quite good. Although I felt that the moody side to her character was a little too much at times. But she definitely captures the essence of a neglected teenager who misses her dead mother and her too busy father and feels like misfortune follows her around. . George MacKay, meanwhile, plays an introverted but incredibly strong-willed teenager who can bring out the best in this seemingly selfish and moody American teenager which, not surprisingly, evolves into an intense teenage romance.

 

I have  mixed views of this film. I don't think I have decided yet if it was really bad or really good and I haven't read the book so I couldn't compare however I did enjoy the storyline although it was way too slow.  I did  find Daisy quite annoying at the beginning of the film because she was so rude with such an attitude towards  relatives that she didn’t even know that well. In some parts of the film I thought that the acting was quite well done by all of the cast however there were times when it was slightly over acted and at times the script was too vague.  Overall, the cast, story and shots of landscapes were enough to entertain me but I think I will always be on the fence with this film. Wait and catch it thru Netflix or on TV.

 

Clark

 

ENDER’S GAME  3.0***

 

 

 

       "Ender's Game"   is a military science fiction film based on Orson Scott Card's 1985 very popular  novel of the same name which I have not read and thus had no preconceived notions about the story. It stars  Asa Butterfield as Ender and  Harrison Ford,  Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin and Ben Kingsley.

The story takes place years after a nearly successful alien invasion of the Earth. The aliens (ant like creatures) were eventually defeated by the courage and skill of a single fighter pilot-in the right place at the right time, kind of like Randy Quaid in 'Independence Day'. After the near catastrophe, Earth decided that it would be best if they started preparing to defend against a return invasion…. after all, you know how ants always come back. Harrison Ford is the Commander in charge of recruiting and training. He  was decided that the best strategy for fighting another battle  would be to use young cadets (12 to18) , since they have the ability to think fast and  have fast reflexes.  Ender (Butterfield) is the top contender and is sent through the arduous  training with the other teens.. The training sessions resemble video gaming and there is more to the storyline than you would expect, including a discussion of the dilemmas and morality of war.

The director has done a fine job of breathing life into this multilayered story. It moves quickly and all its actors give fine performances  This isn't just a visual effects driven movie although there are lots of explosions, cool technology and brilliant visuals. I saw the film in IMAX format and that enhances the effects but not much would be lost by seeing it in a regular theater .The movie's climactic battle scene is breathtaking - not only for its ferocity but as the foundation for a surprise ending that  changes the context of the film up to that point.

Harrison Ford is good as a the Commander who is determined to save humanity at any cost. His philosophy is cold, direct and dangerous. By contrast, Ender is  innocent (but not naïve), brilliant, and more in tune with the sanctity of life whether human or alien. And so there is a huge contrast between the two characters which becomes even greater after the final battle. .

It's rated "PG-13" for the action and violence and has a running time of 1 hour & 54 minutes

Clark

NOTE: The US Army and the Marine Corps have 'Ender's Game' on their recommended reading list for officers because of the lessons in training methodology, leadership and ethics

 

NOTE: I may not have seen this movie if I had not had an Imax Power Pass. The Power Pass costs $45 for a calendar year and all documentaries are free and all Hollywood movies are only $5. Also all pass holders go to the front of the waiting line. Great deal.

 

  

 

LAST VEGAS  3.0***

 

             Last Vegas is a comedy about a bunch of old guys reuniting for a weekend in Las Vegas. It’s a movie about guys trying to recapture their better days when they were close friends growing up in Brooklyn.  The strength of the movie is not the story but the marvelous cast:   Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, and Kevin Kline who have been on the big screen for decades and have been in some of the best movies of all time. Last Vegas is not among their better efforts, but at least it’s not an embarrassment. The movie capitalizes on their likability from  their time spent building up loads of audience affection. It’s counting on it, in fact, to fill in for the weak jokes and predictable script . The movie is pleasant and undemanding but somewhat flimsy.

 

The story starts when the  Michael Douglas calls his old pals and tells them he’s getting married in Vegas that weekend to a woman half his age.. They, being retired and not particularly busy, make the appropriate travel arrangements and head off for a “senior citizens” bachelor party.  The men carry the thin, predictable story without breaking a sweat, but the only real sparkle comes from Mary Steenburgen. At 60+, she's still a complete stunner and captivating screen presence.  

 

Without being in a hurry to get much of anywhere, Last Vegas simply shuffles along as do the 4 guys.  It’s a film that lazily moves along  to pretty much exactly where you think it’ll go. The feel you get from the movie is  like wearing a pair of comfortable “old” shoes rather than getting the last remaining bits of soggy chicken at the casino buffet. 

 

“Last Vegas” is a mellow “feel good”, most of which comes from  watching highly successful actors as if they’ve worked together forever, when in fact they never have. Movie magic and friendship themes make this a comfort film when compared to the other glitzy stuff on other screens.

 

Clark