MOVIE - The Lady in the Van

PG-13 (1:44)

Limited release 12/4/15

Harkins Camelview at Fashion Square 14 on Friday 2/5/16 after PLC Conferience - recliners in a "regular" theater - 1st one other than Roadhouse I've been to!

RT Critic:  93 Audience:  76
Critic's Consensus:   Led by a marvelous performance from Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van wrings poignant, often hilarious insight from its fact-based source material.

Cag:  6 Simply marvelous  

Directed by Nicholas Hytner

Sony Pictures

Based on the book by Alan Bennett

Dame Maggie Smith

My comments:  Wow.  A great movie with the most marvelously played lead of all time!  This was a great story and great acting, rich with humor and reality and deep thinking opportunities. Let people be themselves particularly if they're eccentric.  There's usually a reason!  I loved it, and didn't think of my surroundings once in the entire film.  Highly recommended.

RT Summary:  This film tells the true story of the relationship between Alan Bennett and the singular Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who 'temporarily' parked her van in Bennett's London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.

MOVIE - Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

PG (2:02)

Wide release 3/6/15

Viewed 3/17/15 at ElCon

RT Critic: 63 Audience: 67

Cag: 3/Liked it, with reservation

Directed by John Madden

20th Century Fox

Based on the book by

Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Richard Gere, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Richard Gere

My comments:  Well.  I was so looking forward to this, I loved the first one so much. But this one was ... different.  It was more depressing, and more stupid.  The addition of Richard Gere was dumb, I was embarrassed for him.  Poor Sonny, the writers made him a dolt for over 50% of the movie The filming in India was great.  There were a few good chuckles, and an Indian wedding has always seemed really cool to me.  Entertaining, but certainly not great.

RT Summary  Now that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is full up with its long-term residents, co-managers Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) and Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) have a dream of expansion, and they've found just the place: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. With plans underway, Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) venture into the Jaipur workforce, wondering where their regular breakfast dates will lead. Meanwhile, Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) navigate the swirling waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two very eligible suitors, and recent arrival Guy Chambers (Richard Gere) finds a muse in Sonny's mother, Mrs. Kapoor (Lillete Dubey) for his next novel. As his marriage to Sunaina (Tina Desai), the love of his life, quickly approaches, Sonny finds his plans for the new hotel making more claims on his time than he has available. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is Muriel, the keeper of everyone's secrets. As the big day nears, family and guests alike find themselves swept up in the irresistible intoxication of an Indian wedding.​ 

MOVIE - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Most Excellent Movie!
Limited release 5-4-2012
Viewed Tuesday 5/4/12fvgrge
PG-13 (2:04)
RT: Critics 76 Au/dience 84
cag:  Loved it/5 at El Con alone (I'd gone the week before, 1/2 hour before showtime, and it was completely sold out!)
Director:  John Madden
20th Century Fox

Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy

A group of British retirees meet for the first time at the airport in London, departing for what they think will be a snazzy hotel in India that will allow them to live more cheaply than in expensive London.... comfortably.   Dev Patel is the youngest son who is trying to get his father's rundown Marigold Hotel open and back on its feet.  Needless to say, the joint isn't exactly what anyone expected.  But they all bond...in their own ways...and, for the most part, take their new lot in life and go for it.  All the characters are wonderfully portrayed.  It's a rich story in a great setting and I loved every moment of it!