MOVIE - 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

R (1:55)
Wide release 12/1/17 (But hard to find around here)

Viewed January 11, 2018
IMBd: 8.2

RT Critic:  92   Audience:  87
Critic's Consensus:  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri deftly balances black comedy against searing drama -- and draws unforgettable performances from its veteran cast along the way.

Cag:  5.5 Incredible acting

Directed by Martin McDonagh (who also wrote it)

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage

My comments:  I snorted, I rolled my eyes, I got sad twinges in my stomach, I laughed, I was horrified, and I was constantly surprised.  Now that's a movie that takes you through efery emotion like you are on a short but sweet roller coaster ride.  I must admit the opening bars -- or even more than just the opening bars -- made me cringe.  It was opera; shrill, screechy opera.  My muscles were tense from the onset and I'm so glad that the rest of the music was totally acceptable after that bad start.  This was an amazing movie, with actors and actresses that have earned my standing ovation.  So many emotions, and they all rang true!  Definitely a winner.  There was one side story that was harder than I would've guessed at this pint in my life would be quite as difficult as it was, which brought back Steve' battle 17 years ago.  That was a little hard.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI is a darkly comic drama from Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (IN BRUGES). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated.

MOVIE - Laggies

R (1:40)

Limited release 10/24/14

Viewed at ElCon 11/2014

RT Critic: 69   Audience:  58

Cag:  4 = liked it a lot

Directed by Lynn Shelton

A24 Films

Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell

My comments: There's something about Keira Knightley that's endearing and real...and she just made this movie.  She's a grown-up that's not quite ready to be grown up, and she makes it believable. As much as the storyline seems implausible, somehow I was totally into it.  Sam Rockwell was terrific, too.  I really enjoyed this movie!

RT Summary:  Overeducated and underemployed, 28 year old Megan (Keira Knightley) is in the throes of a quarterlife crisis. Squarely into adulthood with no career prospects, no particular motivation to think about her future and no one to relate to, Megan is comfortable lagging a few steps behind - while her friends check off milestones and celebrate their new grown-up status. When her high-school sweetheart (Mark Webber) proposes, Megan panics and- given an unexpected opportunity to escape for a week - hides out in the home of her new friend, 16-year old Annika (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Annika's world-weary single dad Craig (Sam Rockwell). Lynn Shelton, whose unique directorial voice created such astutely observed comedies as YOUR SISTER'S SISTER and HUMPDAY, crafts a sweet, romantic coming-of-age comedy about three people who find their lives intertwined in the most unconventional way as they make through the imperfect realities of modern day life. Keira Knightley shines as Megan, a rare female slacker hero who shows us that while you never stop growing up, you can choose stop lagging, and start living on your terms.

MOVIE - The Way, Way Back

PG-13 (1:43)
Limited release 7-5-13
Viewed Monday, 8-5-13 at El Con (just me...)
RT critic: 83 audience: 90
cag: 6/awesome
Directed by Jim Rash & Nat Faxon
Fox Searchlight

Actors: Sam Rockwell, Steve Carrell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney

My comments:  This was a fabulous movie.  The acting was wonderful, the storyline was excellent, the energy was just terrific.  The young man who played the lead () is a kid to watch!

Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:  THE WAY, WAY BACK is the funny and poignant coming of age story of 14-year-old Duncan's (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Having a rough time fitting in, the introverted Duncan finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park. Through his funny, clandestine friendship with Owen, Duncan slowly opens up to and begins to finallyfind his place in the world - all during a summer he will never forget.