MOVIE - Cafe Society

PG-13 (1:25)

Limited Release 7/15/16

Viewed Sunday 10/2/16 at Century Gateway (by myself)

RT Critic:  71  Audience:  63
Critic's Consensus:   Café Society's lovely visuals and charming performances round out a lightweight late-period Allen comedy whose genuine pleasures offset its amiable predictability.

Cag:  4/Liked it a lot

Directed & written by Woody Allen

Perdido Productions

Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carrell, Blake Lively, Parker Posey

My comments:  I don't think I realize how much I love Woody Allen's work.  For the most part I love this film, and I adore the way he ended it.  The settings - 1930s Hollywood and New York City - as well as the costuming - were terrific.  I love the way that real personalities (like in many of his other films) were examined.  Casting was terrific.  The juxtaposition of the three siblings was my second favorite part, but I think a little bit more story about Bobby's brother and sister was needed to round out the story a bit and would have definitely enhanced the movie.  My favorite part?  The Jewish influences and humor.

RT Summary:  Set in the 1930s, Woody Allen's bittersweet romance CAFÉ SOCIETY follows Bronx-born Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) to Hollywood, where he falls in love (with his uncle's mistress), and back to New York, where he is swept up in the vibrant world of high society nightclub life. Centering on events in the lives of Bobby's colorful Bronx family, the film is a glittering valentine to the movie stars, socialites, playboys, debutantes, politicians, and gangsters who epitomized the excitement and glamour of the age.

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.

MOVIE - Hope Springs

PG-13 (1:40)
Wide release 8-8-12
Thursday 9-13-12 at El Con with Sheila
RT Critics 74 Audience 67
I liked it a lot.  I laughed a lot.  Much needed.
Director:  David Frandel
Sony Pictures

Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carrell

This movie was a riot...also sweet and poignant and fun.  How Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep could do some of those scenes without guffawing out loud is totally beyond me.

They play a married couple who have slept in separate bedrooms for a number of years.  There relationship is caring but anonymous.  They are devoted to each other, but there's no "relations" in relationship.  Kay coerces a very negative Arnold into accompanying her to Maine to a psychologist who specializes in helping put "oomph" back into marriages.  And what follows is just wonderful.

Most/much of the film was set in Hope Springs, Maine (which, I think, was actually Connecticut).  When they were out and about on the streets of this quaint little town, I wanted to be there, too.

I've always known that Meryl Streep is an awesome actress, and I've always enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones.  I MORE than enjoyed him in this film.  A Steve Carrell played the straight-man-psychiatrist really well.  Very cute and sweet movie.