A Bigger Splash

— This is a relaxed, sensual film about a gorgeous, aging rock star who is vacationing with her equally gorgeous new and younger lover in a sun-kissed Mediterranean villa. The star’s previous, more age-appropriate lover (who set her up with her current lover) and his recently discovered and oh so nubile daughter arrive unexpectedly and end up staying with them. Pasts are slowly revealed, and emotions simmer then boil. There’s a lot of heat in this one and I liked it a lot. Each of the four are perfectly acted and its one of those nice, slow, evolving stories that you just hope will end on some satisfactory note. It does and I’d suggest seeing this if you like a vaguely European, sexy sort of films.

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[2015. 125 min. Directed by Luca Guadagnino. Starring Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes, and Dakota Johnson.]
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/05/bigger-splash-review/481620/

The Lady in the Van

— I missed “The Lady in the Van” in theaters so I checked it out on DVD the other day. Although billed as a comedy, I’d say that’s pushing it. This is the “mostly true story” of an unpleasant but mysterious elderly woman who lives in a van, and Alan Bennett, a milquetoast author, who lets her temporarily park in his driveway—she ends up staying for 15 years. The film looks like a stage play (it was, and the play was based on the real Bennett's book) and is as much the story of Bennett as of the woman. Not much really happens except for the slow development of their friendship. Maggie Smith is incredible (isn’t she always?) which is a good thing given the dull and wandering nature of the plot. Alex Jennings is good too, in both his roles (one the Bennett who lives his life and the other the Bennett who writes, which can be a little much when they converse with each other). Their bond is interesting as is the reactions of their neighbors. There’s also an interesting thread about how much writers should adhere to reality and whether it’s okay to augment reality. In the end, it’s Smith’s performance that’ll engage you, but as an entertaining story, it’s just so-so.

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[2015. 104 min. Directed by Nicholas Hytner. Starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/the-lady-in-the-van/review/

City of Gold

— This is one of those documentaries that's fun to watch. It’s more a portrait than an indictment; more a history than an investigation. It almost makes me want to live in L.A. so I can have access to the food and the fabric of the city. This look at Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold becomes a look at immigrant families whose food trucks and restaurants he’s drawn to, and in the process, the glory of diversity and the realization that there can be many “bests”. He sees the evolving nature of his city and the possibilities it offers thanks to the varieties of culture and commerce within its boundaries and somehow, the food he samples and the meals he eats become a testament to the city itself. I liked it.

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[2016. 96 min. Written and directed by Laura Gabbert. Featuring Jonathan Gold.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/city-of-gold-2016

Sing Street

— A captivating coming of age film set in 1980’s Ireland. There’s a kind of free-flowing energy throughout this thoughtful look at first love, brotherhood, the resiliency of the human spirit, the choices available to youth, and the possibility of greatness. With plenty of music and humor, this film’s bittersweet storyline and toe-tapping enthusiasm made it a joy to see.

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[2016. 106 min. Written and directed by John Carney. Starring Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, and Jack Reynor.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sing-street-2016

The Nice Guys

— Another throwback to the 70s, this time a slapstick buddy film with Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe giving it their best. Unfortunately, while they have some chemistry and provide some entertainment, it falls well short of being at the top of its genre. It works as a summer diversion and it becomes more interesting once it settles in a groove about halfway through, but it’s still not really worth making much effort to see.

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[2016. 116 min. Directed by Shane Black. Starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, and Matt Bomer.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/20/movies/the-nice-guys-review-ryan-gosling-russell-crowe.html

Money Monster

— This film certainly comes with a great pedigree and it pays off, making something that pays homage to 1970's films (think “Dog Day Afternoon” meets “Network”) into an enjoyable summer suspense film even if it’s a little too neatly packaged. It touches on plenty of interesting topics—the state of television programming, ethical behaviors, financial shenanigans, issues packaged as entertainment, anger toward big business, and the short attention span of the American public—but doesn’t really make much of an impact. I enjoyed it and it was interesting to watch but not much to think about afterwards.

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[2016. 98 min. Directed by Jodie Foster. Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Jack O’Connell.]
http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/money-monster-20160512

Captain America: Civil War

— This really is a lot of characters in spandex, and the plot’s a little thin, but it was still a very good addition to the Marvel cinematic universe. It focuses on worthwhile issues—things like friendship, vengeance, duty, resolving moral dilemmas—while introducing us to some new superheroes in some pretty exciting fight scenes. I liked it a lot, particularly after the dismal “Batman v Superman” released just a few months ago. Good entertainment and more.

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[2016, 146 min., Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. Starring Chjris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, and Chadwick Boseman.]
http://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/Captain-America-Civil-War-69827.html

Green Room

— Here’s a film that attracted a more diverse audience than I normally experience, including a larger than usual crowd of under-30-somethings. Maybe it’s the punk music or the overall dark look of the film. Maybe they can just spot a really good B movie when it comes out. I’m no expert on the horror-thriller genre, although I’ve seen my share of gore, but this film doesn’t pull many punches with bloodletting and it was okay with me because most of the film was pretty tightly wound and well edited. It moved from a few laughs, including a poorly placed fart joke, to some general feeling of uneasiness, to being downright tense and on to all out slaughter. Although it was intense, I wish the story line had been more complex. If you appreciate this sort of thing, it really does it right. (By the way, with only one showing as a sample, under-30-somethings are more likely to arrive after the lights have dimmed and previews are showing, eagerly using the flashlight apps on their iPhones to find seats.)

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[2016, 95 min., Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier. Starring Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, and Patrick Stewart.]
http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/green-room-review-1201498852/