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Visit my previous Blog "Movies and More: Positively Personal Reviews" for my earlier (pre-May 2011) reviews and ramblings.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

ON MY WAY

Catherine Deneuve is still beautiful and a wonderful actress!  In this film she plays "Bettie" -- the owner of a small restaurant who has had some bad news, personally and financially, and jumps in her car just to get away for a while by going for a drive.  It becomes an interesting road trip as she reunites with her daughter and grandson (who nearly steals the show), and rather reluctantly attends a reunion of past 'Beauty Queen" contest winners.  (She was "Miss Brittany.")  You see a photo of her then.  frankly,  I think she's more beautiful now!  But, that's just me.  Good movie. well worth seeing.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

BAD WORDS

Aptly titled,  "BAD WORDS" is, unfortunately, just a foul-mouthed film, gleaning its "humor" from an adult contestant (Jason Bateman) competing (legally, because  he never finished 5th grade) in a kid's spelling bee. However, Bateman's dialogue is almost exclusively  vile, x-rated  language. This just about ruined the movie for me.  I have learned to accept and can handle a certain number  of four-letter expletives in the movies, but this was way, way over the top (or  under the sewer).
     The redeeming feature of the film was the role played by delightful, young (nine or ten years old) Rohan Chand, whose innocent, genuine attempts to befriend Bateman are rudely rebuffed  until  nearly  the end of the movie.  Spoiler alert:  Rohan's goodness finally does affect Bateman, and there's a "happy' ending. 

Saturday, March 15, 2014

GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Excellent, Entertaining, Escape the mundane through this window into events at an imaginary Elegant hotel in an imaginary Balkan country.  First class, wonderful star studded cast --nary a misstep by anyone of them.  You've got to appreciate and admire Ralph Fiennes as the unflappable, and very popular Concierge who beds all the  rich, elderly female guests.    (including Tilda Swinton).   There are a couple of sub-plots demanding your attention:   a stolen art- work, which was bequeathed to the Concierge,  and the career of the LOBBY BOY,  the protege of the Concierge.    Highly recommended!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

With the Academy Awards about to be announced in a day or two, the theater lobbies  in LA were packed with ticket buyers, and so, almost by default I went to see "Dallas Buyers Club,"  which wasn't crowded, having already been showing for over a week.  Although it was, of course, almost painful to watch (dealing with the HIV --AIDS virus and the drugs that were used to combat it) -- It was a very well done film and Matthew McConaughey  as best lead actor definitely earned his Oscar.  His performance was fabulous!