In Theaters: ***The Sun Is Also a Star (2019)

***  The Sun Is Also a Star  (2019)  This is a fun romantic show, but it is also frustrating.  Even love does not always change destiny.  Natasha’s (Yara Shahidi) family is due to be deported.  She meets by chance a romantic poet, Daniel (Charles Melton).  Natasha does not believe in love.  However Daniel takes the challenge that they fall in love within a few hours.  Thus begins a day together with Natasha trying to see a lawyer for another chance of staying in the country, and Daniel due for an interview for a prestigious university.  Consequently the lawyer (John Leguizamo) to help both is the same person.  Things run their course, and in the end Daniel gives up his interview with the lawyer to pursue the girl.  But nothing works in the end.  Natasha leaves a mark, in that poets write about love or the stars, but no one writes poetry about the sun.  The characters are entertaining, but the circumstance is really frustrating. 

 

Movie review: ***^Bolt (2008)

***^Bolt (2008)  This is a movie I watched with grandkids, and if not for them may have missed it.  It is on Instant Netflix.  I found it pretty fun.  The idea is a regular dog, Bolt (John Travolta) is made to appear a super hero dog with special powers via movie making special effects.  However when he is separated from his child costar (Miley Cyrus), and has to make his way back, he starts to realize just how normal he is.  However he is still special to his master, and thus begins a classic cross country journey.  Somehow our dog was accidentally shipped to the East but he is from Hollywood.  He recruits the help of a crazy-looking, realistic cat (Susie Essman)and a hamster (Mark Walton) in a ball.  Nothing will convince the hamster that Bolt isn’t for real and doesn’t have super powers.  He has been watching him for years.  It is quite a journey, and when he finally arrives he has been replaced; or has he.  A real fire seems to show just who loves the child star, and who is willing to rescue her.  This movie is actually entertaining, and the cat and hamster characters are funny. 

Movie Review: ***Split (2016)

***Split (2016)  This movie is a bit slow for a Shyamalan, but our villain, superhero is well done.  When he starts bouncing between personalities is when the acting is really noted.  A person with multiple personalities kidnaps three young woman.  James McAvoy portrays our split personality.  Betty Buckley who is just a bit too trusting but suspects something is wrong.  Anya Taylor-Joy portrays a young lady who appeals to the child of “Split.”  This movie is headed for a tragedy from the beginning.  I must admit, I prefer the sequel, “Glass.”

In Theaters: Dark Phoenix (2019) X-Men

****Dark Phoenix (2019)  This movie plays on an alien power getting inside of Jean (Sophie Turner) and creating all kind of havoc.  Of course there are aliens who pursue Jean wanting the power for themselves, and the X-Men who are wary of Jean and her new powers.  The lack of control leads to the death of Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) and other similar mishaps.  With her new powers Jean starts to remember her past as it really was, not as it was manipulated by Professor Xavier (James McAvoy).  Of course the other X-Men get involved.  At one point Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is intent on killing Jean for her having killed Raven.  Other X-Men include Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee).  I really enjoyed this movie.  I am not sure why people have been staying away.  Perhaps Xavier is a little too self-loathing in his part in Jean’s past, but we come to understand what is actually happening we hat past that.  This movie seems to give us a future look at what has happened to the X-Men.  However one problem with the X-Men movie series is the timeline is all over the place.  Great fun none-the-less. 

Movie Review: **Logan (2017)

Logan  I like this movie for the advancement of the story.  I hate it for the salacious violence and language.  Again this is a future look at X-Men; particularly Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).  Xavier has a bad seizure disorder, which effects those around him.  Caliban (Stephen Marchant) has been helping them.  He has an ability to track others but is susceptible to light.  Apparently many of the others have passed away, except for a new generation of young mutants who have escaped a facility in Mexico.  Logan is brought into the fray by Laura (Dafne Keen), his genetic daughter.  When they are confronted by Pierce (Boyd Holbrock) who has been contracted to bring the girl back, we end with a trio, Laura, Xavier and Wolverine, on the road trying to find the safe house for the mutants in the north.  The story line to this movie is really good.  I have watched the tv edited version.  Even with this the movie is too violent and (even though dubbed out on tv) there is too much bad language for me to recommend this movie. 

In Theaters: (2019) **The Tomorrow Man

The Tomorrow Man (2019) This movie stars  Ed (John Lithgow) and Ronnie (Blythe Danner) are a couple of seniors.  Ed is worried about the future, and as such has an extensive food storage.  He is attracted to Ronnie as he sees her making purchases which also seem to indicate she too is worried about the future.  Consequently they hit is off and become a couple.  However when Ed realizes Ronnie is a hoarder rather than someone preparing for disaster, the relationship struggles.  But same how they plow on.  This movie is slow and not really anything ever happens.  It is about growing, and this comes out of Ed’s heart attack.  After this he realizes that family is more important.  He is able to reconcile with his son, and even holds a yard sale to get rid of some of his stuff.  This movie is slow and boring.  Not worth the time in the end.

In Theaters: ***^ The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)

When Rorie was born we had the boys, and took them to the theater.  We had a pretty good time.  This story actually goes about telling three stories at the same time.  Consequently it gets pretty complicated.  However it all comes together in the end with all of the pets teaming up to save a lion from and evil circus master who treats the lion poorly in training, and consequently the pets help him escape, and then overcome the circus master when he comes back to recapture the ion.  Harrison Ford plays Rooster and Patton Oswalt Max who is overly anxious about his boy.  Kevin Hart plays Snowball, a bunny who thinks of himself as a superhero.  Gidget, a dog who becomes ruler of a cat family, is portrayed by Jenny Slate.  The kids had a good time, Sheri was confused by the three plots happening at the same time and Miranda fell asleep.

In Theaters: *** Intruder (2009)

Intruder (2009)  Annie and  Scott Russell (Meagan Good and Michael Ealy) are moving up.  They purchase their dream home in the country and move in.  The unfortunate part is with the previous owner (Dennis Quaid).  He  makes like he moves out; but really doesn’t.  He keeps showing up.  Annie invites him for Thanksgiving.  Things just keep getting progressively worse.  He even becomes infatuated with Annie.  And then everything hits the fan.  A bat can do some serious damage.

In Theaters: **^The Hustle (2019)

The Hustle (2009)  This movie was intended to be a comedy but didn’t strike my funny bone, except throwing the bag in the water.  This is a con movie, where they are conning each other the whole time.  It featured Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson.

In Theaters: ***^Dumbo (2019)

This is a life character depiction of Dumbo.  In this case they add some, and take some of the original material out.  The big thing here is the purchase of the small Circus Dumbo is in, with the sole purpose of getting the Dumbo act.  However Dumbo is more interested in getting with his mother. 
Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell)  had a horse riding act before the war; but he returns form the war to his children (his wife passed while he was gone) and a struggling circus.  His horse has been sold to keep the Circus afloat.  Danny  DeVito plays the MC and owner of the circus.  Harrier children are portrayed by Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins.  Michael Keaton portrays the owner of the circus which buys the small circus, with hopes of putting on a very big act.
In the movies things are not always what they appear.  It looks like a fairy tale ending but that is all a facade.  The theme of this movie is the thought of keeping your focus on what is actually important--family and being kind.  Some of the characters loss sight.  Fortunately some recover, but others never do. 

Movie Review: ***^An Unfinished Life (2005)

Here is a very good character expose featuring Robert Redford as a grandfather, Morgan Freeman as his cow hand who was mauled by a bear and is now crippled.  Jennifer Lopez shows up, his daughter-in-law (played by Jennifer Lopez) and his grand daughter who he has never met.  Grandfather's son was killed in a motor vehicle accident and grandfather has never forgiven her.  However she is fleeing from an abusive man and lands on his doorstep.  She takes them in while her life gets back in order.  But boyfriend follows.   Not only that but the bear also shows up.  Both situations require some resolution.