The Starling needs a pro vs. con scoresheet for its uneven story. The pros come in the form of a really lovely cast who make the material as good as possible. The cons are that the story is overly sentimental and employs knock-you-over-the-head symbolism to tell the tale. It’s streaming on Netflix. There is a big spoiler ahead.
No Strings Attached is a 2011 romantic comedy directed by Ivan Reitman. It’s warm and clever and has a fabulous cast of folks who were on the cusp of famous back then, as well as the already famous Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.
Lucky for me I’m not a critic. It seems to me that the main job of a critic is to watch a fun and enjoyable movie or TV show and find things wrong with it so as to make it unenjoyable for anyone else to watch. Which leads to my point: Ricki and the Flash is fun and enjoyable. Lukewarm …
I am somewhat (okay, a whole lot) excited about Ricki and The Flash. The first excitement is the star Meryl Streep. Next, there’s the writer Diablo Cody. But wait! There’s more! Check this out: “Meryl Streep takes on a whole new gig – a hard-rocking singer/guitarist – for Oscar®-winning director Jonathan Demme and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody in Ricki …
For some reason, the previews for My Old Lady led me to expect a comedy. Maybe with a bit of romance thrown in. Well, there was a bit of romance and a bit of comedy, but it was really a serious drama about family pain, neglect, trauma, and ultimately love.
Over the next few months there will be several films with women leading the cast coming to your theater. I celebrate every one! Here are a few – I probably missed some. Let me know in the comments if there’s something I missed that shouldn’t be missed. Laggies Keira Knightley and Chloë Grace Moretz head up the cast of Laggies. …
My Old Lady stars Kevin Kline, Maggie Smith and Kristen Scott Thomas. Kevin Kline inherits a Paris apartment from his estranged father. When he goes to France to claim it, he finds he cannot sell it until the current inhabitant – Maggie Smith – dies. Kristen Scott Thomas plays Maggie Smith’s daughter. That two fabulous women like Maggie Smith and …
Queen to Play – original title Joueuse – is a little-known French film that is quiet, beautiful and ultimately uplifting. Released in French in 2009, it’s available on Netflix and Amazon Prime. I think you’ll love it. Beware, spoilers ahead.
