MaryAnn’s quick take… Cantankerous old grump teaches directionless young people about life… in a way that is totally obnoxious and not in the least bit convincing. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It is not impossible to tell a story about a nasty character and make us like him or her. This is not a movie that achieves that. I will credit The Last Word, however, for flipping on its head that old cliché about a cantankerous old grump finally learning the true meaning of Christmas/life/love/whatever from a spunky young person: here, it’s cantankerous old grump Harriet (Shirley MacLaine: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Bernie) who teaches some timid and directionless younger people the true meanings of things… though in a way...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It is not impossible to tell a story about a nasty character and make us like him or her. This is not a movie that achieves that. I will credit The Last Word, however, for flipping on its head that old cliché about a cantankerous old grump finally learning the true meaning of Christmas/life/love/whatever from a spunky young person: here, it’s cantankerous old grump Harriet (Shirley MacLaine: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Bernie) who teaches some timid and directionless younger people the true meanings of things… though in a way...
- 7/7/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
MaryAnn’s quick take… Cantankerous old grump teaches directionless young people about life… in a way that is totally obnoxious and not in the least bit convincing. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It is not impossible to tell a story about a nasty character and make us like him or her. This is not a movie that achieves that. I will credit The Last Word, however, for flipping on its head that old cliché about a cantankerous old grump finally learning the true meaning of Christmas/life/love/whatever from a spunky young person: here, it’s cantankerous old grump Harriet (Shirley MacLaine: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Bernie) who teaches some timid and directionless younger people the true meanings of things… though in a way...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It is not impossible to tell a story about a nasty character and make us like him or her. This is not a movie that achieves that. I will credit The Last Word, however, for flipping on its head that old cliché about a cantankerous old grump finally learning the true meaning of Christmas/life/love/whatever from a spunky young person: here, it’s cantankerous old grump Harriet (Shirley MacLaine: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Bernie) who teaches some timid and directionless younger people the true meanings of things… though in a way...
- 7/7/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Harriet Lauler is not a nice women. Taught to be pushy and proud in her days leading an advertising agency in a small California town that still has a daily paper, like much of the town — which also includes a hip indie radio station — she is a dying breed. Beat by beat, though, Lauler (played by the stellar Shirley MacLaine) “evolves” in Mark Pellington’s predictable dramedy The Last Word. Cinematic comfort food comes to mind, and rest assured, mom and grandma will probably have a nice time.
The story features a bit of darkness as Lauler, an intentional women whose gardener and stylist aren’t doing things to her liking (she’s proud enough to rip the clippers out of both of their hands), decides to control her death. No such luck as she overdoses, only to find the obituary of an old nemesis covered in red wine. This...
The story features a bit of darkness as Lauler, an intentional women whose gardener and stylist aren’t doing things to her liking (she’s proud enough to rip the clippers out of both of their hands), decides to control her death. No such luck as she overdoses, only to find the obituary of an old nemesis covered in red wine. This...
- 3/11/2017
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Welcome to the first, hopefully annual, Weekend Warrior Sundance Awards, where I go through the couple dozen movies I had a chance to see over the course of the past week and pick some of my favorite things.
I ended up seeing roughly thirty movies in total, only walking out of a couple (that won’t be mentioned), and overall, it was a generally decent Sundance, although only a few movies really stood out and will be remembered later in the year when we start talking about next year’s Oscars.
Oddly, I missed many of the movies that won actual awards at Sundance, so I’ve decided to give a few of my own.
Salma Hayek as Beatriz in Beatriz At Dinner
Most Literal Use of a Movie Title
1. Beatriz at Dinner (starring Salma Hayek as a Mexican healer named Beatriz who is invited to stay for dinner at...
I ended up seeing roughly thirty movies in total, only walking out of a couple (that won’t be mentioned), and overall, it was a generally decent Sundance, although only a few movies really stood out and will be remembered later in the year when we start talking about next year’s Oscars.
Oddly, I missed many of the movies that won actual awards at Sundance, so I’ve decided to give a few of my own.
Salma Hayek as Beatriz in Beatriz At Dinner
Most Literal Use of a Movie Title
1. Beatriz at Dinner (starring Salma Hayek as a Mexican healer named Beatriz who is invited to stay for dinner at...
- 1/30/2017
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
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