Enough Said

In the film Enough Said a divorced woman enters a relationship with a nice man. A few complications arise that are uncomfortable and hilarious. The story is endearing, real and sweet. The twists and turns create the humor. There is one scene that will emotionally bring parents to their knees. I loved this film. And yes, James Gandolfini will be sorely missed.

Rush

For seven years I was in a relationship with a man who loved cars and car racing. He took me to racetracks and events once in a while. His knowledge was amazing. I called him the walking talking program. He made it interesting, and I developed a real appreciation of car racing and the people involved. The Formula One races are especially thrilling. In Rush, Ron Howard tells the story of a Formula One track rivalry in the 70s with heart and drama. The editing and sound are amazing. I have come to appreciate the thrill of the sound of a race car, Howard nailed it. The camera work is stunning and this film is so well crafted. I also was wowed by Chris Helmsworth and Daniel Bruhl. They bring the relationship of James Hunt and Niki Lauda to the screen with charm, passion and charisma. Great film, I'd see this one again.

Don Jon

After seeing Don Jon, I heard a woman say to her friend, "well that's not what I expected from the trailer." I kind of wanted to say, "what did you expect from a movie about a porn addict?" The sex in Don Jon is very graphic. In this film, Jon's porn addiction gets identified and addressed. It affects his friends, his family and his girlfriend. He is searching for reasons and solutions. This film is well written and performed, the characters are honest and endearing. Jon's family is fantastic. I really liked this film.

The We and the I

In The We and the I we experience a bus ride home from school for some New York City high school students. There is angst, camaraderie, teasing, bullying and friendship. It's tough to watch teenagers talk and translate the world sometimes. Makes me very aware of my middle-age. Once you get used to the teen-speak, this is a film worth seeing.

The Spectacular Now

Coming of age is a popular theme in film. The Spectacular Now is a strong addition to this genre. All the elements of awkwardness, goals, friends, family struggle, love and decision making are here. The girl has dreams of the future, the boy lives for the now. The standout for me was in the acting. Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller turn in honest, heartfelt performances. This is a solid film I enjoyed.

Sign Painters

Last year, I watched a group of men hand paint a billboard outside my daughter's apartment window in Brooklyn, NY. Not only was I impressed with the fact that anyone was hand painting these days, the logistics of the rigging, ladders and scaffolding was mesmerizing and terrifying. I learned that the young men painting were with a company called Colossal Media, the largest outdoor sign company in the country. On a rainy afternoon, I ran into them in front of the building, and we chatted about their work. Nice guys. Over the last year, I have followed them on social media and watched their work pop up all over NYC. When the documentary Sign Painters was coming to the Cable Car Cinema, with a Q&A from the directors I was all in! In this documentary we meet hand letterers and sign painters from all over the US. The most dramatic footage is with my pals from Colossal Media, showing how they rig and climb the huge walls they paint in NYC. Having just watched the Skyhigh crew paint a new mural in Brooklyn over Labor Day weekend, I asked director Sam Macon how it was filming them. He said it was especially harrowing because they were working in the early phase of hurricane Irene. Real life drama rivals Hollywood. There were a lot of sign painters in the audience at the Cable Car screening, who shared stories of pursuing their art. This is a solid documentary that explores a cool art form.