I'll See You in My Dreams

Lately, I seem to be seeing films with older casts and characters. I like that there are plenty of films that portray 60 somethings as people of interest. I'll See You in My Dreams tells the story of a widow who is content with her life, but learns that her appeal and chances for romance are not over. There are many funny moments and many poignant ones as well. The relationships are interesting, especially how they play out. Well done.

My Old Lady

When a middle aged American's father dies and he inherits an apartment in Paris, he learns that it comes with a tenant. The tenant comes with several strings attached. The film My Old Lady is an intriguing story with enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. Kevin Kline is a joy to watch and Maggie Smith is truly a gem. This is a delightful film with a lot of layers. I really liked it.

Results

When a romantic drama takes place inside a fitness center, it is a little tough to feel the romance. In Results, a valiant effort is made to address things like job boredom, sales techniques, personal goals, waste of resources, fitness, friendship and love. As a rental, I liked it. There were a few quirky stretches, but I think that's why I liked it. Really sends you down the fantasy road of what would you do if you had more money than you could spend. The ending was a bit far-fetched, but it was OK.

Learning To Drive

When I first heard of the film Learning to Drive it was presented as a "nice" film. I adore the performances of Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley so I went to see it. What I got was a good relationship drama that did not sugar coat issues and went down several interesting roads. The bonus? Grace Gummer played Clarkson's daughter. Glad I saw this one.

61*

I did not know the story of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle until seeing the film 61*. Billy Crystal's love of the Yankees shines through this story of rival teammates. Excellent performances are given all around. Nice sports history movie. If you rent the DVD, it is well worth watching the "making of" extras.

Ricki and the Flash

Why did I love Ricki and the Flash? Because Mothers aren't perfect just because they are Mothers. Because music is portrayed as the beautiful seductress it is. Because actors of an advanced age can give an excellent, and sometimes sexy performance. Because I met Meryl Streep and Maime Gummer years ago and I love their performances in this. This was a film I really enjoyed.

Mistress America

Strong women in film are appealing. In Mistress America we see several versions of strong women, each in their own way. Some of the women are in survival mode, some are in learning mode, some are in control mode. All of them are interesting. I liked how the relationships played out especially when things got out of hand. Well done.

Dope

Smart, urban high school kid gets tangled up in a world he does not belong in.  Dope is not the formula film I expected. The fish-out-of-water scenario plays out in unusual ways. The performances are great, the writing is clever and I liked the music too. Solid film. I'd watch this one again.

Phoenix

Slow, subtle dramas are appealing to me. The film Phoenix is a slow burn. When a woman's identity is taken away, she learns things about her husband that are life changing. As the husband became more and more loathsome, the ending packed a satisfying punch.

Almost Mercy

I have a soft spot for films made in RI. A local horror film showed up on Netflix Instant. Almost Mercy is a revenge story set in a high school. The female lead gets stronger as the story develops. Very violent and a little cheesy, I'm glad I watched this one.

Far from the Madding Crowd

Strong performances. Strong story. Far from the Madding Crowd is a pleasure to watch. A woman has three men vying for her attention. and the choices she makes are interesting. Carey Mulligan gives a dynamic performance and this film is beautifully shot. I really liked this film.