MOVIE REVIEWS

The Foreigner is about a Chinese restaurant owner whose teenage daughter was killed in a politically-motivated bomb attack in London. When he finds out that IRA terrorists are responsible, he goes to a former IRA member, now a British government official, to find out the identities of the elusive killers. Plot twists and violence make this film exciting and engaging.

Cameras follow Former Vice President Al Gore as he travels around the world in pursuit of the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion.

Dark, intense, anger-provoking, and at times difficult to watch, this true depiction of racism, hatred, and the ugly abuse of power, must, fifty years later, be talked about and constructively dealt with until history stops repeating itself.

VALERIAN and THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS, directed by Luc Besson, was visually beautiful with incredibly magnificent 3-D special effects, and a few breathless moments.

Scott and Kate Johansen must figure out a way to earn some money after their daughter’s scholarship falls through. When all else fails, the desperate couple join forces with their down-on-his-luck neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas), to start an underground casino in his home.

A romance-psychodrama based on The Beguiled by Thomas P. Cullinan, the subtle expressions by all the exceptional actors, the woodsy background scenery, indoor sets, and gorgeous period costumes set the stage for a realistic sense of foreboding.

The stellar cast of actors in BABY DRIVER, and the truly incredible, perfectly executed, adrenaline-pumping car chases, add to the fun of this complex, sometimes unexplainable, story.

GOING IN STYLE is a Rewritten, Redirected, Remarkable Remake of the 1979 film of the same name with same plot.

When a young boy brings a loaded gun to school, his mother reacts by galvanizing the women in town to wage a “sex strike” until the men get rid of their firearms. Using all the NRA clichés, this satire helped expose the NRA as a small, but very vocal lobby whose mission is really to sell more guns rather than look out for the welfare of the people they supposedly represent.

Carrie Pilby and Chronically Metropolitan touched on blatant flaws in others, compromise in perceptions, awareness of own limitations, and willingness to accept life, as it is, and go on with inner strength. Both films had well-known stars, were wonderfully acted, and had engaging characters.