Tag: Nicole Kidman

Being the Ricardos

Being the Ricardos

I am a HUGE Lucille Ball fan, so when I learned that there was a movie coming out about her and Desi Arnaz’s professional and personal life, I had to see it.

To me this adaptation is a bit boring and confusing. Lucille Ball was larger than Life! She was so funny and light-hearted. None of that really came through in the scenes of this movie. 

A lot of what was shown was about the struggles that occurred behind the scenes of producing the “I Love Lucy” show. The squabbles over the script and even some political drama. 

The movie takes you into the writer’s room and the sound stage where you get a glimpse of how a TV show was made back in the 50’s and 60’s and also what happens during a critical production week.

Nichole Kidman’s star shines brightly, as she does an excellent job of being Lucille Ball. 

Aside from Nichole Kidman’s performance, the movie lacked the magic I was expecting. I fully expected to laugh out loud at some of Lucille Ball’s crazy antics, but I never laughed once… and a lot of her funniness was not displayed.

With all of that being said, “Being the Ricardos” is worth a look especially if you are a fan of Lucille Ball.

“Being the Ricardos” is in the theater and streaming on Amazon Prime.

This is a 3 Star Movie!!

Bombshell

“BOMBSHELL” provides a very revealing look into the real-life scandal surrounding the media powerhouse Fox News. The Megan Kelly/Roger Ailes story unfolds before your eyes.

Surprisingly, “Bombshell” is entertaining. The story unfolds calmly and keeps things moving so you are not bored. There is a lot of Star power in this movie and the cast does an excellent job. There is even a tiny bit of comic relief.

There are quite a few movies opening during the Christmas Holiday. Check out “Bombshell”.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

The Upside

Based on a true story, “The Upside” is about a paroled ex-con, Dell (Kevin Hart) who must find a job. After several failed attempts to become gainfully employed, Dell applies for what he believes is a janitor position for a billionaire. As it turns out the position isn’t a Janitorial position it’s a position to help the paralyzed billionaire, Phil (Bryan Cranston) with everyday chores like dressing, bathing, eating etc…It does not appear to be a good fit, but the billionaire sees something in Dell and hires him anyway. The story unfolds from there…

“The Upside” is a mirror of another movie called the “Intouchables” that came out in the 2011-2012 time frame. There is an English version and a French version.

Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart play well together on the big screen. The movie was surprisingly entertaining and at times funny. There are several subplots/agendas that don’t quite play out, so you are forced to use your own imagination to figure them out.
When I go to the movies I don’t want to have to figure anything out. It should be all nicely laid out for me. This is the reason “The Upside” is not a 5 star movie, but it is still worth a look.

This is a 3 Star Movie!!

Aquaman in Real 3D

DC Comics got this right. Aquaman has a very good back story! It ties in nicely to the over-all story and plot.

“Aquaman” tells the original story of the famed DC Comic’s Undersea Super-hero half-human and half-Atlantean Arthur Curry. The saga takes you on an action packed adventure showing off the breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas. During this adventure Arthur is taken on a journey that forces him to face who he really is and where his place among Atlantis is and if he is worthy of who he was born to be…a king.

“Aquaman” is very entertaining and a visual feast! The movie shows off breathtaking panoramic views of the undersea world. There is tons of action, special effects and intrigue.

This first installment sets the tone. I hope the next installment will be just as visually appealing and entertaining.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

The Beguiled (2017)

“The Beguiled” is Bewitching!!

It’s 1894 in Virginia. The Civil War is ongoing. On the grounds of a Girl’s Boarding School a wounded soldier, Colonel McBurney (Colin Farrell) is found by one of the students (Angourie Rice) out picking mushrooms. She befriends the soldier and helps him to get to the main house on the grounds. Once there the other students and head master come out to investigate. The soldier is badly in need of medical treatment, so the students help get the soldier into a room in the house.

Once Colonel McBurney is all mended and able to move around on a cane things get interesting as each one of the girls finds the soldier intriguing and he in turn plays on their sympathies. The story unfolds from there…

“The Beguiled” is definitely a great name for this movie. The movie has bewitching qualities. It’s well cast and well-acted. The movie is also a bit bloody. This version is a bit shorted than the 1971 original, but that doesn’t distract from this 2017 version.

“The Beguiled” is open in “Limited-Release”. It’s definitely worth a look.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!

Secret In Their Eyes

“Secret in Their Eyes” is a “Spine Tingling Suspense Drama that doesn’t quite hit its mark”

A close knit group of FBI Investigators are torn apart when they find the daughter of one of the Investigators brutally murdered. Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) one of the Investigators, spends years trying to unravel and solve the case. He finds new evidence so he goes back to his old office and tries to piece everything together. He visits his old teammates Jess (Julia Roberts), Claire (Nicole Kidman) and Bumpy (Dean Norris) to get them on-board. The story unfolds from there…

Julia Roberts is awesome as the grieving Mother Jess. Beyond that the movie is just ok. I was expecting more given the fact that the cast are heavy weight stars. There is some sort of sexual tension between Ray and Claire, but nothing ever comes to light.

The story skips around a lot and there is a lot of back and forth showing events that occurred in the past. I expected more intensity that never materializes and the movie ends a bit too soon. This is actually a remake of an Argentinian Oscar winner.

“Secret in Their Eyes” is just ok. It’s one of those movies where if you don’t have anything better to do, go see it. Otherwise it can wait for cable.

This is a 2 Star Movie!