ONE NIGHT ONLY (2026)

Written by Travis Braun

Directed by Will Gluck

Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. August 12, 2026 4:55 PM

When I heard about the plot for "One Night Only" which involves two single people trying to make a love connection during a time when premarital sex is outlawed in the United States except for one twelve-hour exemption period each year, I found the idea a bit preposterous. Yet surprisingly this high concept rom-com from director, Will Gluck manages to find a way to be delightfully funny and charming, thanks in large part to the clever script from Travis Braun. And while there are some moments that still remain hard to swallow, our leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner are able to uplift the film even further with their irresistible chemistry and magnetic star quality.

Owen (Turner), who owns a pizza shop, is looking forward to spending the exemption night with his longtime, live-in girlfriend, Malika (Maya Hawke) and planned on proposing to her. However, during dinner, Malika informs her boyfriend that she plans to have sex with a neighbor in their building this evening, feeling they should both have an experience with someone else. Disappointed and deciding to put an end to their relationship, Owen proceeds to find a hook-up for the night.

Meanwhile, Allie (Barbaro) is a jingle singer with a specialty in songs for pharmaceuticals. This year she plans to go out with her friend, Jacinta (pop singer, King Princess) so they can try to meet men of substance together. But Jacinta quickly meets a guy at the bar, running off with him and leaving Allie to go through the night solo.

Owen and Allie literally bump into each other on the street, briefly flirting before he throws up (bad sushi from dinner) and she quickly moves on. We then follow them as Allie goes through a series of oddball men she meets at a bar before connecting with a sexy piano player (Andrew Burnap). Owen finds sympathy from a hot bartender (Julia Fox) who is willing to have sex with him after her shift. But condoms are required and have become a rare commodity on this particular night. Owen and Allie run into each other again when they are fighting over purchasing the last rubber in town.

As the story continues on, Owen and Allie each go through even more problematic and humiliating situations while trying yet failing to achieve a sexual connection, all the while continuing to run into each other through various intervals over the evening and becoming closer with each encounter.

The script of "One Night Only" gained attraction when it was placed on the Black List in 2024, an annual collection of the "most-liked" motion picture screenplays not yet produced. Braun (who became the first writer to make the list consecutively with his script, "Bad Boy" appearing in 2023) has a history creating programing for the Disney Channel and his time there may have helped inspire the broad concept for this movie. Braun's amusing screenplay might explain how the country ended up with this crazy law and the exact rules that apply (bio-sensor chips implanted in single people's arms to keep their libido on lock with gay people exempt from this sexual control) yet the overall silly plot still remains highly improbable.

Gluck, fresh off his surprise hit rom-com, "Anyone but You" that helped give rising stars, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell a boost on the big screen, puts his spin on Braun's story, managing to keep the energy fast-paced and playful. But it's his compelling cast that really makes "One Night Only" worth watching. Barbaro, who made many supporting appearances in television and film before her Oscar-nominated breakthrough playing Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan-biopic, "A Complete Unknown", has a lovely, easy charm and well matched with the British actor, Turner who lays on his New York accent pretty thick but it's not too distracting. And there are plenty of high-profile actors who make supporting or cameo appearances that includes Molly Ringwald as Owen's mother and LeVar Burton as her boyfriend along with Mike Birbiglia, Nicholas Braun, Pete Davidson, Bobby Cannavale, Este Haim and Ziwe popping up throughout the movie.

It's unclear to me if Gluck was intentionally trying to make a statement regarding sexual politics on how the women prepared for the evening with the ladies parading around town in lingerie, incredibly short skirts and their breasts barely concealed while the men simply show up dressed for the night like--well, men, not putting too much thought into their appearance. I suppose under these dire circumstances, people would not feel like wasting too much time as the basic primal urges would resort back to the prehistoric rules of attraction.

In this current political climate, the idea that the American government would radically try to control what people decide to do with their bodies is sadly not all that farfetched. Despite the hyperbolic premise, "One Night Only" still manages to draw you in with breezy comedic set-ups, appealing characters and some actual heartfelt emotions. Lately, most of the recent rom-coms are sorely lacking in any type of inventive spirit and adventurous style. "One Night Only" is a pleasant reminder of the simple pleasures a solid romantic comedy can actually create when there is some sort of effort made to engage viewers.

YOU, ME & TUSCANY (2026)

Written by Ryan Engle



Directed by Kat Corio



Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. April 16, 2026 4:15 PM



"You, Me & Tuscany" is the latest rom-com that is attempting to revive this beloved genre back on the big screen. And while this film, nimbly directed by Kat Coiro, is filled with glowing charm and sweet romance that's set in an incredibly beautiful location, the end results still feels too uninspired and formulaic. Our leads, Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page are certainly charismatic and have a lovely chemistry together which certainly helps distract from the comedy's deficiencies in style and substance.

After Anna (Bailey) has been fired from her job house-sitting in a NYC high-rise apartment due to her being caught wearing the wealthy owner's clothing, she essentially becomes homeless. She did have a dream of becoming a professional chef but her mother's illness and eventual death would derail her plans, leaving her emotionally adrift and unable to continue her passion. Anna contacts her friend, Claire (Aziza Scott), who works in a ritzy hotel, to see if she can crash with her for a while. While waiting for her to get off her shift, Anna goes to the bar where she meets Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor), a handsome and charming Italian. Through an evening with plenty of drinks and conversation, Anna and Matteo make a connection with him sharing about his estranged relationship with his family and his empty villa back in Tuscany. They end up in his hotel room but he passes out from jet lag before anything romantic can happen.

The next morning, after Matteo apologizes for falling asleep and takes off on his business trip, Anna impulsively decides to go to Italy. But once she arrives, with no real plan or hotel reservations, Anna finds she has no place to stay in Tuscany due to a yearly festival. With the help of a quirky cab driver (Marco Calvani), Anna ends up breaking into Matteo's villa for shelter. But she's soon discovered by Matteo's family that includes his mother (Isabella Ferrari), father (Paolo Sassanelli), nonna (Stefania Casini) and cousin, Michael (Page). Anna avoids getting arrested after they assume she's Matteo's fiancé due to her wearing an engagement ring she found in a drawer. And the situation, which she continues to delay in correcting, becomes even more complicated when she starts to develop an attraction to Michael.

Diane Lane spontaneously buys a villa in Tuscany hoping it will change her life in "Under The Tuscan Sun" while Sandra Bullock is assumed to be the fiancé of an injured man she saved due to a case of mistaken identity in "While You Were Sleeping". Both of these romantic-comedies were able to transform their breezy concepts and create substantial movies with memorable characters that have managed to endure. "You, Me & Tuscany" is never able to muster the same energy. While it is wonderful that we have a beautiful, African-American woman as our protagonist, it's unfortunately just not enough. This movie, with a lackluster screenplay by Ryan Engle, remains slight, narratively lazy and never makes any real effort to move beyond formula. 

With her appearance in the live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid", Bailey proved she has a great screen presence. Yet much more is required of her in this movie. The sweet-faced Bailey is able to keep us on her side despite all of the lies and deception that Anna commits throughout this story but her character comes across far too innocent and angelic, considering her many dishonest actions, to be convincing. Page doesn't have much to do here beyond being alluring and looking very good without his shirt on.

"You, Me & Tuscany" doesn't aspire to be much more than a Lifetime television movie with a bigger budget. What we end up with tends to work far better as an enticing travelogue of Tuscany than as an engaging rom-com. And that's okay. This beautifully rendered film (with cinematography by Danny Ruhlmann) is a pleasant enough distraction that entertains with a few laughs, complicated romance, some delicious-looking meals and an absolutely gorgeous location.

COMING SOON

"Practical Magic" was a romantic fantasy film (released in 1998 and based on the popular novel by Alice Hoffman) about two sisters who are descendants of a long line of witches. After their parents' tragic death from a family curse, the young girls are raised by their aunts (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) and taught the uses of practical magic. And it comes in handy years later when the adult sisters (played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) must unite to use their powers to destroy an evil spirit.

The movie was only a modest success and largely critically panned when it was initially released. Yet over time, thanks to it's constant appearance on cable stations, the film's style aesthetic and themes of female empowerment, "Practical Magic" would develop a rabid cult following with millennial and Gen Z women. 

Now twenty-seven years later, a sequel is on the horizon. "Practical Magic 2" reunites Kidman and Bullock, who are now both bigger stars and Oscar-winners, to play the sisters. The teaser trailer for the movie has just been released and it looks like this encore could provide some enchanting delights.

Based on the sequel "The Book of Magic" that Hoffman wrote in 2021 and directed by Susanne Bier, this story is set twenty-five years after the events of the first film with Kylie (Joey King), the daughter of Sally (Bullock), discovers the family's hidden secrets and develops her own magical abilities. With Gillian (Kidman) and the aunts (Channing and Wiest also return), they all come together to try and finally break the curse that has haunted their lineage for centuries.

"Practical Magic 2" will be in US theaters on September 11, 2026

BOTTOMS (2023)

Written by Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott



Directed by Emma Seligman



Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. September 5, 2023 7:30 PM



"Bottoms" is a teenage, romantic comedy from filmmaker, Emma Seilgman that is very far removed from your standard comedy in this genre. What Seilgman's film delivers is unhinged, extremely dark and features a couple of horny, young lesbians as our unexpected protagonists in this wildly, offbeat story. And while it's not entirely successful, "Bottoms" is a teen comedy that boldly presents queerness as a natural state of being, propelled by an insane, manic energy and off-the-wall laughs.

PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri) are best friends in high school who happen to be nerdy, unpopular and lesbians. They are both lusting after two of the popular cheerleaders at school who are also best friends: Josie has the hots for Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) while PJ is infatuated with Brittany (Kaia Gerber). After an incident involving an argument between Isabel and her boyfriend, Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), the quarterback for the school's football team, a rumor spreads around that PJ and Josie spent the summer in juvenile detention and had beaten up Jeff during this quarrel. Now this didn't actually happen yet none of the participants correct this misinformation especially after the girls are called into the principal's office demanding an explanation for injuring the quarterback (who was never seriously hurt but enjoying the attention).

In order to avoid expulsion, PJ comes up with the excuse they had been practicing in order to start a self-defense club for the girls at school. This leads to a plan to actually start a fight club and after PJ points out this will be a great way for them to meet girls, a reluctant Josie agrees to the crazy idea. With teacher, Mr. G. (former football player, Marshawn Lynch) on board as an advisor, the girls begin teaching female students how to fight. But PJ is disappointed that the girls attending are not attractive enough until Isabel and Brittany show up for lessons.

Seligman first became noticed with her NYU senior-thesis short, "Shiva Baby" which was later selected for the South by Southwest film festival in 2018. The Canadian-born filmmaker later further developed this comedy about a young bisexual Jewish woman (also played by Sennott) who attends a shiva with her parents where her complicated love relationships collide into a feature length film. I will admit I was not a big fan of this film, but I certainly recognized her potential gifts as a director and admired what she accomplished in telling a rarely told story in cinema involving the "B" in the LGBTQ communities.

"Bottoms" began with Seligman and Sennott wanting to create a film that featured queer characters prominently in your standard Hollywood-style comedy. I'm sure there were several films that sparked their imagination, but the clear inspiration behind "Bottoms" seems to be "Heathers", the 1989 cult film that has gone on to become the quintessential dark teen comedy. And while they both share in gleeful, irreverent humor, quirky characters and unexpected bursts of bloody violence, "Bottoms" is not fully formed enough to become memorable in the high school comedy canon. The script by Seligman and Sennott features some emotionally grounded moments in between the weird, zany humor but the writers are just not there yet to make it work together cohesively. At times in the film, some moments are heavy-handed, the pacing is ragged, the jokes are not always sharp and the motivations behind some of the characters are wobbly. And as "Bottoms" progresses to its conclusion, the situations become far more surreal and shockingly brutal, making it feel like we have suddenly entered into another movie.

As a teen comedy, "Bottoms" feels fresh and modern by successfully challenging traditions of the genre and aggressively flipping expectations regarding gender and sexual identity. The film is further elevated by solid performances and a hilarious, edgy vibe. But with a little more work to refine some details, "Bottoms" would have easily shifted from a good to a great comedy.

THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023)

Written by David Magee



Directed by Rob Marshall



Where & When: Regal LA Live 14, Los Angeles, CA. May 29, 2023 3:20 PM



When the animated feature film, "The Little Mermaid" arrived in theaters in 1989, the glory days of Walt Disney Studios was far behind them with many of their recent family-friendly, animated movies failing to generate much critical acclaim or inspire box-office excitement. With an engaging script by the directors, John Musker and Ron Clements and lively, original songs written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, "The Little Mermaid" went on to revitalize Disney animation, winning over critics and becoming a worldwide blockbuster. More popular hits followed and Disney Studios would once again become the dominate force in animated feature films.

The astonishing advancement of visual effects has given Disney the opportunity to reimagine their animated classics into live-action movies. The latest is the film that began the studio's renaissance with this remake of "The Little Mermaid". Rob Marshall, the director who brought the razzle-dazzle to the Oscar-winning adaptation of the Broadway musical, "Chicago", is the guide of this version, driving the film impressively with a magical visual style that thrillingly has us in a believable underwater world. And what made this musical feel even remarkably modern was the casting of the dynamic r&b vocalist, Halle Bailey as our beautiful mermaid, Ariel who is fascinated by the human world and ends up falling in love with a prince. Yet does this extravagant production do enough to make a twenty-first century "Little Mermaid" feel actually necessary?

If you're not familiar with the first film, here is a rundown of the story which has essentially remained the same. Ariel (Bailey) is the youngest of seven daughters of King Triton (Javier Bardem), the ruler of Atlantica where merpeople live under the sea. With Triton not wanting anything to do with humans due to one killing his wife, Ariel must keep secret her determined desire to see the surface world and the collection of human objects she has found from wrecked ships that have sunk to the bottom.

After overhearing the kind and thoughtful Eric (Jonah Hauer-King), the prince of a royal kingdom on a Caribbean island, Ariel becomes smitten and after saving his life when his ship crashes during a violent storm, she falls in love. When Triton discovers Ariel's involvement with a human, he becomes outraged, demanding that she never go near them again. And when his daughter refuses to make that promise, he destroys her collection of objects.

But appearing out of the murky depths is Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), the sea witch who is also Triton's sister and had been banished from the kingdom. Well aware of Ariel's dilemma, Ursula makes an offer; she will transform her into a human for three days and if she can receive a true love's kiss from her beloved in that time, she will be able to remain a surface dweller. However, if Ariel fails, she will return as a mermaid and belong to Ursula. The deal is agreed upon but Ariel will not be able to speak while she is human with her voice being held captive in a shell by the sea witch.

With Ariel's friends, Sebastian the crab (Daveed Diggs), a píntano named Flounder (Jacob Tremblay) and Scuttle (Awkwafina), a scatter-brained gannet, all banding together to make sure she succeeds in her quest after discovering that Ursula has cheated by not having Ariel remember she must be kissed.

There have been tweaks to the plot and a few of the songs of this "Little Mermaid". Lyrics have been slightly altered (with the help of Lin-Manuel Miranda, teaming with composer, Menken since original songwriter, Ashman passed away in 1991) and character motivations have been updated in an appeal to modern sensibilities. Still far removed from the much darker original 1837 Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, this film feels more mature than the animated film, wanting to attract even more broadly to the entire family. But we have ended up with just a colorless yet tasteful remake, far too cautious and fearful in alienating fans of the hand-drawn version. The actions may be live yet there isn't much life to be found in this updated musical.

Bailey, who first found fame as part of a musical act with her sister, Chloe, is absolutely captivating in her first starring role. She perfectly embodies Ariel's sweet yet determined nature, willing to defy anything that stands in the way of what she desires. And not surprisingly, Bailey delivers potent, expressive vocals that beautifully enhance these classic songs. Less impressive is Hauer-King as our Prince Eric. Handsome in the expected princely way, with a cute dimple on just one cheek which surely helped get him cast, yet regrettably bland in the screen presence department. And while the actor can carry a tune, his singing, much like the new song by Miranda, "Wild Uncharted Waters" that Hauer-King performs, lacks vivid power to make it memorable. But there is a lovely chemistry between Bailey and Hauer-King making it easy to root for this inter-species couple. And McCarthy came in knowing the assignment, bringing a deliciously campy vibe to her Ursula. But she has also added dimension to the evil sea witch by making her more sympathetic, revealing a painful backstory to help explain the motivation behind her not-so-nice behavior.

I was charmed and entertained by this flesh and blood animated version of "The Little Mermaid" yet I'm still struggling to understand a real purpose for this film to have been made beyond the obvious motivation by Disney to find a new way to bring in a fresh infusion of cash from a beloved film in their library. Without any true inventive update to the plot and the lack of memorable, new music (with another of Miranda's contributions, "The Scuttlebutt" that has Scuttle and Sebastian rapping not really adding much), "The Little Mermaid" is more promotional product than motion picture, designed to inspire merchandising than a film that will delight viewers for generations.

FIRE ISLAND (2022)

Written by Joel Kim Booster



Directed by Andrew Ahn



Available to stream now on Hulu



Fire Island, a large center isle running parallel to the South shore of Long Island, NY, has been a popular mecca for gays and lesbians since the 1960's, a summertime getaway that would offer opportunities to live and celebrate openly which couldn't always be done in the city at the time. Now we have "Fire Island", a refreshingly audacious romantic-comedy involving a group of gay friends in search of fun, sun, sex and possibly even love. It stands out with it's racially diverse, mostly Asian cast as the leads, offering a welcome change of routine usually found in gay-themed comedies. Another reason "Fire Island" is such an anomaly is that a major studio (Searchlight, now owned by Disney) is actually behind this film that makes no attempt in appealing to anyone outside of the LGBTQ communities.

Joel Kim Booster, a stand-up comedian and writer, not only stars but has written the screenplay, crafting a charming, wild romp that manages to squeeze thoughtful conversations about social and racial issues in between the silly gags and romantic entanglements that is loosely based on Jane Austen's novel of class and manners, "Pride and Prejudice". Austen might seem to be an unlikely source of inspiration yet gay men certainly have established rituals, conventions and societal rules that tends to be closely followed in a queer enclave.

Oversleeping after a night of wild escapades, Noah (Booster) barely arrives on time to meet his friends on the ferry that will whisk them off to the Fire Island Pines. Noah's friends; the colorful, Luke (Matt Rogers), the flaming, Keegan (Tomás Matos), the practical, Max (Torian Miller) and his BFF, Howie (Bowen Yang) who has moved to LA but made the trip, are all ready for a week of debaucherous fun after they arrive at the house of their "mother", Erin (a welcome but underused, Margaret Cho) when she drops some bad news on them. Due to some bad financial decisions, Erin will have to sell her house, making this their last time in the Pines together.

The boys begin their first evening at the Blue Whale when Noah sees Howie making eyes at a handsome man across the room. He forces Howie to go meet Charlie (James Scully) who is with his own small group of friends which includes Will (Conrad Ricamora), looking like he would prefer to be anywhere but this club. Determined to get his shy friend laid, Noah vows not to connect with any boy until Howie does so first. This proves to be more of challenge than expected as Noah catches the attention of a sexy young man, Dex (Zane Phillips) while grocery shopping. And Noah starts to develop a complicated attraction to the aloof Will who is sending mixed messages; first Noah overhears Will criticizing him and his friends to Charlie yet also shows concern about him getting involved with Dex, implying he shouldn't be trusted.

"Fire Island" began as a series developed by Booster for Quibi, the short-lived streaming service that burned bright in April 2020 before it was snuffed out only eight months later. Booster later expanded the project into a feature film, attaching Andrew Ahn, who made an impression with his directorial debut, "Spa Night". While there is certainly a lusty nature to the film, this comedy surprisingly largely avoids raunch (and more shockingly, nudity), preferring to focus humorously on the bonds of long friendship and support between these gay men. But their frustrations with being considered outsiders in their own community are pointedly discussed, bringing attention to classism, body image and racial stereotypes that they have to contend with.

Romantic-comedies have long been appealing to many gay men who have easily been able to put themselves into the shoes of a lovely damsel in a comedic quest in search of a handsome hunk to swept her off her feet, rescuing her from a tragic life being single. But these days, we no longer have to use our imaginations with gays, lesbians and everybody in-between are able to openly tell their stories without coded references. Warm hearted and enjoyably breezy, "Fire Island" refreshingly displays the amusing and sometimes absurd practices involving love and romance between gay men, proudly without a thought over heteronormative frame of reference.

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MY VIEWING DIARY: PART SEVEN

"Always Be My Maybe" (2019)

"Always Be My Maybe" is a good, old-fashioned rom-com that is made extra special by centering on Asian-Americans and offering a soft touch of social commentary. Nahnatchka Khan, best known for her work on the television sitcom, "Fresh Off The Boat" which she created, makes her film directorial debut and stars stand-up comedian, Ali Wong (in her first leading movie role) and Randall Park (who co-stared on "Fresh") who both had a hand in writing this charming screenplay. 

Our story takes place in San Francisco with Sasha Tran (Wong) and Marcus Kim (Park) who lived next door to each other as children and become close friends. But their friendship takes a turn as teenagers one night in the backseat of Marcus' car which causes a little friction and some awkwardness. A silly fight brings a sad end to their relationship. Sixteen years later, Sasha has become a popular celebrity chef and engaged to Brandon Choi (Daniel Dae Kim), a handsome and successful restaurateur. Marcus is still living with his widowed father and playing with the band he formed when he was a teen which has never made it out of the local dive bar. With the opening of a new restaurant, Sasha finds herself back in San Francisco and, of course, she runs in to Marcus. The couple eventually rekindle their friendship yet still struggle to discuss the deeper feelings they once shared. 

While the title is a little misleading, "Always Be My Maybe" is a witty, idyllic romp that is further enhanced by the wonderful chemistry between Wong and Park. The film may not stretch far outside of a conventional romantic-comedy but if you are a big fan of this genre, then you will find much to enjoy here. And Keanu Reeves makes a brief appearance playing an over-the-top (allegedly) version of himself which is quite hilarious.

"A Man Called Adam" (1966)

A little known and rarely seen drama, "A Man Called Adam" submerges us in to the wildly swinging, smoke-filled world of the New York jazz scene in the 1960's. The talented entertainer, Sammy Davis, Jr. stars (in a rare dramatic role) as Adam Johnson, a self-destructive, alcoholic musician who is struggling with his career and personal life. 

While he has plenty of women in his life (which includes Ja'Net DuBois, later finding fame on the sitcom, "Good Times" and future Las Vegas icon, Lola Falana making her film debut), Adam falls hard for Claudia Ferguson (Cicely Tyson), a fiery, opinionated activist who is not his usual type. She has strong feelings for him as well yet cannot accept his harmful behavior. 

Leo Penn, an actor turned director making his first feature film, keeps "A Man Called Adam" moving at a lively pace with the help of captivating musical numbers and the extraordinary black & white camerawork of Jack Priestley. But some of the dramatic moments feels a bit heavy handed although the film effectively tackles racism by law enforcement in one timely scene and displays how casually integrated the jazz clubs and parties were at the time. While Penn (who was the father of musician, Michael and actors, Sean and the late Chris Penn) would never direct another movie following this promising debut, he would go on to have an extensive career directing for television. 

Davis delivers a terrific performance as a broken artist in search of a muse while Ms Tyson, as the inspiration who tries to save him, is a commanding presence managing to do so much with an underwritten role. Other highlights in this well-cast film include some fine work by Ossie Davis, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Peter Lawford, Mel Tormé (performing a great rendition of "All That Jazz") and Louis Armstrong as Willie "Sweet Daddy" Ferguson, a well-known jazz trumpeter and Claudia's grandfather.

"The Story of Adèle H. (L'Histoire d'Adèle H.)" (1975)

"The Story of Adèle H." is François Truffaut's fact-based drama of a tragic obsession involving the youngest child of the renowned 19th century French novelist, Victor Hugo. When Adèle Hugo (Isabelle Adjani) arrives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the young woman gives people various assumed names, not wanting to be identified. British troops have been stationed in this Canadian province and she has come in search of one specific officer; Lieutenant Pinson (Bruce Robinson, who would write and direct the 1987 semi-autobiographical cult classic, "Withnail and I" and be nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "The Killing Fields"). 

After tracking him down, Adèle begs Pinson to continue with their romance. But he refuses, especially since her father would not approve of him to marry her, and has already moved on. This will not stop Adèle in her desperate quest to win back the man she's convinced that she loves. While writing her parents to tell them that Pinson wants to marry her and demanding that they give consent, Adèle starts stalking the lieutenant. She tries everything; offering to pay-off his gambling debts, threatening to ruin his military career and even hiring a prostitute for him to prove that she's willing to share his love. Yet none of this works in bringing Pinson back to her with Adèle slowly deteriorating mentally and emotionally as her beloved continues to reject her. 

This early fatal attraction tale uses Ms Hugo's personal diaries to help shape the screenplay. Truffaut has made a solid yet straightforward account but what takes this film to another level is the slow-burning performance by Ms Adjani. The actress manages to keep Adèle's manic, self-destructive behavior grounded, perfectly modulating her passionate highs and delusional lows. The then-nineteen year old Adjani would receive many acting accolades including from the National Board of Review, New York Film Critics and a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

LOVE SIMON (2018)

Written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger


Directed by Greg Berlanti


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. March 18, 2018 6:00 PM



After seeing "Love, Simon", Greg Berlanti's groundbreaking yet modest romance involving a closeted gay teen struggling to find a way to tell his friends and family while pursuing an unknown fellow gay student online, I definitely left with mixed emotions. On one hand, I really admire this heartfelt, coming-of-age story for addressing (a first by a major studio) the oft-told difficulties of being a teenager but refreshingly seen through the eyes of a young gay teen. Yet much like how I feel about "A Wrinkle in Time", Ava DuVernay's trailblazing, multi-cultural, sci-fi adventure, I appreciate the film more than I actually liked it. Sensitive and syrupy sweet, "Love, Simon" is a well-intended, love story that never offers enough unexpected or inspired moments to get your heart really pumping.

Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) is a high school student with two loving parents (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel), a sweet younger sister (Talitha Bateman) who dreams of becoming a chef and three close friends; Leah (Katherine Langford), Abby (Alexandra Shipp) and Nick (Jorge Lendeborg, Jr.). His life doesn't appear to be too complicated but Simon has a secret; he plays for the "other team". Unable to find the nerve to confess this to anyone, Simon is left frustrated.

Simon soon realizes he's not alone when a fellow student posts anonymously under the name "Blue" that he's secretly gay which causes a stir at the school. Desperate to communicate with him, Simon sends an e-mail under the name "Jacques" with the hope he will respond. And "Blue" does. This leads to the two sharing their intimate feelings and concerns about being gay. "Jacques" wants to meet "Blue" but this mystery man is not ready to reveal himself. Simon decides to play detective to figure out which student is his online pen-pal but doesn't have much luck.

Martin (Logan Miller), an annoying nerd, discovers the e-mails that Simon accidentally left open at the school's computer and uses them to his advantage. He likes Simon's friend, Abby but she's not interested in him. Martin convinces "Jacques" to help him win her over or the whole school will learn that there's another student who is gay.

Mr. Berlanti began his career writing and directing the 2000 indie film, "The Broken Hearts Club", a romantic-comedy about a group of gay friends that was inspired by his own friendships but it was television where he found his biggest success. He was behind the creation of popular shows like "Dawson's Creek", "Everwood", "Riverdale" and the DC Comics series, "Arrow", "Supergirl" and "The Flash". Adapted from the YA novel, "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" (a far more interesting title but understand why they didn't use it) by Becky Albertalli, "Love, Simon" follows the same warm, feel-good formula that has served him well with his youth-oriented programming. Yet Berlanti's style of heavy-handed melodrama, soap-opera clichés and cheesy sentimentality may not be everyone's cup of tea while the comedy in this romantic-comedy is of the sitcom-based variety.

There is no denying that coming out is still a difficult and challenging process for anyone who might be gay. But the major flaw with the film is that all of the important people in Simon's life do not for any moment appear like they would be anything less than supportive of him. All of his extreme distress over keeping his secret to the point of allowing himself to be blackmailed seems implausible. I realize we wouldn't have much of a story without this plot development yet this would be more understandable set in the 1950's. Not at all in 2018.

And it’s not like Simon was the only gay kid at school. There is Ethan (Clark Moore), an out and proud effeminate student he could have easily befriended. But Simon steered clear of him, fearful that any association could reveal his true nature. Although his coming-out made him an easy target for bullies, Ethan bravely handled any nasty comment from them with a sassy comeback.

That Simon is a complete cipher, with his every action motivated by fear, makes it very difficult to root for our apparent hero. And Mr. Robinson's colorless performance doesn't help make Simon more appealing. It's up to the supporting characters to draw out the emotions needed here and that includes nice turns by Tony Hale as a trying-to-hard-to-be-hip vice-principal and Natasha Rothwell as the hilariously exasperated drama teacher.

I must admit that there were touching moments in "Love, Simon" that moved me to tears along with the other times that had me rolling my eyes and groaning. The goal of Mr. Berlanti's film was not to titillate, offend or make any type of political statement. He simply wanted to make a breezy, romantic-comedy on a subject that has rarely been touched in cinema that anyone could understand and enjoy.  I wish there was a film like this at a time when I was a confused, young man in search of guidance and acceptance.  "Love, Simon" offers a comforting voice for the culturally marginalized.

COMING SOON

It would seem easy to dismiss the upcoming "Book Club", a movie about a group of mature women whose eyes and lives are opened up due to "Fifty Shades of Grey", because it appears it could be as banal as the book they read. But there is no denying that because of the impressive cast of great actresses, this rom-com is certainly a must-see. First, we have Diane Keaton on board with her reliably quirky charm, fellow Oscar-winner, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen who brings her long-missed caustic wit to the big screen. Yet it's Jane Fonda in full-blown "Blanche Devereaux" mode that makes "Book Club' seem like it will really be a lot of fun. Andy Garcia, Craig T. Nelson, Richard Dreyfuss and Don Johnson appear as the men in their lives.

"Book Club" is due in U.S. theaters on May 18, 2018.

COLOSSAL (2017)

Written & Directed by Nacho Vigalondo


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. April 9, 2017 11:15 AM



Romantic comedies have regularly followed a basic guideline; boy meets girl (insert cute way of meeting). Boy and girl fall in love. Boy (or occasionally girl to add a little variety) is not ready for the relationship or some other complication which drives the couple apart. The complicated situation is resolved and the couple reunite to live happily ever after. The end.

With "Colossal", filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo, for the most part, has successfully upended our rom-com expectations by unexpectedly incorporating sci-fi conventions and pitch-black comedy. He also has Anne Hathaway, who has a long history as the romantic interest in many comedies, as the unusual focus of our story, playing a messy and drunken young woman who would not be any one's vision of a perfect partner. The movie has much more on it's mind than your average feel-good comedy, offering moments that are edgy, fanciful and a little bit disturbing.

Gloria (Hathaway) is a New York City chick with some problems. While unemployed for months, she hasn't made much effort in finding a new job. Gloria spends most of her free time staying out all night partying hard with her friends. Sick of her neglect and reckless behavior, Gloria's fed-up British boyfriend, Tim (Dan Stevens) packs her bags and kicks her out of his apartment.

With few options and no where else to go, Gloria heads upstate back to her old family home to crash until she comes up with a plan. She runs into Oscar (Jason Sudekis), an old school friend and they reconnect. He now runs his late father's bar and hangs out after hours drinking with his buddies, Garth (Tim Blake Nelson) and Joel (Austin Stowell) all night. This is clearly Gloria's perfect idea of how to spend an evening.

As we learn more about Gloria and Oscar, our impression of them begins to shift. Finally realizing her blackout drunk behavior and bad choices are interfering with her life, a good-spirited, better-functioning Gloria emerges as she attempts to clean-up her act while Oscar, a sweet, nice guy who gives her a job at his bar and furniture for her empty house, begins to display a darker, malicious edge once Gloria doesn't properly reciprocate his feelings for her.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world in Seoul, Korea, a gigantic monster suddenly appears terrorizing and causing destructive havoc in the city. How this seemingly unrelated incident is connected to Gloria is what makes the film hilariously subversive and wonderfully ingenious.

After discovering her part (although, to be fair, accidental) in the death and destruction in Seoul through this monster, Gloria is understandably upset. But the arrival of a giant Transformer-type robot there further complicates the situation when the identity behind it is someone that she knows and is about to make her life even more miserable.

The early film work of the Spanish director involved low-budget horror and science-fiction with "Colossal" being his first major-scale, English-language feature. Mr. Vigalondo certainly has experience appealing to fan boys but has challenged himself by adding a little heart, emotion and even a feminist angle to this surreal, sci-fi adventure.

While the mixing of genres and tones may confuse some, the wild and daring performance of Ms Hathaway will set them straight. Despite the distraction of her ill-advised 2011 Oscar hosting gig, her underwhelming acceptance speech for her Best Supporting Actress win for "Les Misérables" and the subsequent troll group, "the Hathahaters" that sprang from all that, the actress reminds us here of her great talent, managing to make her character funny and appealing in spite of some of her less appealing traits. Mr. Sudekis also surprises, as he's usually seen on screen as a buddy or the perfect catch, by slowly revealing that the seemingly considerate Oscar is not at all what he appears to be.

Wonderfully absurd and unexpectedly moving, "Colossal" never goes anywhere near where you think it will go and that's what makes it one of the most striking and original films of the year.

CAFE SOCIETY (2016)

Written & Directed by Woody Allen


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. July 16, 2016  3:15 PM



"Café Society", the latest feature by Woody Allen, takes a wistful look back at romantic longing, deceptive behavior and missed opportunities in a story set in the glamorous world of 1930's Hollywood. It's no secret that the eighty year old director has a great affection for the past as he has covered the era of his adolescence numerous times throughout the years. Even when he takes on a contemporary setting, the tone still feels deeply rooted in days gone by. With this film, Allen knows how to expertly tell a story, filled with dramatic tension and bleak comedy yet he's unable to craft it in a way that seems unfamiliar or atypical.

Another one of Allen's favorite themes is New York versus Los Angeles and that occurs again here with Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg), a young man leaving behind his secure employment with the family jewelry business to take a chance on a new life in the city of continuous sunshine. His concerned mother, Rose (Jeannie Berlin) calls her brother, Phil (Steve Carell), who is a top Hollywood talent agent, to help her son out with a job.

Without anything to offer at the moment, Phil has his secretary, Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) keep him company and show Bobby around the city in the meantime. The two spend a lot of time together with Bobby becoming completely smitten with the lovely girl, admiring her lack of pretense and earnest ambition. And while she's attracted to him too, she's already in a committed relationship with a roving journalist who travels across the globe for work. When Vonnie's relationship suddenly comes to an unexpected end, a pleased Bobby offers his shoulder for the devastated young woman to cry on.

Even though his relationship with Phil has grown close, attending family functions and parties filled with Hollywood types, Bobby is still surprised when his uncle confides that he's been having a long-time affair and ready to leave his wife for this other woman. This bit of shocking news will create an unforeseen problem for Bobby, ultimately leaving him crushed and disappointed.

Bobby soon heads back to the east coast, with nothing more than unpleasant memories of his time in Los Angeles. He decides to join a new family business; running a nightclub with his brother, Ben (Corey Stoll), a mobster whose solution to any problem, big or small, is to bury it six feet under. The club becomes a popular destination for the rich and powerful which in turn makes Bobby one of them. One night, he meets Veronica (Blake Lively), a gorgeous divorcee, eventually marrying her and starting a family. Just when his life seemed to be going in a comfortable direction, the complicated past comes rushing back and takes a seat in his nightclub.

It's been said that writers write about what they know and that has paid off handsomely for Mr. Allen. He's managed to spin comedy gold, creating some cinematic gems throughout the years, fictionalizing his life experiences including his explorations in to less traveled themes like May/December romance, existential crisis and psychoanalysis. However, after all this time, it's gotten pretty stale and predictable. Allen's movies seem too stuck in the past, literally and figuratively, continuously filled with his beloved jazz and hardly any surprises. That's not to say "Café Society" isn't occasionally engaging, funny or charming but fresh is not a word that would be used to describe this or any recent Woody Allen film. One notable change from our movie-making Luddite is that this was the first time Allen shot digitally with Vittorio Storaro, the Oscar-winning cinematographer for "Apocalypse Now" and "Reds" and "The Last Emperor", handling the duties.

While our two leads have worked together before, allowing for a believable connection, neither Mr. Eisenberg or Ms Stewart seem fully comfortable in their roles. They fare better in their early youthful, puppy love stage than later when they reconnect slightly older and disenchanted. Playing insecure and neurotic guys are right in Eisenberg's comfort zone yet he has more difficulty convincing us that he has evolved in to this suave businessman. Same goes for the glum Stewart who would be no one's idea of a carefree, sophisticated lady. The natural charisma of Mr. Carell has been drained here, leaving us with a very dour performance which is a waste of his talent.

There are a couple of bright spots to be found in far too brief appearances. Anna Camp hilariously plays a hooker on the first day on the job and Parker Posey, who was a highlight in Allen's last film, "Irrational Man", brings her effervescent spirit as a bleach-blond Hollywood socialite.

With a ending that merely fizzles out instead of delivering some more expected sizzle, "Café Society" is hardly Woody Allen at his finest. Yet if you do admire his clever wit and comedic gifts, then you will certainly find moments that are heartfelt, moving and amusing.

HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS (2016)

Written by Michael Showalter & Laura Terruso


Directed by Michael Showalter


Where & When: Arclight Theaters, Hollywood, CA. March 14, 2016 6:00 PM


"Hello, My Name Is Doris" is an appealing yet unremarkable comedy about an older woman who becomes romantically infatuated with a much younger man. There are quite a few delightful moments to be found but what really makes this film stand out is it's star, Sally Field. While she's made brief appearances in the recent "Spider-Man" flicks and even received another Oscar nod for her supporting work in "Lincoln", it's been far too long since Field has had a leading role in a movie. The actress has always been a first-rate comedian and brings emotional depth to any role she plays. This is a perfect showcase to remind (or introduce for those too young to remember) viewers that she is a cinematic treasure.

Field was first noticed in the 1960's television comedies like "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun" where she revealed her endearing perky charm and not much else. But it was quite clear that if she could seriously make us believe a nun could fly, there was nothing this actress couldn't do. It took time, several years, in fact, as well as studying with acting couch, Lee Strasberg before getting a chance to show she had much more to offer.

That first chance came with the 1976 television movie "Sybil", the true life story of an abused woman who developed a multiple personality disorder. The role won Field an Emmy and long overdue respect. She wanted to get in to feature films yet this was a time when tv folk and movie actors did not integrate. The determined Field did not let that stop her and managed to get cast in the box-office smash "Smokey & The Bandit" and won an Oscar for her role as a union organizer in "Norma Rae" in 1979. She would win a second Best Actress Oscar for "Places in the Heart" five years later.

Field plays Doris Miller, a sixty-something data-entry employee at a Manhattan office. We all have worked with someone like Doris at some point; a quiet, unassuming but odd person that you don't really pay much attention to most of the time. It would seem hard not to notice Doris with the wildly colorful scarves wrapped around her head and wacky second-hand clothing she wears to work.

This all changes when a twenty-something, handsome new employee, John Fremont (Max Greenfield) shows her a little kindness and attention. The lonely Doris becomes obsessed with John but gets tongue-tied when she tries to speak to him. With words of encouragement from a self-help guru (Peter Gallagher) and the help of the teenage granddaughter (Isabella Acres) of her close friend, Roz (Tyne Daly), Doris secretly follows John on Facebook to find out more about him.

However, a surprising thing happens. Doris and John actually become good friends although this is partly due to info she got on him with her Internet snooping. Their relationship seems to be going perfectly for Doris until she discovers he's begun dating a sweet, younger girl (Beth Behrs).

Director and co-writer, Showalter (who you might recognize as an actor and stand-up comedian also co-wrote the cult comedy, "Wet Hot American Summer") manages to keep the tone of the film light, kind and good-humored even as we watch a sadly delusional character behave in ways that are cringe-worthy and a little disturbing. At times, the broad humor can chafe against the darker emotional elements introduced to the film like a scene when Doris is confronted by her concerned brother (Stephen Root), his rigid wife (Wendi McLendon-Covey) and a therapist (Elizabeth Reaser) with a hoarding intervention. The response from a frightened, devastated and angry Doris is very well played yet feels like it belongs in another movie. One thing we know about Ms Field is that she is committed even when the material doesn't fully warrant the attention. Mr. Greenfield shines as the dreamy co-worker and he has such a lovely chemistry with Ms Field that you can't help wishing these two will end up together.

The rest of the supporting cast is impressive which includes "Orange is the New Black" star, Natasha Lyonne, Kumail Nanjiani of HBO's "Silicon Valley", "SNL" player, Kyle Mooney although none of them are given much to do here.

Ageism has been a part of Hollywood for a long time with female actors mainly feeling the brunt of it's effects. This explains why Ms Field along with other highly-esteemed performers of her era like Jessica Lange, Glenn Close, Sissy Spacek and Kathleen Turner have found film work scarce today. There are certainly a few exceptions (with Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren to be the most notable) but many of their male peers (Jack Nicholson, Gene Hackman, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro etc.) continued to remain an in-demand screen presence until they decide to call it a day.

Last year, however, we saw several veteran actresses making strong appearances with leading roles in feature films. Some of them were Blythe Danner in "I'll See You In My Dreams", Lily Tomlin in "Grandma", Oscar-nominated Charlotte Rampling in "45 Years" and the eighty-one year old Maggie Smith with "The Lady in the Van". And now we have Sally Field in the modestly charming "Hello, My Name is Doris". Let's hope this surprising yet very welcome trend continues for a long time.

THE INTERN (2015)

Written & Directed by Nancy Meyers



Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA, September 26, 2015  5:45PM



"The Intern" is the latest sleek and tastefully designed romantic comedy by writer/director Nancy Meyers. Starting with "Private Benjamin", the fish-out-of-water Goldie Hawn hit comedy she co-wrote with Charles Shyer, her former husband back in 1980 to her directorial debut with the remake of "The Parent Trap" (which helped put the teenage Lindsay Lohan on the map), Meyers has used her gifts and hard-earned clout to make warm, engaging but overly glossy films that places strong female characters front and center. With "Baby Boom", "Something's Gotta Give", "What Women Want" and "It's Complicated", the director gave Oscar-winners, Diane Keaton, Helen Hunt and Meryl Streep the opportunity to play smart, funny and complicated mature women that don't turn up nearly often enough on the big screen.

"The Intern" sticks to this tradition with Anne Hathaway as a thirty-something, e-commerce business woman trying to juggle work and family. But the sixty-five year old Meyers is now interested in exploring how baby boomers fit in today's society and that comes in the form of Robert DeNiro playing a seventy-year old retired executive who decides to return to the work force. Because of the wide generation gap between them, neither believes they would have much in common but learn that age ain't nothing but a number.

Jules Ostin (Hathaway) has founded The Fit, an Internet fashion shopping site. The company is successful and growing fast which leaves her little time for her stay-at-home husband (Anders Holm) and their adorable young daughter (JoJo Kushner). Cameron (Andrew Rannells), head of operations, strongly recommends finding a seasoned CEO to help run the rapidly expanding company. Reluctantly she agrees to meet with potential candidates with the hope of being able to spend more time at home.

He also decides to hire a few seniors as interns for the company. Ben Whitaker (DeNiro), a recent widower has grown tired of spending his golden years trying to stay busy. He wants to get back to work and applies to be an intern at The Fit. Overqualified but happy to have a job, Ben is assigned to assist Jules.

Unable to recall agreeing to this plan, Jules is not comfortable around older people, as they remind her of the uncomfortable relationship with her mother (unseen but voiced by Mary Kay Place). She keeps her distance from Ben, finding him a bit too observant, which he is and quietly finds ways to make himself useful around the office.

Ben had been warned about Jules being a fire-breathing, dragon-lady, leaving us with the hope of seeing Ms Hathaway using what she had been a victim to in "The Devil Wears Prada". Alas, there is no Miranda Priestly type to be found. Jules lacks any edgy tension, remaining impossibly sweet most of the time despite the intense pressures of running her business while trying to be a good wife and mother. The actress doesn't have much to build on so her performance, while alluring and emotional, remains bland. It's nice to see the usually gruff DeNiro lay on the charm as the wise, good-natured retiree but we can feel him struggling to maintain this unnatural persona throughout.

Nancy Meyers' comedies are known for their visual delights with a long established focus on the world of the upwardly mobile, fabulously chic and flawlessly attractive crowd. This may sound strange but I think the cinematic counterpart to Ms Meyers in many ways is Woody Allen. Despite the many obvious differences, the most notable similarity is how each continuously enjoys creating these elegant worlds where we're supposed to be concerned about the great suffering and challenges of the well-to-do, struggling with the difficulties of their privileged lives. And people of color tend not to fit in their vision.

Now, I enjoyed "The Intern" (and to a lesser degree, Mr. Allen's recent "Irrational Man") and there's nothing necessarily wrong with holding on to this narrow worldview but film after film, it grows tedious, making it much harder to take their films seriously.

If Mr. Allen had made "The Intern", the director would have been compelled to create an unlikely romance between Jules and Ben. Ms Meyers appeared to be heading in that direction with a moment when the two, clad only in their pajamas, share a bed in a hotel room the evening before a meeting with a potential CEO in San Francisco. But the only action that occurs between them is Ben lending an ear and offering words of comfort and advice to a conflicted Jules. I'm sure that was her little joke on us where our long-held expectations in most rom-coms is to find our leads irresistibly attracted to one another. Thankfully, Ms Meyers is far more practical and finds a more age-appropriate romantic partner for Ben in the form of Rene Russo playing a masseuse that works for the company.

With "The Intern", Ms Meyers shares her thoughts and opinions on generational relationships, the current state of human interactions and what's lacking in the contemporary male with dazzling style and acute humor. You may find some of these ideas old-fashioned, elitist and overly melodramatic. But it does offer a lighthearted yet contemplative point of view which is quite refreshing in this day and age.

TRAINWRECK (2015)

Written by Amy Schumer


Directed by Judd Apatow


Where & When: Springdale 18 Cinema De Luxe, Cincinnati, OH. July 27, 2015



I admit I was very tardy to the Amy Schumer party but after catching the recent season of her skit comedy series, "Inside Amy Schumer", I have become a die-hard fan of the ribald comedian. After making her mark on television, Schumer is attempting to take on the big screen with "Trainwreck", a wonderfully offbeat romantic comedy that she has written. The director who is best known for his brand of sweetly lewd man-child comedies, Judd Apatow was inspired by Schumer to break out of his comfortable niche. This is the first film he has directed that he hasn't written and together they enhance each other's gifts.

Our story begins with Gordon Townsend (Colin Quinn) telling his two young daughters that he's divorcing their mother and leaves them with some fatherly advice that monogamy isn't at all realistic. Years later, while the younger sister, Kim (Brie Larson) didn't take him seriously, Amy (Schumer) took her daddy's words to heart. Kim has settled in to a comfortable relationship with a nice guy (Mike Birbiglia) and his nerdy, young son but Amy is a wild, hot mess. The only commitment she has is to evenings filled with too much alcohol and ending with anonymous sexual encounters.

Amy works as a writer for a men's magazine run by Dianna (Tilda Swinton), a brassy editor-in-chief that makes Anna Wintour seem demure and slight. Realizing Amy's aversion to sports, Dianna thinks she will be perfect to do a story on a top doctor working with basketball players. When Amy meets her subject, Aaron (Bill Hader), sweet but socially inept, they hit it off. After spending the evening enjoying each other's company, it ends with Amy's usual routine of heavy drinking and sex. But Aaron asks Amy to break her steadfast rule of never spending the night and surprisingly, she agrees. The biggest shock occurs for Amy the next day when the doctor calls actually wanting to see her again. She's kinda, sort of dating a muscle-bound lunkhead (John Cena) but Aaron begins to stir genuine emotions in her for the first time which scares her to death.

Part of Ms Schumer's comedy is to shock and titillate with her no-holds-barred observations on sexism and gender politics. She may look like the adorable girl-next-door but she's unafraid to tell a raunchy joke that might make you squirm in your seat yet also leave you with something deeper to think about. "Trainwreck" aims to shake-up the dated notion of the romantic comedy and Schumer's amusing screenplay (loosely based on her own real-life experiences)  cleverly flips long held expectations of how women should behave in the pursuit of love and companionship. The comedian enjoys locating the humor in awkward sexual situations which is clearly what appealed to Mr. Apatow. The film also explores Amy's troubled family dynamic, with the director bringing his skill of finding the heartwarming and poignant emotional moments in between all of the absurdity.

My only real complaint is the same complaint I have with most of Mr. Apatow's films which is that they go on far too long. I'm sure the director feels that every filmed bit is a precious gem that he can't bear to lose but "Trainwreck" clocks in at a little over two hours. For a comedy with a fairly simple plot, the film feels unnecessarily padded.

No one should be surprised by Ms Schumer ably delivering the funny but what is more unexpected is her deft performance in the more dramatic situations. This is Mr. Hader's first real shot as a leading man and the Saturday Night Live veteran is more than capable of handling this position. Another inspired move was having basketball great, LeBron James turn up playing an overly sensitive version of himself as the doctor's patient/buddy who's rooting for the couple as he offers thoughtful words of encouragement. In a role usually reserved for the female lead's BFF, James is quite effectively funny. Several other well-known faces pop-up to make notable cameo appearances. Some likely (current SNL players, Vanessa Bayer, Pete Davidson and Leslie Jones, a horde of stand-up comedians, and Oscar-winner, Marisa Tomei) and others more unexpected (tennis star, Chris Evert, the Miami Heat's, Amar'e Stoudemire, sportscaster, Marv Albert and "Harry Potter" actor, Daniel Radcliffe ).

With "Trainwreck", Amy Schumer proves she can be just as hilariously vulgar as the boys yet her comedy still comes from a place involving thoughtful female insight. Another thing this film proves is that Schumer is a new kind of comedy star. Her blazing wit, quirky charm and brutal honesty is just what is missing and desperately needed in cinema today.

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT (2014)

Written & Directed by Tom Gormican


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA.  February 3, 2014  5:30 PM


"That Awkward Moment" is the romantic-comedy made with dudes in mind as it involves a trio of twenty-something buddies who vow not to get involved in a serious relationship so they can spend more time drinking and chasing tail together like they did back in their carefree days of college. First-time film maker, Tom Gormican has offered an intriguing raunchy bromance but still adheres to the typical conventions of the rom-com. These guys will face the expected difficulties in sticking to the grand plan as each will meet the girl of their dreams but oddly seem willing to sacrifice it all in order to hold up their end of their silly bargain. It's unclear who this likable but wobbly film may be geared towards as this plot doesn't sound much like something ladies will want to flock towards and men are not typically inclined to sit through a movie where something doesn't blow-up.What is refreshing about "That Awkward Moment" is how it unashamedly embraces modern ideas of the importance of male bonding although at the unfortunate expense of their relationships with women.

After Mikey's (Michael B. Jordan) marriage falls apart, his very single friends, Jason (Zac Efron), the dreamy metrosexual and Daniel (Miles Teller), our cuddly goofball, insist on taking him out for drinks and to meet girls. After Daniel slips them Viagra as a party favor, Jason meets Ellie (Imogen Poots, love that name!), a sweet and charming young lady. The two spend a great evening together and waste no time hooking up. However, Jason assumes she's a hooker (don't ask) and since he doesn't have any cash, sneaks out in the middle of the night.

The next day, Jason and Daniel go to their job as partners with an advertising firm and their client just happens to be Ellie. She's actually a writer and not at all pleased to see him. Jason explains the misunderstanding and wants a second chance but not surprisingly, Ellie is uninterested. Determined, Jason eventually manages to woo her back in to his arms but by this time, the boys have sworn off significant others. While wanting to keep his word to his buds, he also wants to move forward with his new lady which leads to a seemingly, impossible dilemma. His solution is to keep Ellie on the down-low which causes him to make not such great decisions as a boyfriend. This pattern continues as Daniel begins a clandestine romantic relationship with his female buddy (Mackenzie Davis) who served as his wing man to help him score chicks by stopping them to admire their shoes while Mikey secretly begins seeing his ex again.

Mr.Gormican displays considerable promise as a film maker and has a flair for dialogue which is how his script found it's way on the Hollywood Black List as one of the best unproduced screenplays back in 2010. He managed to eventually get his work produced but the film suffers from his inexperience behind the camera and needed to take another crack at the script to smooth out the rough edges in the plot. The director also occasionally appears before the camera which explains his great success at getting good performances from his actors. It's unclear whether Mr. Efron can actually act but delivers the proper amount of charm and sex appeal that's required here. There is little question about the abilities of his co-stars. Mr. Jordan, fresh off his impressive work in last year's "Fruitvale Station", manages to shine through despite his relatively minor role. The real stand out is Mr. Teller who takes me back to John Cusack in his early days, particularly "Say Anything". The actor has an easy, laid back comic style, which was also put to good use in his breakout role in "The Spectacular Now", that is quite appealing. Ms Poots, the only significant female character in the film, does the best she can in the underwritten role of the girlfriend needing a man but only a boy keeps showing up.

"That Awkward Moment" aims to present a humorous look at romance from the male perspective, albeit juvenile. Far from completely successful, the film still manages to be a satisfying diversion aided by a pleasing, spirited cast of young performers.

FRANCES HA (2013)

Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach


Directed By Noah Baumbach


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. June 1, 2013 10:50PM



In "Frances Ha", the latest droll comedy from Noah Baumbach, twenty-seven year old Frances, with her life as a college student now in the past, is expected to begin living as an adult but this is far from an easy transition for her. She dreams of being a modern dancer but is fueled more by ambition than talent. Despite this obstacle, Frances has managed to become a member of a New York dance company but only as an understudy. As with most young people, money is a constant issue but she manages to barely squeak by though odd jobs and teaching ballet to young girls at her dance studio. Displaying her Californian roots, Frances has a care-free, sunny optimism that makes her stand-out among the more sullen and jaded attitudes of her over-privileged, East Coast peers. This young lady is brought to life by Greta Gerwig not only through her fine performance but also as a co-writer of the screenplay with Mr. Baumbach.

Frances is quite content with her current situation due to the fact that she's struggling along with her best friend since college, Sophie (Mickey Sumner). The two have a tight bond, sharing a living space and inside jokes, as they make the perfect couple, minus the sex. Frances admires Sophie mainly because she just gets her, much more than any man, and actually uses her dear friend as an excuse to exit her listless relationship after he asks Frances to move in.

A problem arises when Sophie gives notice that she's moving to a loft in Tribeca, her dream location in the city, without her. The news leaves Frances reeling but she attempts to carry a brave front. She ends up sleeping on a few couches, first with roommates, Miles (Adam Driver of HBO's "Girls") and Benji (Michael Zegan, who was just cast in the next season of "Girls"), a couple of good-natured slackers who treat Frances like one of the guys and later with Rachel (Grace Gummer), a fellow dancer who seems to have regretted the decision as soon as she made it. Frances drifts through each day, lost and unfocused but after Sophie announces that she's engaged to her boyfriend, Patch (Patrick Heusinger), this sends Frances over the edge, causing her to act even more irrationally, like taking an expensive, two-day trip to Paris.

If any of this brings to mind the cinematic romanticism of Woody Allen, it's no accident. Mr. Baumbach freely admits that with "Frances Ha" he's tipping his hat to the director, specifically his "Manhattan" era work. And while this modern view of New York is slightly more grounded and gritty, it's still a fantasy version of the city that manages not to have a single person of color in sight. Shot in beautiful black & white by Sam Levy, this film has a wafer-thin plot and doesn't offer much as far as big laughs or memorable lines. But "Frances" manages to get by with plenty of quirky charm and spiky sweetness.

The director and Gerwig first worked together on the underrated Ben Stiller comedy, "Greenberg" with the actress making a minor splash in her supporting role. They decided to join forces once again to create something new with this partnership even leading them to become a couple off screen as well. Gerwig has managed to make the peculiarities and neediness of Frances both exasperating and pleasantly irresistible while delivering some genuine moments that shows the complicated, messy and awkward sides of youth and self-discovery. Ms Sumner, the daughter of musician, Sting and producer, Trudie Styler, is a mesmerizing presence and to be honest, I think would have been just as impressive in the title role. This actor is one to keep an eye on.

At first glance, "Frances Ha" appears to be just another comedy about a single female searching for love and a sense of purpose in the chaotic big city. But by the time we reach the conclusion, we see that this film plays with that subject and our expectations on the ideas regarding romance, friendship and what makes a successful relationship.
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TO ROME WITH LOVE (2012)

Written & Directed by Woody Allen


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA.  June 24, 2012  4:30PM


"To Rome With Love", the forty-sixth film written and directed by Woody Allen, is a manic farce set in the Eternal City with an all-star cast of American and Italian performers. Given that this film was highly anticipated, due to Mr. Allen's comeback smash comedy, "Midnight In Paris", "Rome" is sadly just as generic and uninspired as it's title. The film is surprisingly bland and unfocused as it manages to deliver only very brief moments of charm, wit or actual humor.

The film is played out in four unrelated vignettes; Hayley (Alison Pill), an American visiting Rome, asks a passing stranger for directions. The handsome Roman, Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti) is more than helpful and soon the two fall madly in love. Hayley's parents, Jerry (Allen) and Phyllis (Judy Davis) come to the city to visit their daughter and to meet this new man in her life. Jerry, who is a bored, retired music teacher, over hears Michelangelo's father, Giancarlo (Fabio Armiliato), singing opera in the shower and he has a spectacular voice. With dollar signs flashing before his eyes, Jerry is determined to get this man on the stage but Giancarlo declines as he is just a simple mortician, not a singer. After Jerry wears him down, Giancarlo finally auditions but discovers that he can only actually sing in the shower. Unfazed, Jerry is not about to let a little thing like that stop his plans.

John (Alec Baldwin) is an another American visiting Rome but he had been to the city many years ago as a younger man while studying to become an architect. Deciding to revisit his old neighborhood, he runs in to a another American, Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) who recognizes him. This young man is studying to become an architect and just happens to live in the same building that John used to live. His sweet girlfriend, Sally (Greta Gerwig) informs Jack that her broken-hearted friend, Monica (Ellen Page), a high-strung actress is coming to Italy to stay with them for a visit. She warns her boyfriend that she's a reluctant seductress but he's not concerned until he meets her. Despite John also warning him as he's been in a similar situation when he was his age, Jack still winds up being swept away by this actress. Are Jack and John the same person, looking back on his life or is John a figment of Jack's imagination? No idea.

Leopoldo (Roberto Benigni) is a simple, unasuming man who eats breakfast with his family every morning before going to work at his routine job. His life is turned upside down when one morning, he becomes a sought-after celebrity for no apparent reason. He's at first very annoyed by all this attention but soon learns to easily enjoy the perks of his new-found fame.

The best segment involves a newlywed couple from a small town who come to the big city for the opportunity to start a new life. Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) is nervous about meeting his relatives who could help lead him to a better career but his wife, Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi) is only concerned about having her hair done before they arrive. As Milly becomes hopelessly lost trying to find the salon, there is a knock on their hotel door. Anna (Penelope Cruz), a comely, local working girl, pounces on Antonio, informing him that she has been paid for to fulfill his wildest dreams. Although a mistake has been made but his high-class relatives arrive early, so Antonio has no choice but introduce this lady as his wife. Meanwhile, Milly stumbles on to a film set where she becomes star-struck by meeting an Italian movie star (Antonio Albanese) as he becomes focused on seducing her.

"To Rome With Love" is a heavy handed affair, combining surreal fantasy with broad comedy but it all ends up feeling pretty stale. It seems like Mr. Allen whipped these dusty, random sketches out of the bottom of a drawer and tied them together to make this film. However, if Mr. Allen wasn't going to put any real effort to update or improve these wheezy stories, he really should have left them where he found them. I am a very big fan of the writer/director and what makes this latest film so disappointing is that I have seen what great work he is able to do when he puts a little effort such as "Crimes & Misdemeanors", "Bullets Over Broadway" or "Hannah and Her Sisters" to name just a few of my favorites.

Mr. Allen returns to the screen for the first time since his last appearance in his 2006 film, "Scoop" and he, once again, plays a high-strung New Yorker. While he is still more than capable of selling a joke but his routine feels just as tired as the rest of the film. The actors don't seem to have been given much guidance so they just rely on their own instincts which leads to some wildly, varied performances that also throws the film out of whack. Ms Cruz is able to do much with very little as she effortlessly brings much needed warmth and charm as she is the true comic highlight of this misfire. Mr Benigni, also long absent from film, delivers delightful moments of hilarity with his rubbery face alone but since Mr Allen didn't rein the comedian in, his antics become overbearing, most especially during his segment's final act. Rising indie star, Greta Gerwig is completely wasted and no offense to the talented Ellen Page (who was perfect in her breakout film, "Juno") but she is never believable for one moment as an irresistible femme fatale, no matter how hard she tries.

While "Midnight In Paris" played like Allen's lovely valentine to that city, "Rome" feels more like an unnecessarily hostile assault on this ancient city. Rome deserves much better and so does the audience.

THINK LIKE A MAN (2012)

Written by Keith Merryman & David A. Newman


Directed by Tim Story


When & Where : Arclight Cinemas, Pasadena, CA.  April 20, 2012  9:00PM


Men and women have been struggling to understand each other since dinosaurs roamed the planet without a viable solution in sight. You would think they might stop agonizing over this hopeless inquiry but people (I believe mostly women) are determined to figure each other out.

There seem to be an endless glut of people who claim to have all the answers on how to solve this dilemma and all you have to do is buy their book. The latest entry is by comedian, Steve Harvey and his self-help tome, "Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man" with some feeling that he has betrayed his gender by giving away the secret of our motivations and teaching women how to read between the lines of what men are actually telling them. This New York Times bestseller has been turned in to a serviceable romantic comedy under the shorter title, "Think Like A Man" which brings to life examples of  how this book could possibly work for you..

We first meet the men, a bunch of buddies who are broken down by some typical male types; Dominic (Michael Ealy) is "The Dreamer", a man who wants to open his own restaurant but isn't even close as he's still waiting tables. "The Non-Committer" (Jerry Ferrara) has been involved with his girlfriend (Gabrielle Union) for years but putting a ring on her finger is the furthest thing from his mind. Michael (Terrence J.) is the classic "Mama's Boy" who wants a girl just like his mama except the real deal (Jenifer Lewis) is never too far behind. There's always "The Player" in any group and that's Zeke (Romany Malco) whose ability with smooth pillow talk makes his quest to score with the ladies much easier. Rounding out this gang are the married guys; one happily (Gary Owen) and the other (Kevin Hart) who can't get divorced soon enough.

Their ladies, which include the sexy, Mya (Meagan Good) who wants to be more than a one-night stand for Zeke by holding out for ninety days before being intimate and Candance (Regina Hall), a single mother dating Michael but has no interest in competing with his mother for his affections, are frustrated by their prospective mates until they discover Mr. Harvey's book. They begin following his wisdom and start to have great success in handling the men.

However, Candance's good friend, Lauren (Taraji P. Henson) thinks the book is just nonsense. She's a successful businesswoman who is looking for a good man that is her equal and has no desire to settle for less. Due to a case of mistaken identity, Lauren accepts a date with the underemployed Dominic and the sparks fly. Dominic wants to confess his true profession to her but decides to listen to the guys and postpone the news. When the men later get wind of this advice book, they decide to use it to their advantage.

The plot predictably follows the standard rom-com guideline but with this rare occurrence of a Hollywood film focusing on a mostly African-American prospective on love and relationships, "Think" feels fresher than it would under different circumstances. Love is most certainly color-blind but I think we've already seen enough numerous cinematic variations of romance with Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon or Matthew McConaughey in the lead. The script is strictly rote that offers no subtly or shading to make any of these characters anything more than stereotypes but these terrific actors certainly help elevate this material

In fact, the best thing about "Think Like A Man" is that it's a great showcase to display the gifts of these African-American performers who don't get nearly enough opportunities to show what they are capable of delivering. Ms Hanson, in particular, is a crackerjack comedienne who can skillfully go from tough to tender and make it all very amusing. If there is any justice, the film will hopefully lead this actress to plenty of other big-screen roles. Mr. Hart, who appears to be a graduate of the Chris Tucker School of Comedic Performance, can be quite hilarious as he offers his own opinions about relationships (and may also explain why he's heading to Divorce Court) although his loud, motor-mouth routine can grow a little tiresome by the end.

Although there's way too much shameless plugging of Mr. Harvey's book for my taste which makes the film feel more like an infomercial but "Think Like A Man" is still an enjoyable little comedy. It offers what you would typically expect from a romantic-comedy with appealing performances and some solid laughs.