Gil Mansergh’s Cinema Toast

New Releases For the Week of  6/22/18

Hearts Beat Loud (PG-13)

Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Blythe Danner, Sasha Lane

Directed by: Bret Haley

The summer before a Brooklyn girl heads off to college in California, she joins a band with her widowed father. They create a song that goes viral online, which complicates the separation process. This familiar (but updated) storyline is made workable by the fine ensemble acting, the sing-along original music, and the honest reality inherent in Brett Haley’s screenplay and direction. 

3 and 1/2 pieces of a feel-good father/daughter movie toast 

 

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (PG-13)

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, B.D. Wong, James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Rafe Spall, Toby Jones, Jeff Goldblum

Directed by: Brad Bird

It is purely coincidental that volcanoes in Hawaii and Central America are erupting at exactly the same time as the one on Isla Nublar (aka Jurassic Park). Fearful that any surviving dinosaurs will become extinct (for a second time), two well-intentioned, goody-two-shoes try to rescue Blue, their favorite velociraptor, but instead stumble upon an international conspiracy involving gene spicing, cloning humans, and GREED. Everything found in Saturday matinee serials seems to be included—even the deep, dank dungeon used to cage the good guys.

3 pieces of the CG dinosaurs keep getting better and better toast 

 

 

American Animals (R) 

Starring: Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Jared Abrahmson, Blake Jenner, Ann Dowd

Directed by: Bart Layton

Studiously using Google, four self-proclaimed “unique individuals” study classic heist movies to plan a multi-million-dollar theft of irreplaceable antique books (like Audubon’s hand painted Birds of America). In short order, the caper starts acting like it has taken charge. Writer/director Bart Layton uses clever film techniques to keep everyone onscreen (and the audience) guessing about what is going to happen next. Apparently the guys ignored the real lesson of Heist films—something inevitably will go wrong.

3 pieces of based on a true story with a rock soundtrack toast

 

 

The Doctor From India (NR)

Starring: Dr. Vasant Lad

Directed by: Jeremy Frindel

Indian medical and spiritual healer Dr. Vasant Lad has spent four decades trying to integrate the ancient medical practice of Ayurveda with the western-style medicine of the United States. This is a subject worthy of a documentary, but Frindel is so spiritually and emotionally tied-into the project, he seems unable to explore too deeply, and allows sloppy filming and editing to sink the finished product.

1 and 1/2  pieces of unskillfully made toast 

 

 

Let the Sunshine In (NR) 

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Gerard Depardieu, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Nicholas Duvauche, Josiane Balasko, Claire Tran

Directed by: Claire Denis

At its heart, Let the Sunshine In is a rom-com about a divorced woman “of a certain age,” who is tired of all the clueless (and/or married) men trying to get into her bed. But what makes this one different (dare we say, French?) is the woman is Juliette Binoche, and the place is Paris. The result is like vintage French champagne—complete with a “pop,” some sparkling bubbles, the first sip, and then? 

3  pieces of Frenchwomen seem decidedly different toast

Comments? E-mail gilmansergh@comcast.net

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