What to Watch in the Theater:
The Goldfinch (R) is in theaters now. This coming of age drama/thriller is a puzzle with many pieces. It follows lead character, Theo, both as an adult (Ansel Elgort) and through flashbacks to his younger self (Oakes Fegley). Theo’s mother was killed in a bombing at an art museum, and not only is his life turned upside down, but he also blames himself for her being there. He has a secret he carries through the good and bad circumstances that define him, which determines his destiny. This is truly an artsy film, given how much of it is about the art world and different levels of culture (or lack thereof) in New York and other places. It’s an interesting movie, but at 2.5 hours it’s a bit too long.
Our rating: 3.5 out of 5
Ad Astra (PG13) opens today. At just over 2 hours, this film seems much longer, because of all that space. Brad Pitt plays an astronaut who takes on an assignment to find his missing dad and possibly save the world in the process. There’s lots of solitude in space, though thankfully more dialog than there was in The Revenant. This is definitely an Oscar contender for Brad, just like the R-movie was for Leo. The premise is interesting, with a handful of characters and beautiful cinematography.
Our rating: 4 out of 5
What to Watch at Home (Or Not):
Tall Girl (TVPG) is streaming exclusively on Netflix. The point of this film is that anyone can be bullied, although you don’t normally think of tall white girls being the object of ridicule. Jodi and her friends are likable, and you’re rooting for her to feel more confident, even if you can’t directly relate to her problems. The plot is predictable, and there’s a sweet, very predictable, romantic element as well, but it’s a fun watch.
Our rating: 3.67 out of 5
The Con is On (R) is available for rental. The cast for this movie includes Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Stephen Fry, Maggie Q, Crispin Glover, Alice Eve and Parker Posey. The latter is the only one whose performance we enjoyed. This is one mess of movie, about a couple of grifters who are on the run after stealing from a mobster. They are not smart or even a little bit crafty, and spend their time doing stupid things, but not in a comedic way. The con is definitely OFF.
Our rating: skip this one
Plus box office results, movie news, and what’s new on DVD and Blu-Ray.