Tag: Comedy

AFI Latin American Film Festival: How to Win Enemies (Argentina)

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NOTE: This is a SPOILER-FREE review. 

como-ganar-enemigos-posterLucas Abadi (Martin Slipak), a humble/soft-spoken/kind young lawyer w/ a love for detective novels, is pulled into his OWN real-life crime story in this “neurotic thriller” directed by Gabriel Lichtmann.  The director (in a Q&A after the screening) said that his wife assisted him in writing the final version of the film.  He was influenced by the work of Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen, who he thanks in the closing credits.

Como ganar enemigos_brosLuqui (as he is nicknamed by those close to him) has been saving to buy his own apartment.  He’s also to be the best man at his big brother’s (and fellow law partner) wedding.  Luqui is (pleasantly) surprised when a tall/blonde/pretty secretary, Barbara, flirts w/ him, then gives him her card in a local bar.  His friend urges him to go after her.  Of course, drama (and trouble) ensues!

como-ganar-enemigos_spyingThis was a FUN, crowd-pleasing movie (as noted by critics from ALL over the world).  The leading man is VERY likable, even when he gets into shades of gray behavior (to help a needy client).  WHO could be HIS enemy, we think!?  The music suits the film also very well- it’s got a BIT of tension (when needed); that’s a nod to Hitchcock, I’m sure.  Another thing I liked- the Jewish heritage of the main characters is in the background, BUT not a big point in the story.

 

Grace and Frankie starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen & Sam Waterston (Netflix)

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Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) mourn their former lives at the beach.

NOTE: This review contains MILD SPOILERS for Season 1.

Sometimes the friend you DON’T want is the one you get… and realize you NEED!  This is the set-up of the Netflix comedy series starring former 9 to 5 co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.  The show is funny (BUT w/ serious undercurrents), smart, sensitive- a MUST-SEE!  After their husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston), leave them for EACH OTHER (becoming NOT only law partners), WASPy perfectionist Grace Hanson (Fonda) is thrown together w/ Jewish hippie Frankie Bergstein (Tomlin).  These ladies had dealt w/ each other over the past 30 yrs, BUT never been real friends until BOTH refuse to leave the SoCal beach house that their families invested in together. 

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The two opposites share a lovely beach house.

Grace is VERY angry/embarrassed by the situation- how could Robert so something like this to HER!?  What will PEOPLE think, she often wonders?  Eventually, she realizes that there WERE clues around that he might’ve been gay.  Grace goes about creating a new life for herself, which includes online dating (MANY viewers of all ages will relate to this)!  

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Grace has lunch w/ an overeager online suitor.

Frankie, on the other hand, is sad and retreats into herself.  She burns incense, meditates, and creates vlogs about how she’s feeling.  Frankie keeps in touch w/ Sol; they seem like a couple that was best friends (unlike Grace and Robert).  Of course, above these strong/capable women’s heads is the (VERY real) possibility of living their remaining years alone.  

Robert and Sol are VERY much in love, live together, and plan to wed soon. They don’t want to hide anymore.  Their four grown-up children are surprised, BUT also have dramas of their own to deal w/, as we eventually learn.

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The younger gen doesn’t have it ALL figured out either!

Grace and Robert’s daughter Mallory (former model Brooklyn Decker) has some serious history w/ Frankie and Sol’s eldest son Coyote (Broadway actor Ethan Embry).  There is also Brianna (June Diane Raphael), who has taken over Grace’s cosmetic line.  Coyote’s younger brother Bud (up-and-coming comedian Baron Vaughn) is ALSO a lawyer and has his life together; he is helping out Coyote (recently got out of drug rehab).

With such a GREAT leading cast, you’re bound to also get some FAB veteran actors as guest stars: Corbin Bernsen (LA Law),  Sam Elliott, Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), Christine Lahti, Joe Morton (most recently on Scandal), and Craig T. Nelson (Coach). 

What Should I Watch NOW?

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  • The Affair (Showtime) – My 2nd blog post on S1 Eps 6-10 will be up soon.  S2 premieres SUN, OCT 4th- YAY!
  • Alpha House (Amazon Prime) – 2 seasons are now up; you can’t go wrong w/ John Goodman; fans of Homicide (like me), will get a treat in seeing Clark Johnson.
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The leads of Alpha House: Who knew REPUBLICANS could be so much FUN!?”
  • Aziz Ansari Live at Madison Square Garden (Netflix) – Who DOESN’T love this guy!?
  • Being Mary Jane (BET/Netflix) – 2 seasons are now up on Netlix; this is a MUST-SEE drama starring the (always FAB) Gabrielle Union; better and even more realistic than Girls & SATC) read my review of S1 here.
  • Black Mirror (Netflix) – Read my review here.
  • Broadchurch (BBC/PBS/Netflix) – Read my review of S1 here.
  • Catastrophe (Amazon Prime) – This show is INSANE… and insanely good; see it RIGHT NOW!!!  Carrie Fisher has a recurring role, too!
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Catastrophe is written by Sharon Horgan (Irish) & Rob Delaney (former theater actor/comic).
  • Daredevil (Netflix) – It’s more like a cop show, NOT a typical superhero one.  This is a MUST-SEE for L&O: CI/Vincent D’Onofrio fans!
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In Daredevil, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the supervillain who’s awkward w/ women.
  • Empire (FOX/Hulu) – Read my review here.
  • The Fall (Netflix) – Read my review here.
  • Fruitvale Station (Netflix) – A slice-of-life film about Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a young dad who was killed by a transit cop in San Fran; his mom is played by Octavia Spencer.
  • Grace and Frankie (Netflix) – Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen & Sam Waterston (WOW, what a cast!) star in this SMART/FUNNY life-after-divorce comedy.
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Grace (Jane Fonda) tries online dating… & meets an overeager beau in Grace and Frankie.
  • Happy Valley (BBC/Netflix) – Read my review here.
  • House of Cards (Netflix) – 3 seasons are now out; def check out S1 (if you don’t have a LOTTA time)!
  • Orange is the New Black  (Netflix) – MUST-SEE for anyone who wants to see diversity/women/& just LOL.
  • The Politician’s Husband (BBC/Netlfix) – A UK miniseries that shows us a V different side of David Tennant, who gets caught up in his ambitions, along w/ his wife, played by Emily Watson.
  • The Slap (Netflix) – I watched the original Aussie version of this miniseries; it’s got a large/diverse cast incl. two FAB ladies: Sophie Okonedo (Brit; Hotel Rwanda) & Melissa George (Aussie; In Treatment: S1).  Each ep is told from a different perspective.
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Essie Davis, Melissa George, & Sophie Okonedo play lifelong pals in The Slap.

Inside Out (NOW PLAYING) starring the voices of Amy Poehler, Lewis Black & Mindy Kaling

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Lava_Pixar_short

NOTE: This is a SPOILER-FREE review.

I saw “Inside Out” at a free pre-screening w/ my movie Meetup (all ladies) and a large group of press folks (who were pretty quiet during the film, which is common).  Before the main attraction, we saw a short film (“Lava”) about a lonely volcano that wants to have someone to love.  I’m NOT sure if this story was based on a Hawaiian folk tale.  There was a song all through the short, which was cute and catchy.

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I went in NOT knowing much about the film, BUT I liked it!  Some critics say it’s the best thing since “Toy Story,” which was a big hit for Pixar.  I suggest it for kids 10 and up, especially, as it deals w/ themes that MAY go over the heads of the younger crowd.  There is also a LOT for grown-ups to enjoy.

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Riley, an 11 y.o. girl, goes through a period of displacement and sadness after moving from her suburban home in Minnesota to an apartment in San Francisco.  Aside from Riley, the main characters are the emotions inside her head: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Fear (Bill Hader).  I wanted to see this mainly b/c I’m a fan of Black and Kaling. 

In the beginning, everyone was bummed out by how Sadness (who is blue, wears a turtleneck) was acting, BUT we know that people can’t always be happy.  Riley has to get used to her new room, new school and classmates, and missing her best friend.  She finds it VERY difficult to be her usual positive self, even though she knows that’s what her parents (voiced by Diane Lane and Kyle McLachlan) want.  Joy tries hard to get Sadness out of the way, BUT an accident pulls these two main emotions away from the control room.