Private Life: Movie Review

Hilariously flawed people going through life.

Private Life is a bitter-sweet exploration of a marriage and two people’s struggles to conceive. I know from that description that you might assume that the movie would drag on, that it might not offer anything new to the thousands of characters that have struggled with those issues in many movies that came before this one. But this one is different, trust me. There’s a sharp wit to these characters who are very true to themselves.		2018 Directed by: Tamara Jenkins Screenplay by: Tamara Jenkins Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Paul Giamatti

Can You Ever Forgive Me?: Movie Review

Sad and somber, but funny and thoughtful – a profound triumph.

This is Melissa McCarthy as you probably aren’t expecting her; I don’t think anybody was prepared for this casting announcement last year. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is funny in some parts, but it’s mostly a solemn drama with a tragicomedy theme permeating its lead character. It’s 1991 and Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) is a formerly semi-successful, not really famous writer of biographies.		2018 Directed by: Marielle Heller Screenplay by: Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant

A Simple Favor: Movie Review

Slick style and ludicrous plot twists.

A Simple Favor is an entertaining, wild ride of twisting madness. It’s a movie full of contradictory tones, styles and characters none of which should be in the same movie, and yet they all belong in this movie. Director Paul Feig had a very clear vision, something like Gone Girl meets The Stepford Wives and it all worked. It mostly all worked. The maddening heights that the madness reaches can be maddening, but before we get there it’s a funny thriller about interesting people.		2018 Directed by: Paul Feig Screenplay by: Jessica Sharzer Based on the novel by Darcey Bell Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively