Captain Fantastic

Jean, This is the story of a survivalist father raising his six children in the wilderness of Washington State. A tragedy occurs which requires the father to take his family into the real world. The contrast between the home schooled children and the everyday real world children is the bulk of the film. I got the feeling that the film begins to pull it's punches when the two cultures collide.The high point for me was the father performance  by Viggo Mortensen. He could not have been more true to the character. Otherwise it is an interesting film but hardly had me questioning my views. (Note there are scenes of killing and dressing wild animals as part of the children's wilderness training.)  Dad


The previews were:

The Birth of a Nation
Denial
Anthropoid

The BFG

Jean, This is Spielberg's version of the Roald Dahl story of the same name. It is about a young English girl who meets a big friendly giant who happens to be walking through London one night. It turns into a gentle, almost magical fantasy which melds it's magic with the real world as only Spielberg can do it. The story has chases and danger and even comedy but in a rather languid pace. It is as if you are to enjoy what you are seeing. All the Spielberg  regulars are here including John Williams music. The picture has a beautiful color hue and detail especially when in the northern British Isles or "giant country". The female lead as Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) could not have been more believable. The movie slows down in the middle but really comes alive again for a big ending involving the Queen and her corgi's .  Jim

P.S. The previews are:

Nine Lives
Pete's Dragon
Moana
Storks
Kubo and the Two Strings
Monster Trucks
Trolls

Finding Dory

Jean, This is a beautiful looking, very funny, Pixar film along with those many  scenes they are known  for,  of pathos and sometimes almost tears. It is not scary for the youngsters such as "The Jungle Book" but may be  little long at 100 minutes. There are so many creatures with their own personalities including the octopus or is it a septopus, who is really the star of the film in my mind. What he does with those arms is amazing. And the use of the old records at points  in the film is too much, think "It's a  Wonderful World" and "Unforgetable". It is up and down our Pacific Coast . Also has a running joke involving Sigourney Weaver..  Dad

P.S. The previews are:


Monster Trucks
Sing
Ice Age:Collision Course
Storks
Ghostbusters:Answer the Call
Pete's Dragon
Disney's Moana

Me Before You

Jean, This is  a summer romantic comedy movie with many opportunities for teary moments. Basic story of a young British girl takes the job as a personal assistant/aid to a young, quite wealthy British man in a small village outside current London. The story has a number of tearjerker moments but handles them with intelligence and realism. ( The young man is a paraplegic rising from an accident crossing the  street.) Besides having the two leads who handle their roles so  well, it has this picturesque village built around a castle and scenes along the beaches of Mallorca. Great chemistry between the leads and brings up some serious issues in a thought provoking way. Dad

P.S. The previews are:

Captain Fantastic
South Side With You
The Founder

Maggie's Plan

Jean, This is a romantic comedy starring Greta Gerwig as Maggie. It begins where she  has come to the point in her life where she is looking for a sperm donor. The romance that develops is more plot driven and the comedy is more smiles than laughs.You know what you are getting with Greta in her special way of hitting her marks and saying her lines so directly and charmingly.The others who get drawn into her plan are Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph and Julianne Moore. It is like you are listening into the lives of 4 or 5 people who are interesting, intelligent and entertainingly flawed. It reminded me of the 2011 movie "Your Sister's Sister". Like that film,  it also has a "punch line scene" at the very end.  Jim

P.S. The previews are:

Equity
Our Little Sister
The Founder:Ray Kroc

Alice Through the Looking Glass, 3D

Jean, This is not your mother's or father's Through the Looking Glass story. They take the characters and you pass through the mirror into a beautiful, amazing, visually imaginative world with a straight forward story. All the usual characters are back, including Mia Wasiowska as Alice and Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway etc. It is also in 3D and uses the 3D to a terrify advantage. This is one of the best. But the visuals are so good. You have pirate ships racing through the stormy waters (Pirates of the Caribbean) and the clock repairmen reassembled int one huge repairman (Transformers) etc.The theme of the movie is Time and it's importance in all matters. They use that thought to great advantage in moving the story along. I am not a purist when it comes to Lewis Carroll stories, so I enjoyed this beautifully produced story about a strong, smart ,young girl handling one challenge after another.  Dad

P.S. The previews were:

The Secret Life of Pets
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
Pete's Dragon
Sing
The Space Between Us
The BFG

Captain America - Civil War

Jean , This is about the most thinking man's or woman's super hero movie I have seen. It has a coherent story line. It also has many characters who are introduced along the way, but all are easily tracked with no confusion. You are not over whelmed with the visual effects and it uses them where necessary. For example: the helicopter takeoff scene is done so well you will find yourself twisting in your seat to give some help to the actors. Also the quiet scenes are so well done. For example: the scene between Robert Downey Jr. and the new, young version of Spiderman revolving around convincing him to aid in the current emergency. Just listen to the fast dialogue between the two. A very, very  entertaining movie that never stops moving. Dad

The previews were:

Dr. Strange
X-Men: Apocalypse
The Legend of Tarzan
Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles: Out of the Shadows
Rogue One