Movie Monday - 11/2/2015

Yes, I realize it's Tuesday, but I've got a backlog of movies to discuss. If I don't do it now, next Monday may come and I may not be able to do a post for whatever reason...because that has been the pattern lately.

Carey Mulligan and Michael Sheen star in Far From the Madding Crowd. It is an adaptation of the novel by the same name by Thomas Harding. I have never read the book; so, I cannot comment on the strength of the adaptation, but I thought the story was wonderful. The scenery was beautiful and the acting was very good. I loved this movie.

The Water Diviner is set just after WWI in Australia and Turkey. Russell Crowe stars as Joshua, an Australian farmer and water diviner. His three sons fought the Turks in the Battle of Gallipoli four years prior and, having never returned home, they are presumed dead. When his wife commits suicide because her grief has completely overcome her, he vows to go to Turkey to find the his boys' bodies and to bring them back to bury them with their 
mother. It was a great story with good acting. I really liked it.

I finally was able to watch Her. Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore, a guy who pens love letters for a living, but who is unlucky in love personally. He purchases an OS with artificial intelligence (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), designed to grow and evolve in order to better help its owner. She names herself Samantha and she is very helpful. Soon, the two have a very close relationship. Amy Adams, Rooney Mara and Olivia Wilde also star. After all the hype, I thought it was just alright.

Last awards season, there was some controversy about Jennifer Anniston being passed over for an Oscar nomination for Cake. She plays a woman who had been injured in a terrible car accident and who is living with chronic pain. As can happen in these situations, she is addicted to medications and is a bit of a drug seeker. She's also pretty cranky, but I'll give her that because...chronic pain. After seeing the movie, although Anniston delivered a decent performance, I personally didn't feel it was one of her best. It was alright.

Le Divorce is an older film starring Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts. Hudson plays a single girl who goes to Paris to visit her pregnant sister (Watts) who is going through a divorce. Without giving anything away, I really liked this film. Maybe, I was in the mood for this soapy, convoluted plot, but I was highly entertained. 

That's it for this week...

MK out.