Tag: Jane Fonda

RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN – Review

Things have certainly gotten interesting recently with the Summer box office. Usually, we’d be talking about the records being broken by the superhero franchises or the big action-adventure “tentpoles”. Then a big switch happened last weekend when the first two spots in the weekly BO “Top Tens” were animated features. Studio wisdom was the notion that animated flicks would “cancel each other out” hurting the ticket sales on both. Nope, not this time, though the rapid downhill trajectory of a certain scarlet speedster aided their performance. Could this brand-new animated feature snag a spot in the top five with the other two holdovers? Mind you, that globetrotting archeologist will crack his bullwhip into the upper slots on the roster. However, families may want to return to the sea after that recent Disney live-action remake and dive into the adventures of another mythical nautical being, RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN.

Wait a sec, isn’t the Kraken a monstrous destructive demon from the ocean’s depths, from CLASH OF THE TITANS, as in “Release the…”? Well, the savvy narrator at the start of this story sets us straight. It seems that the Krakens are really the protectors of the sea, battling other “beasties’ including those savage mermaids (so they’re “baddies”). Plus it turns out that a family of Krakens lives on the land in the port city of Oceanside as the Gillmans (figures). They can “pass” as long as they stay out of the water, and cover their gills with high collars and turtleneck sweaters. The title character, Ruby (voice of Lana Condor) is a high schooler sharing a home with her bratty kid brother Sam (Blue Chapman), crafting wizard and shop owner dad Arthur (Coleman Domingo), and successful real estate agent mom Agatha (Toni Colette). Ruby really wants to go to the upcoming prom with her crush Connor, but Agatha nixes the notion since the dance is on the deck of a big tourist touring ship. But then Ruby’s rebellious pals decide to attend the party “ironically”, so Ruby sets her sights on her dream guy. Oh, but she botches the “prom-posal” and knocks Connor into the “drink”. Ruby saves him, but the seawater transforms her into a multi-tentacled, Godzilla-sized monster. After she dries off and shrinks back to normal (away from the hundreds of digital devices that captured her “rampage”), Ruby confides to her visiting Uncle Brill (Sam Richardson). To answer her questions he guides her deep beneath the surface to get the answers from his mother and her “Grandmamah” (Jane Fonda), the Kraken Quenn. It seems that Agatha gave up her title to live on the land. Ruby returns home hoping to confront her mother. But a new girl shows up at school to complicate things. Perhaps Chelsea (Annie Murphy) has a similar secret. Could she derail Rby’s big night with Connor? More importantly, will Ruby embrace her royal nautical heritage before she’s “discovered”?

The diverse vocal cast, composed of big-screen newcomers and veterans, enhance this whimsical tale. Connor is quite impressive as the teen hero, full of emotion with her pals and in her budding romance, while also showing us her anger over the family history denied to her. Collette as her mum Agatha revels in her hectic balance of sales and family dynamics, loving her new “land” life, but finally realizing that she must embrace her “warrior princess” past. A big part of the latter is Grandmamah, who is given a feisty and haughty tone by Fonda, is thrilled by her newly discovered grandkids, and revels in a bit of mischief with Ruby. Richardson brings an endearing goofball charm to the flaky and fun Uncle Brill. Another comedy pro, Will Forte, is aboard as an old local “salt” who seems to be somewhat related to the Simpsons’ sea captain (“Argh, matey”) and the talking “seadog” picture in the attic of Seth Myers during his “late night lockdown” a couple of years ago. However, Gordon (as in Gordon Lighthouse…clever) has an over-caffeinated mania to his guttural rants.

As with many animated features, this is overseen by a directing “tag team” duo, Kirk Demicco and Faryn Pearl. They’ve created a dazzling colorful world on land and underwater, offsetting soft pastels with bouncy bursts of near-fluorescent hues of violet and deep blue. The Gillman family has a “loosey-gooey” way of movement, a rubbery lurch as though their inner frames were a variation of a classic toy of my youth, the Slinky (“fun for a girl and a boy”), so I’m officially ancient. As with other recent CG flicks (LUCA for one), the artists have done variations of anime facial designs and expressions, which work well to convey the ultra-dramatic teenagers. Unfortunately, the script loses focus around the midpoint to set up a big fantasy action-packed showdown finale. Plus it explores many of the themes of maturity (really puberty) that were better discussed in Pixar’s TURNING RED a few years ago (from giant red panda to towering tentacled “beastie”). And much like the overrated THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, too many slapstick sequences are slowed down (like “bullet-time” in THE MATRIX) in order for the characters to “get in your face” with distorted bits of “mugging”. The preteen set may find this engaging, but after the marvels of the Spider-Verse, animation aficionados may be “treading water’ in the familiar “depths’ and “shallow” interludes at the “surface” of RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN. “Glub, glub”.


2 Out of 4


RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN is now playing in theatres everywhere

BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER – Review

So this Summer movie season is fully upon us as we get yet another example of a staple of the warmer months, mainly the other “s” word, the sequel. Sure we expect it with the big “franchise” flicks like last weekend’s MCU blockbuster. However, this one expands on a rather modest “niche” comedy that found a very receptive audience five years ago. They are probably eager to revisit their old friends, but the story needs a “hook” to increase that fan base (and to get them back into the multiplex, rather than wait for the streaming date). For this, the producers harkened back to sequel ideas of the past in which the familiar face would be in new locations (think GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN or TARZAN GOES TO INDIA). Hey, it works for the more recent series of THE TRIP flicks. And like that comic duo, this quartet is packing their bags in BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER.

After a brief “flash-forward” (just a hint of things to come), we’re in the US of A catching up with that “literary society”. And like many of us, they had to talk books online during the pandemic and struggle with “group chat” technology. And happily, they all survived that grim time. Vivian (Jane Fonda) is still heating things up with her old flame Arthur (Don Johnson). Diane (Diane Keaton) is happy in Scottsdale, AZ with airline pilot/beau Mitchell (Andy Garcia). Sharon (Candice Bergen) has pretty much retired from the bench, only donning her robes to officiate weddings before she’s back home surfing online dating sites and tending to her cat Ginsberger. The biggest changes have happened to Carol (Mary Steenburgen), whose restaurant did not survive the “lockdown”. But that gave her more time to tend to her now-retired hubby Bruce (Craig T. Nelson), who just had heart surgery. Finally, it’s time to meet in the flesh. After the hugs and before the wine, Vivian stuns them with her engagement ring. During the “big buzz”, Carol pulls out an old diary and reminds them of the “girls’ trip” that never was. Well, since the travel bans are lifted, why not take a big pre-wedding trek to Italy? When things begin to “line up”, the quartet boards a jet for Europe. They have a blast, sampling the cuisine, shopping, and meeting new friends (naturally Sharon “hooks up’ with a silver fox) and encountering old pals (Carol reconnects with her cooking school heartthrob), and getting into wacky and often naughty adventures. But nothing in their side trips to Rome and Venice can match the big stunner that awaits them in their final destination, Tuscany. This makes for a most unforgettable getaway for them all.

Though it may sound a bit cliched, it feels as though only a few months have passed since the first story that united these terrific veteran screen (small and big) actresses. Perhaps the busiest of the four, at least this year as it’s her third release, is Fonda who shows us more of Vivian’s (I prefer her nickname “Slim”) vulnerable, even girlish side. Then she was the brusk “go-go” businesswoman with no time for romance. Now she’s taking the time to enjoy a relationship beyond her “gal-pals”. Still, Fonda’s best in those “no-filter” moments as she revels in shocking and surprising folks with her candid commentary. Keaton as Diane is also “letting her hair down’ as she doesn’t have to deal with her “hovering” daughters this time and becomes the sometimes frazzled (those computer “filters”) voice of sanity for the group. And without her irksome ex to annoy her this time, Bergen’s Candice really becomes the most daring of them, “putting herself out there” in this “unknown territory” (the locale and her retired lifestyle). Stenburgen’s Carol almost bubbles over with the joy of discovery even as she tries to keep a long-distance “spy-eye” on her recovering longtime mate. Oh, and the fellas from the last outing are just as charming as they “hold down the homefront”. Johnson is the wistfully romantic and suave Arthur, while Garcia pours on the charisma as the grizzled laid-back and ever-supportive Mitchell. And Nelson is not the butt of the jokes this time, as he has an easier time moving past his health scare than his missus. Oh, and there are a couple of international “prospects’ for the judge in Hugh Quarshie as the dapper, sophisticated Ousmane and Giancarlo Giannini as the flustered “policia” captain who butts heads with Sharon while still hoping that she’ll save him a dance sometime.


Yes, the location photography is stunning making for a great travelogue (matched with peppy local variations of beloved pop tunes), but it’s the chemistry of the quartet that keeps us chugging through the familiar foreign missteps and zany bits of miscommunication and occasional slapstick. Bill Holderman returns as the director and co-screenwriter with Erin Simms, this time cutting back on the stunned reaction shots of bystanders reacting to the main characters’ intimate outbursts (luckily) and focusing more on their warm friendship since they’re away from their usual “turf” and male partners. Sure, it often feels like two or three sitcom half-hours stitched together (and you may think of the dynamic of TV’s “GG”), but these seasoned “pros” can sell just about anything, even the ludicrous reunion “climax’ of Carol and her college “crush”. This especially goes for the big final moments, which you can see coming over the rolling hills of Rome. My biggest problem with this bit of fluff was the often harsh makeup work. I know these aren’t “spring chickens” but the overuse of cheek rouge was distractingly harsh (and there was a touch of “soft focus” used on some of the leads, but it didn’t veer into “Lucy as MAME” extremes). There are a few “cringy” moments, but there are worse ways to top off a Mother’s Day brunch (or a pre-dinner) than a trek to check in with the women of the BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER.

2 Out of 4

BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, May 12, 2023

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER

The highly anticipated sequel follows our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.

Directed by Bill Holderman, Focus Features will release BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER Nationwide In-Theaters on Friday, May 12th.

Tickets are now on sale for #BookClub: The Next Chapter, starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen! 

bookclubthenextchapter.com

The St. Louis advance screening is on Thursday, April 27, 7pm at the Hi Pointe. Winners chosen/notified on Tuesday, April 25th.

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed. Rated PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive material. 

Enter at the link below.

http://focusfeaturesscreenings.com/main/sweepstakes/kdCEP38586

(l-r) Diane Keaton stars as Diane, Jane Fonda as Vivian, Candice Bergen as Sharon and Mary Steenburgen as Carol in BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER, a Focus Features release. Credit: Riccardo Ghilardi / © 2023 FIFTH SEASON, LLC

80 FOR BRADY – Review

Rita Moreno plays Maura, Jane Fonda plays Trish, Sally Field plays Betty, and Lily Tomlin plays Lou in 80 For Brady from Paramount Pictures.

You might expect a Superbowl movie to be about a dad and his son who loves football, but 80 FOR BRADY is something else – a comedy starring some great iconic actresses – Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno, Sally Field, and Jane Fonda – about four best friends in their 80s and 70s who love football, and particularly Tom Brady, and dream of going to the Super Bowl. Brady, now the oldest pro quarterback ever in the NFL, serves a a producer but the real thrill is that cast of those other seasoned pros.

Inspired by a true story, 80 FOR BRADY was written by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern (BOOKSMART) and is directed by Kyle Marvin. The stars play four these long-time best friends who first bonded as fans of Tom Brady, back in his early days. Now, prompted by a radio contest for tickets, they are determined to go to the 2017 Super Bowl to see their hero play for the New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons. Lou (Lily Tomlin), a cancer survivor, sparks the idea for this trip of a lifetime, and hatches the plan to win the radio contest for tickets. Math professor Betty (Sally Field) calculates the steep odds against them, but they are all game to try for one last grand adventure. Both Maura (Rita Moreno) and Trish (Jane Fonda) are quickly on-board. Maura is a sharp-witted widow who is still grieving and living at the assisted living facility her late husband needed, even though she clearly does not belong there. Jane Fonda’s Trish is a former local TV spokes-model turned romance writer (whose novels revolve around another NFL player Rob Gronkowski), who has an amazing collection of wigs and a penchant for falling in love too quickly. With plucky determination and some amazing luck, these pals dance around obstacles in their way, tossing off quips and one-liners in their bedazzled jerseys, and charming the heck out of us.

These iconic pros are awfully cute and funny in this light bit of sports comedy. Sometimes these all-star casts don’t work but this one sure does, as they have great chemistry together and the skill to spin familiar stuff into laughs and bits of warm moments.

Actually, this marvelous cast is the best thing about this light sports-themed diversion. They squeeze every bit of entertainment out of this buddy-movie iteration. We’ve seen several movies about aging male friends in this kind of adventure, so it is nice to finally give the women their chance. You don’t need to be a football fan to enjoy this comic treat – a cinematic chips and chicken wings snack.

These seasoned pros are effortless in entertaining us with this thin material, as they dodge their way past problems, win a hot wings contest, dominate a poker game, crash an A-list party and get loopy after accidentally ingesting drugs (a sequence that includes a room full of Guy Fieri copies). Tom Brady appears periodically, like an inspirational figure who gives encouragement to Lou in little fantasy moments anytime she sees his image on a poster or a big screen.

While there is a buddy-movie road trip theme, these gals in their 70s and 80s aren’t dumb – no cross-country trek in a questionable vehicle for them. They fly to their destination. Of course, getting out of town itself presents its problems, includes evading an assisted living carer who doesn’t want to interrupt a nap and too much luggage. The adventures grow, in the pre-game hoopla and the game itself. But the first adventure is getting those Superbowl tickets to begin with.

Nothing very unexpected happens and there are plenty of familiar set pieces and some corny jokes (and a few stereotypical ones) but these skilled pros skate past all that, to milk every drop of comedy out of the material. There are mix-ups and mess-ups, and the friends get separated, which allows the stars to be featured in their own comic adventure before coming back together. Each character has her own issues and each star gets her featured moments in between the ensemble scenes. You may find yourself smiling in spite of it all, putty in the hands of Tomlin, Fields, Morano and Fonda.

Besides Tom Brady, there are other celebrity appearances (including a particularly delightful cameo by Patton Oswalt). Sara Gilbert appears as Tomlin’s daughter, calling her from home about her health, and Bob Balaban plays Betty’s befuddled professor husband who depends on her for everything. Guy Fieri hosts the hot wings eating contest and more, and Billy Porter is half-time choreographer Gugu who recruits the gals for a little dancing. Harry Hamlin has a featured part as a retired NFL pro who takes to Fonda’s Trish.

Sure, 80 FOR BRADY is silly and predictable but it is surprisingly charming, due to its delightful cast. Just watching these icons work is a joy, in a story that also has a little anti-ageist, woman-power flare.

80 FOR BRADY opens Friday, Feb, 3, at Plaza Frontenac and other theaters.

RATING: 1.5 out of 4 stars

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of 80 FOR BRADY

Inspired by the true story of four best friends living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play.

Starring Academy Award® nominee Lily Tomlin, Academy Award® winner Jane Fonda, Academy Award® winner Rita Moreno and Academy Award® winner Sally Field, with 7-time Super Bowl Champion and producer Tom Brady, 80 FOR BRADY is in-theatres February 3, 2023.

Advance Screening is Wed, February 1st 7pm @ Marcus Des Peres 14 Cine.

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.

Enter at the link below.

SWEEPSTAKES LINK:  https://gofobo.com/MMebI28657

https://www.80forbrady.com/home/

Tom Brady on the set of 80 For Brady from Paramount Pictures.
Billy Porter plays Gugu, Rita Moreno plays Maura, Jane Fonda plays Trish and Lily Tomlin plays Lou in 80 For Brady from Paramount Pictures.

LUCK – Review

Okay parents, the countdown to the return of the school year is close to single-digit days. Really, hard to believe, eh? Well before you start stockpiling blender ingredients for a celebratory beverage, you’ve still got to keep them entertained in the hazy last couple of Summer weekends (naturally the temps are still soaring almost everywhere). So, that may warrant a multiplex trek for some matinee fare for them. If they’re leaning toward the animated features, then it’s almost certain they’ve caught up with the Minions (maybe more than once). And if the kiddos are very “pre-K” the PG-rated superhero slapstick of DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS may be a tad overwhelming. Ah, but there is a PG alternative (very rare) opening this weekend. It’s the feature animated debut of a new “player” in the field, though a few familiar faces are behind the scenes. Like the film’s heroine, these “newbies” are hoping for a big “heapin’ helpin'” of good, good LUCK.


Now that heroine is an energetic eighteen-year-old woman named Sam Greenfield (voice of Eva Noblezada), who we first see helping her eight-year-old BFF Hazel make an online music video to the early Madonna tune “Lucky Star”. The two live in a group foster home and Sam is hoping the project will take her pal’s mind off of her upcoming “weekend visit” with some possible parents. Sam’s been through it many times before, with lots of letdowns, and now she’s aged out. The house’s supervisor takes her to her new apartment in the city, just blocks from her new job at a “plants and crafts” retail store. Believing to be “cursed” with bad luck, Sam almost misses her first “work day” due to multiple calamities (“alarm failure”, “locked in the bathroom”. “drops toast which lands jam side-down”, etc.). Happily her affable boss Marv (Lil Rel Howery) “cuts her some slack”. That night Sam can’t get a table at the neighborhood eatery, so she shares a sandwich with a friendly black cat at the curb. The kitty dashes, leaving behind a sparkly penny. Sam keeps it, intending to give it to Hazel for her art project. The next morning things go extremely well, making Sam think that the coin has reversed her luck. And then she drops it “you know where” in the store restroom. That night Sam returns to the diner hoping to see the cat once more. When he strolls over she tells him what happened. And he talks back! Bob (Simon Pegg) leads her on a merry chase, ending in an alley where he drops down into a magical glowing portal. Sam follows and soon finds herself in the “Land of Luck” where she and Bob begin a hectic quest to retrieve that “lucky penny” and restore the balance of luck in that dimension and in Sam’s world.

Oh, the new studio I mentioned earlier? It’s Skydance Animation a branch of Skydance Media working out of Madrid (formerly Llion Studios). And the familiar name behind the film is none other than John Lassiter. The marketers are hyping the flick as being from the “minds behind TOY STORY”, but not mentioning that he was booted out of Disney Pixar during the MeToo movement. And this irked lots of SA staffers. But how’s the flick itself? Well, he couldn’t have picked a more mediocre first effort there. Perhaps it earned the “G” rating due to its complete lack of “bite”, really it’s toothless and so bland. Eh, aside from some truly unneeded scatology in which we learn that “Bad Luck Land” has a whole subdivision dedicated to canine excrement. Plus we get a long “hold shot” of a drone just grabbed from a sewage treatment plant, looking as though it’s been dipped in Chocolate (oh that it was). And just somehow the main “hero’s objective” is more convoluted than the last two MISSION IMPOSSIBLE flicks (also from Skydance BTW). Oh, the visual look conforms to the generic script, with human characters whose eyes take up two-thirds of their heads leaving them with teeny mouths barely readable. The giant dragon (voiced by Jane Fonda making her animation debut) has an interesting “molded plastic” vinyl toy feel (ready for the merch). However, Bob the Cat is “meh”, along with his voice as Pegg gives out his Scottish brogue from the Trek reboots and makes us think of Shrek. But that’s not the end of the “homages” (more like lifts) as Jeff the Unicorn (voiced by Flula Borg) seems to somehow be a close relation to the bouncing Germanic pig from the SING series (and what’s with the bushy “trash-stash”). The closest the tale has to a “baddie” is Whoopi Goldberg’s “The Captain” who comes off as a mildly annoyed librarian. Here’s a heads up for the talented Mr. Howery: perhaps steer clear of smiling guys wearing name tags as you’re recalling your FREE GUY role. If the film looked interesting it might make the endless 105 minutes seem less of an unending slog as it mercilessly spins its wheels (they’ve got to get another “device”…c’mon). The very smallest viewers may be entranced for a bit by the colors and the animals, but the best bet for adults might be streaming so they can drop “in and out’ of this listless drek. Otherwise, they’ll feel as though they’ve completely run outta’ LUCK.

1/2 Out of 4

LUCK opens in select theatres and streams exclusively on Apple TV+ beginning on Friday, August 5, 2022

Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen Coming Back For BOOK CLUB 2 – THE NEXT CHAPTER, Opening Mother’s Day Weekend, May 12, 2023

(l-r) Diane Keaton stars as Diane, Jane Fonda as Vivian, Candice Bergen as Sharon and Mary Steenburgen as Carol in BOOK CLUB 2, a Focus Features release. Credit: Riccardo Ghilardi / © Endeavor Content

Focus Features’ BOOK CLUB 2 – THE NEXT CHAPTER, a sequel to the wildly successful and beloved 2018 comedy BOOK CLUB, is set for a wide release on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2023. Focus Features will distribute the film in the U.S. Universal Pictures International will distribute internationally. Endeavor Content financed and produced the film.

The film is written by Bill Holderman and Erin Simms, with Holderman returning as Director. The duo will also serve as producers. Executive Producers are Brad Weston, Trish Hofmann, Enzo Sisti and Andrew Duncan.

The highly anticipated sequel, starring returning icons Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen alongside Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, and Craig T. Nelson, Giancarlo Giannini, Hugh Quarshie and Vincent Riotta, follows our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.

The sequels’ predecessor, BOOK CLUB, earned an impressive $68 million domestically from a $13.5 million opening weekend and $104 million worldwide.

See Where Good Luck Is Born In The Trailer For The Animated Film LUCK – Debuts On Apple TV+ August 5

From Apple Original Films comes the story of Sam Greenfield, the unluckiest person in the world, who when she stumbles into the never-before-seen Land of Luck, sets out on a quest to bring some good luck home for her best friend. But with humans not allowed, her only chance is teaming up with the magical creatures who live there to do it. LUCK is produced by Skydance Animation.

Apple Original Films’ “Luck” features the voice talents of stars Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Eva Noblezada, Simon Pegg, Flula Borg, Colin O’Donoghue, John Ratzenberger and Adelynn Spoon. The animated feature is directed by Peggy Holmes from a screenplay by Kiel Murray, with John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Eisenmann producing for Skydance Animation.

Luck is streaming August 5, exclusively on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_Luck

Jane Fonda and Rod Taylor in SUNDAY IN NEW YORK Available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive

Jane Fonda and Rod Taylor in SUNDAY IN NEW YORK is available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive. Ordering info can be found HERE

Before she became a great star and two-time Academy Award® winner*, Jane Fonda was a screen ingenue who sent a string of bubbly romantic comedies soaring, including this charmer from the prolific pen of Norman Krasna (Bachelor Mother, The Devil and Miss Jones). Fonda portrays a virginal miss blessed with long limbs and a knockout profile who runs from her fianc� (Robert Culp) to the swingin’ pad of her brother (Cliff Robertson) and then into the arms of a guy she meets on the Fifth Avenue bus (Rod Taylor) — all the while trying to decide if she’ll say “yes” before she says “I do.” Filmed on location, Sunday in New York is a fun, sophisticated romp set to a hip Peter Nero score that features Mel Torm� singing the title tune.

Swinging sixties morality meets classic Hollywood screwball in this sparkling film with a luminous cast. Eileen Taylor (Jane Fonda) visits her swinger airline pilot brother (Cliff Robertson) in NYC after getting dumped by her fiancé (Robert Culp) for her chaste ways. As she entertains second thoughts about her virginity while entertaining the attentions of a young man (Rod Taylor), her ex-fiancé arrives to create hilarious complications. The sights and sounds, colors and textures of early 1960s New York pop-off the screen thanks to this new high definition master that delivers such clarity, it’s like having a window into culture in transition. And keep an eye out for Jim Backus and musician Peter Nero, who appear in minor roles! Theatrical Trailer (HD) 16×9 Widescreen

SLIFF 2019 – THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY? Golden Anniversary Screening at The St. Louis Public Library November 17th

” I may not know a winner when I see one, but I sure as hell can spot a loser. “

THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’t THEY? will be screening at the St. Louis Public Library (1301 Olive Street St. Louis) on November 17th at 1:30pm as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’t THEY? is part of Cinema St. Louis’ Golden Anniversary of films made in 1969. This is a FREE event. With an intro and post-film discussion by We Are Movie Geeks’ own Tom Stockman. A Facebook invite can b found HERE

In Depression-era America, desperation spawned a bizarre fad: the dance marathon. Couples competed to stay on their feet for thousands of hours, and audiences flocked to watch. But Gloria (Jane Fonda, two-time Oscar winner for “Klute” and “Coming Home”) doesn’t think of herself as a spectacle. She is a fierce, unforgiving contestant in a battle she’s determined to win. At stake is much more than the $1,500 prize: The marathon is her only hope for dignity, accomplishment, and salvation. Based on a novel by hardboiled writer Horace McCoy, “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Gig Young, who plays the marathon’s emcee, and was nominated for eight additional Academy Awards, including Best Director (Sydney Pollack), Best Actress (Fonda), and Best Supporting Actress (Susannah York). The remarkable cast also includes Michael Sarrazin (as Gloria’s dance partner), Red Buttons, Bruce Dern, and Bonnie Bedelia.