Year: 2016

A review of “A Will for the Woods,” another look at “The Way, Way Back” and a radio schedule change are all featured in the latest Movies with Meaning post on The Good Radio Network blog page, available by clicking here. Terminally ill lymphoma patient Dr. Clark Wang (left) and life partner Jane Ezzard (right) inspect the site of his eventual green burial in “A Will for the Woods.” Fourteen-year-old Duncan (Liam James) dreads his upcoming summer vacation in the hilarious coming of age comedy, “The Way, Way Back.” Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures ...

“I Smile Back” (2015). Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Skylar Gaertner, Shayne Coleman, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Sean Reda, Terry Kinney, Oona Laurence, Chris Sarandon. Director: Adam Salky. Screenplay: Paige Dylan and Amy Koppelman. Web site. Trailer. Having it all should be enough for happiness and contentment, right? But what if it’s not? What if it masks an underlying emptiness driven by inexplicable feelings of unrelenting sadness, past regrets and compulsive behaviors aimed at paving over that pain? That’s the struggle faced by an upscale housewife whose life is slipping away from her in the gripping drama, “I Smile Back,” now available on DVD and video on demand. Laney Brooks (Sarah Silverman), a married mother of two, would appear to live a charmed life. Her wealthy husband, Bruce (Josh Charles), provides well for his family, and her kids (Skylar Gaertner, Shayne Coleman) are an absolute joy. So why is mom so unhappy? That’s what she needs to find out. In getting there, though, Laney routinely binges on alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit substances and unabashedly has affairs with other men, including one of her husband’s best friends (Thomas Sadoski). She also abandons the medications designed to treat her bipolar disorder, ...

“Demolition” (2016). Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis, Polly Draper, Heather Lind, C.J. Wilson, Malachy Cleary, Debra Monk, Blaire Brooks, Ben Cole, Brendan Dooley, Tom Kemp, Alfredo Narciso. Director: Jean-Marc Vallée. Screenplay: Bryan Sipe. Web site. Trailer. What does it mean to have one of the most significant foundations of your life kicked out from underneath you? What’s worse, what does it mean if you don’t seem to care? That’s the challenge put to the surviving spouse of a tragic event as he seeks to put his life back together – by tearing down his old existence to build anew – as detailed in the new independent drama, “Demolition.” When successful, button-down investment banker Davis Mitchell (Jake Gyllenhaal) loses his wife, Julia (Heather Lind), in a car accident, he tries to grieve but, inexplicably, he can’t. Even with the passage of time, the shock never seems to set in, leaving family, friends and colleagues somewhat perplexed. Why won’t he let out his feelings? Shortly after Julia’s funeral, while in seclusion, Davis remembers an incident that took place not long after her passing. He recalls being in a hospital waiting room adjacent to the trauma center where she ...

Reviews of “Demolition,” “I Smile Back” and “The Dark Horse” are all available in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the Blog Page of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here. Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures. Photo courtesy of Broad Green Pictures. Photo by Kristy Griffin, courtesy of Broad Green Pictures ...

Thank goodness AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron has come to his senses, announcing that the theater chain will not allow texting in its theaters, This is a victory for moviegoers everywhere, not to mention plain old common sense. Read more by clicking here ...

I rarely engage in rants on this page, but, on this issue, I’m willing to make an exception. So here goes. AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron has proposed relaxing his theaters’ restrictions on texting and cell phone use. His reason is that the current restrictions are off-putting to younger viewers, who seem to have trouble making it through watching a movie without having to tinker with their electronic devices. (Read more by clicking here.) So what do I think? Grow the hell up, people. At the risk of sounding like an intolerant old fart, this is nothing but blatant pandering and enabling to an already-spoiled generation with an unbridled sense of entitlement. If people (particularly younger viewers) can’t sit long enough to get through a movie without having to play with their cell phones, then they should just stay home and watch movies there. Please don’t bother those of us who take our moviegoing experiences seriously with your annoying lack-of-attention-span habits. I sincerely hope AMC gives serious consideration to public opposition to this proposal. If you feel as I do, please let the theater chain know how you feel and keep this ridiculous idea from taking root ...