“Serenity”
A mystery thriller starring 2 Oscar winners: Matthew McConaughey and a very blond Anne Hathaway. He’s a charter fishing boat captain on an island somewhere with and under-used Diane Lane as his sometime lover. Hathaway plays his ex-wife, who suddenly shows up demanding his help killing her abusive but very rich husband, played by Jason Clarke. It sounds trite and it kinda is…with a very hammy Anne Hathaway. But it all leads to a mega twist in the end that’s much better than M. Night Shyamalan’s obligatory twist in his new one, “Glass.” “Serenity” is sexy and a little campy. I actually found it immensely entertaining, though most critics are throwing shade on it. I say it’s a worthy diversion.
2 ½ ♥
“The Kid Who Would Be King”
Starring Andy Serkis’s kid, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, who also starred in “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and his dad’s recent take on the “Jungle Book” story “Mowgli: Legend of The Jungle.” I didn’t see it, but it’s described as a YA version of King Arthur. He stumbles on the mythical sword in stone and then teams with a wizard (played by the legendary Patrick Stewart) to take on a wicked enchantress. Rotten Tomatoes gives it an 85%.
Going wide: “Stan & Ollie”
Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as one of the greatest comedy teams of all time, Laurel & Hardy. The story catches up with them at the tail end of their career, well past their prime, when they’re barely making a living. You see a true friendship and the trials and tribulations of a long working relationship. What makes this movie great are the performances. I was kinda surprised John C. Reilly didn’t get any love this awards season. You feel like you’re watching the real Laurel & Hardy. Some of their choreographed scenes are just spot on. I loved it. My interview with director Jon S. Baird is on my podcast, “Sonstein Sessions,” which you can hear by downloading the IHeart Radio app.
3 ½ ♥