Movies of a Petite Aspie

Millicent Simmons and John Krasinski Director: John Krasinski Screenwriters: Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for terror and some bloody images Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense Theatrical Release Date: April 6, 2018 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 95%   Clip: "Monopoly" A Quiet Place is unlike every horror movie you've ever seen or haven't seen because the trailer looked so God-awful.  I'll admit that I haven't always liked scary movies, and hated being forced to watch The Ring  with some high school friends.  But that was when I wouldn't even watch movies with lots of blood and such.  I've now grown into a person who's fully capable of watching all kinds of movies, no matter how grotesque or frightening.  But enough about me.  Quiet Place is something of a miracle, in that it accomplishes so much in the span on 90 m...

McKenna Grace and Chris Evans Director: Marc Webb Screenwriter: Tom Flynn Starring: Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Jenny Slate, Lindsay Duncan, Octavia Spencer MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language, and some suggestive material Genre: Drama Theatrical Release Date: April 7, 2017 On DVD/Streaming: July 25, 2017 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 73%   Clip: "Mary Solves the Math Problem" Gifted is practically manufacturing to make you weepy, to make you feel something deep.  And, for the most part, it succeeds.  From the opening scene, that displays the great chemistry between leads Chris Evans and McKenna Grace, you know what kind of movie this is going to be, and you're okay with that.  Or, at least, I was.   Smartly, the movie does not begin with unnecessary backstory/exposition or an awkward flashback.  Instead, it begins with the aforementioned scene with Evans' Frank, who is Mary's (Grace) uncle.  We don't yet ...

Elisabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner Director/Screenwriter: Taylor Sheridan Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elisabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Graham Greene, Kelsey Asbille MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong violence, a rape, disturbing images, and language Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense Theatrical Release Date: August 4, 2017 On DVD/Streaming: November 14, 2017 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 87%   Clip: "She Ran Further" Wind River is not an easy watch, to say the least.  But it's almost essential viewing; it shows us [the audience] a part of the country with which we may have previously been unfamiliar.  I, for one, knew little to nothing about Native American life in Wyoming.  The brisk, brutal, snowy landscape easily matches the tone of the story and the mystery at its center.  From the opening sequence, which shows a distraught young woman running barefoot on the cold snow, we have an idea as to where the story will take us.  And, for the m...

Nick Robinson and Katherine Langford Director: Greg Berlanti Screenwriters: Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker (based on the novel by Becky Albertalli) Starring: Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, sexual references, language, and teen partying Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance Theatrical Release Date: March 16, 2018 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 92%   Clip: "Why Is Straight the Default?" Love, Simon  is a coming-of-age rom-com tailor-made for 21st-century teenagers.  And it just so happens that it's the first one that features a gay lead.  Based on the best-selling YA adult by Becky Albertalli, Simon directed by Greg Berlanti, who spearheads CW shows such as Arrow and The Flash , and written by This Is Us  scribes Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker. Berlanti, Berger, and Aptaker bring numerous pop culture and political references, which certainly helps to a...

Storm Reid & Levi Miller Director: Ava DuVernay Screenwriter: Jennifer Lee (based on the novel by Madeline L'Engle) Starring: Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Chris Pine MPAA Rating: Rated PG for thematic elements and some peril Genres: Action & Adventure, Drama, Kids & Family, Science-Fiction & Fantasy Theatrical Release Date: March 9, 2018 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 42%   Clip: "This Is Wild" A Wrinkle in Time is disappointing in many ways yet I couldn't help but be entertained regardless.  Reese Witherspoon's Mrs. Whatsit says that she's "underwhelmed" with Storm Reid's Meg, and one could easily say the same about the film.  Madeline L'Engle's children's novel, on which the movie is based, is a difficult work to adapt for the big screen, although this is often the case with beloved classics such as this.  And, in the more-than-capable hands of Ava DuVernay ( Selma, 13t...

  Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth Director: Carlo Carlei Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Ed Westwick, Paul Giamatti, Skellan Skarsgaard Genre(s): Drama; Romance DVD Release Date: February 4, 2014 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 22% Romeo & Juliet is undoubtedly the most renowned and most tragic love story ever told, and one of the most famous of William Shakespeare's plays.  Julian Fellowes, best known for the Emmy-winning Downton Abbey, has scripted the latest version of the Bard's tragedy, helmed by Italian director Carlo Carlei.  Unlike Baz Luhrmann's Leonardo DiCaprio-starring 1996 version, this adaptation has a far more authentic setting -- it was filmed in Italy -- and authentic British accents -- although some are more authentic-sounding than others.   Fellowes has received harsh criticism for paring down Shakespeare's beautiful language, and in a sense "dumbing it down" for modern audiences.  While that was not ...

Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, and Chiwetel Ejiofor Director: Steve McQueen Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt Genre(s): Biography; Drama; History Release Date: November 8, 2013 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97% 12 Years a Slave is one of those rare movies that is magnificent yet not one that can be viewed multiple times; it is so masterfully executed, but equally terrifyingly difficult to watch.  It more than lives up to the hype, and is currently the top contender for Best Picture at the 2014 Oscars (airing March 2).  But, with its scenes of torture, rape, and the like, the film is not exactly cheerful; merely, it presents slavery as it happened, as realistically as can be done, without making it seem less severe or terrible than it was. 12 Years a Slave tells the true story of Solomon Northup, Chiwetel Ejiofor ( American Gangster ), a free man who had made a great life for himself and his children and...

Greta Gerwig & Mickey Sumner Director: Noah Baumbach Stars: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Grace Gummer Genre(s): Comedy; Drama DVD Release Date: N ovember 12 , 2013 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 93% Frances Ha is, to put it mildly, an unusual movie, that at first glance appears to be nothing special or glamorous.  It is special, in its own quirky way, but it isn't glamorous, and literally so, seeing as the film was shot in black-and-white (a rarity in cinema these days, aside from the Oscar-winning The Artist ).  Frances Ha stars indie darling Greta Gerwig ( Damsels in Distress ) -- who also co-wrote -- as mostly-likable 27-year-old Frances, who has been spending the majority of her time with her best friend, Sophie (Mickey Sumner).  Frances aspires to be a dancer, and is apprentice in a renowned company in New York, but can't quite seem to get her footing, metaphorically speaking.  Frances Ha is only 86 minutes long, but that is more...

Action/Adventure 1. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King 2. Star Wars, Episode V - the Empire Strikes Back 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowhsip of the Ring 5. Star Wars, Episode VI - Return of the Jedi 6. Raiders of the Lost Ark 7. Star Wars, Episode IV - A New Hope 8. Inception 9. Avatar 10. The Matrix Animated 1. Finding Nemo 2. Toy Story 3. WALL-E 4. The Lion King 5. Shrek 6. Beauty and the Beast 7. Toy Story 3 8. Lady and the Tramp 9. Bambi 10. The Incredibles Comedy 1. Father of the Bride 2. The Princess Bride 3. Shrek 4. Heaven Can Wait 5. The Breakfast Club 6. A Fish Called Wanda 7. Roman Holiday 8. The Incredibles 9. Some Like It Hot 10. The Graduate Drama 1. It's a Wonderful Life 2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 3. Titanic 4. To Kill a Mockingbird 5. American Beauty 6. Schindler's List 7. The NeverEnding Story 8. The Green Mile 9. The Lord of the Rings: The Tw...