Q-Tips Reviews

Old Man with a Gun – OLD MAN AND THE GUN is based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck), who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman (Sissy Spacek), who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.

Q-tips say: Liked it!! The Mr. thought it a little silly that an old guy was still going around robbing banks. Mrs. Q liked it.   The Old Man & the Gun is pure, easygoing entertainment for film fans. Thank goodness they did not show the two old people trying to have sex, do drugs, and believe it or not, no real violence.

Critics Consensus: A well-told story brought to life by a beautifully matched cast.

BOY ERASED – “Boy Erased” tells the story of Jared (Hedges), the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, who is outed to his parents (Kidman and Crowe) at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith. Boy Erased is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity.

Q-tips say: Liked it!  Mrs. Q says: Movies like this can easily offend people who don’t share similar beliefs with the core characters, so please take this review with a grain of salt if you happen to be one-sided about certain topics.  This may not be a perfect film, but it is probably one of the most important films you will see this year. Yes, it is about being “gay” and religion/family ties/& a young man finding himself and going on.

Not for little children.

Mary Poppins Returns – The film, which introduces three new Banks children, played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and newcomer Joel Dawson, also features Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury. The film is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in PL Travers’ additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Whishaw) and Jane (Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children and their housekeeper, Ellen (Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Streep).

Q-tips say:  Mrs. Q was not impressed. It seemed more like a redo than a sequel.  The Mr. wasn’t impressed either.  A  a lot of animation was added and some music/songs had a  tone of hip hop beat.  Don’t pay for it in the theaters, stream it if you must see it!  Mrs. Q says: However, there is no sex/killing/drugs, so maybe ok for kids to see. Mary Poppins should not have returned.

Green Book – When Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger-as well as unexpected humanity and humor-they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.

Q-tips say:  SEE IT – Liked it! see it before the “Oscars.”  Mrs. Q says: This movie warms the heart. Goes to show how life can change you when you spend time in someone other’s shoes.  A road trip movie that I found myself enjoying way more than I imagined, mostly because of how well the humor was and the chemistry between the two characters.  And beneath the surface of all that humor, lies a deeper message that deep and meaningful friendships that transcend race, social status and other man-made concepts can be formed.

 Beautiful Boy – streaming for one day only on streaming Amazon and then w/be released in movie theaters.

Steve Carell constantly looked from them to Nic, Nic to them; Nic was once that innocent child; will these innocent children become Nic? Wrenching worrying in every aspect for Carell’s character as well as Tierney’s. Then Nic’s mother has such a different perspective. Carell and Tierney have two other children to save from the wrenching experience, but all she has is Nic. Additionally, I love that the movie depicts Nic’s struggle with his addiction as not a result of PTSD or mental illness, which is so common and not to be dismissed, but anyone who has worked in the American criminal justice system or the American healthcare system knows that there are those out there on the fringe of mental illness, who crave adrenaline, excitement, more, who get bored so easily and crave a constant ramped-up experience, and drugs provide that. I understand that if that was the reality, that’s of course how you present it, but honestly, there are times when movies are made from fictional or nonfictional books which do not stay true to the reality.  People like Nic who have highly addictive personalities need a constructive outlet for their need for excitement and exhilaration, along with support, therapy and anti-anxiety and anti-depression medication.

Q-tips say:  Liked it!  Great movie.  Thank goodness we have not had to experience anything like this, as parents.  Mrs. Q says: Well done, writers, directors and producers, and most importantly, cast.   I will say that the movie does portray him quite healthy in spite of protracted meth abuse and that the movie doesn’t depict the true length of his addiction. It also leaves out  prostitution for drugs. In that regard it does leave the impression that it’s easier to get over drug addiction than it is. But this movie is still well worth the watch, if for no other reason, but to help parents get real when it comes to dealing with their kids.   I was not sure this movie would end the way it did.

Movies 2019

The Kominsky Method – a series  – The sun isn’t setting yet on the once famous Sandy Kominsky and his longtime agent Norman Newlander.  Michael Douglas (Kominsky) and Alan Arkin (Newlander) star as two friends tackling life’s inevitable curve balls as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty.

Q-tips say: Mr. Q said, “they are like me.”  Mrs. Q says:  It has some funny moments. It’s not that the pee talk isn’t entertaining. It’s that the series tends to mistake it for the kind of ongoing plotting and narrative fodder that can sustain eight episodes.