PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES 3D

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES 3D: The fifth and perhaps final installment in this franchise, (although there is a hint of another, if you stay through the credits) finds our "hero" in hot water once again (although the water is decidedly cold and salty).   Johnny Depp continues to amaze and amuse in this outing as Captain Jack Sparrow, this time pitted against the ghost of an old nemesis, the evil Captain Salazar played with relish and gusto by the wonderful Javier Bardem.  And of course, Geoffrey Rush is along for the ride, still being cantankerous.  That being said, the film has none of the brio of some previous installments although it tries not to sink.  Along the way there are a couple of brilliant bits...(a rotating guillotine is fun) and there is a subplot about the son of the Orland Bloom character from the first film, trying to remove the curse on his father that has doomed him to the "flying Dutchman."  If all of this seems rather convoluted, it is and it is rather long as well. Fans will love it but at times, it seemed that Mr. Depp was relying too much on earlier sthitck.  I will give you one spoiler alert......Paul McCartney makes a brief appearance as Uncle Jack.  (I tell you this because I think it's more fun to know it is him than to see his name go by in the crawl at the end.)   I chose the 3D format to enhance the ride...and I must say good old CGI didn't let me down.... I fact, some  of the film would be banal were it not for that extra dimension.  So see it, if you wish....but the first one is still the best!  Rent it instead.

SNATCHED

SNATCHED:  Touted as a film for the Mother's Day weekend, this bit of froth stars Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn as mother and daughter.  When she is dumped by her boyfriend on the eve of their planned vacation, Emily (Schumer) persuades her mother Linda (Hawn) to accompany her on a South American jaunt.  The two, being polar opposites, soon find themselves at odds and knee-deep in adventure.  Yes, kidnapping is involved (thus, the title.) In lesser roles, but memorable, we have the wonderful Wanda Sykes, along with Joan Cusack (with not a word spoken) and Christopher Meloni both filling their own funny shoes.  While the dialog is crude at times and may offend some, you will still laugh. There is also a bit of comic bloodshed.  I did think it tried a little too hard to pull at your heart strings toward the end.....but hey, it's meant for Mother's day.  So there had to be a happy ending.

THE DINNER

THE DINNER:  Billed as a psychological drama, it is certainly that and then some.  Richard Gere plays Stan Lohman, a popular congressman running for governor.  He and his wife Katelyn (Rebecca Hall) invite his estranged younger brother, Paul (Steve Coogan) and his wife Claire (Laura Linney) to join them for dinner at a fashionable restaurant and so the stage is set for a tense evening.  While the two brothers are virtually strangers to each other, their 16 year old sons are friends and throughout the evening (in a series of flashbacks) we learn that the teens have committed a horrible crime, a crime only known to some of the parents.  While this film is a bit hard to follow at times (as well as hard to take), it is worth the visit only for the master class in acting given by this cast.  This may not suit every taste in cinema, but I found it fascination although I will say, I though the ending was rather abrupt and equally unsatisfying.  Still, all in all, I'm glad I saw it (the food served at this dinner is beautiful to behold) and the film offers a king-size portion of food for thought .