POMS

POMS:  Nobody does comedy better than Diane Keaton and she is in top form as usual.  However, this film has an underlying sadness.  Leaving her New York apartment of many years, she calls her doctor and says she is not going through Chemo.  (And that's in the first few minutes)   Then she heads for Georgia and a retirement community and prepares to die.   But fate steps in thanks to her feisty neighbor (A splendid Jackie Weaver) who takes her in hand to show her retirement life.  Soon, they have bonded and decide to start a cheerleading club much to the chagrin of the community board.  Among their recruits are Rhea Perlman and Pam Grier adding fun and fire to the mix.   This film absolutely sparkles with warmth and wit and an ending that will touch your heart.   A  real feel-good movie of the highest order!

RED JOAN

RED JOAN: Inspired by the true story of the "Granny Spy," this slow moving but well paced film tells of an elderly woman (the remarkable Judi Dench) who is arrested for giving secrets to the KGB during WWII enabling them to have nuclear capability.  As the story unfolds in flashback to her years at Cambridge in the 1930's with Sophie Cookson as the young Joan, we learn what drove and molded her commitment.   A fascinating film that is more of an anti-war piece than a spy thriller, it held my interest with fine performance throughout.  Trevor Nunn directed this food for thought cinematic foray that some will find boring, I'm sure.  I, for one, was enthralled.

LONG SHOT

LONG SHOT:  Charlize Theron and Seth Rogan are the unlikely couple in this adult  comedy that takes a few hits at politics and the Media (a Fox stand-in) along the way.  She is about to run for President and he is hired to "punch up" her speeches.  And I must say their chemistry on screen is flawless and soon the pair have found love and the rough road that can rise up before them.  I call this an adult comedy because of some rough language, drug usage, and even a bit of masterbation.  That being said, it's funny!  And the two stars shine in this raunchy romp.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

AVENGERS: ENDGAME:   Wrapping it all up with an all-star cast...…...Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Chris Evans (Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Paul Rudd (Ant-man), Tom Holland (Spiderman), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) and Evangeline Lilly (The Wasp.)   In case you think I jest about an all-star cast, also on board is Jeremy Renner, Rene Russo, Tilda Swenton, Natalie Portman, Marisa Tomei, Michelle Pfeiffer, William Hurt, Angela Basset, Michael Douglas, Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Redford.  Josh Brolin returns as the super-villain Thanos and a separate nod to Vin Deisel and Bradley Cooper for suppling the voices for two of the CGI creatures, Groot and Rocket, respectively.  Now, for the plot...……well, it's simply too complicated to explain but, suffice it to say, it's a thrill ride with some wonderful emotional scenes along the way as well as needed laughs..  But be forewarned, the running time is 3 hours.  While I have not seen every film in this franchise, this one sort of ties it all up neatly and even has a lovely twist at the end after the final battle.   And stay through the credits to catch the names of everyone you didn't recognize in the various cameos.   Great fun!

PENGUINS

PENGUINS:  A documentary from the folks at Disneynature, this enchanting film follows the coming-of-age story of an Adelie penguin named Steve as he and a million or so fellow males during the icy Antartic spring try to build a suitable nest, find a life partner and start a family.  And once that happens (we get to see the chicks hatching in close up) it is still not easy going with predators such as killer whales and Leopard seals interrupting the goings on.  The photography is remarkable in this film (during the closing credits, you get a peek at the workings of how it was done).  It is stark, breathtakingly beautiful (particularly some underwater footage) and a real wonder to behold.  If your love animals and/or documentaries of this type, you're in for a real treat!  And the narration by Ed Helms in which he voices the thoughts of Steve at times is funny, tender and perfect.

THE BEST OF ENEMIES

THE BEST OF ENEMIES:  The unlikely, but true story, of a black civil rights activist Ann Atwater  (Taraji P. Henson) and her meeting with a Ku Klux Klan president for the local chapter in Durham, North Carolina. The Klansman, C.P. Ellis is portrayed by Sam Rockwell who is fast becoming one of my favorite actors (Oscar for "Three Billboards..." and a splendid George W. Bush in "Vice").  When the two are thrown together to co-chair a community summit on desegregation of schools, they are as far apart as two sides can be, but through the course of the film, they come to know each other and even gain respect fore each other.    Although the film is a little long and a bit predictable,  the ending is a gem and worth seeing.

SHAZAM

SHAZAM: While we may be oversaturated with superheroes in the movies these day, this one is actually worth seeing.  It's sort of a take on "Big," the Tom Hanks movie, but with the boy becoming a superhero every time he utters the word "Shazam."  Asher Angel portrays Billy Batson, the young man who morphs into Captain Marvel (Zachery Levi).  (Note: this is the original DC comic book take on the character before the latest female Captain Marvel appeared on the cinema scene.) With something for everyone, a wonderful villain played by Mark Strong, some nice CGI effects and an abundance of laughs, this is a family film of the highest order.  While it takes a while for the humor to kick in (Remember our superhero is still a 14-year old trapped in a man's body) and the whole thing runs a bit too long, it was still a fun excursion into the DC realm of fantasy. And you won't believe the names they come up with before they hit on Captain Marvel.