Money Monster
Sony Pictures / Smokehouse Pictures
Rated R for pervasive profanity, brief violence and some sexuality
Bilked Investor Blames Bombastic TV Host In High-Octane Hostage Thriller
Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell) was a working-class guy from Queens who never had enough cash in the bank to play the market until his mother died and left him $60,000. Against his better judgment, the rough-edged truck driver put every penny of that inheritance into Ibis Clear Capital, a security being promoted by TV money guru Lee Gates as “safer than a savings account.”
Gates is the glib host of Money Monster, an investment advice show on the mythical FNN Network. The clownish character played by George Clooney was obviously inspired by bombastic Jim Cramer of CNBC’s Mad Money.
Anyhow, in less than a month, Gates’ “stock pick of the millennium” goes bust, leaving Kyle frustrated, broke and at the end of his rope. Next thing you know, he shows up at the television station with a gun looking for answers.
He crashes the set of Money Monster during a live airing, and proceeds to place a vest filled with explosives on Lee. Producer Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts) gives in to Kyle’s demand that the show continue to broadcast.
Finger on the trigger, he proceeds to grill Lee about the stock collapse while ranting and raving about how “The system is rigged!” Kyle’s sure that Gates must have been aware that the stock was going to tank, and he demands that all of the Ibis shareholders be reimbursed their $800 million in losses.
Meanwhile, the police descend on the set, led by patient Captain Powell (Giancarlo Esposito) who summons a hostage negotiator. During the ensuing standoff, the truth about Ibis slowly emerges in front of millions of viewers, and the company’s CEO, Walt Camby (Dominic West), becomes implicated in a shady manipulation of his stock.
So unfolds Money Monster, a high-octane thriller directed by Jodie Foster. This movie is also a modern morality play which levels some serious accusations at Wall Street. Credit goes to George Clooney and Julia Roberts for committing fully to a production resting on a farfetched premise that could’ve very easily proved unconvincing in less talented hands.
A riveting thriller featuring classic screen chemistry coming courtesy of bankable Clooney and Roberts!
Excellent (4 stars)
Running time: 98 minutes
Queen Mimi
XLrator Media
Unrated
Biopic Chronicles Hardy 88-Year-Old’s Path From Homelessness To Hollywood
Marie “Mimi” Haist began living in her car when she was in her 50s. That was after she lost her house in the wake of a nasty divorce. And when she could no long afford to keep up the car, she ended up struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles.
One day, the owner of the laundromat where she washed her clothes took pity on her. He not only gave her a job, but allowed her to start sleeping there overnight in a chair behind the first row of washers.
Because the store was in Santa Monica, it catered to a number of upscale clientele. Zach Galifianakis and Renee Zellweger were among the many locals who came to befriend Mimi. Eventually, the two actors decided to help the down-and-out octogenarian, with the former renting her an apartment while the latter furnished it for free.
Zach also had her as a guest on his TV show and took her as his date to a red carpet movie premiere. But who was this woman who had spent over 30 years homeless?
What had her life been like before her fall from grace? Did she have any children or other loved ones? Those were the sort of questions that intrigued director Yaniv Rokah enough to make her the subject of a biopic.
The upshot of that effort is Queen Mimi, a revealing documentary offering an intimate portrait of a feisty, yet very likable lady with a strong survival instinct intact. A heartwarming reminder that there but for fortune, may go you or I.
Very Good (3 stars)
Running time: 76 minutes
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
For movies opening May 20, 2016
The Angry Birds Movie (PG for action and rude humor) Animated adventure, inspired by the video game series of the same name, set on an island inhabited by a flock of flightless birds with anger management issues whose patience is suddenly tested by an overwhelming pig invasion. Voice cast includes Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Sean Penn, Keegan-Michael Key, Peter Dinklage, Hannibal Buress and Bill Hader.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (R for crude sexuality, brief graphic nudity, pervasive profanity and drug use) Teensploitation sequel finds young marrieds Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) expecting their second child just as the out of control fraternity next door is replaced by a sorority full of party animals. With Zac Efron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Selena Gomez and Lisa Kudrow.
The Nice Guys (R for violence, profanity, sexuality, nudity and brief drug use) Unlikely-buddies crime comedy, set in L.A. in ’77, about a pair of private eyes (Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe) who grudgingly join forces to investigate a fading porn star’s apparent suicide. Support cast includes Kim Basinger, Keith David, Matt bomer, Yaya DaCosta and Hannibal Buress.
Art Bastard (Unrated) Reverential biopic about maverick artist Robert Cenedella, an inveterate iconoclast who has managed to enjoy an enduring career without compromising his rebellious spirit.
Hard Sell (Unrated) Dysfunctional family dramedy, set on Long Island, about a poor, prep school student (Skyler Gisondo) who comes to the aid of his unstable single-mom (Kristin Chenoweth) by fleecing spoiled-rotten rich kids with the help of a debutante classmate (Katrina Bowden) With Kevin Kilner, Amy Rutberg and Hannah Marks.
Holy Hell (Unrated) Mind control documentary revisiting The Buddhafield, an ill-fated, religious sect located in L.A. in the ’80s which was run by a charismatic cult leader called Michel.
Ma Ma (R for some nudity and brief sexual references) Character-driven drama, set in the Canary Islands, revolving around a young mother (Penelope Cruz) recently diagnosed with cancer who forges a friendship with a soccer scout (Luis Tovar) who just lost his wife and daughter in a car accident. With Asier Etxeandia, Teo Planell and Anna Jimenez. (In Spanish with subtitles).
Maggie’s Plan (R for profanity and sexuality) Greta Gerwig plays the title character in this romantic comedy about a woman who has second thoughts about having a baby with a married professor (Ethan Hawke) three years after stealing him from his wife (Julianne Moore). Support cast includes Travis Fimmel, Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph.
A Moment Of Silence (Unrated) “A Man of the People” documentary revisiting the 2005 election of Evo Morales, Bolivia’s first President of indigenous extraction. (In Spanish with subtitles)
The Other Side (PG for mature subject matter and mild epithets) Political science documentary examining how the American people have become more Balkanized than ever before.
Song Of Lahore (PG for mature themes, smoking and violent images) Cross-cultural documentary chronicling the musical collaborations of a Pakistani classical orchestra and Wynton Marsalis’ big band. (In Urdu with subtitles)
Weiner (R for profanity and sexuality) Warts-and-all documentary chronicling disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner’s second fall from grace when caught sexting during the 2013 campaign for Mayor of New York. Featuring Weiner’s wife Huma Abedin, his spokesperson Barbara Morgan, and his text message recipient, aspiring porn star Sydney Leathers.
