Inside Llewyn Davis

I have this weakness for films about music & musicians. That is why the latest from the Coen brothers gets the stars it does. Llewyn Davis is a folk musician trying to strike out on his own before Bob arrives on the Greenwich village scene and makes folk hip. Llewyn lives off other people's couches in & around Macdougal street and has nothing to show for his "principled" view of music. Has his priorities all wrong, which could be irritating to some, but I kind of get what he is about. However, 'Inside Llewyn Davis' doesn't get inside of anything and rambles Coen brothers style. Which still is pretty good.

Rating : * * +

Argo

Most people know the outcome of this political thriller that is set during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Maybe that was the reason the film fails to draw the viewer in, in spite of a good cast and fine script. Ben Affleck who in my book is a slightly underrated director continues to be crisp, but his choice of topic proves to be undoing. As Tony Mendez goes through the complicated setup to get the US diplomats out of Iran, you strain to get excited and become part of this caper only to be left only with the pain of straining.

Rating: * *

Gigantic

Brian Weathersby (Paul Dano) has wanted to adopt a Chinese baby ever since he was 8 years old. As he struggles to convince authorities that he is a capable father in spite of working a dead end job as a mattress salesman, Harriet (Zooey Deschanel) and her crazy father (John Goodman) walks in to his life. Soon romance is in the air and it was never this dead pan.

Rating: * * *