Book Club (Rated PG-13)
Starring four actresses between the ages of 64 and 80, Book Club examines the inspiration provided by 50 Shades of Grey when Vivian (Jane Fonda, still beaming at 80) selects it for her book club’s new read. The book prompts each of four women to either seek romance or reinvigorate her existing love life. Sharon (Candice Bergen, 71) trolls online dating sites until she meets hot-to-trot George (Richard Dreyfuss). Vivian is intrigued by Arthur (Don Johnson, whose real-life daughter, Dakota, stars in the movie version of 50 Shades). Diane (Diane Keaton, 71), is attracted to Mitchell (Andy Garcia), the hunky younger man she meets on a plane. Mary Steenburgen’s (65) Carol attempts to spice things up with Bruce (Craig T. Nelson)—the husband seemingly immune to her feminine wiles. Why not “Sex and the City” for seniors? After all, these actresses persuade us that, if we still live and breathe, we deserve to be loved, or failing that, lust will do. (Lisa Miller)
Deadpool 2 (Rated R)
Ryan Reynolds returns as R-Rated superhero Deadpool. The first Deadpool movie’s director, Tim Miller, envisioned a big-budget follow-up while Reynolds was determined to stick with the formula of raunchy jokes and acerbic one-liners. Reynolds won out and received a co-writing credit. Subsequently, David Leitch stepped in to direct the sequel. Josh Brolin appears as Cable—a villain who was once Deadpool’s friend but is now determined to kill mutant boy Russell (Julian Dennison). Deadpool grapples with Cable’s superior strength due to bionic augmentation, and eventually Deadpool recruits mutants Domino (Zazie Beetz) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) to help keep Cable at bay. As an interesting side note: On Monday, April 9, T.J. Miller (who appears as Deadpool’s best friend, Weasel) was arrested and charged with falsely reporting that a woman he argued with on a passenger train, had a bomb in her bag. The incident sounds like something out of the movie, which all goes to show that life is at least as strange as fiction. (L.M.)
Mo & Me (Not Rated)
African filmmaker Salim Amin and Milwaukee-based photographer and filmmaker Chip Duncan will be on hand to meet and greet attendees of a special screening of Amin’s 2006 documentary that chronicles the life of his father, Mo & Me. Mohamed Amin was a photographer and cameraman famous for his coverage of the mid-1980s Ethiopian famine, which inspired numerous international relief efforts, including BandAid and USA for Africa. Mo & Me has been recognized for Best Documentary awards 15 times in various countries around the world. For a small donation ($10 is encouraged) to the Charles Allis Art Museum, guests can enjoy the aforementioned meet and greet, the screening of the film and a post-screening Q&A session with Amin and Duncan. (John Jahn)
Friday, May 18, at the Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave. Registration is encouraged by emailing “Can Attend May 18 Event” to rsvp@cavtmuseums.org.
