13 February 2025.
BRIDGET JONES – MAD ABOUT THE BOY ***
In this very troubled world of ours, it never hurts to be taken away from reality and come back into the colourful, chaotic world of Bridget Jones. This is her fourth and probably last sequel following her romantic adventures since the first film in 2001.
Our heroine is now a widow with two lively children who are actually quite adorable. Among the utter mess that is her specialty, she’s been living a life of complete devotion to these two kids, while still mourning her beloved husband (played by Colin Firth as a recurring presence) after four long years. Something’s gotta give!
And it does – she’s urged to go back to work, her girlfriends get her on Tinder, and she meets the cutest toy boy. Her corner of London is lovely, life is beginning to be a lot more pleasurable, especially now that another girlfriend has found her the perfect nanny. Renée Zellweger is back in full form, still the ditsy, bumbling cutie, at times a shy wallflower, other times smart as a whip.
It’s all quite predictable, but oh such fun in the style of the typical British comedy, with more romance thrown in to assuage our Bridget.
What gives it its added pizzazz is the renewed presence of that dastardly charmer, Hugh Grant. Clever, hilarious, terribly naughty but lovable, he’s aging beautifully.
MON GATEAU PRÉFÉRÉ (My Favorite Cake) *** (vo Persian)
This is a tender, very different film from Iran. An elderly woman in her seventies, who has been very lonely since her husband died, decides to take matters into her own hands. She literally picks up another old geezer and invites him to her home for the night. All this feminist brazenness with no headscarf must have shocked the Islamic authorities, for they did not allow the filmmakers (Maryam Moghadam and her husband Behtash Sanaeeha) to leave Iran when their film was invited to the 2024 Berlin Film festival.
But the censors could not snuff out the delicacy of an evening between two solitary, needy people only wanting some companionship in their barren lives. This is a daring revelation from such a restrictive society and its bittersweet message is one of hope, however short lived.
CAPTAIN AMERICA – BRAVE NEW WORLD **
Well, it seems Hollywood has learnt its diversity lesson – Captain America is now a black man (played by the handsome Anthony Mackie), his fresh new sidekick is a Latino (Danny Ramirez), and as heroes they both get invited to the White House where Harrison Ford plays a troubled President of the U.S. There are also a smattering of Orientals in bit parts (don’t tell me that word is offensive – the Orient is a beautiful place and idea, and I do not play Woke).
Trump must be seething at all this diversity and equality of races. But maybe he’s too busy turning the Kennedy Center into a casino.
Anyway, it’s the usual action-packed blockbuster from Marvel Comics that its fans – mainly the 10 to 20 year old testosterone crowd – can appreciate most. The plot is a bit convoluted and often erratic in its sequences of a faked assassination attack, two old vengeful ex-cons, some political meetings, international mishaps like an almost-war between Japan and the U.S., and some silliness with a huge Hulk destroying the White House. You don’t really want to know….
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
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