‘Goosebumps’ and ‘Diary’ worth a watch this week
“Burnt”
Bradley Cooper is just likable. It may be his good looks or his cool swagger, but it’s not. What makes him likable is the vulnerability he brings to his performances and the lighthearted charisma he manages in even his heaviest roles. Levity is what seems to be lacking here as Cooper plays a chef trying to redeem his career in London after he’s ruined his name with drugs and ego. Director John Wells can really bash you in the face with drama, and nowhere is this more evident than his 2013 effort, “August: Osage County,” a film was about death and family dysfunction. This movie deals with cuisine and character flaws. Cooper bounces his acting prowess against his able co-stars, Sienna Miller, Daniel Brühl and Emma Thompson, but it’s not enough. This one gets left in the oven too long – the drama is overdone, and it tastes sour – pass.
“Goosebumps”
Even if you take away the animated “Kung Fu Panda” franchise, Jack Black still made one of the coolest live-action family films of all time back in 2003 with “School of Rock.” He also made a very forgettable one in 2010 with “Gulliver's Travels.” This film is directed by the same guy who made the forgettable one – Rob Letterman. Luckily, Letterman also made a better family movie “Monsters vs. Aliens” in 2009. Here, Letterman and Black go with some can’t-miss material – R.L. Stine’s horror book series for young adults. They wrap the story up in a “Jumanji” like format with monsters instead of animals. Black plays the author Stine with a crazy accent. To ramp up the youth factor, they brought in a team of young actors, led by Dylan Minnette (also from “R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour”) and Odeya Rush. It doesn’t touch “School of Rock,” but it has its moments, and kids will love it – worth a watch.
“The Diary of a Teenage Girl”
This movie is pretty uncomfortable to watch. It’s based on writer/artist Phoebe Gloeckner’s semi-autobiographical novel, “The Diary of a Teenage Girl: An Account in Words and Pictures.” The film works as a confessional for a teenage artist who’s having an affair with her mother’s boyfriend and finding her identity in San Francisco in the ’70s. Bel Powley is fearless as the teenager in question. Kristen Wiig takes on one of her most dramatic roles as the mother, and she does it with a fragile nuance. Alexander Skarsgard continues to pile on strong performances, playing the boyfriend with moral ambiguity and a convincing confusion. He comes across as a man/boy and makes for a fascinating character study, instead of continuously repugnant. Marielle Heller makes her directorial debut in this period piece, and she throws in some ’70’s era animation for transitions which actually adds to the humanness of this movie that may make you squirm but is still worth a watch.
This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 11:25 PM with the headline "‘Goosebumps’ and ‘Diary’ worth a watch this week."