The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018): CAST AND CREDITS: The first adaptation of the post-Stieg Larsson Lisbeth Salander novels is a competent, surprisingly bland thriller. Salander, played with competence but little spark by Claire Foy, is now basically Batman or The Equalizer, but with more hacking skills and lesbian sex. Would I have cast Stephen Merchant as a computer whiz? Mmm. No. He's fine, but I kept expecting Ricky Gervais to wander in at any minute. Which would probably have spiced things up! Lightly recommended as a time-filler.
Table 19 (2017): written by Mark & Jay Duplass and Jeffrey Blitz; directed by Jeffrey Blitz; starring Anna Kendrick (Eloise McGarry), Rya Meyers (Francie), Lisa Kudrow (Bina Kepp), Craig Robinson (Jerry Kepp), Tony Revolori (Renzo Eckberg), Stephen Merchant (Walter), June Squibb (Nanny Jo), and Wyatt Russell (Teddy): Barely released romantic comedy basically follows the principles of The Breakfast Club and applies them to a wedding. Orson Scott Card loved it!
Table 19 is the last table at the wedding reception, there for all the losers. I guess. But this ragtag group will bond in their loserdom, realize they're not losers, and solve their life's problems. Mostly. The movie rises on the charm of its actors and falls on the script problems -- which is to say, the script needs to be funnier. And it could have been. It's floated around Hollywood for something like a decade! Still, a decent time-filler with a cute dog. Lightly recommended.
