Cine Beaverhausen: Mother's Day

It's May 1st so, naturally,Mother's Day is in the air.

The movie, Mother's Day, opened in cinemas on Friday so, obviously, it means to cash in on the holiday. It stars Jennifer Anniston, Kate Hudson and Julia Roberts in a hideous, very unbecoming red wig.

It's another one of those dysfunctional family get-together movies. Didn't we just go through this at Christmas?

At least this flick isn't treacly sentimental but it's still a bit hard to digest.  The film takes place one year after a mother's death. While all professional credits are fine, the final effort doesn't really seem cohesive. Garry Marshall of tv's Laverne and Shirley, the film The Flamingo Kid and more, directed ~ heavy handidly. He recently did the movie Valentine's Day. What's next for him? Memorial Day? Fourth of July?

Stay away from theaters for this luke-warm comedy. It will turn up on video soon enough.

Video Beaverhausen: Not a Piece of "Cake" for Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston is perhaps a revelation in Cake, her Oscar nominated performance. I can relate to her character to an extent as someone with invisible ailments, though I don't have pins in my legs. (Thankfully!)

You won't think of her solely as a sitcom star after watching this. She definitely displays she's a serious actor No make-up! No one-liners! No eye liner! (Actually, I think she does wear eye liner in the film.) Oscar-worthy? Not sure about that.

The film is basically about the efforts the ill can make to get well and basically details a road trip from L.A. to Tijuana and back, and then some. Yeah, it rambles a bit.

Felicity Hoffman and Bill Macy are in this, so you know it's top-drawer, though it's Adriana Barazza who shines especially as Aniston's girl Friday.

Despite her sickness, Aniston gets to bed a hot guy or two. One with a British accent. I need to grab some tips!

I definitely had the sense that Cake could have used a tad more editing. Some shots run way too long. But it is basically a star vehicle. Hardly a memorable movie but carry on, JA! You can show those Pitts a thing or two.