It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.

With awards season starting to heat up, we’re getting a good look at some smaller films featuring great actors doing what they do best.
And alongside all that, there’s the latest animated children’s feature from Pixar that’s sure to bring a smile to the faces of both young and old.

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Mike Laidman

Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.

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Youth (2015, Paolo Sorrentino)
A conductor and his friend receive a royal invitation.

We start with Youth, a film about two longtime friends vacationing in the Swiss Alps.

Michael Caine plays Fred, an acclaimed composer and conductor, who brings along his daughter and best friend Mick, a renowned filmmaker, played by Harvey Keitel. While Mick is scrambling to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career.
It is during this vacation that Fred receives an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to perform for Prince Philip’s birthday.
The two men reflect on their pasts, each finding that some of the most important experiences can come later in life.

Youth is the kind of drama you watch for its beautiful acting and gorgeous cinematography. It’s tough to go wrong with such a cast, and while the movie won’t go down in history as being without its flaws, it’s worth every minute of your time.


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The Good Dinosaur (2015, Peter Sohn)
An Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

Moving onto The Good Dinosaur, we find ourselves presented with a question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct?

This latest animated movie from Pixar takes us on a journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers just how much he is truly capable of.

When you’re the king of animated children’s films, there’s always going to be that chance that your latest doesn’t match up to your greatest. Pixar found that mark a few years ago with Cars 2, and now The Good Dinosaur is in a similar position. But to even think of this as unsuccessful or unenjoyable is a gross overstatement. Compared to the rest of their collection this likely won’t go down in history, but taken on its own it’s a worthy story that still adds up to family-friendly entertainment.

So in true Pixar fashion, this is a gem that can be enjoyed by both young and old alike.