Movie Rewind: THANKS FOR SHARING (2013)

THANKS FOR SHARING (2013)
Director: Stuart Blumberg
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim Robbins, Joely Richardson, Josh Gad, Alecia Moore, Patrick Fugit, Carol Kane

There are many films and stories out there about alcoholics and drug addicts. You do not see too many regarding sex addiction. Even one of the characters questions if that is even a "thing" or not. Adam (Ruffalo) is celebrating another milestone in his sex addiction support group. He seems fully aware of his triggers and is pretty strong at being committed to his recovery. His sponsor/mentor and fellow addict Mike (Robbins) is there to celebrate with him. Mike's past addiction has caused a rift in his family as he has a strained relationship with his son Danny (Fugit), who also struggles with abuse. Neil (Gad) and Dede (Moore) are the newest members of the group each coming in with their own baggage.

The film is an ensemble story that follows each of our addicts and their road to recovery. Adam starts a relationship with health nut and cancer survivor Phoebe (Paltrow). The risks of starting a new and healthy relationship prove hard for someone struggling with sex addiction and knowing what boundaries they are comfortable with together. She also makes it clear that she does not want to date an addict. Mike and his wife (Richardson) have conflicting thoughts when Danny shows up unexpectedly and wants to live at their place for some time. Trust between both of them comes into play. Dede and Neil are always there for each other as they are quick to slip up while on the program.

Like I previously mentioned, you do not see many stories about sexual addiction unless it is about some celebrity using that as an excuse to help their image. This film shines a light on the aftermath of what it is like in the recovery stages. One of the biggest takeaways is the power of the support group. The support group is the safe ground for our characters to talk about their struggles and accomplishments they have had in recovery. They are surrounded by people that truly know what they are going through. Long lasting friendships and new relationships begin at group between sponsors and their sponsees. The bond and connection they have for each other is so vital in the recovery process as it helps each one of them stay accountable and can be a knowledgeable resource if someone feels at a breaking point or in jeopardy of falling off the bandwagon. This story follows these characters who are all at different stages of their recovery, but I wanted to know more about the recovery process. Mike has spent much of his adult life in recovery. Adam is starting to date again and is conflicted about what will set him over the edge. Are there certain rules in a sex addiction support group about what is or isn't allowed or is it all based on that individual? Obviously with alcoholics anonymous or a drug addiction group, those vices are strictly forbidden. Does the same hold true in this instance?

Writer/Director Stuart Blumberg is making his directorial debut here. He previously co-wrote the Oscar-nominated hit The Kids Are All Right with Lisa Cholodenko. If you are looking for a dark and heavy-hitting drama, you will not find that here. Don't get me wrong as there are some serious moments that are very touching and sincere, but the film takes a more positive and hopeful look at these people in their recovery stages. Josh Gad and Alecia Moore have been given more of the lighter and comedic story lines using Gad's natural broad physical comedy type of routine we know he is very capable of. You may not recognize the name Alecia Moore as you probably know her as the singer Pink. This is the second film she has been in and feels right at home on screen. There is a life and effervescence about her even though acting is not her claim to fame. Sometimes singers can have a hard time transitioning from song to screen, but Moore/Pink makes a flawless transition. Here is hoping she continues on in this field in between her successful albums. Patrick Fugit is another standout here with some wonderful scenes between him and Robbins. Robbins actually introduced Fugit to this screenplay and helped him get the part. I have been a fan of his ever since Almost Famous. Blumberg has received some flack about writing dopey characters in his screenplay, but I disagree. I found all of them believable and easy to relate to in some aspect. I think the idea behind sex addiction is still fairly unknown so people may be more hesitant to buy into these characters or story lines if they have issues with sex addiction as a whole or if they have never stepped foot into a support group of any sort whether its for AA, drug addiction, food addiction, etc... Blumberg uses fairly normal everyday people as the subjects here and shows that really anyone can have this sort of issue or problem and that you might not even know it.

Thanks for Sharing was a little indie film that came out around the end of summer 2013. It may have gotten lost in the shuffle due to the summer season winding down or it's mediocre reviews. It serves as a good introduction to people that may be unfamiliar with sex addiction while taking a look at the recovery end of it. There are some funny moments along the way and the obligatory scenes to pull at the heart strings. Blumberg has a good cast of actors from a variety of backgrounds to pull it off nicely.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: FROZEN

FROZEN
Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Starring: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Santino Fontana, Ciarán Hinds, Alan Tudyk

As little girls, Princesses Anna and Elsa are as close as two sisters can be. Elsa has been graced with a special power to turn things to ice and snow with a simple touch. They love playing around their castle in Arendelle when Elsa creates a snowy play area for them to have with inside the castle. One day the playing gets out of hand when Anna accidentally gets hit with a blast of ice by Elsa. In order to protect both of them, their parents have Anna's memory erased of the incident. This also leads to Elsa being banished to a separate room of the castle so no one in the village has any knowledge of her power.

Years pass and the girls grow up being separated from each other. Elsa (Menzel) has grown to resent her power and is unable to fully control when it happens. She is the heir to the thrown and on her coronation day Elsa and Anna decide to open the doors of the castle to all of the villagers of Arendelle. After the ceremony, another incident occurs and Elsa's powers are exposed to the villagers. She feels so embarrassed and out of control that she runs away. As her frustration grows, the icy cold spreads over the village turning it into a snowy frozen land year round. She retreats to a mountain and tries to come to terms with her power. Anna (Bell) chases after Elsa and runs into the rugged Kristoff (Groff), his reindeer Sven, and an energetic snowman named Olaf (Gad) who help her along the way.

With so many animated movies released each year, it should come as no surprise that the annual Disney offering stands out as one of the best. Inspired by "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson, Frozen hearkens back to the old classic princess stories set to singable score. The story uses that traditional model but puts a different twist on it as this is not about some helpless princess pining after her unattainable prince. Yes, there are two dapper men along the way, but this tale is all about the love and bond of sisterhood. Kristen Bell's Anna is scrappy, tough, and has the never-give-up attitude in her quest to find and save her sister. Idina Menzel has a huge belter voice who completely nails the powerful main theme song "Let It Go". It would have been easy to make Elsa the Snow Queen the evil villain, but I applaud the writing team for not going that route. What would a Disney movie be without the comedic fool. Josh Gad makes Olaf fun and hilarious without ever crossing the obnoxious line which can be tricky with these types of Disney characters.

The songs by husband/wife duo Robert Lopez (Broadway's "The Book of Mormon", "Avenue Q") and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Wreck-It Ralph) have written a Broadway-inspired score with "Let It Go" most likely to get stuck in your head. Long gone are the days where you would have two different actors doing the regular voice and singing voice of the character. All of the actors perform their own singing in Frozen. It also boasts four Broadway actors in the main cast including Menzel, Gad, Groff, and Fontana. The orchestral score by Christophe Beck should also be noted for using Norwegian music and instruments as inspiration. I could not help but envision this being turned into next big Disney Broadway musical some day.

The Walt Disney Animations Studios has hit it a resurgence lately with Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph. You can confidently add Frozen to that list. There were numerous trailers for upcoming children's movies and I think only one, maybe two of them, seemed to stand out and would be appealing for both young movie goers and their parents. The animation of the ice and snow is stunning and beautiful. The story has that traditional Disney feel but takes a different twist on the concepts. The characters are spunky, have determination, and represent good role models for the young girls who go see the movie. I remember for awhile in the '90s, some concerned parents took issue with Disney movies turning a bit too violent or scary with their villains. Rest assured here as Frozen is appropriate for all ages and can be enjoyed by moviegoers of all ages. It has a real wholesome and timeless quality about it that is missing from many of the animated family movies released each year.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)