The Fault in Our Stars

PG-13
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammel and Willem Dafoe
Running Time: 2 Hours and 5 Minutes

WOW!!! What a moving story this is. A movie with reality and true grit that will send your heart into a talespin! The situation that many people unfortunately find themselves in and how they have to learn to live with cards they are dealt. This is the story of a young seventeen year old girl named
Hazel Grace (Shailene Woodley) and her battle to stay alive. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was thirteen years old. Her cancer is fatal and she battles the symptoms and the reality of it everyday! She is an only child who is very close with her parents, mother Frannie (Laura Dern) and her father Michael (Sam Trammell). They are there by her side every step of the way. They do all that is humanly possible to assist and help her, they love her dearly, she is their whole world! They encourage her to attend the cancer support group with other teens around her same age, she is opposed and does not want to go. While attending the support group she meets a handsome young eighteen year old man named Gus (Ansel Elgort) who is also afflicted with cancer. He had to have his leg amputated but still carries on with a prosthetic leg and a super-great attitude!!! He was a basketball star in high school, athletic and looking forward to his future.
They were attracted to each other instantly, they were able to relate to each other and support each other. Hazel had been very isolated and had not had many opportunities to socialize under her circumstances where Gus was able to live a fairly normal teenage life. Hazel would read the same book over and over again, she tells Gus he has to read her book so he tells her she needs to read his favorite book too. Finally after he finishes her book he contacts her and thus their story begins.
They were able to go to Amsterdam to seek out the author of her favorite book and have quite an eye opening adventure.
This story was moving beyond words! It shows the true story of what these young people go through and the agony they have to endure. Gus has a great friend named Issac (Nat Wolff) from the support group who is battling his own cancer demons and ends up losing his eyes, he was an amazing young man who was a true friend. Laura Dern did a great job portraying her loving mother, very touching! Cancer is such a monster, it is definitely no respecter of persons! I lost my sister Sheila to cancer ten years ago. My sweet little six year old niece Gabrielle is battling her way through leukemia right now. This was a difficult movie to watch but I also think it is important too because it helps those who have fortunately not had a brush with cancer to understand and have more empathy for those who have!
Parents be advised: I am recommending that this movie is for the thirteen and over group. Not only is it highly emotional and realistic, but there is one sex scene in the movie that is very suggestive and the F-bomb is dropped once.
I am giving "The Fault in our Stars" three bags of popcorn.

Edge of Tomorrow

PG-13
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton,and Brendan Gleeson
Running Time: 1 Hour and 53 Minutes

Live, die and repeat. That pretty much sums up the theme of this movie, kind of like "Groundhog Day" meets the aliens! I really had no expectations for this movie and I ended up being really impressed. I haven't been a Tom Cruise fan for a while but he scored in this one. This is a big-budget sci-fi thriller that really delivers!
Officer Cage (Tom Cruise) is called to report for duty in London, England where Europe is being completely invaded by extraterrestrial creatures called Mimics, it is kind of like the invasion of Normandy. These Mimics are sent to conquer the world. They are very hideous looking organisms, a cross somewhere between a jellyfish and a spider.
 Officer Cage finds himself in an extreme dilemma because when he reports for duty in London at Heathrow Airport where the training facility is located, he is assigned to battle on the front lines. He tries desperately to explain that he is not there to battle but in the capacity of an officer. No one is

believing him and he cannot make any headway. He is sent immediately to battle with the other soldiers and he is extremely frustrated and afraid!  He keeps going through the same motions over and over again. Every time he fails to win his battle with a Mimic and he is killed, he instantly find himself reborn back in London at Heathrow only to start the same predicament all over again, hence the live, die and repeat!
Rita Vratraski, The Angel of Verdun (Emily Blunt) is an impressive warrior with exceptional skills. Every time Cage starts his life over again, she never remembers him. Vratraski helps officer Cage to find the powerful "Omega Mimic"!
Cruise and Blunt had good chemistry together and I liked her strength and assertiveness.
This is an intense and thrilling movie with great action and excitement. A thrill ride of a movie.
 filled with incredible special effects and a unique story-line.
Parents be advised: I would not recommend this movie for children under twelve years of age. There were many sequences of action/violence that are intense and unexpected. I saw many audience members that were startled and almost jumped right out of their seats.
I am giving "Edge of Tomorrow" three bags of popcorn.