What were you like at thirteen?  This film may bring back some of the pain and frustration of your earlier years.  Yet it’s a fun, uplifting watch.  Perhaps this year’s Peanut Butter Falcon.

Miya Cech plays Sammy, a teenager living with her father and sister and coping with her mother’s death.  When she’s forced to take a career course over the summer, she ends up running into an eccentric magician (Rhea Perlman) and becoming her assistant.

What I love about Marvelous and the Black Hole

Rhea Perlman channels Ruth Gordon from Harold and Maude in the best way.  She makes a great mentor.  She’s the kind of bad influence Sammy needs.  Cech plays a believable teenager.  She’s rebellious, angsty, and funny.  The supporting cast is good too, including Perlman’s magician friends.  Jonathan Slavin who was so good in the sitcom Better Off Ted plays a magician named Puck.  The movie has great editing, and jump cuts which work to comic effect.

The film made me want to return to my childhood love of magic and learn some new tricks.

Final thoughts on Marvelous and the Black Hole

Like Ratatouile, Marvelous and the Black Hole is about creativity.  The former uses cooking as a metaphor for art; the latter uses magic.  It’s a beautiful film about the catharsis and salvation one can find through art.  It’s also a funny and moving coming-of-age film.

Unfortunately, this indie is still seeking distribution.

Grade: A 

Elton John – Lyrics & Video to Bennie & the Jets

What people are saying
about the RunPee app.

Nprtykty, 03/28/2021

Brilliant idea with great information

I’ve been using RunPee for a few years now and it’s basically a requirement of going to the movies for me. The best part of course are the “pee times” that give you cues, synopses and times for when you can pee without missing the most important parts of the movie. There is also information about the credits- length, extras and if there are any extra scenes at the wayyy end. Super helpful to just know that it is or isn’t worth staying. There is a timer function that will buzz your phone when it’s a good time to pee. I also appreciate that the app is very conscientious about it being an app you use in a theater- dark background, all silent alarms etc. I will always enjoy the experience of the theater even if I could watch things at home- but I’ve even used it at home to check for things like after credit scenes or other information too.

View all reviews
Apple App Store | Google Play Store

Download RunPee app

     

RunPee Family