Cinema Toast: A rumpled ‘Wrinkle in Time,’ a depressing ‘Loveless,’ and more

A Wrinkle in Time (PG)

Starring: Storm Reid, Chris Pine, Deric McCabe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Levi Miller, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Pena

Directed by: Ava DuVernay

Based on Madeline L’Engle’s 1962 novel, this was a film labelled “impossible to make.” Underneath all the glitter, glamour and sci-fi special effects, it is a simple story of a girl’s search for her missing father, and that archetypal storyline works well. However, the numerous time transitions still need quite a bit or ironing to get the wrinkles out. The “fairy-godmothers,” AKA “three witches,” are called “The Mrs.” here, and the actors cast to play them (Winfrey, Kaling, Witherspoon) seem to be having a heck-of-a-lotta fun. Much has been written about how this $100 million+ film was created, directed, and stars larger-than-life women, so it is ironic that it is the guys (most noticeably Chris Pine as the missing father and Deric McCabe as the quirky little brother) who steal the otherwise disappointing movie.

2½ pieces of ‘Too much of the CG stuff seems unfinished’ toast.

?(To view a trailer of the above film, and read more reviews, check out Cinema Toast at Petaluma360.com. Comments? E-mail gilmansergh@comcast.net)