I saw Beauty and the Beast on 4/30, a Sunday as I recall, and it's now Wednesday, May 10. I've been going over in my mind how to write this; I really don't think I need to recap the plot, it's the same one from the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. There are a few new songs, but nothing original or surprising. And, that's where I sit. I liked the movie, I thought it was well done, I'm fairly certain it will be nominated in the technical categories: production design, visual effects, costume and hair, and I really wanted to see it on the big screen. I wanted to see how Emma Watson (Belle) did in a lead role; I'm a fan, I think she's a great role model for young women, and young men, for that matter; she has a great sense of humor about herself; and it's fun to see young actors grow and take on new roles. The Beast, the Beast, oh right, Dan Stevens, late of Downton Abbey fame; to me it was pretty inconsequential, since for 95% of the movie, the Beast was, well, the Beast, and not in human form, and that is true for all the of the household items. Did it matter that Emma Thompson (whom I love) was Mrs. Potts? Not really. Or that Ian McKellen was Cogsworth? Meh. And I could go on through the cast. It's not like they were Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, or Billy Crystal as Mike (Monsters Inc). The 'human' cast was just as meh for me; Kevin Kline played Belle's father; Luke Evans was Gaston (Gaston is a character I thoroughly dislike, I know, he's a bad guy, but he's not even a fun bad guy; he's an ass). Josh Gad was LeFou, Gaston's sycophantic sidekick, who is portrayed, not subtly, as gay or effeminate (take your pick); I'd like to say who cares (I don't), except, it got very annoying during the movie, in your face - and it added NOTHING, if there was a point, I wouldn't care. There are a few new songs, one sung by Celine Dion at the end "How Does a Moment Last Forever" and "Evermore" by Josh Groban, which were fine, I don't recall being overly moved by either (wow, I sound like someone stole my heart and soul). I thought the cast, overall, did well performing the songs. I was disappointed, and a little surprised, that Audra McDonald, who has performed in a huge variety of singing roles, including on Broadway, and she sang only a little bit as a soloist. That seemed like a lost opportunity to me. I know this sounds whiny, and maybe that's why I waited so long, but I really did like and enjoy the movie, and it's good family entertainment, I just didn't love it.
5/7/17 Toni Erdmann, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016
I don't mean to sound unprofessional, but UGH. This movie was two hours and forty-two minutes long, and it was really not as great as it was hyped up to be. I didn't think it was great at all. It seemed like one of my weaker reviews: full of half thoughts that don't get fully executed, and full thoughts that should have been stopped before they were started. I had really high expectations since it had been nominated for, and won, many international film festival awards. I tried, for 162 minutes I tried, to find something to like. There wasn't enough. Winfried Conradi is a music teacher with an unusual sense of humor (he would get on my nerves quickly, and I like to think I have a good sense of humor), who randomly decides to visit his estranged daughter, Ines, in Bucharest where she is working as a consultant for an oil company. As silly as Winfried (or his alter ego, Toni Erdmann) is, Ines is serious, determined and aloof. Winfried is clearly missing his daughter and just wants to spend time with her, maybe have fun; the problem is, they disagree on what 'fun' is. He uses the Toni Erdmann persona to insinuate himself into Ines' work life; eventually, he wears her down, and they tag team with each other in a meeting with Ines' client. I get that parent/adult child relationships can be difficult and challenging, been there, done that; and I understand that women have to work harder in male-dominated fields, so Ines has to stay focused and wants to be taken seriously. But, this point was beaten into the ground, and any empathy I may have had just shriveled up. As I was watching, I was making comparisons to Isabelle Huppert in Elle (she was nominated for Best Actress), in that both women were driven professionals, neither was very likable, and both had difficult relationships with their fathers, although I think it's fair to say that Ines' was a walk in the park compared to Michele. I'm not really sure where that comparison gets us, except that I liked Elle even though it was hard to watch and Michele was a bitch; and I didn't like Toni Erdmann. The movie was described as a comedy, and it is not that at all; they are a few funny moments, but overall, I would say that it is a drama. I think so much more could have been done with the idea of this father/daughter relationship. Disappointed.
5/7/17 Toni Erdmann, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016
I don't mean to sound unprofessional, but UGH. This movie was two hours and forty-two minutes long, and it was really not as great as it was hyped up to be. I didn't think it was great at all. It seemed like one of my weaker reviews: full of half thoughts that don't get fully executed, and full thoughts that should have been stopped before they were started. I had really high expectations since it had been nominated for, and won, many international film festival awards. I tried, for 162 minutes I tried, to find something to like. There wasn't enough. Winfried Conradi is a music teacher with an unusual sense of humor (he would get on my nerves quickly, and I like to think I have a good sense of humor), who randomly decides to visit his estranged daughter, Ines, in Bucharest where she is working as a consultant for an oil company. As silly as Winfried (or his alter ego, Toni Erdmann) is, Ines is serious, determined and aloof. Winfried is clearly missing his daughter and just wants to spend time with her, maybe have fun; the problem is, they disagree on what 'fun' is. He uses the Toni Erdmann persona to insinuate himself into Ines' work life; eventually, he wears her down, and they tag team with each other in a meeting with Ines' client. I get that parent/adult child relationships can be difficult and challenging, been there, done that; and I understand that women have to work harder in male-dominated fields, so Ines has to stay focused and wants to be taken seriously. But, this point was beaten into the ground, and any empathy I may have had just shriveled up. As I was watching, I was making comparisons to Isabelle Huppert in Elle (she was nominated for Best Actress), in that both women were driven professionals, neither was very likable, and both had difficult relationships with their fathers, although I think it's fair to say that Ines' was a walk in the park compared to Michele. I'm not really sure where that comparison gets us, except that I liked Elle even though it was hard to watch and Michele was a bitch; and I didn't like Toni Erdmann. The movie was described as a comedy, and it is not that at all; they are a few funny moments, but overall, I would say that it is a drama. I think so much more could have been done with the idea of this father/daughter relationship. Disappointed.
5/9/17 The Red Turtle, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2016
I don't even know what to say. I'm sure there were some beautiful metaphors in this film, but I was so utterly bored out of my mind, I must have missed them. It was made by the Ghibli Studio, which has made other Oscar nominated animated films, like The Wind Rises, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There (which did not do much for me). There was no dialogue, which I'm fine with, but I don't know, maybe I would have liked it better if it was a short instead of a feature (it wasn't too long at 80 minutes, but long enough). Anyway, I can't even give you a synopsis. I'm waiting for My Life as a Zucchini, but so far, out of the nominees, you can't go wrong with Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana or the winner, Zootopia.
A friend of mine, who has seen all the other movies in the franchise and loved them, saw Fate of the Furious, last week, in the big IMAX theater, and was very disappointed. I asked him to do a guest review, and all he could do was show me two thumbs down. Since I have been exempt from having to see any of the other movies, and have no plans to see this one, this is the only review you'll see here.
