Movies from 2017: The Disaster Artist, The Big Sick, Lady Bird, Atomic Blonde

12/16/17 The Disaster Artist, not yet nominated, 2017

When I tell people that I saw The Disaster Artist, I usually get a perplexed look, like "why?". Um, because there is a good chance it will be nominated for an Oscar or two. And, it's actually pretty good. The movie, directed by James Franco, who also stars as Tommy Wiseau, is based on the making of Wiseau's cult film The Room (not to be confused with Room, starring Brie Larson). I have not seen The Room, but I kind of want to now. The Room is famous, or notorious, for being the worst movie ever made. Wiseau intended it to be a serious, dramatic piece, but, it didn't turn out that way. Wiseau befriends Greg, (played by Franco's younger brother, Dave) another struggling actor in San Francisco. Tommy is eccentric, not telling anyone, even Greg, where he is from or how he makes his money, and he has a most peculiar accent, and for the most part, he doesn't care what people think. He convinces Greg that they should move to Los Angeles where they would have a better chance at acting gigs. Um, that doesn't work out either, but not to be deterred, Tommy decides he will write, direct and produce his own movie. He rents out a studio, buys equipment and hires actors with limited or no experience. It's like watching a train wreck, you cannot turn away. James Franco seems to become Wiseau, and he's terrific. At the end of the film, scenes from the real film are shown side by side, and it's worse than you can imagine. In a guilty pleasure kind of way. I haven't seen The Room, but I think I'm going to add it to my list. Don't pass up The Disaster Artist just because you haven't seen The Room or it seems too weird.

12/16/17 The Big Sick, not yet nominated, 2017

I've been hearing and reading how fabulous The Big Sick was, and I was eager to see it. I was really disappointed. It's based on the true story of how comedian Kumail Nanjiani met his girlfriend, later wife, Emily (Zoe Kazan). Kumail is Pakistani, which he uses as part of his stand up act. His parents wish he was more traditional and have been trying to arrange a marriage for him. Some of the humor comes from parents being too parental to their adult kids; some of it is cultural, as Nanjiani lovingly mocks his parents' attempts to run his life and their misunderstanding, or unwillingness to understand, his choice of career; and relationship humor. Except I didn't really think it was funny, or not laugh out loud funny. Then, there's his girlfriend's illness, which brings her parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter) to town, and Kumail awkwardly entertains them. It was an original story, and a community that has not been heard from in the U.S., and I'm all for that, I just would have liked to laugh a little more.

12/16/17 Atomic Blonde, not yet nominated, 2017

Atomic Blonde is set in East Berlin during the Cold War, and Charlize Theron is Lorraine Broughton, a spy for MI-6. She meets up with a few bad Russians and a questionable British agent, played by James McAvoy. There are plot twists, double-crossings, a lot of action (Charlize Theron kicks ass and takes names), a pretty intense soundtrack, not a bad movie for a cold Saturday night. It didn't have the 'smarts' of the Bourne series or the humor I recently discovered in John Wick. Charlize Theron is always great to watch, as is James McAvoy; John Goodman is a shady CIA agent (is that redundant?), and I haven't seen him in a while. It was worth the $1.50 (or whatever) from Redbox.

12/17/17 Lady Bird, not yet nominated, 2017

I am usually hesitant when it comes to "coming of age" movies; it's always a crapshoot as to whether I'll like them or not. I saw The Edge of Seventeen the week before Lady Bird, and I thought it was okay, but not great (sometimes I think it's because I've aged out, but I think I can appreciate a good movie even if I can't relate to the content). I heard great things about Lady Bird, but wasn't too familiar with the story (I wanted to be surprised). Saoirse Ronan is Charlotte "Lady Bird" McPherson, a seventeen year old desperate to leave Sacramento for the East Coast, despite the financial and educational challenges, and the fierce resistance of her mother (Laurie Metcalf). The story follows Lady Bird's senior year at a private Catholic School as she struggles with new and old friendships (her friendship with Julianne (Beanie Feldstein) was fun to watch); joining the drama club; applying to elite colleges on the East Coast; dealing with tough family finances and her father (Tracy Letts) losing his job; and her controlling mother, who offers unflattering and unhelpful commentary on Lady Bird's choices. There are funny, poignant and very real moments as Lady Bird tries to find her feet and who she really is, and I really enjoyed it. The performances were top notch; Ronan giving the right level of angst, but also enjoyment, at experiencing this time of her life; Metcalf is really outstanding, having honed some of her 'motherly' skills on "The Big Bang Theory", but this her role here is not played for laughs; I have never seen Feldstein before, but she was funny and had great reactions to her onscreen friend. After saying all of this, I will say that I was surprised that I liked it after I learned that Greta Gerwig wrote and directed the movie. I vowed never to watch one of her films after almost poking my eyes out watching the self-indulgent and stupid Frances Ha (I will never get that time back). So, what a pleasant surprise this was. There are some heavy hitting movies out this holiday season, and sometimes a movie like this will get lost, but I hope not.

Meet Queen Elizabeth I and II, Spinal Tap and James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life

11/23/17 Elizabeth, Best Makeup, 1998
12/16/17 Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Best Costume Design, 2007

Cate Blanchett stars in these two films about one of the greatest monarchs in history, Elizabeth I. Shekhar Kapur directed both films, and the some of the cast carries over from one film to the next (unless of course they were beheaded or otherwise knocked off). They are lush, beautiful films, with gorgeous and extravagant sets and costumes. The cast is deep with stars, including Geoffrey Rush as Francis Walsingham, spymaster to the queen; Joseph Fiennes as Robert Dudley, one of Elizabeth's suitors; John Gielgud as Pope Pius V; Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh; Eddie Redmayne as Anthony Babington, and so many more. Blanchett was nominated for both films as Best Actress, but lost out to Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love in 1998 and Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in  La Vie en Rose in 2007. It's hard to believe that in 1998, this was only Blanchett's fifth film. She commands the screen and makes Elizabeth come alive. The films represent the events in Elizabeth's life: her many suitors, the plots against her life, the attempt to balance Protestantism and Catholicism, war against Spain. But it is not a documentary, and some events are told out of sequence, people's lives have been shortened or lengthened for dramatic purposes. If you watch the films, watch them because there is great acting and production value, not for the last word in Elizabethan history.

11/23/17 The Queen, Best Actress, 2006

It was kind of weird watching this movie about the royal family's reaction to Princess Diana's death 20 years after it happened. We know a lot more about the events, and have more information from Princes William and Harry. Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth, she won an Oscar for that role, and she is as restrained as Cate Blanchett was outspoken as her predecessor. Michael Sheen stars opposite Mirren as new Prime Minister Tony Blair, a man who seems to be in opposition to the monarchy, which his wife, Cherie (Helen McCrory) definitely is, as is his staff. The royal family struggles with how to deal with Diana's death, internally - when to tell the boys, how to bring her body back to England, but also externally, because Diana was "the people's princess" and the nation fell into deep mourning, and expected that same reaction from her former in-laws. Blair has a common touch (not meant in a bad way) that resonates with the British people, but it is unfamiliar territory for Queen Elizabeth and her family. The movie shows the transition that the Queen makes, and also how Blair gained an insight into the centuries of tradition and isolation that make grand gestures so difficult. The change in behavior and the ultimate response by Queen Elizabeth changed the perception of the royal family and their interactions with the people. Mirren is terrific; I don't know if Prince Philip really is so difficult, but James Cromwell plays him as a most unlikeable person. Prince Charles is played by Alex Jennings; Diana is represented only by news footage. Sheen holds his own when sharing the screen with Mirren. The Queen is a good film that presents a moment in time that many of us lived through via 24 hour news cycles. 

11/25/17 It's a Wonderful Life, 1946 #46 BBC, #20 AFI, National Film Registry

When I mentioned to people that I was going to be watching It's a Wonderful Life, I got strange looks. Haven't I watched it before? Yes, but years ago, and I didn't find it life changing or anything. It was never part of my family's winter traditions. So, as has happened several times with 'the lists', I have re-watched a movie so I could review it properly. And to be perfectly honest, I have tried for about a year to watch it, but I couldn't get a disk that would play. I finally did, and watched it from beginning to end, and...I really enjoyed it. And I think I 'got it'. It's a Wonderful Life is on the BBC, the American Film Institute and National Film Registry lists, but it did not win any Oscars. It was nominated for five Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Engineering) but lost out to The Best Years of Our Lives, which is also a fantastic film. If you're not familiar with the story (first of all, please contact me, because I hated being the only one), George Bailey lives with his family in Bedford Falls, New York, where he has lived his whole life, his father and uncle ran a savings and loan. On Christmas Eve, events conspire to make George wish he had never been born. Enter Clarence, a guardian angel still looking to earn his wings. Clarence shows George what life would have been like in Bedford Falls if he hadn't been born. James Stewart stars as George, and he brings all of his tools: his enthusiasm and energy (think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), physicality, humor, pathos. Donna Reed is Mary Bailey, George's supportive wife, who sacrifices her honeymoon funds to bail out the savings and loan. Lionel Barrymore is the thoroughly unlikeable Mr. Potter. The movie was directed by Frank Capra, who worked with Stewart on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The film may be one of the most American of films; it highlights what is great about America: people helping each other out, working hard and seeing the results. Of course, greedy Mr. Potter seems eerily close to many of our leading politicians and corporate leaders. After watching the movie, I totally understand why it is on all three of my movie lists. If you're wondering, Clarence finally gets his wings.

12/8/17 This is Spinal Tap, 1984, National Film Registry

This is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary that was directed by Rob Reiner and co-written by Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, and is about the British band, Spinal Tap, who started in the 1960s and are touring the U.S. to promote their new album. The film looks back at the beginning of the band, their evolution through different styles of music, as well as their many different drummers. Nigel Tufnel (Guest), David St. Hubbins (McKean) and Derek Smalls (Shearer) are the mainstays of Spinal Tap and Marty Di Bergi (Reiner) is the filmmaker trying to capture everything with a straight face. Nothing seems to go right, from poor ticket sales, to an album cover that's not exactly what anyone had in mind, to a Stonehenge set that is a little smaller than expected. The movie is a precursor to the Guest-helmed films like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, with improvised dialog, comedic scenes handled with absolute seriousness and a lack of irony, and characters that seem just a little off. There are a lot of cameos that are fun to pick out: Billy Crystal and Dana Carvey as catering mimes; Paul Schaefer as a music promoter; Bruno Kirby as a limo driver; and several others (Fran Drescher, Ed Begley, Jr., Patrick Macnee). If you like music and concerts (me, me), then some of the scenarios may be reminiscent of various interviews or biographies/autobiographies you may have read or heard. It's definitely a part of American pop culture. 

Wind River, Three Billboards and Dick Tracy

11/25/17 Wind River, not yet nominated, 2017

Wind River received a lot of buzz when it was released in the summer, but I could not get myself to a theater, but I heard a lot of good things. Jeremy Renner stars as Cory Lambert, a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Agent, living out in Wyoming. His territory includes the Wind River Indian Reservation. Cory's job is pretty solitary, keeping out on the plains (or prairie?) for many hours as he protects livestock and tracks the wildlife. Cory is a pretty stoic character, and the reasons for that are slowly revealed to the audience; but he does have a young son whom he loves very much, and tries to spend as much time with him as possible. Cory is white, but his ex-wife is Native American, and he has a pretty good relationship with the Native American community. During one of his regular days at work, Lambert discovers a body in the snow, and he identifies it as a young girl he knows, and he knows her family. For a variety of reasons having to do with tribal land being a sovereign nation, but the land around it belonging to the US government or under state jurisdiction, an FBI agent, Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) comes in to help solve the murder. Graham Greene is the tribal sheriff, and enjoys Agent Banner's discomfort at the cold and riding on a snowmobile at high speeds, but realizes that she may be the only one who can resolve the murder, since often the federal government is reluctant to help at all. As Lambert, Banner and Ben start to uncover what happened to Natalie, and why, we get a brief glimpse into life on a reservation and the challenges that Native Americans face to their culture, raising their children, and of being treated with humanity by whites. The movie is beautiful in its stark treatment of winter, and the vastness of the land. The characters are restrained in their grief and their anger; there is not a lot of joy or happiness in the film; peace is the best you can hope for. Lambert is the link between the white community and the Native American community, and I think Renner did a wonderful job, but I was so moved by Martin Hanson (Gil Birmingham) who was Natalie's father, and was so powerful in his brief time onscreen. Elizabeth Olsen held her own with the mostly male cast. In addition to bringing some focus to our Native American communities, hopefully the movie will also raise awareness about rape and assault against Native American women, which often goes unreported. It's a disgusting shame that these women and these communities are so ignored and disrespected and mistreated. It's a great movie introducing many of us to modern day Native Americans. 



12/2/17 Dick Tracy, Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, Best Original Song, 1990

I vaguely remember when Dick Tracy was released, but I don't remember very many good reviews or comments; people seemed to be mostly interested in Madonna's relationship with Warren Beatty. The plot was pretty typical cops versus bad guys, but what made it different was the incredible art direction which brought Chester Gould's comic strip to life. Only primary colors were used, which apparently was more of a challenge than you might imagine. Honestly, that was the hook for me, the set and the makeup, which was transformative, something I think I mostly associate with science fiction or fantasy films (at least on such a big scale, it wasn't just one or two characters). Madonna sang the Oscar winning song, but it was written by Stephen Sondheim; I don't know, aside from "Blaze of Glory" by Bon Jovi for Young Guns II, none of the songs really stick out for me. Beatty directed, produced the movie and starred as Dick Tracy, ace detective; Glenn Headley plays Tracy's long suffering girlfriend, Tess Trueheart; other good guys include Dick Van Dyke as the district attorney, Charles Durning as the chief of police; and the bad guys feature Al Pacino, in an Oscar-nominated role as Big Boy, the leading crime boss in town; Dustin Hoffman as Mumbles (honest to god, one of the most annoying characters ever); Madonna as sultry singer, Breathless Mahoney. Tracy also befriends a street urchin who goes only by "The Kid". I guess I'm pretty happy I didn't hate the movie, and in fact, didn't mind it. There were a lot of big movies in 1990, including Dances with Wolves, Ghost and Goodfellas, to name just a couple, so, perhaps it's not a surprise that  Dick Tracy rarely gets mentioned.

12/9/17 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, not yet nominated, 2017

I realize I am flying in the face of popular opinion, and it took me a few days to accept it, but I really didn't LOVE Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I wanted to, I love Frances McDormand who stars as Mildred Hayes, a grieving mother, and she is getting a lot of Oscar buzz. It's a great cast: Woody Harrelson as the beleaguered sheriff, Bill Willoughby; Sam Rockwell as the anger and violence prone racist police office, Jason Dixon, and several other strong actors in supporting roles: Peter Dinklage, Clarke Peters and John Hawkes. The "Three Billboards" of the title refer to the billboards rented by Mildred Hayes to poke, cajole, berate the sheriff's department for lack of progress in the rape and murder of her daughter. This act does not sit well with many in the town, including her son who is dealing with his sister's death in his own way; Dixon who drinks a bit too much for his own good; and Willoughby, who seems to have good intentions, but zero evidence. Mildred is an angry, hateful woman, who has trouble accepting any type of kindness from anyone. I don't want to ruin it for you, so I'll be careful about spoilers. I don't mind dark humor, but the fact that this has been called by some "a dark comedy", I don't think so. There are moments of humor, and I did laugh out loud a few times, but that doesn't make it a comedy (from the commercials, I really thought it was a Coen Brothers' movie, sadly, it was not), it's hard to laugh about rape and murder...just saying. McDormand totally embraced Mildred's anger and determination, but I was hoping to see some compassion, perhaps, for her son. My thought (perhaps I'm digging too deep) was that because this was written and directed by Martin McDonagh, who has Irish and British citizenship, that he was trying to make a point about American policing and race relations, I thought he kept using a sledgehammer and nuance be damned. Dixon acts with impunity and is tolerated by many. I thought Rockwell's performance was terrific; I mean, I found myself cheering for him (twisted, I know). There is more about the movie that bothered me, but to tell you now would be risking spoilers. If you'd like to chat after you see it, let me know.