More potential 2018 Oscar nominees with Mary Poppins Returns, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Peppermint

12/15/18 Peppermint, not yet nominated, 2018

When I saw the previews for Peppermint, I thought it would be good for Netflix, and I was right. It's a good revenge movie starring Jennifer Garner as Riley North, a mom and wife whose husband and daughter are shot by order of a drug lord. After the trial fails to produce any results that resemble justice, Riley takes things into her own hands. There may be something twisted or cathartic (depending on your point of view) about enjoying revenge movies like this where someone just goes batshit crazy on the bad guys. The protagonist learns martial arts, uses explosives, becomes a computer/tech whiz, takes punches, but gives harder ones, and man, do we feel better. I did wonder what the movie would have been like if we could have gotten a glimpse into her training routine, because how did she go from working in banking to being an assassin? There's some intrigue, a little twist, but I didn't think it was a deep thinking movie, and that was fine with me. I didn't watch Alias with Garner, but I recall from clips that there was some martial arts and other similarities with Riley North, so maybe Garner was looking to return to a more action packed role. And that's no judgement for me; if men can do it, why can't women? If you're looking for a movie to watch with some friends over pizza and your beverage of choice, add this one to the mix. As for Oscar nominations, it's a longshot, but action movies like this always carry the possibility of sound editing/mixing nominations. 

12/20/2018 Mary Poppins Returns, not yet nominated, 2018

I was skeptical about Mary Poppins Returns, and I don't think I was alone in that. Julie Andrews will forever be Mary Poppins and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "A Spoonful of Sugar" are the songs she sings, so I think it was really brave of Emily Blunt to take on the role, although not in a remake, but a long-delayed sequel. The movie is set in the 1930s, around twenty or twenty-five years after the original, so some characters have moved on, while others have aged. The Banks family is once again Mary's raison d'etre, (certain things will be left out since the movie just came out this week and I do not want to spoilt it), and her accomplice isn't Bert the chimney sweep, but Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), a former apprentice of Bert's who is a lamplighter. Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) Banks are trying to take care of Michael's children since his wife died. Even though we never meet her, we get the clear impression that she handled everything, and Michael is struggling mightily, hence Mary Poppins. I think it's a good ten or fifteen minutes (that's what it felt like) until Mary makes her grand entrance, and almost immediately, I was engaged in the story. There are a lot of songs, and lots of possibilities for nominations; there is the combination of live action with animation, just like in the original; instead of the chimney sweeps dancing, the lamplighters have a show stopping number; and there is a financial kerfuffle that could cost the Banks' their family home. Through it all, Mary handles the children and the various adventures with aplomb and calm, never getting flustered, which is what we all want from Mary Poppins. The movie sets and costumes are beautiful and colorful, more opportunities for nominations. I liked the movie, and perhaps over time, I will love the movie, or at least hold it in my memory with the same affection as the original. I'm not sure what is holding me back, because I thought Emily Blunt was tremendous, demonstrating her ability to sing and dance, all with a very posh attitude, with a touch of cheekiness; Lin-Manuel Miranda was very good, but something about the Cockney accent bugged me; the children were good as well (although I had to laugh every time they did something, my friend would say "I hate children"); and there are stars sprinkled throughout the film, in big, little and surprise roles (Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Julie Walters to name a few). One of the big problems I had was the character of Michael Banks seemed to suck the life and joy out of every scene he was in (perhaps that was the point, but I was noticeably happier when he was offscreen). I am glad I saw this in the theater.

12/22/2018 Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, not yet nominated, 2018

If I thought too hard about Mamma Mia - Here We Go Again, I probably couldn't watch it with a straight face; there are too many things that defy logic, reality, time travel and singing ability. The only thing I care about is the music, and thanks to this movie, and its precursor (which began life as a theatrical musical), the music of ABBA will pretty much never die. The characters from the original film return (Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard), with a few key additions, including Lily James as a young Donna and Cher as Donna's mother and Sophie's grandmother. The story goes back and forth between young Donna, who having just graduated from Oxford, goes off to have adventures around Europe before she settles on an idyllic Greek island, and current day with Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) getting ready to reopen Donna's hotel. The best thing about the movie is it introduces some of ABBA's lesser known songs (well, I knew them, but I'm guessing a lot of people didn't) like "When I Kissed the Teacher" (which took a strange turn and also had a cameo appearance from Bjorn Ulvaeus), "Why Did It Have to Be Me" and "Andante, Andante"; of course, there were well known gems, like "Waterloo" (featuring Benny Andersson on the piano), "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and perhaps the biggest number is "Fernando" sung by Cher (I hope I didn't ruin that bit, but I thought it was common knowledge she was in the movie). The locale is beautiful, with filming being done in Croatia on the island of Vis, and the songs are terrific; the acting is good, but the story just seemed hit and miss for me. I hope they quit while they're ahead.

12/24/2018 Gosford Park, Best Original Screenplay, 2001

Since Gosford Park has been on cable at least twice this past week and I watched it, I figured I should review it. There is something about this Robert Altman movie that I have always liked, having seen it originally in the theatre and watching it when I find it on television. It is set on an English estate in 1932 and has a full cast of characters, above and below stairs and adds in a good old fashioned mystery. Julian Fellowes, who later created "Downton Abbey", wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay. The main plot involves the lord of the manor, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his wife, Lady Sylvia (Kristen Scott Thomas), who are hosting a hunting party on their estate; the guests include gossipy cousin Constance, Countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith); actor, Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam); American film producer, Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban). The below stairs cast include Helen Mirren as Mrs. Wilson, head housekeeper; Eileen Atkins as Mrs. Croft, cook; Emily Watson as Elsie, head housemaid; Clive Owens as Mr. Parks, valet to one of the guests; and Ryan Phillippe as Mr. Denton, valet to Mr. Weissman. Like most Altman films, there are a variety of subplots involving upstairs, downstairs and many that crossover between the two. All of these are happening even as someone is plotting a murder.  There are so many things going on, that even after watching it more than four times, there are new nuances that I picked up. If you enjoy "Downton Abbey" and have not yet watched this, I think you will enjoy it, Maggie Smith gets ready for her role as Dowager Countess of Grantham. Helen Mirren is wonderful as always, Ryan Phillippe is creepy as valet Denton, Gambon does not at all resemble Dumbledore. It really is a feast of wonderful actors in large and small roles. I feel like I have seen so many movies lately that I can barely get through one time, that I feel really pleased that I can watch a seventeen year old movie and still enjoy it.

2018 potential nominees: Crazy Rich Asians, The Favourite, Bohemian Rhapsody

12/8/18 Crazy Rich Asians not yet nominated, 2018

I realize I may be alone in this, but I really hated this movie. I'm sorry, I thought most of the acting, with the exception of Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), was horrible, ridiculously exaggerated. I totally understand and get that it was a big deal for a major motion picture to have a totally Asian cast and be a huge hit; I won't downplay the importance of that, however, I don't think the movie itself was worthy of all the praise heaped on it. It was lavishly designed, and I wouldn't be surprised if it received several nominations for production and art design. The story, of a man and woman in love but from two different worlds, is really not a new one; in fact, you could substitute several different ethnicities, and have a similar story. I enjoyed the soundtrack, and I liked Awkwafina's performance, which was over the top, but it fit the character and the cartoony nature worked. There were several times I wanted to poke my eyes out or at least take a nap, but I thought I should really stick with it. Ugh, just ugh.

12/15/18 The Favourite, not yet nominated 2018

Sadly, I paid full price for this 'gem' in a theater, happy birthday to me. The best thing was I was with a pal and so I didn't suffer alone. I had zero idea what the film was about before we went to see it, just that it was loved by the critics and had a lot of potential for Oscar nominations. That was all I needed to say yes when my friend wanted to see it (yes, totally blaming someone else). What a pretentious piece of shit. Directed (although not written) by Yorgos Lanthimos (writer and director of The Lobster and another awful movie, loved by the critics, Dogtooth). The movie is about the Queen Anne period in English history, and I'm not talking about the furniture. It's a time that isn't often covered in movies, which often feature Queen Elizabeth I or II, Henry VIII, Queen Victoria, and maybe the Georgian period. It's really about the relationship between Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), her 'favourite' the Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) and Sarah's rival, Abigail Hill (Emma Stone). The performances are wonderful and strong; the women are portrayed as smart, conniving, survivalist and independent (although in the case of Queen Anne it may not seem that way). It was nice to see a movie star three strong female characters, and while there were a couple of male characters with significant dialog (Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley and Joe Alwyn as Samuel Masham), they really served the female leads. There are some historical facts in the movie, but I hope people don't use it as a history lesson. Queen Anne is most often shown as being whiny, childish, demanding and a little on the unstable side. We are given to understand one of the reasons for this is because she has had 17 children who have all died. The Duchess of Marlborough and the Queen have been friends for years, and it seems that the Duchess may be taking advantage of that relationship, and when Queen Anne, in a moment of pique/spite/sanity chooses to elevate Abigail Hill to a higher position in her household, creating jealousy between the two women. It's categorized as a comedy-drama, but I didn't think there was that much comedy, at least not the type of comedy I like or find funny. There are some beautiful costumes and sets, so there may be some nominations there, as well as for one or more of the performances. The classical music of the period was lovely, I love a little Bach, but the more modern components made me consider sticking a sharp object in my ear. If you feel you need to see potential Oscar nominees, then you probably need to see this, otherwise, honestly, spare yourself.

12/16/18 Bohemian Rhapsody, not yet nominated 2018

I was so afraid that I missed Bohemian Rhapsody in the theater and someone told me that you really have to hear it with the big screen sound, so I was thrilled to find out it was still playing at my neighborhood theater. Bohemian Rhapsody tells a story of the band Queen and its charismatic front man, Freddie Mercury. I'm not going to go into all of the controversy around the telling of their origin story, Mercury's struggle with his sexuality, his fight with AIDS, or the casting decision to dump Sacha Baron Cohen (or did he dump them) in favor of Rami Malek as Mercury. You never get the full story, even when (or especially when) the subjects are involved in the project, and I don't know if anyone would have been happy with a gritty, dark look at the band. I was so happy with the movie (especially after that horror show from the day before), singing (in my head) along to the songs, and crying (ugh, yes) at the scenes from Live Aid and the end. For younger people, like my brother, this is 'history', for me, it was part of my life: playing "We Are the Champions" in the fourth grade; trying to figure out why I liked "Another One Bites the Dust" even though I tried not to; reading stories or hearing rumors about Mercury's sexuality (especially after some of the leather outfits he was wearing); and watching Queen's electric Live Aid performance as it happened; and listening to Queen's last studio album and learning that Mercury was dying of AIDS. These weren't things my mother told me about, or I watched in some retrospective, it was my era (as my brother said). Anyway, sorry about the diversion into Nostalgia Alley. Rami Malek is spot on as Mercury, and actually most of 'the band' is on target, I only had a real problem with Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, but I can't quite put my finger on why, I think it was the hair; just bad. Gwilym Lee as guitarist extraordinaire, Brian May and Joe Mazzello as bassist (and resident funk fan) John Deacon also seemed to hit the mark. The band had fifteen albums and it seems the film barely scratches the surface in that regard. The movie portrays the long term romantic relationship turned friendship between Mary Austin and Mercury, how accurate that portrayal is, I don't know, but it was very important to Freddie and the story. The movie traces the origins of the band and very quickly moves through key moments, like creating the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" and different tours (I will say, those moments seemed like the lamest cinematically, the sets for the 'concerts' looked cheap and half assed) to internal conflicts which always seem to get resolved, like a family resolves its quarrels, to Freddie's split from the band and their reunion for Live Aid, and Freddie telling the band he had AIDS. Essentially the film packs in twenty years of history and anthemic songs into a little over two hours, and I think it does it in an amazing and powerful way. Normally, as you may recall, if a movie goes over two hours, I'm usually getting antsy by the 90 minute mark, but in this instance, I could have sat there for another hour. There was a bit of sadness (or there was for me), but also something uplifting about the movie and reconnecting with that music; so much so that I will be seeing Queen with Adam Lambert in St. Paul in August. I don't think the score or soundtrack can be nominated for an Oscar, but hopefully sound mixing/editing, maybe production or hair and makeup and costume, and perhaps even a Best Actor for Malek. 

Moulin Rouge times two and Bette Davis in Dark Victory

11/10/18 Dark Victory, 1939
I've been reading a lot of biographies lately of actors, and recently I finished Ed Sikov's book Dark Victory: The Life of Bette Davis, and became interested in seeing Dark Victory. Davis was nominated Best Actress for her role as Judith Traherne, but lost to Vivien Leigh in a small film called Gone with the Wind. Judith is a spirited socialite who begins to get mysterious headaches. The headaches are diagnosed as something much more serious by Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent). Despite surgery, Judith is getting worse, but Dr. Steele, who later becomes Judith's husband, and her best friend Ann (Geraldine Fitzgerald) decide to keep the news from Judith. Bette Davis had a big personality and so does Judith Traherne who is determined to live as full a life as she can, until she can't any longer. I read about the movie in the biography, so I wasn't surprised by the ending, but I paid a lot of attention, and was really moved by Davis's performance. Even when Davis is over the top, it's hard not to watch, you want to see what she'll do or say. Dark Victory was very good, Davis was at the top of her game, Humphrey Bogart, as Michael O'Leary, has a terrible Irish accent. I wouldn't recommend this as a holiday film, it's a bit of a downer, but perhaps something for the winter nights ahead. (I can't even say I can cross this off a list :( ).

12/1/18 Moulin Rouge, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, 1952

Jose Ferrer stars as Henri de Toulouse-Latrec in this gorgeous film written and directed by John Huston. The opening fifteen minutes of Moulin Rouge are some of the most colorful I've seen. Eye popping. Moulin Rouge is set in 1890s  and early 1900s Paris and centers on Toulouse-Latrec and his melancholy life of one-sided love affairs with prostitutes, a disappointed father and the life long affects of a childhood accident that stunted his growth. Ferrer does double duty as Latrec and his father, and in the days before CGI, Ferrer came up with some unique ways to portray the short painter. Latrec painted scenes of Paris and Parisian life in the cafes and nightclubs and Huston brings them to life. If you're looking for an art history lesson on the Post-Impressionists told through cinema, double this up with Lust for Life about Vincent Van Gogh (Kirk Douglas).


12/1/18 Moulin Rouge!, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, 2001

I didn't realize until I just typed it out that both Moulin Rouge films were nominated for many Oscars, but only won two, and they won the same two awards. That might be a coincidence, but it was no coincidence that I watched (re-watched) both movies on the same day; they were actually packaged together from the library. Serendipity. There is no doubt that the Baz Luhrman-directed film is full of bombastic color and extraordinary costumes and sets, or that I did, in spite of myself, enjoy the soundtrack, but other than that, meh. I understand I am probably in the minority, but I really didn't like the film as a whole, in fact, I vaguely recall falling asleep the first time I watched it. Style above substance works for me in short bursts, but two hours was too much (it felt a lot longer). This version of Moulin Rouge does have a place for Toulouse-Latrec (this time played by John Leguizamo), but focuses on struggling writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor) and his love affair with the lovely, but doomed, Satine (Nicole Kidman), and the motley crew that surround them. I am so disinterested, which is probably why it took two weeks to write this crap of a review. I'll do better.

Slogging through The Lists: Black Narcissus, Albert Schweitzer and a paean to Garlic

If this was my regular job, I would have been fired by now. It's not that I haven't been watching movies, clearly, if you look at the list of films below, but I have found myself easily distracted by planning my trip to Iceland (see my companion travel blog) or not all that inspired by the films. It dawned on me that Oscar nominations will be coming out soon and I'm way behind on 2018 movies, so I best get a move on for this backlog. I will ask for your indulgence, yet again, for any skimpiness in the following reviews.

11/7/18 Black Narcissus, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, 1947

The best thing about this film is the cinematography because the story is so full of holes you might think you're eating Swiss cheese. The movie is set in a convent in the Himalayas where the Anglican nuns want to start a hospital and school in a former seraglio (for the harem in a past age). There are a couple of different stories going on, none of which are told very completely. Sister Superior Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) is running from a failed romance in Ireland and trying to focus on her new project, but Mr. Dean, who is the British liaison between the convent and the local prince, is an unwanted distraction. Dean has no respect for the church or propriety as he wanders in and out of the Sisters' quarters in skimpy clothing, sometimes drunk. Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) has some emotional or mental issues that are alluded to, but never fully explained, which is annoying because they are kind of important to the story. There is another storyline involving the heir to the throne falls in love with a lower caste dancing girl (Jean Simmons). I think I might have enjoyed the film a lot more if the story wasn't so badly told. I did enjoy the photography which brought incredible colors and shadows to the screen. 

11/9/18 Albert Schweitzer, Best Documentary, 1957

I did a report on Doctor Albert Schweitzer back in fifth or sixth grade, and I thought he was a pretty amazing man back then. I've learned a little more over the years, and was looking forward to watching this Oscar winning documentary. The film showed Schweitzer at home in Germany as well as in Gabon, Africa, where he carried out his missionary work. The documentary was made while Schweitzer was still alive, and is more of an homage to the man and his work, than a completely objective documentary. Of course, the way we look at something in the 21st century is different than the lens used in the late 1950s; views on colonialism, paternalistic attitudes, medical treatments have changed, and a modern documentary might portray Schweitzer in a different way. The documentary was informative, and it was interesting to see footage of Schweitzer and his family and his colleagues, but the narrative was less satisfying. I think I would recommend reading a good biography instead of watching this film.

11/9/18 Chan is Missing, 1982, National Film Registry

Chan is Missing is set in San Francisco in Chinatown, and features a nephew and an uncle who are hoping to get their own cab license. Along the way, the man who was helping them, Chan Hung, goes missing, and Jo and Steve start looking for him. The film doesn't seem like a 1982 mystery, more like something from the 1940s or 1950s, which was kind of the goal. There were parts of the movie I really liked; I thought the uncle (Wood Moy) was an engaging narrator, and those were my favorite parts of the movie. I'm not familiar at all with the Charlie Chan movies from the 1930s and 1940s, except that he was a detective, portrayed in most films by a white actor, so I don't know if that would give me a more insight into the film. 

11/10/18 Itzhak, not yet nominated, 2018

If you're feeling a little depressed or bitter this holiday season, please let me suggest Itzhak to you. This documentary is about Itzhak Perlman, the violinist who doubles as a national treasure for the United States and Israel. The film features interviews with Perlman and his wife, Toby, as well as footage from Perlman's plethora of performances over the years. There is something that is endearing and infectious about Perlman's love of life, music, food and family; everything is a possibility. It's an attitude he has probably had his whole life, since he contracted polio when he was four years old, and then came to America to study at Juilliard, and having to learn English. The film shows Perlman playing solo, with other classical artists, as well as Billy Joel. Lately when I watch a movie, the only thing I can think of is, when will this be over? But I didn't want this movie to end. It was on PBS, but may also be on DVD/streaming. Watch this movie; you may cry tears of joy or laugh or just hurt yourself smiling, but whatever you do, I think you will enjoy it (even if you think you don't like classical music). I don't know if this will be nominated for Beset Documentary, but, I don't care, I really liked it.

11/19/18 Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers, 1980, National Film Registry

Who needs an hour-long documentary on the benefits of garlic? Apparently we did. I think fifteen minutes would have been great, but I guess director Les Blank disagreed. It really seemed like an infomercial more than a documentary. A variety of people are paraded before the camera to extoll the virtues the bulbous plant thought to ward off vampires and diseases. I had to go through a lot of effort to track this down through interlibrary loan, so I guess I wish I would have loved it. I didn't even like it, and I have no idea why or how this got on the National Film Registry. I think salsa lovers should demand equal time.