2019 movies - probable nominees: Marriage Story, Apollo 11, Bombshell

Since a lot of these are pretty fresh or may get new legs with DVD releases, I'm going to go light on plots and just give you my go/no go recommendation. It will be faster for all of us, I promise.

12/13/19 Marriage Story, 2019, not yet nominated

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson star as a married couple that is getting unmarried; their initial attempt is to do it without lawyers, but it doesn't quite go as intended. The movie is bi-coastal as Driver's Charlie is building his reputation and career as a stage director in New York City, while Johansson's Nicole wants to break away from his shadow and re-establish her acting career in Los Angeles. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, the story follows the ebbs and flows, highs and lows of a disintegrating marriage, including the low blows, dirty pool and spewing of venom that might have slipped out or might have been intentional. Unfortunately, there's a child in the middle, and that's the cause of the fights and anguish. The performances are spot on, the feelings are palpable, even on my teeny iPad mini. Laura Dern as Nicole's lawyer, Nora, has gotten lot of rave reviews, but I couldn't stand it, and maybe that was kind of the desired result, but, it seemed way over the top to me. Alan Alda took a brief turn as Charlie's lawyer, Bert, and he never disappoints; his delivery and cadence always keep my attention. I don't know if you have to see this movie, I don't feel like I had to, except it's probably going to get nominated for something, so, then I have to. A couple friends have seen it and really liked it. 

12/20/19 Apollo 11, not yet nominated 2019

My biggest regret about this documentary on the moon landing with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin is that I didn't see it on the big screen. Damn it. The movie is made up of archival footage, including film taken by the astronauts while in space and on the moon and film of the control center. There is no voiceover or commentary, whatever audio is from the participants. It really captures the excitement that took over the whole world, and this is before social media and twenty-four hour news cycles. We board the space capsule/rocket with the crew of three (Michael Collins was the third man); hear and watch the takeoff; watch the orbit of the rocket and hear conversations between the crew and mission control; it's crazy. Even if you don't have any interest in the space program, you should watch it. I defy you to not get goosebumps. If you have kids, you should watch it with them and revel in the scientific and human achievements. There may be a nomination for best documentary, maybe editing.

12/21/19 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, not yet nominated, 2019

This was not what I thought it was going to be. I saw the documentary on Mister Rogers when it came out over a year and a half ago, so I was not sure that any feature film could really do him justice. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood isn't a bio-pic, exactly, and it's not really fiction, and it's not really about Mister Rogers. It's about the people he influenced, specifically one person, Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), a feature writer for Esquire magazine. Lloyd has some unresolved anger issues, mainly directed at his absent father, played by Chris Cooper, and his wife, Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson) is caught somewhat in the middle.  His editor assigns him the task of writing a brief article on Mister Rogers. Lloyd is suspicious and doesn't believe that Fred Rogers is real, and looks for an angle to expose. Director Marielle Heller really slows the pace of the film, at least it seems that way to me, and it kind of fits Mister Rogers' pace of life, and forces Lloyd to slow down a little. I think the writers were wise to take a different tack when telling Fred Rogers' story, because the documentary is still in the air, if you will, and it would have been too much comparing going in if this film followed the regular biographical line. By introducing Lloyd (who is based on writer Tom Junod), it lets viewers see Mister Rogers from a different perspective, and lets Mister Rogers tell his story (or not, because he can be quite evasive).  Tom Hanks is uncanny as Mister Rogers, the look, the mannerisms, speech patterns. I don't think you have to see this on the big screen, but I do recommend watching it (and then watching the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor).

12/24/19 Judy, not yet nominated, 2019

Wow. Just wow. As much as Tom Hanks became Fred Rogers, Renee Zellweger became Judy Garland. I grew up listening to "Judy Live at Carnegie Hall" and of course watching The Wizard of Oz and I recently finished reading a biography of her, so I feel like I'm in a good place to review Judy. The movie focuses on the very end of her career when she had become so unreliable due to her drug use and drinking, that she was almost left no choice but to go to London for a series of concerts. The movie uses flashbacks to her early days under Louis B. Mayer and a studio system that treated actors, even stars, like cattle. It sets the table for many of the issues that Judy struggled with her entire life. The real Judy Garland had definite facial expressions and characteristics, and it seemed to me that Zellweger nailed them. Zellweger did her own singing as well, which is a gutsy move, and I she was tremendous. Garland was a complex woman, who was tiny but had a big voice, however her self-esteem often disappeared when she was off the stage. We get glimpses into Garland's personal life, with her bitter divorce from Sid Luft (Rufus Sewell) and the battle for her two youngest children, Joey and Lorna; there is the briefest of appearances by Liza Minnelli (Gemma-Leah Devereaux), her eldest child, but it only serves as an introduction to Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock), Judy's last husband. I don't know if I would say that Judy is an entirely uplifting, feel good movie; there are definitely moments that made me feel good, but I would say I felt more melancholy and sad at the loss and waste of talent, and sadness at her loneliness. Don't let that deter you from seeing it. I will be very disappointed if Zellweger doesn't receive a Best Actress nomination; there may also be a Best Costume Design and Best Hair and Makeup.

12/25/19 Bombshell, not yet nominated, 2019

I cannot remember the last time I needed a hot shower after watching a movie, but I absolutely felt that way after seeing Bombshell; John Lithgow is creepy good as Roger Ailes, make your skin crawl creepy. Bombshell tells the story of the sexual harassment charges that were brought forward by former Fox talk show host (and Minnesota native) Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and later corroborated by several other women at the network or formerly at the network. There are three main female protagonists, Carlson, Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) and Kayla Pospisil ( (Margot Robbie); and they are each in different phases of their relationship with Ailes; Carlson at the end, disgusted and angry; Kelly, whose career is really taking off, but she is seeing and hearing things that are making her question; Kayla (who is not a real person, as far as I can tell) is in the very beginning of her professional career and very naïve. How this all unfolds is really what the movie is about, so you are now on your own as far as that goes. We're in the Fox newsroom, so there are plenty of Fox on air personalities in the background, and making appearances walking across the screen; at times, I found that as disturbing as Roger Ailes. Some actors/characters required a lot of makeup to look like their real life counterparts, and some of the make up was really good and spot on; other times, I found it really distracting, like the poor actress, Anne Ramsay, who played Greta Van Susteren. I don't know what intern did that make up, but it was terrible; she's not even listed in the cast list on Wikipedia, and she had more screen time than others who did get listed. The performances by the three lead actresses were really good, but I think Robbie was particularly good, playing an eager conservative producer, first on Gretchen Carlson's show and then moving up (?) to Bill O'Reilly's show. She has aspirations of being on air and meeting Roger Ailes. In a smaller support role, Kate McKinnon is Jess, another producer on The O'Reilly Factor, who befriends Kayla and tries to give her pointers on the show. I should also mention Connie Britton was frightening as Beth Ailes, Roger Ailes's wife who had blind faith in her husband's behavior (it was nice (?) to see her in an atypical role). There is a lot going on here, some of which you probably heard about on the news when the scandal was breaking, some parts that were not common knowledge, and maybe some things that were totally fictionalized, and I'm not an expert on it, so I don't know. Director Jay Roach (Trumbo, Meet the Parents) kept the pace pretty fast, packing a lot of action in less than two hours. It just occurred to me that for the most part, the women in the film were restrained, occasionally understated, as if they had to keep all of their emotions in check, whereas the lead men, mainly Ailes/Lithgow, were allowed to explode and vomit verbally whenever the mood struck, which was often. Aside from needing a shower when the movie was over, I wasn't sure if I loved or liked it. I think right now, I liked it; I loved Robbie's performance; and I liked Theron's and Kidman's performances. I think there may be some nominations for technical Oscars, like editing and makeup and hair; I'm not sure how the acting nominations will play out, a possible Best Supporting Actor for Lithgow, but I don't know how you really break out the performances of Robbie, Theron and Kidman.

That's all for a while. Check my travel blog for some fun stuff in the coming days.

Woman at War (Iceland), The Peanut Butter Falcon, Ford v Ferrari

12/7/19 Woman at War, 2018

Woman at War is set in Iceland and uses the incredible landscape as part of the action. Halla is an environmental activist and choir leader who is waging a battle against heavy industry development in Iceland, and the threat to destroy natural wonder and resources. There is a subplot, a case of mistaken identity, that runs through the film that is kind of fun to watch; it plays havoc with the authorities trying to catch Halla. In the meantime, Halla receives a letter telling her she is in line to adopt a child from Ukraine, which is at risk because of her illegal activities. Halla has a twin sister, Asa, (played by the same actress, Halldora Geirhardsdottir), who doesn't always agree with her sister's extreme actions. I really enjoyed the film; the scenery is beautiful; it's quirky, but not too much that you forget what is happening or that it's annoying; and it's timely. The director very cleverly inserted the soundtrack into the movie by placing musicians and singers in the action, moving along with the story. I don't think I have ever seen this before.  

12/7/19 The Peanut Butter Falcon, 2019, not yet nominated

If I went by the title alone, I probably would have totally skipped this movie, and shame on me. Feeling guilty for not liking Joker as much as my brother did, I watched it on his recommendation. It stars Zack Gottsagen as Zak, a young man with Down's Syndrome with very big dreams; Shia LaBeouf as Tyler, a loner who is still missing his deceased brother and getting into a lot of trouble stealing crabs from other fisherman; and Dakota Johnson who is Eleanor, Zak's guardian (for lack of a better word) at the senior citizen's home where he lives. He lives there because he has no relatives and there are few resources where he lives in North Carolina. Zak seems to get along with the residents, especially Carl (Bruce Dern), who watches wrestling videos with Zak. That is Zak's dream, to go to wrestling camp and become a professional wrestler. Zak escapes the home, with help from Carl, and winds up hiding on Tyler's boat. They get off to a rocky start, but eventually forge a bond based on honesty, humor and adventure. Eleanor catches up with them and tries to take Zak back, but Tyler intervenes and tells her she should treat him like a man and not a little kid. LaBeouf was terrific, it was nice to see him acting instad of being in the news; he was totally believable (to me) with his southern accent and his relationship with Zak. Gottsagen was fun to watch; he held his own with LaBeouf, Dern and Johnson; his character was asked to go through a range of scenarios and emotions and he was amazing. The movie is PG-13, there's some swearing and violence, but I think it may actually be a good film for the family; probably not your traditional holiday film, but I think it has a holiday spirit: love, redemption and family. If it gets any nominations, I'm thinking maybe screenplay and possibly acting ('possibly' because that category can get crowded). There's a whole backstory to how and why this movie was made which you should check out on on your own.

12/8/19 Ford v Ferrari, 2019, not yet nominated

I only had the faintest idea what Ford v. Ferrari was about, and even then, I still didn't quite get it, but it got some good reviews and it's in the time frame where you expect it to be nominated. It's based on the true story of Henry Ford II and Ford Automotive's quest to build a legitimate race car to compete with Ferrari in LeMans and other races. Matt Damon is Carroll Shelby a race car driver and designer who was brought in by Ford to develop the car; Shelby brought in Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to drive and help with the design. Miles is a very difficult character, he doesn't get along with a lot of people because he doesn't suffer fools and he's very good at what he does, and he knows it. The movie looks at Ford's involvement in the design and building process as well as the butting in to the strategy of racing, to the point of ordering Miles to be excluded. Miles is a hot head and Shelby has to be the moderating source and also a visionary, which isn't easy. Because I wasn't previously familiar with the story of Shelby, Miles and Ford II, I didn't have any preconceptions or knowledge of the outcome, which helped with the suspense: I really did not know how it was going to end. Bale brought a cocky intensity to Miles, often providing commentary as he's racing, while Damon is a good counterbalance to Bale, rarely shouting, but using his Texas drawl to make people think he's not as sharp as he is, but he truly sees the big picture. As a total sidenote, I don't know if the portrayal of Henry II is accurate, but on film, Tracy Letts makes him seem to be the biggest wanker, at least to me. If you can catch this movie before it hits the DVD/streaming run, I would do it. The photography is amazing; the perspective from inside the car, and the racing shots in general are crazy. If I had to bet, I would say it will pick up nominations for sound and film editing. 

2019 films: The Irishman and Knives Out

It seems from February until Thanksgiving cinema is a vast wasteland, filled with throwaway movies. I've learned over the eight years of doing this blog that I can pretty much wait until November before I have to worry about serious Oscar contenders. Sure, there's always the odd special effects nominee or underdog picture that sneaks onto the coveted list of nominated films, but not as often as you would think. It's time to focus, because nomination morning will be here before I know it.

12/1/19 The Irishman, 2019, not yet nominated

I can't address how many, or if any, of the events in The Irishman are true or accurate, that's probably the purview of another blog and another writer (or two or three), however, Martin Scorsese's film about the purported events in the life of Frank 'The Irishman' Sheeran  (played by Robert DeNiro), Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and other members of the mob are definitely worth watching. The three plus hours goes pretty fast (although to be honest, I had to split it out over three nights), and some of the story lines were familiar to me, and the acting was really terrific. Joe Pesci is Russell Bufalino and he exercises a lot of control and influence very quietly, he lets other people throw punches, shoot guns and otherwise get their hands dirty. Pacino is a little over the top as Hoffa, but I guess Hoffa was a larger than life character. The movie follows Sheeran's rise through the Bufalina organization, from driving trucks to work that was a little more violent, to working with/for Jimmy Hoffa. Sheeran narrates the film, taking us back through time; there are a lot of time jumps, so you do have to pay attention (sometimes I don't do that very well). There is also a parade of characters, some with similar names or appearances and it can get confusing (back to that paying attention part). It's a  little like Goodfellas meets The Sopranos. One of the things about the movie that's getting some attention is the digital de-aging of the actors, many of whom are in their 60s, taking them back to their 20s, 30s, etc. The mystery of what happened to Jimmy Hoffa and where his body is still remains a topic of interest as evidenced by the buzz the movie has received. We'll see how the nominations shake out because the movie was distributed by Netflix and had a very limited theatrical release, which rubs some voting members the wrong way, who may still be bitter that Roma (also distributed by Netflix) did so well last year.

12/5/19 Meeting Gorbachev, 2018

With all of the craziness in the world these days, especially around international relations and threats to ramp up nuclear weapons from various quarters, it felt like a good time to watch this documentary by Werner Herzog and Andre Singer about Mikhail Gorbachev. Growing up during the Cold War and actually remembering many of the events from the 1970s and 1980s, I appreciated seeing them from Gorbachev's perspective and with historical context. Gorbachev was the polar opposite of his predecessors, which while that worked to the West's advantage, it turned out to be his political death knell. In ninety minutes, Herzog takes us through Gorbachev's rise in the Communist Party; his relations with Western leaders including Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Helmut Kohl; his beloved wife, Raisa (I don't think I can name any other wife of a Soviet leader, or most leaders, but we knew Raisa) and his family; and his sad decline, in health and status. Herzog is an amazing filmmaker, and I have seen may of his feature films and his documentaries, and my only qualm with him is that sometimes he injects himself into the story. I guess it works on some level and sometimes gives us more insight, but still, I occasionally wish he would shush. If you're a political science nut or a history buff, I totally recommend watching this film.

12/6/19 Knives Out, 2019, not yet nominated

When I first saw the trailers for Knives Out, I immediately thought of Robert Altman and Gosford Park (I have since read that writer/director Rian Johnson used that film as one of his inspirations). I really don't want to give anything away about this star-studded ensemble murder-mystery because it's still out and I'm recommending it to anyone who asks and I want it to be a surprise. Christopher Plummer is Harlan Thrombey, a famous mystery writer whose death throws his family into chaos. His family members include his eldest daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her husband, Richard (Don Johnson who was actually pretty good) and their ne'er do well son, Ransom (Chris Evans); his younger son, Walt (Michael Shannon); his daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Colette); and other assorted family members. Harlan also has a nurse, Marta (Ana de Armas), who provides medical care but also friendship, and she seems to be the only person who has no expectations from Harlan. Harlan's death appears to be a suicide, but someone has contacted private detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig with a delicious Southern accent) to dig a little deeper. This is where I have to stop for fear of revealing a clue. The main setting for the film is a beautiful, creepy estate and the interior sets are clever. There is a lot to pay attention to visually. The performances are terrific, quirky, funny, surprising, and de Armas as Marta was a fabulous surprise (she was in Blade Runner 2049, which I barely remember watching), keeping up with the veteran cast and giving them a run for their money; I look forward to seeing her in more films. Benoit Blanc is a great departure for Craig, and he seems to savor it; I think he would get along famously with Hercule Poirot if that was possible on time-space continuum. I don't normally go to movies with people, but this would be an exception to the rule if I hadn't already seen it; there's a lot to discuss afterward.

12/6/19 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Best Actress, 1974

I watched Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore totally by fluke, but since it was on The List it was a happy fluke. It was also a bit of coincidence because it was directed by Martin Scorsese forty-five years ago. Alice was one of his earliest films, squeezed in between Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. Ellen Burstyn stars as Alice Hyatt, a housewife who is married to an abusive man who has squashed her dreams of becoming a singer. After he is killed in a truck accident, Alice packs up her son, Tommy, and heads to California, making a few stops along the way. One of her longest stays is in Tucson where she lands a job at Mel & Ruby's Diner (Vic Tayback plays grumpy Mel) where she bumps heads with sassy Flo (Diane Ladd) and meets David (Kris Kristofferson) a regular customer and a local rancher who has romantic intentions. Heading into 2020, it might not seem to be a big deal to have a woman headlining a film, but in 1974, the early days of the women's movement and a time when most female roles in movies were wives, helpmates, mothers, sex kittens, it was a big deal. Alice Hyatt is forced to become the head of her small family unit, making decisions (some of them questionable), raise her son and maybe follow her dream. Burstyn brings a level of humanity and reality to Alice, she loves her son, but struggles with his wise-ass attitude; she wants to be loved, but has learned her self-respect is worth more. It's probably not a movie on most people's watch list, but it was recently on Turner Classic Movies, and if you catch it, you should give it try. It's interesting to note that Harvey Keitel appears in the movie as Ben, one of Alice's questionable decisions; it was Keitel's third film with Scorsese (third of many); Jodi Foster plays Tommy's friend, Audrey, and she starred in Scorsese's next film, Taxi Driver (along with Keitel and Robert DeNiro). Alice was turned into a 30 minute sitcom starring Linda Lavin; Tayback reprised his role as Mel; Diane Ladd was in the series as a replacement for Polly Holliday's Flo.

Three films about real life and fictional heroes: Maiden, Pavarotti and Hellboy

11/28/19 Maiden, 2018

Maiden is why I love documentaries so much. It has unapologetic protagonist in Tracy Edwards; a challenging, life-changing event in the Whitbread Round the World Race; antagonists in the form of the all-male teams against whom Tracy and her crew were competing; and an uplifting and empowering message.  In 1989, Tracy Edwards assembled an all-female crew to compete in a grueling around the world yacht race. Director Alex Holmes includes footage filmed by the crew during the race; historical news clips and interviews; and current interviews with the crew, the competition and journalists. Tracy is brash, abrupt, certain in what she wants, but not always sure of how to get it and she's balanced by her shipmates' temperaments and experience. Tracy's confidence hides her insecurities and fears of failure, and that honest portrayal is part of what makes the movie so compelling to watch. Additionally, the footage shot during the race is terrific, the waves of the ocean crashing on the boat, the icy conditions as the race goes around Cape Horn. I feel like it's been a while since I have strongly recommended a documentary (or any film, really), but let me encourage, cajole, suggest you rent Maiden. #girlpower

11/29/19 Hellboy, 2019

I watched the 2019 version of Hellboy because I've seen the previous live action films directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Ron Perlman, and I enjoyed them, so why not. David Harbour stepped into the horns as Hellboy and Ian McShane played his adopted father, Trevor Bruttenholm. I was a big fan of the original franchise, and was as skeptical as many critics and fans, so I was ready to not like it. I was pleasantly surprised. This film was rated R (the earlier films were PG-13) and they let fly the F-bombs and plenty of blood spray, but otherwise, it had demons from the other world, action, humor. The story was probably not as strong as it could have been, but depending on my mood and what I'm watching, sometimes that doesn't bother me, and it didn't bother me here. I was curious to see how this would develop and what a sequel would look like, but it doesn't sound like that's going to happen. I enjoyed it, and if you're looking for something for the long winter nights coming up and you're looking for a wisecracking demon movie, give Hellboy a watch.

11/29/19 Pavarotti, 2019

I enjoy opera, but by no stretch of the imagination am I an expert. I know what I like, I know the main voices and I've been to several operas, but that's about it. Pavarotti was more than an opera star, he was a global cultural icon, playing to hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, donating time and money to children's charities; even if you knew nothing about opera, you probably heard of Luciano Pavarotti. Director Ron Howard shows us the many sides of Pavarotti, the playful, jovial, grouchy, insecure using news footage, interviews with Pavarotti, his family, friends and critics. Howard does a terrific job of capturing Pavarotti's joie de vivre and his love of people. I feel like I learned a lot about Pavarotti, but also about opera. I know a lot of people are turned off by the thought of opera, even if they have never heard it (aside from maybe some comedic or over the top performance, like the Bugs Bunny cartoons), but some of it is really good. I don't know if this will be nominated for an Oscar since it doesn't expose any scandal, there's no underdog or any of the other usual themes in nominated films, but it's still very well done. I don't know if I can convince you to watch it, but I hope so, and maybe give the opera a try. Too much?

2019 films - Toy Story 4, The Farewell and The Hustle

10/20/19 They Killed Sister Dorothy, 2008

Dorothy Stang was a nun living and working in Brazil who was brutally murdered for her work to protect the Amazon Rainforest and the poor who lived there. She crossed paths and had violent encounters with the ranchers who wanted to cut the forest down. The documentary uses interviews with her brother; Sisters in her order, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur; the peasants she helped; the ranchers she angered; and the men accused of shooting her in cold blood. It also includes footage from the trials of the men who were accused of killing her. Sister Dorothy was passionate about her love of the Amazon and the people who lived who lived, so passionate she was willing to risk her life. The fires in the Amazon recently made my viewing of this film vey timely.

11/23/19 The Farewell, 2019, not yet nominated

I don't know if The Farewell will be nominated for any Oscars, although I think Adapted Screenplay might be a possibility. A few of my movie loving friends kept telling me I needed to see The Farewell, and I finally got around to it. The screenplay, by Lulu Wang, was based on her story that she did for American Life, which was based on real life events in her family. Billi Wang (Awkwafina) and her parents live in New York City, while her grandmother still lives in China. Billi finds out from her parents (reluctantly) that Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) has been diagnosed with lung cancer, which devastates Billi. It doesn't get better when her parents tell her they are going back to China for a 'family reunion' to say their goodbyes to Nai Nai, they're not telling her she's ill, and Billi isn't invited. It's Eastern tradition versus Western cerebralism, because Billi thinks they should be honest and tell her grandmother, but that's not how it's done in China; they don't want to worry Nai Nai, so they are all getting together for the wedding of Billi's cousin. The movie moves between those awkward family moments we all have (sibling rivalry, meeting up with relatives you haven't seen in a long time), to celebrating one's cultural and history, to dealing with the mortality of a beloved grandmother. Awkwafina was terrific (she was one of the only things I liked from Crazy Rich Asians which I otherwise pretty much loathed) and I think she showed that she doesn't just do comedy, she tapped into some pretty serious emotions and dramatic moments. I wish I would have gotten this review done before Thanksgiving in case you were looking for a break from football and Christmas movies, but you still have time to watch this during the interminable Christmas marathons, and I recommend that you do. There are subtitles, but don't let that turn you off.

11/27/19 Toy Story 4, 2019 Not yet nominated

I don't want to sound like the Grinch or Scrooge, but this was not the best animated movie ever, and it wasn't even the best Toy Story movie in the franchise. The story picks up after Woody and company are adopted by Bonnie and given a new home with her other toys. Sadly, Bonnie no longer wants to play with Bo Peep, so she is sent off to the land of misfit toys (oops, wrong movie), and Woody is heartbroken. Bonnie makes a new toy at school, called 'Forky'. Forky has some existential issues: he's garbage and should be thrown out, he doesn't want to exist as a toy. Unfortunately, he's Bonnie's favorite toy, and as he escapes the confines of the family's RV, Woody chases after him. Then all sorts of adventures and misadventures ensue: some very creepy ventriloquist dummies are the henchman for a voiceless talking doll; Woody meets up again with Bo, who is now a liberated woman, Buzz listens to his inner voice and becomes a problem solver; and Keanu Reeves becomes one of my favorite animated characters in the franchise as Duke Caboom. I do like that production crew includes old and familiar voices (Annie Potts, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris and Joan Cusack to names a few), but also brings new voices (at least to the franchise) like Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, Carl Weathers, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. Of course there is the familiar sound of Randy Newman on the soundtrack. It's probably going to get nominated, because I think it's been codified into law that any Pixar film gets nominated for an Oscar, and will usually win. Now that the grown up review is done, I do think that kids will like it (but those dummies are kind of scary) and it could be a good family flick instead of watching The Santa Claus 2 again.

11/28/19 The Hustle, 2019

I kind of want my Redbox points back, because this movie wasn't even worth a free rental. I like Rebel Wilson (although I think she is going to be typecast which would be a shame) and I like Anne Hathaway, but this movie was so disappointing. I thought it was going to be funny, and it had maybe five laughs, otherwise, it was cringeworthy. Don't confuse this with the much buzzed about movie with Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers.  I didn't, but that would have been a good excuse.

Die Hard, Joker, Spider-Man and Tender Mercies

9/13/19 Reversal of Fortune, Best Actor, 1990

I remember when the Claus von Bulow case was in the news. It was very titillating, the life of the ridiculously wealthy. This was before the internet and 24 hour gossip cycles. I vaguely remember when the movie Reversal of Fortune was released, perhaps I was no longer interested. I honestly don't recall it making that big of an impression, much less being an Oscar nominated film. Glenn Close is Sunny von Bulow who really doesn't do too much in the film and Jeremy Irons won an Oscar for his portrayal of Claus von Bulow, the pompous and snooty husband of the inert Sunny. Ron Silver is famous (or infamous) defense attorney Alan Dershowitz. Claus von Bulow is accused of attempting to murder Sunny by injecting her with an overdose of insulin. von Bulow's haughty demeanor doesn't endear him to anyone, but Dershowitz takes the case to fund his other pro bono work. I am a big fan of trial dramas/mysteries/biographies, but I didn't find this suspenseful or even well acted. I was surprised to learn that Irons beat out Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves, Richard Harris in The Field and Robert DeNiro in Awakenings. I was looking forward to seeing this film, but was pretty disappointed.

9/18/19 Die Hard, National Film Registry, 1988

Until I watched Die Hard this past fall, I had never, ever seen a Die Hard film in its entirety, or even any significant portions. Honest. Most people are probably familiar with the basic premise, but in the event you are not, Bruce Willis is John McClane, a New York City police officer who is in Los Angeles to try and reunite with his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedalia). Holly is an executive who works in a swanky skyscraper. McClane arrives in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve (thus apparently cementing the film's place in the pantheon of Christmas films), at the same time terrorists, led by the inimitable Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. Bad timing for McClane, but lucky for his wife and the attendees of the company Christmas party; oh, and bad timing for Gruber and company. McClane takes on around eight henchman equipped with automatic weapons and explosives, and no surprise, he comes out the winner (really, this is not a spoiler). He and Gruber play a game of chess as McClane tries to race the clock before Gruber accomplishes his goal of stealing over $640 million dollars in bearer bonds and destroying the skyscraper. Willis/McClane fights his way, with his gun and his smart-ass mouth, taunting Gruber, but also trying to convince the LAPD that he's not one of the bad guys. I did like Willis' performance, but Rickman steals the show (not an original thought on my part) by being the cold blooded, restrained, intellectual, mysterious bad guy. It foreshadows a little bit his role as Snape in the Harry Potter series. I liked the movie, and I'm glad I finally saw it so I can keep with any offhand references to it, but I didn't love it. I don't feel the need to watch it over and over. But, that's just me.

10/3/19 Joker, not yet nominated, 2019

I honestly do not know how to write this, because I know the vast majority of people who have seen Joker have loved it, including my brother, who was very disappointed in my response. Honestly, I had no desire to even see the movie, much less on opening night. Joaquin Phoenix is Arthur Fleck/Joker, who attempts to make a living playing a clown and aspires to stand up comedy, but he faces ridicule from his fellow clowns and abuse from kids on the street. Arthur takes care of his mother Penny (Frances Conroy) who used to work for industrialist Thomas Wayne. Arthur seems to have some mental issues that confuse fiction and reality. Robert DeNiro is Murray Franklin, a late night talk show host in the vein of Johnny Carson; Arthur fantasizes being on the Murray Franklin show and doing his stand up routine. Arthur also has feelings for his neighbor, Sophie (Zazie Beetz), and we are led to believe they have a romantic relationship. Gradually, Arthur is pushed to his breaking point by discovering the truth about his childhood and his mother's actions; his mistreatment by his fellow clowns; and ultimately, his failure on the Murray Franklin show. Even though the film is set in Gotham, and Thomas Wayne looms large in the background, there are only a few threads to link Joker to the future Batman. Phoenix is totally committed to Fleck, and there is no question his performance will be nominated for an Oscar (or, I guess it would be a huge surprise if he was not nominated), but I just didn't care. That was the only way I could explain it to my brother, I didn't care. What I saw was a man who was beaten, downtrodden, humiliated and he took his revenge by killing people and reveling in the violence. Meh.

10/13/19 Tender Mercies, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, 1983

Sometimes a movie doesn't need special effects, action scenes or over the top sex scenes. Tender Mercies is one of those movies. Written by Horton Foote (To Kill a Mockingbird), directed by Bruce Beresford (Breaker Morant, Driving Miss Daisy) and starring Robert Duvall, it takes the viewer on a quietly emotional journey that took me by surprise. Duvall is Mac Sledge, a washed up alcoholic country singer who finds a refuge with Rosa Lee (Tess Harper) and her son, Sonny. Rosa is a widow whose husband was killed in Vietnam. She lets Mac stay on her property in exchange for working on it. Mac has his demons, a failed marriage and hostile relationship to a popular country singer, Dixie (Betty Buckley), an uneven relationship with his daughter Sue Anne (Ellen Barkin) and his status as a has-been in the music world. Sonny battles the bullies at school over not having a dad (apparently the sacrifice of dying for your country wasn't enough for them) and Rosa tries to keep her gas station/motel going. Even though you kind of know that Mac and Rosa are going to get together, it's subtle and it just kind of happens, no big fireworks. Mac and Rosa get married; Mac and Sonny develop a close bond and Mac gets 're-discovered' by a local band. Duvall does his own singing in the film. Of course, you can't have all of these wonderful things happen without something to counterbalance it, so there is a tragedy, but even the tragedy is handled with reserve and restraint. It's like Mac and Rosa just absorb disappointment and sadness like body blows, but keep moving on, leaning on each other and their strong bonds and their faith. Duvall is terrifically understated and you really believe the chemistry between him and Tess Harper (who should have been nominated as Best Supporting Actress). I had no expectations of the movie, not being very familiar with it at all, but I really enjoyed it and if you're tired of CGI and/or superhero movies or just want to watch a human story, find Tender Mercies on Netflix or from the library.

10/19/19 Spider-Man: Far From Home, 2019, not yet nominated

Eh. Spider-Man: Far From Home is set after the Avengers' universe-splitting Endgame and the death of Iron Man (I'm so sorry if you haven't seen it yet, but seriously?) and Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is back at school. He and his classmates are off to Europe where they run into The Elementals and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). Honestly, I really didn't care. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I did like that Happy, Iron Man's bodyguard/chauffeur, makes more than a cameo. I never bought Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, I liked Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire (until Spider-Man 3, ugh). The movie was good, not great, and I would say you should see it if you're a megafan of the MCU or Spidey, but if you're ambivalent, give it a pass.

Steve Hackett returns to Minneapolis

I have seen Steve Hackett five times prior to Monday, but never in Minneapolis. I was pretty excited when I saw that he was coming to the Twin Cities. On this tour, he was focusing on his album, Spectral Mornings released forty years ago and my favorite Genesis album, Selling England by the Pound, as well as including songs from his latest album, At the Edge of Light. It must be hard to put a set list together when you have over 20 solo studio albums, plus a rich catalog from your Genesis years, and several collaborations. 

The first half of the night was dedicated to Spectral Mornings, including "Everyday", "The Virgin and the Gypsy" and "Clocks - The Angel of Mons". Hackett is very engaging and he seems to enjoy chatting with the crowd, even handling the moron who kept yelling out "Freebird". Honestly, what are you 17? Hackett politely told him he was not going to hear that song and suggested he get his money back. 

The second half was the entirety of Selling England by the Pound. I have seen selected songs from the album by the Genesis tribute band, The Musical Box, but it was something else to see and hear Steve Hackett play his solo on "Firth of Fifth", "The Cinema Show", "The Battle of Epping Forest" and the rare, "More Fool Me". The band was tight, most of them have been touring with Hackett for years, with Nad Sylvan handling most of the vocals; Rob Townsend is Mr. Versatility playing a variety of saxophones and flutes, providing backing vocals and additional keyboards; Jonas Reingold was on bass, 12 string and backing vocals; Hackett's longtime collaborator and keyboard player, Roger King, was at his post at the back of the stage; and on the drums, Craig Blundell replaced Gary O'Toole, I missed Gary's vocals, especially on "Blood on the Rooftops", but Blundell is a strong player and had a wicked solo. 

"Firth of Fifth" - the last, but best, part

One of my favorite deep tracks, More Fool Me

A little choppy, but "I (still) Know What I Like"

I like "Cinema Show", but I love the instrumental part, which I first heard on "Three Sides Live" as part of the "In the Cage"/"Cinema Show" medley. Love this.

Some people think I'm weird, nuts, whatever, because I have seen Steve Hackett six times in eight years. But it's a different show every time, and a fabulous show at that. So, I'll keep going, thanks.

Driving Miss Daisy, The Red Shoes and 2019 nominee, Never Look Away

From a stroll in Chicago this past May, Siskel and Ebert. Two thumbs up.








6/9/19 Driving Miss Daisy, Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Makeup, Best Adapted Screenplay, 1989

One of the fun things about re-watching movies I watched 5, 10 or 20 years ago is seeing if I still feel the same way as when I first watched them. There have been some movies where I feel incredibly different, either in a good or bad way; sometimes it's been a more subtle change, like maybe I still enjoy the movie or a performance, but I don't love it. I think that's how I feel about Driving Miss Daisy. I think it's a good movie, with some terrific performances by Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman and Dan Ackroyd, and a sense of melancholy. Driving Miss Daisy was adapted from Alfred Uhry's play, and if it wasn't a play, the tight dialog and banter between the two main characters would make you think it would be a great play. Tandy plays Daisy Werthan, an elderly, Jewish widow in Georgia in the 1940s whose son (Dan Ackroyd) decides it's best if she stop driving and they find someone drive her around. That someone is Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman), a black man who has the patience of a saint because Miss Daisy is not always the most appreciative person in the world. The pair spend over 20 years together, occasionally getting glimpses into the other's universe, anti-Semitism directed at Miss Daisy, racism towards Hoke and just aging in an ever-changing world. Call me sentimental or simple or both, but part of what I do really like about the story is the development of relationship between Miss Daisy and Hoke, from a reluctant acceptance of a driver in her life to a true appreciation of one another and caring about each other's well being. Tandy, Freeman and Ackroyd were all nominated for Oscars, with Tandy winning for Best Actress. Was it the Best Picture of the year? I don't know, possibly not. Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, which came out the same year, was not even nominated for Best Picture, but that may be one of the movies that still has an impact thirty years later. The Dead Poets Society, which was nominated, is also one that gets referenced today, whether for Robin Williams' performance or the coming of age story; Field of Dreams is a favorite among baseball fans, and has some quotable lines, but I've only seen it once, and I don't think it was Best Picture (maybe I'll feel differently if I watch it again). 

6/22/19 The Red Shoes, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, 1948

The Red Shoes is one of those films that gets mentioned by directors, photographers and film historians. Of course, that usually means it's pretentious and overwrought and overhyped, or maybe just not very good. I'm happy to say that 'usually' doesn't mean always and the hype about how beautiful the film looks is totally spot on. It was made by the same team that made Black Narcissus, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, which was a beautifully filmed movie that also used the Technicolor technology (that movie was overwrought). Moira Shearer who stars as the main character, Victoria Page, was originally a ballet dancer; selecting a dancer for the lead roles was intentional as opposed to actors who learned to dance. The story is a story within a story, based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. Of course there is a love story or two, battles of egos, men who know what's best for the young ingenue and tragedy. I'm not a ballet expert, and I don't usually seek it out, but this was gorgeous to watch, and the acting was a little melodramatic at times, but I think that's pretty much what you get for that time period. If you are a film buff/fan and have not seen The Red Shoes, I recommend watching it over the upcoming autumn/winter weekends.

8/17/19 Never Look Away, nominated Best Foreign Film, Best Cinematography, 2018

Never Look Away starts in the Nazi era in Germany and goes through the Cold War and the division of Germany in to east and west. The movie is fiction but has its basis in some facts from the life of artist Gerhard Richter. The film was written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck who also wrote and directed Oscar winner The Lives of Others, a very intense look at the East German secret police during the Cold War. The movie is three hours long and there were definitely moments where it felt like it was dragging. Kurt Barnert (Tom Schilling) is a young man when the movie starts; he loves his aunt Elisabeth who is fun and artistic and very much against Hitler. What befell her at the hands of doctors sympathetic to Hitler affected Kurt for the rest of his life. Kurt tries to pursue his art, but he can't find his voice, although he finds his muse in Ellie Seeband (Paula Beer), a fashion student whose family has a room to rent. Kurt and Ellie have a furtive romance because they fear that her very strict and controlling (and creepy) father (Sebastian Koch) will forbid it. Their romance grows and Kurt begins to find his artistic voice and they escape to West Germany. Kurt also discovers a link between his past and his young aunt and Ellie's father, although it is more clear to the viewer than it is to him. It is probably very difficult for anyone who was not alive during the Cold War, the Iron Curtain and the time of the Berlin Wall and East and West Germany (do people remember what the GDR or FDR stood for?), but it impacted art, sport and the geopolitical climate for decades. It is a long movie and in German, so you have to read it, but it covers a period of history that a lot of Americans are not familiar with, and it's interesting and has some good plot twists and worth the time. 

Old and New: Broadcast News, A Raisin in the Sun, Green Book and Capernaum

All I can say is, it's a good thing I have a day job.

4/27/19 Broadcast News, National Historic Film Registry, 1987

Unfortunately for Broadcast News, Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor was also released in 1987 and won 9 Academy Awards in the same season, many in the same categories. The movie stars William Hurt, Holly Hunter and Albert Brooks as members of a newscasting team (it reminds me of an early version of the tv series The Newsroom). At times, it made me nostalgic for the old days of three channels, landlines and typewriters. Written and directed by James L. Brooks, the script is fast paced and smart, topical for its time, and yet if you updated the technology, it could be set today. 


5/8/19 A Raisin in the Sun, National Film Registry, 1961

I was prompted to bump A Raisin in the Sun to the top of my list after watching a documentary about the author/playwright, Lorraine Hansberry on PBS. To me, the fact that a black woman wrote a play that was nominated for Tony awards in 1960 is astonishing, then that she insisted on writing the screenplay as well, is groundbreaking. The story features a black family in the late 1950s, early 1960s, who are trying to decide what to do with the inheritance from their late father. The matriarch (Claudia McNeil) wants to buy a house (the family are sharing a very cramped apartment) and live the American dream; her son, Walter Lee Younger, (Sidney Poitier) has his own ideas of what to do with the money, like some pie in the sky investments with some questionable characters; Walter's sister has the radical idea of going to medical school and was hoping to take some of the inheritance money to pay for medical school. Walter's wife, Ruth (Ruby Dee) also has her sights set on a new house where their son can grow up and not sleep on the sofa. Once the decision is made to buy a house, the Younger family has to deal with the fact that despite the fact that their new neighbors don't really know them, they are politely asked not to move in. It's polite, but not very subtle that the white neighbors are not excited to have a black family in their midst. This was not fiction, but reality for many young black families of that time and even now, if we're honest. The movie is very well acted, and it's fun to see a young Poitier and Dee. The only thing that kind of bothered me, and I've noticed this when I've watched other plays turned into films, is that the dialog doesn't seem as natural; it seems stilted. I don't know if I would have noticed it if I didn't know it was based on a play. It didn't detract from the message of the story or the performances, but it's just something that caught my ear. It seemed odd to me that A Raisin in the Sun wasn't nominated for any Oscars, but it has been added to the National Film Registry.

Green Book, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, nominated Best Actor, Best Film Editing,  2018

I don't think I am qualified to discuss all the controversy surrounding Green Book, whether it is about director Peter Farrelly's past; the true nature of the relationship/friendship between Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali, in another Oscar winning role) and Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortenson); or the 'white savior' complex. Before I saw the movie, I said it was Driving Miss Daisy in reverse, and was reluctant to see it, but of course, it was nominated and won several Oscars. So, I saw it and tried to be objective. It was a good movie; I think Mahershala Ali is an amazing actor who has the ability to transform himself from a violent drug dealer to a thoughtful and innovative pianist; I like a good buddy movie, seeing two people learn about one another, dealing with their quirks, but finding common ground; and having Vallelonga witness the discrimination and harassment that Shirley experienced and eventually sticking up for him. They learned from each other. I still think it was a reverse Driving Miss Daisy with condensed timeline and a little edgier script. I thought it was a good movie, but I didn't think it was great, or the best of the year; my hope was Black Panther, which might have been a long shot, but I think it ticked so many boxes; my other thought was Roma, but given the anti-Netflix bias, that probably wasn't going to happen.

6/1/19 Capernaum, Nominated Best Foreign Film, 2018

Some people like getting scared watching movies, others like to pee themselves laughing, and others like to have a good cry. One of the best feelings for me after watching a movie is feeling like I've been sucker punched, that I've watched something that blows me away and leaves me feeling raw. That's how I felt after I finished watching Capernaum. The star of the film, Zain Al Rafeea, was a Syrian refugee living the slums of Beirut, will break your heart. His character's name is also Zain, and he is a little boy of 12 years old who has to help support his family by selling, stealing, working and protecting. It's a lot to ask of a grown up, much less a kid. The movie is told in flashbacks, which threw me for a minute, but is a great way to tell the story of how he wound up in court suing his parents for being born. Zain is defiant and strong, but also shows that he will do anything to take care of the people he loves, whether or not they are family. Zain meets Rahil, an illegal immigrant with a young baby, who works jobs under the table and asks Zain to watch her baby. Zain and Rahil make an unlikely pair, but they come to rely on one another. I will hold off on telling you any more of the plot, because there are a few twists and turns that you should experience for yourself. Capernaum is like Roma in that it tells the stories of the unseen in their respective communities; people you know are there, but they are ignored or shunted aside when their perceived value may be gone. Both films also used non-actors in the main roles. They also both make you think. They are also both foreign films, which can sometimes turn people off. This is one of those times I am going to ask you to put aside your fear of subtitles and watch Capernaum (and Roma while we're at it) and take a chance on Zain and Rahil.

Beating back writer's block: Mary, Queen of Scots, Free Solo, Rango

It's been a while, a pretty long while as a matter of fact. I have no excuse. So, without further ado, here we go.

4/2/19 Mary, Queen of Scots, nominated Best Costume Design and Best Hair and Makeup, 2018 

I know I said I didn't really have an excuse, but I think I am going to blame Mary, Queen of Scots starring Saoirse Ronan as Queen Mary and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I. Yup, that's my story. When I initially heard about the movie, I was excited because the Elizabethan period is so lush with characters and intrigue and costumes. Sadly, that excitement left pretty quickly. I would say as soon as I heard Queen Mary speak with a Scottish accent, I was disappointed. It didn't stop there. Oh, let me clarify, even though Mary was Queen of the Scots, she was raised in France and wouldn't have had that accent. It didn't stop there, from casting decisions to not great acting to a not great script and a total disgregard for history (there may have been a teeny tiny disclaimer that they were just using history as a suggestion, but I didn't see it). It is pretty to look at, but I wouldn't spend two hours watching this land of make believe. In case you didn't pick it up from the other clues, the movie focuses on the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth, cousins and rivals. Whew, crossed that one off the list.

4/11/19 Free Solo, Best Documentary, 2018

My preference for best documentary was RBG, the film about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Free Solo features Alex Hohnhold, a quirky, but focused, free solo climber, and his attempt to free solo up El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Free solo climbing is done without ropes, pulleys, ladders or nets, so clearly, a challenging sport regardless of the locale, however, adding El Capitan into the mix, makes the climb one of the most difficult climbs undertaken. The film gives the viewer insight into Hohnhold's preparations, his relationship with his girlfriend, and a little bit of a look into his past and what motivates him. There are a few minutes of an interview with his mother, but she seemed a little distant and I got the vibe they weren't that close (I'm happy to be wrong in that perception). It's clear that Alex needs to climb, that's where he seems the most comfortable: climbing, prepping for a climb, talking about a climb. A friend of mine saw the movie in the theater with an audience (something I avoid as much as possible) and said you could hear the collective gasps of the audience as Alex made his way up the cliff, and that added to the suspense and thrill of watching the movie. I watched it at home, on my old boxy tv, by myself, and I knew how it ended. Two very different experiences, and whether my opinion would have been different, I'll never know, but I did like the movie, appreciated Hohnhold's (and the crew's) courage and strength and determination, but I didn't love it. I loved RBG, which I should say, in full disclosure, I saw in a theater with other people. Hmmm. Coincidence? These are two very different movies, with two very different protaganists, so it seems a little unfair to say one is better than the other. Co-director Jimmy Chin also co-directed Meru, another climbing documentary about climbing Meru in the Himalayas. That was an amazing film (seen on the big screen) and I totally recommend watching it.

4/27/19 Rango, Best Animated Feature, 2011

I vaguely remember watching Rango back in 2011 and don't recall anything spectacular about it. In 2011 I watched all of the nominated films, but I didn't write about them, but I remember not being in awe over any of the animated films from that year. Johnny Depp voices Rango, an iguana who gets displaced or misplaced and winds up in a small Western town facing a water shortage and needs a new sheriff. That's all I have. I couldn't pay attention. 

If Beale Street Could Talk deserved more than three nominations, Mirai and Ralph Breaks the Internet worth watching

In between traveling and going to concerts, I've been able to squeeze in a few Oscar-nominated movies. I wish I could have gotten them in before the big show to give me a better perspective, but a person can only do so much.

4/13/19 If Beale Street Could Talk, nominated Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, won Best Supporting Actress, 2018

If Beale Street Could Talk was directed by Barry Jenkins (director of Moonlight) and was based on the novel by James Baldwin. The story is set in 1970s New York City and focuses on the love story of Fonny (Stephan James) and Tish (KiKi Layne); it's a love story that takes a tragic turn when Fonny is falsely accused of rape. Fonny and Tish have been friends since they were little kids, and their friendship evolves into a romantic one. The story is told via flashbacks, which don't always work (in my opinion), but they do here. It does make it challenging to give you a straightforward narrative type review, and I don't want to ruin it, so I'll be careful. Tish provides the narration, describing her experiences as a young, black woman who is trying to earn a living working at a perfume counter, which include describing the differences in how the clientele treat her when choosing perfume. Her words and the visuals of one particular customer was downright creepy. Tish finds out she's pregnant when Fonny is in jail; she has told her family, and they are very supportive, and a little excited to have a new life in the world. They have Fonny's family over to tell them the news, and that was one of the scenes that blew me away, the fast paced dialog, the interaction of the characters and the fact that so much was packed into maybe less than ten minutes. Fonny's family doesn't think much of Tish and her family, they think Fonny deserves better, and his mother certainly doesn't approve of the new baby. Tish's sister, Ernestine, is someone I would want in my corner the way she defends her younger sister, and doesn't back down from the holier than thou attitude of Fonny's sisters and mother. Oscar-winner Regina King as Tish and Ernestine's mother, Sharon, tries to keep everyone cool and levelheaded, while always supporting her family, including Fonny. This is a family that never gives up trying to help vindicate Fonny, even if it costs them every cent they have. They raise the money to send Sharon to Puerto Rico to talk to the rape victim, Victoria, to try and convince her to come back to New York and admit that she misidentified her rapist under pressure from the arresting officer. As aside, I thought it was very important that Sharon, and the family, never denied that Victoria was raped, just that she was not raped by Fonny. The meeting between Sharon and Victoria was so powerful and painful to watch. There is a lot that is painful to watch in this movie, the injustice done to Fonny by a cop who has an ax to grind; hope that is dashed in minutes; the humiliation that Tish experiences at work. There is also a lot that is hopeful, the incredible love of Tish's family; a strong, intact black family going against stereotype; strong women: Ernestine works in a law firm and gets an attorney to help Fonny; Sharon goes, by herself, to Puerto Rico to help Fonny, which must have been scary, especially if she had never been out of the country and spoke no Spanish, and was on her own (this was in the 1970s, so probably a huge challenge); Tish who never gives up on Fonny. I hope this is enough to pique your interest if you haven't seen it. I actually think the movie was robbed in terms of Oscar recognition because I think KiKi Layne should have been nominated for Best Actress (perhaps a long shot give then way everything played out, but she was tremendous); how could Barry Jenkins not get a nomination for Best Director? And I don't think it would have been a stretch for Stephan James to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor. James Baldwin had an interesting and complicated relationship with the United States and I think that comes through in this story.

4/16/19 Mirai, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2019

I was recently describing Mirai to a friend, and I found myself hemming and hawing about if I liked it or not. I couldn't outright say "Oh my gosh, you have GOT to see this movie.", but I also couldn't say I hated it or disliked it. The more I told her about it, the more I think I did like it, but there were parts I didn't care for, if that makes sense. What I really did like about the movie and thought made it special was how it gave the main character, Hun, a little boy who recently became a big brother, insight into his family and their 'origin stories', if you will. It involves a little bit of time travel and you have to surrender to the whimsy (maybe that's my hang up). Hun is having a hard time adjusting to his baby sister and the fact that he is no longer the center of his family's universe. As he has his outbursts (which are incredibly annoying and one of the things I disliked about the film), he also meets members of his family in the past, learning about his parents when they were children, his grandparents when they were young adults, and in a little twist, he meets his sister when she's older. All of these encounters teach Hun a little lesson about patience, tolerance, understanding, etc. As an adult watching this, I felt a little pang of jealousy (not jealousy exactly, but wistfulness maybe), because I think it would be magical, interesting and whatever other word I can't think of at the moment, to see what my grandparents were like in their twenties, or what my parents were like when they were kids. I guess I connected with those feelings. Hun's shrieking when he had his temper tantrums was enough to make me want to stop the DVD, that's how obnoxious it was. But I'm glad I stuck with it.

4/20/19 Ralph Breaks the Internet, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2018

I wasn't all that interested in seeing Ralph Breaks the Internet when it came out in the theaters, and still not thrilled after it was nominated for Best Animated Feature for 2018. My interest in animated feature films has waned, at least as an Oscar category because the rationale for selecting the winners, much less the nominees, just seems geared to sappy, oversentimental films, dominated by Pixar or Disney, not necessarily creative or innovative. Thankfully that was remedied (this time at least) when Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse won. Anyway, back to the movie at hand. So, it was with a little bit of reluctance that I started watching Ralph Breaks the Internet. John C. Reilly reprised his role as Wreck-It Ralph, who was formerly a big meanie in his video game, but revealed to have a heart of gold; Sarah Silverman as Vanellope, a driver in a racing game, who is also Ralph's best friend; and Taraji P. Henson as Yesss, the personification of an algorithm that determines what trends on the Internet; and several other new and returning characters from Wreck-It Ralph. The arcade is entering the Internet age and all that goes with it: social media, online auctioning sites, viruses, firewalls and updated video games. Ralph and his big two-dimensional heart get into a little trouble when he tries to give Vanellope a surprise and update her racing track. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished, and that is pretty much how the movie goes, one good deed, one unexpected consequence, and so on. Shank (voiced by Gal Gadot) is a tough talking, fast driving character in a new type of online racing game (new to Vanellope). Vanellope admires Shank, but loves the freedom and unpredictability of this game compared to her old, familiar Sugar Rush. I was pretty ho-hum on the movie, until about 40 minutes in, and I can't tell you what happened, but then I started to like it. I do remember very distinctly thinking to myself that I was way more interested in this movie than The Incredibles 2, which bored me to tears. It might have coincided with the introduction of all of the Disney Princesses (plus Moana and Ella and Anna from Frozen); there are several other pop culture references that you have to be paying attention to or you'll miss them. I am glad that I liked the movie, still not sure it deserved an Oscar nomination.