A Hostless Oscars 2019 - some innovation and some really long speeches

The night begins with Queen opening with "We Will Rock You"; the crowd seems more enthused at this opening than anything in quite some time. It is pretty cool to see the crowd rocking out to "We are the Champions"; I think I saw Octavia Spencer singing. There's no host this year, and I'm honestly hoping that cuts out about 45 minutes of dumb skits. An opening montage of 2018 film clips. I have seen all but eleven film; I could have , used another week, but I just ran out of steam. The first award is being presented by Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler (they should have hosted). This is for Outstanding Supporting Actress: Amy Adams - Vice, Marina de Tavira - Roma, Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk (I have not seen this, but I love her), Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz - The Favourite (hated that movie). Regina King wins. Yay! She is so talented. Jason Momoa and Helen Mirren are presenting documentary features: Free Solo (haven't seen yet), Hale County, This Morning, This Evening, Minding the Gap (Haven't seen yet), Of Fathers and Sons (saw part of it), RBG (my favorite). The Oscar goes to Free Solo. Two awards and a commercial break; we're only 20 minutes in and it feels long.

Tom Morello is presenting one of the Best Pictures, Vice (blech). Elsie Fisher (8th Grade which you should see if you haven't) and Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) presenting Makeup and Hairstyling: Border, Mary Queen of Scots, Vice and the winner is: Vice. That's disappointing. Border was really good in this category. This speech is a travesty, just end it. Play them off. This is why they wanted you off camera, you're ruining it. Melissa McCarthy looks amazing in her crazy dress. What is that? I think it's a a Queen Anne Dress with rabbits. I didn't hear who was co-presenting, but he's pretty hilarious, in a matching crazy costume. They are presenting Costume Design: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Black Panther, The Favourite, Mary Poppins Returns (both by Sandy Powell), Mary Queen of Scots. The Oscar goes to Black Panther - Ruth Carter. I had to look it up, Bryan Tyree Henry (voice in Spider-Man into the Spider-verse and in If Beale Street Could Talk) presented with Melissa McCarthy.

Chris Evans and Jennifer Lopez are presenting Best Production Design: Black Panther, The Favourite, First Man, Mary Poppins Returns, Roma. The Oscar goes to Black Panther wins. Those were some pretty amazing sets. the speeches are too much.

Tyler Perry is presenting Best Cinematography: Cold War, The Favourite, Never Look Away, Roma, A Star is Born. Alfonso Cuaron wins for Best Cinematography (I think he did the catering on the film as well). Emilia Clarke presents a nominee for Best Original Song is for the documentary RBG, "I'll Fight" sung by Jennifer Hudson, written by Diane Warren. The backdrop is subtle, but powerful; the song is just powerful. But I swear, I saw the movie, but cannot remember the song. At all. Serena Williams is presenting A Star is Born as the second Best Picture nominee. James McAvoy and Danai Gurira present Sound Editing: Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, First Man, A Quiet Place, Roma (my personal choice would be A Quiet Place). Bohemian Rhapsody picks up its first Oscar of the night. Sound Mixing: Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, First Man, Roma, A Star is Born. The Oscar goes to Bohemian Rhapsody; not a surprise, the two awards seem to go together.

Queen Latifah is presenting The Favourite as the third Best Picture of the year. I cannot tell you how much I disliked this movie. Ugh. Angela Bassett and Javier Bardem are presenting for the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. Capernaum - Lebanon, Cold War - Poland, Never Look Away - Germany, Roma - Mexico, Shopli.fters - Japan. Roma wins. Only saw two of the films, but I'm not a fan of the director of Cold War; Shoplifters was good, but Roma seems to be the favorite this year. Keegan Michael Key just floated down like Mary Poppins. What to do with his umbrella? "The Place Where Lost Things Go" from Mary Poppins Returns is the next nominated song, sung by Bette Midler (not in the movie, just here at the Oscars).  I was hoping Emily Watson would sing. It's much better in the movie. Not inspiring.

Trevor Noah is presenting Black Panther as Best Picture nominee. Michael Keaton is presenting for Best Film Editing. Nominees are BlackKKKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Green Book (haven't seen), Vice. The Oscar goes to Bohemian Rhapsody. I think A Quiet Place should have been nominated. Daniel Craig and Charlize Theron are presenting for Best Supporting ACtor: Mahershala Ali- Green Book, Adam Driver - BlacKKKlansman, Sam Elliott - A Star is Born (I felt he was playing himself or other Sam Elliott characters), Richard E. Grant - Can You Ever Forgive Me? Sam Rockwell - Vice (a caricature, in my opinion). The Oscar goes to Mahershala Ali; it's his second Oscar in two nominations. That's pretty tremendous. He is really a versatile actor, good with dialects and accents, good guys and bad guys. He's fun to watch.

Michelle Yeoh and Pharell Williams are presenting Best Animated Feature. I really hope Spider-Man wins. The Incredibles 2 (boring), Isle of Dogs (boring), Mirai (I haven't seen it yet), Ralph Breaks the Internet (not seen yet); Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Oscar goes to Spider-Man!!!! That was so well done, new, imaginative, funny and smart. Kacey Musgraves is presenting the song for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings" sung by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. I enjoyed that collection of short films a lot. The Coen Brothers were at the top of their game.

Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey (Wayne's World) are introducing the Best Picture nominee, Bohemian Rhapsody. It's a good movie, a fun movie, but I really didn't think it was Best Picture worthy. Awkwafina and John Mullaney, first time presenters, Best Animated Short: Animal Behaviour (my favorite), Bao, Late Afternoon, One Small Step, Weekends. The Oscar goes to Bao. It was directed by two women, so that's a plus. That was so predictable; it's a Pixar film, and they seem to always win, even when it's not the best, and I don't think it was. Late Afternoon would have been a good winner. Documentary Shorts - Black Sheep, End Game, Lifeboat, A Night at the Garden, Period. End of Sentence. The last is my favorite, and it just won! It's a great documentary and available online at Netflix. Actually, all of the shorts are really good and online. Check them out!

Diego Luna and Chef Jose Andres are introducing Roma as Best Picture nominee. Paul Rudd and Sarah Paulson are presenting Visual Effects: Avengers: Infinity War; Christopher Robin; First Man; Ready Player One (snooze); Solo: A Star Wars Story (unnecessary). The Oscar goes to First Man. A good choice, but I think Avengers was much better and impressive in that department. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are singing "Shallow" from A Star is Born. A little pretentious not to have them introduced like everyone else. It's probably going to win. There's been more hype around that song than any of the others; but I will say, I don't think Bradley Cooper sounds great. And another commercial.

Kristen Ritter and KiKi Lane are presenting the live action short films. UGH. You can avoid most of these.  Detainment, Fauve, Marguerite (my favorite), Mother, Skin. UGH UGH, Skin won. I cannot fucking believe it. I guess I can, but I don't want to. Brutal, awful. No, no no. Um, people walked out of the film. 

Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson (a Marvel team up?) introducing Best Original Screenplay: The Favourite, First Reformed, Green Book, Roma, Vice. The winner is Green Book (still haven't seen it, but I have heard there is some controversy about the main character). I'd hate to be the third or fourth person trying to give an acceptance speech. Best Adapted Screenplay: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; BlacKKKlansman; Can You Ever Forgive Me?; If Beale Street Could Talk; A Star is Born. The Oscar goes to BlacKKKlansman, it's Spike Lee's first win (not sure if that's ever, for any category, but people are pretty psyched). 

Tessa Thompson and Michael B. Jordan are introducing the Best Scores. Black Panther, BlacKKKlansman, If Beale Street Could Talk, Isle of Dogs, Mary Poppins Returns. The Best Score is Black Panther, Ludwig Goransson. He has great hair. He has apparently known Ryan Coogler since college; that's a great friendship. Constance Wu and Chadwick Boseman are presenting the Best Original Song. My guess is "Shallow". Nominees are: "All the Stars" (Black Panther); "I'll Fight" (RBG); "The Place Where Lost Things Go" (Mary Poppins Returns); "Shallow" (A Star is Born); "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings" - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; The Oscar goes to "Shallow".

This is the In Memoriam section which never fails to upset people for this who are omitted. There were a lot of losses this last year. Neil Simon, Bernado Bertolucci, Burt Reynolds, Margot Kidder, Milos Forman, Penny Marshall, Stan Lee, Albert Finney.

Only four categories to go, and it's 9:35 central time, so I could be in bed before 11:00 p.m.

Barbra Streisand just walked on and is getting a standing ovation. She has won two Oscars. Brooklyn is in the house; she and Spike Lee are both from Brooklyn, and apparently, they both like hats. Spike is very dapper in purple tonight. She is introducing BlacKKKlansman as a Best Picture nominee.

Alison Janney and Gary Oldman are going to be presenting Best Actor: Chrisian Bale - Vice, Bradley Cooper - A Star is Born, Willem Dafoe - In Eternity's Gate (he's really good, but the movie, eh), Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody (he became Freddy Mercury), Viggo Mortenson - Green Book. Tough call. Rami Malek just won. I think that's a huge surprise, but he was amazing, you forgot he wasn't really Freddy.

I have to say I like the commercials. I'm not sure I could tell you what products they're for, but they are very dramatic, perhaps a little manipulative, but that's what ads are supposed to be.

Amandla Stenberg and Congressman John Lewis are introducing Green Book for the last Best Picture nominee. It should be noted that I think we have had the most non-Academy members onstage ever or in a long time (I thought there were 'rules' that only members of the Academy of Motion Pictures were allowed to present, but I like the change, if that is what is happening). Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell are presenting (Frances is more restrained than last year) Best Actress -Yalitza Aparicio - Roma, Glenn Close - The Wife (they are not showing her best scene here), Olivia Colman - The Favourite, Lady Gaga - A Star is Born (I think it's between her and Glenn Close), Melissa McCarthy - Can You Ever Forgive Me? Olivia Colman just won; I'm kind of surprised, and disappointed for Glenn Close. Her speech is very funny and endearing. Don't get me wrong, I really like her, and she is another actress who can do comedy, drama, etc., but I was hoping Glenn would win (yes, we're on a first name basis).

Two awards to go. This is where it gets longer, somehow breaking all of Einstein's rules of relativity, the closer to the end we get, the further away it moves. I have to say I really like the no host thing. It has helped keep it moving, once we passed the really long speeches for the technical awards (I get it, it's a big deal, but rein it in, please). I guess a new season of American Idol is upon us. It's good I'm watching the Oscars, otherwise, I wouldn't have any idea.

Guillermo del Toro, who won last year, is presenting Best Director. My guess is it's Cuaron. The nominees are Spike Lee, Pawel Pawlikowksi, Yorgos Lanthimos, Alfonso Cuaron, Adam McKay. Alfonso Cuaron is the winner; that's two wins for him tonight, and he'll probably take Best Picture.

Julia Roberts here for the final award this evening (yes, before 10:30). The Best Picture has eight nominees this year; I have seen all except Green Book: Black Panther, BlacKKKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Green Book, Roma, A Star is Born, Vice. What? Green Book just won Best Picture. I don't even understand that at all to be honest. I haven't seen it, but after watching all of the others, I am a little shocked. I'm calling it a night.

A last push the night of the Oscars 2019

As I finish this entry, the night of the Oscars, there are eleven films I haven't seen. It's my worst showing in the last couple of years, but I felt so uninspired and house-bound during this ridiculous deep-freeze we've had here, that I'm actually thrilled with how many I have seen.

2/10/19 The Wife, nominated Best Actress, 2018

Glenn Close has been nominated for Best Actress for her role as the wife of author Joseph Castleman (Jonathan Pryce). We meet the Castlemans in 1992 just prior to Joseph receiving the call that he has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Joe is garrulous and outgoing, a man who thoroughly enjoys his celebrity, including the adoration of female fans, which Joan (Close) has tolerated for many years. Through a series of flashbacks and the prodding of biographer Nathaniel Bone (Christian Slater), we learn how Joan and Joseph met, he was her professor and they had an affair, and also how Joan was responsible for getting Joseph noticed by her bosses at a publishing house. The outside world sees the Castlemans as a golden couple, with their long and successful marriage and their beautiful children; but we get to see the cracks, their son, David (Max Irons), who is desperate for his father's approval of his own writing; Joan, who may be reaching the end of her tether just being known as the wife of Joseph Castleman. The tension and relatively small cast and few sets made it feel like this could be a play (it was based on the novel by Meg Wolitzer); Joan is a very internalized character, restrained in her emotional display, until she can't hold it back anymore. Is it enough to win? I don't know. I think so and I hope so, but Olivia Colman was really good in The Favorite (I hated that movie), and Lady Gaga was good in A Star is Born, so I guess we'll find out tonight.

2/17/18 Hale County This Morning, This Evening, nominated Best Documentary, 2018

There are so many ways to do documentaries: they can have a narrator, telling us everything that's going on; subtitles providing helpful information as the events in the documentary unfold; they can follow a very specific topic or cause; they can be investigative, uplifting or heartbreaking. I prefer documentaries that inform me of something, especially something with which I am unfamiliar. I wanted to get that from Hale County This Morning, This Evening but I didn't. There is some beautiful photography in the documentary filmed in Hale County, Alabama, but I wanted to know more about the people in the movie. It seemed like the camera was just rolling, maybe picking up bits of dialog; there are a few 'interviews', but I felt it was really hard to connect with the stories. I wanted to know more about the young people who were trying to change their lives and raise their young families. We got a little, but I wanted more (which is actually a good thing versus not being interested at all). I contrast that with the documentary short that I watched right after Hale County (I saw them both on-demand from PBS), called While I Yet Live (on YouTube as well) which was about a group of African-American women who quilt, but it was more than that, they shared their stories of why it was important, why they did it, a little about growing up in their small town.

2/16/19 Shoplifters, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2018

Shoplifters is Japan's entry in the Foreign Film category, and it gives us a different look into what we think we know of Japan and Japanese society. Shoplifters also redefines what it means to be a family, is it blood or is it a group of people who care about each other and share a living space. Osamu leads this assemblage which includes his long term partner, Nobuyo; the owner of the house they live in; her granddaughter; and a young boy who they 'adopted' years ago. They eke out a living by shoplifting, working factory jobs and by hostessing (dancing). Their lives are moving along nicely, even with their financial challenges, they seem happy. One day, on the way home from a hard day of shoplifting, Osamu and Shota (the young boy) find a little girl sitting by herself, appearing to be without adult supervision. They bring her home and she becomes one of the family, finding love and attention she was missing from her real family. It's not an easy transition, but a normal one as everyone figures out their new place in this new family arrangement. Everyone has their secrets, and some of these come into the open over the course of the movie. Even though the movie is set in Japan, and there are probably traits or themes that are specific to Japan, what I liked about the movie is also the universality of family and love, even when conditions are difficult. The ending doesn't sugar-coat anything, and that's probably a lot closer to reality, but I wish it would have ended differently. I don't think I would have objected to a little sugar-coating.

2/18/19 At Eternity's Gate, nominated Best Actor, 2018

So conflicted about At Eternity's Gate - I thought Willem Dafoe as Vincent Van Gogh was terrific, he captured his tortured soul and passion for painting, but Julian Schnable's direction was annoying, frenetic. Perhaps that was to convey the idea of Van Gogh's confusion and erratic behavior, but I hated it, and the fact that you have a cast of really good actors (Oscar Isaac as Gaughin, Mads Mikkelsen as a sympathetic priest and Rupert Friend as Vincent's brother, Theo), just let them act. The scenery is gorgeous. Spinning around and using weird lenses was not necessary. The movie focuses on Van Gogh's last few years as he struggles with his mental health in Arles and Auvers; there is some insight into Van Gogh's relationship with Gaughin; and the screenwriters posit a different theory of Van Gogh's death. I think my favorite movie about Van Gogh is still Loving Vincent, an animated biographical film, also looking at the circumstances of his death. It is beautifully drawn/painted; if you are interested in animated technique, watch it.

2/21/19 Roma, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, 2018

I have to admit it took me a good 30-40 minutes to really settle into this film written, directed, filmed and edited by Alfonso Cuaron. The movie, set in 1970 Mexico and filmed in black and white, is a devoid of super heroes, CGI, special effects and a big name cast. And that is totally okay. The movie tells a story of a middle class family in a Mexico City neighborhood and their maid/housekeeper/nanny, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio in her film debut). The family goes through its daily life, including domestic troubles which aren't investigated or explained, we just see them happen and see the consequences of them on the family. Cleo is a big part of the children's lives and even the matriarch of the family sees her something more than a housekeeper (although sometimes not). The family is going through a crisis as the father has absented himself, with the excuse of a conference, but he has really left the family. Cleo has a boyfriend, Fermin, who has convinced her to have sex with him, but he is later unwilling to accept the consequences of his actions, he's even hostile to Cleo. The family surprised me with their support of Cleo and her pregnancy, willing to help with baby furniture and not firing her, which was Cleo's fear. I don't want to ruin it because I think it's a movie that should be seen (it's a Netflix production and available via streaming), but there is a scene towards the end, when the family is at the beach, that was incredibly compelling and heart-stopping, and I really didn't know how it would end. Personally, I think the movie was too long, and I would have liked a lot less whining from the children, but it is a lovely story, with wonderful, naturalistic acting from Aparicio, gorgeous cinematography from Cuaron (that's a given) and a nice surprise (for me, apparently everyone else in the world loved it months ago).

2/22/19 Can You Ever Forgive Me?, nominated Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, 2018

Melissa McCarthy plays writer Lee Israel who turned to forgery when her writing failed to pay the bills. Saying the Israel is a prickly personality might be considered an understatement. She struggles with interpersonal relationships, seeing them as a necessary evil; she prefers the company of her cat, Jersey. Despite this, she forms a friendship of sorts with Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant), a gregarious drug dealer, who eventually helps Lee in her scheme. After Lee's writing stalls out, she starts to create forgeries of famous people and selling them around New York City. After Lee gets a little carried away with a letter from Noel Coward which turns out to be her undoing, and she needs Jack's help. Lee doesn't hide her anger and frustration at not being more successful, especially after she starts drinking. Periodically, she lets her defenses down, especially when she meets up with her ex-girlfriend, Elaine (Anna Deavere Smith) and you can almost feel how lost Lee is without Elaine, but that ship has sailed. I'm a big fan of Melissa McCarthy; I think she is one of the most talented and fearless comic actresses out there, and maybe that's why she's in so many bad movies, but with the right script and right director, she is a force to be reckoned with. This role is not slapstick funny, but rather relies more on a tone of voice and attitude to convey Lee's snark, but also her other facets. McCarthy is so good in her delivery, you feel the biting sarcasm. The role is so different from her other parts, and she embraces it. The movie is worth watching, DVD is fine.

2/23/19 A Star is Born, nominated Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Song, 2018

The nomination should be for the best re-re-adapted screenplay since this is the fourth movie with this title and essentially the same theme. Bradley Cooper is Jackson Maine, a singer/songwriter in the twilight of his career, maybe due to drugs, drinking and a painful and disorienting tinnitus, who meets Ally (Lady Gaga) a young, aspiring singer-songwriter who lacks the confidence, but not the talent, to be a star. Their romance is a whirlwind, with Ally joining Jackson on stage, until she takes the stage, up front and center, and blows the audience away. She also gets the attention of a music producer who has a vision for Ally, and becomes her manager. Predictably (especially if you've seen the other versions) Ally surpasses Jackson in fame, which spurs his alcoholism and jealousy. I honestly don't think this should be nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay or Cinematography; it will probably win for "Shallow", which, as much as I don't want to admit it, is a really great song. Lady Gaga is more than up to her role as Ally, I'm not sure how much of a stretch it was for her, but it made curious to see her in another role. I liked the movie, but for me, if it wasn't nominated, I might not have seen it. I don't think it brought anything new to the table, except showcasing another talent of Lady Gaga. It seemed like Bradley Cooper was doing his Sam Elliott impression, which was handy, because Elliott plays Jackson's older half brother. Most of you have probably already seen it and more than likely have a much more favorable opinion.

2/23/19 Border, nominated Best Makeup and Hairstyling, 2018

What a nice surprise. I was reminded of Guillermo del Toro as I watched the fantasy elements unfold in the Swedish film Border.  Tina (Eva Melander) is a customs guard at a seaport and has an unusually strong sense of smell, which she uses to find smugglers. She goes through her daily routine: work, going home to be with her boyfriend, Roland and occasionally visiting her father in a care home. She looks very different from most of the people around her, and feels like she is different, but isn't sure how. One day she smells something wrong with a passenger coming through, but it seems like he is clean, but Tina is certain, and hones in on his phone where she discovers a hidden SD card that has child pornography on it. This sets off one of the plot points as Tina and her special sense are used to help the police delve deeper into this ring, and you get the feeling that she feels a sense of self worth that she might not have had before. The other main plot has to do with Vore (Eero Milonoff), another passenger that Tina stops, but she's not 100% certain as to why, except the viewer notices the similarities in their appearances, and Tina is drawn to him, and offers him a place to stay at her guest house. Vore explains to Tina who she really is, and they begin a relationship. The movie is a fantasy-mystery, and Tina is a character you can care about in a story that has current day relevance. In the hope that you will check it out (I found it serendipitously on Amazon Prime last night), I don't want to give too much away. Eva Melander brings a humanity to her character and apparently went through fours of makeup everyday.

2018 Oscar nominated Documentary Shorts

February 2019
You wouldn't believe the weather we've had here, or maybe you would. This year it has been a soul-sucker, and the thought of walking to the Riverview Theatre between blizzards and ice just didn't appeal to me, and luckily all of the shorts are available online, either Youtube, Amazon Prime or Netflix. Check them out, you won't regret it (I'd tell you if you would).

A Night at the Garden - A couple of my movie friends have debated whether this short film of archival footage from 1939 is really a documentary, or worthy of a nomination. The footage, which was shot in 1939 at a American Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden, is only about seven minutes, and features Fritz Kuhn, a naturalized American citizen (his citizenship was later revoked), exhorting the crowd to return America to its white, Christian roots. The rally is briefly interrupted by Isadore Greenbaum who charged the stage and was tackled and removed. It's frighteningly similar to many rallies we have seen in America, and some European countries, and perhaps that's why it earned the nomination. My issue with the nomination is that the director didn't create the footage, there's little context (more information on Kuhn, how the rally was organized, aftermath, information on Greenbaum - why he did what he did, repercussions, etc.). It's guaranteed to spur an emotional response in light of our current presidential administration, but I don't think that makes it a nominee or winner for Best Documentary Shorts.


Lifeboat is a documentary about the volunteer crews who sail along the Libyan coast, although not too close, looking for boats with refugees. Many (all?) of the boats are ill-equipped for any serious sea journey and are overcrowded and filled with people are scared, sick, not necessarily swimmers, and often cannot safely return to their home country. The filmmakers interview one of the crew, an English captain, who explains why he, and the others, do what they do, that for them it's a moral imperative, and he sees no other choice. Several of the refugees are interviewed as well, and while it's easy to say 'these people' shouldn't come here or there or anywhere, when you listen to their stories, and hear the fear in their voices about how they got into this situation and where they came from, it's difficult to hold the hardline. Many were stolen from their villages and sold in other countries for prostitution or labor; some were falsely accused of crimes and were imprisoned while their families were being extorted for their release; others were fleeing their homes to avoid harm coming to their children. It would benefit the world if 'first world' countries would actually get to the root of these reasons and try to find remedies. The 'catch' is that most of these countries don't have any natural resources that interest the global powers, therefore, they don't care. Thank goodness for the volunteers who risk their own safety on these rescue missions.

Black Sheep is about Cornelius Walker's experience growing up in Essex, England, after his mother moved his family out of London, with the hope that they would be save from racially motivated violence. I think it's safe to say that given what happened to Cornelius, that is ridiculously ironic. Cornelius and his family are black, and they have (unknowingly?) moved to a very racist housing estate in Essex where Cornelius is verbally and physically assaulted by his white neighbors. The documentary uses close ups shots of Cornelius as he tells his story intercut with dramatic re-enactments with an actor as Cornelius. He recounts his fear and anger, sometimes directed towards his father, but also towards the white kids. He makes a decision that I think is understandable, but perhaps not in his best interest: he tries to become white. In his mind, remember this happened when he was a young teenager, if he was white, they would accept him, so he bleached his skin, saved his money for contact lenses, and straightened his hair, and bought clothes that the white teenagers bought. This tactic actually works; they seemed to 'forget' his color and brought him into their group. Unfortunately, Cornelius also took on some of their more violent traits, getting into fights with other black kids, sometimes instigating the attacks. I think what he did represented one of the very basic characteristics of the human race, the need to be accepted by others, and how far someone is willing to go for that acceptance. What I wished was included is a little more about Cornelius now; I couldn't tell if he was eventually sent to jail, did he escape that violent lifestyle, reconcile with his father? What I also thought about was, were the white kids really racist or just afraid of someone they didn't know very well? They didn't seem to hold too tightly to a racist ideology; I think a true, hard core racist/white supremacist would not have accepted Cornelius because they knew he was still black, and that his parents were black. So was there hope with those kids if Cornelius would have tried something else to win their friendship? It would have added a different facet if there was an interview with one or two of his neighbors/friends to get their perspective.

End Game looks at palliative and end of life care, from the perspectives of the patients, the families and the caregivers. In many of the instances, the patients are aware of what is going on and able to communicate their wishes: do they want to be in hospice or stay at home. This ability to share these thoughts and all the fear and sadness that accompany them can be very helpful for their loved ones. People tend to run away from these discussions, which can make the time leading up to the final moments uncertain and fearful. When it is possible for people to have more of a say in their care, it gives them just a little more control than they have over everything else. The film shows us hospice volunteers and staff interacting with residents, discussing treatment, but also listening to them, maybe singing hymns. It's not an easy film to watch, but it is really important and shows the beauty of human kindness and death with dignity and bravery. It was a Netflix film and is online. I also recommend Extremis, also about end of life care and life-ending decisions; this was a Netflix film as well. 

Period. End of Sentence. There are so many things that I loved about this documentary (available on Netflix) that I'm sure I'll forget something. In no particular order: it's about empowering a group of people who have historically been stripped of all empowerment; it shows the importance of micro economies and their impact; it discusses a taboo subject (menstruation); and provides a brief glimpse into a part of the world many of us will never experience. Starting at the beginning, menstruation is practically a forbidden topic in this village in India (and probably most villages), and many people (male and female) don't really understand what it is or why it happens, just that it's awkward and very disruptive. We learn about girls who quit school because they can't safely change clothing (men and boys leering at them), they're too embarrassed, people think they're 'dirty'. The advent of a less expensive sanitary napkin, made in the village, by the girls and women of that village is a game changer. The new employees learn how to use the napkin for themselves, and that helps them become advocates and great sales people; they also learn how to make them, which builds camaraderie with their fellow co-workers, that puts money in their pockets, allowing them to contribute to their household, and save for their own dreams, like training to become a police officer. How basic and simple, yet you can see the transformation of these girls who were shy and embarrassed to being able to speak for themselves, and even talk to their fathers or brothers and show them the factory. It's almost impossible to comprehend what a huge difference some sheets of cotton and fabric can make, especially in the US or Europe where we have so many options and I don't anyone who would think of quitting school for lack of this product. The napkins are called "Fly" because they will help the girls and women fly upward and reach their dreams. It's about a dream, and any entrepreneur in the US, Europe, Asia, anywhere, should appreciate how this dream is made into reality. Seriously, watch this film. It's less than a half an hour.

Two favorites, one night: Indigo Girls with The Minnesota Orchestra

2/15/19 Indigo Girls with the Minnesota Orchestra

I have lost track of how many times I've seen the Indigo Girls, in what venues and what configurations, all I know is that every time has been amazing, uplifting and mind-blowing, and this time was no exception. The Indigo Girls recently released an album of live material performed with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and came to Minneapolis to play with our own Minnesota Orchestra, rocking out in Orchestra Hall. Songs went back in time as far 1989 with "Kid Fears" up to their latest studio album One Lost Day, the old favorites bringing out the crowd's best singing voices, like "The Power of Two", "Galileo" (see video), "Ghost" (with its mention of the Mississippi River and Minnesota bringing the house down) and the classic singalong "Closer to Fine". The Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, traded between acoustic and electric guitars with their guitar tech, Stanley, who is a Scorpio, in case you were wondering. And someone was wondering, as she yelled out between songs, bringing the show to a slow roll, as Emily and Amy seemed amused as they had never been asked that question before. Amy and Emily have always been wonderful about interacting with their audiences, sharing stories about their songs, like what inspired "Go", originally released in 1999, and which was dedicated to the Parkland students and is in a new video. They have never shied away from politics or causes, whether its the rights of indigenous people, voting rights, civil rights, but they both also write story songs about love or growing up (Emily introduced either "Mystery" or "Ghost" as a song you knew she wrote because it's a love song written by a Cancer). The Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Sarah Hicks, and they were up to the task of these pop/folk/rock songs. I have seen them in different concerts over the years, and they are also very beloved by the people here in Minnesota. The arrangements are so complementary to the originals, powerful strings, clever use of different percussion (I think I heard a timpani?) and dynamic brass. I'm off to go listen to that album again, and if you haven't heard it yet, you really should; I'm also in search of my next Indigo Girls concert. 

Can you say depressing and disappointing? Live and animated shorts marathon.

It was our annual trek to see the Oscar-nominated Live Action and Animated Shorts in Uptown. You may have inferred from the title of this entry that it was a less than uplifting afternoon. You would be correct. The best part of the day was lunch at Stella's and the jalapeno cornbread. Mmmm.

2/9/19 Nominated animated shorts 2018

Bao - Pixar makes its annual stop on the list of nominees, and it's not bad; sometimes I find them cheesy, corny, sicky sweet. This was sweet, but also clever. An unnamed Chinese-Canadian mother is making dumplings for her and her husband, and as she is ready to eat the last one, it sprouts eyes and legs and develops human characteristics. He even brings home a girlfriend and wants to leave home. With his last act of rebelliousness, mother pops him in her mouth and eats him. I thought it was hilarious and awesome and quirky, but sadly it was just a metaphor for her grown up son who has left home. Sigh. I should have known.

Late Afternoon is an Irish entry and the animation style reminded me a little of The Book of Kells, flowy and like chalk drawings. It's about an elderly woman who is clearly dealing with ailments of age, although it becomes clear that it's a form of dementia. Someone is helping her clean and giving her tea and helping to pack. As the day goes on, the woman recalls moments from her youth and when her daughter was young. The woman helping her is her daughter. It was beautifully drawn/animated and was a gentle tribute to all of our parents (okay, to the cynics out there, maybe not all of our parents).

Animal Behaviour - Oh, Canada! I can always count on at least one Canadian entry in this category, and it's usually pretty good. This made me laugh out loud more than once (and seriously, considering how the rest of the day went, that means a lot). It's about a therapy group session featuring animals addressing some of their personal issues and hang ups. Dr. Clement, a dog, facilitates the session with Lorraine the leech, Cheryl the mantis, Todd the pig, Jeffrey the bird and Linda the cat; they all have their own baggage, but nothing compares to Victor the gorilla's anger management issues. Maybe it seems simplistic, but it was fun to watch human hang ups portrayed by animals and then made fun of by Victor. It was clever, and reminded me, content-wise, of Ardman Studio's Creature Comforts, one of my all time favorites. I would love it if this won, but something tells me it won't.

One Small Step is a Chinese-American production that features Luna, a young girl who has aspirations of space exploration. She is being raised by her father or grandfather who is also a shoemaker. He supports her dreams by making or adapting shoes with space symbolism. As so often happens with teenagers (I speak from experience), the gestures you show them when they are small often go unappreciated as they get older, and put away childish things. Luna applies to an astronaut type school and at first is rejected, and moves on from that dream until she is faced with the loss of her father-figure and left with memories. Thus inspired, she rededicates herself to her dreams and finds her success. I love the idea of girl power, especially in the sciences, so I don't want to pooh-pooh that notion, but it seemed a pretty obvious conclusion.

Weekends follows a young boy as he shares his time between his divorced parents; his mother, who is sometimes seen studying an accounting book; his father who seems to be a collector or dealer in antiques. The boy has a lot of fun at his dad's as they rock out in the car, watch fun movies, play with his dad's collection of Japanese swords and armor. At home with his mom, there's a new person in the mix in the form of a boyfriend, who doesn't seem thrilled to have a kid around the house. There's no dialog, but I think the story has universal appeal to adults who have lived through that experience (as adults or kids) and kids who are going through it now. The animation style was similar to Late Afternoon in that it was flowy and almost dreamlike. It wasn't my favorite, but I wouldn't be upset if it won.

Now, on to the live action shorts. Feel free to skip the reviews or the shorts themselves; we'll both be fine, and only one of us will still be scarred from the experience. I never thought I would tell people to stay away from the shorts, but this year, if you don't stay away, then be warned: they are intense.

Madre (Mother) is a Spanish entry; it opens with a woman and her mother coming into the daughter's apartment and being quizzed by her mother. The daughter is frustrated and annoyed at her mother's questions as she seems to be getting ready for a night out with friends, when her phone rings. It's her little boy, calling from somewhere in Spain or France, he's not quite sure. He is supposed to be with his father at the beach, but nobody is sure which beach, and the father is nowhere to be found. You can feel the tension and panic as the mom is trying to help her son keep calm as his cell phone battery is dying. The audience is left with a sense of dread and uncertainty. On its own, I liked the suspense, but among the collection of films, it just added to the sense of dread.

Fauve is a French Canadian film starring two boys, Benjamin and Tyler, out on their own, teasing and testing each other, you know, throwing rocks at each other, pushing one another, and like some adults I know would say, it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. They come across what seems like sand, but turns out to be more treacherous and lethal. I won't ruin the ending for you, but I will say after reading some comments from the writer/director, it just felt self-indulgent, and I didn't think end was 'peaceful'. It's available online if you're so inclined to look for it.

Marguerite is another Canadian entry, and I have to say it was by far my favorite and the most uplifting film of the whole afternoon. I think they put it in the middle to give us all a break from the heaviness, but I wish they would have ended the collection with this so we could have all benefitted from its restorative power. Marguerite is an elderly lady who receives regular home visits from a nurse, Rachel. Initially there isn't a lot of dialog, just film of the daily routine: bath, collecting vital signs, etc. Rachel receives a phone call, and based on the over heard conversation, Marguerite asks if it was Rachel's boyfriend. In fact, it was Rachel's girlfriend, which she tells Marguerite. Marguerite registers some surprise, but you can see her processing. Later, Marguerite goes through an old scrapbook, looking at pictures of her and friends from fifty years ago, including a particularly dear friend. It's clear (or it was to me) that Marguerite has feeling of sadness and loss, which she later tells Rachel. It was so different back then. But don't be sad, because what happens next is just beautiful and the best of humanity. Rachel kisses Marguerite and then climbs onto the other side of the bed and embraces her. It's not sexual, it's not gross or inappropriate, it's one human being showing kindness and love to another human being. I hope it wins. 

 

Detainment is based on the true story of the kidnapping and brutal murder of James Bulger, a three year old from Liverpool, by two ten year olds, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, in 1993. The film used police reports and interrogation tapes dialog and background, but it wasn't a documentary. The two young actors were very good, very compelling and believable. I may have been biased against the movie, but I had read prior to seeing the film that James Bulger's mother was circulating a petition to have the Academy remove the movie from consideration because writer/director, Vincent Lambe, didn't consult her or her former husband about creating the film, or inform them about the film at all, and even consider them at all. I read a response from him where he apologized (it hadn't occurred to him to reach out to them) and he felt the movie should be made to look at young offenders and how they are treated (and I may have imposed my own thoughts here, but I thought he wanted to look at how young people turn into murders or how society treats them if they are turned into society). Basically, I was looking for something good to come out of this. I have to say that I didn't find one redeeming quality in this movie at all (do you sense a theme?). We get zero insight into Jon and Robert's home life, except that their parents seem like caring and moral people (if not the case, it wasn't evident in the film). The movie ends with title cards saying they were the youngest ever convicted. This isn't a question of if they did it, but why, and can it be predicted or prevented. I feel like the movie was made on false pretenses.

Skin - Let me start this by saying that five people to the left of me in the theatre walked out about midway through the movie, and the woman directly in front of us was sobbing so hard her body was heaving. Also, somewhere along the way, a friend of mine thought the movie was about tattoo removal, the removal of Nazi tattoos. Um, NO. It definitely involves Nazi tattoos (hint: most things do not end well with people wearing Nazi skin art). The movie could also be called "Reap what you sow". Simply, a family of neo-Nazis goes out for a day of target shooting, and some of them attack a black man, with the only provocation being the guy was smiling at the young, white son of one of them. It goes downhill pretty quickly as the black man is jumped and beaten nearly to death. At first I thought it would end there (which would have been incomplete, but one could hope), but there is revenge to be gotten, or is it retribution? I don't want to spoil it in case you actually want to see it, but I will say a couple of things: I think it does show how hate begets hate, and if you raise your child to be a racist, you can't be surprised when your teachings come to fruition; I might even have 'appreciated' the movie, but the fact that it is set in the current day, and is not fiction in a lot of ways, I guess I didn't need that much reality.

Surprising myself by enjoying A Quiet Place and Buster Scruggs

2/1/19 A Quiet Place, nominated Best Sound Editing, 2018

A Quiet Place is normally the type of movie I won't even consider watching, I run the other direction (kind of like last year's surprise Get Out) until it appears on one of my blasted lists. And like with Get Out, I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I was irritated with myself for not watching it sooner. I am often bemoaning the lack of originality based on the number of remakes/reboots, but not here. Lee Abbott (John Krasinski who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay) is trying to protect his family, wife Evelyn (played by real life wife Emily Blunt), his children Regan, Marcus and Beau from aliens who have invaded Earth. The aliens are blind, but man, can they hear. This forces the family to rely on American Sign Language, which they have learned anyway because Regan is deaf. The actors (and it's a very small cast) work very well together, and kudos to Krasinksi for hiring a hearing-impaired actress (Millicent Simmonds) as Regan; there's an authenticity there, and then learning that the cast learned sign language impressed me more. I think the movie works so well because of the silence and the attempts to be silent, and not knowing what sound may reach the aliens. It is a perfect suspense film, because even when you think you know what's going to happen, you're still on edge; but often, you don't know what's going to happen. It's taut and tense, and while it uses special effects, it uses them sparingly; Krasinski relies on the actors more than effects, and I really appreciated it. I liked that the ending wasn't cookie cutter or sicky sweet, but I really want to know what happens (no spoilers here). I am surprised that it didn't get more nominations, visual effects, original screenplay or film editing; the sound editing nomination seems a little ironic. If you haven't seen it and didn't want to because of the aliens or because you're a scaredy cat like me, I would say give it a chance.

2/2/19 Solo: A Star Wars Story, nominated Best Visual Effects, 2018

Eh. I could have lived my whole life without seeing Solo: A Star Wars Story and been perfectly content. As it is, I have watched it and do not feel one iota different. I wasn't entertained (that's usually the easiest compliment I can give a movie is that it entertained me for a couple of hours). As you might guess, this is a movie that focuses on Han Solo and his adventures before he met Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia; we learn how Solo met Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian. There were some witty lines, but honestly, I'm not even sure it should have been nominated for Best Visual Effects, except, I think there's an unwritten Academy rule that if there is a Star Wars movie out, it has to be nominated for something.

2/2/19 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, nominated Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Original Song, 2018

It's always a crapshoot whether I'll like a Coen Brothers movie; I always want to, but it doesn't always happen; or, I'll like parts of the movie and roll my eyes for the rest. I surprised myself (I know, twice in one entry) but I loved it. Absolutely loved it. For one thing, it wasn't just one long movie, it was a series of short films, all with a Western theme and a macabre twist, kind of like if Edgar Allan Poe had been on the Oregon Trail; and all of the films were self-contained, so they didn't get too bogged down or go down one of those infamous rabbit holes. There are six vignettes, starring in no particular order: Tyne Daley, Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Stephen Root, Liam Neeson, Tom Waits and Brendan Gleeson. The film takes stories from the Old West with which we are all familiar: a gunslinger who can't be beaten, a bank robber/cattle rustler headed for a hanging, a gold miner, a family heading West looking for a new life; and they are given macabre twists. I don't want to give too much away because part of the fun was watching the stories unfold. The cinematography is spectacular; the color of the early morning and early evening is breathtaking. I was surprised it wasn't nominated in that category.

2/3/19 First Reformed, nominated Best Original Screenplay, 2018

An Ethan Hawke film I didn't hate. I didn't love it, but I thought Paul Schrader's film First Reformed raised some interesting points about faith, religion and man's responsibility to the world in which we live, and the difficulties in reconciling these things. Ernst Toller (Hawke) is the reverend at First Reformed Church in Snowbridge, New York, which is notable for being on the Underground Railroad and for being 250 years, but not much else. Toller is trying to cope with a crisis of faith after losing his son, Joseph, in the Iraq War, after encouraging him to follow the family tradition and serve in the military. Even as he is struggling to overcome his self-doubt, he meets a young parishioner, Mary (Amanda Seyfried) who seems to have faith enough for them both, but unfortunately, not enough for her husband, Michael, who has become a radical environmentalist, and does not want to bring their unborn child into this world. Schrader poses the question, through Toller, doesn't God want us to take care of the planet and treat its resources with respect and honor? How can people ( and there is a specific character in the movie to whom this is directed) who claim to be religious and praise God, destroy the planet with chemicals and over harvesting? Toller doesn't get a satisfactory answer to this, but seems more convinced that Michael was right. The movie takes a stranger and otherworldly turn at the end, which I guess I get, but I think endings like this make me shake my head and it's hard to take it seriously. I think this would make a good play (except for the ending) because it doesn't require a huge cast, you would need maybe three sets, there aren't any special effects, and it's good play material, lots of dialog, opportunities for the lead character to have a couple of soliloquys. Something to think about. I think it's worth seeing, but you can definitely watch it on the television.

As of this writing I have 34 movies left to see, ten which will be knocked off tomorrow after my annual trek to see the animated and live action shorts in Uptown. Stay warm.

Movie watching in a winter wonderland The Mule, Ready Player One, First Man

1/12/19 The Mule, 2019

The Mule was not originally on my 'must see in the theater' radar, but a friend was in town and we were hanging out at the Mall of America, and this fell into our time window. I had heard good things from someone at work, so why not. It's based on the true story of a senior citizen, Earl Stone (Clint Eastwood who also directed), who takes up driving mysterious packages across the country to earn money. Turns out the packages contain illegal substances and his employers are members of the Mexican drug cartel. Earl has a way with people, except his family, and that helps him negotiate the learning curve of working for people who would just as soon kill you as pay you. I liked watching Earl's relationship with one 'team' of drug dealers, asking about their families, having one of the young kids teach him how to text and use a smartphone, etc. I was less thrilled with the repetition of the drives; there are subtitles that indicate that this is the fourth trip, the fifth trip, etc. etc. and I think we hit 10 trips, and I was ready to go. There is a fractured relationship between Earl and his daughter (played by his real life daughter, Alison Eastwood) that doesn't get completely healed until the end (and maybe not even then). Bradley Cooper is a DEA agent on the trail of this new 'mule'; Dianne Wiest is Earl's ex-wife, who has remained friendly, if not a little wistful because their marriage ended. It's a good movie for movie night, maybe on a night where it's -27 degrees. Just saying.

1/19/19 My Darling Clementine, 1946, National Film Registry

The only prior knowledge I had of My Darling Clementine was the episode of "M*A*S*H" where they keep trying to show the movie and the film keeps breaking. It's one of my favorite episodes. It happened to be showing on a random movie channel one weekend and I started watching, then I saw it was on my list. John Ford directed Henry Fonda (Wyatt Earp), Victor Mature (Doc Holliday) and Walter Brennan (Newman Haynes Clanton) in this Western that re-tells the story of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral (with a great deal of historical liberties). Wyatt and his brothers are moving cattle when they meet up with the Clanton family who offer to buy the cattle. The Earps aren't interested, but the Clantons don't take no for an answer. Wyatt is a laconic man, letting his actions speak for him, which sometimes means shooting people. He is restrained and somber, letting his emotions show through when he's fighting for his family or showing kindness to Clementine Carter, Doc Holliday's former amour. I am no expert on Westerns, even though I have watched more than my fair share because of the lists, but I do know what I like and don't like, and I liked and enjoyed this movie. I was glad to finally see the film in it's entirety.

1/26/19 First Man, nominated Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, 2019

First Man is about Neil Armstrong and his role in America's space program, which was in its infancy. The movie is directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land) and stars Ryan Gosling (also recently of La La Land) as Armstrong. While the story is mainly about the space program and Armstrong's efforts to be part of a successful launch and landing on the moon, it also provides a look into Armstrong's personal life, including the death of his daughter in his early days as a test pilot. Her death haunts him, and makes him distant from his wife, his children and his fellow pilots. I think the history of the space program and the space race with the USSR is fascinating and amazing, and I think that Chazelle et al show us a glimpse of the dangers and risks, as well as the personal costs of this new field. It's nominated for Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects, and they are very well done. Out of the nominated films I have seen, I do they are better than most of the other movies, except perhaps Avengers: Infinity War.

1/26/19 Ready Player One, nominated Best Visual Effects, 2019

I don't even know what to say about this movie. A friend of mine read the book and thought the movie was terrible and not true to the book at all. I have no other frame of reference. It's a movie about gaming in a virtual reality. I thought the acting was mediocre, especially from Academy Award winner Mark Rylance (although something I read somewhere made it sound like he was acting this way on purpose). The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg. I mean, since I had to watch it because it was on the list, I had higher expectations. But, I really didn't care. I stopped paying attention, I couldn't pay attention, it was just so bad. I didn't think its visual effects were that great or original or eye catching. Maybe I have a bad attitude. The good thing is it was free from the library.