More Oscar Nominations: Some family films and some sci-fi

1/25/20 Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, nominated Best Makeup and Hairstyling, 2019

I enjoyed the first Maleficent film, starring Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning; I saw it in a theater and thought the visuals were terrific. Lately, I have found myself reluctant to see sequels, unless I'm compelled by the list or they were part of the Marvel Universe. I had intentions of seeing Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, but it just never happened (the story of my movie life last year). There were parts of this story that truly escaped me; maybe I wasn't paying attention or maybe it was just that incoherent, but I can only give you a high level recap. I was grabbed by the visuals, which I thought were terrific except when they were hidden in some very dark (as in "I can't see, it's too dark") photography. The story picks up a little after the first movie, and Aurora is ruling the Moors; she's also being courted by Prince Philip. I'm not quite sure what Maleficent was doing. Prince Philip's mother, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeifer), is plotting war and revenge against the Moors. She starts by angering Maleficent and creating false pretenses for her aggressions. The pixies are back as are the big trees and other creatures form the Moors; new are the Dark Feys, creatures like Maleficent. I don't think the movie was as good as the first one; I don't think there was enough Maleficent in the sequel; there was too much spread out between Ingrith, Aurora and Maleficent. 

1/26/20 Ad Astra, nominated Best Sound Mixing, 2019

At the heart of it, I think Ad Astra is about the relationship between a father and son and expectations of both; however, it's wrapped up in a sci-fi movie. Brad Pitt is astronaut Major Roy McBride, son of legendary/infamous astronaut/explorer, H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones). U.S. Space Command is concerned that recent disturbances in the universe are the result of an experiment being conducting by the elder McBride, and ask Roy McBride to establish contact with his father, whom he has not seen in years. As Major McBride makes his way to Mars to send his message, he encounters brigands and rabid baboons and resistance to his desire to meet his father on Neptune. The whys and wherefores of the story got a little confusing and ridiculous; seriously, rabid baboons on a Norwegian space craft, but so sign of the humans aboard or what happened, and then what happened to the baboons? I stopped trying to figure it out. What I did like about the movie were the incredible visual effects. Those I would have liked to have seen on the big screen, maybe even IMAX, and those aren't even up for a nomination. That was crazy. If you enjoy science fiction/space movies, you have probably seen this already, but if you haven't, I think it's worth watching, and you probably have a television from this century. 

2/1/20 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, nominated Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, 2019

I was telling my friend today that I just saw Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker and I hoped they were done with it. We'll see. I know there are huge Star Wars fans who keep all the plotlines straight and look for plot holes, but I am not one of them. I enjoy them, but I don't look for a lot of deep meaning. There are so many things happening, I mean the movie was over two hours long, that I can't even give you a reasonable recap. It's like the writers and director, J.J. Abrams (also a writer) took as many cast members from the previous eight films (living and dead) as they could, plus more than a handful of cameo appearances by 'new' characters, threw them into a pot, mixed it with explosives, lasers and a familiar score from John Williams and said, "Here you go". I liked the last twenty minutes, but I had to sit through over hundred other minutes. I'm probably in the minority since it has made over $1 billion dollars and is still playing in the theaters, but let's move on, or to quote from Frozen, "Let it go".

2/2/20 Frozen 2, nominated for Best Original Song, 2019

I was not all that thrilled about seeing Frozen 2, not for any tangible reason, I'm just tired of sequels and remakes and reboots, also, I knew there were going to be children in the theater (I saw the first one at home) and I could not legitimately get upset with their existence. It didn't take a lot of arm twisting to get my movie pal to go with me, and I will eat a little bit of crow here, I really did like it, and it was fun listening to the kids giggling at the funny parts, and the songs were really good. The story picks up with Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) feeling a little restless, but not knowing why; Princess Anna (Kristen Bell) and Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) making googly eyes at each other; and Olaf (Josh Gad) looking for the meaning of life and transformation (in case you don't know, Olaf is a snowman). Elsa starts hearing something, but she can't quite pinpoint what it is or where it's coming from, but around the same time she starts hearing it, other strange phenomenon start: massive winds, strange fires and buckling streets. In order to protect her kingdom, Elsa, with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven the reindeer, embark on a quest to save Arundelle and the Northuldra tribe who live in the forest and learn the mystery of their parents' lives. Several of the cast members sing, but when Idina Menzel sings, it is mind-blowing. The only category the film is nominated in is for Best Original Song, and the good news is (I think I read it correctly) that Idina Menzel will be singing "Into The Unknown". I thought Frozen 2 was ten million times better than How to Train Your Dragon 47 in the story, the animation, music, everything. 

Frozen in Harbin, 2020

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?

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belated anniversary posting - Mister Rogers, The Quiet Man, From Here to Eternity, Night of the Living Dead

Before I launch into the reviews, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the 6th anniversary of the blog. I should have compiled some statistics, but failing any accurate count, I can safely say I have blogged about over 1,000 movies: full length, short, documentary, science fiction, award winners and losers, wonderful films and not so wonderful films. I have around 728 Oscar winners left to watch; two left from the BBC list (down to one after this writing); one left on the American Film Institute list; and 486 on the National Film Registry. At times, it seems insurmountable, other times it feels like I'm making great strides. So, without further ado, let's make some great strides.

7/21/18 Won't You Be My Neighbor, 2018, not yet nominated

After watching Won't You Be My Neighbor, the documentary on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and its creator, Fred Rogers, left me with a greater appreciation for the man and his care, insight and sincerity in working with children. It was almost a crusade, and that's not meant in a negative way; he truly believed that children deserve to be treated with respect and not talked down to with the typical condescension found in children's programming. Mr. Rogers broke all kinds of barriers (the episode where he cools his feet in a wading pool and invites Officer Clemmons (black actor Francois Clemmons) to join him, it spoke volumes in a country struggling with the Civil Rights Movement. Rogers and his puppets addressed other issues in a way children could understand. There was a period of time when it was fashionable to mock Mr. Rogers, I mean, nobody could be that good and kind, could they? And while our world has moved at a crazy pace, and it's common for children to watch shows with violence, sex, swearing, innuendo, and maybe Mister Rogers would be out of place in 2018, I'd like to think he wouldn't be. I think Fred Rogers and the Land of Make Believe is sorely missed. Won't You Be My Neighbor is worth watching for the insights from the actors, the crew and his family.

8/26/18 From Here to Eternity, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing - Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography (B&W), Best Film Editing, Best Sound, National Film Registry, 1953

We have all probably seen the scene of Burt Lancaster rolling in the surf with Deborah Kerr, but there is so much more to From Here to Eternity than that. Set in Hawaii in the weeks leading up to Pearl Harbor, the movie follows three men and their struggles and challenges in the same Army company. Lancaster is First Sergeant Warden, an efficient, cool, tough leader, who has no desire or love for commissioned officers; he does have a desire for the wife of his captain, Karen Holmes (Deborah Kerr). Montgomery Clift is Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt, a man who does things for his own reasons, including take a demotion and taking abuse from others in his company for refusing to box on the regimental team. Frank Sinatra is Maggio (Sinatra won the Best Supporting Actor for his role), a seemingly happy go lucky private, who is Prewitt's only friend. Maggio takes Prewitt to a private club off base where Prewitt meets Lorene (Donna Reed in her Oscar-winning role); Lorene and her co-workers are paid to dance and socialize with the members, but they start seeing each other. In addition to the leading actors, the cast is filled with actors in smaller roles that would go on to become stars themselves: Ernest Borgnine as Fatso, a sergeant who gives Maggio a hard time for being Italian and sets in motion one of the key plot points; Jack Warden; George Reeves (televison's Superman); and Claude Akins. Nineteen fifty-three was a great year for films (Shane, The Robe, Stalag 17, Roman Holiday), and I can't imagine having to pick winners from those films and the others of that year, and I have found that looking back, sometimes there's more hype than quality. I would not say that here. I really enjoyed the different story lines in the film, and the characters; the more I watch of Burt Lancaster, the more I love him; and Sinatra seemed like a natural for Maggio. I'm glad I finally watched it.

8/26/18 Ant-Man and The Wasp, not yet nominated, 2018

Well, like I told a couple of my friends, it was okay, not great; I didn't feel compelled to tell people they HAD to see it, like I did for Wonder Woman or Black Panther. The story line is not even worth me trying to recount to you; it did sort of answer some questions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, sort of. The 'big' thing is this is the first Marvel movie to have a female superhero in the title (why that wasn't the Black Widow, I don't know). The science and the cinematography are very well done, and there's some funny quips. Maybe because I was so shocked that I liked the first Ant-Man so much, I just felt a little let down.

8/26/18 The Quiet Man, Best Director, Best Cinematography, 1952, National Film Registry

In The Quiet Man John Ford directs John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in one of their several collaborations, and won an Oscar for it. It's definitely not the typical John Wayne Western, being set in rural Ireland in the 1920s, and Wayne is retired boxer Sean Thornton who has returned to the land of his parents. Thornton makes a big impression on the locals, including Mary Kate Danaher (O'Hara), but most of them do not know who he is. It's not really a boxing movie or a farming movie, it's romantic comedy, complete with misunderstandings and romantic subterfuge. Danaher is an independent, spitfire of a woman, who battles her brother, Squire Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) as well as Thornton. I don't think there's anything very deep or sophisticated in the story itself, it's just enjoyable to watch O'Hara and Wayne go head to head, and there is a comedic aspect to the film, especially from Barry Fitzgerald as Michealeen Flynn. The scenery and cinematography are beautiful, and I almost felt compelled to book a trip to Ireland.

9/1/18 Night of the Living Dead, 1968, BBC #85, National Film Registry

I have not made any secret  of the fact that I really do not like horror movies, and after watching cult-classic Night of the Living Dead that hasn't changed. For one horrific night, all over America, dead people are coming back to 'life' or a state of animation, and killing and eating other people. Mmmm, delish. George Romero directed the first in his series of zombie movies on a small budget, with several actors playing multiple roles, and pretty minimal effects (compared to what we are used to in horror movies). Set in western Pennsylvania, brother and sister, Johnny and Barbra, are visiting their father's grave when a strange man comes towards them; he grabs Barbra when Johnny comes to her rescue (a noble, but fatal decision). Barbra runs off towards a house where she meets Ben. Ben is determined to fight off the zombies, even as he tries to engage Barbra in their own survival. They discover there are other people hiding in the house, and there are different ideas as to how to defeat or escape the zombies. I am certainly not going to spoil it for you. It was scary, suspenseful and gross and gory. If that's your thing, you have probably seen it already. I am just so thrilled it is off the lists.

Long time gone, but I'm back - Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Henry Fonda, Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett

It's been a while. Writer's block sucks. This is going to be quick and dirty, and I hope to get back on track.

6/20/18 Now, Voyager, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, 1942

Bette Davis stars as the ugly duckling turned swan, Charlotte Vale, in this film that also features Claude Rains and Paul Heinreid. Charlotte is dominated by her mother and matriarch of the Vale family (Gladys Cooper); she is bullied so much so that she is sent to a sanitarium under the treatment of Dr. Jaquith (Claude Rains). Charlotte blossoms and discovers her own personality and strength. Davis was nominated for Best Actress, but Greer Garson won for her role as Kay Miniver in Mrs. Miniver; Katharine Hepburn was nominated as Tess Harding in Woman of the Year, and Joan Fontaine in Rebecca as The Second Mrs. DeWinter. I enjoyed the film and watching Charlotte's transformation. There was something about the film that seemed relevant today, over seventy five years later.

6/21/18 The Adventures of Robin Hood, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, 1938

The Adventures of Robin Hood is a fun movie; Errol Flynn seems to be enjoying his role as Robin Hood, teasing and basically giving Prince John (Claude Rains) and Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone) a very hard time until King Richard returns to England from the Crusades. The movie has swashbuckling action, humor, a love story featuring Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland) and Robin, and an Oscar-winning score. The fabulous Technicolor is still eye-popping (even on my twenty year old television), I can't imagine what it was like on a big screen when most films were still in black and white (Now Voyager was released four years after this was in black and white). If you're looking for a fun movie for a weekend at the cabin, I would recommend this one.

6/23/18 One Survivor Remembers, Best Documentary Short, National Film Registry, 1995

As we lose Holocaust survivors to age, it becomes more and more important to remember their stories and what those stories mean to us, especially in the upside down world we're living in these days. Survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein narrates her story and the story of her family, who perished in the camps. Her experience is one of destruction and death, but also resilience, strength and love. The film is available on YouTube (and hopefully in the link below) and her acceptance speech at the Academy Awards show is included and it is well worth watching.

6/23/18 The Anderson Platoon, Best Documentary Feature, 1967

In the 21st century, with the 24-hour news cycles and smartphone videos coming from every corner of the world, it may be hard to imagine a time when it wasn't quite as common for a film crew to be embedded with a platoon that is in combat. French director Pierre Schoendoerffer was with the American 1st Cavalry Division in South Vietnam, specifically a platoon led by West Point graduate, Lieutenant Joseph Anderson. The film takes us into the jungle and combat, we also get brief biographies on the soldiers, and updates on injuries and mortalities. The Vietnam War was controversial and divisive, but the film really focuses on the soldiers, the young men, barely into their twenties, who are far from home, and trying to survive.

6/30/18 The Bad and the Beautiful, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction (B&W), Best Cinematography (B&W), Best Costume Design (B&W), Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, National Film Registry, 1952

I feel like I should have loved this movie, but I didn't. It was fine, I liked it, but it seemed derivative, a lot of Citizen Kane and a little bit of Ace in the Hole (also starring Kirk Douglas). Douglas is Jonathan Shields, a producer/studio head, who has no qualms about using people to advance his career, even if it hurts others. Three of these 'others' are gathered together, and in flashbacks, we learn how Shields cheated, betrayed or hurt them. Gloria Grahame won the Best Supporting Actress for her role as the Southern belle wife of one of the people that Shields hurt; she was on screen for less than twenty five minutes, and I personally think it should have gone to Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain. Watching the film was timely because a few weeks earlier I watched Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, starring Annette Bening as Grahame. I think your life will continue on if you don't watch this, but if you do watch it, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world, either.

6/30/18 Ocean's 8, not yet nominated 2018

I don't have any great analysis on Ocean's 8 starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and a cast of very talented actresses. It was a fun, smart, fast paced eist movie, along the lines of the other "Ocean's" movies. I would actually watch it again, which I don't say very often about any movie. Will it be nominated? Very possibly not, but I don't care. It's probably going to be out on video/streaming soon, and it would be great for a movie night (pretty much for the whole family). 

7/8/18 Jezebel, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, National Film Registry, 1938

It took me a while to get into Jezebel, starring Bette Davis as spoiled Southern belle Julie Marsden. I don't know, perhaps I was distracted. It was really towards the end that I appreciated what the movie was about. It also stars Henry Fonda as Julie's frustrated beau. It is 1850s New Orleans and Julie is headstrong and not afraid to defy conventions, and while that may be admired today, it causes her and her family embarrassment. Watching Davis in Now, Voyager and then Jezebel, you can see her range and why she is considered such a great actress; two very different characters, although they are united by their ultimate strength. It's not a movie to watch if you're looking for laughs or an escape from the world, but it is worth watching.

7/8/18 Dodsworth, Best Art Direction, National Film Registry, 1936

I had never heard of Dodsworth before, and I hadn't read anything about it before I watched it, so I had no idea what it was about. I would consider it a pleasant surprise. William Wyler directed Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton and Mary Astor in this look at marriage in the first half of the twentieth century. In some ways, it takes a very common occurrence, the husband (Huston as Sam Dodsworth) retires and decides he wants to do all those things he and his wife (Chatterton as Fran Dodsworth) didn't have time for, and then they both find out (although Fran might have known all along) that they don't necessarily want the same things, and Fran is a little freer in finding other companions. I was rooting for Sam all the way, even as he struck up a friendship with Edith Cortright (Mary Astor) and found his bliss in Italy. I truly was not certain how the movie would end, and I'm not going to tell you, but if you want to try a movie off the beaten path (have you ever heard of Dodsworth?) pick it up from the library or Netflix.

A thumbs up for The Bourne Ultimatum, but a pass on Melvin and Howard and a BIG YES for Deadpool 2

5/6/18 The Bourne Ultimatum, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, 2007

The Bourne Ultimatum is the third in the Bourne series featuring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. It continues the adventure of Jason Bourne trying to learn who he is or was and find the people behind the various programs, in this case Operation Treadstone. I'm not sure how much of the plot I really need to recap, because it's not necessarily the plot that gets me watching every time it's on television, which seems to be once a month. I love the action and fast pace. I also enjoy the different locales: India, Paris, London, Tangier, New York.  For me, it's totally escapist, I don't think too much about the logic or the possibility or reality of Jason Bourne doing all of these crazy things, I just like watching him do them. So, if you're looking for a summer time movie for the cabin or your regular house, I would suggest any, or all, of the Bourne films (maybe not The Bourne Legacy if you're pushed for time).


5/12/18 Melvin and Howard, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, 1980

I waited a long time to finally watch this movie, and I have to say...what a disappointment. The other movies nominated for Best Original Screenplay, including Brubaker and Private Benjamin were better than Melvin and Howard; I would say the same for the actresses nominated for Best Supporting Actresses (Mary Steenburgen won), including Eileen Brennan in Private Benjamin and Cathy Moriarty in Ragin Bull. Maybe it's because I thought the movie would be more about Howard Hughes and Melvin Dummar's relationship or the mystery of the will that Hughes allegedly left leaving Dummars a huge part of his estate. It wasn't. It was about 30-45 minutes about that, and the rest about Dummars' pretty dead end life; his failed marriage, failed jobs and poor money management. I guess at the time this was groundbreaking and a depiction of the American dream. Whatever. I didn't even like Jason Robards as Howard Hughes.

5/26/18 Deadpool 2, not yet nominated, 2018

Truth be told, I don't know if Deadpool 2 will be nominated for any Oscars (there will be a lot of competition in the technical categories), but who cares? It was a fabulous way to spend a morning. If you don't know, Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool and Josh Brolin is a Terminator-like soldier from the future, Cable. Deadpool often breaks "the fourth wall" by speaking directly to the audience at different points in the film. This was done in the first film as well; it's not a technique that always works, it can be annoying or ruin the flow of a movie, however, it works here. Deadpool 2 picks up a little after the first movie ends, with Wade Wilson/Deadpool and his girlfriend, Vanessa, making goo goo eyes at each other, and making plans for a family together. Unfortunately, events take a turn for the worst, and leaves us a Deadpool intent on vengeance. He re-connects with Colossus (of the X-Men) and tries to find purpose as an X-Men trainee. This is how he meets Firefist/Russell Collins, a distraught and angry fifteen year old mutant who is trying to destroy his home, the Mutant Reeducation Center, because of abuse. In his attempt to help, Deadpool goes a little far, and he and Firefist are both collared with a device that nullifies their powers and sent to the "Icebox", a prison for mutants. Because he no longer has any powers, Wade pushes Russell away because he can't protect him, but that's hard to explain to a kid who has formed an attachment. In the meantime, Cable makes his appearance, and for reasons unknown to the viewer, he is after Russell. That's all the plot you're going to get since the movie just came out a week ago. Plot points aside, there is a lot going on in the movie: oblique, and not so oblique, references to other Marvel movies, specifically the X-Men franchise; there are a few scenes of dismemberment (mostly Deadpool's, so it all kind of works out); there is a reference to the movie Say Anything and the boombox scene; the language is still very R-Rated, so if the violence doesn't get you to keep your young wannabe adult at home, think about how you want to explain the use of the C-word or certain adult activities to them; the humor is as fast as the action. Brolin is great as Cable plays the straight man to Deadpool's constant clowning. There is a scene in the movie that made me (and the rest of the audience) laugh so hard that I cried. All I'll say is little legs. If you've seen it you know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't yet, I don't want to ruin it. Keep an eye out for Domino, one of Deadpool's X-Force. Sometimes movies can be too cute, but I don't think that's the case here, the humor is smart and crude and whatever is in between. I do have a couple of complaints: first, could we please have more Blind Al (Leslie Uggams)? I just love her. Second, it's not so much about the movie, but the THIRTY F#*@(ING (tip of the hat to Deadpool) minutes of trailers. Movie time was 10:30, it didn't start until 10:57. I warned my friend that the last two trailers (at my theater) were R-Rated (and the audience was warned); the first one was fine, just a lot of the F word; the second one, about what the Muppets do when the kids aren't around, was pretty gross, and I may need therapy. I don't ever, EVER, need to see Muppets having sex. Totally unnecessary. I may going to see Deadpool 2 again, but I'll show up 20 minutes late. Oh, make sure to stay through the credits.

Did you know? Josh Brolin has been in three Marvel films: Jonah Hex, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2.

Catching up: Independence Day Master and Commander, Wallace and Gromit, The Incredibles

4/26/18 Independence Day, Best Visual Effects, 1996

I think I may start counting a movie as 'seen' if I fell asleep during it, that would move this list along a little faster; it certainly would have saved me two hours of watching Independence Day. Earth is being invaded by an alien species, blah blah. Bill Pullman is the young president, a former fighter pilot, who is leading an all-star cast in a seemingly hopeless endeavor. But if it was hopeless, it might have been a shorter movie. Will Smith is the lead pilot, and gives us a precursor to the smart alecky, but cool, agent in Men in Black; Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Mary McDonnell, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Loggia and Viveca Fox also co-star. I know for some this was a huge summer blockbuster, but it dragged on, and was painful to watch. 

4/28/18 Master and Commander, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, 2003

Master and Commander was one of the big Oscar-nominated films of 2003, with twelve nominations and two wins (this was the year of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the Rings). I saw it the first time on the big screen and you certainly get the feeling of being swept overboard with the incredible waves and the vast ocean. The movie is set during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s, in the southern hemisphere, with the British ship HMS Surprise, captained by Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe). Aubrey and his crew have been bested by the French ship Acheron, and Aubrey chases it like Ahab pursued Moby Dick. The story is taken from several of the books from Master and Commander book series, and I think there was talk about doing a sequel, but despite a dozen Oscar nominations, I don't recall the regular public clamoring for it. There is a lot of action and it is helpful to be somewhat familiar with the historical setting. It is certainly a primer for the very harsh life on board a fighting ship in the 1800s. I liked it, I didn't mind watching it a second time, and it's a good adventure/action movie.

4/28/18 Romeo and Juliet, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, 1968

I was inspired to re-watch Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet after watching my friend's son in his high school production (he was Friar Laurence); it wasn't too bad. In the film, Leonard Whiting plays Romeo and Olivia Hussey is Juliet. Hopefully you are somewhat familiar with the play by William Shakespeare or perhaps some other film adaptation, so I won't recap it. This was Whiting's first film, and Hussey's third, so they were pretty unknown teenagers, and untested actors. The script is not verbatim, there are things that are missing (I noticed Friar Laurence was not as featured as he was in the play I had recently attended), but the spirit and energy are definitely there. The movie was filmed throughout Italy, and I think it's beautiful. I enjoyed Romeo and Juliet, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite play by Shakespeare or even my favorite film of a Shakespeare play (Laurence Olivier, who is the Chorus in this film, played King Lear in 1983 in a television production, which was incredible), but it's a good production of one of the most well-known of Shakespeare's plays.

4/29/18 Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit, Best Animated Feature, 2005

I love Wallace and Gromit, and apparently, so do the Oscars, as Wallace and Gromit have been nominated five Oscars and winning three (two short films and one feature). Wallace is an eccentric inventor living in the north of England with his wise-beyond-his-species dog, Gromit, who is often responsible for rescuing Wallace. They both have a fondness for cheese and adventure (trips to space are not uncommon). In this glimpse into their lives, Wallace and Gromit operate a humane pest control business, trying to save their neighbors veg gardens. Wallace (voiced by English actor Peter Sallis) catches the eye of Lady Campanula Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter), but unfortunately he also pokes the ego of Lord Victor Quartermain (Ralph Fiennes who just chews up the scenery with his pomposity, meant in a good way). Ever the inventor, Wallace accidentally creates a Were Rabbit, which almost brings ruin to the town, and himself. Aside from the super fun animation, using the time intensive stop motion method, I always enjoy the smart word play and puns and visual treats provided by the Arman team.

5/3/18 The Incredibles, Best Animated Feature, Best Sound Editing, 2004

I suppose it's very timely that I re-watched The Incredibles so close to the release of The Incredibles 2; it's almost like I planned it. This is another movie that I actually saw in the theater when it was originally released. I enjoyed it, didn't love it. This was before the spate of super hero movies started coming out, and it was a new take on the whole idea of super heroes, making it a family affair. Written and directed by Brad Bird, who also voiced the fashion designer in the film, Edna Mode, and starring Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter as Mr. Incredible's wife and hero in her own right, Elastigirl. They have three kids who also have powers: Violet (who is similar to Invisible Girl from The Fantastic Four) and Dash who is super fast, and Jack-Jack who has yet unidentified powers. Of course, there is a bad guy, Incredi-Boy/Syndrome (Jason Lee) who was ignored/treated badly by his hero, Mr. Incredible, and he comes back to teach the Supers, especially Mr. Incredible a lesson. I am getting a little ahead of myself: the Supers had to all go underground after the public sentiment turned against them (similar to what happened to Batman and The Avengers); so they had to take regular jobs. It may be safer, but it's boring, so Mr. Incredible and his friend, Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson, before he took on the eye patch of Nick Fury) take on bad guys secretly, their wives don't know and the 'agency' doesn't know. Back to Syndrome, who starts to wreak havoc, requiring the Incredibles, and later Frozone, to come out of retirement. The Incredibles is a fun movie, and at the time it was released, it was a fresh take on super heroes with the family element, and showing them to be all to human. The character of Edna Mode, dahling, is still one of my favorites (she kind of reminds me of Heddy from NICS: Los Angeles). It was pretty cool to have a black super hero (years before Fury, Falcon, Luke Cage or the Black Panther). I was pleased with the animation, and it looks like The Incredibles 2 is a very different style, but that's for another review, because I'm almost sure it will be nominated. 

Avengers: Infinity Wars - no spoilers

5/6/18 Avengers: Infinity Wars, not yet nominated, 2018

I poached the above picture from my brother's Instagram page. He was instrumental in me seeing Avengers: Infinity Wars so soon after it opened (only a week instead of two months like for The Black Panther) because he nagged me so much; he was so concerned that I see it, he offered to send me the money. Isn't that sweet? So I went last weekend, sat through 20 minutes of trailers and finally the show started. It isn't critical to watch all of the preceding Avengers-related movies, you can still enjoy the story, action and effects, but if you don't remember the origins of the different Infinity stones and other details (the Collector, who is Gamora's father, etc.), it wouldn't hurt to watch them. It's hard to review a movie that is so 'new' and not give spoilers (yes, there are some people who haven't seen it yet). I will tell you Thanos is one bad dude and the screenwriters give us almost all of our favorites in movie: Peter Quill and his team of Guardians of the Galaxy; Dr. Strange; Spider-Man; Black Panther; and of course, The Avengers. I was worried it would be heavy on characters that they wouldn't be able to get them all in the story, but somehow it works. There are a couple of different story lines that break up the characters so they're not tripping on one another, and they take place in Wakanda, New York City, and a few other planets and galaxies. It's action packed with great effects, and that comic book humor that I love so much (that DC movies have not quite perfected). My one qualm (or the only I've held onto) is with Groot. Why? Why? He/It was kind of purposeless in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 as he was re-growing from the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, and he really remained useless here. Maybe you could argue he was helpful in the big fight, but I would shake my head. But, aside from that, I did really enjoy it. It was over two hours and fifteen minutes, so it's long, but it didn't really feel like that. I cannot wait until next year for the sequel (yes, sequel).

Finally The Black Panther, a double dose of Ferdinand, and one very greedy man

4/7/18 Ferdinand, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2017
4/21/18 Ferdinand the Bull, Best Animated Short, 1938

I don't know if it's fair to put these two films that share a name and essentially a similar plot line but are separated by 80 years in the same review, but it sure is convenient. Both films are based on the book The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson and feature Ferdinand the flower loving bull. The 2017 film stars John Cena as Ferdinand and a cast of well known personalities as the supporting cast: Peyton Manning (yes, that Peyton Manning), Anthony Anderson, David Tennant and Kate McKinnon as the comfort goat (and who should had a short film all her own). Ferdinand is a lover, not a fighter, but through some unexpected and undesired consequences, Ferdinand finds himself getting ready for a very important bull fight. Kate McKinnon was really my favorite part of the whole movie, otherwise, I didn't find it very original or engaging, and certainly not worthy of an Oscar-nomination. Watch Coco or Kubo and the Two Strings or my favorite recommendation, The Boxtrolls. Ferdinand the Bull won the Oscar for Best Animated Short in 1938. It's much simpler, with one person, Don Wilson (announcer for "The Jack Benny Show"), narrating and doing the voices (there is actually very little dialogue). That might seem quaint given the star-studded voice casts these days, but it's similar to a parent reading to a child and doing all the voices. The short is only seven minutes plus, but it tells the story of Ferdinand without a lot of fluff and filler.

4/15/18 All the Money in the World, nominated Best Supporting Actor, 2017

I think what most people are going to remember about All the Money in the World is very last minute casting change, after the film was for the most part completed, with Christopher Plummer replacing Kevin Spacey as billionaire J. Paul Getty. The movie is about the abduction of Getty's grandson, Paul, by an organized crime ring, and just as notoriously, the senior Getty's reluctance to pay the ransom. Battling Getty for her son's life is Gail Harris (Michelle Williams); Harris divorced Pauls' father, but walked away from any potential settlement in order to retain custody of her children; her husband, Paul II, was a drug addict and an otherwise useless person in his younger days. Acting as a link between the two camps is Fletcher Chace (Mark Wahlberg), security advisor and other duties as assigned to Getty, Chace finds himself dubious of the kidnapping plot, but becomes convinced of the reality, and becomes an advocate for Gail. Charlie Plummer plays the unfortunate young Paul. Director Ridley Scott knows how to tell a tense tale, and even if you are familiar with the events of 1973, it's still a little shocking to hear Getty be so cold and calculating (literally) about why he shouldn't or wouldn't pay the ransom (it would inspire other kidnappings of his grandchildren or that he didn't have enough money - he was the richest man in the world at the time). I enjoyed the movie, but I didn't love it, and I can't quite put my finger on it, something was missing. As for Christopher Plummer as Best Supporting Actor, I'm not sure he was better than Sam Rockwell in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and I'm also not sure if he would have been nominated if not for the last minute substitution. Don't get me wrong, I love him, but I think it's a legitimate question.

4/16/18 The Black Panther, 2018

You know me, I love my super hero movies, but I was so burned out from Oscar season, it took me almost three months to get my ass to a theatre, even with regular nagging from my brother. I may be one of the last people on the planet to see The Black Panther. But, I finally did, and I loved it. The Black Panther is the final film before Avengers: Infinity Wars, which is promising to be the mother of all super hero films. Director and co-writer, Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed) brings the sense of fun that I like in my comic book movies, but also a strong sense of purpose and empowerment and history from a different perspective. Chadwick Boseman (who has portrayed real people - Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall and Ernie Davis) is T'Challa, the Black Panther, newly crowned king of Wakanda. He inherits the throne after his father, T'Chaka is killed, and he defeats a challenger to the throne. The kingdom of Wakanda is built upon a stash of vibranium, the most powerful metal/element in the world, and it has helped to sustain and strengthen Wakanda, while keeping it isolated from the rest of the world, including its African neighbors. There are those who are trying to steal the vibranium, including Klaue (played by Andy Serkis, who looks like he really bulked up for this role, you may be more familiar with Serkis in his performance capture roles like Smeagle, Caesar or King Kong). Klaue hires a few mercenaries to help him, one of whom turns out to be T'Challa's cousin, N'Jadaka/Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who has his own agenda. These competing goals lead to some pretty intense and awesome battle scenes. The movie succeeds on so many levels for me: the action, the humor, the effects, the story and the cast. The cast was incredible with Angela Bassett as T'Challa's mother who is so regal; Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, T'Challa's love interest, but also a strong, wily woman; Jordan taps into his evil side with pleasure; Boseman makes you think there could be a lot more Panther movies and you wouldn't mind a bit; Letitia Wright as T'Challa's sister, Shuri, who is the teenage equivalent of Q from James Bond - she has brains and crazy technical skills, but also an irrepressible spirit and sense of humor (there have been calls for Shuri to get her own action figure/be a new type of Disney princess); Daniel Kaluuya (straight from his Oscar-nominated performance in Get Out); and my personal favorite, Danai Gurira (from Grinnell, Iowa and graduate of St. Paul's Macalester College) as Okoye, the head of Wakanda's special forces who was fantastic - we need more female roles like Okoye. The story does not shy away from the theme of racial inequality, but also the empowerment and enlightenment of African Americans and minorities. Maybe it's an oversimplification on my part, but just like Wonder Woman gave little girls a glimpse of powerful and intelligent women who were more than capable of taking care of themselves and breaking stereotypes; I think The Black Panther has given that same glimpse to young African Americans - physical strength, but also technology that defies anything the so-called "first world" has come up with; and demonstrates the importance of science among girls and minorities. So far, the movie has earned over 1 billion dollars and something about convinced the Saudi Arabian government to make The Black Panther the first movie shown in public movie theaters since 1979. I could probably go on, but I just loved this movie and I'm really glad that I saw it on the big screen.

As a post-script: Rachel Morrison was the cinematographer - she was nominated for an Oscar for Mudbound, the first woman to receive that nomination. And, speaking of Oscars, I expect a few technical awards, let's see if it can get one of the other categories.

An endurance test Visual Effects nominees - Blade Runner 2049 and Star Wars: The Last Jedi

2/16/18 Blade Runner 2049, nominated Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 2017

I thought about taking one of my dumbbells and dropping it on my foot. Just to make something hurt more than my head from watching this pretentious piece of shit. The best thing I can say is that at least it's not nominated for best screenplay or best acting. This is so pretentious. I actually stopped paying attention after an hour (that may be generous); lucky for me, there was another hour and forty-five minutes to go, because director Denis Villeneuve does not believe in editing. I thought the same thing about Sicario and Arrival. If these weren't 'on the list', then I never would have watched any of them, and sadly, they weren't the little surprises I sometimes get when watching an unexpected film. Anyway, I have no desire to try and give you a synopsis of the film, because I don't care and it's so ridiculous, I couldn't if I wanted to. All I can say is, thank goodness for my free rental from Redbox.

2/18/18 Star Wars: The Last Jedi, nominated Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 2017

First: this movie has been out since December 15, and it was pretty much sold out at a major, first run theater. That's over two months. I was hoping the theatre would be empty, but alas, not only was it not empty, I sat next to a woman who was pretty much ready to set up camp in her seat, and then used her GD phone with about 30 minutes left in the movie. I finally said, "Seriously, can you turn it off?" "In a minute." WTF? Human beings survived without mobile phones, hell, regular phones, for millennia, you honestly can't wait? And, I'm pretty sure she wasn't a brain surgeon or any other kind of life saving career person. Just a guess. Okay, I'm good now.

Second: I may have mentioned this before, I have seen all of the Star Wars movies, some even multiple times, but by no stretch of George Lucas' imagination, am I a Star Wars expert. The things that send rabid fans into a frenzy general escape me, and I still sleep really well at night. So, whatever it was that set off fans two months ago, I don't have a clue; what I do know is the movie was really long, too long.

Here in this installment of what Wikipedia describes as an "epic space opera", Rey (Daisy Ridley) meets Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on an isolated island where Luke used to train Jedis. Meanwhile, the rebellion is under a lot of stress and not doing very well, as hotheaded Poe (Oscar Isaac) leads rebel forces to destroy a dreadnought, but ultimately loses a significant number of fighters. General Leia (Carrie Fisher) is trying to lead the Resistance fighters to safety, but the lead ship (which she is on) suffers a devastating hit, that puts her in sick bay. On the First Order side (the baddies) Kylo Ren/Ben Solo (Adam Driver) is wrestling with the angel and devil on his shoulder as he is still under the control of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Back with the Resistance, Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (a new character, played by Kelly Marie Tran), are off on a mission to find a code to do something that will save the universe, but in an effort to make the movie longer, it doesn't work. I don't know, trying to give you a synopsis of this is crazy. What I did enjoy, and wish director/writer Rian Johnson would have spent more time on, was Luke's relationship with Rey, more Jedi training. I have heard so many mixed things about the movie, which clearly has not deterred anyone from seeing it, that I kept waiting for something that was going to really annoy me, and it didn't happen. My expectation for any Star Wars movie is good action, great effects, a little bit of comedy, a diverse cast: black, white, Asian, alien, male, female, and a stirring score by John Williams. Notice, I didn't mention a great, deep story line. I certainly enjoyed this a lot more than Blade Runner 2049. It was a little sad to know that Carrie Fisher wouldn't be in anymore films (unless it's from repurposed footage). Sorry for the less than detailed review, but if you're a fan, you've already seen it and would probably tell me all of the things I got wrong or missed, and if you're not, then you most likely don't care, and have already stopped reading.

A little underwhelmed with these nominees: War for the Planet of the Apes, Kong, I, Tonya, Molly's Game

1/27/18 War for the Planet of the Apes and
Kong: Skull Island, nominated Best Visual Effects, 2017

There's really not a whole lot of reviewing that is needed here, in my opinion. I barely watched Kong: Skull Island, it's not like there was a complicated plot. It's probably more notable for the cast which included Tom Hiddleston, a special services kind, with tracking skills (I didn't buy it); Brie Larson as a photographer; Samuel L. Jackson as a Lieutenant Colonel; John Goodman and John C. Reilly. They're rebooting the "Monster Franchise", and that's fine, but get rid of the humans and let the monsters play. War for the Planet of the Apes has a little more substance, a stronger story, and neatly ties up this most recent trilogy of the world of apes. The apes are battling a group of humans, some of the apes have gone to the human side. Caesar (Andy Serkis) is trying to lead his clan of apes to safety, but of course, it's not that straightforward. One of his confidantes betrays them and goes to the humans, and the apes are ambushed. Woody Harrelson is the primary human in the movie as the Colonel. He's ruthless in his desire to wipe out the apes. There's a bit of a twist when Caesar's adviser, Maurice, finds a mute human child and takes her so he can care for her and protect her, much against Caesar's wishes. My favorite character (well, I liked him a lot) is Steve Zahn's "Bad Ape"; Bad Ape was in a lab where humans did experiments; he can speak and he brings a little light heartedness to a pretty dark film (which could go either way, but I appreciated it). If you have to pick, I would go for War for the Planet of the Apes; if you have a free Redbox night, maybe go for Kong: Skull Island, if you've seen everything else.

1/28/18 I, Tonya, nominated for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing, 2017 

As I sat watching I, Tonya on Sunday, one repeating thought was "did this movie need to be made?" and the answer that kept coming back was, no, not really. Strangely (it may seem), that didn't take away from the fabulous performances by Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding or Allison Janney as her abusive mother, LaVona Golding, but my life would have been fine without seeing this "based on real life and events, but maybe not totally" film. If you don't know or don't remember, Tonya Harding gained her infamy after her chief skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan, was attacked prior to the 1994 Olympics. Harding wasn't part of the actual attack, but her husband, Jeff Gillooly (or was he her ex-husband, I lost track) and her 'bodyguard' conspired to hire two knuckle draggers to do it; the movie indicates that Harding and husband only meant for threatening letters to be sent to Kerrigan. Let me back up a bit; the movie starts out with Tonya, at 4 years old, getting figure skating lessons, and winning competitions at an early age. This is in spite of (her mother would claim because of) her mother's habit of berating, humiliating and hitting Tonya. There is a bit of humor as Janney delivers her lines with a straight face, even as the audience knows she's twisted and as her bird bites at her ear. Both Janney and Robbie are transformed by make up and hair, making them almost unrecognizable. Gillooly is played by Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), and he is also unrecognizable. He plays Gillooly as an idiot and a brute, and there's little sympathy, or empathy, coming his way. There is no doubt that Tonya Harding had a helluva life, and overcame incredible odds, and lost it all because of the people around her, and probably decisions she made, but Robbie/Harding says frequently to the camera "it's not my fault", and that seems Harding's way of absolving herself of any responsibility. Janney could pull of a win, I think Robbie is going to have a tougher go of it going up against Frances McDormand, Saorise Ronan and Sally Hawkins. I don't think you're missing anything if you wait for home video or skip it.

1/28/18 Molly's Game, nominated Best Adapted Screenplay, 2017

I might have ruined this for myself by reading Molly Bloom's book before seeing the movie. It's not that there's a ton of suspense, but I kept comparing what I read to what was appearing on the screen, and some of the movie came after the book ends. It is based on a true story; Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) finds herself running what runs into one of the biggest underground poker games in Los Angeles, and then in New York City. All seems to be going well until certain events trigger interest from the federal authorities. Molly hires Charlie Jaffrey (Idris Elba) to be her lawyer, even though she doesn't have any money, and she's reluctant to part with certain information. Aaron Sorkin (Newsroom, The West Wing) wrote the screenplay and directed, and as much as I loved some of his other work, I was sadly underwhelmed. Perhaps I shouldn't have had such high expectations. Not only was I comparing Molly's Games to the book, I was also comparing it to Miss Sloane, which also starred Jessica Chastaine as a woman who frequently outsmarts the people around her, and which I loved so much more than this. It's good, not necessary to see on the big screen, but it's worth the Redbox rental.