Best Picture Nominees: 1917, Parasite, Jojo Rabbit, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

1/19/20 1917, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, 2019

National World War I Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, MO

1917 sure did get a lot of nominations, but nothing for the actors. I've seen that before, of course I can't remember when, but what does that say about the movie? Is it really the best picture? I don't know. Not for me. It was very good, great effects and the cinematography is spectacular. 1917 is set in northern France near the end of World War I. Lance Corporal Thomas Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) is given an unenviable, and almost impossible, task of crossing through no-man's land and German territory to warn another regiment. Blake is selected because his brother is in the other regiment; his friend Lance Corporal William Schofield (George MacKay) was the victim of dumb luck. Director Sam Mendes and the production designers do a phenomenal job of recreating the horrible trenches that were such a huge factor in World War I. I really don't want to give away too much of the plot (that's pretty much the company line for the other movies below). I think it was a really good decision to not cast well-known actors in the two main roles, it would have been too distracting; there were cameos by Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth, and I kind of think they were a little distracting. Roger Deakins filmed the movie beautifully and with quite a bit of effort to make it look like one continuous shot. If you're still able to catch the film in the theater, I hope you can see it; some movies should be seen on the big screen and this is definitely one of those. I think it will win a lot of awards, but I don't think it's best picture.

Exhibit of Trench Warfare, National World War I Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, MO

1/25/20 Parasite, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, 2019

South Korean film Parasite wins the award for the most misleading title. Yes, I do know why it's titled that NOW, but I didn't before I watched it, and the name was one of the reasons I didn't want to see it. Stereotypically, a movie called "Parasite" would be a horror movie, something with an invasive species or something. In case you're wondering, that doesn't happen. What does happen is a story unfolds about class wars, envy, deceit mixed with satire. Don't be put off because it's in Korean, or it has a creepy title, it is an original idea with original characters. Co-written and directed by Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer), Parasite has social commentary mixed with some biting sarcasm and a little bit of suspense. We first meet the Kim family, a down-on-their-luck clan, living in cramped basement quarters and leaching off the wi-fi signal of their neighbors and trying many different scams to earn money. When son, Kim Ki-woo, gets a job as an English tutor for Park Da-Hye, the daughter of the wealthy Park family, Ki-woo sees possibilities for his family to improve their situation. And that's all you'll get from me. This is another film that has been nominated for Best Picture, but no actor nominations, which I don't understand, maybe because it was really an ensemble piece with eight 'leads' (well, maybe 6), but there could have been at least a supporting nod for Lee Jeung-eun as the housekeeper. I really liked Parasite, it wasn't a remake, a sequel, a reboot or based on real events (as far as I know); I know I keep harping on the originality, but it was so fresh. I would be willing to bet that an American version will be out in the next five years. I think it will win Best International Feature Film; I haven't seen any of the other nominees, so this is going on past awards and a gut feeling. This is out now on DVD or streaming, so check it out.

Seoul, S. Korea

1/25/20 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nominated Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, 2019

Sigh. 161 minutes, everyone I know has commented on how long The Irishman is, but nobody has complained about the length of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but they were both too long. I liked half the premise, a visit to old Hollywood and the shows of the 1950s and 1960s, a washed up actor, Rick Dalton, (Leonardo DiCaprio) trying to be relevant again. I also thought it was an interesting twist to include his stuntman/driver/gopher, Cliff Booth, (Brad Pitt) in the mix, creating the buddy movie element. Parallel to Rick and Cliff trying to find work is the introduction of the Manson Family and Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), Roman Polanski and friends; eventually they all intersect. Eh. DiCaprio and Pitt were both nominated for Oscars, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, but I didn't see anything in DiCaprio's performance (compared to his own past performances and other 2019 nominees) that deserved an Oscar nod. I thought Pitt's performance was worthy of the nomination, I thought he was more fun to watch and had better scenes. I think the Best Actor is probably going to go Joaquin Phoenix, but I'm not sure about Best Supporting Actor.

1/26/20 Jojo Rabbit, nominated Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, 2019

Jojo Rabbit is one of my favorite movies of this year because of its originality (with a nod to Mel Brooks), humor, satire, tenderness and the three young actors. Jojo Rabbit is set in the later years of World War II, and ten year-old Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) has regular conversations with his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi, who also wrote and directed) and is eager to join the Hitler Youth with his pal, Yorki (Archie Yates). His patient mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) gently chides Jojo about his dedication to the Fuhrer, while protecting him from a dangerous secret involving a young girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) hidden in the house. I'm not really sure I can describe more of the story without giving away some of the surprises I had while watching it. I enjoyed watching looking at the world through Jojo's eyes, even as horrible as it could be during a war, as he endured heartbreak, love and small victories, and learned to shed his devotion to Hitler. Also in another terrific supporting role is Sam Rockwell as Captain Klenzendorf; seemingly devoted to the cause because he has to be, not necessarily because he is a rabid believer. He shows Jojo kindness and protection that Adolf can't give. As far as the nominations go, I don't understand thinking a movie is Best Picture, but you don't nominate the director of the movie? I'm not sure how it's going to do against the other nominees, but I know who I'll be rooting for. And I can't wait to see Davis and Yates in more films. I would say if you have not seen Jojo Rabbit, do yourself a favor and watch it. I may watch it again after the awards.

Three more nominees: The Two Popes, American Factory and Breakthrough

12/26/19 The Two Popes, nominated Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, 2019

I cannot speak to the accuracy of The Two Popes, especially the scenes within the conclave where the Cardinals vote for the new pope. I thought the ballots were burned, so perhaps that part is speculation. At any rate, the film looks at the unusual circumstance and relationship between Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) created when Pope Benedict stepped down from his lifetime appointment to the papacy and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis. The two men couldn't be more different or on opposite sides of almost any argument. The movie flashes back to when Jorge was a young man, before he entered the priesthood and then his time as a priest during the time of the junta in Argentina. The flashbacks show Bergoglio's flaws and his human side, which some may not believe are suited for a position that is considered infallible. Bergoglio repeatedly tries to resign his post as Cardinal, but Pope Benedict continually refuses him. The movie shows the human side of Pope Benedict as well, as he and Pope Francis watch the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina together, fact or fiction, it was an enjoyable scene to watch. Pryce is nominated for Best Actor and I think the odds are against him since Joaquin Phoenix seems to be the favorite this awards season. Hopkins is nominated for Best Supporting Actor and that may be a little more open, with two nominations for The Irishman (Joe Pesci and Al Pacino), Brad Pitt for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (haven't seen this yet) and Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. I know Hanks is usually the favorite any time he's nominated, but I thought Pesci was really, really good.

1/12/20 American Factory, nominated Best Documentary Feature, 2019

American Factory was hard to watch, I really felt the heartache and frustration and disappointment of the men and women of Moraine, Ohio, as they tried to make a new life at a new factory built and run by the Chinese glass factory Fuyao. I wasn't surprised by the culture clash and differences, but I was surprised at how big and wide the divide was, and the hostile attitudes expressed by both at the end of the film. I thought something seemed familiar about the filmmaking and the topic, the General Motors Assembly Plant, but I just found out that the filmmakers also made 2009 nominee, The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant by Julie Reichert and Steve Bognar. This was the same plant. Everything seems pretty positive and full of potential and hope to bring back good paying jobs to southwestern Ohio. The Chairman, Cao Dewang, is aware of the differences in culture and work practices and at first seems okay with it, up to a point. The Chinese are absolutely opposed to any kind of unionization and threaten to shut the plant if the unions come in. Eventually, the lower than expected wages, the safety concerns and other practices put the two sides in opposition to one another. In my Pollyanna world, I kept thinking if the two sides could talk, really talk and get some kind of understanding and not fall into stereotyping (it happens on both ends), it could have been so much more beneficial. This is the first nominated documentary I have seen, so I can't honestly say if I think it will win, but I found it powerful, relevant and full of humanity. It's distributed by Netflix, so it's available on streaming, and I strongly recommend watching it, for so many reasons. 


1/17/20 Breakthrough, nominated Best Original Song, 2019

I'll be honest, if Breakthrough wasn't on the Oscars list, I would never have watched it; I can't even say it was an unexpected find. It's not that it was terrible, it's just not my thing. When I saw the previews, I thought, nope, I won't be going. Sigh. So here we are. The movie is based on the true story of John Smith falling through a not so frozen lake in St. Charles, Missouri and being put into a medically induced coma. The doctors had no expectations of a full recovery, but his mother, Joyce (Chrissy Metz), had other ideas. She was so fervent and adamant in her belief and her prayers that you could say she willed John to get better. Movies like this really aren't my thing, so if I'm going to like it (or maybe just watch it) at least the acting needs to be good. I'm sorry, but it wasn't. Topher Grace was Pastor Jason, and while I believed Anthony Hopkins could have Pope Benedict, I did not at all believe that Topher Grace was a pastor. The music was okay; "I'm Standing with You", written by Diane Warren and performed offscreen by Chrissy Metz is nominated for Best Original Song. It was a good song, but I have a feeling that the new song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin for Rocketman, "(I'm gonna) Love Me Again". The movie wasn't my thing, but you may like it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2019 films: The Irishman and Knives Out

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

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

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

12/5/19 Meeting Gorbachev, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

Oscar Nominations are out: Vice and Christopher Robin

Oscar nomination were just released yesterday and that might be the kick in the pants I need. There are a lot of nominations that made my eyes roll and breathe sighs of disbelief about some of the movies I would "have to watch", but also a little relief that I was in better shape that I originally thought. So, with one month to go, let's get moving.

12/28/2018 Vice, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, 2018

Every time someone asks my opinion of Vice starring Christian Bale as former Vice-President Dick Cheney, I hem and haw, I pause, and then I say, I liked it, it was good, Bale was great, but I couldn't wait until it was over. I tried explaining this to my brother, who saw it with me, and I think it was because I lived through most of what the movie portrayed, and I didn't like it when it was happening, and I liked it less watching it. Adam McKay wrote and directed, and he was behind The Big Short, another movie snatched my life experience (I had mixed feelings about that film as well). The film follows history, to a degree, with commentary from an unknown narrator, showing Cheney going from a drunk to a White House intern and then moving up in the Republican machinery. Cheney's wife Lynne (Amy Adams) is portrayed to be as ruthless as Cheney himself. Sam Rockwell is George W. Bush and Steve Carell is Donald Rumsfeld. This isn't a documentary, so there is obviously some artistic license taken, but if the scenes depicting what followed after 9/11 are even close to true, it seems that Vice-President Cheney was flying pretty close to the sun, claiming privileges and powers to which he had no right. I'm pretty much on the left of the political spectrum, but even I felt like I was being hit over the head with McKay's agenda. As for all of the nominations, Christian Bale disappeared in his portrayal of Cheney, and he captured so many of Cheney's mannerisms and speech patterns, he deserved his nomination. The makeup, which really transformed Bale, is nomination worthy, for sure. The other nominations? Well, I'm not so sure.

12/31/2018 Christopher Robin, nominated Best Visual Effects, 2018

Ewan McGregor plays a grown up and uptight Christopher Robin, who has long forgotten his playmates from the Thousand Acre Wood. Of course, grown up Christopher Robin has lived through combat in World War II, getting married, having a child, and a very adult job, with stress and budgets and managers. No wonder he's miserable. Lucky for him he has friends like Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and the rest of the gang, to remind him what it's like to be whimsical and driven by your imagination instead of deadlines. Pooh and Company are animated, and Jim Cummings, who has been the voice of Pooh and Tigger for many years, makes it all so wonderfully familiar. The animation isn't the cartoon animation that we've seen in Winnie the Pooh movies, but it's like the stuffed animals have come to life. A friend mentioned to me that's why she didn't want to watch it, but I didn't mind it, I actually enjoyed it. The movie has some of the familiar songs, including "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers", plus a few new ones. I watched the movie because clearly I had nothing going on New Year's Eve, but also, someone told me they really liked it. Who knew it would be nominated? I would be surprised if it won considering some of the other nominees, including Avengers: Infinity War. 

A collection of hits and misses, but don't miss Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

12/7/18 BlacKKKlansman,  not yet nominated, 2018

When I first saw the trailers for Spike Lee's BlacKKKlansman, I shook my head. It just made no sense. I mean, how would a black man be in the KKK? It was genius. It made me want to see it so I could learn what was going on. It turns out that it's based on a true story; events that happened to the real Detective Ron Stallworth in 1970s Colorado Springs. After an assignment in the records room, Stallworth is moved to an undercover assignment where he poses, verbally, as a white supremacist who wants to join the Ku Klux Klan (the stereotype "you don't sound Black" is turned on its head). Obviously, Stallworth (John David Washington) can't attend any in person meetings, so, he fellow detective, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), is the physical embodiment of Stallworth. In a bold move, Stallworth phones David Duke (Topher Grace), then the Grand Wizard of the KKK, and builds this bizarre relationship (given that Duke was unaware he was exchanging ideas with a black man) with Duke, to the point Duke expedites Stallworth's acceptance into the organization. Stallworth does a balancing act, between serving in a police department that had several racists and trying to be a good police officer, while he is dating Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier), who is the head of the black student union, and trying to steer clear of the more radical facets of that movement. I don't know how accurate the movie is (it seems there is always some dramatic and creative license taken with anything based in reality, look at the outrage about Bohemian Rhapsody), and I haven't read Stallworth's memoir, but as far as the movie goes, I enjoyed it. I thought the story was interesting, certainly a different perspective, the cast was good, some better than others; Washington did a great job in what I think was his first starring role; I like that Driver shows diversity in his choice of roles and can carry it off; the various actors who were Klan members were good, but I don't know if I could pick them out of a crowd or would remember them if I saw them in another film. 

12/8/18 The Incredibles 2, not yet nominated, 2018

I feel like I should disqualify myself from any future reviews of kid-friendly films, because I think that piece of me that used to enjoy them, or appreciate them, died. Most reviews for The Incredibles 2 were fabulous, and I was so bored. Who cares? I should have been excited because in this sequel, Mrs. Incredible (Holly Hunter) takes the lead from her husband, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), and hits the streets as the superhero of the moment. Yay equality! The movie picks up soon after the original ends, so Jack-Jack, everyone's favorite super baby is discovering more of his powers, and, well, I'm not even going to pretend. I'm done.

12/14/18 Eighth Grade, not yet nominated 2018

I have said to many of my contemporaries that I would not want to go through adolescence again for all the money in the world; it was hard enough without social media and the peer pressure exerted using it, but add those elements, and forget about it. Elsie Fisher plays Kayla Day, an eighth grader struggling with the aforementioned challenges. Kayla has her own YouTube channel where she posts confident, self-assured tips on navigating the whitewater rapids known as being a teenager. In real life, Kayla is the target audience for her channel, not the role model. She tries to fit in with the 'cool' kids, but it really never works the way she hopes. And, like most teenagers, Kayla butts heads with her single dad (Josh Hamilton) about curfews, privacy, and teenage angst. When Kayla starts to hang out with older kids at the high school, it seems pretty cool and more grown up, but it doesn't stay that way. You want to tell Kayla it's going to be okay, keep your head on your shoulders, talk to your dad, etc., because you really want your 15 year old self to know that, too. This movie does what some movies in a similar vein (I'm thinking of Richard Linklater movies that make me want to impale myself) don't do. I did care about Kayla and her dorky, but true friend, Gabe, and about the other eighth graders out there. The movie didn't drag on too long. It's heavy in parts, and funny and awkward in others. Kind of like life. It came out in the summer, and even though Fisher was nominated for a Golden Globe, it may get overlooked for the Oscars. See it anyway.

12/22/2018 Tully, not yet nominated, 2018

I like Charlize Theron, so I might have watched this movie at some point, but I pushed it to the top of my holiday Redbox list because it was nominated for a couple of Golden Globes. Usually, I'm pretty late to the party when it comes to picking up on plot twists, but I got this one early on. I don't know if that impacted the fact that I didn't really care for the movie, or if had to do with the actress playing the titular Tully (Mackenzie Davis) or just the character of Tully. Marlo Moreau is pregnant with her third child, and copes with her young son who has a developmental disorder that hasn't been properly diagnosed or treated; a husband who works a lot; and she has this strained relationship with her brother who is disgustingly successful. After the baby is born, Marlo is sleepless, overworked with caring for her children, and her husband, Drew (Ron Livingston), appears clueless to the stress she is under. Magically, Tully, a night nanny, comes into Marlo's life, and seems to help Marlo. Post-partum depression is a real thing, and can have a devastating impact on mothers and their relationships, and maybe there are moms who enjoyed this, but I'm not a mom, and I didn't enjoy it; I guess I would have liked it if there was a different presentation of the issue.

If a movie is classified as a drama-comedy, I'd like the comedy to be funny. Overall, this is more of a drama, with a few funny/humorous moments, but nowhere near enough to be considered a comedy. Theron is good, but honestly, she's good in most of her films, even really great, but it's not enough for me to recommend the movie.

12/25/2018 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, not yet nominated, 2018

You may have sensed some hesitance, or malaise for some of my more recent films. There is no such feeling here. I loved this animated take on Spider-Man, almost more than any of the recent live action versions (much to the consternation of my Spidey-loving little brother). It did what I have wanted those other iterations to do, bring the comic books to life. The twist on this is the addition of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as the newest Spider-Man; Miles is of African-American and Hispanic parentage, whose parents have high expectations of him, especially his dad, who is a police officer (one of the funniest scenes was Miles' dad taking him to school, dropping him off, calling after him 'I love you', and Miles trying to walk away, and his dad saying 'Say I love You' over the patrol car's PA', and keeping it up until he said it. Such a real moment in the life of a teenager). The origin story is new, but similar, especially as we meet others from the Spider-Verse: SP//dr, Spider-Ham, Spider-Man Noir (Nicholas Cage), Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld), and Aunt May (Lily Tomlin) and learn more about them. There is a roster of villains, including: King Pin/Wilson Fisk (Liev Schreiber), Doc Ock (Kathryn Hahn, yes, a female Dr. Octopus), Prowler (Mahershala Ali), who also happens to be Miles' uncle. If you're getting the feeling that there is a lot going on, go to the head of the class. I tried not to think too hard about the time-travel concept, because that always hurts my head; I just went with it. The writing was clever, quick-witted, irreverent, but yet it respected the legacy of Spider-Man movies that preceded it, as well as Spider-Man's creators, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Normally, I don't like modifications to who a character is, but things are different in the comic world, change is almost required to keep storylines relevant to new readers, but also keeping old readers, and I totally surrendered to it. I did have a little trouble with the drawings being blurry occasionally, but after checking with my brother, he explained that was the intention, to mimic the occasional blurriness that you see in comic books that happens during the printing process. That's pretty clever. My only regret is that I didn't see it in 3-D, I hurt the effects I enjoyed so much were even better in 3-D. I enjoyed it so much I almost saw it again in the theatre. I hope this is the beginning of a new series. I'd love to see how Miles negotiates his new powers, his relationship with his parents, and being a young man of color with super hero powers in 21st century New York. So many levels to this film. It won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and I think it definitely deserves to be nominated for the Oscar. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The King's Speech, The Fighter and Steve McQueen in Bullitt

6/10/18 The King's Speech, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, 2010

I like movies like The King's Speech because they focus on one aspect in history, in this case, the Duke of York's, later King George VI, stuttering problem. You might think, can you really make a movie about a stuttering problem? Yes, you can. Prince Albert, the Duke of York, was never supposed to be king, but when his brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936 to be with Wallis Simpson, the crown was pretty much thrust upon him. King George was expected to speak to the people via radio or live engagements, and a king with a stammer was not going to be very inspirational. King George (Colin Firth) tries all different types of cures, none that work, until his wife, Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), more familiar to us as the late Queen Mother, meets with Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) a speech therapist to set up an appointment with her husband. The relationship is a rough one because Logue insists on treating the King as an equal, using first names, and using very unconventional methods. Despite the rocky start, the King and Logue make progress in overcoming the King's stammer, and when the King is preparing for the coronation, he wants Logue to be there. Unfortunately, people who didn't approve of Logue did some checking into his background and informed the King that he had no medical background (but Logue never claimed he did) and no real training. Eventually they reconcile, and go on to have a long relationship. I really did like The King's Speech, I liked the story, I'm very interested in British history, the actors were terrific, in fact, all three were nominated for an Oscar, with only Firth winning for Best Actor. However, my mother had a very different reaction to the movie, and somehow it came up in conversation and she just said, "It was boring." So, there you go. 

6/16/18 The Fighter, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, 2010

The Fighter is another bio-pic, this time about boxer Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and his half-brother and boxer, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). Dicky was a promising fighter at one time, but started using drugs and when the movie starts he is pretty deep into his addiction. Despite this, Mickey still wants Dicky around as one of his trainers. The Ward-Eklund clan is very close, too close if you ask me, I'd be too claustrophobic, but anyway, they are very close and run/managed/controlled by their mother, Alice (Melissa Leo in an Oscar winning role). The movie follows Mickey as he tries to move up in the boxing world to better fights and better paydays, but he has to make a choice between Dicky and his family or a new manager and an independent thinking girlfriend, Charlene (Amy Adams). Bales seems to become Dicky (there is a brief clip at the end of the movie with both brothers, and you can see how close Bales is to being Dicky). I liked the movie, although I wouldn't say it was one of my favorites or that I would need to see it again (this is the second time). It's interesting that I watched The King's Speech and The Fighter so close, and that they both had nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and the performances of Bonham Carter, Leo and Adams are so different, Leo and Adams are loud and assertive, you could say aggressive, as their characters, and Bonham Carter is restrained, regal and assertive in her own way as a monarch's wife; and Bales is wired, hyped up, effusive and Rush is calm but engaging. And they were all playing real people, which I would think has its own set of pros and cons when acting and when voting.

6/17/18 Bullitt, Best Film Editing, National Film Registry, 1968

Steve McQueen is Frank Bullitt, a respected detective in the San Francisco police department. We know this because Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) asks for Bullitt to guard a key witness against The Organization. The witness is murdered despite the police protection, and now Bullitt has a murder to solve. Bullitt is the strong, silent type, focused on the job, occasionally focusing on his girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset), but not enough. Some movies don't hold up over time, they seem dated and the acting doesn't quite work after forty or fifty years, but Bullitt is still a taut, tense detective story, with a few twists, a suspenseful soundtrack by Lalo Schifrin, and with one of the best car chase scenes in film history. San Francisco provides a great setting, the hills, the bay, the winding streets. Bullitt is a movie I would watch again, and I don't think my mom would say it was boring. I haven't seen all of McQueen's movies, but the ones I have seen, I have enjoyed, whether he is playing a gunslinger, a thief, a P.O.W. or a race car driver, he is memorable: The Magnificent Seven (also with Robert Vaughn), The Great Escape, The Towering Inferno or The Thomas Crown Affair.

"Notorious" RBG, The ORIGINAL Planet of the Apes and Paul Newman as The Hustler

6/7/18 RBG, 2018, not yet nominated

"Notorious RBG", as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is fondly known, as become a celebrity in certain liberal circles, which is not exactly what she had in mind when she embarked on her journey through law school in the 1950s. I'm fairly certain that she didn't think there would be a hugely successfully Kickstarter campaign to create and sell an action figure of her. The documentary goes back and forth between current day and the past, including home movies, interviews with childhood friend and law school classmates, her children and grandchildren, and interviews with Justice Ginsburg. She may remind you of your own grandmother (she reminds me of my mom's 94 year old neighbor; they're about the same height), and she can be grandmotherly, but she can also be sharp with her wit and words when it comes to her interpretation of the Constitution and views on social equality. The documentary provides a primer on the Supreme Court, the politics involved (it's worse now, though), it's history and the evolution of law in the United States. I watched it with my brother, who is much younger than I am, and he didn't know that Joe Biden was a U.S. Senator (there are news clips of RBG's confirmation hearing, and Biden was Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee), or some of the other scads of information the movie presents. He liked it (a lot more than he thought he would when I dragged him to it). During the documentary, the producer or director shows her clips of Kate McKinnon's imitation, and she laughed and thought it was pretty good. You certainly get a multi-dimensional look into RBG's personality, which left me with a great appreciation and respect for her service to our country.

6/9/18 The Hustler, Best Art Direction - Set Direction, Black and White, Best Cinematography, Black and White, National Film Registry, 1961

The first time I saw The Hustler I fell asleep; I'm sure I was just exhausted. I did make it through the second time, and I thought it was okay, but not great. I know if my cousin is reading this he saying something like, "Okay? Tracer, what the hell is wrong with you? Newman was great, sublime, and George C. Scott was villainous without raising his voice (or something)". I'm sure this isn't the last time I'll disappoint him. Paul Newman was nominated for Best Actor in his role as "Fast" Eddie Felson (he won the Oscar 25 years later as Eddie in The Color of Money); Newman lost to Maximillian Schell for his role in Judgment at Nuremberg. Eddie Felson is a pool hustler; he and his manager go around to different cities looking to set up some good hustles, and looking for the big score. He eventually goes up against the best, Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason), and after over twenty hours of pool, loses it all. Eddie parts ways with his long time manager, Charlie, and picks up with Bert Gordon (George C. Scott), a professional gambler and Eddie's 'sponsor'. It's an antagonistic relationship from the start; Gordon thinks that Felson is a born loser, but he's still willing to front him money for a rematch against Minnesota Fats. Felson also starts seeing Sarah (Piper Laurie), an unhappy alcoholic with no visible means of support, who has an intense dislike and distrust of Gordon. Newman and Scott seem so effortless in their roles; Laurie is a bit much, but I think that's how a lot of female roles were written and acted - just over the top melodrama. Sarah does have one of the pivotal scenes in the film, it reveals Eddie as a person with feelings, because up to that point, he was extremely self-centered; after that, he's a little less so. I guess I did not get the deeper meaning that was apparently intended, I enjoyed Newman's performance, but would I say you have to see this movie? Sorry, but I would not. I'm sure I'm going to movie hell.

6/10/18 Planet of the Apes, Honorary Oscar for Achievement in Makeup, National Film Registry, 1968

A classic, that's what Planet of the Apes is, a classic. We may look back fifty years and think the make up and the special effects were naïve and basic, but back then, the make up was definitely groundbreaking, and the whole concept of this other world, which turns out to be our world, just a few thousand years in the future, was mind blowing. Charlton Heston as George Taylor, lands on an unknown planet with his two surviving fellow time-travelling astronauts. As they explore this new world, they eventually find other human-like beings, and are surprised to find gorillas on horseback. This is their introduction to the Planet of the Apes. Taylor is imprisoned where he is examined by Zira (Kim Hunter), and he tries to communicate, which the apes and gorillas find amusing. Taylor is very combative, and when he is grabbed by one of the gorillas, he utters one of the most famous lines in filmdom, "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape."  Taylor convinces Zira and her fiancé, Cornelius (Roddy McDowell), an archeologist, that he is an intelligent being and that he might have information about the past. They run up against the leaders of the community, including Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans), who want to castrate him and definitely do not want to hear his story. Taylor soon figures out that he may actually be on Earth. In addition to a unique storyline and innovative make up, I always felt (even as a younger person) the undercurrent of social commentary. I would have to say that this is one of my favorite movies from growing up.

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.