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.

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

10/20/19 They Killed Sister Dorothy, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

11/28/19 The Hustle, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finally - The Big Lebowski and Finishing off the AFI list with Intolerance and Three Identical Strangers

10/14/18 Intolerance, 1916 #49 AFI, National Film Registry

I have borrowed this movie from the library twice before and returned it unwatched, then I got it from Netflix and it sat unopened for over a month before I forced myself to watch it...or at least have it playing where my eyes could randomly wander. I understand from a historical perspective why Intolerance is on the National Film Registry and maybe even on the American Film Institute's list of top 100 films, but I seriously considered poking myself in the eye. Written, directed and produced by D.W. Griffith, who also wrote, directed and produced The Birth of a Nation in 1915, it is three hours of epic storytelling and filmmaking. Except I didn't find it to be captivating storytelling at all. There are four separate stories that are from four different time periods in human history, and they are interwoven so the story lines run parallel. I have watched, and enjoyed, silent movies before, but, I didn't care. Perhaps if Griffith would have focused on one story, then maybe I would have paid attention. Supposedly Intolerance was made in response to the negative feedback that Griffith received after The Birth of a Nation which featured black Americans as negative stereotypes and white actors in blackface. I will leave further dissemination to true film critics. I will just say that most of my readers will not willingly subject themselves to this movie. And, it also completed the AFI 100 list.

10/20/18 Three Identical Strangers, not yet nominated, 2018

I think one of the most disgraceful and disgusting things in human history is when people we are supposed to trust to act in the best interest of all of us, betray that trust and act sanctimonious in the process. There are examples of this throughout different fields of medicine; Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cell line, for one, and the triplet brothers featured in Three Identical Strangers. The brothers, Eddie, David and Robert, were put up for adoption and were separated very early in life, and placed with three different families of three different socio-economic statuses to study them. The adopting families knew nothing about this experiment. The film interviews the brothers, their families and friends and uses archival news footage from when the brothers discovered each other. There are feelings of anger and resentment towards the adoption agency for lying and deceiving the families and separating the brothers, essentially robbing them of a lifetime together. The film producers were able to track down a couple of people involved in the study, led by Peter Neubauer, but Neubauer is dead, and the study was never published. Also discovered were other twins included in the study. One 'assistant' who is interviewed (I cannot remember her name, nor find it in the credits) was rather flippant about it, not bothered at all about the harm that was inflicted or about basically lying to the families, but conveniently, she didn't remember other things when asked. Her smugness made me want to slap her. The papers, notes, and data from the study were left to Yale University with restrictions on the collection until 2065, not even the subjects of the study could get those records, until the pressure from the release of the film made the owners of the records relent, a little. I was totally captivated by the story of the brothers and their families, and outraged that the adoption agency and researchers made decisions that impacted so many people, with very little regard for them. The movie blends the stories of the brothers within the context of the research and left me wanting to know more, in a good way, that is, I felt invested in the brothers and the others impacted.

10/20/18 The Big Lebowski, 1998, National Film Registry

As much as I enjoy movies by the Coen Brothers, I have never, ever seen The Big Lebowski. I have no reason. I kind of bumped it to the top of my watch list because apparently there is a Big Lebowski bar in Iceland, and I'll be headed there shortly. Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), who insists on being called "Dude", is a slacker and enjoys bowling and hanging out with his friends, who include Walter (John Goodman), a Vietnam Vet with frequent bursts of oversized outrage and Donny (Steve Buscemi) who always seems to be a step behind. Believe it or not (and with a Coen Brothers movie you usually have to do that a lot) there is another Jeffrey Lebowski in Los Angeles; this one is a little bit wealthier and has a wife with a spending habit, and a daughter, Maude (Julianne Moore), who is an enthusiastic feminist. In a case of mistaken identity, that kind of propels the whole movie, a couple of goons bust into the Dude's house and threaten him over his wife's debt, and then pee on his rug. The Dude is more upset over the defilement of the rug than the assault. The Dude goes on a quest to find the other Lebowski and replace the rug. Of course, it's not that simple, and one thing leads to another, including a kidnapping and ransom gone wrong, a couple of bowling games gone awry (John Turturro is hilarious as Jesus Quintana, a bowling nemesis with a questionable past), an encounter with a stranger (Sam Elliott), and a bizarre dream/dance sequence. All in a day's work for the Coen Brothers. Some movies (like the above-mentioned Intolerance) are on the list, and I dread them, and realize that I was right; other movies, like The Big Lebowski, I kind of wish I hadn't waited so long to watch it, one, because I did like it (not loved it, though) and it really has become embedded into the culture, thus, its inclusion onto the National Film Registry.

10/27/18 To Sleep With Anger, 1990, National Film Registry

To Sleep with Anger has a great cast: Danny Glover (Harry), Richard Brooks (Baby Brother; you'll recognize Brooks from his stint on "Law and Order"), Carl Lumbly (Junior), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Linda), Mary Alice (Suzie; you may not recognize the name, but you'll recognize her voice and face) and Paul Butler (Gideon). The story is as old as Cain and Abel or Jacob and Esau, two brothers competing for their father's approval and pride; there is nothing sinister or evil in this sibling rivalry, however, just resentments carried for years. Gideon and his family live in South Central Los Angeles, but still carry on with some of their rural ways brought with them from the South. Out of nowhere an old friend, Harry, appears on their doorstep. It's been decades since they have seen each other, but Gideon welcomes Harry into the house, and things start to go a little askew within the family. I am not sure that the content is what got the Charles Burnett (Killer of Sheep) written and directed film on the National Film Registry; perhaps it's because it was written and directed by an African-American and the cast is all African-American, admittedly, a rare occurrence these days, but especially in the 1990s. I thought the movie was okay, better than Killer of Sheep, which I didn't like at all, some good performances and potential in the story, but it wasn't great.

A timely documentary: A Time for Burning; family films: Spirited Away, The Golden Compass

9/2/18 A Time for Burning, 1966, National Film Registry

This probably won't surprise any regular readers, but I have been telling everyone who asks me what movies I've seen recently or what would I recommend, that they have got to find A Time for Burning, an Oscar-nominated documentary from 1966. I wish I could say it's a great bit of nostalgia, and a look back at the efforts to remove segregation, but sadly, you could change the movie to color (it's filmed in black and white) and it could be shown today. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. I think when most people think about the Civil Rights movement, they think about Alabama, Mississippi and the marches that took place, or maybe, the riots that happened in Detroit, Chicago or Cleveland, but they rarely think about the Upper Midwest, states like Minnesota, Iowa or Nebraska. This documentary was filmed in Omaha, Nebraska, and followed the efforts of Reverend L. William Youngdahl (a son of a former Minnesota governor, Luther Youngdahl) to introduce his white parishioners to black parishioners from the same community, but who belonged to different churches. To me, that seemed like a common sense, practical thing to do, a matter of fellowship. However, in 1966, in Omaha, it was considered crazy by other white Lutheran ministers and member of church leadership (I wasn't clear if they were called board members or elders, but they were men who seemed to have some authority). Some of the arguments against this temporary, informal comingling of the races (I understood it to be perhaps having a family over for supper, or into the church for services) were so offensive and patriarchal and baseless, but one of the things that I really appreciated about this documentary was that the participants argued, debated and questioned in a mostly respectful way, sometimes trying to understand why Reverend Youngdahl was so insistent that this was the right thing to do, and what Jesus would have done. It was interesting to watch one of the men go from being against this, saying it wasn't the right time to realizing that the time had come to make these efforts. The film also features a group of black students discussing why they think the white community doesn't want to include them, and calmly debating amongst themselves if this would be a good idea (not shouting or name-calling or threatening like we do these days). There is an exchange (uncomfortable fifty years later) between Rev. Youngdahl and Ernie Chambers, a young black man, in a black barbershop, and Chambers, who is very well spoken, but also skeptical of Youngdahl's high-minded attempt. Chambers goes off on why blacks might be angry at current circumstances and why he doesn't believe in Youngdahl's Jesus. Youngdahl quietly listens, and takes Chambers' anger in before turning to leave. Ultimately, Youngdahl risks his position in the church because the white community is 'not ready' for this huge step, and his conscious will not allow him to stop fighting. I had so many feelings and thoughts after watching this (available through MNLink, on DVD from Netflix and the abridged version I found on YouTube): why I hadn't I heard of Reverend Youngdahl or Ernie Chambers (who went on to become a lawyer and a long serving member in the Nebraska legislature, and who has an interview included on the DVD that is well worth your time) and have we really gone back to a 1966 (or 1866) mentality? I prefer to think like Youngdahl, that we can move forward together, by learning about each other and coming together, instead of pushing one another away.

9/8/18 Life of the Party, 2018 (not yet nominated, and probably no risk of it)

Sigh. I really like Melissa McCarthy. I think with the right material she is one of the funniest actresses out there; a great physical comedian, but she also has impeccable timing and a way of inflecting a line that makes it perfect and she's fearless. Life of the Party is an example of material that is mostly mediocre, only occasionally laugh out loud, and not a single pee in your pants moment. McCarthy wrote and produced the movie with her husband Ben Falcone, who also directed. McCarthy is Deanna, a woman who is surprised by her husband, Dan (Matt Walsh from "Veep") with a request for a divorce, right after they drop off their daughter, Maddie, at college. Deanna decides to return to that same college to complete her degree. Maddie is less than thrilled that her mom is hanging out with her and her friends, but most of her friends love having Deanna around, and Deanna embraces campus life. Maya Rudolph plays Christine, Deanna's friend, who provides some of the funnier moments, in my opinion. I suppose if you stretch, the movie is about not sacrificing your dreams for someone else and/or pursuing your dreams, which is a great concept, but I just thought there would be more laughs. You know, a comedy.

9/9/18 Golden Compass, Best Visual Effects, 2007

Another movie based of a book series that I have never read. I don't think that adds to or diminishes to watching the movie, and I didn't understand all the foofaraw surrounding the film based on the series by Philip Pullman. The movie was fine; set on Earth, but an alternate reality, starring Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman and a young Dakota Blue (who shows up years later in the "Endeavor" series), Sam Elliott and a variety of other actors in voice roles. I did actually watch this years ago, and thought it was okay, the effects were good, but the story and the 'world' I needed to follow just made my eyes glaze over. This came out in the years of the "Harry Potter" series and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "The Lord of the Rings", and maybe that's why it didn't do what people (what people?) expected it to do. Honestly, I didn't care. It won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects, beating out Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Transformers, and maybe it deserved it, maybe it didn't. I think you can skip this and just grab a couple of the Harry Potter movies or even take a trip into the wardrobe.

9/15/18 Spirited Away, Best Animated Feature, 2002

Spirited Away kind of snuck up on me. It started off slow, for me, and my mind was wandering, but then, the story took a turn and I really enjoyed it. Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed this story about a young girl (10-12) who comes off spoiled and demanding (well, I guess like a lot of 10-12 year olds), who finds herself in a mystical land filled with witches and other magical creatures, trying to find and save her parents, who have been turned into pigs. Chihiro is the young girl, and she must navigate this new world she is living in, not sure who she can trust, although she seems to be befriended by Haku and Lin, and eventually earns the reluctant acceptance and respect of the boiler grandad and dueling twin sisters, Yubaba and Zeniba. Chihiro goes from being spoiled and whiny to a determined and brave girl, fighting her fears and spirits along the way. The length (two hours) is what is holding me back from saying kids might really love this: it's got action, kids are the main 'heroes', it's got magic, and while the animation is far from the Disney/Pixar style that most people are used to, this is more anime, with its angularity, like Pokémon, so kids will probably still enjoy it, and it's got humor as well. I watched this first, and then Isle of Dogs, and this was far better, in my opinion.


9/15/18 Isle of Dogs, not yet animated, 2018

I want my dollar back from the library. My first thought when I saw the trailers for Isle of Dogs, was nah, because I really didn't like The Fantastic Mr. Fox, but then maybe, because I like director, Wes Anderson's, live action movies. I should have gone with my first instinct, but I have a sneaking feeling that it's going to be nominated, so I might as well get it out of the way. It seemed to me that the movie is an excuse to get a lot of great actors together (Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, and more), but I just didn't care, and about twenty minutes into it, I gave serious consideration to turn it off. It might have been a lot better and more palatable to me as a short.

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 trip through the National Film Registry: Boyz N the Hood, Paris is Burning, Daughters of the Dust, Princess Bride

You could say I went a little crazy with the National Film Registry list over Memorial Day Weekend, and with that many movies, I was bound to come across one I didn't like or possibly even loathed. I suppose, honestly, there was only one that I was so-so about, otherwise, I would recommend any of the following films. 

5/23/18 Boyz N the Hood, 1991

When Boyz N the Hood first came out (I promise, I don't say this for every movie), I wasn't terribly interested in seeing it, it was just not my thing at the time (let's just say I have lived in a series of metaphorical boxes in my life, I'm a little better now). However, after watching Straight Outta Compton (because it was on a list), I realized that just because something may not exactly be in my wheelhouse, doesn't mean it's not good or that I won't end up liking it. I suppose that's what happened with Boyz N the Hood, I decided just to watch it; there's a lot of swearing, and it's not that I'm a prude, I swear A LOT myself, I sometimes think it's just lazy writing, but, that is how some kids/teenagers talk, and writer/director John Singleton does a lot of things, but he does not treat the characters or the audience with kid gloves. The movie follows a three friends as they grow up in South Central Los Angeles, a community that has too many shootings, too many drugs and poor relations with the police. Tre (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) lives with his demanding and strict father, "Furious" (Laurence Fishburne), and has a real job at the mall (he's a teenager). His friends are Doughboy (Ice Cube) and Doughboy's half brother (also their mother's favorite), Rick (Morris Chestnut). Doughboy has spent a lot of his young years in prison, and is struggling to find his feet; Rick is a football scholarship candidate, which makes his mother proud and is a way out of the neighborhood, and can help him make a better life for his young son. The guys and their friends are out one night, just chilling, when members of different gang cause some trouble and Doughboy flashes a gun, which is only a temporary solution, because minutes later, the other gang starts firing off a gun into the air. And this is how things spiral rapidly out of control. You show me yours, I'll show you mine; mine is bigger than yours; I can kill you first. Singleton shows us black young men killing each other, often because it doesn't seem like there are any other options. The death of Rick (I hope I didn't spoil it) highlighted the senselessness of this tit for tat violence. It's not gratuitous at all, there's a point - the point is: nobody wins. Rick's young son certainly didn't win. I felt like someone sucked the air out of the room when it happened. And Doughboy, who has always been protective of Rick, and way more streetsmart, is out for vengeance. Tre doesn't participate in any of the retribution, because he knows he'll never get out if he does. Like Daughters of the Dust, and Paris is Burning, Boyz N the Hood looks at a community that did not have any kind of voice when the film was released. Singleton was nominated for Oscars for Best Director (the youngest at the time) and Best Original Screenplay. After I finished watching, I texted my youngest brother and asked if he had seen it before (he wasn't even born when it came out) and he said of course, and it was a great movie. That is a sign of a movie that 'is culturally, historically or aesthetically significant", if it can be watched and appreciated by newer generations.


5/26/18 Atlantic City, 1980

Louis Malle's film, Atlantic City, was the critics' darling when it came out, I remember the praise that was heaped on Burt Lancaster, Susan Sarandon and the director; of course, I couldn't see it because it's rated R, and I was too young. I love Lancaster in pretty much anything, he always seems so effortless, and I do like him as Lou, the former gangster who takes numbers and keeps company with the widow of his deceased boss. He also has his eyes on Sally (Sarandon), a wannabe black jack dealer. Sally's estranged/former (I wasn't really sure) husband shows up on her doorstep with his pregnant wife/girlfriend with a lot of cocaine to sell. Clearly, you don't need a lot of insight or psychic skills to figure out that nothing good is going to happen. So, the movie is definitely not a mystery, but a look into the relationships of different people: Lou, who is re-energized by his relationship with Sally; Sally, who likes Lou's seeming sophistication, but gets frustrated with his reluctance to contemplate the possibilities in Europe; Lou's subservient attitude towards Grace. It seems like Lou is a dinosaur in the waning days of the Jurassic period. It's not the good old days. Both Lancaster an Sarandon were nominated for Oscars, as well as being nominated for Best Picture, but the movie came away with no Oscars (this was the year that Chariots of Fire won the Best Picture Oscar, and Red, Raiders of the Lost Ark and On Golden Pond were all nominated). I'm not totally sure why it's on the National Film Registry list.

5/27/18 Paris is Burning, 1991

Even though I watched Paris is Burning in May, I'm finally reviewing it in June, which is fitting since it is Pride Month. Paris is Burning is a documentary by Jennie Livingston that takes us into the world of balls in New York City, a highly competitive environment. The balls allow gay and transgender people, mostly of the African-American and Latino communities, members of an already marginalized GLBTQ society, to strut and be proud and embrace who they are, with a fierceness that is fun to watch. "Voguing" which was popularized in mainstream culture by Madonna, originated at the ball events. The documentary was filmed in the mid to late 80s, only twenty years or so after the Stonewall Riots, and in the early years of the AIDS epidemic, but decades away from Laverne Cox and her groundbreaking role on Orange is the New Black, The Transparent series or Daniela Vega in A Fantastic Woman (2017 Oscar winning film). The interviews provide a glimpse into why the performers do what they do, how they support each other, and how they compete. I felt particularly drawn to Dorian Corey, who was like an elder of the group, and had many insights and could be quite sharp in her observations and commentary. The transgender community is one that is misunderstood by the heterosexual and the gay and lesbian communities, but their history must be included and they should be recognized for their contributions and pain. That may sound incredibly pretentious, but I don't really care, and I think watching this documentary is a way to start.

5/27/18 The Atomic Café, 1982

This documentary consists of historical newsreel footage, film and television clips and public service films edited together in a somewhat frightening fashion, but also occasionally awkwardly funny and naïve. Many of the scenes are how to avoid nuclear fallout by hiding under a table or covering your head under a desk; packing a survival kit of canned and powdered foods; or the scary scenes of the nuclear testing done on Bikini Atoll, that had horrible impacts on the native population, which, according to US military personnel on scene, was all for the good of humanity. It might not be a bad idea to dust off this old chestnut and get it out on the airwaves, given the current climate, just to remind us of the risks and dangers of nuclear warfare.

5/28/18 Daughters of the Dust, 1991

The lists giveth, and the lists taketh away. In this case, the list definitely giveth. Julie Dash wrote and directed Daughters of the Dust, the story of the Peazant family, a clan who have lived on the St. Simons Island, off the coast of Georgia (the Gullah islands), for generations. The movie is set in the early part of the 20th century, roughly forty years after the end of the Civil War. The family is led by Nana Peazant, the keeper of the traditions and memories (good and bad) of the family, and determined not to leave her home. The younger generations have already moved to the mainland, two of her granddaughters have already moved there, Viola and Yellow Mary. Normally I have trouble with storylines that are non-linear, I like things told in order, but I was so interested in this family and their history, I went with it. You have to pay attention because there are several storylines and also because the actors speak in the Gullah dialect, which is close to Creole, and sometimes things happened quickly and my ears couldn't keep up. In some ways, at its core, the movie is about family, it could be about any family, an immigrant family deciding to leave their ancestral home for a better life, and possibly leaving the old ways behind. In another way, it is more than that, because this family has already left their ancestral home in Africa, perhaps only seventy five or hundred years earlier, unwillingly, and this departure is their choice. The actors, none of whom I have ever heard of, own their roles, it's like they were made for the parts or vice versa; there were several powerful performances. The cinematography was so beautiful, otherworldly (if that's not too dramatic), for whatever it might mean to you, it reminded me of the original Picnic at Hanging Rock (another movie that I was enthralled by at the time). (I just read some reviews of the film on Netflix, which I generally don't do, and there are definitely extreme feelings about the movie, um, some not so nice, and others lavish in their praise; I suppose that's pretty normal. I hate The Usual Suspects, while others think it's the best movie ever). I still liked Daughters of the Dust.

5/28/18 The Princess Bride, 1987

Believe it or not, I have never seen The Princess Bride in its entirety or even more than a few seconds of clips. So before you can say it, I will: "Inconceivable!" I will also say, I liked it, I enjoyed it, I laughed. The comedy-fantasy-adventure was directed by Rob Reiner, and has what would now be considered an all-star cast: Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Cary Elwes, Christopher Guest, Andre the Giant, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Peter Falk and Fred Savage. Peter Falk narrates the movie as he reads to his reluctant grandson played by Fred Savage. Since I may be the only person in the universe to have not seen The Princess Bride, I don't need to recap the plot. I don't know why I was so reluctant to watch it, I think because all of my friends just loved it, and at my core, I'm a contrarian, so I thought, nothing can be that funny or quotable. I'm not so stubborn that I can't say I was wrong. It reminded me of some of Mel Brooks' movies (Brooks is a friend and comedic partner of Reiner's father, Carl Reiner): jokes/lines that appear throughout the movie; ridiculous dialog played absolutely straight, full of puns and word play and silly accents; actors that appear to be having a great time (Andre the Giant was so fabulous and funny); and a story that has a ring of familiarity but is still original. The movie received no Oscar nominations and wasn't even that successful in its box office run, and yet, there are probably more people who have now seen The Princess Bride than have seen Atlantic City which was nominated for five Oscars. Sometimes winning an Oscar is not a guarantee of a long legacy. Having said that, I TOTALLY get why it's on the National Film Registry list.

5/28/18 Hester Street, 1975

Watching Hester Street, starring Carol Kane, Steven Keats and Doris Roberts, was like being there when my great grandparents arrived in New York from Russia. Steven Keats is Yankl, now Jake, and he comes to America before his wife and young son; he also tries to become as American as possible, and begins a relationship with Mamie, a dancer. Jake's wife, Gitl and son, Yossele, arrive in New York City, and Jake doesn't seem very pleased, he is especially unhappy that Gitl doesn't shed her Old World habits as quickly as he would like. Doris Roberts plays Mrs. Kavarsky and befriends Gitl. In case we've forgotten, the immigrant experience can be lonely and hard, regardless of your country of origin. The movie is in English and Yiddish, and while I don't really understand a lot of Yiddish, it made me think of my grandparents and older relatives who would occasionally use it when they didn't want us to understand something. Carol Kane was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Joan Micklin Silver wrote the screenplay and directed the film (she directed Crossing Delancey). By way of six degrees of separation, Silver is married to Rabbi Raphael Silver who is the son of the late Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, and back in the early 1990s, I worked on team processing the Rabbi's historical papers. 

Family friendly options: Happy Feet, Ratatouille and The Horse with the Flying Tail by Disney

5/25/18 Happy Feet, Best Animated Feature, 2006

In the early days of the Best Animated Feature Oscar, it was first awarded in 2001, there wasn't a lot of great competition, often the category only had three films. Happy Feet is a cute movie, with an ecological message that resonates even more today, but I didn't think it was the best animated film. Flushed Away, Open Season and Over the Hedge weren't even nominated. George Miller (Mad Max movies) directed Nicole Kidman (Norma Jean), Hugh Jackman (Memphis), Brittany Murphy (Gloria), Elijah Wood (Mumble) and Robin Williams in a variety of roles in this look at emperor penguins and their fellow inhabitants in Antarctica. Mumble is the offspring of Norma Jean and Memphis, and unlike his parents and fellow penguins, he can't sing, however, he can dance (actually, Savion Glover can dance as he provided the motion capture for Mumble). Unfortunately, his dancing makes him a bit of an outcast and takes him on a journey to meet leopard seals, skuas and other types of penguins, and also to discover that there were big machines out there destroying their home. Mumble is captured by humans and put in an aquarium when scientists think he is trying to tell them something, and they release him back to his family, but with a tracking device attached. And, unlike in the real world, the humans listened and stopped their drilling and digging and started to care about the environment.

5/26/18 The Horse with the Flying Tail, Best Documentary, 1960

Documentaries have come a long way since Disney's The Horse with the Flying Tail won in 1960, going up against only one other film, Rebel in Paradise about Paul Gaugin. Nautical, a Palomino, was a spirited horse who was a great jumper, when he wasn't being obstinate. The documentary traces his life as a ranch horse, then to various owners until he finally found an owner and trainer who could motivate him to be successful. He was part of the equestrian team that won the gold at the 1959 Pan Am Games. He had a habit of raising his tail when he would make a good jump. I don't know for sure, but I seriously doubt, that the film was shot in real time. How would they know that he would become a gold medal winner. I'm not sure it would hold up to today's documentaries but if you like horses, it was okay.

5/27/18 Ratatouille, Best Animated Feature, 2007

The first time around I wasn't really interested, I'm not even sure why I watched it, except it was pretty popular. This second time, over ten years later, I was interested and actually enjoyed it. Maybe I was thinking of my trip last year to Paris (no cooking rats, I'm afraid), or maybe I got over whatever was bugging me at the time. Brad Bird (The Incredibles) directed and Patton Oswalt voices Remy, a French rat who loves to cook and has a taste for the finer things, much to the dismay of his father (Brian Dennehy). Remy winds up in Paris, with the ghost of his inspiration, Chef August Gusteau (Brad Garrett), a welcome, if unexpected, presence. Garbage boy Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano) and Remy team up, with Alfredo the hands and Remy the brains behind delicious and innovative cuisine. Linguini's success is more than a nuisance to Gusteau's right hand, Skinner (Ian Holm) who has plans for a line of frozen foods and other ways to capitalize on Gusteau's legacy. Linguini and Remy unintentionally foil Skinner's plans. There are several other actors who make appearances, Janeane Garofolo as Colette, one of the cooks and Linguini's love interest; Will Arnett as Horst the sous chef; and Peter O'Toole as the deliciously evil-intentioned food critic, Anton Ego. Sometimes movies do get better the second time around.

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. 

Trying to prep for Oscar noms - Baby Driver, The Boss Baby and Girls Trip and American Assassin

12/24/17 American Assassin, not yet nominated, 2017

What can I say? I had a free movie with Redbox and the choices were pretty limited. That and the previews looked interesting. Eh. American Assassin was like a Jason Bourne movie without the smart plot and cool locations.

12/24/17 Baby Driver, not yet nominated, 2017

I understand that the title of Baby Driver comes from a Simon & Garfunkel song, but when I first heard it, it just sounded dumb. First impressions can be wrong. The more I think about this movie, the more I like it. Directed by Edgar Wright (Ant-Man, Shaun of the Dead), it's got action, some good acting by Ansel Elgort as Baby/Miles, and a soundtrack that propels the narrative in a fun, unique way. Baby is a driver (duh) for a gang of bank robbers, led by Doc (Kevin Spacey). Baby lives with his deaf foster father, and driving. He has music in his ears constantly as a way to offset tinnitus. Baby is pretty quiet, letting the rest of the 'crew' do the trash talking, even if it was about him; he let his driving speak for itself. Doc uses different crews, including Buddy (Jon Hamm, very scruffy and grungy), Bats (Jamie Foxx, foul, violent and dangerous), Eddie (Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Griff (Jon Bernthal). Baby meets Debora (Lily James - Cinderella, "Downton Abbey") who is a waitress. Baby owes Doc a debt, and once it's paid, he wants to leave town with Debora. The plot isn't all that complex or intellectual, but I liked the pace of the movie, and the way the music was used with the action, like it was choreographed. There was humor (it's nominated for a Golden Globe for comedy/musical, and it's described as a comedy) but it wasn't thigh slapping laugh out loud funny (not a bad thing, just my opinion). I thought it was an original take on heist films, and it could be nominated for original screenplay, sound editing or film editing. This was also part of my Redbox night, and it more than made up for American Assassin.

12/31/17 The Boss Baby, not yet nominated, 2017

When I saw the previews for The Boss Baby, starring Alec Baldwin as The Boss Baby, I thought it might be cute, mildly entertaining, and then I heard some initial reviews, and they weren't great. Normally I make up my own mind, but I have so many movies to watch, that I thought if I could avoid a 'bad' one, I should. Then it goes and gets nominated for a Golden Globe. Often, but not always, a Golden Globe nomination indicates an Oscar nomination. So, The Baby Boss it was for our annual New Year's Eve movie night. Our narrator (Tobey Maguire) introduces us to Tim, an inventive and imaginative 7 year old, who has the sole attention of his parents (Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel) until a mysteriously precocious baby arrives. Tim suspects there is something different about the baby, and it turns out, that the baby is in management at Baby Corp. It seems that babies are losing affection to puppies, and the Boss Baby has been sent down to change the course of  Puppy Co. and it's leader, Francis E. Francis (Steve Buscemi). Baldwin brings aspects of his Jack Donaghy personality to the role, and he seemed perfectly cast, and there were parts of Francis' character that reminded me of Buscemi's Randall Boggs from Monsters Inc. There's lots of cute scenes with babies doing unbaby-like things, and Tim behaving like the reluctant brother, and his parents clueless to everything. It was sweet and funny, but compared to other animated movies from the past, this is no Oscar nominee. It might have won me over as a nominee if it was done as a short.

12/31/17 Girls Trip, not yet nominated, 2017

Our second movie of the night was Girls Trip, not my typical fare, but it looked interesting, and I love Queen Latifah, and it could be good for a laugh. Sasha (Queen Latifah), Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), Ryan (Regina Hall) and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) are school friends who reconnect in New Orleans after some years of estrangement. They have all taken different paths in life; Ryan is a very successful author and motivational speaker; Lisa is a tightly wound nurse and mother; Sasha is a journalist who has fallen on hard times and has resorted to writing a gossip blog; and Dina, well, Dina is the crazy friend who has no filters. Mike Colter is Stewart, Ryan's cheating husband, who puts on a good show for the cameras. I only saw The Hangover once (hated it, but I was told I wasn't the target demographic), but Girls Trip had that buddy movie/road trip feel, with New Orleans and Bourbon Street as the setting; music plays a big part in the film, with hip hop and R&B stars making cameos throughout the movie. There were some laugh out loud moments (Tiffany Haddish was hilarious), and I like seeing more movies with women as the featured characters, I just felt it was a little long, and sometimes a little too raunchy for me.

Movies from 2017: The Disaster Artist, The Big Sick, Lady Bird, Atomic Blonde

12/16/17 The Disaster Artist, not yet nominated, 2017

When I tell people that I saw The Disaster Artist, I usually get a perplexed look, like "why?". Um, because there is a good chance it will be nominated for an Oscar or two. And, it's actually pretty good. The movie, directed by James Franco, who also stars as Tommy Wiseau, is based on the making of Wiseau's cult film The Room (not to be confused with Room, starring Brie Larson). I have not seen The Room, but I kind of want to now. The Room is famous, or notorious, for being the worst movie ever made. Wiseau intended it to be a serious, dramatic piece, but, it didn't turn out that way. Wiseau befriends Greg, (played by Franco's younger brother, Dave) another struggling actor in San Francisco. Tommy is eccentric, not telling anyone, even Greg, where he is from or how he makes his money, and he has a most peculiar accent, and for the most part, he doesn't care what people think. He convinces Greg that they should move to Los Angeles where they would have a better chance at acting gigs. Um, that doesn't work out either, but not to be deterred, Tommy decides he will write, direct and produce his own movie. He rents out a studio, buys equipment and hires actors with limited or no experience. It's like watching a train wreck, you cannot turn away. James Franco seems to become Wiseau, and he's terrific. At the end of the film, scenes from the real film are shown side by side, and it's worse than you can imagine. In a guilty pleasure kind of way. I haven't seen The Room, but I think I'm going to add it to my list. Don't pass up The Disaster Artist just because you haven't seen The Room or it seems too weird.

12/16/17 The Big Sick, not yet nominated, 2017

I've been hearing and reading how fabulous The Big Sick was, and I was eager to see it. I was really disappointed. It's based on the true story of how comedian Kumail Nanjiani met his girlfriend, later wife, Emily (Zoe Kazan). Kumail is Pakistani, which he uses as part of his stand up act. His parents wish he was more traditional and have been trying to arrange a marriage for him. Some of the humor comes from parents being too parental to their adult kids; some of it is cultural, as Nanjiani lovingly mocks his parents' attempts to run his life and their misunderstanding, or unwillingness to understand, his choice of career; and relationship humor. Except I didn't really think it was funny, or not laugh out loud funny. Then, there's his girlfriend's illness, which brings her parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter) to town, and Kumail awkwardly entertains them. It was an original story, and a community that has not been heard from in the U.S., and I'm all for that, I just would have liked to laugh a little more.

12/16/17 Atomic Blonde, not yet nominated, 2017

Atomic Blonde is set in East Berlin during the Cold War, and Charlize Theron is Lorraine Broughton, a spy for MI-6. She meets up with a few bad Russians and a questionable British agent, played by James McAvoy. There are plot twists, double-crossings, a lot of action (Charlize Theron kicks ass and takes names), a pretty intense soundtrack, not a bad movie for a cold Saturday night. It didn't have the 'smarts' of the Bourne series or the humor I recently discovered in John Wick. Charlize Theron is always great to watch, as is James McAvoy; John Goodman is a shady CIA agent (is that redundant?), and I haven't seen him in a while. It was worth the $1.50 (or whatever) from Redbox.

12/17/17 Lady Bird, not yet nominated, 2017

I am usually hesitant when it comes to "coming of age" movies; it's always a crapshoot as to whether I'll like them or not. I saw The Edge of Seventeen the week before Lady Bird, and I thought it was okay, but not great (sometimes I think it's because I've aged out, but I think I can appreciate a good movie even if I can't relate to the content). I heard great things about Lady Bird, but wasn't too familiar with the story (I wanted to be surprised). Saoirse Ronan is Charlotte "Lady Bird" McPherson, a seventeen year old desperate to leave Sacramento for the East Coast, despite the financial and educational challenges, and the fierce resistance of her mother (Laurie Metcalf). The story follows Lady Bird's senior year at a private Catholic School as she struggles with new and old friendships (her friendship with Julianne (Beanie Feldstein) was fun to watch); joining the drama club; applying to elite colleges on the East Coast; dealing with tough family finances and her father (Tracy Letts) losing his job; and her controlling mother, who offers unflattering and unhelpful commentary on Lady Bird's choices. There are funny, poignant and very real moments as Lady Bird tries to find her feet and who she really is, and I really enjoyed it. The performances were top notch; Ronan giving the right level of angst, but also enjoyment, at experiencing this time of her life; Metcalf is really outstanding, having honed some of her 'motherly' skills on "The Big Bang Theory", but this her role here is not played for laughs; I have never seen Feldstein before, but she was funny and had great reactions to her onscreen friend. After saying all of this, I will say that I was surprised that I liked it after I learned that Greta Gerwig wrote and directed the movie. I vowed never to watch one of her films after almost poking my eyes out watching the self-indulgent and stupid Frances Ha (I will never get that time back). So, what a pleasant surprise this was. There are some heavy hitting movies out this holiday season, and sometimes a movie like this will get lost, but I hope not.

An Outdated Musical, an Animation Classic and a Precursor to Indiana Jones

9/16/17 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment, 1965

Meh. That's really all I can come up with over a month after watching A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum which was directed by Richard Lester (of The Beatles' movies) and starred Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, Michael Crawford (later of Phantom of the Opera fame) and Phil Silvers. I don't think it translates very well over fifty years later, not that it was a huge hit in 1965. The bawdy humor seems juvenile and looking for cheap laughs. It's almost like a bad sketch comedy from the late 1960s; there are a lot of incongruities (the whole Buster Keaton story line made no sense, although it was bittersweet to see Keaton in his last role shortly before he died). 

9/16/17 The Snake Pit, 1948, Best Sound Recording

Olivia de Havilland was nominated as Best Actress for her portrayal of a woman suffering from a debilitating mental illness in The Snake Pit. I found de Havilland compelling as Virginia Cunningham, a young woman struggling to understand why she is in a mental institution. We learn a little more about Virginia through flashbacks as her psychiatrist digs into her past to see what triggers her episodes; her husband tries to understand her erratic behavior. Juniper Hill is a place that I hope is in the rearview mirror as far as mental/psychiatric hospitals are concerned: the care was often barbaric, occasionally nurturing and healing, but it's not where you would want to see a loved one. Virginia does seem to get better, although if there was an official diagnosis and treatment plan, I may have missed it. The movie was based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Mary Jane Ward, and the good news is that the film prompted several hospitals to change their policies and procedures. de Havilland was nominated as Best Actress in a Leading Role three times between 1946 and 1949, winning twice. 

9/16/17 Shrek, Best Animated Feature, 2001

Sixteen years later, I still laughed. Fractured Fairy Tales meets the American Top Forty. Shrek (Mike Meyers sounding a lot like Jim Taggart) is an ogre who, like Greta Garbo, wants to be alone, but he is either being harassed by frightened villagers or invaded by displaced nursery rhyme characters. His particular bête noir is Donkey (hilariously voiced by Eddie Murphy), who is very social and very chatty. The remedy to the home invasion is to go to Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) and get him to give Shrek his forest and privacy back. It doesn't go exactly as planned as Shrek becomes Farquaad's champion and agrees to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) who has been locked away in a castle. Shrek fairly easily rescues Fiona, with a little help from Donkey. The three head back towards Duloc, but Fiona is anxious to stop and rest before the sun goes down. It turns out that Fiona, a stereotypically beautiful princess by day, is an ogre by night, and she doesn't want Shrek to know since they were having such a good time together. The wedding to Farquaad doesn't go exactly as planned, which turns out to be a really good thing. All of this might make a good movie, but that would be too predictable. What makes Shrek so fun is it brings all of the fairy tales and nursery rhymes from our childhood to life, in a very twisted way: the Gingerbread Man is interrogated by Lord Farquaad and is tortured by dipping him in milk, causing him to go soft and lose a limb; Pinocchio is turned in for bounty money by Geppetto; the Three Little Pigs have German accents; and so it goes. This is an ideal film that adults can happily watch with their kids; it's funny, but not childish (silly, yes, with some gross humor that kids laugh at, and grown ups want to laugh at). The soundtrack includes songs by Neil Diamond to the Proclaimers to Leonard Cohen; a great way to introduce kids to music that their parents might like, but making it 'cool'. I really needed this movie after this last batch of movies that have been a little challenging to watch and review.

10/1/17 Gunga Din, National Film Registry, 1939

Gunga Din is a mix of comedy, drama and action, featuring two of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Cary Grant as two soldiers stationed in 1880s India, then under British rule. Grant is Sgt. Archibald Cutter who has obtained a treasure map that he is eager to check out with his pals, Sgt. MacChesney (Victor McLagen) and Sgt. Tommy Ballantine (Fairbanks), but Tommy has plans to leave the military and marry Emmy Stebbins (Joan Fontaine, whose sister was Olivia de Havilland). They are joined by Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe), their water bearer who longs to be a part of the army in larger capacity. Din joins Cutter on his search for the treasure in a golden temple. Unfortunately, the temple belongs to the Thugee, an indigenous group living in that area, one that is not well disposed towards the British. Cutter is captured and Din goes back to the base to get help from MacChesney and Ballantine, which does not go according to plan. Din does get his chance to show his mettle and prove his loyalty to the British Army and his friends. The movie is based on the poem by Rudyard Kipling, and Kipling (Reginald Sheffield) makes an appearance at the end of the film. I was reminded of the Indiana Jones franchise, without the great special effects. Grant reminded me a little of Harrison Ford. I enjoyed the movie, and it may seem strange, but it doesn't seem to as 'dated' as Something Happened on the Way to the Forum, and I don't know how to explain that. I am not what qualified it for the National Film Registry.