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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frozen in Harbin, 2020

2019 Animated nominees - Missing Link, Klaus, The Lion King

1/16/20 Missing Link, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2019

If you're like me and are looking for something new, or at least not remade or a sequel, I totally suggest Missing Link or Klaus (my favorite was Klaus). Missing Link was done by Laika, which has also done some of my recent favorite animated films including Boxtrolls, ParaNorman, Kuba and the Two Strings (if not my favorite, I like them for their original ideas and animation style) and using stop motion animation. It tells the story of an eccentric English explorer, Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) and his pursuit of unique creatures, in this case, Bigfoot (voiced by Zack Galafianakis). Frost is joined by Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), also an adventurer, who is brave and clever in her own right. Frost has the idea of taking Bigfoot, now named Susan Link (that's a whole other story), to meet his relatives, Yetis, in the Himalayas. Of course, there is a jealous nemesis, Lord Piggott-Dunceby (Stephen Fry) and a ruthless henchman, Willard Stenk (Timothy Olyphant). I enjoyed the movie for the story, the voice characters and the animation. Totally a movie for one of those snow days or winter weekends.

1/17/20 How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2019

I do not understand how this franchise keeps getting nominated for Oscars, I really don't. It was fine, if you're twelve, or maybe ten, but Oscar-worthy? No. That's all, I can't even pretend to care, not after watching Missing Link and Klaus. I'm hoping the series ends here.

1/19/20 The Lion King, nominated Best Visual Effects, 2019

The Lion King is the third or fourth (?) animated Disney film to be reimagined as live action or 'photorealistic computer animated'. WHY? I don't know. Again, I thought it was a good movie, not great, and in fact, it's nominated for Best Visual Effects, and I don't have a strong feeling about it one way or another because it's going up against Star Wars, The Irishman (with the de-aging effect), The Avengers and 1917, and I think depending on how the voters are feeling that day, or their particular pet peeve, anyone could win. The Lion King doesn't stray too far from the original, some tweaks and nuanced changes, but nothing that would be shocking. There are all new voice actors, except for that national treasure who is James Earl Jones, reprising Mufasa; the songs have been re-arranged, and there are new songs, one by Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé and performed by Beyoncé ("Spirit") and one written by Elton John and Tim Rice ("Never Too Late"). I think was some disappointment that "Spirit" wasn't nominated. Beyoncé also voices the grown up Nala and Donald Glover is Simba. Chiwetel Ejiofor was Scar, previously voiced by Jeremy Irons; it's hard to compare because they were both pretty menacing. Timon and Pumbaa were voiced by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, and I admit I was listening for Nathan Lane as Timon, but I got over it. I honestly do not remember the voice of Zazu in the original movie, but he is voiced by John Oliver in the new film, and he might be my favorite, maybe because I saw him in my head when I was watching. The effects were good and sometimes the animals seemed real, or at least not like a cartoon, but like I said, not sure how it's going to fare against the other nominees. Did they have to make this movie? I really don't know. I guess the best I can say is they didn't make it worse (not naming names), and the music gets a little refresh and sounds good. If you have little kids and want a movie for the rest of the long, cold winter we have ahead of us (or if you're reading this in six months - for a night at the cabin), this would be a good family movie.

1/19/20 Klaus, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2019

There have been variations on the Santa Klaus theme over the years, but this is a version that is new to me. The movie features JK Simmons as Klaus, a reclusive toy maker/carpenter, and Jason Schwartzman as Jesper, a ne'er-do-well postman who meet in an isolated town and change the lives and attitudes of each other and the townspeople. Smeerensburg is a northern (very northern) version of the Hatfields and McCoys, with two feuding families who have no use for a postman, a teacher or a man who makes toys for children. Jesper's father promised him that he could return to the family and comforts of home if he posted/processed 6,000 letters, so Jesper gets creative and, well, you're going to have to watch. I don't want to spoil it. The two voices that really stand out are JK Simmons as Klaus and Joan Cusack as Mrs. Krum, leader of one faction of the feuding families (say that three times fast). Sergio Pablos was the director, writer and a couple of the voices; he was also the creator of the Despicable Me/Minions franchise. Rashida Jones is Alva, a schoolteacher who works as a fishmonger because the children aren't sent to school. The animation steers away from computer animation and tries to improve on the traditional animation techniques; it looked, if not 'fresh' exactly, it looked new and different. There is humor, but also a story about people and growing and learning and doing things for others. It may sound corny, but I don't think it comes across that way. If you want to wait until next Christmas to watch this new Christmas movie, you can, but I don't think you have to. I hope this wins, but I don't know.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nominated films: The Shape of Water, Wonder, Loving Vincent

I am so behind. Ahhhhhhh!

1/27/18 The Shape of Water, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Costumer Design, Best Film Editing, 2017

I got a hand cramp from typing out the list of nominations for The Shape of Water, and I'll probably be typing a lot on Oscar night. Guillermo del Toro directed this unlikely love story set in Baltimore in the early 1960s at the height of the Cold War. Sally Hawkins stars as Elisa, a mute janitor at a government facility; her best friend and co-worker, Zelda (Octavia Spencer) interprets for her at work. Elisa lives in a small apartment above a movie theater, and her neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins) is an ad agency artist who seems to have had some troubles at work, so he is home a lot, and watches a lot of old movies. He also has an unrequited crush on the guy at the pie shop. Anyway, back to the secret laboratory, Colonel Strickland (Michael Shannon) brings in a mysterious creature under tight security, and places the creature under the observation of Dr. Hoffstettler (Michael Stuhlbarg); the two men have competing interests (seemingly), Hoffstettler for scientific purposes, and Strickland for intelligence or secret weapon purposes. Elisa and Zelda happen to witness some odd things, and this brings them closer to Strickland than any normal human would want to be, but it brings Elisa closer to the creature as well. The creature reminded me of Abe from Hellboy (also a del Toro film) and was played by the same actor that played Abe, Doug Jones. Elisa forms a bond with the creature, using sign language to communicate, and eventually hatches a plan to free him from the sadistic Strickland, which involves a Zelda and Giles, and begins a cautious alliance with Hoffstettler. Elisa keeps the creature in her apartment, in the tub, but that's really not where it should be, so she plans a time to release it back into the water. Unfortunately, it's not that easy as Strickland is hot on their heels. Hoffstettler has some secrets of his own, like his Soviet identity and spy activity (this isn't a spoiler). The rest I will leave up to you to see for yourself. I hope you do; I know del Toro isn't for everyone, and fantasy/science fiction is not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoyed The Shape of Water on so many levels: the cast is terrific - Hawkins conveys emotions without a word (except for a brief sound/utterance), using her hands and her facial expressions, I have seen her in a few movies and really enjoy her work; Spencer is, well, Octavia Spencer, she delivers wisdom, smart assery and toughness, and acts with Hawkins, which I would imagine can be difficult without lines to react to; you've seen Richard Jenkins, and you're scratching your head to remember where, but he is wonderful as a frustrated artist and gay man in the 1960s before it was accepted, as well as acting with Hawkins in the same way that Spencer does, basically talking to himself. Stuhlbarg and Shannon are two of the busiest guys in film, you can find them in at least three or four movies a year (maybe more, this isn't very scientific); playing all different kinds of characters. It's gorgeously filmed, the sets are fabulous. I do expect it to win several awards. I will say, as a warning, that there are parts that seem gratuitously gory, but it's done in a funny way (if that makes sense). It wasn't necessary, and I did cringe, but I got over it. 

1/30/18 Wonder, nominated Best Makeup and Hairstyling, 2017

I have not been impressed by most of the nominated films this year. I'm not sure why that is, per haps the Grinch has taken up residence in my dark soul (that is probably a bit melodramatic, but it's how I feel). So when I come across a movie that either I had no expectations (as in I wasn't too pressed to see it) or had lower expectations and then I'm blown away, I love it. That's how I felt about The Greatest Showman, and how I feel about Wonder starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay (who stole my heart in Room). I thought it would be cute, a feel good movie, you know, okay. But something hit me as I watched it, on a Tuesday night for gosh sakes, and I couldn't wait to tell people about it the next day. Tremblay is Auggie Pullman, a young middle schooler who was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome a genetic disorder that presents in facial deformities, possible seeing and hearing problems, but it does not necessarily mean intellectual limitations, as Auggie shows everyone. He's been homeschooled by his mom (Julia Roberts), but she and his father (Owen Wilson) think it would be best for Auggie to attend Beecher Prep. Going to a new school, under almost any circumstances, can be stressful and scary, so the principal, Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) arranges for three students to meet with Auggie and take him around the school. This has mixed results as we shall see. Auggie has an older sister, Via, who acknowledges that she is second fiddle to Auggie's needs, and sometimes she understands, and other times, she gets resentful. In fact, one thing that I liked about the movie is that showed both sides to a couple of the different relationships, which I thought was a nice reminder that even though we know what's going on in our mind/world, we don't always know what the other person is thinking or feeling, and perhaps we should be a little more understanding. This is a great movie for parents to bring their kids, especially in this day of heightened awareness of bullying and recognizing our differences, but also our similarities. Someone asked me if the movie was sad, and I said there are moments where you might feel sad, but overall, it's incredibly uplifting, but also pretty realistic, and not in a corny way. I don't think there are enough family movies, but this is one for you. Tremblay is buried under the makeup (which is very good), but he makes Auggie's personality, with all of his early adolescent flaws, come through. The rest of the cast is also terrific. So glad this was on the list.

2/3/18 Loving Vincent, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2017

Van Gogh, Rijksmuseum

If you like animated films and different styles of animation, this film is definitely for you. Loving Vincent is nominated for Best Animated Feature, and I'm afraid it will get overlooked by Coco (which I have yet to see). It is the first fully hand painted feature film, not computer generated or hand drawn, but hand painted, and if there was no dialog, just the beautiful scenes interpreting or presenting Vincent Van Gogh's paintings, it would still be amazing. There is a story, and it is about Joseph Roulin, a friend of Van Gogh's and a postman, trying to get one last letter of Vincent's to his brother, Theo. Roulin hands the task to his seemingly rudderless son, Armand, who really doesn't want to do it. Armand takes the letter and retraces Van Gogh's last days, meeting with people from Vincent's life (and who feature in his paintings). Armand starts his journey reluctantly, but he slowly becomes more and more interested in Vincent and the circumstances surrounding his death. This is a category that I usually disagree with the nominees and the ultimate winner; to me, the animation (quality, technique) is as important as the subject/narrative, etc., and in my opinion, that's not always the case. If you're an art lover, you should check out this film.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One word movie titles for three hundred, please - Hugo, Deliverance, Champion, Spartacus

8/26/17 Hugo, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, 2011

I haven't figured out why Martin Scorsese's Hugo has not found a bigger audience; I think it has stunning visuals (this is one of the few movies I have seen where 3D makes a difference, in a good way); I think kids/young teens can relate to the story; fans of early animation can appreciate the story of Georges Melies. But, perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. In 1930s Paris, Hugo (Asa Butterfield - Boy in the Striped Pajamas) is orphaned after his clockmaker/inventor father (Jude Law) is killed in a fire, but he is left an automaton his father was repairing. He is left in the care of his drunk and mean uncle Claude (Ray Winston), who teaches him to keep the clocks running at Gare Montparnesse. Hugo has a habit of shoplifting from a toy store owner (Ben Kingsley); using the pieces to finish restoring the automaton, until he gets caught by the store owner, who threatens to burn Hugo's notebook. Hugo meets Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz) and they go on adventures, and Hugo learns that Isabelle is the toy store owner's goddaughter. Uncle Claude turns up dead after an ill-timed dip in the Seine, and Hugo is on his own again, so he lives in the clock (seriously, who would not think this is the coolest thing?), evading capture from a very hilarious Station Inspector Gustave (Sacha Baron Cohen who is surprisingly not offensive). It turns out that the toy store owner, also known as Papa Georges, was a groundbreaking filmmaker in the early 20th century, making the landmark film "A Trip to the Moon". The movie won the visual Oscars for very good reason, it's gorgeously done, the special effects from the automaton to the recreated scenes from Meliers' films and theater pieces are beautiful. Scorsese is a film historian and has provided funds for film restoration and while this may seem off the beaten track for him, I think it's a work of love. There are not a lot of films that families can watch together, so if you're looking for something whimsical and magical, get Hugo from the library or Netflix.

8/26/17 Deliverance, 1972 #84 BBC, National Film Registry

I don't think some of these 'classic' films translate so well thirty or forty years later. At least that's my opinion Deliverance based on watching it three times and not liking it any time, although I was less creeped out the last time than the first two times. The film is set in the north Georgia wilderness, and stars Burt Reynolds as Lewis, Jon Voight as Ed, Ronnie Cox as Drew and Ned Beatty as Bobby; Lewis and Ed are the outdoorsmen of the group, and this is Drew and Bobby's first outing. These are city boys and the locals are targets for their mockery and mistrust (although the mistrust goes both ways). Even if you have never seen Deliverance you are probably familiar with the music called "Dueling Banjos" (usually played when people are referring to hillbillies or something backwards); it's early on, and pretty much the only part I liked. Anyway, the city boys head down the river in their canoes, and Ed and Bobby have the misfortune to meet two very creepy country boys who have more than just fishing on their minds; one of them humiliates Bobby by making him squeal like a pig and then raping him. Before the same can be done to Ed, Lewis kills the attacker with a shot from his bow. The men dispose of the body, but are now in fear of the second man, whom they believe is stalking them from above in the cliffs. Things get really dangerous as they hit a series dangerous rapids, and it doesn't end there, as there are more deaths, severe injuries and an encounter with the local sheriff who doesn't believe anything they say. I don't mind outdoor films, and director John Boorman filmed a lot of beautiful shots in the Tallulah Gorge, and I like a good mystery or thriller, but this did nothing for me, and I can honestly say I tried.

8/26/17 Champion, Best Editing, 1949

I've been in a Kirk Douglas frame of mind, I guess, having recently finished Douglas's autobiography, The Ragman's Son, watching an old interview with Dick Cavett and grabbing two of his films in this blog session, Champion and Spartacus. Douglas was nominated for Best Actor for his role as "Midge" Kelly, a good boxer but a pretty crappy person. Midge didn't plan on being a boxer; he and his crippled brother, Connie (Arthur Kennedy), are heading west to claim their ownership of a restaurant in California, only to find that they've been swindled. The real owner, Lew, of the diner lets them stay on to work and both Midge and Connie fall for the owner's daughter, Emma. Lew is less than pleased with Midge and Emma's relationship and forces them into a shotgun marriage. Now that the fun is over, Midge takes off, leaving Emma behind. This is pretty typical of how Midge operates; he's a me first kind of guy. On the way out west, Midge enters a fight as a way to make some quick money, and when he flees his marriage, he finds Tommy Haley who offered to train and manage him if he wanted to get into the fight game for real. Midge has a single-minded focus on his new career, defeating all comers as he moves around the country. Midge gets the opportunity to fight Johnny Dunne, who is in line for the championship. Instead of tanking the fight like he promised, Midge knows out Johnny early on, earning the wrath of the mob, but the affections of Johnny's girlfriend, Grace. Yeah, there's not a lot to like about most of the characters in this movie. Grace persuades Midge to drop Tommy and get a new manager. Bad move on Grace's part as she unwittingly sets Midge up with his next fling. Being champion holds short term rewards for Midge, for which he seems to have no gratitude or appreciation. Things don't end for him quite as he anticipated. Douglas is pretty despicable in this role, and it kind of reminded me of his part in Ace in the Hole, as a journalist who is willing to risk another man's life to improve his career - devoid of scruples. It was a good movie, probably not at the top of most people's list, but it's one of Douglas's earlier films and worth a look.

8/27/17 Spartacus, 1960,  Best Supporting Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography - Color, Best Costume Design - Color,  #81 AFI

Spartacus is one of those old time Hollywood epic films that begins with an overture, has an orchestral intermission and a closing bit, enough costumed Romans to fill the Colosseum and more stars than there are in the sky. The movie is significant for more than its scope; it was Dalton Trumbo's first officially credited movie since he had been blacklisted, and it pretty much broke the blacklist; Kirk Douglas hired Trumbo and made the decision to put his name on the credits. Stanley Kubrick directed after the production company, Bryna Productions, fired the original director, Anthony Mann (Bryna Productions was Douglas's company). Douglas stars as Spartacus, a Thracian slave who is sold to a gladiator school run by Batiatus (Peter Ustinov in an Oscar winning role). Spartacus meets a slave girl, Varinia (Jean Simmons), who also draws the attention of Crassus (Laurence Olivier) and his entourage. Crassus and his party request a fight to the death between the gladiators, and Spartacus is chosen to fight against the African, Draba. Draba refuses to kill Spartacus and instead, lunges at the gawking visitors, only to be killed by one of the guards. This is the inspiration for the slave rebellion, led by Spartacus. Meanwhile, back in Rome, Crassus is in a power struggle with Gracchus (Charles Laughton) in the Senate. Domestically, Crassus adds a young slave to his household, Antoninus (Tony Curtis), and attempts to seduce him (one of the interesting things about this scene is that it is part of the restored film and Olivier's voice had to be dubbed by Anthony Hopkins). Antoninus later joins the growing slave army. Spartacus is trying to get the slaves out of Rome and makes a deal for ships, but in the time it takes for him to move down the coast, Crassus and Gracchus have been making their own deals and double-deals, in opposition to one another. Eventually, Spartacus and his army are brutally defeated, and the stage is set for probably the best known scene in the film, where the Romans are looking for Spartacus, and everyone stands up and says "I'm Spartacus"; the scene is more dramatic than written here. I love the drama, maybe melodrama, the grand scale, the cast of amazing actors, and since I have learned more of the history of the film, that just adds to it. Ustinov plays his role with a touch of comedy, dry wit and tongue in cheek; Olivier is cool and calculating; Laughton is calculating but honest about some of his foibles and weaknesses (food and women); there is something about Jean Simmons that I find captivating, her voice, her almost ethereal presence, I don't know. Douglas as Spartacus is pretty flawless, which is not typical of most heroes, there is sign of weakness, not even being prideful; I don't think it detracts anything, though, the movie is so big and there are other flawed characters. This would be a great movie for an autumn night in front of the fire, perhaps some Italian wine and cheese, if you're so inclined.

Beauty and the Beast, Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle

4/30/17 Beauty and the Beast, not yet nominated 2017

I saw Beauty and the Beast on 4/30, a Sunday as I recall, and it's now Wednesday, May 10. I've been going over in my mind how to write this; I really don't think I need to recap the plot, it's the same one from the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. There are a few new songs, but nothing original or surprising. And, that's where I sit. I liked the movie, I thought it was well done, I'm fairly certain it will be nominated in the technical categories: production design, visual effects, costume and hair, and I really wanted to see it on the big screen. I wanted to see how Emma Watson (Belle) did in a lead role; I'm a fan, I think she's a great role model for young women, and young men, for that matter; she has a great sense of humor about herself; and it's fun to see young actors grow and take on new roles. The Beast, the Beast, oh right, Dan Stevens, late of Downton Abbey fame; to me it was pretty inconsequential, since for 95% of the movie, the Beast was, well, the Beast, and not in human form, and that is true for all the of the household items. Did it matter that Emma Thompson (whom I love) was Mrs. Potts? Not really. Or that Ian McKellen was Cogsworth? Meh. And I could go on through the cast. It's not like they were Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, or Billy Crystal as Mike (Monsters Inc). The 'human' cast was just as meh for me; Kevin Kline played Belle's father; Luke Evans was Gaston (Gaston is a character I thoroughly dislike, I know, he's a bad guy, but he's not even a fun bad guy; he's an ass). Josh Gad was LeFou, Gaston's sycophantic sidekick, who is portrayed, not subtly, as gay or effeminate (take your pick); I'd like to say who cares (I don't), except, it got very annoying during the movie, in your face - and it added NOTHING, if there was a point, I wouldn't care. There are a few new songs, one sung by Celine Dion at the end "How Does a Moment Last Forever" and "Evermore" by Josh Groban, which were fine, I don't recall being overly moved by either (wow, I sound like someone stole my heart and soul). I thought the cast, overall, did well performing the songs. I was disappointed, and a little surprised, that Audra McDonald, who has performed in a huge variety of singing roles, including on Broadway, and she sang only a little bit as a soloist. That seemed like a lost opportunity to me. I know this sounds whiny, and maybe that's why I waited so long, but I really did like and enjoy the movie, and it's good family entertainment, I just didn't love it.

5/7/17 Toni Erdmann, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

I don't mean to sound unprofessional, but UGH. This movie was two hours and forty-two minutes long, and it was really not as great as it was hyped up to be. I didn't think it was great at all. It seemed like one of my weaker reviews: full of half thoughts that don't get fully executed, and full thoughts that should have been stopped before they were started. I had really high expectations since it had been nominated for, and won, many international film festival awards. I tried, for 162 minutes I tried, to find something to like. There wasn't enough. Winfried Conradi is a music teacher with an unusual sense of humor (he would get on my nerves quickly, and I like to think I have a good sense of humor), who randomly decides to visit his estranged daughter, Ines, in Bucharest where she is working as a consultant for an oil company. As silly as Winfried (or his alter ego, Toni Erdmann) is, Ines is serious, determined and aloof. Winfried is clearly missing his daughter and just wants to spend time with her, maybe have fun; the problem is, they disagree on what 'fun' is. He uses the Toni Erdmann persona to insinuate himself into Ines' work life; eventually, he wears her down, and they tag team with each other in a meeting with Ines' client. I get that parent/adult child relationships can be difficult and challenging, been there, done that; and I understand that women have to work harder in male-dominated fields, so Ines has to stay focused and wants to be taken seriously. But, this point was beaten into the ground, and any empathy I may have had just shriveled up. As I was watching, I was making comparisons to Isabelle Huppert in Elle (she was nominated for Best Actress), in that both women were driven professionals, neither was very likable, and both had difficult relationships with their fathers, although I think it's fair to say that Ines' was a walk in the park compared to Michele. I'm not really sure where that comparison gets us, except that I liked Elle even though it was hard to watch and Michele was a bitch; and I didn't like Toni Erdmann. The movie was described as a comedy, and it is not that at all; they are a few funny moments, but overall, I would say that it is a drama. I think so much more could have been done with the idea of this father/daughter relationship. Disappointed.

5/9/17 The Red Turtle, nominated Best Animated Feature, 2016

I don't even know what to say. I'm sure there were some beautiful metaphors in this film, but I was so utterly bored out of my mind, I must have missed them. It was made by the Ghibli Studio, which has made other Oscar nominated animated films, like The Wind Rises, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There (which did not do much for me). There was no dialogue, which I'm fine with, but I don't know, maybe I would have liked it better if it was a short instead of a feature (it wasn't too long at 80 minutes, but long enough). Anyway, I can't even give you a synopsis. I'm waiting for My Life as a Zucchini, but so far, out of the nominees, you can't go wrong with Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana or the winner, Zootopia.


A friend of mine, who has seen all the other movies in the franchise and loved them, saw Fate of the Furious, last week, in the big IMAX theater, and was very disappointed. I asked him to do a guest review, and all he could do was show me two thumbs down. Since I have been exempt from having to see any of the other movies, and have no plans to see this one, this is the only review you'll see here.

Smile Pinki, lovable Mr. Magoo, The Magnificent Ambersons

4/15/17 Smile, Pinki, Best Documentary Short, 2008

For some reason, I thought I already reviewed this Oscar-winning documentary short, but apparently, I did not, so I re-watched it, and had a good cry all over again. Pinki is a young girl, born in India with a cleft lip. Cleft palettes and cleft lips are birth defects that can often be detected by ultra sound and treated early on, but in some countries, like India, cleft lips are not treated immediately, if at all. The children are often socially outcast, and face limited opportunities. The documentary follows Pinki and Ghutaru as they get a diagnosis/prognosis and eventually, surgery, at what is essentially, an open call for anyone suffering from the defects. Families come from all over Utter Pradesh, often on foot, like Pinki and her father and uncle, and sometimes their visit to the city is the first for them; they may borrow money for the food and transportation. The surgeries are provided free of charge by an organization called Smile Train. The surgeries almost seem like a conveyor belt, with many surgeries performed every day; I don't want to imply that the patients are treated like parts of the machinery, just that this organization has become extremely efficient, and they try to get the families in and out as soon as feasible, because sometimes it's the breadwinner who may be away with the child, and the longer they're away, the more money that may be needed for food. The changes are immediate; seeing the parents crying with joy because they know their children now have a chance to be 'normal' and go to school (the children often stop going because they are teased), get married, etc. The children smile for the first time and see their reflections and when they play with their friends, it's just made me cry. The special features on the DVD are worth watching because they show a little bit into how the director, Megan Mylan, wanted to film her subjects, but also how Pinki and her father traveled to the United States for the Oscars. She is perhaps six or seven at this time, and behaves like a lot of six and seven years old, occasionally overstimulated, often shy, coy and sometimes diva-like. The movie is available on DVD, but I also found it on YouTube. It's definitely worth watching.

5/5/17 The Magnificent Ambersons, 1942, National Film Registry, BBC #11

I don't know if I would have liked The Magnificent Ambersons when it released in 1942, but I did not like it in 2017. The Ambersons were a wealthy family in Indianapolis; daughter, Isabel (Dolores Costello), is very fond of Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotton), but he makes an ass of himself one day, and she dumps him for the boring and seemingly stable, Wilbur Minafer. They have one child, George, who is spoiled rotten, and pretty much loathed by the whole town for being a bully and petulant young man, who never grows up. After leaving the city for several years, Eugene returns with his daughter, Lucy (Anne Baxter); George meets Lucy, not realizing the connection of their two families, and he tries to woo her. Eugene is an inventor of automobiles, which for some reason annoys George, who is very fond of his horse and carriage (I think it's because he's a sadist who likes to whip the horses). Agnes Moorehead is Aunt Fanny, and she is (unintentionally) very funny, breaking into hysterics, and totally infatuated with Eugene, even though he still loves Isabel. Eventually, the Ambersons fall from grace and lose their fortune, and poor George may have to get a j-o-b. It's only after his mother dies that he begins to edge towards being a human being, but I stopped caring long before then. And his move towards humanity was slow and seemed like a last grasp. Then he gets his legs broken by...an automobile, an evil automobile. I couldn't wait until it was over. Orson Welles wrote the screenplay, directed, produced and narrated. Apparently, the final version was very different from him vision, and about an hour shorter (small mercies). The movie was so melodramatic and I didn't find any of the characters sympathetic; they could have been, but they were mostly one dimensional and devoid of any depth. With all due respect to Orson Welles, the National Film Registry and the BBC, there are better movies out there from that period.

5/6/17 Mr. Magoo Revue (see what I did there?)

I actually watched several Mr. Magoo shorts this morning, and they all seem to follow the same theme: the lovable, short, extremely near-sighted Mr. Magoo gets into the most precarious and peculiar situations, and through good fortune, divine intervention and the occasional human intervention, he comes out unscathed. As predictable as they are, I still found myself laughing, rolling my eyes and laughing some more. I suppose that is because I relate somewhat to Mr. Magoo, in that sometimes I do absent-minded things, get lost with great regularity, and yet, manage to come out the other side. The shorts were no more than six minutes each. Jim Backus (familiar as Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island) voiced Quincy Magoo (that's some good trivia right there, What is Mr. Magoo's first name?).

Ragtime Bear, 1949 (first Magoo cartoon) This was the first Magoo short, and featured Mr. Magoo and his nephew, Waldo, go to a wilderness lodge, meeting a bear with a talent for playing the banjo. Mr. Magoo mistakes the bear for Waldo.
Pink and Blue Blues, nominated Best Animated Short, 1952 Ever the helpful neighbor, Mr. Magoo babysits his neighbor's baby boy. The problem is, he mistakes the family dog for the baby; gives the dog a bath, etc. and hilarity ensues.
When Magoo Flew, Best Animated Short, 1954 Mr. Magoo thinks he is going to the theatre to see a 3D film, when in fact, he gets on an airplane (this could never happen in a post 9/11 world), and sits next to a suspicious gentleman, who leaves his briefcase behind. Fearing he'll miss the movie, but not wanting his new friend to lose something important, he tries to find him, which results in him going outside of the plan, walking on the wing, scaring a passenger looking out of the window, as well as the pilots when he pops up in the front of the plane. All's well that ends well, as he disembarks (how he actually gets back to his place of departure is not addressed).
Magoo's Puddle Jumper, Best Animated Short, 1956 Mr. Magoo gets a new car, which takes him on a journey around the country, except not really, he just kept misreading billboards. He drove through a car wash, windows open, thinking he just crossed the state line.

A hodge podge of movies: Hellboy, Queen of Katwe, The Eagle Huntress

It seemed like a good idea to watch movies and then wait a month or so to write the review...maybe 'good idea' is not the term I'm using now. Obviously, I am not going to go back and watch the 'older' movies, but I do want to review them. I will do my best to at least give you an idea if you might enjoy them or not. I have no doubt that this will not be a shining example of wit or anything else, but they can't all be winners.


3/17/17 Killer of Sheep, 1978, BBC #26, National Film Registry

Sometimes it's good for me to sit on a review and let the movie percolate in the old noggin, get some perspective. I cannot say that's the case here. Until I saw the BBC list of the best 100 American films, I had never heard of Killer of Sheep, that doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot, but I like to think I have some familiarity with movies from the past forty years, especially critically acclaimed movies. I'm not even sure I can tell you what the movie is about; it's really a collection of vignettes, set in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, focusing on Stan, who works in a slaughterhouse in Watts. The movie may be noteworthy because it was made in 1978 by a black writer/director, Charles Burnett, with an all black cast, telling a story of urban living. I wish I had more insight because I feel like I'm missing something. It has been very popular on Netflix because when I was waiting for it, it was always on a long wait; I finally got it from the library. I did really like the music, which may be ironic, because that is why the film was initially delayed, the filmmakers had not secured the rights to the music. I would say that if you are a cinephile or film student, you should check out this film, but you probably have already.

3/18/17 Hellboy, 2004

I was prompted to re-watch Hellboy after visiting the Minneapolis Institute of Art's Guillermo del Toro exhibit that featured a lot of Hellboy memorabilia and artwork. Del Toro directed and Ron Perlman stars as the lovable demon, John Hurt is his adoptive father, Trevor Buttenholm. Hellboy is part of a secret team that fights supernatural creatures. I'm not sure why the franchise wasn't more successful, there was a sequel, but only one (I think), there is action, special effects, a wisecracking hero (kind of Dead Pool, Spider-Man). It was fun to watch, and while I should have been working on 'the list', it was a nice diversion.

4/6/17 The Eagle Huntress, 2016

I have been recommending this documentary to just about everyone I talk to (about movies, anyway), and I will do the same here. The Eagle Huntress is a documentary filmed in Mongolia that follows Aisholpan, a 13 year old girl who wants to follow in her father and grandfather's footsteps as an eagle hunter. This requires that she captures her own eagle from a nest in the mountains, a bit risky. Aisholpan has an indomitable spirit and disregards any discussion from men (other than her father) that she cannot and should not be allowed to participate in eagle hunting or the annual competition. She's also still just 13, and enjoys being with her friends at school and wearing nail polish and ribbons in her hair. I loved so much about this film: the scenery was breathtaking, so breathtaking that I started researching holidays in Mongolia and Kazakhstan; the relationship between Aisholpan and her father is heartwarming, he never discourages her and doesn't succumb to the pressure of the other men, and he is openly proud of her; Aisholpan is charming and determined and a wonderful role model for young girls everywhere. Even though the film is subtitled, the action is pretty self-explanatory, but there is also narration by Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) which fills in the blanks quite nicely. If you'd like to introduce your kids to a) foreign films b) documentaries and c) a different culture, this is a wonderful movie to watch.

4/7/17 McCabe and Mrs. Miller, 1971 #16 BBC, National Film Registry

I don't know why, but I thought McCabe and Mrs. Miller was a John Wayne movie; to say that was incorrect is a huge understatement. It was directed by Robert Altman and stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. It is set in the West, and it has miners instead of farmers or ranchers, and a saloon. Beatty is John McCabe, a gambler with is eyes set on building an empire, with a brothel as its foundation; Julie Christie is Constance Miller, a Cockney woman of ill-repute. I have seen Julie Christie in a few films, and I thought her cockney accent was extremely distracting, and I didn't believe her in this role at all. This is another film that I don't get why it's on the best of lists. It may be me, I don't know. McCabe and Miller are successful running their brothel, but McCabe gets too big for his britches when he refuses an offer to sell his business to a ruthless mine owner, and that bodes ill for McCabe. I have found my like/dislike for Warren Beatty is hit or miss, and this is somewhere in between. There you go, my lukewarm review. Take it for what it's worth.

4/8/17 Queen of Katwe, 2016

The Disney film Queen of Katwe is based on the true story of Phiona (Madina Nalwanga), a young girl living with her family in the slums of Kampala, Uganda. Phiona and her family struggle to survive selling vegetables, trying to keep a roof over their heads, when one day Phiona walks into a center where children are playing chess. She doesn't know much about the game, but quickly and intuitively, she begins to learn, getting encouragement from Robert Katende (David Oyewolo) who runs the missionary program sponsoring the chess program. Phiona's mother (Lupita Nyong'o) doesn't like that the chess distracts Phiona and her younger brother, Brian, from supporting the family, but she doesn't realize that chess may also open doors for the children to education and a better life. The movie isn't a cliff hanger, there are no special effects or stunts, and you might think that watching a chess match is about exciting as watching paint dry, and in this instance, you would be mistaken. The matches are edited to highlight the drama and the tension, and I think it works. The movie is about Phiona's development into a competitive chess player as well as a young woman, challenged by her circumstances and, at times, her ego. Phiona is the focus, but we learn about her family, and the hardships they face, and the things we take for granted. Her brother, Brian, is a spitfire and a good chess player; her sister, Night, is rebellious and chafes under her mother's strict rules. This is another good choice for your family movie night, maybe start with this and then The Eagle Huntress; take your family on a journey to Africa, encourage your daughters to be anything they want, and that they are as smart as the boys.

A classic - The Blackboard Jungle, Depp in Black Mass and Alice through the Looking Glass

12/25/16 The Blackboard Jungle, 1955, National Film Registry

My first recollection of hearing about The Blackboard Jungle was in reference to it being the first (or one of the very first) feature films to include a rock and roll song, "Rock around the clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets. I recently watched a documentary about a school struggling with violence, poverty and hopelessness, so I watched The Blackboard Jungle, starring Glenn Ford and a very young Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow, with the kids of Stanton Elementary School in mind. In I am a Promise, one of the teachers bemoans the fact that children don't respect their teachers like they used to, but then you watch The Blackboard Jungle, set in the 1950s, and you wonder if kids ever respected their teachers or parents. Sometimes the acting seemed a bit clunky and unbelievable, over the top, but overall, the story of an inner city trade school that is ethnically diverse, although it seems to be male-only, set the stage for later films and television shows set in unruly high schools. Glenn Ford is Richard Dadier, a new teacher at North Manual Trades High School, who is taken aback by the apparent chaos by the students and the crass indifference by some of the teachers. Dadier tries to connect with the students, but he is aggressively thwarted by Gregory Miller (Poitier) and Artie West (Morrow). West seems pretty hopeless, but Dadier sees a glimmer of hope in reaching Miller. Richard Kiley is Joshua Edwards, a fellow rookie teacher who tries to get some of the students to understand mathematics by listening to music. Unfortunately, it does not go quite as planned. I think we have a picture of the 1950s represented by the television show Happy Days, but The Blackboard Jungle shatters that, with gang violence and attacks on teachers. Younger audiences may only know Glenn Ford as Jonathan Kent from the Superman movie franchise with Christopher Reeves, but he was in over 30 movies by the time he made The Blackboard Jungle. This was Sidney Poitier's breakthrough role and nine years later he won an Oscar for Lilies in the Field. I don't think the movie is great, but it has some very good performances, and it is considered groundbreaking, it's worth a look.

12/25/16 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, nominated Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, 2011
When it comes to movies about 9/11, I usually run the other way. Having lived through "the worst day" as young Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) refers to it, I don't feel the need to watch movies about it. Oskar's father, Thoms Schell (Tom Hanks) is killed when the towers collapsed. He leaves several voice messages for Oskar and his wife, Linda (Sandra Bullock), but they never speak to one another. Oskar and his father have a strong relationship; Thomas was one of the few people who could engage and relate to Oskar. After Thomas died, Oskar finds a key that he thinks was left for him. The envelope that held the key had 'Black' written on it. This leads Oskar on a hunt across New York City, meeting people with the last name of 'Black' (including one played by Viola Davis) which make for some very touching, emotional and funny scenes. For part of his journey, Oskar is joined by his grandmother's lodger, only called 'The Renter' (Max von Sydow in an Oscar nominated role). Oskar's quest is eventually rewarded, but I won't spoil it by telling you how. It's almost a week later and I still don't now if I liked the movie; I liked certain scenes and certain story lines, but I don't know if I would recommend it or watch it again (in fact, I have been avoiding this movie for five years). It was nominated as Best Picture, and this was the year that I lost a lot of faith in the Oscars; this was the year that The Artist won Best Picture when I was pretty sure The Help or Hugo or maybe even War Horse should have won. Von Sydow lost Best Supporting Actor to Christopher Plummer, whom I love, but I could not stand The Beginners, but I wasn't overly impressed with the other nominees, at least as far as being Oscar caliber.

12/28/16 Black Mass, 2015

I feel like I have seen a lot of mob/mafia movies and television lately, and I wasn't overly keen to watch Black Mass, but my younger brother kept recommending it. Johnny Depp is Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger, the crime boss in Boston, who was also an FBI informant. Benedict Cumberbatch is William Bulger, Whitey's brother; Joel Edgerton is FBI Agent John Connolly, who also grew up with the Bulgers. The movie is told interspersed with flashbacks as various members of Whitey's crew are interrogated and some become informants. We see Whitey in all of his violent glory; ruthlessly killing anyone he perceives as a threat, and if he can't do it, he has someone else do it. Connolly uses Bulger to raise his profile at the Bureau, and is eventually shown to be as corrupt as Bulger is sadistic. I thought Black Mass was something to be endured and didn't really enjoy it.


12/29/16 Alice through the Looking Glass, not yet nominated, 2016

I am always intrigued when a new Tim Burton movies comes, intrigued, but cautious. I don't think I have ever seen a Burton film in the theater because I'm never sure if I'll like it or not. Since I have started doing this blog, I have watched several Tim Burton movies, and some I've liked and some I have not (I could not make it through Sweeney Todd, but I really enjoyed Alice in Wonderland, and so it goes). Burton makes colorful, big, special-effects filled movies that are often nominated (and sometimes win), and I was curious to see Alice through the Looking Glass. Many of the characters from Alice in Wonderland reprise their roles: Mia Wasikowska as Alice, although a little older and tougher; Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen; Alan Rickman as Absolem the Butterfly; Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter (to name a few). Sacha Baron Cohen (as Time) is introduced. We catch up with Alice as she is sailing her father's ship "The Wonder" through high sea adventures, only to return to England and face the choice of giving up the ship to reclaim her family home from Hamish Ascot (her former fiance). While at the Ascots, she returns to Underland where she meets her friends, including the Hatter who seems to be dying from sadness. Alice thinks changing the course of past events is the key to helping him, and to do that she must meet Time. She finds a very cool gadget that will help her move through the past, but that upsets the balance of Time. It's all very fast and frenetic, and a blast back to the childhoods of the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), the Red Queen and the Mad Hatter. We learn why the Red Queen's head is shaped the way it is and why she is so bloody angry!! The actual story line seemed very scattered and too all encompassing, like it was trying to do too much. I was turned off by Baron Cohen; I just found him and his accent annoying. However, I did enjoy the movie as a visual treat; Burton and his production team get the best colors and effects not seen in a science fiction film. I could watch the other characters from Underland just have a tea party; Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas) are pretty funny; Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat is delightfully snide and acerbic; the problem is there are SO many characters.  I really loved the score by Danny Elfman, and the song at the end of the film by Pink "Just Like Fire" was really good as well. Wasikowska is pretty fearless as Alice, willing to do anything to help her friends and family; not quite as selfish as she was when she was younger. Depp is Depp. He seems very adept and at home behind the garish Hatter makeup. I liked him, I can't help it, I liked the humanity he brought to the Hatter. I would say the same for the Red Queen/Bonham Carter. I think if the script could have left out Time, maybe it wouldn't have been so frantic. So, my guess is that there will be a few nominations for the film around the production, visual effects and makeup, possibly for the score and long shot for the song. I liked it and was entertained.