Three films about real life and fictional heroes: Maiden, Pavarotti and Hellboy

11/28/19 Maiden, 2018

Maiden is why I love documentaries so much. It has unapologetic protagonist in Tracy Edwards; a challenging, life-changing event in the Whitbread Round the World Race; antagonists in the form of the all-male teams against whom Tracy and her crew were competing; and an uplifting and empowering message.  In 1989, Tracy Edwards assembled an all-female crew to compete in a grueling around the world yacht race. Director Alex Holmes includes footage filmed by the crew during the race; historical news clips and interviews; and current interviews with the crew, the competition and journalists. Tracy is brash, abrupt, certain in what she wants, but not always sure of how to get it and she's balanced by her shipmates' temperaments and experience. Tracy's confidence hides her insecurities and fears of failure, and that honest portrayal is part of what makes the movie so compelling to watch. Additionally, the footage shot during the race is terrific, the waves of the ocean crashing on the boat, the icy conditions as the race goes around Cape Horn. I feel like it's been a while since I have strongly recommended a documentary (or any film, really), but let me encourage, cajole, suggest you rent Maiden. #girlpower

11/29/19 Hellboy, 2019

I watched the 2019 version of Hellboy because I've seen the previous live action films directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Ron Perlman, and I enjoyed them, so why not. David Harbour stepped into the horns as Hellboy and Ian McShane played his adopted father, Trevor Bruttenholm. I was a big fan of the original franchise, and was as skeptical as many critics and fans, so I was ready to not like it. I was pleasantly surprised. This film was rated R (the earlier films were PG-13) and they let fly the F-bombs and plenty of blood spray, but otherwise, it had demons from the other world, action, humor. The story was probably not as strong as it could have been, but depending on my mood and what I'm watching, sometimes that doesn't bother me, and it didn't bother me here. I was curious to see how this would develop and what a sequel would look like, but it doesn't sound like that's going to happen. I enjoyed it, and if you're looking for something for the long winter nights coming up and you're looking for a wisecracking demon movie, give Hellboy a watch.

11/29/19 Pavarotti, 2019

I enjoy opera, but by no stretch of the imagination am I an expert. I know what I like, I know the main voices and I've been to several operas, but that's about it. Pavarotti was more than an opera star, he was a global cultural icon, playing to hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, donating time and money to children's charities; even if you knew nothing about opera, you probably heard of Luciano Pavarotti. Director Ron Howard shows us the many sides of Pavarotti, the playful, jovial, grouchy, insecure using news footage, interviews with Pavarotti, his family, friends and critics. Howard does a terrific job of capturing Pavarotti's joie de vivre and his love of people. I feel like I learned a lot about Pavarotti, but also about opera. I know a lot of people are turned off by the thought of opera, even if they have never heard it (aside from maybe some comedic or over the top performance, like the Bugs Bunny cartoons), but some of it is really good. I don't know if this will be nominated for an Oscar since it doesn't expose any scandal, there's no underdog or any of the other usual themes in nominated films, but it's still very well done. I don't know if I can convince you to watch it, but I hope so, and maybe give the opera a try. Too much?

Die Hard, Joker, Spider-Man and Tender Mercies

9/13/19 Reversal of Fortune, Best Actor, 1990

I remember when the Claus von Bulow case was in the news. It was very titillating, the life of the ridiculously wealthy. This was before the internet and 24 hour gossip cycles. I vaguely remember when the movie Reversal of Fortune was released, perhaps I was no longer interested. I honestly don't recall it making that big of an impression, much less being an Oscar nominated film. Glenn Close is Sunny von Bulow who really doesn't do too much in the film and Jeremy Irons won an Oscar for his portrayal of Claus von Bulow, the pompous and snooty husband of the inert Sunny. Ron Silver is famous (or infamous) defense attorney Alan Dershowitz. Claus von Bulow is accused of attempting to murder Sunny by injecting her with an overdose of insulin. von Bulow's haughty demeanor doesn't endear him to anyone, but Dershowitz takes the case to fund his other pro bono work. I am a big fan of trial dramas/mysteries/biographies, but I didn't find this suspenseful or even well acted. I was surprised to learn that Irons beat out Kevin Costner in Dances with Wolves, Richard Harris in The Field and Robert DeNiro in Awakenings. I was looking forward to seeing this film, but was pretty disappointed.

9/18/19 Die Hard, National Film Registry, 1988

Until I watched Die Hard this past fall, I had never, ever seen a Die Hard film in its entirety, or even any significant portions. Honest. Most people are probably familiar with the basic premise, but in the event you are not, Bruce Willis is John McClane, a New York City police officer who is in Los Angeles to try and reunite with his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedalia). Holly is an executive who works in a swanky skyscraper. McClane arrives in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve (thus apparently cementing the film's place in the pantheon of Christmas films), at the same time terrorists, led by the inimitable Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. Bad timing for McClane, but lucky for his wife and the attendees of the company Christmas party; oh, and bad timing for Gruber and company. McClane takes on around eight henchman equipped with automatic weapons and explosives, and no surprise, he comes out the winner (really, this is not a spoiler). He and Gruber play a game of chess as McClane tries to race the clock before Gruber accomplishes his goal of stealing over $640 million dollars in bearer bonds and destroying the skyscraper. Willis/McClane fights his way, with his gun and his smart-ass mouth, taunting Gruber, but also trying to convince the LAPD that he's not one of the bad guys. I did like Willis' performance, but Rickman steals the show (not an original thought on my part) by being the cold blooded, restrained, intellectual, mysterious bad guy. It foreshadows a little bit his role as Snape in the Harry Potter series. I liked the movie, and I'm glad I finally saw it so I can keep with any offhand references to it, but I didn't love it. I don't feel the need to watch it over and over. But, that's just me.

10/3/19 Joker, not yet nominated, 2019

I honestly do not know how to write this, because I know the vast majority of people who have seen Joker have loved it, including my brother, who was very disappointed in my response. Honestly, I had no desire to even see the movie, much less on opening night. Joaquin Phoenix is Arthur Fleck/Joker, who attempts to make a living playing a clown and aspires to stand up comedy, but he faces ridicule from his fellow clowns and abuse from kids on the street. Arthur takes care of his mother Penny (Frances Conroy) who used to work for industrialist Thomas Wayne. Arthur seems to have some mental issues that confuse fiction and reality. Robert DeNiro is Murray Franklin, a late night talk show host in the vein of Johnny Carson; Arthur fantasizes being on the Murray Franklin show and doing his stand up routine. Arthur also has feelings for his neighbor, Sophie (Zazie Beetz), and we are led to believe they have a romantic relationship. Gradually, Arthur is pushed to his breaking point by discovering the truth about his childhood and his mother's actions; his mistreatment by his fellow clowns; and ultimately, his failure on the Murray Franklin show. Even though the film is set in Gotham, and Thomas Wayne looms large in the background, there are only a few threads to link Joker to the future Batman. Phoenix is totally committed to Fleck, and there is no question his performance will be nominated for an Oscar (or, I guess it would be a huge surprise if he was not nominated), but I just didn't care. That was the only way I could explain it to my brother, I didn't care. What I saw was a man who was beaten, downtrodden, humiliated and he took his revenge by killing people and reveling in the violence. Meh.

10/13/19 Tender Mercies, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, 1983

Sometimes a movie doesn't need special effects, action scenes or over the top sex scenes. Tender Mercies is one of those movies. Written by Horton Foote (To Kill a Mockingbird), directed by Bruce Beresford (Breaker Morant, Driving Miss Daisy) and starring Robert Duvall, it takes the viewer on a quietly emotional journey that took me by surprise. Duvall is Mac Sledge, a washed up alcoholic country singer who finds a refuge with Rosa Lee (Tess Harper) and her son, Sonny. Rosa is a widow whose husband was killed in Vietnam. She lets Mac stay on her property in exchange for working on it. Mac has his demons, a failed marriage and hostile relationship to a popular country singer, Dixie (Betty Buckley), an uneven relationship with his daughter Sue Anne (Ellen Barkin) and his status as a has-been in the music world. Sonny battles the bullies at school over not having a dad (apparently the sacrifice of dying for your country wasn't enough for them) and Rosa tries to keep her gas station/motel going. Even though you kind of know that Mac and Rosa are going to get together, it's subtle and it just kind of happens, no big fireworks. Mac and Rosa get married; Mac and Sonny develop a close bond and Mac gets 're-discovered' by a local band. Duvall does his own singing in the film. Of course, you can't have all of these wonderful things happen without something to counterbalance it, so there is a tragedy, but even the tragedy is handled with reserve and restraint. It's like Mac and Rosa just absorb disappointment and sadness like body blows, but keep moving on, leaning on each other and their strong bonds and their faith. Duvall is terrifically understated and you really believe the chemistry between him and Tess Harper (who should have been nominated as Best Supporting Actress). I had no expectations of the movie, not being very familiar with it at all, but I really enjoyed it and if you're tired of CGI and/or superhero movies or just want to watch a human story, find Tender Mercies on Netflix or from the library.

10/19/19 Spider-Man: Far From Home, 2019, not yet nominated

Eh. Spider-Man: Far From Home is set after the Avengers' universe-splitting Endgame and the death of Iron Man (I'm so sorry if you haven't seen it yet, but seriously?) and Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is back at school. He and his classmates are off to Europe where they run into The Elementals and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). Honestly, I really didn't care. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I did like that Happy, Iron Man's bodyguard/chauffeur, makes more than a cameo. I never bought Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, I liked Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire (until Spider-Man 3, ugh). The movie was good, not great, and I would say you should see it if you're a megafan of the MCU or Spidey, but if you're ambivalent, give it a pass.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Avengers: Infinity Wars - no spoilers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4/16/18 The Black Panther, 2018

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

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

More nominated films Logan, Marshall, The Post, Victoria and Abdul

A few comments since the nominations came out on Tuesday. First, I have a lot of work to do ('work' probably isn't the right word, so let's just say, I'm behind the eight ball). There were some surprises for me: not more nominations for The Disaster Artist (does Hollywood not find The Room amusing?); no nominations for Murder on the Orient Express, when I thought it had better cinematography, sets and costumes than Victoria and Abdul; SHOCKED that Wonder Woman didn't any nominations, not for director, not for editing, nothing (okay, maybe I shouldn't be shocked, but it was a kick ass movie); I had hoped for more nominations for The Greatest Showman. Second, I feel like I should have a little footnote for the next several posts because my movie attendance has been sponsored by some great friends who bought me a three month Movie Pass, which lets me see one movie a day (if I actually could) for free at dozens of theaters. Such a great idea.

6/15/17 Logan, nominated Best Adapted Screenplay, 2017

I write this knowing full well that I may be in the minority, but I'll get over it. I was so excited to see Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in Logan, but then I heard it was heavy, and serious and so dramatic, and over two hours, I couldn't drag myself to the theater. I watched on the flight from New York to Barcelona (as one does) and it felt like the movie was longer than the flight, and I don't mean that it a good way. I fell asleep at one point. Wolverine is losing his powers, Professor X is fading fast and they're being hunted. There's a girl who has powers similar to Wolverine. Blah blah. I don't really know much else, except it was too long.

1/20/18 Marshall, Nominated Best Original Song, 2017

We need Thurgood Marshall as much today as back in the 1950s and 1960s. Marshall looks at one of Marshall's cases, when he was working for the NAACP, that was taking place in Connecticut. It might not have been as overtly racist as Mississippi, but there was definitely racism and anti-Semitism in the Northeast. Chadwick Boseman ( who also played Jackie Robinson and Black Panther) is Marshall, and is boisterous and brash and very confident, which is a little overwhelming for Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), the Jewish attorney who is 'sponsoring' Marshall (I think because Marshall was not licensed to practice in Connecticut) as well as for the judge (James Cromwell). They are representing Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown, "This is Us") who is accused of raping and attempting to kill a white woman. Marshall and Friedman come to an uneasy peace and try to figure out what Spell isn't telling them and how to get it across to a jury. It is not easy to see how this is going to turn out. The movie is good and hopefully inspired and/or educated people (it was released in the autumn, which is prime time for teachers to assign it for a class), but I didn't feel as inspired as when I watched Hidden Numbers or 42 or Selma. I think it's tough when you do a movie based on a real person or real events; there are certain expectations that an audience has. And something was missing for me; nothing to prevent me from recommending it, but I wanted more. It was nominated for Best Original Song "Stand Up For Something" and it is very good and did give me goosebumps.

1/21/18 The Post, Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress, 2017

I'm struggling with my feelings about The Post; I liked it, especially the last 25 minutes, but I really wanted to love it. The story that director Steven Spielberg tells about The Washington Post's publication of the Pentagon Papers, after The New York Times was served with an injunction to prevent them from publishing any more, is an undeniable example of freedom of the press, something under attack by the current administration. The movie tells two stories, really, one is of Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) running The Post, a rare role for a woman in the 1970s, and her struggle to make her voice heard amongst her many male advisors; and then the story of publishing the Pentagon Papers. Daniel Ellsberg made copies of The Pentagon Papers which were classified reports on America's involvement in the Vietnam War, unfavorable reports. Ellsberg gave much of the documentation to The New York Times, but turned to The Post after the injunction. Editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) is looking for a story and is anxious to get his hands on whatever The Times was working on. Something about the pacing of the movie bothered, maybe it was the way it bounced between Graham's personal life, life at the paper and the newsroom; it seemed uneven. The cast includes names you'll recognize, even if you don't recognize the actors under the makeup: Sarah Paulson, Bradley Whitford, Tracy Letts, Bruce Greenwood, David Cross and my favorite, Michael Stuhlbarg. I loved watching the process of writing, editing, setting the type, and then hitting the button for the massive machines to start printing. They don't do it like that anymore. There is the inevitable link to Watergate, and you can't help but make the connection between this and All The President's Men. The Post is an important and good film, a good history lesson, but I don't think it's the Best Picture, and I don't think Meryl Streep will win Best Actress. 



1/21/18 Victoria and Abdul, Nominated Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, 2017

Alas, here is another movie that is good and pretty to watch, but not great. It's being called a 'sequel' to Mrs. Brown, which also starred Judi Dench as Queen Victoria and another man, not her husband, who threatened the Royal Household. In this case, many years later, the man is Abdul (Ali Fazal), a Muslim Indian, who is brought to England as part of Victoria's Jubilee. He charms her, and she gives him more access, and asks him to teach her Urdu and the Qu'ran. It's not hard to imagine that this did not sit well with her family or advisors, including the Prince of Wales (Eddie Izzard) and her physician, Dr. Reid, who was very obstructionist. There were times that I felt the family/retinue were clownish exaggerations. Abdul's place in the Queen's retinue was hidden from history until recently when Abdul's papers were discovered, and I was interested in that. Judi Dench is wonderful, I mean, when isn't she? You can watch this on the small screen.

Current movies: Thor, Justice League and Murder on the Orient Express

It's around this time of year that I start to see current movies in preparation for the Oscars. It's frenzied and occasionally stressful. Well, I haven't gotten to the stressful part yet, but I have seen three new movies in three days. Since they are still pretty new, I will try not to give away any spoilers.

11/22/17 Thor: Ragnarok, not yet nominated, 2017

Is it just me, or did it take forever for this movie to come out? Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Norse god of thunder, returns after 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, trying to find the Infinity Stones. Unfortunately for Thor, but lucky for us, it's not quite that easy. Thor lands in Asgard looking for Odin, only to learn that mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) put Odin on Earth. As Loki and Thor have wonderful warm brotherly moment, we are introduced to Hela (Cate Blanchett), who they learn is the elder sister who has been imprisoned for being very naughty. Let's just say she has a helluva temper. She is set on destroying Asgard and Thor can't let that happen, but he faces an unexpected delay and detour in Sakaar, a world ruled by the Grandmaster (played wonderfully by Jeff Goldblum who was one of my picks for Dr. Strange). Grandmaster has gladiator-type fights with hapless lifeforms that have been picked up around the galaxy. His current champion is...well, if you haven't seen the previews, I'm not going to ruin it for you. One of my favorite new characters is also a gladiator, Korg, who kind of resembles The Thing (Korg is voiced by director Taika Waititi), and he's a fighter, but also kind and a little obtuse. You're wondering about "Ragnarok"? That pretty much means the end of the world, but you'll have to see for yourself. My brother saw this first and told me I would like it, but he thought parts were too jokey. I like a little humor with my comic book movies, but I agree, there were times it seemed to interrupt the momentum, but I got over that. I really enjoyed the movie. Cate Blanchett was AMAZING as Hela (I watched her at home the next day as Queen Elizabeth I and she was fabulous there as well), totally enjoying the life of a super villain. The story introduced the Valkyries (not quite as famous as the Amazons, but fierce women warriors) and gave Heimdall (Idris Elba) more of a role rather than just as a sentry. It was great, and it might even be super in 3D. Ohio native and member of Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh did the musical score. There is also a version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" which I seem to like better in the context of movie soundtracks (I also heard it recently re-watching Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Super hero movies always have the possibility of being nominated for special effects, production, costumes, hair and makeup, sound editing, etc.

11/23/17 Justice League, not yet nominated, 2017

I love the Justice League and its different incarnations in the animated world; the collection of characters and their super powers and the different personalities. So, I was cautiously optimistic at the mention of a live action version, until I learned which characters they were going to include and watched Batman v. Superman. Oh, this could be bad. I was not thrilled about the inclusion of Cyborg (as anyone heard of him outside of the Teen Titans on Cartoon Network?) and Aquaman (according to Raj from "The Big Bang Theory", "Aquaman sucks".). Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of the King of the Sea, but it seems to me hard to build a film around the aquatic world, and you're introducing three main/sort of main characters without a backstory. One of the big pluses, I think, was the incredible success of Wonder Woman this summer, it may have given some of us a reason to be hopeful if the new film focused on Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. The movie opened a week ago to reviews that ranged from tepid to awful, but I decided I wanted to see and judge for myself while it was still on the big screen. Was it as good as Thor: Ragnarok or Wonder Woman? Nah. Was it horrible? No. The movie picks up after Superman was killed in Batman v. Superman, and the world is in chaos, and it's more than Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman can handle on their own, and they go about assembling a group of gifted humans/meta humans (we got a glimpse of them in B v S), including Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher). They are joining to fight Steppenwolf, an ancient being who was vanquished millennia ago by a joint force of Atlantians, Amazonians, Green Lanterns and men of Earth (kind of Lord of the Rings - Two Towers) who returns to claim the mother boxes (similar to the Infinity Stones in the above-mentioned Thor/Avengers movies). I'll start off with what I didn't like: Aquaman (have I mentioned that?), he was mostly on land, what's the point of that? Since they mentioned the Green Lanterns, they could have re-introduced that element, which is such a rich universe to draw on. I wasn't thrilled with the time spent with Lois Lane and Mrs. Kent; Amy Adams, reprising her role, looked uncomfortable, like her shoes didn't fit or something. She is a great actress and this didn't seem worthy of her time. What I liked: the time spent on Themyscira with the Amazons, fierce and fearless; Wonder Woman stepping up as a leader and mediating force between the different egos (male) of the  new team; I apologize for my dissing of Cyborg, who added a lot to the team with his different skills and strengths; I liked the Flash and the way they portrayed his speed. I am not sure why Ben Affleck attracts so many haters for portraying Batman; I think he's fine, he's subtle, subdued, restrained; I think the problem is he is on the heels of Christian Bale and that's why people get so irate. Some critics didn't like the plot, or the lack of one; eh, I was entertained, which is what I ask for in my super hero movies: action, some good quips, and good effects. Danny Elfman. who has done the musical scores for several Batman, Spider-Man and many other action/super hero films, did the score.

11/24/17 Murder on the Orient Express, not yet nominated, 2017

#whatweretheythinking I'm not an Agatha Christie fanatic, but I would say I'm very familiar with her main characters, especially Hercule Poirot; I have watched most of the films based on her books, as well as the television series that have featured Joan Hickson who is the only Miss Marple as well as David Suchet, who is also the only Hercule Poirot (in the 1974 film, Albert Finney was Poirot), and I am currently re-reading all of her works, including her Mary Westmacott stories. So, I feel a little invested. I only wish Kenneth Branagh, who starred and directed, and Michael Green, who 'wrote' the screenplay, felt the same. I really thought the worst part was going to be the horrid moustaches that Branagh wore, mais non. The story starts in Jerusalem where Poirot is working on a case in the holy city; in a move that smacks of disrespect (and I honestly do not recall this form the book) is where Poirot cavalierly jams his walking stick into the Western Wall (it had bits of paper that contain messages from pilgrims to God); I'm pretty sure he would have been mobbed had he really done that, and Poirot always seems aware of his surroundings and the culture. Poirot and a cast of characters are on the Orient Express, departing from Istanbul. The passengers on the train are a collection of stars, new and old: Dame Judi Dench, Sir Derek Jacobi, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Leslie Odom, Jr., Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp, to name most of the cast. For the most part, Green sticks to the essence of the plot: Samuel Ratchett (Depp) is an abhorrent man, who lives by questionable means and is receiving anonymous death threats. Poirot declines Ratchett's request to find out who is threatening him; so it is a little ironic that Poirot becomes responsible to find the person who murders Ratchett, even as the train is stuck in the snow. Poirot interviews all of the passengers and uncovers bits about their past. Branagh has moments where he nails Poirot spot on, but not enough, and where he misses, to me, he misses by a wide margin. In the movie, Poirot is reading Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, which I have not read in a while, but I don't remember it being one of Dickens' knee slappers, but Poirot is seen reading it, and guffawing out loud. Soon after the train gets derailed, Poirot is walking along the top of the train. As Poirot often tells his friends, Japp and Hastings (not in this story), he does not need to go out and look for "the clues", he uses his little grey cells; there is no way in hell, Hercule Poirot is unnecessarily walking around on the roof of a snowbound train. There is a scene where Josh Gad's character, MacQueen, is running outside on a train trestle or bridge, and Poirot is chasing him? WHAT? And then falls through the floor and lands with a thump, and bounces right back up. To quote a friend of mine, AYFKMRN? On more than one occasion, Poirot is walking outside without his overcoat; he does not like to be cold, and yet, there he is, with no overcoat, no muffler, and no hat. Poirot does not get physical with suspects, that's not his thing; I also don't remember him waving a gun about, certainly nothing bigger than one of those little pistols that a lady might put in her handbag. Okay, enough bashing Poirot. The cast was fine; perhaps the most interesting thing was casting Leslie Odom Jr. as Dr. Arbuthnot. As I was mentioning to a friend, there are rarely people of color in Christie's stories unless they are servants or foreigners, so I didn't have any problem with casting Odom as a black doctor, and then having the uniqueness of the situation addressed in the script. I think Dame Judi had some of the biggest shoes, or white gloves, to fill, as Princess Dragomiroff, the role was originally played by Dame Wendy Hiller, who was amazing as the autocratic and unbending Russian Princess. Johnny Depp was fine (Richard Widmark played Ratchett in the 1974 film); it's a pretty limited role; Penelope Cruz as Pilar Estravados (in the same role, Ingrid Bergman was Greta Ohlsson in her Oscar winning role) was one of my favorite characters, she wasn't really as hysterical as the viewer might think. Apparently this ridiculous production and possible sequels have the blessing of Agatha Christie's great grandson, which is concerning. I recommend reading David Suchet's memoir Poirot and Me, and watch the other versions of Murder on the Orient Express.

Destination: Themyscira and Wonder Woman

6/11/17 Wonder Woman, 2017, not yet nominated

I realize I am very late to this Amazonian-sized party, but it's a party I want to join anyway. As a superhero movie, male or female, it is just super, fabulous, awesome. It had great action, cool effects, pretty good superhero dialog, which in my mind should have moments of double-entendres, sarcasm and humor, moments when you say (in your head or out loud) "holy shit that was epic". Gal Gadot is perfect as Diana/Wonder Woman, perfect like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The cast of Amazons, led by Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, Diana's mother and Queen of the Amazons and Robin Wright as Antiope, Diana's aunt and general of the army, and the rest of the women are fierce and athletic, and I could watch a movie of them doing their training and riding horses. The Amazons live on Themyscira, an island created by Zeus for them, and hidden away from the world of man. They have remained hidden until Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a captain in the United States Army who was on a spy mission in Germany. The movie is set during World War I, which is infamous for its barbaric trench warfare and poison gas, which plays a pivotal role in the film. Captain Trevor crashes a stolen German plane into the ocean near Themyscira and is rescued by Diana; while the Amazons take him in and treat his wounds, they are wary of what will follow him; which turns out to be German troops who come close to overwhelming the Amazons with their guns. Trevor needs to get to the outside world, back to London, and Diana wants to go with him, to help fight Ares (god of war), whom she believes is the cause of the war. If she leaves Themyscira, Diana is not allowed to return, but she feels it's her duty to help. Steve and Diana land in London, which allows for those funny fish out of water moments as Diana has to learn how to navigate in the society of humans, like, not waving her sword around, trying on 20th century London fashion. Steve wants to find the location of a poisonous gas being developed by Dr. Poison/Dr. Maru and that will be used by General Ludendorff (played evilly by Danny Huston). David Thewlis is Sir Patrick Morgan a British politician, supposedly working towards the armistice. Trevor, Diana and his friends Charlie, Sameer and Chief, embark on the mission to find Ludendorff, which takes them perilously through the trenches and no man's land (please appreciate the irony). Now, I'm getting perilously close to revealing spoilers, so I will stop. You'll want to see this anyway. I loved this movie, really loved it. Aside from the reasons I gave early on, it is so awesome to finally have a female-focused superhero movie (all props to Black Widow and Scarlett Johansson, but they never pulled it off where she's the star) with strong females throughout, even evil Dr. Maru. If you've read any of the articles since the movie came out, it has definitely resonated with audiences, and not just female audiences, although, I think we are reveling in it, for sure. Wonder Woman is physically strong, speaks hundreds of languages, but also (as Chris Pine himself pointed out) has an 'emotional intelligence' that most of the super heroes lack; she has brawn, brain and heart. There have been emails sent to the (female) director Patty Jenkins (who directed Monster, so she knows strong women) talking about the impact the film has had on kids, boys and girls. I look forward to Wonder Woman 2; yeah, I know Justice League is coming out, but then she's going to have share the screen.

It took a long time to get this movie, so I plan to enjoy it for all it's worth.

 

The Dark Knight, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 and 2016 nominee Tanna

5/13/17 The Dark Knight, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound Editing, 2008

I don't really have to recap the plot of The Dark Knight, do I? I'll just remind you this the movie with Heath Ledger in his posthumous-Oscar winning performance as The Joker. The Joker runs roughshod over Batman (Christian Bale), the various mobs/gangs in Gotham City and the police. Michael Caine reprises his role as butler, valet, confidante Alfred; and Morgan Freeman is the resourceful Mr. Fox, the inventor of Batman's suit and other gadgets. I don't have much of a synopsis since I think most of humanity has seen the movie. I liked it when it came out, and I still like it. This really is Heath Ledger's movie; I was looking back at the other nominees for Best Supporting Actor, and in my mind, the only other person close to winning was Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt; I did see Milk with Josh Brolin as Dan White, and I think I watched Revolutionary Road with Michael Shannon as John Givings, Jr., but I'm not 100% sure, but in any event, I don't think there was too much question that it was going to Ledger.

5/14/17 Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 2, not yet nominated, 2017

If you are one of the two or three thousand people in the universe who haven't seen Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 2, what are you waiting for? I admit, I did wait a week to avoid the oppressive crowds, but I did see it, in 3D, no less. It is what I think superhero movies should be: action-packed, great effects, funny in the face of danger, and a singable 1970s/80s soundtrack (maybe they should make a sing-along version of this like they did for Moana. Just a thought. When I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, vol. 1, my expectations were below sea level; I just went because my brother wanted to see a movie, and it turns out we loved it. My expectations for volume 2 were a lot higher, and I was not let down at all. Chris Pratt returns as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, leader of the ragtag defenders of the galaxy that include Gamora (Zoe Saldana); Rocket, the short, but feisty and technically adept raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper); Drax the Destroyer (David Bautista) who is the brawn in the group, but he can also be quite philosophical; and Baby Groot (who was voiced by Vin Diesel, which I couldn't tell, and I did have to laugh at the deep thoughts that went into the different ways he said "I am Groot" as if it was Hamlet). The Guardians start the film on a job, defending batteries that the Sovereigns (a gold-tinged people with aspirations of perfections, or a belief that they are pretty perfect) need to survive; once they do that, in exchange they get Nebula (Karen Gill), Gamora's sister, to turn in for a bounty. The problems start when Rocket steals several of the batteries and incurs the wrath of the Sovereigns. Yondu (the blue guy who was Quill's mentor for a while) and his crew are in trouble with their community of Ravagers, led by Stakar Ogord (played by Sylvester Stallone), and they take the Sovereigns' offer to capture Quill and the others. This leads to a lot of space chases, and hops or jumps through different galaxies. Their ship crashes and Rocket stays behind with Baby Groot (and Nebula) to fix it, while Quill, Gamora and Drax go off with Ego and Mantis who have appeared to rescue them. Ego (Kurt Russell who still has the best hair in movies) takes them back to his planet and well, to tell you any more if you haven't seen the film, might spoil it. I will leave it here. I did love Baby Groot; he was so cute; but I liked all of the characters, really. I am pretty sure there will be nominations for production design, costume and makeup, sound editing, and I'm glad I saw it on the big screen. The 3D was nice, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed the movie without it.

5/21/17 Tanna, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2016

Oh my gosh. I loved this movie. Loved it and want to tell you to get it from Netflix or the library and enjoy it because I don't think there are very many movies quite like it. The film is an Australian production, but was filmed in Nauvhal and Nafe, languages spoken on the island of Tanna, part of Vanuatu. It was also acted by members of the tribes, and (according to the special features) much of the dialog was improvised by the actors based on what would have really happened in a particular situation. The movie was also based on a true story that happened back in 1987 when two young lovers (cue the similarities to Romeo and Juliet) go against their tribal leaders' plan to marry Wawa (a young girl, granddaughter of the tribal Shaman) to a member of a rival tribe, even though the marriage will calm the tense relations between the Yakel people and the Imedin (I hope I'm remembering that right) people. Wawa and Dain (grandson of the chief) run away, and when faced with the hopelessness of their situation, they take their own lives. This senseless loss of life brings the tribes together to re-examine their stance against 'love marriage', and the Yakel chief makes a plea to all to consider the young people and the future of the tribes and their ways. The people featured in the film still live a very basic lifestyle, wearing clothes they make from the vegetation around them, no electricity (when the filmmakers world-premiered the movie here, it was the first time they had ever seen a movie), still honoring the customs of their ancestors. Just on the other side of the island, it's a different world. All of the 'actors' were spectacular, but I was drawn to Wawa's little sister, Selin, who had an infectious personality; she was charming, but vexatious, full of life, and pretty fearless for such a young girl (maybe 8 or 9). I was captivated every time she was on screen. The scenery was breathtaking, there were shots of a volcano, and knowing that it was all natural, no CGI here, made it more spectacular. The music included a lot of vocalizations by Lisa Gerrard, and they fit they mood perfectly. Honestly, I know a lot of people may not even have this film on their radar, and I wouldn't have if it had not been nominated for an Oscar, but I am so glad I did. I found myself just loving this movie for so many different reasons, and eager to write about it (which has not happened in several weeks). There is nudity, but it's not gratuitous, it's just how it is there; I only mention it in case that may be an issue for you. This year's Oscar nominations had a fair number of 'surprises' for me (I only have four movies left to see), and this is one of them.

A weekend of movies: Suicide Squad, When Harry Met Sally, the original Ghostbusters, Terminator

12/31/16 Suicide Squad, 2016 not yet nominated

Ambivalent, half-hearted, reluctant. There are the words I would use to describe my feelings about watching Suicide Squad. I believe it was while waiting for Batman versus Superman that my brother and I saw the trailer, and he asked me what I thought. I said "I think it's stupid". That may sound harsh, and I may modify it a bit, but not much. Perhaps this gives you an idea of what I thought: around the middle of the movie I said to my friends, "All I can think about is pancakes." My hosts did nothing to help my craving.

Here is what I did like: there were probably more strong, leading female characters than I recall seeing in any other super hero movie, Marvel or DC, including Amanda Waller (Viola Davis channeling her ruthless side); Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn (who was so good I think I recall reading she may get her own stand alone movie), Cara Delevingne as Enchantress (who was terrible, by the way); and Karen Fukuhara as Katana (who intrigued me and I would like to see more). I also liked seeing so many characters with whom I was not familiar, including El Diablo and Killer Croc. I also liked seeing a different aspect of Will Smith's acting as Deadshot, another character I kind of liked. Oh, and as my young friend mentioned, the soundtrack was pretty good.

What I didn't like: a lot of the acting and writing was really not very good, even for a superhero movie. The actor playing Rick Flag, Joel Kinnaman was not great. Jared Leto took a big chance, playing the first Joker incarnation since Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar, and it's hard to judge the portrayal in a vacuum; essentially, he creeped me out and I thought he was more of a distraction to the story line than a bonus.

I only paid a dollar to watch it, so I may have gotten off cheaper than most people, and the only reason I wanted to see it was in case it was nominated for any effects Oscars and in case the spinoff movies are forthcoming.

12/31/16 When Harry Met Sally, 1989

As I was watching this with my friends on New Year's Eve, we were sure this won an Oscar for something, or was on the National Film Registry. It had to be; hell, The Breakfast Club is on the National Film Registry. But no, it's not on any of my lists. We were shocked. We had seen the movie before, but it has been about ten years for me, and unlike a lot of movies, it holds up twenty five years later. The writing from Nora Ephron, Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal is so good at portraying the relationship between men and women (is there a gay version, because that could be funny too). Reiner directed and kept the movie at a good pace; I never felt we stayed in one place for too long. Billy Crystal as Harry Burns is cynical, sarcastic, jaded, but also hilarious; and Meg Ryan, America's sweetheart, was a good sparring partner as Sally Albright. These two are so perfect together as actors, that as viewers you yell at the screen telling them to figure it out. It was a little bitter sweet watching this though, because Carrie Fisher is Sally's best friend, Marie, who marries Harry's best friend, Jess. We first meet Harry and Sally as they leave college and Chicago and head east to New York. They begin their relationship debating whether men and women can just be friends, or does it have to end in sex, and maybe dating (although, not a necessary component). It follows the pair over several years as they meet at different times before reconnecting as 'friends'. Intercut in the movie are interviews with older people, some of whom have been married for decades, and those scenes are fun to watch. I don't know if Billy Crystal is as appreciated as he should be for his incredible talent; back in the 1980s and parts of the 1990s, he had quite a streak going: movies, hosting the Oscars, live shows. Meg Ryan was no slouch either. Definitely glad I watched it again. And now I would like some pecan pie.

1/1/17 In Darkness, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, 2011 

In Darkness is not the movie to watch if you're looking for whimsy or levity, but director Agnieszka Holland's film about Polish Jews hiding in the sewer system during the Holocaust shows us another story, and a true story at that. In Lvov, Poland, Jews are being harassed, tortured, killed in the streets and those that aren't killed outright, are sent to camps. There is a small group who decide to try and tunnel into the sewer system to hide. As they dig their entrance, they encounter Leopold Socha, a plumber who has a side business stealing and hiding his loot in the sewers. At first he agrees to help them hide if they agree to pay him, but after a while, it stops becoming about business and becomes about humanity, theirs and his. He does this at the risk of his and his family's life, as well as those he is aiding. It is a very hard movie to watch, visually, because so much is 'in darkness', underground, and the topic is very heartbreaking, and for me, it makes me angry and sad, and I felt very tense, until the end. I've only seen three of the nominated films for this year, including the winner A Separation, which I thought was very good, and Monsieur Lazhar which broke my heart. I know a lot of people avoid foreign films in general, and Holocaust movies in particular, but if you can, I recommend watching all three of them (although, not in a row, that's too much). Holland also directed Europa, Europa, another Oscar nominated film set during the Holocaust.

1/1/17 The Night of the Iguana, Best Costume Design, 1964

I love Richard Burton, he could be reading the phone book, and I'd still listen, enthralled, but I could not deal with him, Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr in the John Huston-directed The Night of the Iguana. I was telling a friend it was just too much yelling, and he said, it's Tennessee Williams, what do you expect? Burton is a shamed priest who is hiding out in Mexico giving cheap tours, and during the film, he happens to be taking out a nice ladies church group, with a lovely young lady among them. She makes some moves on him, and he struggles against all of his inner demons to control himself. After that, I actually started drifting in and out and could not bring myself to re-watch what I missed (which I usually do). All I could think of was when I watched Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? also with Burton as well as Elizabeth Taylor, and the yelling. Is that what 1950s drama was all about? I'm sorry if I've offended any theatrical sensibilities, but consider this one crossed off the list.

1/1/17 Ghostbusters, 1984 National Film Registry

So, I watched the original Ghotsbusters for the very first time ever. Apparently that just surprises people. I'm sorry, but I didn't love it. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I laughed harder at the remake, but that may have been because I really wanted the remake to succeed. Anyway, we s lowly get introduced to the ghostbusting team, which is Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), Peter Venkman (Billy Murray) and Ray Stantz (Dan Ackroyd). Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) seeks the help of the ghostbusters, but gets extra attention from Venkman. Rick Moranis is Louis Tully, kind of a nudgenick, who would love to get to know Dana better, but instead gets possessed by a demon, the Keymaster; Dana is also possessed by the demon, Zuul. The Ghostbusters, plus their new member, Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), fight the demons, pretty much destroying the city in the process. There is something about movies like Ghostbusters, The Terminator or When Harry Met Sally, that if you know anything about cultural references, you know something about these movies, they are part of our collective cultural history. If someone says "Who ya gonna call?" You say "Ghostbusters". You might not even know why. I may not have loved it, but I did appreciate finally seeing it, and seeing/hearing the references in their context. And you get a sense of the immense comedic talent on the screen (I did forget to mention Annie Potts was hilarious as the less than helpful secretary, Janine Melnitz). I'm reviewing this because it's on the National Film Registry, because most of you have probably already seen it.

1/2/17 The Terminator, 1984 National Film Registry

I honestly do not remember watching this before, but I did watch Terminator 2, and you would have thought that I would have watched 1 before 2, but I guess not. This is not a great movie; the acting is terrible, it's like a bunch of amateurs, but, like a friend said, it sets the table for the rest of the franchise. Arnold Schwartzenegger is the Terminator of the title, and is his most iconic role (sorry for those of you that thought it was Conan the Barbarian), and he is after Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Poor Sarah has no clue what's happening, especially after Reese (Michael Biehn) also starts chasing her, but to protect her. Reese and the Terminator have come form the future to prevent something from happening in the future. Does your head hurt? Yeah, don't think about it. Just enjoy the special effects (which do seem a little dated thirty years later), and enjoy this as one of James Cameron's short movies, and less pretentious to boot.

Saved by Spider-Man after Blue Velvet and Leaving Las Vegas

11/26/16 Blue Velvet, 1986 #60 BBC

Many people claim this to be one of David Lynch's best films. I'm not expert enough to say that. I will say there were some intriguing moments, well-laid out elements of film noir, but at the end of the day, I really didn't like it. I thought Dennis Hopper's sadistic character of Frank was way over the top; perhaps crazy sadists are like that, I don't know. It did put Hopper back in the public eye. I think Lynch lost me at the beginning when Jeffrey's (Kyle MacLachlan) father is stung (I think) by something and falls down and is then hospitalized with some pretty devastating injuries. It made no sense, and from that point (which was really like five minutes into the movie) I was really skeptical about everything. I'm not a huge fan of Isabella Rossellini who played Dorothy Vallens, the femme fatale and whipping girl of Frank Booth, and object of lust for Jeffrey. I don't think she's a great actress, and she seems to overdo everything here. This was more time than I planned to spend on a movie I didn't like. I don't have the energy to give you anything else. If you like sado-masochism, you'll probably enjoy this.

11/27/16 Spider-Man 2, Best Visual Effects, 2004

"Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can." Spider-Man is omnipresent in the Marvel universe; whenever I go through my comic books looking for photo opportunities, I find that I have a lot of Spider-Man comics, almost more than any other. I think that's because the Spider-Man of the comics and the animated series is fun, filled with action and a wonderful palette of villains. Sadly, I don't think that always translates so well on the big screen (or as well and as amazing as I would like); it might be a case of being spoiled with too many options. Having said all of that, I did enjoy watching Toby McGuire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the second film of this particular franchise. In the story, Peter finds it very difficult to find that work/super hero balance that every masked hero desires. He is falling behind in school, not keeping up with photo ops for The Daily Bugle, or his promises to his friend/girlfriend, Mary Jane (Kristen Dunst). Peter also gets the opportunity to meet one of his heroes, Dr. Otto Octavius/Dr. Ock (Alfred Molina) who creates, and is later taken over by his own invention. Of course, the mad scientist wreaks havoc on New York and Peter's personal life as his beloved Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Mary Jane are threatened. So, Spider-Man is back in action. Not only does Spider-Man have to battle Doc Ock, but he has to fight Harry Osborn (James Franco), who is Peter's best friend, but who has sworn to destroy Spider-Man. The effects and action sequences are great, and still hold up ten years later (so much has changed in visual effects, you never know if they'll look dated). Personally, I don't think McGuire/Parker is as wise-cracking as I would like and what I'm used to, I think Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man got better lines and was more Spidey than McGuire's version. I also think the problem/challenge with introducing new villains all the time (this is true for any super hero movie) is that sometimes so much time is spent on the origin story of the villain, there isn't enough time left for the good stuff; and since there's a new villain all the time, this happens with every new film. I  like origin stories, but sometimes it seems like a vicious cycle. I think that's why I still like the animated versions of the super hero universe, because they are shorter stories, that pack a lot into each episode. This may make sense only to people who watch too many super hero movies and television shows (which is not a bad thing at all).

11/28/16 Leaving Las Vegas, Best Actor, 1995

Sometimes I think there is a reason I didn't see a movie when it first came out. This is one of those times. Nicholas Cage won the Best Actor for his role as Ben Sanderson a writer whose life has been taken over by his alcoholism and desire for self-destruction. Between this movie and Blue Velvet, I kind of found myself wallowing in the cesspool of human frailties. Elisabeth Shue is Sera, a prostitute who forms a not all together healthy relationship with Ben. I almost turned off the movie, which I try not to do, to honor the list, but I was close. The last twenty minutes were some of the best acted and intense scenes I have watched; why I had to slog through the earlier scenes, I'll never know. This is another movie that I do not have the interest to review more in depth or offer any other insight (limited as it is).

Sometimes I just try to get through the list. This entry is an example of that.

Remaining on the list:
Oscar winners: 765
AFI 100: 4
BBC 100: 26
National Film Registry: 500

Review of Dr. Strange, A Braveheart: the Lizzie Velasquez Story and Truth

11/11/16 A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story, 2015

Full disclosure - I supported this project on Kickstarter back in 2014. Lizzie Velasquez is a young woman who was very cruelly identified on Youtube as 'The World's Ugliest Woman' in a posting that went viral and was filled with abominable comments. Most people would have been devastated and hid themselves away. If you watch this documentary you will quickly learn that Lizzie is not like most people. When Lizzie was born, she was very, very tiny, and the doctors and her parents noticed very early on that she was not gaining weight the way she should, but they couldn't figure out why. For over 25 years, Lizzie was undiagnosed, but during the movie, she and her family do receive a diagnosis, one that removes the feelings of guilt her mother has carried for all of these years. Lizzie and her family developed ways to deal with teasing at school; and Lizzie made friends on her own merits (trying out and making the cheer squad much against her mother's fears of rejection). Lizzie fought back against the online bully by creating her own Youtube channel, which then led to a TEDtalk, which then led to speaking engagements around the country. There are so many things that I loved about this documentary: first of all, Lizzie herself, she is an indomitable spirit, who can laugh at herself, has a loving and strong relationship with her family (her parents are gems); the anti-bullying message is not a peripheral issue, it is prominent and honest and painful; and I think it is a great educational opportunity for kids and parents on dealing with people who are different from them in some ways, but not different in others. When Lizzie gives her talks, she stresses to the audiences that the power to change, to be beautiful, to be strong, is within them, which is a message I like to hear; Lizzie's messages of kindness are even more important now. I encourage you to watch this with your kids; if you're a teacher, maybe you could watch it with your students, I think it is really imperative to see this film (with or without kids).


11/12/16 Truth, 2015

I was very interested in seeing Truth starring Robert Redford as Dan Rather and Cate Blanchett as Mary Mapes, a television news producer. Rather, Mapes and their research team were the focus of the news after issues with their story on President George W. Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard. The story became about the documents used in the story, as opposed to what President Bush did or didn't do. It was a behind the scenes look at how a news organization does research, checking sources, verifying the documents (I did not know that they had document researches), the politics behind the news. The movie follows the story of the the Killian documents (these are the documents that showed the favorable treatment that superior officers were allegedly asked to show George W. Bush), the research done, politics within CBS news/60 Minutes, to the implosion of the news team. I watched All the President's Men (also starring Redford) not too long ago, and I still had Oscar-winner Spotlight in the back of my head, so I felt something was missing here. It wasn't in the performances, but maybe the story. It was a huge deal when it happened back in 2004, but that was twelve years ago, and the anger I might have felt politically at John Kerry losing the presidential race to Bush was gone. And when I compare the current presidential situation with the one from 2004, 2004 seems to pale. Normally I say truth is better than fiction, but "Newsroom" is a fast-paced, current (relatively), biting television series that you can now get on DVD (and probably online).

11/13/16 Dr. Strange, 2016 not yet nominated

I just saw Dr. Strange today, in 3D, and the quick review is: I loved it. I almost never do 3D because I'm cheap and most times, I don't think it's necessary. I  enjoyed the effects tremendously, and I feel like the movie will be nominated for visual effects and production awards. Benedict Cumberbatch is spot on as Dr. Stephen Strange, a world-renowned, egotistical surgeon, who seems to only take cases that can increase his fame. He's and ass, personally and professionally, and when he has an accident (that he caused - don't look at your phone when driving!) that irreparably damages his hands, he alternates between self-pity and anger with the one person who wants to help him, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams)  before heading to Nepal in a desperate attempt to heal. He meets mystics/sorcerers Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and learns humility and to control his hubris, oh and how to do astral projection. The Ancient One and other mystics need help fighting Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a sorcerer who has gone to the dark side. The world of the magical arts works in parallel with the world of super heroes, like the Avengers, but they are different, so a lot of people may not be familiar with Dr. Strange; and the movie isn't the big explosion-driven fair that you might be used to, but that doesn't mean there isn't action. There is plenty of action, but balanced with sorcery, and you may be in a different place in the multiverse. Did I lose you? Yeah, I lost me too, I try not to think too much and just enjoy. Cumberbatch is great, and I loved Swinton as the Ancient One (there was some controversy because an Asian actor was not used, and I appreciate that, but she nailed it, I think), and I liked the idea of a woman being the Ancient One; along those lines, I would have liked to have seen perhaps Michelle Yeoh or Zhang Ziyi as the Ancient One. Mikkelsen may be more familiar to American audiences as a bad guy ("Hannibal", Le Chiffre in Casino Royale) and he doesn't disappoint (although, he can do far more, and is superb in The Hunt), he is a strong sorcerer and seemingly unbeatable. The effects are mind-blowing, and I felt transported as buildings tipped and rotated and blended into themselves, like an Escher drawing on steroids. I love that Marvel/Disney are making movies about characters that we may not know as well as Captain America, Iron Man and The Hulk, like the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Dead Pool and Dr. Strange. If you're skeptical, just go. You can thank me later.