Amy, Jack, and I loved this musical, based on the life and career of circus creator P.T. Barnum in 1800s New York with the theme of yearning for acceptance. Hugh Jackman has been wanting to make this for years and he's spectacular in the lead (he was last blogged for Logan), dancing and singing new, 21st century style songs written for the movie by the lyricists from La La Land. Michelle Williams (most recently in Wonderstruck) is sweet as Barnum's patient wife Charity--she can sing, too, but if you saw My Week with Marilyn you would know that. We already knew that Zac Efron (last blogged for The Paperboy) and Zendaya (at 21 years old she's been recording since her debut on Kidz Bop in 2010) can sing--they play Phillip and Anne. But did you know that she did all her own trapeze stunts and he did many of his? Here she is talking about it with Jimmy Fallon. Rebecca Ferguson (most recently in Florence Foster Jenkins) studied music, but the songs she sings in the role of Jenny Lind (known as the greatest singer of the time) are dubbed by Loren Allred (a contestant on The Voice). Props to the pipes of Keala Seattle (played Sharon in Ricki and the Flash) as Lettie, the bearded lady. And all of the above can act up a storm as well. The cast has nearly 200 people.
Michael Gracey, a visual effects supervisor, makes his directorial debut, working from a story by Jenny Bicks and co-written by her (she wrote 16 episodes of Sex and the City, ten of The Big C, and was series creator of Men in Trees) and Bill Condon (Oscar winner for adapting Gods and Monsters (1998) which he directed, nominated for adapting Chicago (2002) which he didn't; he also wrote Kinsey (2004) and Dreamgirls (2006), both of which he directed).
The sparkling cinematography by Seamus McGarvey (last blogged for Anna Karenina) is supplemented by the work of many special effects companies.
I was curious about the choreography, with many numbers punctuated by Jackman et al throwing their arms triumphantly out to the sides. La La Land had one choreographer and two assistants. This has Matthieu Leopold (three Dancing with the Stars final episodes to his name, two of which had the word "aerialist" in them), buried in the Stunts list. The early sequence with Jackman and Williams dancing on the rooftop with her skirt twirling is but one of many marvelous routines.
The songs are terrific and you can stream a playlist on youtube (until it gets taken down for copyright reasons). Before writing the lyrics to La La Land, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote a few songs for the TV series Smash, which I loved. Two of my favorites from this one are This Is Me (nominated for Critics Choice and Golden Globe awards so far), which is about unapologetically being yourself, and Rewrite the Stars, which is about taking control of your destiny regardless of society. Both final versions are included in the playlist above, but here's tape of a stirring studio rehearsal of This Is Me featuring Seattle. John Debney (who scored Home Again) and Joseph Trapanese (who wrote the non-N.W.A. music in Straight Outta Compton) provide some background music but you're unlikely to remember it. I don't.
The last Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus shows were in May 2017.
I think Broadway would do well to make this into a live stage show. Get Julie Taymor or someone to do the elephants! Perhaps the Rotten Tomatoes critics' average of 55 will be a deterrent. Broadway producers and you should pay attention instead to the audience average of 90%. The Hollywood Foreign Press has also nominated this for a Best Picture Musical or Comedy Golden Globe.
We saw this on Christmas day, the twelfth time the three of us have seen a movie on December 25. You know how I like lists, so here's our history: 2006 Dreamgirls, 2007 Walk Hard, 2008 Cadillac Records, 2009 Nine, 2010 The Fighter, 2011 We Bought a Zoo, 2012 Django Unchained, 2013 The World's End (streamed at home; our first choice American Hustle was sold out and that's the last Christmas we showed up without buying advance tickets), 2014 Into the Woods, 2015 Joy, and 2016 La La Land.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Downsizing (2017)
I was eager to see this story of humans who shrink themselves to live in a community more sustainable than our current society but its mad mood swings from comedy to drama are a bit hard to take. Matt Damon (last blogged for Suburbicon) does his darndest as our hero Paul and Christoph Waltz (most recently in The Legend of Tarzan) is pretty funny as the hedonistic Dusan (DUE-shan). The first trailer we saw for this featured Kristen Wiig (last in Ghostbusters) as Paul's wife Audrey but we guessed, even before the second trailer confirmed it, that she wouldn't "downsize" with Paul. Hong Chau (no newcomer, she's been in several projects, including Inherent Vice and all but one episode of Big Little Lies season 1) has been nominated for three Best Supporting Actress awards already (here's the running list), but, frankly, her character of Ngoc Lan bugged me--shrill, bossy, and no fun. Fun fact, the voice on the phone who says "Do you think moss is pretty?" is Mary Kay Place.
Director/co-writer Alexander Payne was Oscar-nominated for directing his last movie Nebraska, very clearly a dramedy (he's had three other Oscar nominations and two wins), so we expected more. There's a lot there but it lacks cohesion. Nor can we solely blame co-writer Jim Taylor, who shared one win (for Sideways (2004) and two of the nominations (for co-writing Election (1999) and producing The Descendants), and also co-wrote Citizen Ruth (1996), About Schmidt (2002), and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007), all with Payne, among Taylor's credits.
The original music by Rolfe Kent (scored Labor Day) can be streamed on spotify. That link doesn't include the 40 some songs played throughout the movie. One song egregiously missing from the final cut is Talking Heads' Once in a Lifetime, so humorously placed in all trailers.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are lukewarm at best, averaging 51%, while its audiences, averaging 25%, were represented by the folks at our screening last week, who were antsy and talkative every time the laughs died down.
Another milestone! In early November I celebrated the 1000th movie posted on the blog. That number included posts summarizing nineteen movies that I saw before I began writing on September 3, 2008. This movie, which we saw on December 23, 2017, marks 1000 movies actually seen in about 485 weeks (3393 days, but who's counting?). I keep track of the numbers on my alphabetical index. Thanks for reading!
Director/co-writer Alexander Payne was Oscar-nominated for directing his last movie Nebraska, very clearly a dramedy (he's had three other Oscar nominations and two wins), so we expected more. There's a lot there but it lacks cohesion. Nor can we solely blame co-writer Jim Taylor, who shared one win (for Sideways (2004) and two of the nominations (for co-writing Election (1999) and producing The Descendants), and also co-wrote Citizen Ruth (1996), About Schmidt (2002), and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007), all with Payne, among Taylor's credits.
The original music by Rolfe Kent (scored Labor Day) can be streamed on spotify. That link doesn't include the 40 some songs played throughout the movie. One song egregiously missing from the final cut is Talking Heads' Once in a Lifetime, so humorously placed in all trailers.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are lukewarm at best, averaging 51%, while its audiences, averaging 25%, were represented by the folks at our screening last week, who were antsy and talkative every time the laughs died down.
Another milestone! In early November I celebrated the 1000th movie posted on the blog. That number included posts summarizing nineteen movies that I saw before I began writing on September 3, 2008. This movie, which we saw on December 23, 2017, marks 1000 movies actually seen in about 485 weeks (3393 days, but who's counting?). I keep track of the numbers on my alphabetical index. Thanks for reading!
Friday, December 29, 2017
Wonder Wheel (2017)
Despite its glorious Vittorio Storaro cinematography and a stalwart job by Kate Winslet as a neurotic waitress in 1950s Coney Island, Woody Allen's pacing dragged at times. Jack and I are predisposed to like his work, while not celebrating him as a human being. More on that in a moment.
Winslet (last blogged for The Dressmaker) as Ginny, in her first Allen outing, nails the fast-talking unhinged heroine we've come to expect from the director/writer, and Jim Belushi (his many credits include 33 episodes of Saturday Night Live (1983-1985), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), About Last Night... (1986), cameo in The Ghost Writer, and six episodes of Good Girls Revolt as national editor Wick McFadden) does the same as her schlemiel of a husband, nicknamed Humpty. Weaker links are Justin Timberlake (most recently in Inside Llewyn Davis) as handsome lifeguard Mickey and Juno Temple (covered in Killer Joe) as Humpty's daughter Carolina.
As I said, we have both tended to like Allen's work. He makes a new movie every year--2016's was Café Society. Hollywood's society is in upheaval now, as people of both genders are accusing sexual transgressors, causing careers to crumble. And this current climate has inspired me to look a little more deeply into Allen, who is, as Jack quipped, an early adopter of sexual misconduct. Allen's adopted daughter Dylan Farrow's essay accusing him of molesting her in 1993 when she was 7 was published by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nicholas Kristof in his blog on 2/1/14. To be honest, I did hear in the 1990s about Mia Farrow's bringing a custody suit against him on that basis, but I wasn't convinced he was guilty and did not boycott his movies, which I had always loved (my regular readers may remember that I have grudgingly praised the work of Mel Gibson even though he's been definitively outed as an anti-Semite and accused of partner assault). This week I read a rebuttal Allen wrote for the New York Times opinion section on 2/7/14, as well as Maureen Orth's Vanity Fair article, also published on 2/7/14. And then I read an article from last year by Dylan's brother, journalist Ronan Farrow, who is Allen's biological son, originally named Satchel Ronan O'Sullivan Farrow for baseball great Satchel Paige and Mia's mother Maureen O'Sullivan. I am most definitely a feminist and fully understand how difficult it is for victims to come forward. All that being said, I am also a lover of the art of filmmaking and don't do much boycotting. It should be noted that I commented in 2010, in a post about You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, that I didn't approve of Allen's incestuous choice of mate (his stepdaughter and current wife Soon-Yi Previn, 35 years his junior).
On to lighter topics. Storaro (covered in Café Society) bathes Winslet's dyed-orange hair in orange light to wonderful effect (here are examples one and two) and, along with production designer Santo Loquasto, could be eligible for an award or two if Allen's notoriety doesn't get in the way.
Winslet (last blogged for The Dressmaker) as Ginny, in her first Allen outing, nails the fast-talking unhinged heroine we've come to expect from the director/writer, and Jim Belushi (his many credits include 33 episodes of Saturday Night Live (1983-1985), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), About Last Night... (1986), cameo in The Ghost Writer, and six episodes of Good Girls Revolt as national editor Wick McFadden) does the same as her schlemiel of a husband, nicknamed Humpty. Weaker links are Justin Timberlake (most recently in Inside Llewyn Davis) as handsome lifeguard Mickey and Juno Temple (covered in Killer Joe) as Humpty's daughter Carolina.
As I said, we have both tended to like Allen's work. He makes a new movie every year--2016's was Café Society. Hollywood's society is in upheaval now, as people of both genders are accusing sexual transgressors, causing careers to crumble. And this current climate has inspired me to look a little more deeply into Allen, who is, as Jack quipped, an early adopter of sexual misconduct. Allen's adopted daughter Dylan Farrow's essay accusing him of molesting her in 1993 when she was 7 was published by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nicholas Kristof in his blog on 2/1/14. To be honest, I did hear in the 1990s about Mia Farrow's bringing a custody suit against him on that basis, but I wasn't convinced he was guilty and did not boycott his movies, which I had always loved (my regular readers may remember that I have grudgingly praised the work of Mel Gibson even though he's been definitively outed as an anti-Semite and accused of partner assault). This week I read a rebuttal Allen wrote for the New York Times opinion section on 2/7/14, as well as Maureen Orth's Vanity Fair article, also published on 2/7/14. And then I read an article from last year by Dylan's brother, journalist Ronan Farrow, who is Allen's biological son, originally named Satchel Ronan O'Sullivan Farrow for baseball great Satchel Paige and Mia's mother Maureen O'Sullivan. I am most definitely a feminist and fully understand how difficult it is for victims to come forward. All that being said, I am also a lover of the art of filmmaking and don't do much boycotting. It should be noted that I commented in 2010, in a post about You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, that I didn't approve of Allen's incestuous choice of mate (his stepdaughter and current wife Soon-Yi Previn, 35 years his junior).
On to lighter topics. Storaro (covered in Café Society) bathes Winslet's dyed-orange hair in orange light to wonderful effect (here are examples one and two) and, along with production designer Santo Loquasto, could be eligible for an award or two if Allen's notoriety doesn't get in the way.
No composer, just songs, as usual. Most sites mention Jo Stafford's You Belong to Me from 1952 as the theme song here but to my mind it's The Mills Brothers' Coney Island Washboard Roundelay that I'm still singing to myself.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences have excoriated this picture, averaging 30 and 48%, respectively. Don't confuse this with three other "wonder" movies from this fall: Wonder, Wonderstruck, Wonder Woman, and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. Wait to see it on free cable and look at the beautiful images.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences have excoriated this picture, averaging 30 and 48%, respectively. Don't confuse this with three other "wonder" movies from this fall: Wonder, Wonderstruck, Wonder Woman, and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. Wait to see it on free cable and look at the beautiful images.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
We didn't hate this lushly produced story of Charles Dickens' struggle with writers' block and fear of debt in order to come up with A Christmas Carol in six weeks in 1843. Dan Stevens (last blogged for Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer), as Dickens, plays many scenes for laughs, though his awareness of the less fortunate and his own past are quite serious. Christopher Plummer (most recently in these pages for Danny Collins) is implacable as Dickens' imaginary Scrooge. Pivotal to the plot is Dickens' father John, played with abandon by the reliable Jonathan Pryce (profiled in Dough), and a few choice scenes feature Simon Callow (last in Victoria & Abdul) as illustrator Mr. Leech and the venerable, petite Miriam Margolyes (over 150 credits, including The Age of Innocence (1993), Sunshine (1999), Being Julia (2004), The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), three Harry Potters as Professor Sprout, and The Guilt Trip) as Mrs. Fisk.
Director Bharat Nalluri (helmed the excellent HBO mini-series Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, among others) works from a script by Susan Coyne (some TV including two episodes of Mozart in the Jungle) who adapted Les Standiford's 2011 novel.
The cinematography is quite pretty, shot in Ireland by Ben Smithard, just blogged for Goodbye Christopher Robin.
The music is good, too, by Mychael Danna (most recently in these pages for scoring Life of Pi, but it's been a challenge to stream it from youtube while writing this because there are ads every few tracks. Here's one playlist (I keep the youtube stream open in its own window so I can click "skip ad" each time).
Unusually so, Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are more enthusiastic than Jack and I are, averaging 80 and 82%, respectively. Its last screening in this area was today. and it's expected to be available for streaming and buying in February. Maybe next holiday season you can watch it for free somewhere.
Director Bharat Nalluri (helmed the excellent HBO mini-series Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, among others) works from a script by Susan Coyne (some TV including two episodes of Mozart in the Jungle) who adapted Les Standiford's 2011 novel.
The cinematography is quite pretty, shot in Ireland by Ben Smithard, just blogged for Goodbye Christopher Robin.
The music is good, too, by Mychael Danna (most recently in these pages for scoring Life of Pi, but it's been a challenge to stream it from youtube while writing this because there are ads every few tracks. Here's one playlist (I keep the youtube stream open in its own window so I can click "skip ad" each time).
Unusually so, Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are more enthusiastic than Jack and I are, averaging 80 and 82%, respectively. Its last screening in this area was today. and it's expected to be available for streaming and buying in February. Maybe next holiday season you can watch it for free somewhere.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
The Shape of Water (2017)
This story of a mute woman falling in love with a fish-man, held captive in the 1960s US government facility where she's a janitor, combines romance and fantasy with splashes of violence. It's a gorgeous example of cinema and a darling of critics for good reason. It's racking up awards and nominations so far, and I expect more from the Oscars when the announcements are made next month.
Sally Hawkins, who could be nominated for both this and Maudie this year, studied silent film stars to prepare for this role of romantic Elisa, written expressly for her. Michael Shannon (last blogged for Nocturnal Animals) was also director/writer Guillermo del Toro's first choice for angry federal agent Strickland. Great supporting strength (and more nominations) come from Michael Stuhlberg (after his mention in these pages for Arrival he co-starred in the third season of Fargo) as scientist Dr. Hoffstetler, Richard Jenkins (last in The Hollars) as Elisa's neighbor Giles (his role was actually written for Ian McKellan--I don't know what happened), and Octavia Spencer (most recently in Gifted) as her co-worker and mouthpiece Zelda. In one scene Strickland complains that he's talking with "the help." Of course, Spencer won her Oscar for the movie The Help. As the creature, Doug Jones (new to me, though he has dozens of credits, including playing the Silver Surfer) uses his mime training to wordlessly express emotion, even under three hours worth of makeup.
Del Toro's screenplay for Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno - 2006) was nominated for an Oscar (he directed it as well). I saw it but found the sadistic violence disturbing, though the images were magnificent (it won Oscars for cinematography, art direction, and makeup, including the transformation of Jones, who played the title creature under even more cosmetics). Therefore I was prepared to put my hands in front of the screen at this movie from time to time to shield my delicate sensibilities from the gore, and did so. This one was less gruesome than I feared, however, perhaps due to co-writer Vanessa Taylor, who co-wrote one other project after her debut in Hope Springs.
Director of photography Dan Laustsen (new to me, he has dozens of credit in his native Denmark and elsewhere) provides beautiful images. Placing Elisa's and Giles's apartments above a movie theatre adds a wonderful depth and art to the setting.
The music by Alexandre Desplat (last blogged for Suburbicon) segues from lilting to urgent and can be streamed from this youtube playlist. He performs the whistling in a few songs, chosen by del Toro to counterpoint the underwater scenes.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics average 94% today, less than two full days after its wide opening. I guess it's too soon for an audience average. But on my babetteflix list of nominees and winners for this year, this movie has the most as of now. Unless you absolutely can't stand any bloodshed, you should see this one.
Sally Hawkins, who could be nominated for both this and Maudie this year, studied silent film stars to prepare for this role of romantic Elisa, written expressly for her. Michael Shannon (last blogged for Nocturnal Animals) was also director/writer Guillermo del Toro's first choice for angry federal agent Strickland. Great supporting strength (and more nominations) come from Michael Stuhlberg (after his mention in these pages for Arrival he co-starred in the third season of Fargo) as scientist Dr. Hoffstetler, Richard Jenkins (last in The Hollars) as Elisa's neighbor Giles (his role was actually written for Ian McKellan--I don't know what happened), and Octavia Spencer (most recently in Gifted) as her co-worker and mouthpiece Zelda. In one scene Strickland complains that he's talking with "the help." Of course, Spencer won her Oscar for the movie The Help. As the creature, Doug Jones (new to me, though he has dozens of credits, including playing the Silver Surfer) uses his mime training to wordlessly express emotion, even under three hours worth of makeup.
Del Toro's screenplay for Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno - 2006) was nominated for an Oscar (he directed it as well). I saw it but found the sadistic violence disturbing, though the images were magnificent (it won Oscars for cinematography, art direction, and makeup, including the transformation of Jones, who played the title creature under even more cosmetics). Therefore I was prepared to put my hands in front of the screen at this movie from time to time to shield my delicate sensibilities from the gore, and did so. This one was less gruesome than I feared, however, perhaps due to co-writer Vanessa Taylor, who co-wrote one other project after her debut in Hope Springs.
Director of photography Dan Laustsen (new to me, he has dozens of credit in his native Denmark and elsewhere) provides beautiful images. Placing Elisa's and Giles's apartments above a movie theatre adds a wonderful depth and art to the setting.
The music by Alexandre Desplat (last blogged for Suburbicon) segues from lilting to urgent and can be streamed from this youtube playlist. He performs the whistling in a few songs, chosen by del Toro to counterpoint the underwater scenes.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics average 94% today, less than two full days after its wide opening. I guess it's too soon for an audience average. But on my babetteflix list of nominees and winners for this year, this movie has the most as of now. Unless you absolutely can't stand any bloodshed, you should see this one.
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)
I quite liked this cringe-inducing story of a dysfunctional family, focusing on three adult children and their narcissistic father. Made for Netflix, it's available to stream anytime, and I chose it last weekend because it has a few wins and nominations already.
Adam Sandler (after Men, Women & Children I mentioned his cameo in Top Five) is terrific playing it straight as befuddled Danny, the elder son. In this current climate, it's hard to enjoy the work of accused sexual harasser Dustin Hoffman (last blogged for Chef) but I didn't doubt for one minute his self-absorption and arrogance as father Harold. Always good in a cringey movie, Ben Stiller (most recently in Brad's Status) is reliable as younger son Matthew. And Elizabeth Marvel (played 40 year old Mattie in True Grit, Constance Heck in five episodes of the first season of Fargo, Heather Dunbar in 23 of House of Cards, and Elizabeth Keane in 24 of Homeland) is marvelous as awkward sister Jean. Emma Thompson (last voiced Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast) is delightful as Harold's boozy, hippie third wife Maureen. Support comes from Grace Van Patten (Timothy's daughter) as Eliza Meyerowitz, Danny's daughter; Candice Bergen (most recently in Home Again) as Harold's second wife Julia; and Judd Hirsch (114 episodes of Taxi 1978-83, 114 of Numb3rs, five of Maron, he's on the dumb sitcom Superior Donuts right now, known for movies Teachers (1984), Independence Day (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Oscar-nominated for Ordinary People (1980), and was in Tower Heist) as Harold's artistic competitor L.J.
Director/writer Noah Baumbach's last picture While We're Young featured, among others, Stiller and Adam Driver, who has a cameo in this picture. I haven't seen every one of Baumbach's pictures but I'm a big fan. By the way, the O in Meyerowitz is silent--it's three syllables.
Randy Newman's (won two Oscars for songs, one of which was in Toy Story 3, he's been nominated seven times for score plus scored 17 other features with Toy Story 4 now filming) soundtrack of solo piano can be streamed from this short youtube playlist. Plus, here's a list of songs.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics' average of 93% is far from the audiences' of 73, probably because Baumbach's work can be hard to take. If it's your cup of tea (see also The Squid and the Whale (2005), Greenberg, and Frances Ha), fire up the Netflix and watch (they may not inspire "chilling" afterwards).
Adam Sandler (after Men, Women & Children I mentioned his cameo in Top Five) is terrific playing it straight as befuddled Danny, the elder son. In this current climate, it's hard to enjoy the work of accused sexual harasser Dustin Hoffman (last blogged for Chef) but I didn't doubt for one minute his self-absorption and arrogance as father Harold. Always good in a cringey movie, Ben Stiller (most recently in Brad's Status) is reliable as younger son Matthew. And Elizabeth Marvel (played 40 year old Mattie in True Grit, Constance Heck in five episodes of the first season of Fargo, Heather Dunbar in 23 of House of Cards, and Elizabeth Keane in 24 of Homeland) is marvelous as awkward sister Jean. Emma Thompson (last voiced Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast) is delightful as Harold's boozy, hippie third wife Maureen. Support comes from Grace Van Patten (Timothy's daughter) as Eliza Meyerowitz, Danny's daughter; Candice Bergen (most recently in Home Again) as Harold's second wife Julia; and Judd Hirsch (114 episodes of Taxi 1978-83, 114 of Numb3rs, five of Maron, he's on the dumb sitcom Superior Donuts right now, known for movies Teachers (1984), Independence Day (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Oscar-nominated for Ordinary People (1980), and was in Tower Heist) as Harold's artistic competitor L.J.
Director/writer Noah Baumbach's last picture While We're Young featured, among others, Stiller and Adam Driver, who has a cameo in this picture. I haven't seen every one of Baumbach's pictures but I'm a big fan. By the way, the O in Meyerowitz is silent--it's three syllables.
Randy Newman's (won two Oscars for songs, one of which was in Toy Story 3, he's been nominated seven times for score plus scored 17 other features with Toy Story 4 now filming) soundtrack of solo piano can be streamed from this short youtube playlist. Plus, here's a list of songs.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics' average of 93% is far from the audiences' of 73, probably because Baumbach's work can be hard to take. If it's your cup of tea (see also The Squid and the Whale (2005), Greenberg, and Frances Ha), fire up the Netflix and watch (they may not inspire "chilling" afterwards).
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Mudbound (2017)
This dark and brutal story about bad luck and racism in 1940s Mississippi when a white family and an African-American one live close by as tensions build and World War II takes place in Europe. It's hard to watch but I persisted, in three sessions on Netflix, because it's getting some awards already.
The white McAllan family includes Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund (last blogged for Suffragette, Zero Dark Thirty, and On the Road, respectively) and Jonathan Banks (he has a long resume but is best known for playing Mike Ehrmantraut on 28 episodes of Breaking Bad and 31 of Better Call Saul). The African-American Jackson family is headed up by Rob Morgan (eleven episodes of Stranger Things as Officer Powell and much more) and singer Mary J. Blige (she has a quick mention in Rock of Ages and is the most lauded in the acting group so far), with Jason Mitchell (most recently in Detroit) as the eldest son. All seven won a special Gotham Jury Award for ensemble performance.
Director/co-writer Dee Rees (Pariah) adapted Hillary Jordan's 2008 novel with Virgil Williams (his feature debut after writing many and producing more TV episodes).
When I say "dark," I mean literally as well as figuratively. The sun was shining one of the days I watched and it was difficult to block it enough to see everything on the screen.
Composer Tamar-kali also makes her feature debut (after contributing some songs to Pariah) and you can stream the 51 minute soundtrack, beginning with a Blige song, from this link.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are swooning at 97% and its audiences aren't too far behind with 87. Don't watch it right before bed for fear of nightmares.
The white McAllan family includes Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund (last blogged for Suffragette, Zero Dark Thirty, and On the Road, respectively) and Jonathan Banks (he has a long resume but is best known for playing Mike Ehrmantraut on 28 episodes of Breaking Bad and 31 of Better Call Saul). The African-American Jackson family is headed up by Rob Morgan (eleven episodes of Stranger Things as Officer Powell and much more) and singer Mary J. Blige (she has a quick mention in Rock of Ages and is the most lauded in the acting group so far), with Jason Mitchell (most recently in Detroit) as the eldest son. All seven won a special Gotham Jury Award for ensemble performance.
Director/co-writer Dee Rees (Pariah) adapted Hillary Jordan's 2008 novel with Virgil Williams (his feature debut after writing many and producing more TV episodes).
When I say "dark," I mean literally as well as figuratively. The sun was shining one of the days I watched and it was difficult to block it enough to see everything on the screen.
Composer Tamar-kali also makes her feature debut (after contributing some songs to Pariah) and you can stream the 51 minute soundtrack, beginning with a Blige song, from this link.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics are swooning at 97% and its audiences aren't too far behind with 87. Don't watch it right before bed for fear of nightmares.
Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)
Denzel Washington gives a great performance in this drama about an idiosyncratic Los Angeles lawyer, possibly with Asperger's, trying to adapt to huge changes in his life. Washington (last blogged for Fences) sports a shaggy Afro, shabby clothes, and a space between his teeth that is, off-screen, normally covered with dental work. In great contrast, Colin Farrell (most recently in The Beguiled) is convincing as a slick, tailored, lawyer in a high rise downtown building. Carmen Ejogo (last in Born To Be Blue) supports as the kindly Maya.
Director/writer Dan Gilroy is no stranger to intense characters, as evidenced by his last picture, Nightcrawler, in which he did the same jobs and was Oscar-nominated for the script. His son Sam Gilroy plays a young lawyer at the firm.
You may not remember James Newton Howard's (most recently scored Detroit) compositions (stream 38 minutes of soundtrack here) because of all the great songs, many of which are listed on imdb and can be streamed from this page.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are not too enthusiastic, averaging 50 and 67%. You can probably wait for the DVD but Denzel and Colin are awfully good.
Director/writer Dan Gilroy is no stranger to intense characters, as evidenced by his last picture, Nightcrawler, in which he did the same jobs and was Oscar-nominated for the script. His son Sam Gilroy plays a young lawyer at the firm.
You may not remember James Newton Howard's (most recently scored Detroit) compositions (stream 38 minutes of soundtrack here) because of all the great songs, many of which are listed on imdb and can be streamed from this page.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are not too enthusiastic, averaging 50 and 67%. You can probably wait for the DVD but Denzel and Colin are awfully good.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
We didn't hate this lushly produced mystery, taking place on a luxury train across the Eur-Asian continent, based on the 1934 Agatha Christie novel. The cinematography, costumes, and locations are spectacular. Sir Kenneth Branagh directs and stars as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot with a silly accent and an enormous double handlebar mustache. He was last blogged for acting for Dunkirk. The ensemble includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Willem Dafoe, Penelope Cruz, Derek Jacobi (most recently in these pages for The Family, Into the Woods, Victoria & Abdul, The Eagle Huntress, The Florida Project, The Brothers Grimsby, Hereafter, respectively) and, in his first film role since the original Broadway cast of Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr.
Because I usually add a guttural sound to the end of his name, Jack researched the correct pronunciation of Branagh's (last blogged for directing for Cinderella) name. It's BRAN-uh. The screenplay, adapted by Michael Green (co-wrote Blade Runner 2049), has lots of goofs, including continuity, pronunciation/accents, anachronistic Godiva Chocolate product placement, and a plot hole or two.
But the pictures! Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (shot, among others, Enduring Love (2004), Sleuth (2007), Thor, Cinderella, Denial--the middle three were directed by Branagh) gives us magnificent photography including scenes in Valle d'Aosta, Italy (for the snow exteriors); Istanbul; Malta; and New Zealand.
The Costume Designers Guild nominations haven't been announced yet but Alexandra Byrne (won an Oscar for Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), nominated for three others, including Elizabeth (1998) (both Elizabeths played by Cate Blanchett) and Finding Neverland (2004)) has been nominated for a Satellite Award and I expect she'll get more accolades as the season progresses. Jim Clay's (best known for The Crying Game (1992), Match Point (2005), Children of Men (2006) and Woman in Gold) Production Design team has so far been noted with a Critics Choice nomination so far.
Patrick Doyle's (last scored A United Kingdom) mysterious soundtrack can be streamed from this YouTube playlist, including, as track 23, his song Never Forget with lyrics by Branagh, sung by Pfeiffer.
The end of this movie sets up for the sequel, Death on the Nile, an undated release to be directed by Branagh with Green adapting another of Christie's novels.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are understandable tepid on this, averaging 58 and 59%. The images are its most redeeming values.
Because I usually add a guttural sound to the end of his name, Jack researched the correct pronunciation of Branagh's (last blogged for directing for Cinderella) name. It's BRAN-uh. The screenplay, adapted by Michael Green (co-wrote Blade Runner 2049), has lots of goofs, including continuity, pronunciation/accents, anachronistic Godiva Chocolate product placement, and a plot hole or two.
But the pictures! Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (shot, among others, Enduring Love (2004), Sleuth (2007), Thor, Cinderella, Denial--the middle three were directed by Branagh) gives us magnificent photography including scenes in Valle d'Aosta, Italy (for the snow exteriors); Istanbul; Malta; and New Zealand.
The Costume Designers Guild nominations haven't been announced yet but Alexandra Byrne (won an Oscar for Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), nominated for three others, including Elizabeth (1998) (both Elizabeths played by Cate Blanchett) and Finding Neverland (2004)) has been nominated for a Satellite Award and I expect she'll get more accolades as the season progresses. Jim Clay's (best known for The Crying Game (1992), Match Point (2005), Children of Men (2006) and Woman in Gold) Production Design team has so far been noted with a Critics Choice nomination so far.
Patrick Doyle's (last scored A United Kingdom) mysterious soundtrack can be streamed from this YouTube playlist, including, as track 23, his song Never Forget with lyrics by Branagh, sung by Pfeiffer.
The end of this movie sets up for the sequel, Death on the Nile, an undated release to be directed by Branagh with Green adapting another of Christie's novels.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are understandable tepid on this, averaging 58 and 59%. The images are its most redeeming values.
The Disaster Artist (2017)
Jack and I loved this story of the friendship that led to the making of "The Citizen Kane of bad movies." James Franco is spectacular as enigmatic, possibly insane, auteur Tommy Wiseau and Dave Franco is also terrific as Greg Sestero, with whom Wiseau made The Room (2003). The brothers act together for the first time in this picture. James was last blogged for Why Him? and Dave for The Little Hours, which also featured his wife Alison Brie, who plays his girlfriend Amber in this picture.
Neither of us has seen the original The Room, though Jack watched some clips on youtube. Here it is if you want, or, better yet, see it late one Saturday night in a theatre with an audience who will participate in celebrating the cult classic (apparently plastic spoons and footballs are a thing).
Frequent James Franco collaborator Seth Rogen (most recently in Steve Jobs) plays it somewhat straight as frustrated script supervisor Sandy who has to do much of the directing while Wiseau is in front of the camera. By binge-watching the Showtime series I'm Dying Up Here, I've become a fan of Ari Graynor (she was also the title character in the TV adaptation of Bad Teacher) so was happy to see her as the actress who plays the main love interest in the movie-within-a-movie. The cast is enormous, credited and not. I particularly enjoyed cameos by Melanie Griffith as an acting teacher, Sharon Stone as an agent, and Judd Apatow as a Hollywood producer trying to have a quiet dinner. The real Sestero appears as a casting agent and Wiseau has a full scene with James Franco after the credits so do not leave the room while the credits are rolling!
As Wiseau did in The Room, James Franco directs and stars. Franco has directed thirteen other features (plus some documentaries and shorts) but I haven't seen one. Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (last blogged for The Spectacular Now) adapted the 2013 book The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Sestero and Tom Bissell.
I can't even begin to guess the psychological diagnoses a professional would assign to Wiseau, but it's interesting that someone so thin-skinned, at least according to this movie and the research I've done, would approve of this adaptation. I'm glad he did, though.
The Room premiered at Laemmle's Fairfax Theatre in 2003. It has since closed. In The Disaster Artist, the Crest Theatre in Westwood, a few miles west, is a gorgeous substitution.
The original score is by Dave Porter (62 episodes of Breaking Bad, 30 of Better Call Saul, and more) and you can stream his tunes by starting with this YouTube link and turning on autoplay. Imdb lists thirteen songs and spotify has fifteen.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are with us this time, averaging 94 and 91% before its opening weekend is over. I do suggest, however, making allowances for MPMS (sit far back if Motion-Picture-Motion-Sickness is a problem for you--here's my running list) and getting a closed caption device if your theatre offers it. James Franco's weird accent can be quite difficult to understand.
Neither of us has seen the original The Room, though Jack watched some clips on youtube. Here it is if you want, or, better yet, see it late one Saturday night in a theatre with an audience who will participate in celebrating the cult classic (apparently plastic spoons and footballs are a thing).
Frequent James Franco collaborator Seth Rogen (most recently in Steve Jobs) plays it somewhat straight as frustrated script supervisor Sandy who has to do much of the directing while Wiseau is in front of the camera. By binge-watching the Showtime series I'm Dying Up Here, I've become a fan of Ari Graynor (she was also the title character in the TV adaptation of Bad Teacher) so was happy to see her as the actress who plays the main love interest in the movie-within-a-movie. The cast is enormous, credited and not. I particularly enjoyed cameos by Melanie Griffith as an acting teacher, Sharon Stone as an agent, and Judd Apatow as a Hollywood producer trying to have a quiet dinner. The real Sestero appears as a casting agent and Wiseau has a full scene with James Franco after the credits so do not leave the room while the credits are rolling!
As Wiseau did in The Room, James Franco directs and stars. Franco has directed thirteen other features (plus some documentaries and shorts) but I haven't seen one. Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (last blogged for The Spectacular Now) adapted the 2013 book The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Sestero and Tom Bissell.
I can't even begin to guess the psychological diagnoses a professional would assign to Wiseau, but it's interesting that someone so thin-skinned, at least according to this movie and the research I've done, would approve of this adaptation. I'm glad he did, though.
The Room premiered at Laemmle's Fairfax Theatre in 2003. It has since closed. In The Disaster Artist, the Crest Theatre in Westwood, a few miles west, is a gorgeous substitution.
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