All fans of the show will love this feature length sequel, as I did, providing comedy, drama, scandal, and magnificent costumes in the glorious settings, and I'm told that you can enjoy this movie even if you're not well acquainted with the series. Pretty much the whole cast from the final season returns and a few new characters join them.
Michael Engler directs from a script by series creator Julian Fellowes, and Emmy-winning composer John Lunn returns as composer with The Chamber Orchestra of London. The soundtrack can be streamed now on Apple Music and more.
The costumes by Anna Robbins are worth the price of admission, as well as production design by Donal Woods and cinematography by Ben Smithard, with Britain's familiar Highclere Castle in many exteriors.
Smithard was last blogged for The Man Who Invented Christmas.
Jack didn't watch the series so passed on joining Mark and me on September 25, 2019. Rotten Tomatoes' audiences rate it a predictable 94%, while its critics are not quite as enthusiastic, averaging 84. I see that there are a few screenings still in my area, but this will be released for the small screen just before Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
We loved this poignant story of a down-on-his-luck fisherman connecting with a young Down syndrome man and the nursing home administrator caring for him. Shia LaBeouf is great as the fisherman, Dakota Johnson lovely as the administrator, and Zack Gottsagen fabulous as the Down Syndrome man. Supporting cast includes Bruce Dern, Thomas Haden Church, and more.
Apparently co-directors/co-writers Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz met Gottsagen at a camp that included people with Down syndrome. Gottsagen told them he wanted to be a movie star so they wrote the movie for him, a feature debut for all three.
The lush photography shot in Savannah, Georgia, is thanks to Nigel Bluck. And the score by Jonathan Sadoff, Zachary Dawes, Noam Pikelny, and Gabe Witcher can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, and others.
LaBeouf was last blogged for American Honey, Johnson for Bad Times at the El Royale, Dern for Nostalgia, Church for Killer Joe, and Sadoff for Ingrid Goes West (Dawes worked on it, too),
With several film festival wins and nominations already, it's not surprising that Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are eating this up, averaging 95 and 96%, respectively. Jack and I saw it on September 18, 2019, and it'll be released to the streaming outlets a few days from now.
Apparently co-directors/co-writers Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz met Gottsagen at a camp that included people with Down syndrome. Gottsagen told them he wanted to be a movie star so they wrote the movie for him, a feature debut for all three.
The lush photography shot in Savannah, Georgia, is thanks to Nigel Bluck. And the score by Jonathan Sadoff, Zachary Dawes, Noam Pikelny, and Gabe Witcher can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, and others.
LaBeouf was last blogged for American Honey, Johnson for Bad Times at the El Royale, Dern for Nostalgia, Church for Killer Joe, and Sadoff for Ingrid Goes West (Dawes worked on it, too),
With several film festival wins and nominations already, it's not surprising that Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are eating this up, averaging 95 and 96%, respectively. Jack and I saw it on September 18, 2019, and it'll be released to the streaming outlets a few days from now.
Friday, November 1, 2019
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? (2019)
We didn't hate this story of a prickly architect leaving her family to follow her dreams, though some critics did. Cate Blanchett does the job in the title role and Kristen Wiig is funny as her uptight neighbor. And the cinematography by Shane F. Kelly and sets (production designer Bruce Curtis) are magnificent. The arctic scenes were originally set to be added in post, but Blanchett apparently convinced them to shoot on location and the production moved to Greenland, where weather was a problem.
Adapted from the novel by Maria Semple, which neither of us has read, the screenplay was co-written by the director Richard Linklater with Holly Gent and Vince Palmo. The music is by Graham Reynolds.
Blanchett was last blogged for Ocean's Eight, Wiig for Downsizing, Linklater for Boyhood, and Reynolds for Linklater's Before Midnight. Gent and Palmo adapted the script for Linklater's Me and Orson Welles, and Kelly and Curtis are frequent collaborators with Linklater as well.
Not loving it, Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is 48% but its audiences are a bit warmer at 74. We saw it on a big screen August 28, 2019 and it's now streaming.
Adapted from the novel by Maria Semple, which neither of us has read, the screenplay was co-written by the director Richard Linklater with Holly Gent and Vince Palmo. The music is by Graham Reynolds.
Blanchett was last blogged for Ocean's Eight, Wiig for Downsizing, Linklater for Boyhood, and Reynolds for Linklater's Before Midnight. Gent and Palmo adapted the script for Linklater's Me and Orson Welles, and Kelly and Curtis are frequent collaborators with Linklater as well.
Not loving it, Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is 48% but its audiences are a bit warmer at 74. We saw it on a big screen August 28, 2019 and it's now streaming.
Blinded by the Light (2019)
Jack and I liked this delightful story of a Pakistani-British teen whose life is changed by Bruce Springsteen's music. Viviek Kalra is terrific as the frustrated boy finding joy in the Boss's work, and there's a funny cameo by Rob Brydon in a blonde wig as Matt's dad.
Directed and co-written by Gurinder Chadha, co-written by Sarfra Manzoor and Paul Mayeda Berges, based on Manzoor's memoir Greetings from Bury Park - Race, Religion, Rock 'n' Roll. "Bury Park" is not a typo.
Additional music is composed by A.R. Rahman.
Brydon was last blogged for the short film Revolting Rhymes, and Chadha, Berges, and Rahman for Viceroy's House.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are in agreement, averaging 89 and 91%, respectively. We saw this on August 23, 2019.
Directed and co-written by Gurinder Chadha, co-written by Sarfra Manzoor and Paul Mayeda Berges, based on Manzoor's memoir Greetings from Bury Park - Race, Religion, Rock 'n' Roll. "Bury Park" is not a typo.
Additional music is composed by A.R. Rahman.
Brydon was last blogged for the short film Revolting Rhymes, and Chadha, Berges, and Rahman for Viceroy's House.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics and audiences are in agreement, averaging 89 and 91%, respectively. We saw this on August 23, 2019.
Sword of Trust (2019)
We're big fans of Marc Maron and liked a lot this funny story of a pawn shop owner negotiating with a lesbian couple about their antique sword. Michaela Watkins and Jillian Bell are the couple and Jon Bass is the hapless pawn shop employee.
Directed and co-written by Lynn Shelton, with Mike O'Brien co-writing, it was shot entirely in Birmingham, Alabama, so I imagine anyone familiar with that city will be tickled by the distinct location shots. No composer nor list of songs is on imdb.
Maron (podcast interviewer extraordinaire) was last blogged for Joker, Watkins and Bell for Brittany Runs a Marathon, and Shelton for Laggies. O'Brien has written for dozens of Saturday Night Live episodes.
Now streaming, it's rated 93% by Rotten Tomatoes' critics and 70 by its audiences. We saw it August 9, 2019.
Directed and co-written by Lynn Shelton, with Mike O'Brien co-writing, it was shot entirely in Birmingham, Alabama, so I imagine anyone familiar with that city will be tickled by the distinct location shots. No composer nor list of songs is on imdb.
Maron (podcast interviewer extraordinaire) was last blogged for Joker, Watkins and Bell for Brittany Runs a Marathon, and Shelton for Laggies. O'Brien has written for dozens of Saturday Night Live episodes.
Now streaming, it's rated 93% by Rotten Tomatoes' critics and 70 by its audiences. We saw it August 9, 2019.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Rio, I Love You (2014)
This anthology of short films by esteemed directors, writers, and actors on the topic of love is part of the Cities of Love series, and I can't remember how much we liked it, especially after seeing the reviews (below).
I loved the first two--Paris, je t'aime (2006) and New York, I Love You, all created by Emmanuel Benbihy, made the same way with short chapters and big stars in front of and behind the camera.
Yikes. Rotten Tomatoes' critics give it 8% and its audiences 12. We watched this one on Netflix August 2, 2019.
Berlin, I Love You has just dropped on Netflix (critics are hating on it as well) and, according to this wikipedia article, Tbilisi has been made, and we can look forward to Shanghai, Jerusalem, Venice, Delhi, Marseille, and New Orleans. I do look forward to them. So there.
I loved the first two--Paris, je t'aime (2006) and New York, I Love You, all created by Emmanuel Benbihy, made the same way with short chapters and big stars in front of and behind the camera.
Yikes. Rotten Tomatoes' critics give it 8% and its audiences 12. We watched this one on Netflix August 2, 2019.
Berlin, I Love You has just dropped on Netflix (critics are hating on it as well) and, according to this wikipedia article, Tbilisi has been made, and we can look forward to Shanghai, Jerusalem, Venice, Delhi, Marseille, and New Orleans. I do look forward to them. So there.
The Farewell (2019)
Living up to the hype, this wonderful movie is about a Chinese family who refuse to tell the grandmother about her terminal illness and stage a wedding so everyone can say goodbye. Rapper/actress Awkwafina is terrific as the adoring granddaughter, and so is everyone else.
Director/writer Lulu Wang says the story is "based on a true lie," because her family did something similar. She had been trying for a while to get the movie made before it became a 2016 segment of This American Life on public radio, which helped get it to Hollywood.
The composer is Alex Weston.
Awkwafina, whose birth name is Nora Lum, was my favorite part of Crazy Rich Asians.
Don't take my word for it. Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is still 99% and its audiences' 87. Now streaming at the usual outlets, it almost went direct to video, as described in this article. Jack and I saw it August 7, 2019.
Director/writer Lulu Wang says the story is "based on a true lie," because her family did something similar. She had been trying for a while to get the movie made before it became a 2016 segment of This American Life on public radio, which helped get it to Hollywood.
The composer is Alex Weston.
Awkwafina, whose birth name is Nora Lum, was my favorite part of Crazy Rich Asians.
Don't take my word for it. Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is still 99% and its audiences' 87. Now streaming at the usual outlets, it almost went direct to video, as described in this article. Jack and I saw it August 7, 2019.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)