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.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
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.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
For a change we liked this romantic comedy less than the ratings (see below), despite the stars. Ali Wong is a Type A celebrity chef and Randall Park her laid-back musician ex-boyfriend, with a big cast of Asian and non-Asian actors.
Written by Wong, Park, and Michael Golamco and directed by Nahnatchka Khan. No credited composer--just lots of songs.
Park is one of the stars of the TV series Fresh off the Boat, of which Khan is the creator and producer, and Wong is a stand-up comedian with two Netflix specials, shot when she was seven months pregnant with two different children.
There are a few fancy food stylings, so I'll put it on my list of food movies.
We saw it on Netflix on July 24, 2019. Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is 90% and its audiences' 82.
Written by Wong, Park, and Michael Golamco and directed by Nahnatchka Khan. No credited composer--just lots of songs.
Park is one of the stars of the TV series Fresh off the Boat, of which Khan is the creator and producer, and Wong is a stand-up comedian with two Netflix specials, shot when she was seven months pregnant with two different children.
There are a few fancy food stylings, so I'll put it on my list of food movies.
We saw it on Netflix on July 24, 2019. Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is 90% and its audiences' 82.
Stuber (2019)
This silly action buddy comedy stars Kumail Nanjiani as a hapless Uber driver named Stu and Dave Bautista as a detective who needs a ride to chase some bad guys all over town. With Natalie Morales and Mira Sorvino, among many others. We didn't hate it.
Directed by Michael Dowse, written by Tripper Clancy, original score by Joseph Trapanese, and a long list of songs.
Nanjiani was last blogged for The Big Sick, Bautista for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Trapanese for The Greatest Showman.
Its critics' average on Rotten Tomatoes is 42% but audiences are at 79. It's streaming now. We saw it July 23, 2019.
Directed by Michael Dowse, written by Tripper Clancy, original score by Joseph Trapanese, and a long list of songs.
Nanjiani was last blogged for The Big Sick, Bautista for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Trapanese for The Greatest Showman.
Its critics' average on Rotten Tomatoes is 42% but audiences are at 79. It's streaming now. We saw it July 23, 2019.
The Art of Self Defense (2019)
More delightful sick and twisted-ness, this is a dark comedy about a meek man, played by Jesse Eisenberg, who joins a dojo after he's randomly attacked. Alessandro Nivola is the sensei and Imogen Poots a fellow student. Heather McIntosh composed the music.
Director/writer Riley Stearns trains and teaches self defense. This is his second feature.
Eisenberg was last blogged for Café Society, Nivola for Disobedience, and Poots for A Late Quartet.
We saw it July 20, 2019, it's now streaming, and Rotten Tomatoes' critics rate is 83% and its audiences 63.
Director/writer Riley Stearns trains and teaches self defense. This is his second feature.
Eisenberg was last blogged for Café Society, Nivola for Disobedience, and Poots for A Late Quartet.
We saw it July 20, 2019, it's now streaming, and Rotten Tomatoes' critics rate is 83% and its audiences 63.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Fun to see the old chestnut on a big screen. I remember being frightened as a little girl in the 1950s by a closeup of the witch's face on a big screen. Also fun to be reminded of so many details before seeing Judy two months later.
This screened in August, 2019, another of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films, and was a sing-along. I didn't have to be asked twice!
This screened in August, 2019, another of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films, and was a sing-along. I didn't have to be asked twice!
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
As a loyal fan of Nina Simone, I've been meaning to see this documentary for years and finally did so a few days ago. Jack and I both loved it. Oscar-nominated for Best Feature Documentary, it chronicles the pianist-singer's many talents and tribulations and includes archival footage and interviews with her (1933-2003) and some who were close to her.
I kept looking at it on my Netflix list when choosing content to download before plane travel but rejecting it in favor of watching without background noise. Good choice.
Director-producer Liz Garbus has made dozens of docs and was Oscar-nominated for one other.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is 89%, its audiences' is 85, and the movie is streaming now.
I kept looking at it on my Netflix list when choosing content to download before plane travel but rejecting it in favor of watching without background noise. Good choice.
Director-producer Liz Garbus has made dozens of docs and was Oscar-nominated for one other.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics' average is 89%, its audiences' is 85, and the movie is streaming now.
Tootsie (1982)
Oops, almost forgot. We saw this in early May at a special screening and loved it again. Then a few months later saw the Broadway show and loved that, too.
Jessica Lange won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role. Nine other nominations including Best Picture; Dustin Hoffman for Best Actor; Teri Garr for Supporting Actress; Sydney Pollack for Director; Larry Gelbart, Murray Schisgal, and Don McGuire for Original Screenplay; Owen Roizman for Cinematography; and Dave Grusin and Marilyn & Alan Bergman for the song It Might Be You.
It's one of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films.
Jessica Lange won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role. Nine other nominations including Best Picture; Dustin Hoffman for Best Actor; Teri Garr for Supporting Actress; Sydney Pollack for Director; Larry Gelbart, Murray Schisgal, and Don McGuire for Original Screenplay; Owen Roizman for Cinematography; and Dave Grusin and Marilyn & Alan Bergman for the song It Might Be You.
It's one of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films.
Wild Rose (2019)
Loads of fun, this features an electric Jessie Buckley as down-on-her-luck Scotswoman Rose-Lynn determined to be a country music star, with Julie Walters as her mother and Sophie Okonedo among the supporting cast.
The music is by Jack Arnold and Buckley (she's Irish) does her own singing.
Directed by Tom Harper from a script by Nicole Taylor.
Walters was last blogged for Mary Poppins Returns and Okonedo for Skin.
Now streaming, this movie is averaging 93% from Rotten Tomatoes' critics and 88 from its audiences. We saw it July 16, 2019.
The music is by Jack Arnold and Buckley (she's Irish) does her own singing.
Directed by Tom Harper from a script by Nicole Taylor.
Walters was last blogged for Mary Poppins Returns and Okonedo for Skin.
Now streaming, this movie is averaging 93% from Rotten Tomatoes' critics and 88 from its audiences. We saw it July 16, 2019.
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Yeah, it's good. Take the kids. Jack liked it a lot better than I did. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Wallace Shawn, and others reprise their voices and the all-star cast is filled out by Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, and many more.
Randy Newman once again provides the soundtrack.
Directed by Josh Cooley (his feature debut after co-writing Inside Out, which was a debut as well) with the new script by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom (story by a big committee including all three).
Hanks was last blogged for The Post, Allen for Chimpanzee, Shawn for Book Club, Key for Don't Think Twice, Peele for acting in Keanu, Newman for The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected),
Jack is in the majority and I am not, as Rotten Tomatoes's critics' average is 97% and its audiences' 94. Streaming now.
We saw it July 3, 2019, before the downtown fireworks, just as we saw #3 in 2010.
Randy Newman once again provides the soundtrack.
Directed by Josh Cooley (his feature debut after co-writing Inside Out, which was a debut as well) with the new script by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom (story by a big committee including all three).
Hanks was last blogged for The Post, Allen for Chimpanzee, Shawn for Book Club, Key for Don't Think Twice, Peele for acting in Keanu, Newman for The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected),
Jack is in the majority and I am not, as Rotten Tomatoes's critics' average is 97% and its audiences' 94. Streaming now.
We saw it July 3, 2019, before the downtown fireworks, just as we saw #3 in 2010.
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
Just the kind of sick and twisted comedy we love, this features small town police zombie-chasers Bill Murray, Adam Driver, and Chloë Sevigny with a notable cast of undead or doomed (including Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, many more) and narration by Tom Waits. You have to be okay with the violence to enjoy it as much as we did, but it's all played for laughs, directed and written by Jim Jarmusch. No composer is credited.
Murray was last blogged for Isle of Dogs, Driver for BlacKKKlansman, Sevigny for Love & Friendship (in which I referenced zombies, believe it or not), Swinton for Okja, Buscemi for Nancy, Waits for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and Jarmusch for Paterson, which also starred Driver.
Not very many people enjoyed this like we did. Rotten Tomatoes' critics average is 56% and its audiences' 38.
Yep, it's streaming now, four months after we saw it on June 25, 2019.
Murray was last blogged for Isle of Dogs, Driver for BlacKKKlansman, Sevigny for Love & Friendship (in which I referenced zombies, believe it or not), Swinton for Okja, Buscemi for Nancy, Waits for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and Jarmusch for Paterson, which also starred Driver.
Not very many people enjoyed this like we did. Rotten Tomatoes' critics average is 56% and its audiences' 38.
Yep, it's streaming now, four months after we saw it on June 25, 2019.
Shaft (2019)
We looked forward to seeing this sequel to the series and had fun, despite critics' dislike. Richard Roundtree returns as Shaft Sr., joined by Samuel L. Jackson as Jr. and Jessie T. Usher as III in the big cast, supported by Regina Hall and many more.
Directed by Tim Story from a screenplay by Kenya Barris and Alex Barnow, there are lots of great songs and in-jokes, including a reference to the fact that Jackson is sometimes mistaken for Laurence Fishburne and vice versa. It looks like there have been four Shaft movies before this, in 1971, 1972, 1973 (all with Roundtree), a Jackson version in 2000, and a Roundtree TV series in 1974-74.
Here's a partial list of songs. The soundtrack, however, is credited to Christopher Lennertz.
Roundtree was last blogged for What Men Want, Jackson for Spider-Man: Far from Home, Hall for Little, Barris for Girls Trip, and Lennertz for Bad Moms. Story directed Barbershop (2002), among others.
The aforementioned bad reviews from critics average 32% on Rotten Tomatoes but audiences clock in (mixed metaphor?) at 94%.
We saw it June 21, 2019, and it's now streaming at the usual outlets.
Directed by Tim Story from a screenplay by Kenya Barris and Alex Barnow, there are lots of great songs and in-jokes, including a reference to the fact that Jackson is sometimes mistaken for Laurence Fishburne and vice versa. It looks like there have been four Shaft movies before this, in 1971, 1972, 1973 (all with Roundtree), a Jackson version in 2000, and a Roundtree TV series in 1974-74.
Here's a partial list of songs. The soundtrack, however, is credited to Christopher Lennertz.
Roundtree was last blogged for What Men Want, Jackson for Spider-Man: Far from Home, Hall for Little, Barris for Girls Trip, and Lennertz for Bad Moms. Story directed Barbershop (2002), among others.
The aforementioned bad reviews from critics average 32% on Rotten Tomatoes but audiences clock in (mixed metaphor?) at 94%.
We saw it June 21, 2019, and it's now streaming at the usual outlets.
Aladdin (2019)
We enjoyed this live action (enhanced with effects!) version of the Disney animated movie and stage show with Will Smith as the genie, Mena Massoud as Aladdin, and Naomi Scott as Jasmine in the huge cast. Not high art, it's still an enjoyable spectacle. I particularly liked the royal parade.
Directed by Guy Ritchie from a script by him and John August.
The cast sings the songs from the original themselves, composed by Alan Menken with Howard Ashman or Tim Rice. Menken alone is credited for the score.
Smith was last blogged for Concussion, Ritchie for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and Menken, Rice, and the late Ashman for Beauty and the Beast (also adapted from a Disney movie and stage show).
Now streaming, this averages 57% from critics but 94 from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. We saw it June 5, 2019.
Directed by Guy Ritchie from a script by him and John August.
The cast sings the songs from the original themselves, composed by Alan Menken with Howard Ashman or Tim Rice. Menken alone is credited for the score.
Smith was last blogged for Concussion, Ritchie for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and Menken, Rice, and the late Ashman for Beauty and the Beast (also adapted from a Disney movie and stage show).
Now streaming, this averages 57% from critics but 94 from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. We saw it June 5, 2019.
Booksmart (2019)
Jack and I liked this funny and, yes, smart story of two nerdy girls cutting loose on their last day of high school. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are terrific, with good supporting roles by Jason Sudeikis and Lisa Kudrow, among others. Maya Rudolph is the motivational voice.
It's the feature directorial debut of actress Olivia Wilde, who cast her husband Sudeikis in her movie. Written by Emily Halpern & Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman.
DJ/producer Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modelling School, Deltron 3030, Kool Keith, Got a Girl, Crudo) composed the score.
Dever was last blogged for Detroit, Feldstein (Jonah Hill's sister) for Lady Bird, and Fogel co-wrote The Spy Who Dumped Me.
After I wrote about Sudeikis in Colossal we saw him in two episodes of Detroiters, 16 of The Last Man on Earth, and Downsizing. I didn't write about Kudrow's one day's work in The Boss Baby. She had been working for five years before her 236 episodes of Friends (1994-2004), and during and after that she was in Romy & Michele's High School Reunion (1997), The Opposite of Sex (1997), Hanging Up (2000), Analyze This (1999) and Analyze That (2002), 24 episodes of Mad About You, dozens and dozens of webisodes and Showtime episodes of Web Therapy, 21 of The Comeback, three of Grace and Frankie, and three of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
It's the feature directorial debut of actress Olivia Wilde, who cast her husband Sudeikis in her movie. Written by Emily Halpern & Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman.
DJ/producer Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modelling School, Deltron 3030, Kool Keith, Got a Girl, Crudo) composed the score.
Dever was last blogged for Detroit, Feldstein (Jonah Hill's sister) for Lady Bird, and Fogel co-wrote The Spy Who Dumped Me.
After I wrote about Sudeikis in Colossal we saw him in two episodes of Detroiters, 16 of The Last Man on Earth, and Downsizing. I didn't write about Kudrow's one day's work in The Boss Baby. She had been working for five years before her 236 episodes of Friends (1994-2004), and during and after that she was in Romy & Michele's High School Reunion (1997), The Opposite of Sex (1997), Hanging Up (2000), Analyze This (1999) and Analyze That (2002), 24 episodes of Mad About You, dozens and dozens of webisodes and Showtime episodes of Web Therapy, 21 of The Comeback, three of Grace and Frankie, and three of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Averaging 97% critics and 77 audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, it's now streaming on Amazon and other platforms. We saw it May 31, 2019.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Joker (2019)
Hard to watch but masterfully acted by Joaquin Phoenix, the future villain, misunderstood and bullied, descends to madness. It's a good movie. Phoenix's congenitally deformed shoulder is to his advantage in this role, as Joker is skinny and bent.
Supporting cast includes Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, and many more, with welcome cameos by Marc Maron and Brian Tyree Henry.
Directed by Todd Phillips from a script by Scott Silver. Though it's obviously based on the Batman comic books, Batman isn't in it, but the child, Bruce Wayne, who grows up to be Batman, is. Music by Hildur Guðnadóttir (an Icelandic woman).
Last blogged: Phoenix for You Were Never Really Here, De Niro for Joy, Beetz for Deadpool 2, Conroy for No Pay, Nudity, Maron for Sleepwalk with Me, Henry for Widows, Phillips for The Hangover Part II. Silver was Oscar-nominated for co-writing The Fighter.
There was a rumor that this movie glorified gun violence. It does nothing of the sort, though it is violent. Here's an analysis.
Rated 69% critics and 89% audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. We saw it October 11, 2019.
To my readers: This short version may be the new normal for babetteflix. I have over 20 movies in draft mode and will make an attempt to catch up on the writing without really slowing down on the watching!
Supporting cast includes Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, and many more, with welcome cameos by Marc Maron and Brian Tyree Henry.
Directed by Todd Phillips from a script by Scott Silver. Though it's obviously based on the Batman comic books, Batman isn't in it, but the child, Bruce Wayne, who grows up to be Batman, is. Music by Hildur Guðnadóttir (an Icelandic woman).
Last blogged: Phoenix for You Were Never Really Here, De Niro for Joy, Beetz for Deadpool 2, Conroy for No Pay, Nudity, Maron for Sleepwalk with Me, Henry for Widows, Phillips for The Hangover Part II. Silver was Oscar-nominated for co-writing The Fighter.
There was a rumor that this movie glorified gun violence. It does nothing of the sort, though it is violent. Here's an analysis.
Rated 69% critics and 89% audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. We saw it October 11, 2019.
To my readers: This short version may be the new normal for babetteflix. I have over 20 movies in draft mode and will make an attempt to catch up on the writing without really slowing down on the watching!
Judy (2019)
We liked a lot Renee Zellweger's spectacular performance as the desperate Ms. Garland towards the end of her life (1968). She sings well, though not just like Judy, and the costumes and sets are terrific.
In 1968 Garland's kids Joey and Lorna Luft were actually 14 and 16 and living with their father Sidney, which would invalidate the main thrust of the plot. So, remember, it's not a documentary.
Director Rupert Goold, screenplay by Tom Edge based on the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. Music by Gabriel Yared.
Last blogged: Zellweger for My One and Only and Yared for Amelia.
Rotten Tomatoes 83% critics, 86 audiences.
We saw it October 1, 2019.
To my readers: This short version may be the new normal for babetteflix. I have over 20 movies in draft mode and will make an attempt to catch up on the writing without really slowing down on the watching!
In 1968 Garland's kids Joey and Lorna Luft were actually 14 and 16 and living with their father Sidney, which would invalidate the main thrust of the plot. So, remember, it's not a documentary.
Director Rupert Goold, screenplay by Tom Edge based on the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. Music by Gabriel Yared.
Last blogged: Zellweger for My One and Only and Yared for Amelia.
Rotten Tomatoes 83% critics, 86 audiences.
We saw it October 1, 2019.
To my readers: This short version may be the new normal for babetteflix. I have over 20 movies in draft mode and will make an attempt to catch up on the writing without really slowing down on the watching!
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