Category: Film

Stu’s Reviews- #716- Film – “The Whale”

Genre: Film  

Grade: A

Notable People: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, Directed by: Daniel Kwan and David Aronofsky

Title:  The Whale

Review: wow- Fraser won the Best Actor Oscar of 2022 for this extraordinarily moving portrayal of a reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher who tries to restore his relationship with his teenage daughter before he eats himself to death. Filled with metaphors and allusions to Moby Dick (for obvious reasons) and played out by four wonderfully woven actors on a theater-like one room set. The movie was written and adapted by Samuel Hunter from his 2012 play of the same name. Fraser is simply unrecognizable in the role of a lifetime. I watched this film on a flight back from san Diego and was so engrossed that I hid my laptop out to finish watching it up thru landing to catch the last 15 minutes of it. Not to be missed.

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Stu’s Reviews- #715- Film – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Genre: Film    

Grade: NR

Notable People: Michelle Yeo, Stephane Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, Directed by: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Title:  Everything Everywhere All at Once

Review: Oh boy, Oh My, what to about this most unusual offering. Went to giant big screen in San Diego, knew it had won Oscar for Best Picture this year and a bunch more (most awarded film of all time!), knew it was controversial,-maybe sci-fi…and otherwise knew nothing about it. So, Wikipedia summarizes the film with: “follows Evelyn Wang, a Chinese- American immigrant who, while being audited by the IRS, discovers that she must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent a powerful being from destroying the multiverse”. Well, I am not really sure what that means, but I do know: I was ready to walk out on what appeared to be a Bruce Lee Kung-Fu rave up after 20 minutes, the film is beyond complex and surprisingly witty, the acting is magnificent with all the main characters portraying a dozen or so versions of themselves, the costumes, sets, action sequences, stunts and editing are unreal, we all left the  show shaking our heads in disbelief, and hours later could not stop discussing it and trying to figure it out…and it may be the most uniquely bizarre film of all time. I just can’t rate this film, though I think it is certainly worth a go, and should likely be seen on the big screen. A half hour shorter would have been helpful, but who can tell minds like these how to make a film. Think Bagels and Racoons……

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Stu’s Reviews- #714- Film – “The Good Liar”

Genre: Film   

Grade: B+/B

Notable People: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Jim Carter, Russell Tovey, Directed by: Bill Condon

Title:  The Good Liar

Review: a career con artist (McKellen) meets a wealthy widow (Mirren)online, and then discovers that his plan to steal her fortune has unexpected roadblocks. This was a cross country flight movie for me, which kept me entertained and confused throughout. Nothing great and somewhat familiar, but Mirren and McKellen are a hard pair not to want to watch. Mirren may be the most gracefully aging person I have come across-she is striking.  

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Stu’s Reviews- #705- Film – “The Pale Blue Eye”

Genre: Film    

Grade: B+

Notable People: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Robert Duvall, Directed by: Scoot Cooper

Title:  The Pale Blue Eye

Review: a thriller on Netflix (after a short theatrical release last year) adapted from a novel by Louis Bayard. The plot follows retired detective Augustus Landor at West Point in 1830 West Point, as he investigates a series of murders at the Academy- with the surprising aid of a young military cadet, named Edgar Allan Poe. Quite few plot twist and turns, thug a bit slow moving, but t hatching foe the usual eccentric performance from Bales and a short but rewarding role for the 92-year-old Consigliere (Duvall). Was not as predictable as it might seem.

Stu’s Reviews- #701- Film – “The Menu”

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Rob Yang, John Leguizamo, Paul Dano, Directed by: Marc Mylod

Title:  The Menu

Review: Wonderfully bizarre black comedy and social commentary simultaneously released in theaters and on HBO Max, features the brilliant Fiennes in a mad role, as the chef-proprietor of an internationally renowned dining experience on a remote island. The invitees gather for a once in a lifetime extravagant dinner with infamously theatrical, dramatic presentation, only to be confronted with the mad-wrath of the Chef, and his minions’, anger and desire for social revenge. Extremely well done with an excellent ensemble cast of many familiar faces, the viewer keeps waiting for the whole thing to be a joke. Elements of horror, slapstick and total satire abound. Very quirky film well worth the stream.

Stu’s Reviews- # THE BIG 700- Film – “A Man Called Otto”

Genre: Film  

Grade: A-

Notable People: Tom Hanks, Mariana Trevino, Rachel Keller, Truman Hanks, Directed by: Marc Forster

Title:  A Man Called Otto

Review: My 3rd trip to the big screen in three weeks, after the Plaque induced 3-year absence, revealed this beautifully quiet film, that had me in tears foe most of two hours, without really being a tearjerker in the pejorative sense. Hanks is masterful. I used to think he was over hyped, but his recent year’s performances have convinced me he is in the top echelon of actors of his generation. In this one, he wears the most amazing permanent scowl and grumbles throughout, almost reminiscent of late stage Clint Eastwood. The story is endearing, from a wonderful novel, and the acting is superb: Trevino is inspiring and casting Hanks’ son, Truman, as his younger self, is brilliant. The supporting cast of eccentric characters is exceptional. This is not a groundbreaking story, but the film is so well done and the acting so perfect, it is well worth a trip to the cinema.

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Stu’s Reviews- #695- Film – “The Fabelmans”

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Paul Dano, Michelle Williams, Seth Rogan, Judd Hirsch, Gabriel LaBelle, Jeannie Berlin,  Directed by: Stephen Spielberg

Title:  The Fabelmans

Review: So- in the middle of a massive winter storm with drifting snow piles and minus 6 on the gauge, I headed down to North Columbus for my first real movie theater visit since COVID. Having been mulling it over for weeks, and finally rambled through the Rotten Maters reviews, and picked a matinee out, loaded up with airlines snacks in my pocket and mask in hand and headed down the Rt. 23 corridor…and…what delight……Only person in the theater, Barco-lounger seating and this absolutely wonderful film by Spielberg, chronicling his origins and his very early obsession with filmmaking. The cast is outstanding; LaBelle is brilliant as the awkward Jewish Jersey youngster who finds love and meaning behind the camera, Dano is a star portraying his early IBM computer genius dad and Williams is to die for. All of them upstaged by a ten-minute appearance by the very aged Hirsch, in an over the top role that I would give him and Oscar for, and top the whole shebang off with a macabre avid Lynch cameo, portraying an old and nuts John Ford, the infamous director who Spielberg met early I his career. The Bubby’s, the great furniture, the dress, the accents and the only known film portrayal of making salami and eggs for dinner. I loved everything about this movie…what a great afternoon…even worth the challenging snow drive.

Stu’s Reviews- #693- Film (TV) – “Pillars of the Earth”

Genre: Film (TV)

Grade: A-/ B+

Notable People: Ian Mcshane, Matthew Macfayden, Eddie Redmayne, Hayley Atwell, Rufus Sewell, Directed by: Sergio Mimica- Gezzen for a screenplay by Ken Follett

Title:  Pillar of the Earth Mini-Series

Review: Wonderful min-series (8 part) adaptation of the brilliant Follett novel (see my book review from earlier this year) chronicling the building of cathedrals in England in the 12 the century. Filled with religion, war, lust, romance and all manner of devilry. An epoch production with Golden Globe performances by the detestable McShane and Atwell. Far exceeded my expectations for translating a massive and complicated book. Cost to stream was high, so got it from the local library on Blue Ray/DVD.

Stu’s Reviews- #685- Film – “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song “

Genre: Film  

Grade: A

Notable People:  Leonard, John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Sharon Robinson, Directed by: Daniel Geller, Dayna Goldfine

Title: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

Review: The story of the most recorded song in history and its brilliant and complex maker is a fantastic journey. If you don’t know much about Leonard, don’t miss this chance; one of eh most iconic figures of our times. If you already know the man, just sit back and enjoy. Scrupulously done with great and insightful commentary and spectacular music. Leonard was on a different plain and this song that he spent somewhere between 7-9 years composing (with ultimately as many as 70 verses) reflects the man and his muse in every way. The early footage of him will make you speculate if he was not Pacino’s inspiration for Michael Corleone. I have loved this man for years, and that only grew after watching this……and I mean love, not like, love. The film has won all kinds of awards and is around at art houses if you can catch it, but we got the local library to get it for us on DVD. Hallelujah!

Stu’s Reviews- #662- Film – “Dead Man” – HBO Max, Apple TV, You Tube

Genre: Film       

Grade: NR

Notable People:  Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Crispin Glover, John Hurt, Gabriele Byrne, Iggy Pop, Billy Bob Thornton, Robert Mitchum, Ville Virtanen, Sampo Sarkola, Directed by: Jim Jarmusch

Title: Dead Man

Review: Whom Mama, this is possibly the most bizarre film I have ever seen. The back story: was listening to Dwight Yoakum and Lukas Nelson on Sirius XM and they got into a rap about this movie and the improvised Neil Young live soundtrack- describing the unbelievably esoteric 15-minute opening scene on a train without dialog. It all sounded too much to miss- so found it on HBO-and gave a watch. Bizarre dos not quite cover this 1995 all black and white effort. Depp is a dandy from Cleveland on his way to some very Western place for an accounting job-and that is mostly it for the plot. The film is filled with wild cameo appearances with very young Depp, Thornton, Byrne, Glover and a briefly wild Alfred Molina. One of Depp’s first roles and the great Mitchum’s last. The Young soundtrack is an assault of grunge guitar that perfectly matches this surreal film. Impossible to rate- you have to be really curious for this one.