Category: Film

Genre: Film

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: Daniel Day Lewis, Vickie Krieps, Lesley Manville, Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Title: Phantom Thread

Review: Out in San Diego- doing movies in Paradise…..very interesting movie about obsession, control, ad evolving love in the context of the world of very high end dressmaking for the elite. Anderson is evolving into a master filmmaker, but very eccentric in his films. This one is no exception. He uses amazing camera angles and lighting , with quite dramatic score. The acting is beyond reproach once again demonstrating the Lewis is possibly the finest actor of his generation…intense, intense, intense. He has said this will be his last film, which would be a great sorrow to those of us who love film. Compiling story, intense dialog, extraordinary speechless stare downs. We agreed the film was probably 20 minutes too long and a tad slow moving. Probably not for your popular film goers…but a must for serious film buffs.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Title: Lady Bird

Review: I had a lot of high expectations for this movie form what I had read and listened to (too much, really)…..and was JUST slightly disappointed in the entirety of it. In some ways a classic coming of age story-in some ways a metaphor about trying to be someone/somewhere else ….the film was of excellent quality in all respects, but dragged a bit for me, and in the end, was just a tad formulaic. That said, Ronan is brilliant as the teen becoming woman from nowhere (in fact…from Sacramento, which is a big part of the story…..as in “the Midwest of California…). Metcalf is excellently annoying as the mother who won’t let go ; a bit of a departure from being Rosanne’s long suffering sister (though hard not to recognize that voice). The rest of the cast is solid, the camera work is intriguing and the dialog is snappy…….. the angst feels real. A quality film that fell just short of moving me.

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin
Costner, Micheal Cera, Directed by: Aaron Sorkin

Title: Molly’s Game

Review: this film caught me off guard. Did not expect much, and got an awful lot. This is Sorkin’s directorial debut- after years as a screen writer and playwright (“A Few Good Men”, “The West Wing”). It is an absolutely brilliant first effort- with a dialog that never quits- keeping you on your toes for the entire film. Chastain is marvelous-playing totally against type, and meets her match in Elba- her reluctant lawyer fighting the Justice Department . The story itself is fascinating (Chastain plays the woman who runs giant high stakes poker games for years in LA and then New York). The sets and scenes seem ultra-dead-on and the characters, though limited portraits, are fascinating. Best Costner performance in years and Cera is his usual droll, excellent self. This movie was a real surprise……..really, really liked it.

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth
Rogan, Directed by: James Franco

Title: The Disaster Artist

Review: I LOVED this film. Truly eccentric –truly bizarre. This is the story of the making of what is generally regarded as the worst film ever made- “The Room”. The original was made in the late 90s at the unbelievably high production cost (at the time) of six million dollars and shown for one night in one theater. It has now become a cult favorite- having midnight showings where everyone knows every word of the inane dialog (like Rocky Horror). The two main participants have never made another film- but are alive and infamous. This rendering is subtly funny beyond belief and Franco is unbelievably spot on as the extraordinarily weird Tommy Wiseau. Half way through the movie I began to really like it and found it riveting from there on. This is one strange film.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Micheal Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Title: The Shape of Water

Review: A beautifully done film- clever, creative, heartwarming an brave. Hawkins is a discovery, Jenkins in another masterful role and Shannon is his usual personification of evil (see his mobster psychopath in Boardwalk Empire). Del Toro is masterful at putting scenes together and getting inside character’s heads. I like this film quite well (and the messages and metaphors are pretty powerful)..…though not as much as the hype for it might have prescribed.

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Francis McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Directed by: Martin McDonagh

Title: Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri

Review: I really liked this offbeat and quirky film…an obvious homage to the work of the Coen Brothers if there ever was one. Alternately very dark and darkly funny, it’s a simple story of revenge, redemption and survival (can you imagine that?) in the backwater of Missouri. McDormand is at her finest, as always-and Woody just gets better and better. When they are onscreen together it is pure magic. The cast is generally excellent, the metaphors are powerful and the story is engaging. Great holiday time offset film. Bring me more…..

Genre:  Film

Grade:  A-

Notable People:  Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Grahame Greene, Directed by: Taylor Sheridan

Title:  Wind River

 

Review:  Did not know much about this film except that: A- it got 5+ stars in the Vermont state alternative paper B- it was an “Indian reservation” thriller and C- it was atypically at the local mall theater in Rutland, where usually bad movies go to die. So- a very nice surprise. Very good suspense film with a significant moral undercoating (young woman’s fate on the reservation). Renner is really good, Greene laconically fine, as always- and Olsen better than you’d think. The cinematography is A- plus and the plot is captivating. The shootout scene might have been a bit much and the way the facts are revealed seemed a bit heavy handed….but, hell, it was a very rainy day in Vermont, and this was great.

Genre:  Film

Grade:  B/B+

Notable People:  Kenneth Branaugh, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles and a cast of thousands, Directed by Christopher Nolan

Title:  Dunkirk

 

Review:  hot summer night back in Ohio-went for the convenience of a local movie. Familiar story, number one movie in the country, VERY big budget blockbuster…more or less what you would expect. Nolan does big scenes really well and there are a lot of them. Interesting twist in that you never see the enemy close up- which is the point, I guess. Four hundred thousand British and French troops trapped along the French coast at Dunkirk…and sitting ducks from the land and the air. You do get the feeling of being sitting ducks. The acting is good, the cinematography very good…which maybe makes it more than a B. The theater was cool, the popcorn a good, and the middle schoolers necking in row in front of me were tolerable. It’s summer a blockbuster…maybe better to see in 3D.

Genre:  Film

Grade  B+

Notable People:   Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Holliday Grainger, Directed by Roger Michell

Title: My Cousin Rachel

Review:    Pretty intense film we drove over an hour to see (Dartmouth for Father’s Day treat) at small art house. From a novel by Daphne du Maurer- who was the British queen of love suspense from 1930 through the 80s. She wrote “Rebecca” and the story that became Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. Set in rural England in the 1800s- this is a quite convoluted story of love, loss, and obsession…..with quite a few mysterious twists. The film lagged at time and seemed somewhat predictable at others- but it gets a higher grade for Weisz’s almost always virtuosos performance. Left the film still totally confused about whether she was an angle or the devil. Beautifully shot, with an underlying sense of humor and good ensemble acting…may be more of a home film than a theater film.

Genre:  Novel     

Grade  A

Notable People:   Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenburgh, Daniel Bruehl, Directed by: Niki Caro

Title:  The Zookeeper’s Wife

Review:  I loved this film…I was devastated by this film. Full of raw power and emotion. The last in a long line to tell the story of the underbelly of the Nazi tyranny and it’s inhuman effect on everyone involved. This takes place in Warsaw in 1939 and is the true story of the Polish zookeepers who became heroes against all odds by hiding (after stealing them from the infamous Warsaw Ghetto) over 300 Jews in the destroyed zoo’s animal cages, and helping all but two of them survive the war. Beautifully written and shot, with masterful performances by all…..Chastain is beyond luminous in this wonderful role. This is not an easy movie; we both wept freely by the end, but everyone should see it……We NEED to remember, especially in times like now.