RonDirect73 Reviews

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021)

Good but lacking a bit

[7/10 · 16 August 2021]

The content of the Street Gang is immensely enjoyable. The history of Sesame Street is a fascinating story and there's plenty of entertaining material included here.

Being the huge fan of the show that I am I would have liked to seen a few more areas covered. It didn't shy away from the behind-the-scenes antics of the Muppet performers which was wonderful to see. I wished they had featured more of the players outside of Henson and Oz, both the puppet performers and human actors. And I would've liked if the creators had gotten into role of actor Northern Calloway more, who played David, a very likable screen presence whose erratic behavior off screen got him fired from the show (his life ended tragically).

Still this is a good documentary that is definitely worth watching.

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)

Can't imagine seeing a better movie this year

[10/10 · 9 July 2018]

I've been telling anyone willing to listen that this is such an important movie to see. The life and work of Fred Rogers is in dire need of being revisited in these divisive times.

There will be at the very least one moment for everyone in "Won't You Be My Neighbor" that each viewer will be moved by. What was fascinating to me was realizing how much Mr. Rogers influenced my behavior. The movie made me reflect on why I respond the way I do toward certain life experiences. That's pretty powerful.

But the bottom line is the film demonstrates how simple kindness toward one another, despite our differences, makes the world a better place for all of us.

Now how can a movie that suceeds with that as its thesis possibly by topped? In my opinion it cannot. "Won't You Be My Neighbor" needs to be seen by as many people as possible. It's a wonderful documentary that should not be missed.

Lucky (I) (2017)

Critics are raving about it, myself... not as much

[6/10 · 30 September 2017]

"YOU'RE NOTHING!" That's Lucky's announcement each time he enters his local diner. It's his way of greeting everyone in the place and in a way it is also sums up this movie. It has some wonderful scenes and wonderful performances but really doesn't add up to very much.

Since legendary actor Harry Dean Stanton passed away I have had this movie's release date circled on my calendar. I would have anyway since I am a fan of his and it was only his second leading role in a 60+ year career. His other, "Paris, Texas" (1984), is one of my favorite movies of all time.

The movie turned out to be his Swan Song and, with so much of his real life experiences incorporated into his character makes it all the more poignant. When the film is over it's difficult to not think that Stanton wasn't saying goodbye to all of us.

That makes this movie worth seeing. He has some terrific scenes with a great cast including director and friend David Lynch, Ron Livingston, James Gavin, Tom Skerritt and Ed Begley Jr. There's a touching scene when Harry/Lucky admits he's concerned about life's end and another at a fiesta where he sings in Spanish (something he's always done beautifully throughout his life).

In spite of this I cannot say the movie as a whole really jelled. In between the banter with his co-stars there was too much... well, NOTHING. That may have been the point when you consider it was Harry Zen's real-life philosophy but I couldn't help but feel a bit empty by the entire viewing experience. There were certain behaviors he exhibited in the town he lived in that I hoped to see fleshed out and it never happened. Places in town he'd observe and are left to guess what he's seeing, never to find out. There were relationships he had with people where I thought some kind of arc would materialize but NOTHING happened. What can I say? I wanted more and got too much of NOTHING! Lol.

Aesthetically, I was bothered by the editing transitions of fading to black/fade in from black of which there are way too many. It became a distraction serving only to contemplate being in a theater with other patrons and taking me away from what was happening on screen.

"Lucky" is really not a bad film. At all. It is a nice cap to Stanton's career. His fans will appreciate his final role and I'm glad to have seen it. I only wish I could say it was a movie I would revisit repeatedly. For me it really isn't.

Rest In Peace Harry Dean. We'll always have Paris... Texas. 😊