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Perfect Days (2023)
Much potential, but incomplete
This film has most of the elements to make a great film, but it doesn't quite pull them together. The acting, characters, cinematography, costuming, and audio are all quite good. Scenes of Tokyo were sort of interesting for someone who has not been there. The problem is that the script isn't strong and the editing needs more work. The first hour is painfully slow. The first hour's content could fit in 20 minutes, and the rest is repetition and poring over minutiae. We don't need to see 40 minutes of scrubbing toilets; we understand what that's all about.
The film picks up at about 65 minutes in, and from there the pace is quick enough to sustain an interest. We then see that the main character has a lot going on inside. Finally, the last few minutes contain the emotional climax, but unfortunately, the plot has run out, and we don't get to see it blossom.
The effect is like an unfinished project that could be given to an advanced film seminar, with instructions to make this better and more understandable. This film was made by a team of German and Japanese staff, but here is a case where there is no synergy. The whole is less than the sum of its parts. One could defend the result in saying that the action is symbolic, rather than articulate. But, that would only work if it used an understood set of symbols. It's not clear that the symbolism here even fits into a vocabulary of Japanese symbols, let alone a symbolism familiar to other cultures.
If you really have nothing else to do for 2+ hours, this could be entertaining. But, if you have a chance to so something interesting this evening already, do that and skip this film. You won't be missing much.
Dream Scenario (2023)
Tragedy with an unfinished storyline
If you like Cage, you may like this. Not being his fan, I have to consider the larger context of the movie. This is a tragedy, in which the professor's life goes from bad to worse. That's partly his own doing, as he lacks the emotional intelligence to turn his course around. In the end, the story doesn't reach a conclusion and has no message or moral. Lots of entertaining scenes and the supporting actors are quite good. Cage does very well with this difficult part and pulls it off with skill and credibility. On his strength, I rate the film a 6. Otherwise, it deserves a lower rating due to an incomplete plot. An example of good acting with insufficient writing and producing.
The Persian Version (2023)
Fascinating family story, but told with fluff
This movie is based on a very interesting story of an immigrant family and their transition from traditional Iranians to modern Americans. It is presented mostly through the eyes of a young writer, who is also the protagonist, and de facto heroine. Her life and her family's are really quite interesting and well deserve a movie to present them to others. The movie should be entertaining to those interested in the modern history of Iran, emigration to the US, and the changes within families after settling here. It's also a case study of how self involved parents can emotionally neglect their children. The acting of the mother character, both as an adult in the US and as a very young woman in Iran are strong points, and the actress acting the newly married young wife is excellent in her role.
Unfortunately, the first half of the movie is full of extraneous scenes that are more about the chaotic lives of 20 somethings than about the cultures. An example is an over-the-top female impersonator, with a British accent to boot. The overly rapid speech and unclear English diction in places were also handicaps. If you are somewhat bored during the first half, be patient, as the film gets better in the second half. Then, it starts to portray the heart of the family's story and their motivation for emigrating.
Overall, the tone looks like they took a fine story and dressed it up during filming with a lot of distractions, presumably to hold the attention of those viewers who need some fluff with their drama. By contrast, "The Quiet Girl" is also a film about a girl raised under trying circumstances, but it focuses on the story line, without much gloss. The Persian Version is like listening to a good story told by someone with ADD. You'll eventually get the story, but meanwhile you'll waste some time with their distractions.
I would have rated this higher, if the editing had focused on the heart of the story.
A Haunting in Venice (2023)
A stage play with a big movie budget
This movie shows what can happen when a basic stage play (murder mystery) is put into a movie with a big budget. The result leads to a presentation that is long on special effects and Adrenalin stimulation, but short on effective story telling. For my taste, the most important angle to show in a murder mystery is the reasoning process of the detective who solves it. Unfortunately, many of Poirot's lines are delivered with weak diction and too softly. In spite of the need for an accent, better acting would have Poirot speak his lines confidently, clearly, and louder, to help us understand his logic. His thought process is hard to follow. Many moments focused on his mustache, but after a few of these, I didn't care about it anymore. One topic that could have been developed was Poirot's new interest in the reality of spirits. It would have been interesting to understand how he came to change his philosophy.
The big budget of the movie allows many complex special effects and frightful moments, but all these do not add to the story. It is like walking through a haunted house. We know we are going to be scared, but we are just waiting to see what other trick will happen next. About 2/3 of the way through the film, I was thinking that I've seen enough effects for one movie. I was not so interested in Adrenalin as in understanding how he figured out the killer.
From the credits, I could see the hundreds of cast who put the film together. They should have saved the money on those and invested in a diction coach for Branagh and a few more people to improve the audio tracks.
I didn't walk out of the showing, but I am sorry I paid to see it. If you think you might enjoy it, only pay when you can get a steep discount.
Passages (2023)
The consequences of not knowing your sexual orientation
This movie may be useful to someone who is trying to figure out their sexual and romantic orientation, whether straight, gay/lesbian, bisexual, or other.
The main character, Tomas, is a tortured soul, who can't decide whether he prefers men, women, both, or neither. He is a prime candidate for therapy to sort out his emotions, his romantic desires, and his interest in having children. Along the way, he impacts the man he currently is dating, a woman he starts to date, (and conceives a baby with), and people around him, burdening all with the consequences of his immaturity and indecision. One moral is, if you are a man and aren't sure whether you'd rather be married to a man or a woman, don't impregnate a woman. This would be obvious enough to most mature adults, but to Tomas, it is not. So, if you have settled on your orientation and your romantic interests, this movie doesn't offer much for you.
The best thing to say is that it shows that in principle, it's possible to be just as passionate toward your own gender as to another one. The music was also good, and the scenes of France were interesting, although they chose a lot of tired looking buildings for settings. The scenes with school children were bright spots,and all the actors were adept.
In sum, not a terrible movie, but not worth your time unless you are in Tomas' situation. It would need a more innovative and interesting plot to get a higher rating.
The Northman (2022)
Amped up Vikings fighting for control of their villages
A movie about burly men fighting for control within their little world. Not much insight into anything here except these characters. The best scenes were the spiritual journeys, such as when the witches dispensed advice. The outdoor scenery was also a highlight, but it was edited to look more like a Lord of the Rings set than pictures from a nature film.
The leading actors do a fine job with their scripts, and each shows their talents. The two leading women were interesting characters, but they were overshadowed by the men around them. Good acting is not enough to make a great movie, and this film is limited by a narrow vision of story and character development.
The first part shows us the miserable life of almost everyone during this era, and what's it's like to have no rights. Possibly interesting as an analogy to the history of other enslaved peoples in other countries. Beyond the mini history lesson, though, the plot consists of adventure centered on sword fights and showing scenes of exaggerated strength in battle and near superhuman endurance. For example, the conditions under which the slaves were kept and transported would have killed most people today, but that was glossed over.
The Vikings evolved through their period and did produce art and culture before they vanished. From this movie, a viewer would not know much about Vikings, except that they used slaves, could appreciate a fine sword, and could howl like wolves when they felt moved to howl.
This is a movie for viewers who never took a course in history or culture beyond the middle-school level. If you think that societies grow and evolve over time, this film will seem shallow. The director and producers should have taken their understanding and interpretation up a few notches- like to the college level.
You Hurt My Feelings (2023)
Wandering and looking for a dramatic point
If you like Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Tobias Menzies, you may find this enjoyable to watch, as both do a fine job with their roles. Otherwise, this will seem like a slow way to spend a couple hours. The plot wanders around searching for a dramatic climax or a storyline that leads somewhere. However, it doesn't get anywhere in particular. It's much like a comedy routine that just wanders from one story to another. Not too surprising, as Julia Louis-Dreyfus helped make "Seinfeld" the somewhat chaotic program it was. Funny, often, but as a movie, it leaves me wanting a more structured story.
A better title would have helped too. Something more like, "How we offend people when trying to be supportive" would have been illustrative, albeit not as pithy. The one theme that did seem to be reinforced was scenery of New York, especially as experienced by privileged people. That was interesting for about 30 minutes, but then the movie needed to deliver more message, if it had hopes of being satisfying. I rate it a 5 for the fine acting of the leading characters, but no higher for lacking a better script and story development. The result looked like it needed refining to clearly communicate a message.
An Cailín Ciúin (2022)
Entertaining story of resilience of children
This film is two stories in one, and both are told very well. On the personal level, it's about the journey of one girl born into emotionally and psychologically damaging circumstances, and how she starts to recover under the loving guidance of a couple who are her mother's relatives. They can and do provide a more generous, supportive, and nurturing home for a few months. On the societal level, the story represents children born into such homes who endure poor parenting, through lack of skills, love, and care, and the failure of some adults and institutions to provide this. Her mother can't spare the time for her, with a big family and the next pregnancy. Her father fails abjectly as he prefers alcohol and irresponsible family planning.
The movie is very well made as a work of film art. All elements of the craft work together nicely to support the story, and it shows moments of cleverness in the cinematography, character presentation, and dialogue. The only improvement I would make is to give the adult characters more to say, instead of dwelling on their silences. The girl's reticence to speak is well illustrated. But, some of the adults appear to be just poor conversationalists. More script editing would improve the flow and reduce the length, without removing any content. This is a minor flaw, however, and overall, the film is well above average.
The film comes across as an entertaining story with a somewhat light tone, tempered by scenes of dark truths and sobering plot elements. In the last scene, we see that the story is fundamentally a tragedy, in that the girl is forced to stay with her inadequate biological parents, even though her relatives are much better for her, and she would be happier with them. They are also ready, willing, and able to take her in longer. The sadness at this is heartfelt and very credible. The institutions of the biological family and the church and state that support this model of child upbringing fail the girl miserably.
The value of the movie is more than its film art value alone. It points to the fact that sometimes a child would be better off not living with her biological family. This condition affects many children, of course, and this film will hopefully lead to more adoptions out of ill-equipped families when alternatives are available.
Overall, the film is entertaining while also being important, and I give it 10 stars for this.
Emily (2022)
A banquet for the eyes, but not for the ears
This film is visually interesting, with its scenes of nature and tones of gray in the rainy, English weather. The costumes are pretty/handsome and symbolize the personalities of the characters. The film conveys the environment of life in the early 1800s in England, with a balance of oppression and rebellion. I hadn't known much about Bronte, but I came away with a better understanding of her life and how it could have led to "Wuthering Heights." The film would be more interesting to someone who already knew her life and career.
This presentation relies heavily on scenery and images rather than dialogue, and this is its Achilles Heel. Instead of providing enough dialogue to carry the plot, the director/editor used moments of speechless images to suggest plot elements. The result is a somewhat interesting study of a literary figure conveyed through non-verbal cues. However, to do justice to a woman of letters like Bronte, it would have been better to convey most of the meaning through speech. The big choices in making this film were apparently done by someone who mostly loves pretty pictures.
One other big weakness could have been fixed easily. The audio design and implementation were not done to help the audience. Several characteristics make it hard to understand the script and and plot. Important lines are whispered and so soft in the audio mixing that the we cannot make them out. The music overwhelms the spoken lines at times, even though the script is more important. Modern music (with its arrangements and harmonies) is used when there is a wealth of period music that could have been selected instead. To this American viewer, the British diction (from Yorkshire, not London) also did not lead to being able to hear the script. This would not have been a problem if the director had instructed the actors to speak clearly and articulate to a microphone, and the voice tracks had been emphasized. These problems could have been cured during the audio editing, but it seems the viewer/listener was not considered. It seems there was little coordination between the director and the audio staff. A viewer from England would have a better chance of catching all the speech, and it would help to see this with subtitles.
All-in-all, a decent attempt to bring Emily Bronte to life, but I don't recommend it to those who see only one film on her. I give it five stars for partial achievement and positive aspects described above. To get a higher rating, it would have needed to be more realistic for a literary subject and be easier to hear and understand.
Im Westen nichts Neues (2022)
Excellent portrayal of the brutality of war
A film everyone with an interest in the military, politics, diplomacy, or international relations should watch. The film is excellent at depicting the horror and brutality of war. It would have been very hard to sit through, without knowing that it was actors acting in a movie. Watching this in real life would be gut-wrenching. (How many ways are there to kill someone? A lot.) The writing, script, acting, and handling of scenes were all top notch. There are some very subtle and smart ways of handling the concerns of soldiers here, such as the allusions to their interest in women, without actually depicting or saying anything disrespectful. The leading actor was not only convincing, but he was also genuine and credible. Three cheers for this actor. See this film when you are in a good mood, but be prepared to be disgusted with the ways nations and leaders get into wars and conduct them. Just as relevant today as during WW I. After seeing this, I think all politicians should be forced to have their own children drafted into the military, to make them accountable to the citizens. The only reason I don't rate this higher is that it is a downer, and I save the highest ratings for films that inspire me.
Living (2022)
Exhibition of the skill of the leading actors
The most interesting aspect of this film is seeing the acting skill of stars Bill Nighy and Aimee Lou Wood, especially if you are already his fan or are interested in her career development. For this alone the film would deserve very high marks, as they are both excellent at these parts. They deserve awards for this. Other actors do very credible jobs, with the limited script they are given.
The film shines as pleasant entertainment and a presentation of life in London and nearby in bygone times, including the interpersonal reservedness, but also the budding modernity of the mid Twentieth Century. It well portrays the trait of keeping a stiff upper lip. The sets, costumes, and props all are first rate.
Unfortunately, the story is not well enough developed, and it hardly justifies the running time. Setting aside watching the leading actors practice their craft at interpreting the script, there is not a lot going on with plot development. The editing could have been tightened and shortened, without cutting out any significant plot elements.
Also, the theme of an older male character forming a social relationship with a young female one is a tired one, and there is not much innovative about it here. Nevertheless, Ms. Wood does a fine job with the script she was given.
If you already like Mr. Nighy, you will probably love this film. (The film appears to be a vehicle for him to show his abilities.) Otherwise, you will be bored with the script and pace at times. As a complete film, I can't rate it higher than a 7. I'll give it that for its value as light entertainment. It's not a bad way to spend your time, but whether it is worth the price you'd pay is a toss-up.
A Man Called Otto (2022)
Watered down copy of the original film
This is a watered down copy and remake of the 2015 Swedish film, "A Man called Ove" or (En Man Som Heter Ove) in the original. The Swedish film is listed in IMDB. This copy doesn't have the punch or appeal of the original. And, the leading man in the original is much more interesting.
Apparently someone thought Tom Hanks could duplicate the Swedish actor, but he doesn't. There is no point in doing a remake like this, except if someone thinks they can make a profit from it. The original film is available to rent for less than the cost of a movie theater ticket at Netflix.
Don't waste your time with this poorer copy. You'll enjoy the Swedish film more. It has good subtitles in English for those who don't speak Swedish.
Beurokeo (2022)
Entertaining assembled family
This is a film about three adults, a child, and a baby, who come together into an assembled family from an unlikely start, along with supporting characters who are related in somewhat random relationships. The main characters at first have opposing interests, but through spending time together, they develop a bond that strengthens, and is only broken when their unlawful histories and legacies are caught by the police.
Just after the dramatic climax of the woman and one man's most touching conversation and a real consideration of marriage that could lead to a conventional family, the assembled family must come to terms with the law, and the plot flows downhill toward a routine ending.
The film deals mostly with themes of child abandonment, orphans, mother and fatherhood, and very briefly, on the pros and cons of abortion. Along the way we see character development of two policewomen, one with her own history with a child. We also see glimpses into the legal system and organized crime in South Korea. All of this is interesting and fairly entertaining, so the film was worth the admission price, although not worth the lengthy running time of over 2 hrs. It would be better if condensed to 1-1/2 hrs. Still, not a bad way to spend an evening, and a light tone on the whole makes it entertaining.
Probably will resonate most with viewers who have experience with unplanned children, adoption, orphans, foster children, or possibly, with abortion. Other viewers will not find a lot that is memorable, although they may shed a tear at poignant moments.
Heojil kyolshim (2022)
Could be a good movie, if you speak Korean
This could be a very good movie, but I couldn't tell from watching it in another language with just subtitles. It's a fairly complicated plot, so it's essential to present it with clarity and lots of supporting clues. It's probably one of those films that loses a lot in translation, because the nuances and connotations aren't conveyed. The principal actors did use understated facial expressions, but it wasn't enough to see a great story. The themes used- complex love stories, crime mysteries, and effects of emigration and immigration passed on through generations- have all been treated many times before. The plot was slow to develop during the first ¾ of the movie, and it compressed many key pieces of information into the last ¼. A good editor could have made the first part much more concise.
Why this movie won awards in English speaking countries is hard to understand, as there is nothing on display here that is really innovative or outstanding, in the version with English subtitles. There were clever moments in the film, that got me thinking, "That was interesting." Apparently, the writers had a lot of good ideas, but they couldn't pull it all together into a strong plot. The clever moments weren't enough to support a basically weak story and script, in the version presented. (A good writer could have given it more vitality.)
The film did portray at least three things well: first, the Korean film industry has enough talent in casts and crews to make great movies, if they have a great script; second, below surface differences, life is basically the same in modern South Korea and the U. S.; and third, romantic love is universal. The affair between the two main characters appeared heartfelt and sincere, in spite of their reticence.
I recommend the film to people fluent in Korean (who can fully understand the dialogue), or to those who love murder mysteries. For others, there isn't a lot to hold your attention for over two hours. You'd be more entertained at home by a movie on streaming video. (A trip out to the theater isn't always better than staying at home, unfortunately for today's movie industry).
Overall, I give it the benefit of the doubt and rate it a 5. If it were in my first language of English, I would rate it a 3 for lack of strength in the plot.
Verdens verste menneske (2021)
A Woman of Meh
The producers and editors didn't complete their work on this movie. Instead of its 2+ hours, they should have dug into the material and edited it down to 1 to 1-1/2 hours, There is too much time spent on scenes that appear pretty for a moment, until you realize they don't lead the characters to anything. Sitting through this is like watching a series of snazzy TV commercials, all about products you wouldn't buy. Does the writer think that Julie is a very bad character or not? We never know, as the movie never makes a good case for either viewpoint. They need to go back and study how to compose a film.
The leading lady, Julie, is basically aimless, although she is interesting in that she defines a unique path through relationships. She maintains her independence throughout, but in retrospect, she was a bit pathetic in her unwillingness to choose a path that could bring satisfaction to her life. She believes that the grass is always greener with someone else. She gives up good men along the way as she searches for something that this movie does not articulate. Her vacillation extends from her school years into adulthood, and in the end, she is still searching for a satisfying place in society.
The two leading actors, Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie, are top-notch at bringing their characters to life. They believably portray the depth and range of feelings around relationships, affairs, break-ups, past loves, and coping with cancer, and deserve the awards given for their work. We have seen relationships presented well in many other films, but combining this with the disease is somewhat novel. The movie also has some interesting discussions about intergenerational differences, the nature of visual art, and contemporary feminism.
The movie deserves a 4 overall, but to recognize the fine acting, I rate it a 5. The only person I would recommend this to is someone with an incurable disease or someone who has a loved one with this. The film may help them process their feelings around their life and their fate. Otherwise, take these two hours and watch a classic movie instead.
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Minimalism Takes Center Stage
Understanding and following the speech in a Shakespearean tragedy is usually difficult for the modern American speaker. Every reasonable type of clue in the presentation is welcome to improve tracking the conversations. This movie misses some big opportunities to assist the audience. The best aspects of this movie are the acting, costumes, and fight scenes. However, the accomplished actors are limited in telling the story by questionable choices in other aspects of the production. The main drawback is the sets, which are minimalist to an excess. They don't contribute to the story, as they are too sketchy, generic, and poorly identifiable. At times, one isn't sure whether the set could be a chapel, a courtyard, a cloister, a plaza, a royal court, or a cathedral in present day Finland. There isn't enough visual detail to support the script. Closely related is the choice to film in black and white here. In other movies, B&W pares down the scene to focus on the essentials. Here it removes another potential set of information useful in understanding the story development. A third poor choice is the musical score. It is too modern and contributes little to the film. Absent are clear musical references that would suggest specific circumstances to the audience. Overall, the effect is that of a cinematography art project rather than a movie for a wide audience. There are other questionable choices, such as shouting lines that would be more intelligible if simply spoken loudly. It looks like the concept behind this was to present the story in an innovative way. On the whole, this falls flat. The movie appears as a sterile telling, somewhat disorienting, and not easy to sit through. If you know the script well, you might find this movie interesting. If you don't, skip this movie and watch a version with a more conventional presentation. You will work less to follow it and probably enjoy it more.
Belfast (2021)
Entertaining trip through history
A very entertaining film with very few flaws. Nostalgic trip through the later 1960's period in Belfast, complete with cultural references, e.g. Star Trek, and many nostalgic props/antiques. Portrays the Troubles through the eyes of one family and one boy. Succeeds in linking the very personal to the community and the country. Portrays the violence of the civil war in a realistic, yet restrained way. Also does well in handling romance at different ages and disagreements between spouses. Filmed almost all in black and white, which seems like the right choice. Could be a tad bit watered down from harsh reality in a Disney way, but still retains enough accuracy to be credible. The boy playing the child hero did a wonderful job and should have a future in film if he keeps working. Should be interesting to anyone interested in Ireland, England, or childhood in a close community. Only major flaw was that some of the speech was not intelligible to this US reviewer. Probably due to a combination of poor acoustics in the theater and the Irish dialect spoken rapidly. Perhaps better editing of the voice tracks and more careful diction could have cured this problem. Otherwise, a fine creation of the artistic and technical team. Earned every dollar I spent to see it. If you see this, choose a theater that has very good acoustics and sound system.
Angry Angel (2017)
Near universal story told with skill and flair
We found this movie on Netflix while searching for something funny and new. This film is a very pleasant surprise and easily could have have been a crowd favorite in the big theaters, if it had been widely distributed. It's the story of three people in a love triangle, all of whom lost a spouse earlier. it deals with the emotions of partner death and loss, regrets, reminiscences, moving on, and looking back and forward in romantic relationships. Anyone who has experienced these events will find something here to relate to. I have experienced some of these, and it brought up strong feelings for me. Also, it has an interesting view on what happens after death, rebirth, and heaven. If you are religious, this could be the starting point for interesting discussions on your faith about death and on our time on earth.
A very skilled cast and crew brings life to the script, adding their own creative quirks and idiosyncracies to the characters. None are heavy handed, and almost always they strike the right balance between individual style and universal traits. The script is slanted toward younger characters, so older audience members may not have had the same experiences in dating. However, the emotions portrayed are ageless. The only weak points in the script are minor. They are a reliance on cliches about regional differences in people. The characters from the Midwest are portrayed as somewhat unsophisticated and slow. The head angel from New York is presented like a brash, jaded stereotype from that area. These stereotypes, though, are within the bounds of typical movie cliches about regions.
Overall, well worth the time to watch. It will have you alternately laughing and probably crying, and reflecting on your own life and its history.
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
Very satisfying film to watch
An excellent film, and little could be improved. It is satisfying in that nearly every scene and minute was visually attractive and contributed to a fascinating story. The actresses were a pleasure to watch, and nearly every aspect of the craft of film-making was done justice in the completed product. Even the housemaid was excellent in her supporting role. The pacing of the dialogue was unusually slow, but it was clear that this supported the thoughtfulness and the characters and was consistent with the slower pace of life in that period. I relied on the subtitles, as I don't speak French, but I had no trouble understanding nearly every conversation in the script. Only two suggestions come to mind if I were to try to improve the film. First, there were almost no male characters portrayed, and they seemed one-dimensional when they appeared. Somewhat curious, considering that they were quite influential in that time period. Second, the nudity that was shown, especially when the painter dried herself by the fire, seemed gratuitous, without contributing to the excellent storytelling. I suspect this was added to garner support for the rating or to boost the audience, as it is so common to portray young actresses in this way. Perhaps not the choice of the director at all, which would also be curious, because the film was a strong statement about women and the roles allowed at that time. These minor weaknesses did not detract from the film significantly, and I would still recommend this film to almost anyone. By the way, even with the nudity, it is appropriate for children, as long as the parent explains the context. It is a powerful love story between two women, but as a man I found it resonated with my heterosexual feelings about relationships too. Even children could understand this story, although they may need a few tips to get the subtleties.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
Bravo for Matthew Rhys
A good film, but not because of Mr. Rogers or Tom Hanks. Mr. Hanks does about what you would expect: play a complicated person with professionalism and competence, showing the actor at times, but focusing on the character. Mr. Rogers' story is truly interesting, and this film shows Rogers on a deeper level and shows more insights into his psyche. The real star of this film is Matthew Rhys. His character is torn between family issues and the duty to practice his journalism with integrity and understanding. He does an excellent job showing the emotions that easily come up in families. I winced several times watching him manage his feelings about his father and family. Truly convincing. If you have ever had family issues that were hard to face and discuss, this will resonate. Mr. Rhys has a cornucopia of facial expressions at his command. He is on a par with Meryl Streep in this sense. A strong contrast to some American actors who can barely manage a smile or a frown when confronted with emotional challenges. (See "Dances with Wolves" for example.) It's great to see such nuanced acting, and he richly deserves an award for this part.
If you like great acting, Rogers, or Hanks, you will enjoy this film. Don't expect to be thrilled; it's not an action film. But, it will give you plenty to think over and to feel.
Little Women (2019)
Okay film for teenagers
I enjoy period dramas, and I saw the critics rated this film high. I have not read the book, nor was I a fan of the story or the author. I expected a very good film with such high critic ratings. I left thinking the critics had jumped on the bandwagon over this film, or else they were rating it high for reasons other than its artistry. The first about 70 minutes of the film has a script that sounds like it was written by contemporary teenagers. The lines and the behavior work okay for teenagers in the early 21st Century, but they are not realistic for those of the 1860s. At about the scene where Amy is in her painting studio talking to Theodore/Laurie, the first mature writing enters the script. Amy wrestles with the options for her future, livelihood, and marriage, weighing these against her romantic feelings. Not a new theme, but it is written with a mature voice. The middle of the film gets better, and toward the end, Jo also weighs mature questions and develops into a more adult character. The end descends again into a light, Disney-film tone. Many other characters barely rise to the level of adults, e.g. the wealthy neighbor who enjoys hearing Beth play the piano. Some characters, like Marmee and the housekeeper, are given precious few lines that could not be comprehended by an elementary school child. Streep does a fine job with her character, playing it like the Grandma in Downton Abbey. There are some significant feminist expositions in the script at various points, but those occupy about 5-10 minutes of the whole. If you like the book, Alcott, or Disney movies, or if you are a teenage girl/woman, you may love this film. I am not any of these, and I left puzzled about how it could have gotten such high critic ratings. As film art, it is mediocre, but I give it a rating of 5 for its polish and its warmth, especially around Christmas time.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019)
A movie in search of more substance
During the first 4/5 of this film, I kept thinking, "Where is the material?" The script was so trite, superficial, or cliched, that it seemed like a series of pretty scenes held together by a thin plot. Finally, well over the half way point, it got into some genuine material, greatly aided by scenes of Antarctica (not all filmed there) and Bernadette's stumbling upon a worthwhile purpose for her life going forward. This brought out her talents and her ability to live a meaningful life again. The first part of the film was just about her shallow conversations with friends and family. I was really interested when she committed herself to a challenging project in Antarctica, but before that, her character didn't convince me that she was talented, wealthy, or willing to face life. This film only reaches a rating of 3 because the last part is substantial: the first part deserves a 1. If you don't want to sit through most of it, you may walk out early. A few surprising exceptions to the poor script were the credibility of the therapist and the honesty of her former architecture colleague. The scenes with her daughter were really lacking, as her daughter's lines were precocious. Thank goodness at least Bernadette's husband had a sense for helping his daughter grow up with integrity.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)
Living black in San Francisco today
The movie shines as the story of two interesting men trying to look for the better things in life and improve their lot in San Francisco today. The film is strong in acting, cinematography, musical score, and and creativity. As a white viewer, I found the movie entertaining and a fine way to spend a Friday evening. I also found it difficult to understand the speech in many places, as the diction and the dialogue audio tracks were not uniformly clear. My not being familiar with black, urban slang and its pronunciation did not help. I also found the editing disjointed, so it was difficult to identify the message of the film. What it had to say about modern San Francisco could have been said in half the time and film space. But, the length was appropriate for the development of the black characters. The white characters were superficial at at times, but not to an extreme. All the actors did a fine job with their parts. Overall, an entertaining movie, but probably of more interest to a black, urban audience than to other audiences.
Green Book (2018)
A wonderful surprise
This film starts with a modest story, adequately told in the trailer and plot summary. I went because it sounded interesting, but I wasn't excited about it. The film surpassed my expectations, and I left the theater feeling entertained, better informed about history, and with renewed faith in human nature. The film develops the friendship between the two men as it shows the society of the early 1960s in the North East, the Midwest, and the South. It also exposed me to some modern jazz I hadn't heard, and some traditional jazz from the South that I was familiar with. It reminded me of the richness of American music. The prejudice of their time was depicted in a realistic enough way to bring up anxiety over the fear that minorities faced. In their time racism was ubiquitous; today it is dormant, but the last two years have reminded us that it can rise again if we allow it to. The two men brought their own biases to their meeting and working together, but their humanity and basic good will allowed them to see each other as individuals, overcome their biases, and support one another more over the course of their tour. The issues they faced were at times deathly serious, but their ability to laugh at absurd situations kept the overall tone from becoming dark. In the end, the film seemed like a mixture of comedy, light tragedy, and road trip. I highly recommend the film.
The Death of Stalin (2017)
Immiscible mixture of stories
This is a film that might appeal to fans of British humor or Soviet history. For others, though, it's like watching a few episodes of MASH or Hogan's Heroes mixed up with Monty Python's Flying Circus. The film never finds a focused voice, although it bounces back and forth between dry humor, absurdist dialogue, and dark hints of the murderous Soviet regime in the 1950's. It borrows elements from Monty Python, including a decent performance by Michael Palin. Jason Isaacs also plays a very believable and genuine Marshall Zhukov. The film has the sweetened version of a deathly tyranny as in Hogan's Heroes. But, it doesn't bring these elements together in a unified way. To this American viewer, the humor never reaches a very high level of achievement- not even as high as MASH. The references to the oppression of the Soviet Cold War era are dark but done in a muted way that don't convey the deathly pall of life in that era. The film masquerades as a comedy, but it doesn't fully develop as one. It lingers between weak humor and weak terror. Save yourself the price by watching a few episodes of Monty Python and a documentary about Stalin or his successors. You'll get the historical information and the entertainment much cheaper and more genuinely.