All posts by scottmet99

2020 Films, Adam Brody, Alfred Molina, Alison Brie, Bo Burnham, Carey Mulligan, Clancy Brown, Comedy, Connie Britton, Dark Comedy, Emerald Fennell, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Thriller, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Margot Robbie, Max Greenfield, Molly Shannon, Thriller

Promising Young Woman-2020

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Promising Young Woman-2020

Director Emerald Fennell

Starring Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham

Scott’s Review #1,132

Reviewed April 13, 2021

Grade: A

Emerald Fennell, making her film directorial debut, kicks her viewers in the ass with significant help from star Carey Mulligan, with Promising Young Woman (2020).

The actress gives the best performance of her career.

The film is a sexy and haunting experience, mixing black comedy and witty dialogue with an important and timely subject matter- the abuse and victimization of young women by men.

Both men and women can be held responsible, as Fennell makes abundantly clear. Predators often have a share of people who choose to “look the other way” and thereby enable.

This is a constant theme throughout the film involving many characters who are called out for their passivity.

Fennell makes this point during two of the film’s most compelling scenes, calling out a high-powered dean and attorney for their betrayals. The scenes are so powerful that I wanted the characters to suffer as much as the revenge seeker does.

There is also a wackiness in the pacing and dialogue that reminds me quite a bit of the 1999 masterpiece, American Beauty.

The film is depravity, bizarreness, and brilliance all rolled into one. I felt this film in my bones.

Almost every scene is a treat in the mysterious and unexpected, and the film features peculiar characters and creative musical score renditions, and includes a scene and music from the underappreciated masterpiece The Night of the Hunter (1955). Fennell knows her classic cinema.

Mulligan stars as a woman named Cassie who seeks to avenge the death of her best friend, who was a victim of rape when they were in medical school, and their young lives had potential, and such possibility lay ahead of them.

Cleverly, we never see her friend, named Nina Fisher, but she is of vital importance and nearly a central character herself despite her absence.

Everyone said Cassie was a “promising young woman” until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But now, at thirty and still living at home, her parents suggest, via a giant suitcase for her birthday, that it may be time for her to move on.

Cassie is tough to figure out since she’s wickedly clever, sometimes wisecracking, and tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. She goes to nightclubs looking drop-dead gorgeous and lures men to her rescue, pretending to be inebriated.

What happens when they go back to their pad is shocking, dark, and justified. The men will never see this coming.

Before the presumption is that Cassie is nothing more than a bad-ass, her intentions are not only admirable, but she has a heart and desires love. Promising Young Woman is a dark character study.

Besides the powerful story, Promising Young Woman is riddled with interesting cinematic techniques. Cassie’s parents lounge in their afternoon, watching The Night of the Hunter, a dark fairy tale for adults.

Later, a haunting version of Britney Spears “I’m a Slave 4 U”, complete with a string arrangement, is featured most uniquely.

All the supporting players add pizzazz and strength, some in odd or unclear ways, until certain revelations bubble to the surface.

Jennifer Coolidge as Cassie’s strange mother, Bo Burnham as the smitten Ryan Cooper, and Alison Brie as Cassie’s college friend Madison McPhee are the best examples.

Bo and Madison have the most to hide, but will they or won’t they face Cassie’s wrath? Not much is worse than a woman scorned.

But the main draw is Mulligan. Startlingly good, with an astonishingly powerful, deeply layered performance by her. She showcases a remarkable acting range, effortlessly shifting from brash to darkly humorous and, at times, emotionally vulnerable in her best performance to date.

Two scenes stand out to me.

The first is a delicious scene between Cassie and the female dean of her school, played by Connie Britton. At first dismissive and annoyed by Cassie’s accusations, Dean Elizabeth Walker finally takes notice when she believes that Cassie had kidnapped her teenage daughter and left her with a group of drunken frat boys. What comes around goes around!

The second is the finale wedding scene, interestingly not featuring Cassie other than by text messages. As the happy young couple says their vows a parade of police cars ruins the moment and the audience cheers victory. It’s a satisfying moment.

The screenplay is original, fresh, and timely. In the “Me Too” movement, the timing is vital and makes the subject matter relevant. Fennell wrote the screenplay- is there anything she can’t do?

Promising Young Woman (2020) is an exceptional film. It’s a controversial revenge film, but it’s so much more. Taking a powerful subject matter and examining the hypocrisy of men and women is telling and eye-opening.

That is why this film is critical to see and brings awareness to a situation that society still too often deems as okay.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Emerald Fennell, Best Actress-Carey Mulligan, Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Film Editing

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 2 wins-Best Director-Emerald Fennell, Best Female Lead- Carey Mulligan (won), Best Screenplay (won)

2007 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, John C. Reilly, Laura Dern, Molly Shannon, Peter Sarsgaard, Regina King, Tom McCarthy

Year of the Dog-2007

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Year of the Dog-2007

Director Mike White

Starring Molly Shannon, John C. Reilly

Scott’s Review #1,131

Reviewed April 9, 2021

Grade: B-

Comedienne, Molly Shannon stars in Year of the Dog (2007), a quirky independent film that can be classified as a hybrid of the comedy and drama genres.

It’s peculiar, sometimes being very creative and nuanced while other times feeling generic and clichéd. Somehow it’s not predictable either- a plus.

It’s not the cute, sentimental film the premise might lead one to believe and at times it’s downright dark and depressing.

A story centering around dogs seems pretty cool but it usually conjures up a pitifully dreary family-style affair with a husband, wife, two cookie-cutter kids (a boy and girl naturally), and some story and drama involving the family pet. And, of course, a happy ending.

Thankfully, Year of the Dog bears little resemblance to that type of film.

While it could have been more cohesive and less messy, the film deals with pet death in the most interesting ways and the effort is there. While it’s not a downer it’s not cheery either.

After her beloved beagle, Pencil dies unexpectedly when she lets it stay outside all night, an administrative assistant named Peggy (Shannon) strives to find ways to fill the void in her life while blaming herself for his death.

She becomes lonely and despondent, finally bringing in treats for her co-workers and fussing over other people’s kids. An ill-advised love affair with a gun fanatic (John C. Reilly) leads to more misery causing Peggy to go off the deep end and change her life completely.

Shannon, unsurprisingly, is the best part of the film, though she doesn’t quite cut it as the lead. She is cast perfectly as the odd-ball secretary with no life outside of her pet dog, but isn’t she better as the interesting sidekick?

It’s tough to imagine another actress being as believable in the part and her comic timing is on fire. The dramatic parts are a bit of a stretch and I like her in comedic situations better.

The supporting characters are where Year of the Dog lacks. None of them are very interesting.

Laura Dern and Regina King are reduced to caricature types as the loyal best friend, Layla, and the cold sister-in-law, Bret, respectively. Layla is only interested in finding romance for lonely Peggy while Bret barely notices Peggy’s suffering.

Yawn!

Characters like these occur so often in stock comedies that I can hardly keep count. Talents like Dern and King deserve better than one-note characters.

Reilly, as the intended love interest, has no chemistry with Shannon and it’s obvious from the start that Al is written as the foil and opposite in every way from Peggy.

It’s just another standard cliché screaming from a mile away. Peggy dates Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) but the romance isn’t there either.

Where the film gets both interesting and lost, is when Peggy becomes an animal rights activist. It sets up Year of the Dog as a message film which never really works.

Peggy ruins furs, attempts to show children a slaughterhouse, and spontaneously adopts fifteen dogs because another injured dog dies.

It just doesn’t flow together with the comedy stuff. Especially when the ending takes Peggy in yet another direction.

It’s like the filmmakers decided to try and roll things up in a neat little bow but instead have a sloppily wrapped present with a nice bow on it.

Director, Mike White, also a producer and writer, creates a great concept but Year of the Dog (2007) hardly lights the world on fire.  The finale is too sentimental and too many cliches surface as the action plays out. Shannon is the only interesting character and the supporting players are stock written.

White also penned School of Rock (2003) which is a better film.

2008 Films, Biography, Comedy, Drama, Elizabeth Banks, Ellen Burstyn, James Brolin, Jeffrey Wright, Josh Brolin, Oliver Stone, Richard Dreyfuss, Satire, Scott Glenn, Stacy Keach, Thandie Newton

W.-2008

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W.-2008

Director Oliver Stone

Starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks

Scott’s Review #1,130

Reviewed April 7, 2021

Grade: B+

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again- the United States political landscape forever changed with the dastardly 2016 presidential election. Presidents pre and post-2016 are held to a completely different standard.

We didn’t see this coming.

That said, the film W. (2008) is a biography and satire of George W. Bush, the forty-third president of the United States, who held office during the deadly 9/11 attacks.

Thought by some to be a moron, director Oliver Stone is careful to ease up on the obvious mockery and barbs that are usually thrown at Bush. There is some of that but surprisingly the film contains some sympathetic moments.

For example, a clever addition is a complex relationship between father and son, something shadowed from the spotlight. At least I was never aware there was any friction between Dad and Son.

Fans who lean or are conservative may not like the film. It’s not exactly pro-Bush but neither is it anti. It simply tells a good and accurate story.

Stone wisely features an all-star cast and offers a retrospective chronicling the life and political career of George W. Bush, from his troubles as a young adult through his governorship of Texas and to the Oval Office.

It’s well-made because it provides the uninformed viewer with an important history lesson.

The lineup is juicy featuring an array of elite Hollywood stars. Josh Brolin sinks his teeth into the title role while Elizabeth Banks is more low-key as former First Lady Laura Bush.

In support, James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn play George H.W. Bush and Barbara, while Richard Dreyfuss is fantastic as Dick Cheney.

Finally, Thandie Newton is as delicious as Condoleeza Rice.

Flashbacks are key to his life events revealing the rise of George W. Bush from ne’er-do-well party boy and son of privilege to president of the United States. After giving up booze for religion, George mends his restless ways and sets his sights first on the Texas governorship, which he achieves, then on the presidency.

By a fluke, he achieved this too but lost the popular vote, forever a bee in his bonnet.

However, the country’s involvement in the Iraq war affects his reign and decreases his approval rating.

The historical accuracy appears to be valid and most details are taken from non-fiction books. That’s why the film is perfect for those who wish to brush up on their history or who are intrigued about the life and times of a modern president.

Just be prepared for a bit of comedy.

To be fair, there are moments in W. when it feels like a long Saturday Night Live sketch and the characters are caricatures. It’s not exactly a parody nor is it a documentary either.

Sort of a hybrid.

The heart of the film belongs to Josh Brolin (reportedly he stepped in for Christian Bale at the last minute). Major props go to Brolin for a nuanced, spot-on characterization of the former president.

He’s got the mannerisms down and turns of the head, his walk, and speech patterns. He is careful to take a controversial public persona and portray him with both humor and humanity. Never completely silly but not as a straight man either. The real Bush always had a bit of a devilish aww shucks persona.

Post 2016 it’s tough to care much about W. (2008) though. It’s sort of an “of its time” film.  Too much has happened since the Bush years, or even since 2008 when the film was made.

Donald Trump made so many things irrelevant. I can’t wait until a satire emerges about him. You know one is coming.

2020 Films, Benny Safdie, Drama, Ellen Burstyn, Jimmie Fails, Kornél Mundruczó, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Shia LaBeouf, Vanessa Kirby

Pieces of a Woman-2020

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Pieces of a Woman-2020

Director Kornél Mundruczó

Starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn

Scott’s Review #1,129

Reviewed April 2, 2021

Grade: A-

One of my favorite things is to watch an actor blossom into creative stardom by choosing the right film roles.

We all know that many actors wind up selecting the wrong roles or accepting what is offered to them, so when a young actor is given a chance to shine, it’s reaffirming.

Vanessa Kirby, known for her supporting turn on the magnificent Netflix hit, The Crown, as the rebellious and restless Princess Margaret, gives a powerful and unrecognizable performance in Pieces of a Woman (2020).

Not only does she play a completely different character, but she does so in brilliant fashion, in an emotionally exhausting performance.

She plays a woman who experiences a devastating loss and must come to terms with her feelings and the effect on her partner and family. Pressure mounts at every turn, especially while she is immersed in a trial based on the actions of another character.

A minor miss is a film that doesn’t provide much background or explanation of the characters on trial. I yearned for more in this regard.

When her baby dies after a botched home birth, Martha (Kirby) faces unthinkable grief and soon faces a crisis in her relationship with the dead infant’s father, Sean (Shia LaBeouf).

Alienated from him and her affluent family led by her difficult mother, Elizabeth (Ellen Burstyn), Martha must work through the tragedy’s painful aftermath on her terms.

She wrestles with whether to donate the infant to science or have a traditional funeral ceremony, and the impending trial of the midwife.

Director Kornél Mundruczó creates an astounding first thirty minutes of film that makes the remainder of the experience relatively tepid in comparison. The confines of the scene are in Martha and Sean’s apartment as they jovially prepare for the birth, call the midwife, are discouraged at the appearance of a substitute, and finally, succumb to panic when all does not go well.

The scene appears to be shot in one take, is stifling, claustrophobic, and explicit, and oozes with authenticity. I truly believed Kirby was giving birth and felt her discomfort.

It’s some of the best filmmaking I’ve seen, and then when you’ve suffered from exhaustion, the title credit appears and you’re in shock.

The film is just beginning!

Kirby, LaBeouf, and Burstyn knock it out of the park. Their characters are not always friendly and are flawed. Martha gets the most sympathy because she faces the most significant loss, but Sean loses his baby, too. It’s how they deal with the aftermath that is telling.

Martha is shattered, and instead of settling into maternity leave, she angrily returns to her corporate job. We get the sense that she is either feared or disliked by her colleagues, as nobody speaks to her, and she scolds someone who has taken her office.

Still, her loss is devastating, and Kirby makes her pain relent. The audience feels for her tremendously. In the final sequence, her act of kindness cements her character as “good”.

Sean is a different story.

Excited to be a father and build a life with Martha, he doesn’t handle the aftermath well. After being sober for seven years, he begins using cocaine and embarks on an affair with Martha’s cousin.

LaBeouf is terrific as the grizzled, angry blue-collar builder who reaches beyond his class level and is sadly paid off by Elizabeth to leave town and never return.

Elizabeth is the cringe-worthy mom. With good intentions, she instead makes things worse with a cutting remark masked as a helpful suggestion. When she says Martha looks “cute” and then asks why she isn’t more dressed up for dinner, her passive-aggressive nature takes hold.

Despite these traits, Burstyn makes the audience feel her pain, especially during a weepy scene where it is explained why she is the way she is, having nearly died as a baby.

The acting is fantastic in Pieces of a Woman.

Pieces of a Woman on paper could have been little more than a Lifetime television movie.

Told from the female perspective, it’s a tried and true subject, not meaning to belittle its importance. But the film is so much more than just the story. It’s very much character-driven in the detail, the intensity, and the emotions that the characters face.

Each has a side that is explored and their motivations understood.

From a local perspective, it’s fun watching the events unfold in Boston, Massachusetts. Beginning in September, with autumn in full bloom and much hope and anticipation for Martha and Dean, by January and February, their emotions are as bleak as the driving snow, the grey atmosphere, and the frozen Charles River.

Pieces of a Woman (2020) will grip the viewer and explore a sad story that happens more than we want to admit.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Vanessa Kirby

2020 Films, Anya Taylor-Joy, Autumn de Wilde, Bill Nighy, Comedy, Drama, Johnny Flynn, Josh O'Connor, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, Period Drama, Romantic Comedy, Rupert Graves

Emma-2020

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Emma-2020

Director Autumn de Wilde

Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn

Scott’s Review #1,128

Reviewed March 31, 2021

Grade: B

I haven’t read the classic Jane Austen novel written in 1815, nor have I seen the 1996 film version starring Gwyneth Paltrow. Neither of these is a prerequisite to enjoying the 2020 version of Emma starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead role of Emma Woodhouse.

The film, while set in the early nineteenth century, feels incredibly contemporary and seemingly makes little attempt at a classic style save for the hair, makeup, and costumes.

These items are splendid, and the highlight makes the film stylish and bright.

Beautiful, bright, and rich, Emma (Taylor-Joy) enjoys her matchmaking skills that sometimes lead to awkward or failed matches and romantic missteps. She claims not to be interested in her romance or potential suitors, though that changes with time.

She struggles with the challenges of growing up, despite being pampered and often interfering in others’ affairs. Emma is also mischievous and not always kind, though deep down she is a good person and has regret when she hurts someone’s feelings with her antics.

In a good, coming-of-age way, she finally realizes that love for her and a proper match of her own has been there all along and staring her in the face.

The film begins with Emma’s governess, Miss Taylor (Gemma Whelan), marrying and becoming Mrs. Weston.

She and Emma are best friends, and Emma is saddened, so she settles on Harriet Smith (Mia Goth), a younger girl whom Emma supposes is the unclaimed child of a gentleman; Harriet’s parents are unknown, but her education has been provided for.

They become bonded, and Emma’s influence is immeasurable.

Taylor-Joy does an excellent job in the title role and carefully makes Emma naughty and sometimes unlikable before carefully reeling her in with an act of kindness. She has no malice in mind but is often bored and looking for excitement.

I found myself rooting for her to find romance with Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn), which she does, but not without a hurdle or two on the way.

Other characters come and go with flirtations and romantic possibilities explored.

Speaking of Flynn, the actor is rumored to play rock icon David Bowie in a future theatrical feature. A real musician, Flynn, should be the perfect casting for that critical part.

He is the only character to show some flesh, his bare bum, in Emma, and one wonders if female director Autumn de Wilde did this purposefully. After all, traditionally in cinema, it’s been the female who is more commonly nude. Turnabout is fair play.

While Taylor-Joy is good, she is nearly upstaged by the delightful Goth, who is fabulous as the insecure and impressionable Harriet. With humor and innocence, she makes her character quite likable. I’d like to see more from this young actress.

Bill Nighy is perfectly cast as the comical father of Emma, while Miranda Hart as Miss Bates steamrolls over every scene she is in.

Some inconsistencies exist, especially where Miss Bates is concerned. A quick mention that Miss Bates and her family had once been rich and are now struggling is not explored, where it reportedly was in the novel.

Dividing the film into seasonal sections (Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer) is a good decision and makes it more like a novel. The winter snow and Christmas festivities, along with a summer picnic, do wonders to add fresh atmospheric tidbits.

The many scenes of delicious spreads of food and drink laid out for hungry eyes to see offer a robust and colorful glimpse of the culture.

The vibrancy, the food, and the clothing, as mentioned above, all brimming with richness based on the seasons, are the main draw. The castles and large houses featured surely small-town English style, brimming with vastness and atmosphere.

Emma (2020) is a fun film, but its story isn’t the strongest aspect. Predictably, all characters wind up with whom they should wind up with, and there is a happily ever after sensibility.

Adolescents can easily sit in comfort with their parents and enjoy the lightweight affair. Nobody will be offended, and all will be satisfied. It’s a solid romantic period piece.

Oscar Nominations: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hairstyling

2007 Films, Horror, Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Slasher

Vacancy-2007

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Vacancy-2007

Director Nimród Antal

Starring Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale 

Scott’s Review #1,127

Reviewed March 29, 2021

Grade: B-

Many times in cinema there exists a great premise for a good film that is a great idea only and the follow-through falls apart. Vacancy (2007) is one such film.

Especially a vibrant story for a horror film, the first half is way better than the latter half as we can enjoy wondering what will happen next.

The film fumbles the football midway through once it’s revealed who the killer (or killers?) is and never gets its bearings back. It’s still an okay watch but the possibilities could have taken the film to another level.

Instead, we get too much predictability.

The idea seems great because it’s very similar territory to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece, Psycho. Think Bates Motel and a crazed killer not unlike Anthony Perkins, sans the good chemistry and motivation.

Unfortunately, the killer (or killers?) has no good motivation.

Vacancy is a mish-mash of other recent horror efforts including Saw (2004), Hostel (2005), and Joy Ride (2001). It takes standard material from each and mixes them, trying to create a fabulous concoction.

This doesn’t work so well. Instead, it just feels like a combination of the other films with a similar look and feel.

Since director Nimród Antal is Hungarian this would explain the Hostel pattern which also features a European vibe even though Vacancy is set somewhere off a mountain road in the United States.

A young couple lost in a deserted area near a seedy hotel will likely freak anyone out. What if my car breaks down and I have no cell phone and am not sure where I am, the viewer immediately thinks?

Throw in a serial killer and you’ve frightened the bejeesus out of just about anyone. To make matters worse the characters in Vacancy choose to watch horror films on television for fun- not a smart decision.

When David’s (Luke Wilson) and Amy’s (Kate Beckinsale) car breaks down, they have no choice but to spend the night at a remote hotel. The couple decides to make the best of it by entertaining themselves with low-budget slasher movies on TV.

They suddenly realize that the horrifying images they see are recorded in the room in which they are staying!

With hidden cameras capturing their every move, David and Amy must find a way out before they become the latest stars in another film in the series of snuff films.

At first, they panic then try to use good sense and figure out what the hell is going on and how they can escape this crazy hotel room.

Besides the plot loopholes, there is not good chemistry between Wilson and Beckinsale which doesn’t do the film any favors.

David and Amy are merely your average ordinary horror movie characters. They are on the verge of divorce due to some family tragedy that is never explained nor has anything to do with the events.

They have some measure of smarts and it’s interesting to see how they finagle out of their peril but they are not James Bond either so their actions are implausible and become riddled with B-movie cliches.

By the halfway point Vacancy, which starts quite well, is reduced to a standard horror film with an average cat-and-mouse final sequence made completely predictable.

Speaking of cliches, Antal adds the too-good-to-be-true auto mechanic played by Ethan Embry, the prime suspect, and Mason, the desk clerk.

Is he a suspect too? These characters are a hybrid of Norman Bates and up to a point make the film fun. Once their true colors are revealed it becomes silly.

Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale do what they can with a less-than-spectacular script that takes us into familiar territory and borrows way too much from other films.

Vacancy (2007) has some potential that never becomes realized or feels very fresh.

2000 Films, Action, Bill Paxton, David Ayer, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Matthew McConaughey, Thomas Kretschmann, War

U-571-2000

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U-571-2000

Director Jonathan Mostow

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton

Scott’s Review #1,126

Reviewed March 25, 2021

Grade: B-

U-571 (2000) is a film that entertains. It’s got excellent cinematography, some thrills, and a clear good guys vs. bad guys mentality with machismo for days.

It’s an American film if there ever was one and will please American audiences seeking cookie-cutter material with loud noise and a satisfying ending.

It’s also got some scenes of guy peril that will please a certain type of audience demographic- think blue-collar males.

The modus operandi is that all the Americans are good and the Germans are bad. It is World War II after all. It wasn’t that simple folks but according to the film, it’s pretty cut and dry.

But that’s entertainment and a box-office hit.

It’s not a bad film at all but a beer and pizza-style film, not a martini and avocado dip film.

For those seeking something more authentic versus formulaic and riddled with cliches, U-571 will disappoint. It’s also shamefully inaccurate and severely muddies waters. The film does not portray a historical event so there is a lot it gets away with.

But it’s a fictionalized film and is meant to entertain so my suggestion is to sit back, grab some popcorn (or beer and pizza), and enjoy it for what it is. Don’t look for any rationale other than the studio wanting to make a ton of money.

And there is the exceptional cinematography and cool locales to keep us marginally happy. The story is inane but the trimmings work.

When a German U-571 submarine (hence the title of the film!) with a sophisticated encryption machine onboard is presumed lost and buried during a World War II battle at sea, the Allies send an American Navy force led by Lieutenant Andrew Tyler (Matthew McConaughey) to retrieve it for study.

Boarding the German ship, the Americans’ cover as a rescue force is quickly blown. Forced to take the crew hostage, the Americans lay their explosives and prepare to destroy the German vessel before the Nazis can send naval backup.

It’s a race against time routine seen frequently in masculine thrillers.

About those historical inaccuracies.

The American portrayal is skewed and slanted to be pro-American and this point offended many of the British military and public. Even Prime Minister Tony Blair got involved. The Allies captured Enigma-related codebooks and machines about fifteen times during the War; all but two of these by British forces.

Watching the film one would think the Americans did everything and the British were incompetent.

Let’s ponder for a moment why filmmakers, especially screenwriter David Ayer and director Jonathan Mostow would embrace such inconsistencies. My hunch is that they were attempting to target their film to male American moviegoers. The tactic worked and the film was a hit.

A cool tidbit is the casting of rock star Jon Bon Jovi in the supporting role of Lieutenant Pete Emmett. At this time launching an acting career that included a role on television’s Ally McBeal, it’s impressive to see him on the big screen and not playing himself.

I’m not sure he pulls it off but as a fan of the 1980s hitmaker, I enjoyed this aspect.

McConaughey carries the film well and is his usual dashing and charismatic self. Before the actor started doing more quality and character-representative films nearly a decade later, he would later state that several roles he took he disliked and did completely for the cash payday.

One wonders if U-571 is one of those films.

Bill Paxton and Harvey Keitel have little more to do than to act tense and play second fiddle to McConaughey.

From an inclusive perspective, and I kid because there is nary a strong female to be found, there are no strong women characters. A shame because being the year 2000 Mostow should have known better.

Couldn’t one of the high-ranking majors or lieutenants have been a woman? If nothing else it could have added some sexual tension. Or perhaps a same-sex relationship. The film does nothing for diversity.

It’s a very intense and exciting war film that accomplishes what it sets out to do. It’s well-executed and a crowd-pleaser, U-571 (2000) doesn’t contain much more than that and will be remembered as a slick entertaining thriller with a big movie star.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Sound Editing, Best Sound (won)

2002 Films, Bebe Neuwirth, Comedy, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Romantic Comedy, John Ritter, Kate Mara, Romantic Comedy, Sigourney Weaver

Tadpole-2002

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Tadpole-2002

Director Gary Winick

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Aaron Stanford, John Ritter

Scott’s Review #1,125

Reviewed March 23, 2021

Grade: B

Tadpole (2002) is an enjoyable coming-of-age effort that carefully, or too carefully, toes the line between being cute and exploring some morally questionable material.

The film gets away with the naughty subject matter because there exists a wholesomeness that lands somewhere between fresh and a commodity.

It’s a fun romp but nothing memorable either, borrowing from better films.

Aaron Stanford, the lead actor, makes the film better than it might have been and seamlessly matches wits and comic timing with heavyweight actors like Sigourney Weaver, John Ritter, and Bebe Neuwirth. He is charming just like his character and carries the film.

As Oscar Grubman (what a name!) he is compassionate and sophisticated, reciting Voltaire and speaking fluent French.

When he arrives home for Thanksgiving weekend it is revealed that he has a major crush on his stepmother, Eve (Weaver). She and Oscar’s father, Stanley (Ritter) share a ritzy Manhattan apartment and entertain a girl they think would be perfect for Oscar but he only has eyes for Eve and rebuffs the poor girl.

Despondent at not having a chance with his stepmom but desiring her, Oscar visits a local bar and runs into Eve’s best friend, Diane (Neuwirth). He gets drunk and she takes him home winding up in bed together! Oscar is filled with remorse.

Oscar’s and Diane’s tryst is the caveat for the rest of the antics of the film. Oscar is terrified that Diane will tell his father and Eve especially as she is on the guestlist for dinner the next night!  An amusing game of footsie under the table ensues between Oscar and Diane.

Diane is a Mrs. Robinson-type character to Oscar’s Benjamin if we want to draw comparisons to The Graduate (1967) and how could we not? Eve is like Elaine, Mrs. Robinson’s daughter.

Unsuspecting and slightly naive. It’s fun to reminisce about the classic film that director Gary Winick borrows from.

Speaking of Winick, he has a knack for creating coming-of-age stories featuring teenage characters with light angst and he commonly releases independent films. My hunch is that if Tadpole was a big-budget mainstream affair even more concessions might have been made for the brewing May/December romance.

The “dinner scene” is the best part of Tadpole and provides good physical comedy and a hilarious setup. It’s a stretch in plausibility and borrows from many slapstick comedies but somehow the scene works well and stands out.

The subject matter of a woman three times the age of Oscar is not as harsh as it sounds and is largely played for laughs and misunderstandings. This is where the film misses the mark and stays firmly in the safe lane.

Imagine the juicy possibilities that would occur if Eve reciprocated Oscar’s advances. Now that is an interesting concept!

I shudder to think that if Oscar were a fifteen-year-old girl and Eve a forty-something-year-old man this film would never have been made.

The double standard gnawed at me.

The ending is wholesome and predictable making the film satisfying for the character yet limiting for the viewer. Oscar more or less “snaps out of it” and realizes that girls his age are okay after all.

I half-wondered if the film would be revealed to have all been Oscar’s dream.

The cougar-esque subject matter provides light entertainment never daring to go as far as it could have, or should have. In the end, we understand a young, pubescent boy’s dreams and desires and may fondly recall when we were his age and all the troublesome sexual feelings that bubbled under the surface.

Tadpole (2002) is a watchable independent comedy providing enough to digest thanks to the worthy actors among its cast.

2004 Films, Anne Heche, Arliss Howard, Danny Huston, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Jonathan Glazer, Lauren Bacall, Nicole Kidman, Peter Stormare, Ted Levine

Birth-2004

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Birth-2004

Director Jonathan Glazer

Starring Nicole Kidman, Cameron Bright

Scott’s Review #1,124

Reviewed March 18, 2021

Grade: B+

Due to the difficult nature of the film’s storyline, Birth (2004) is a tough sell to most cinema lovers.

A grown woman embarking on any sort of romance with a ten-year-old boy will turn off viewers, though can you even imagine if the genders were reversed? I was fascinated by the premise and the endless possibilities of a conclusion.

I’m not quite sure what I expected to ultimately happen but I felt slightly underwhelmed by the ending.

All in all, it is a daring effort that I wish had more payoff.

The first hour or so is extremely provocative.

Nicole Kidman excels at making the unbelievable material as believable as she can and the film is directed very well by Jonathan Glazer who gives it a haunting and mysterious Stanley Kubrick vibe.

The director would come into name recognition following his 2013 masterpiece Under the Skin.

The film opens with a voiceover of an unknown man, a professor, lecturing about his disbelief in reincarnation. The audience then sees the man jogging through New York City’s Central Park where he collapses and dies.

It takes Anna (Kidman) ten years to recover from the death of her husband, Sean, (the professor) but now she’s on the verge of marrying her boyfriend, Joseph (Danny Huston), and finally moving on. We suspect she may not be completely keen on marrying Joseph but most of their relationship is unclear. We know that she aches for Sean.

On the night of their lavish engagement party, a young boy named Sean (Cameron Bright) turns up, saying he is her dead husband reincarnated. At first, she ignores the child, thinking it’s a joke, but his knowledge of her former husband’s life is uncanny, leading her to slowly realize that he could be telling the truth.

Anna is conflicted to say the very least and Kidman effortlessly makes the audience believe that what is considered ridiculous might be true.

Is there a supernatural element here?

Her family members, led by her mother Eleanor (Lauren Bacall) are disbelieving and antagonistic towards the boy for disrupting Anna’s life.

An issue is that other than one supporting character, Clara (Anne Heche), who has a great opening sequence burying mysterious letters, the others have next to nothing to contribute to the story except to brood and get angry.

Bacall, in particular, is completely wasted in a role that could have been played by any other older actress.

Parallels to Rosemary’s Baby (1968) are hard not to make. Anna dons a similar pixie hair as Rosemary. They both reside in swanky old-style New York City high-rises that have a ghostly, haunting feeling. The ambiance is positive.

My favorite camera shot that Glazer includes is a lengthy one of Kidman’s Anna. In a close-up, the character’s reactions are on full display for what feels like several minutes. Kidman gets to show her tremendous range- tears, shock, realization.

I’ve noticed a similar shot in a handful of modern films and it’s an actor’s delight- a viewer’s too!

The finale, without giving much away, is interesting to a point. The big reveal involving Clara is intriguing until the viewer backtracks and tries to add up all the events. The fact is they don’t add up and I longed for something more concrete or believable.

There is not a good payoff.

Birth (2004) doesn’t always add up to satisfaction but it’s edgy, gloomy, and unpredictable and I enjoyed those facets enough to recommend it. This is not a mainstream film like Ghost (1990) with a similar theme- it’s much more cerebral and thought-provoking.

Kidman’s performance is the main draw here but it’s tough to find a film the actress is not great in.

2020 Films, Anthony Hopkins, Drama, Florian Zeller, Imogen Poots, Olivia Colman, Rufus Sewell

The Father-2020

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The Father-2020

Director Florian Zeller

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman 

Scott’s Review #1,123

Reviewed March 17, 2021

Grade: A

The Father is a heartbreaking 2020 drama film co-written and directed by Florian Zeller, based on his own 2012 play entitled Le Père. The piece is wonderfully written and superbly acted with incredible empathy for the characters involved.

Everyone should see this important film.

Anne (Olivia Colman) has always adored her intelligent and independent father, Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), who’s approaching the treacherous age of eighty. His mind is not what it used to be by any means, and is starting to fail. Stubborn, he rejects every caregiver she brings in to assist with his daily living.

Anne finds herself in anguish about how to solve this crisis while striving to live her own life.

Zeller spins a brilliant story from the very first scene because it’s told from Anthony’s perspective rather than solely from Anne’s.

Traditionally, in films centering around Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, the perspective is from the family member and how they cope and handle a life-altering and painful situation.

2014’s Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore, is an exception.

Immediately, the viewer is forced into the same world as Anthony and suffers as much confusion as he does. This is tremendously effective. When Anthony rummages in his kitchen in his London flat and hears a door close, he is startled.

Who can it be?

He wanders to the living room to discover a man sitting reading the newspaper, who claims to be Anne’s husband. Anthony has never laid eyes on the man before. Neither has the viewer.

Immediately, Anthony and the viewer are confused. Who is the man? Is he a burglar playing tricks on an older man, or is Anthony forgetting?

From this point in the film, it remains unclear what events are happening and what Anthony is forgetting or misunderstanding. Sometimes the characters are ambiguous.

Does Anthony think one person (Olivia Williams) is Anne, but is she his nurse? Is his caretaker his other daughter, Lucy? Is the man his daughter or Anne’s husband?

Confusion. Disorientation. Just like anyone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia feels regularly.

Towards the finale, the most heartwrenching part of the film, Anthony weeps at his memory loss, yearning to be a child again and safe in his mother’s arms.

We feel his despair and desperation, and it’s gutwrenching to witness. Anyone who has had to care for an elder will understand. Anyone else should be empathetic.

We suffer alongside Anne, too. Help is becoming a necessity for her; she can’t make daily visits anymore, and Anthony’s grip on reality is unraveling. She wants to move to Paris, where her new boyfriend lives.

In a chilling scene, we watch Anthony sleeping peacefully while Anne gazes lovingly at him. She tucks him in and then begins to strangle him. We hope this is only a fleeting fantasy, toying with the idea of saving him from further suffering and giving her freedom back.

As we experience the changing tides of his memory, how much of his own identity and past can Anthony cling to? How does Anne cope as she grieves the loss of her father, while he still lives and breathes before her?

Hopkins and Colman are dynamic.

It’s hard to imagine Hopkins usurping his unforgettable role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991); he nearly does. His character is humorous, dignified, and lovable. He is also angry, feisty, and frustrated. Hopkins channels almost every emotion.

Colman is teary but strong. A woman sacrificing her own life and happiness for the burden of caring for her father. She is loyal and wouldn’t think twice about having it any other way.

The story is a downer, but one that must be witnessed.

The Father (2020) warmly embraces real life through loving reflection upon the simple human condition; heartbreaking and uncompromisingly poignant, the film tells a simple yet complex tale about life, death, and loss.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Actor-Anthony Hopkins (won), Best Supporting Actress-Olivia Colman, Best Adapted Screenplay (won), Best Production Design, Best Film Editing

2019 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Independent Thriller, Julius Onah, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Tim Roth

Luce-2019

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Luce-2019

Director Julius Onah

Starring Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison, Jr. 

Scott’s Review #1,122

Reviewed March 16, 2021

Grade: B+

Often unpleasant with shifting character allegiances, Luce (2019) is a painful look at race relations. The clever nuance is the relationships between people of the same race.

Superior acting elevates the film above just a nice idea, as heavyweights like Octavia Spencer and Naomi Watts lend credibility to a small indie film.

The result is sometimes muddied waters and an unclear direction, but the effort is exceptional and a worthy subject matter in modern times.

The film is down and dirty, and no apologies are given for what is dissected. The co-writer and director, Julius Onah, a Nigerian-American man, offers glimpses of grandeur, and it is impossible to guess how it will end.

We wonder if he bases the story on his own very real experiences, and I am eager to see what projects he comes up with in the future.

I found some aspects of the film implausible, if not logically impossible, and not every point adds up or is successfully outlined. But the effort and the balance of drama, thrills, and social issues are there for the taking.

I realized I was rooting for one character, and then suddenly, I was disappointed in their actions, and my allegiance shifted to another of the principal characters. This is key and a positive aspect of a good character-driven film.

At times, though, the characters’ actions are questionable, and more than one mighty shake of the head in disbelief will be experienced.

Liberal-minded parents Amy (Watts) and Peter Edgar (Eli Roth) have adopted Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a child of a refugee from a dangerous third-world country. It is referenced that they have spent years in therapy to repair the damage he has suffered as a child.

It is implied he learned to shoot and possibly kill at a young age. Now a teenager and Americanized, Luce is popular in high school and a star scholar and track star.

Life is good. Or is it?

The film, based on J.C. Lee’s play of the same name, is shot conventionally and does not look like a play.

Luce writes and submits an alarming essay that forces the Edgars to reconsider their marriage and their family after their teacher brings it to their attention.

He challenges and makes an enemy of this teacher, Harriet Wilson (Spencer), who is extremely tough on students of color, being black herself. She snoops through one student’s locker and finds drugs, ratting on him and blowing his chances for a scholarship.

When she finds fireworks in his locker, she is appalled and makes it her mission to entangle his parents, but could she have planted them herself?

Is she out to get Luce, jealous of his success when she has had to struggle for hers? Tensions mount between Harriet and Luce as the story unfolds.

The acting is powerful all around the canvas, but Harrison and Spencer deliver a standout performance that is nearly brilliant. Watts and Roth are good, too, but with more standard portrayals.

Excellent is how we get to know each of the four principles in detail. Harriet, at first, appears a demanding shrew, but her personal life makes her sympathetic. She attempts to care for her mentally ill sister herself, but after a humiliating scene at school, she is forced to return her to her home.

Suddenly, I was a fan of Harriet. Later, I was disappointed in Luce and Amy, whom I thought I was supposed to root for. The film is topsy-turvy, and I enjoyed this juicy infusion of not knowing what was to come next.

When Luce’s female classmate, who harbors an enormous secret, takes center stage, the roller-coaster ride becomes even bumpier.

I wish there were more films like Luce (2019) to hit mainstream theaters. It provokes thought and opinion while featuring social problems, preconceived notions, and trusting one’s merits.

I wish the puzzle had been solved more satisfactorily than it was.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Director-Julius Onah, Best Male Lead-Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Best Supporting Female-Octavia Spencer

1972 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Satire

Bone-1972

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Bone-1972

Director Larry Cohen

Starring Yaphet Kotto, Andrew Duggan, Joyce Van Patten

Scott’s Review #1,121

Reviewed March 12, 2021

Grade: B+

It’s tough to review a film like Bone (1972) because it’s a tough film to categorize. Is it a satire or does it dissect racism and classism?

The truth is it does all of the above and offers a bizarre and jagged cinematic experience that will leave the viewer perplexed, scratching his or her head, and ruminating about the experience long after the credits roll.

I was originally expecting Bone to be a 1970s exploitation film but it’s not that at all.

One lazy sunny day, in Los Angeles’s illustrious Beverly Hills, local salesman Bill (Andrew Duggan) and his wife Bernadette (Joyce Van Patten) bicker beside their luscious pool.

They are horrified when they realize a filthy rat has become stuck in the filter. This provides some symbolism as the film chugs along. When they rush to call the exterminator a threatening black man named Bone (Yaphet Kotto) suddenly appears.

Frightened, they first assume he is with the exterminator company but when he terrorizes them with the now-dead rat they offer him money to leave. While they search for banking materials, Bone realizes that Bernadette and Bill are not as wealthy as appearances would dictate.

Bone sends Bill to the bank to withdraw cash or else he will rape and beat Bernadette. At the same time, Bernadette becomes suspicious of Bill’s financial intentions.

There are moments in the film that left me feeling like I was watching something bizarre or of little sense. I’m still not sure what the opening scene of Bill filming a television commercial featuring cars involved in wrecks with dead bodies inside meant.

The images are bloody and horrific- artistic but unclear is the message.

The conclusion also is unclear. When one character appears to murder another, a third character vanishes. Naming the characters would ruin the story but suffice it to say one may wonder if the entire film was a dream.

The realization that Bill and Bernadette make individually is that they don’t care for one another and would happily leave the other to die. We know little about their life from before but assume, while rich, they live a life of boredom, each yearning for some spice.

How many nights does Bernadette sit alone by the pool drowning her sorrows in Chardonnay?

Yaphet Kotto is wonderfully cast. Soon to be well-known as a James Bond villain in Live and Let Die (1973), his character in Bone starts as menacing and slowly becomes sympathetic almost rootable.

When he reveals to Bernadette that he cannot maintain an erection unless he is raping someone, the thought is sickening, but he also appears vulnerable and feeble.

He gradually becomes my favorite character of the three whereas in a conventional film, he would be the one not to root for.

Bill’s experiences are a mind-fuck.

Tasked with withdrawing money from his bank to save his wife, he thinks why should he? He meets a gregarious woman at a bar played by Brett Somers and a chatty young woman online at the bank, who beds him and makes him a salted steak. They frolic away the afternoon as, for all he knows, his wife could be dead!

The issues of classism and racism are the meat and potatoes of Bone and where the film succeeds. We feel the pain of Bone when he as a black man must stand out like a sore thumb in swanky Beverly Hills.

He has had to struggle for every crumb he has gotten while he sees spoiled brats like Bill and Bernadette getting everything and working half as hard. It’s not fair and the audience is meant to empathize with him.

Larry Cohen, well-known for the low-budget campy circuit, creates a perplexing project with added black comedy. The rat, the chatty girl, the X-Ray lady, everyone in the film is wacko!

Bone is a weird film that I don’t know what to make of.  I took it as a glimpse into social issues and I loved the food references, the steak, and eggs mostly.

The plot and conclusion will leave you wondering but I guess that’s better than forgetting the film five minutes later. I’m still trying to make heads or tails of it.

2020 Films, Alexis Chikaeze, Channing Godfrey Peoples, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, Kendrick Sampson, Nicole Beharie

Miss Juneteenth-2020

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Miss Juneteenth-2020

Director Channing Godfrey Peoples

Starring Nicole Beharie, Alexis Chikaeze

Scott’s Review #1,119

Reviewed March 6, 2021

Grade: B+

I love it when a topic of relevance is explored in film or when an interesting class of people is represented or given a story worth sharing. It enriches everyone.

Black stories and actors are still woefully underutilized in cinema, and there is so much more uncharted territory to explore.

Unless it’s a story about racism, slavery, or blacks being saved by whites, it isn’t always a film that gets made.

Miss Juneteenth (2020) is a film about the black community and how they support and enrich each other, but it’s a story about them and how they strive to live the best lives they can.

Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) is a single mom from the vicinity of Fort Worth, Texas, who leads a household, raises a blossoming teenager (Alexis Chikaeze), and works at a local watering hole.

She’s also a former local beauty queen who once reigned as a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The title is meant to celebrate Black culture and enrich the lives of the contestants, with the winner receiving a prestigious scholarship.

Life didn’t turn out as beautifully as the title promised since Turquoise had to drop out when she got pregnant, but she is determined that her daughter, Kai, will become the new Miss Juneteenth, even if Kai wants something else.

To complicate her life, Turquoise’s mother runs a local church and exudes grace and kindness on the surface, but secretly battles booze and judges others.

Turquoise is also embroiled in a love triangle with separated husband Ronnie (Kendrick Sampson) and local funeral home owner Bacon (Akron Watson). The girl has a lot going on!

I love the message that Miss Juneteenth sends, and I hope many within the black community (or any community) see the film. It encourages and inspires those who may not have much money or prospects to be their better selves.

When the pageant contestants are taught which cutlery to use while dining or the difference between a red wine glass and a white wine glass, I champion the teachers; these are life skills that teach sophistication, grace, and class, regardless of one’s financial status.

It’s an important scene to view.

It’s worth noting that Miss Juneteenth doesn’t always hit a home run. I wondered why Turquoise didn’t date Bacon, a man ideally suited for her. He adores her and is quite a catch.

I was frustrated that she kept giving what little money she had to Ronnie. I understand she felt passion for him, but after his many examples of unreliability, why didn’t she move on?

I wanted her to take more initiative, which she eventually did, but it wasn’t entirely satisfying.

Ideally, I wanted her to hit the road and run for Los Angeles or New York City. Beautiful, Torquoise could have made a better life for herself by leaving the town she had always known.

Directed by Channing Godfried Peoples, I wondered how much of the story was autobiographical and personal to her. I also wondered why Turquoise’s mother was written as she was.

Indeed, as a minor character, I would have appreciated more explanation and discussion of their mother-daughter relationship, not just Turquoise and Kai.

Turquoise does live in the past, and her desire to spend a fortune (which she didn’t have) on a pageant dress seemed superfluous and overbearing.

Understood is her determination, though I started to find this aspect slightly irritating after a while. Why didn’t she use the money and leave town?

A character study of one woman’s attempts and struggles to improve her life while residing in her past, Miss Juneteenth (2020) shows the challenges a mother faces when wanting the most for her child.

The story is a familiar one, but Peoples writes and directs with heart and charm, which supersedes the several questions and holes the film has.

The primary win is that it will enrich the lives of those who choose to see it.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Female Lead-Nicole Beharie, Best Supporting Female-Alexis Chikaeze

2004 Films, Campbell Scott, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Jennifer Tilly

Saint Ralph-2004

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Saint Ralph-2004

Director Michael McGowan

Starring Adam Butcher, Campbell Scott

Scott’s Review #1,118

Reviewed March 3, 2021

Grade: C

Saint Ralph (2004) is an indie drama that is overly sentimental with too many added standard plot points.  This makes the film ho-hum and extremely cliched. It feels like the attempt was to create a major studio film in independent clothes but without the grit afforded most indies.

There are plenty of ordinary setups and by the numbers, follow-through over anything different or fresh.

The film is too charming and safe for my tastes and is too feel-good. Maybe there are just too many similar types of movies made that it doesn’t stand out very well.

And since it’s an indie shouldn’t it strive for more edginess?

The message is meant to inspire and in a way it does but that only goes so far.

Saint Ralph is a story of a young man triumphing over insurmountable odds- wonderful but unrealistic. The religious elements of faith, miracles, and the Catholic high school are lost on me but some may champion those elements better.

I did enjoy the 1950s time-period and its share of decade trimmings and set pieces yet too often they feel stagey and any authenticity doesn’t feel fresh. Rather, like actors clad in period clothing.

The lead kid who plays Ralph (Adam Butcher) isn’t impressive enough though Campbell Scott who plays a priest with more wisdom than he probably should have is the best thing about Saint Ralph.

If I’m being harsh it’s unintentional but Saint Ralph is a film I’ve forgotten about a day or so after seeing it. I like a film that sticks with me and makes me think about and Saint Ralph just ain’t it.

It’s classified as a tear-jerker and I didn’t shed one.

Ralph is a troubled kid. His father has died in World War II and his mother lies ill in a coma. He smokes and masturbates resulting in adult intervention by way of strict Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent) and kindly Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott).

He is encouraged to run in the upcoming Boston Marathon and he trains mightily with the right encouragement.

He feels if he trains hard and wins the marathon his mother will be granted a miracle by God, wake up from her coma, and live happily ever after. I won’t spoil the ending but the conclusion will satisfy pious audiences.

I embrace films that feature a character championing certain hardships and Saint Ralph does contain a youthful innocence and earnestness that holds some appeal. I felt myself rooting for him to overcome his problems. No kid deserves those hardships.

The weakness is that I felt manipulated. Since the intention was to root for Ralph it was clear what direction the film was going in and the predictability was at an all-time high.

The training sequences are reminiscent of any sports film. Think of a young Rocky Balboa training for an upcoming fight. And the saccharine ending is riddled with predictability.

Saint Ralph (2004) will ruffle no feathers and only appeal to mainstream audiences seeking safe cinema. Most people will not remember it very well.

2020 Films, Amy Madigan, Betty Gilpin, Craig Zobel, Emma Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Hilary Swank, Horror, Ike Barinholtz, Satire, Wayne Duvall

The Hunt-2020

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The Hunt-2020

Director Craig Zobel

Starring Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank

Scott’s Review #1,117

Reviewed February 26, 2021

Grade: B

A disturbing satirical effort presumably produced because of the volatile United States political climate circa the 2016-2020 time period, The Hunt (2020) is timely and thought-provoking.

The premise is admittedly intriguing and relevant.

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t always come together and has little character development. It is cartoon-like and mired in B-movie appeal.

I wanted more background from the characters to understand what made them tick. It’s not always clear if the film intends to provide dark comedy, provoke horror, or mock stereotypes.

Perhaps a bit of each?

The Hunt is quite violent and bloody, like a horror film should be, but has tinges of cerebralism. Your political affiliation will dictate which characters you root for. Unclear is whether the message evoked is a liberal slant or a conservative one, and which side the filmmaker leans.

Who is the target audience, liberals or conservatives?

While the effort is praiseworthy and will undoubtedly leave the viewer pondering many details, some confusing elements aren’t worked through. There is also ridiculousness that doesn’t work.

On the plus side, The Hunt includes two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, one of my favorite modern actresses! She doesn’t appear until the finale, but it was the high point for me.

Twelve strangers wake up in a forest clearing. They have no idea where they are, how they got there, or even what country they’re in.

A large box is in the middle of the field. When they pry it open, a pig emerges along with a plethora of guns and ammunition. Confused, rapid gunfire erupts from the forest, and the group realizes they have been kidnapped and are being hunted for their conservative beliefs.

With most of the group dead, Crystal (Betty Gilpin) and Don (Wayne Duvall) traverse the nearby locale, which includes an Arkansas service station and other booby traps. To make matters worse, it is uncertain whether the people they encounter are enemies or allies.

Finally, they realize they are really in Croatia.

It’s quickly revealed that a group of liberal corporate executives led by Athena Stone (Swank) anticipates an upcoming hunt of “deplorable” people at a manor through a group text. Done as a joke, they are caught, fired, and decide to set out to perform the hunt as revenge for their dismissals.

Let’s mention how each side is portrayed because it’s essential. The liberals are portrayed as elitist, martini-sipping, kale-eating, judgmental “libtards” who mock conservatives at every turn. They are overly politically correct, live in a bubble, and are essentially pricks.

The conservatives are written as racist, dumb, simple-minded, poorly dressed people who love their guns and believe in conspiracy theories. Crystal is written to be a bad-ass tomboy from Mississippi who can shoot guns, blow things up, and fight.

Her character is overdone and not my favorite, although the twist at the end and the references to George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) are pleasing.

The opening sequence and the final sequence are the best parts of The Hunt. As the liberals fly in luxury, sipping champagne and munching on caviar, a conservative wanders to the front of the plane and is killed.

At this point, the premise isn’t yet revealed, so the audience has no idea what is going on. This immediately made me engaged and intrigued.

I loved the final fight sequence between Crystal and Athena. Craig Zobel, who directed The Hunt, borrows heavily from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill (2003-2004) during this scene, and the result is a marvelous battle involving kitchen knives, glasses, blood, and bruises.

The Hunt (2020) is a brave and clever effort. I only wish the mechanics of the characters were better explored. My takeaway is that the intent is not to take the film too seriously.

But I wanted to.

2020 Films, Best Feature- Independent Spirit Award Winners, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Chloé Zhao, David Strathairn, Drama, Frances McDormand, Independent, Independent Drama

Nomadland-2020

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Nomadland-2020

Director Chloé Zhao

Starring Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Swankie

Scott’s Review #1,116

Reviewed February 24, 2021

Grade: A

Frances McDormand, a fantastic actor in anything she is in, absolutely kills it in Nomadland (2020), an emotional film with startling realism and respect for strength and truth.

Mostly a documentary lookalike, the drama has heart while wisely incorporating real-life people versus actors in a story with enough weepy moments to go well with the dynamic cinematography.

It’s a character study in the highest regard and a lesson in what compassion is.

Chloé Zhao, who directs, also directed Songs My Brother Taught Me (2015) and was nominated for a couple of Independent Spirit Awards, which nobody saw.

Zhao has such zest and flavor for the Western American landscape, which can be both isolating and beautiful. She incorporates plenty of sunrises, sunsets, and wide shots that go well with the theme of the story she tells.

She’s well on her way to much-deserved stardom.

Following her husband’s death by cancer and her rural Nevada company town decimated, Fern (McDormand) packs up her van and starts driving, having no idea where she’s headed.

Becoming a modern-day nomad, she scrounges for work doing odd jobs and experiencing adventure along the way as she travels across the West. She meets interesting individuals, mostly nomads who try to survive, facing hardships.

McDormand may have delivered her best performance with Nomadland. Forever associated as Marge Gunderson in Fargo (1996), she is unafraid to get down and dirty in her role.

As for Fern, she has a nude scene and a scene sitting on the toilet. She also has various close-up scenes appearing tired, worried, or otherwise bleak. She wears no makeup. It’s a testament to McDormand’s craft and artistic ability to appear this way.

I admire her tremendously.

While McDormand carries the film, others must be mentioned for their terrific work. David Strathairn, who has been around forever, is one of those character actors who consistently deliver great work.

As a potential love interest for Fern, he is patient and admiring, even offering to have her move in with him and his family. A gorgeous house awaits her, but she prefers to be on the road and alone.

The non-actors make the film as rich and lovely as can be with their tales of truth, struggle, and desire. Swankie is a seventy-five-year-old woman dying of cancer.

She wants nothing to do with hospitals or treatment, but wants to live her remaining months in peace and tranquility among the wildlife in Alaska. She does just that, leaving the world on her terms.

When Fern learns that Swankie has died, she and the other nomads pay tribute to her life.

The greatness of Nomadland lies in its portrayal of a sense of community and family amongst a group of people who are otherwise dismissed or forgotten. It’s reminiscent of what the exceptional Boogie Nights (1997) did with the porn industry. It humanizes them when many dehumanize them, and it’s lovely to watch.

In a teary scene, Fern opens up to Bob, a nomad leader, about her loving relationship with her late husband, and Bob shares the story of his adult son’s recent suicide.

Bob espouses the view that goodbyes are not final in the nomad community, as its members always promise to see each other again down the road.

What a poignant statement.

Nomadland (2021) inspires those who want to do their own thing and be independent spirits. The film says that it’s okay to be your person, and I take that to heart. Be true to yourself, and good things will come. Well, at least you’ll have self-dignity and a soul.

The film contains exceptional acting, directing, editing, and cinematography. Some could perceive it as a downer, but I found it quite uplifting and inspirational.

I always say a great film will leave you thinking about it, and I’m still thinking about Nomadland.

Oscar Nominations: 4 wins-Best Picture (won), Best Director-Chloé Zhao (won), Best Actress-Frances McDormand (won), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography (won), Best Film Editing

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 4 wins-Best Feature (won), Best Director-Chloé Zhao (won), Best Female Lead-Frances McDormand, Best Cinematography (won), Best Editing (won)

2010 Films, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, John Cameron Mitchell, Miles Teller, Nicole Kidman, Sandra Oh

Rabbit Hole-2010

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Rabbit Hole-2010

Director John Cameron Mitchell

Starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart

Scott’s Review #1,115

Reviewed February 23, 2021

Grade: A

Rabbit Hole (2010) is a raw and brutal film. I say that with major praise because it’s also a great film with much humanity and pathos. The dreariness of the film makes one relate to and empathize with the characters and perhaps recall a loved one who has died.

It’s truly brilliant if the viewer can withstand the sadness. I was able to tolerate the tone and immerse myself in it.

Thankfully, there are snippets of humor to offset the heavy drama.

Every film is not meant to be feel-good and enjoyable but they all should conjure emotions and Rabbit Hole succeeds in spades.

Yes, it’s a downer given the topic of the day is the loss of a four-year-old child but it’s a tragedy worth enduring to experience the powerful acting from its stars.

It’s a gem because it shows how people deal with and recover from loss if there is a way to cope with, live, and feel again without destroying oneself.

Eight months after the accidental death of their son, Howie (Aaron Eckhart) and Becca (Nicole Kidman) struggle to overcome their grief. He wants to hold on to everything that reminds him of Danny, while she would rather sell their home, relocate, and make a fresh start.

Trauma and conflict begin to appear in the relationship as Howie bonds with a member of his therapy group and Becca reaches out to a teenage boy with telling facial scars.

The drama is based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name and the film version has the look and feel of a stage production.

Not much is shown before Danny’s death. I love this because it asks that I use imagination. The cleverness is that Danny was not killed by a drunk driver or a speeding car.

It was an accident and this point feels genuine.

The pain is watching a once-loving couple crumble from the weight of the devastation they have been dealt. Neither parent is to blame but do they blame each other? Do they resent each other because each reminds the other of Danny’s death?

A pivotal and necessary story point is watching Becca and Howie become drawn to other people, some of them surprising. Becca bonds with the teenage driver of the car that killed Danny. Howie nearly is drawn into a lurid affair with Gabby (Sandra Oh) whom he connects with at group therapy.

Is it healthier for Becca and Howie to go their separate ways? Do they stand a chance?

Most can ask themselves the same question as their partners if faced with devastating qualities. How does one pick up the pieces alone as part of a couple?

Kidman is breathtaking in her ability to generate the emotions she does. She was recognized with an Academy Award nomination. It’s terrific, but Aaron Eckhard, forever an underappreciated actor missed out on a nomination.

This is a shame because he is just as good as Kidman. Together, they are flawless, building and playing off the emotions and feelings of the other.

A film about grief, Rabbit Hole (2010) bravely tells the story of how an incident can ravage not only a relationship but our inner being turning us into someone we don’t know. This is a terrifying thought and the stellar acting and pacing only make us feel the pain others can suffer.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Nicole Kidman

2019 Films, Adèle Haenel, Art, Céline Sciamma, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, International, International Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Noémie Merlant, Romantic Drama

Portrait of a Lady on Fire-2019

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Portrait of a Lady on Fire-2019

Director Céline Sciamma

Starring Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel

Scott’s Review #1,114

Reviewed February 19, 2021

Grade: A-

A film with tremendous artistry and a cool LGBTQ+ vibe, gay director Céline Sciamma delivers the goods with interesting finesse in Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019).

She takes modern-looking actors and transplants them to the era of France during the late 18th century.

The film tells the story of a forbidden affair between an aristocrat and a painter commissioned to paint her portrait.

The viewer will ask themselves the following questions. What would become of two young gay women in this long-ago age? How many people repressed their true feelings and desires because of the times they lived in?

Would their different classes and backgrounds cause strife within their burgeoning relationship? I know I constantly asked myself these questions.

To those with limited cinematic patience, be forewarned. A Portrait of a Lady on Fire is plodding.

I didn’t mind this aspect, but some might. The payoff is not bombastic in an act of violence or an explosion sort of way, but it’s well worth the effort put in.

In a common approach in modern film that is feeling more standard than special, the first scene often precedes the events in the rest of the movie, so that we know how the events will turn out. But we do not know the hows and the whys.

It is immediately assumed that one character has suffered some loss or misfortune related to a painting.

Painter, Marianne (Noémie Merlant), is summoned to a remote island inhabited by very few people. She is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haene), who is destined to be married to a nobleman in Milan, Italy.

Héloïse is depressed and despondent, wanting nothing to do with her intended, whom she has not met.

The portrait is a gift to the never-seen husband-to-be. It is revealed that Héloïse’s sister leaped to her death from the cliffs on the family estate, so it’s suggested throughout that she may suffer the same fate.

Needless to say, Marianne and Héloïse fall madly in love.

Their love is hardly ever a question, as the chemistry is immediately noticed. Sciamma, who wrote the screenplay, avoids stereotypes that would give away the sexuality of the main characters. They are not butch nor do they possess masculine qualities.

Do we wonder if they are bisexual? They never struggle with their sexuality, a dramatic cliche in other LGBTQ+ films.

I adore this because it makes the love story more powerful, rather than one character pursuing the conflicted other.

As brilliant and artistic as I found Portrait of a Lady on Fire to be, there are a couple of unexplained or unclear aspects. I am not even sure how they relate to the main story.

Waifish housemaid Sophie has an abortion with assistance from Marianne and Héloïse. Later, the three go to a bonfire gathering where women sing, during which Héloïse’s dress briefly catches fire (just as shown in the painting featured in the beginning).

When Sophie is having the abortion, there is an infant and a child nearby. Are they her children? Who are the women who sing?

I didn’t understand the point of these items.

Fortunately, these missteps can be forgiven for the grander piece is exceptional filmmaking. The final shot of Héloïse sitting in a theater is phenomenal and borrowed from Call Me By Your Name (2017), which featured an identical scene.

The camera focuses on the face of actress Haene as she conveys a range of emotions during the flawless scene. What a win for an actor!

Despite some side story flaws, I adored Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019).

The film is exceptionally shot, and almost all shots could be portraits in their own right. Charming are the beach sequences, as when Marianne and Héloïse first ignite the flames of their passion.

My takeaway is that it tells the story of fate, but doesn’t feel like a downer. Instead, it feels like life.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best International Film

2019 Films, Adam McKay, Beanie Feldstein, Billie Lourd, Comedy, Diana Silvers, Independent, Independent Comedy, Jason Sudeikis, Jessica Williams, Kaitlyn Dever, Lisa Kudrow, Mason Gooding, Maya Rudolph, Olivia Wilde, Will Ferrell, Will Forte

Booksmart-2019

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Booksmart-2019

Director Olivia Wilde

Starring Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever

Scott’s Review #1,113

Reviewed February 17, 2021

Grade: A-

I usually avoid teenage coming-of-age comedies, or more to the point, being not of that demographic, they are not usually even on my radar.

The only reason I saw Booksmart (2019) is for the Independent Spirit Award it won and the Golden Globe nomination it achieved. Still, I was skeptical of what the appeal of two female teenage bookworms who decide to become party animals would have on me.

Boy, was I wrong? The film is a fabulous and fast-paced experience that I enjoyed immensely.

Director Olivia Wilde, in her very first effort, delivers the goods, believe it or not. She takes a genre told to death and knocks it on its keister, offering a fresh and creative spin on a tried-and-true formula that feels anything but formulaic.

There is diversity, inclusiveness, and heart for miles without the feeling that these add-ons were done intentionally for a modern spin.

Before I get carried away too much Wilde carefully keeps the standard moments of teenage angst, rejection, breakups, and makeups, and there are one or two of the commonplace high school “types”- loner, jock, weirdo, etc. but evident is a strong LGBTQ+ stronghold including one of the leading female characters. Booksmart sure feels authentic to me.

Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy are forever friends.

The girls study, they giggle, they hang out, and they share their problems, both sexual and otherwise, with each other. The kicker is that Molly is straight and Amy is gay. Amy is happily “out” and nobody gives a damn.

Her parents, played in small but juicy parts by Will Forte and Lisa Kudrow, are hilarious and progressive in their approach to understanding a gay child. They incorrectly assume that Molly and Amy are a couple, which the girls use to their advantage.

Anyway, Amy and Molly are intelligent and look forward to graduation day and attending great schools. Once they realize that their fellow students who, in their minds, slack off and party, are also going off to Ivy League schools, they panic.

They realize they have wasted four years studying and decide to finally let their hair down the night before graduation, intent on attending a popular boy’s (and Molly’s crush) party.

The situations the duo get themselves into are clever and witty, and the most fun in the film. Feldstein and Dever have exceptional chemistry, and I bought them as best friends from the moment of their first scene.

When they have a knock-down, drag-out argument towards the end of the film, it’s acting at its finest, which made me feel proud.

I admire young talent with great acting chops and pride in their craft, and Feldstein and Dever both have it.

Wilde peppers much of the film with hip and trendy pop songs that surprisingly enhance rather than detract from the viewer’s enjoyment. The lyrics match the specific events of the particular scene.

The romanticism is pivotal as the crushes Molly and Amy have are not necessarily who they wind up with at the end of the film, which naturally culminates on graduation day. I love how their ceremony includes no parents.

The creativity within Booksmart is admirable.

When Molly and Amy trip on a hallucinogen, they accidentally imagine they are Barbie dolls. The scene is laden with hilarity as they bend, twist, and turn. Later, Molly imagines a dance with Nick amid a colorful, slow-motion sequence that is beautiful, while Amy has an awkward, unexpected sexual experience with a mean girl.

Booksmart (2019) is quite R-rated, almost shockingly so, which is not a negative. It’s a positive. Too many films of this ilk try to soften how teenagers speak and the feelings they have, which are usually sexual.

It’s raunchy and not for the younger teen set, but mature audiences will reminisce about their high school days.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best First Feature (won)

1982 Films, David Carradine, Horror, Richard Roundtree

Q: The Winged Serpent-1982

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Q: The Winged Serpent-1982

Director Larry Cohen

Starring Michael Moriarty, David Carradine, Richard Roundtree

Scott’s Review #1,112

Reviewed February 15, 2021

Grade: B-

A campy and tongue-in-cheek work, Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) is an amusing monster movie affair. It’s best suited for the post-midnight hour when not much else is on television. I jest because it’s not a bad watch at all, but neither is it to be taken very seriously.

It’s terribly overacted, overplayed, and over-the-top and not remembered very well. Soon after watching it I almost forgot the entire experience.

This is never a positive for a film. Q: The Winged Serpent is forever destined for placement in the cult horror category for a good laugh or three. Sadly, most will laugh at the film rather than with it.

There are tidbits added about the mass media, politics, and even the police force that don’t seem necessary for this type of film and don’t go anywhere.

A film like Q: The Winged Serpent should stick to entertaining the audience instead of incorporating any serious messages.

Larry Cohen, best known for cheap horror and science fiction films directs Michael Moriarty as Jimmie Quinn, an angry aspiring jazz pianist who leads a life of crime to get by.

Purely by accident, he stumbles upon Q,  a winged, dragon-like, female lizard, who resides atop New York City’s Chrysler Building.

The police are on the hunt for Q, who enjoys killing residents atop rooftops for fun. Jimmie plans to tell the police where Q lives, for a price tag of one million dollars.

Speaking of Cohen, never did he deliver better work than when he directed an episode of the Showtime Masters of Horror anthology in 2006. The episode, entitled “Pick Me Up” was fantastic and also starred Moriarty.

We never really know why Q arrives in Manhattan. There is a quick reference that she is an Aztec god or something, but we never know what motivates her or why she slices and dices New Yorkers. Maybe there is some message of overindulgence there, but we never find out much about her or care why she is who she is.

There is a silly side story of the detectives cheating Jimmie out of his just desserts which only makes the police seem like assholes. Life in New York City during the 1980s was fraught with crime and corruption and while the knock against authority might be justified it’s also not entirely helpful either.

David Carradine and Richard Roundtree play the main detectives which adds a bit of star quality to the picture. Neither of them has much substance to do and adds little beyond name recognition to one-note roles.

The best part of Q: The Winged Serpent is the genuineness of the filming. It was shot on location in and around New York City’s Chrysler Building and uses the interior of the building’s tower crown as a primary location.

This is fabulous for fans who have never been inside the historic building or for those who have it’s a cool reminder of just how incredible the building is.

Many shots of mid-town Manhattan are included which is an absolute treat.

Cohen also wrote and produced the film so he has a passion for the project he is admirable for. He wasn’t simply some hired gun for an uninspired effort. He is setting out to create a nod to the legendary monster-horror film King Kong (1933) or those old Japanese monster films of the 1950s like Godzilla where a monster wreaks havoc on a metropolis.

The special effects for the flying serpent are not very good and seem quite amateurish and clay-like. Therefore, the entire tone of Q: The Winged Serpent is that of a B-movie. I’m not usually a CGI fan, but the film could have used a boost in that department.

Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) gives a nice representation of life in another time in New York City. I loved the cabs, the traffic, the noise, the grizzled residents, the street vendors, and the corruption.

The film is largely messy and uninspired, but not completely a dud either.

2020 Films, Amanda Seyfried, Arliss Howard, Bill Nye, Biography, David Fincher, Drama, Gary Oldman, Joseph Cross, Lily Collins, Tom Burke, Tom Pelphrey

Mank-2020

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Mank-2020

Director David Fincher

Starring Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Tom Pelphrey

Scott’s Review #1,110

Reviewed February 9, 2021

Grade: A

Everyone knows that Citizen Kane (1941) is one of the greatest films ever made. Well, I hope so anyway. Almost always appearing at the top of ‘best of’ lists, its merits are justified, and its creativity astounding. In a word, it’s groundbreaking.

The visual beauty, tone, and lighting are exceptional, to say the least. But this review is not meant to kiss the ass of that treasured masterpiece.

Mank (2020) is a film that is a love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood. For those unfamiliar with Citizen Kane, please see the movie immediately, or the beauty of Mank will be missed.

The film celebrates the brilliance of Citizen Kane by offering new fans a glimpse into the creation of the movie while breathing life into the 1930s and 1940s film for new and younger fans to experience.

It also gives classic film fans something to sink their teeth into and a reaffirmation of their passion for the cinema. Film lovers will adore Mank.

The project stems back to the 1990s when director David Fincher’s father, Jack, began work on the film. It never came to fruition, and Jack Fincher died in 2003.

Eventually, the project was officially announced, and filming took place around Los Angeles from November 2019 to February 2020.

The film is about Citizen Kane specifically, but is so much more than that.

It’s part biography about alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) as he scrambles to finish writing Citizen Kane, given a tight deadline while also trying to recover from a broken leg. He is hired by the famous Orson Welles (director and star of Citizen Kane) to pen the script without any credit.

As terrific as Oldman is, as he always is, Mank also explores and dissects the politics of California of that time, the impending Nazi regime that soon led to World War II, and the rich and powerful producers.

It harkens back to the 1930s so genuinely that I felt I was living this important decade through my cinematic eyes. How different Hollywood was then!

Oldman is the star of a large cast with many actors being given small yet important roles. Nearly unrecognizable with a bloated beer belly and stringy hair, Herman is a lifelong boozer.

Mank spans ten years, from 1930 to 1940, and goes back and forth between the years. Mankiewicz dictated dialogue to his secretary, Rita (Lily Collins), in one scene while visiting the set of films made in the early 1930s.

Fun fact- Collins is the daughter of British pop artist Phil Collins and is on the cusp of a big career.

With his wit and humor, never afraid to call a spade a spade, or insult billionaire American businessman William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance), he offends glamorous starlets over an extravagant dinner, forcing them to depart one by one as he gets drunker and drunker.

Never a big fan of Amanda Seyfried, the actress impresses with a fabulous performance, the best of her career. Playing Marion Davies, the inspiration for a character in Citizen Kane, she befriends Mankiewicz platonically, and the pair become close.

Seyfried nails it with a giving performance.

Tom Pelphrey plays Herman’s handsome brother, Joseph, on the cusp of becoming a famous writer and director, and the actor is terrific.

The look of Mank is delicious. The black and white cinematography pays homage to Citizen Kane, employing a stark contrast of dark and light in a gorgeous form.

Two great scenes come to mind- In 1933, Herman and Marion go for a stroll in a lavish courtyard, where they bond over discussions on politics and the film industry. It’s a benevolent and sweet scene where many topics are explored and embraced, and it is a definite ode to Hollywood.

The other takes place within the Hearst Mansion, directly before the scene as mentioned above, where a drunken Herman lets loose on some of the Hollywood elite. He insults Louis B. Mayer, founder of the famous MGM studios, the most famous and influential of all studios.

A gem is the addition of so many historic Hollywood figures, a treasure chest for fans of old cinema. Joan Crawford, Great Garbo, and Bette Davis are featured, although if you blink, you’ll miss them.

A terrific suggestion is to work double-time and follow up a viewing of Mank with Citizen Kane (I did!) for further appreciation of the film. A gift is realizing how the characters who appear in the classic film are based on real-life characters in Mankiewicz’s world.

Mank (2020) should be appreciated and revered for its lovely hybrid of crisp dialogue and wry comedy based on a real-life Hollywood director, and its cinematography and visual appreciation of a long-ago era of cinema.

I hope this inspires some to appreciate and salivate over films created almost a hundred years ago.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-David Fincher, Best Actor-Gary Oldman, Best Supporting Actress-Amanda Seyfried, Best Production Design (won), Best Cinematography (won), Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Sound

1997 Films, Amanda Plummer, Animated, Charlton Heston, Children, Comedy, Danny DeVito, Disney, Fantasy, Hal Holbrook, James Woods, Tate Donovan, Wayne Knight

Hercules-1997

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Hercules-1997

Director Ron Clements, John Musker

Starring Tate Donovan, James Woods, Danny DeVito

Scott’s Review #1,109

Reviewed February 7, 2021

Grade: B-

Hercules (1997) is a modern-day Walt Disney film that centers on the world of Ancient Greek mythology. The premise is one I find fascinating and the characters of Hercules, Zeus, Hades, and Pegasus are the focus.

The names alone hold intrigue and appeal but the film is only an adequate watch.

The product feels “produced” and lacks the authenticity and sincerity that is rich and seamless in beloved Disney classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) or Bambi (1941).

Besides the initial story intrigue, the animations are nothing particularly special and it feels too kiddie-like.

It’s like comparing The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band historical album to a latter-day solo effort by Paul McCartney and that’s being generous. It may be fine but can’t hold a candle to the former.

And “fine” is not what I wanted from a Disney film. That’s what I felt about Hercules. It’s okay and entertaining but not up to snuff as compared with finer films.

The film is equipped with a fantastic villain though, the best part of Hercules other than the mythological elements. James Woods, who voices the character of Hades, is wonderful and I’m hardly a James Woods fan but for other reasons, like his politics.

Anyway, the rivalry and competitive edge of Hercules and Hades are unique and compelling and will hold one’s attention.

It all begins in a perfect Disney way when Hercules (Tate Donovan), a son of gods, is snatched as a baby by Hades and forced to live among mortals as a half-man, half-god. When he grows to be an adolescent, Hercules needs to perform a rite of passage on Earth to prove himself worthy of living with the gods on Mount Olympus.

With his sidekick, Philoctetes (Danny DeVito), in tow, Hercules must learn to use his strength to defeat evil creatures.

The strong message is written in Hercules to appeal to a sense of good overthrowing evil. It’s a Disney film, trust me it will.

Though predictable the story feels good in a world where far too often the bad guys get away with bad things and the good guys don’t get enough credit.

Appealing and targeted mostly to kids, the film made a ton of money which means a lot of kids saw it. A great reminder is that with any luck truth and honest will win out. So will remaining true to one’s self.

Woods makes Hades a villain with an edge rather than a generic, cookie-cutter type. Hades speaks rapidly, like a used car salesman trying to sell a customer a good deal. We can tell we are trying to be swindled but there is fun in that.

Megara (Susan Egan), the intended love-interest for Hercules, is working for Hades, which adds a level of intrigue.

Unfortunately, the romance between Hercules and Meg never gets off the ground or works well. The main issue is that there is little chemistry or rooting value for the couple. Meg isn’t my favorite Disney character. She is a sarcastic damsel whom Hercules saves from the centaur Nessus.

After Hercules and the others leave, Meg is revealed to be Hades’ servant, having sold her soul to him to save a lover who then left her. She’s had a tough life and finally does the right thing but I never felt invested in the character.

The main song from the film is okay but rather forgettable. The title of “Go the Distance” is a song of determination but also generic and unmemorable. The look of the animations has a 1990s vibe with bright, vibrant colors that look “of the time” instead of feeling classic or alive.

A decent effort, Hercules (1997) hits its mark sometimes and other times misses completely. I was enraptured with the historical and mythological gods and the trimmings that go along with that mystique, but the modern spin doesn’t work and only made me yearn for the classics from the 1940s and 1950s.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Song-“Go the Distance”

1981 Films, Adventure, Ciarán Hinds, Fantasy, Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren, John Boorman, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart

Excalibur-1981

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Excalibur-1981

Director John Boorman

Starring Nigel Terry, Nicholas Clay, Helen Mirren

Scott’s Review #1,108

Reviewed February 4, 2021

Grade: B+

John Boorman, most famous for directing a 1972 disturbing classic film Deliverance returns to the fold with steamy fantasy rich with lavish sets, visual treats, and an incredible atmosphere.

This is where the film succeeds.

We are taken to a medieval world where we embrace jealousy, sex, and schemes.

Boorman not only directs but produces and co-writes the project along with the screenwriter Rospo Pallenberg.

Excalibur (1981) retells the legend of King Arthur, a British leader from the fifth and sixth centuries mostly told by folklore, and the Knights of the Round Table, based on the 15th-century Arthurian romance Le Morte d’Arthur, at behemoth length, by Thomas Malory.

The table is symbolic because it implies that there is no head and therefore a democratic forum.

This telling is quite adult and not suitable or comprehensible for children.

Famous legends like Merlin (Nicol Williamson), Lancelot (Nicholas Clay), Queen Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi), and Morgana (Helen Mirren) appear alongside Arthur (Nigel Terry) in a furious battle for control.

In a flurry of handsome European actors who would later become famous, Patrick Stewart and Liam Neeson both appear.

Most of the male cast are masculine, hunky, and very handsome. These traits cascade to how good they look in full body armor, shields, and swords doing bloody battles with each other.

Homoerotic scenes exist just as they did in Deliverance. Lest we only focus on the male cast, Helen Mirren is delightful as an evil seductress who oozes sex appeal.

The magical sword of Excalibur starts in the hands of a British lord Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) and then, years later, finds its way to his bastard son, Arthur, who is destined to become king but doesn’t realize why.

Merlin helps Arthur fulfill his fate by bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the country.

Years later Arthur faces greater tests ahead in pursuit of love, the Holy Grail, and his nation’s survival as some attempt to steal the treasure for their advantage.

Excalibur had me with the visuals and I was able to immerse myself in the spectacular style and artistic set design with gorgeous sequences.

Several creative and glimmering shots of someone either emerging from or submerged underwater are featured. They are startlingly beautiful.

I pretended I had been whisked away to an otherworld of enchantment that I could sit back and enjoy.

The knowledge that the entire film was shot in Ireland captured and enraptured me. The breathtaking greenery and waterfalls are dreamlike. When Lancelot beds Guenevere in the forest they both appear nude. Their pale white flesh against the green is both magical and seductive.

And a treat for one’s curious eyes.

The story is overly complicated with reality mixed with either dreams or fantasy and some of the plots confused me. I finally got to a point where the intricacies became too much for me to comprehend especially against the stunning backdrops.

The plot became too jumbled and messy so it is advisable to drift off and take it all in rather than trying to make sense of everything.

A visual marvel Excalibur (1981) will delight the apt film fan. I fantasized about how the picture would look and feel on the big screen but I wasn’t that lucky.

The story is obviously far-fetched and ludicrous at times, but somehow that doesn’t matter and didn’t hinder my enjoyment of it.

I was treated to good-looking people in armor, unique costumes, and various states of undress. And that’s just fine with me.

2020 Films, Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo, Denzel Washington, Drama, George C. Wolfe, Glynn Turman, Independent, Independent Drama, Michael Potts, Taylour Paige, Viola Davis

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom-2020

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Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom-2020

Director George C. Wolfe

Starring Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman

Scott’s Review #1,107

Reviewed February 3, 2021

Grade: A-

Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman lead tremendous performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020), a film fueled by exceptional acting.

The production is shot like a play and is based on one written by August Wilson. He also wrote Fences, which was adapted into a film in 2017 and starred the terrific Davis.

As wonderful as Davis is amid a bruhaha of hype over how powerful her performance is, it’s an ensemble event that makes Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom a memorable experience.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson adapts a fast-paced screenplay with quick dialogue, extended scenes, and a startling turn of events. The action unfolds over one day, similar to other Wilson works, adding a robust and powerful strength as the situations unfold.

The time and the racial aspects are key to the crackling dialogue.

Most of the cast is black, and it’s 1927, so how can the work not be about race? In clever and heartbreaking form, much of the racism is internalized, pitting black versus black instead of the standard white versus black.

Despite the excellent singing and acting, this point hit home the most with me and was the most uniquely palpable. It’s bad enough when black people, or any other minority group, face hatred and resentment from other people, but when it’s one of your own, this is bitter and hard to watch.

The conflict and fury escalate to a vicious climax as one character lashes out in deadly form, ruining more than just their own life. It has a spiraling effect that utilizes the claustrophobic rehearsal hall where these scenes take place as a backdrop.

There are two different stories taking place here, and both are superb.

Ma Rainey (Davis) is a superstar, being female and black, her victory is achieving that success, to begin with, against insurmountable odds.

We only imagine this because the film doesn’t go into her backstory too much- they don’t need to. Her struggle is obvious, and we can only imagine how she managed to get so far in her career. Was she able to capitalize on her success with her voice alone?

Ma is immensely talented and angry. She is pouty and tough as nails with her white producers, who have invited her to Chicago to record an album. She knows they want one thing from her, and that’s money-making profits from her talent.

She demands a Coke before she will perform. She smirks as the producers scurry to fulfill her request, not daring to show too much irritation that will cause her to cancel the session and return to the South.

Is she a diva? Well, yes, but shouldn’t she be? If she were a gracious person, would people walk all over her?

We learn she would easily be arrested for causing a stir in the streets if not for her manager, Irvin (Jeremy Shamos), schooling the police on who she is.

Davis, who can play any role handed to her, is brilliant. Ma is brazen and brutal, yet she releases emotion when she belts out her tunes.

Though Davis is the star, Ma is almost a supporting player against the robust and juicy other plot occurring among the male cast, one floor below. Boseman is flawless as the trumpeter in her band, Levee Green.

His humor masks a wave of anger and cynicism lurking beneath that slowly builds as he feels jealous and cheated by the older members of Ma’s band.

Colman Domingo and Glynn Turmann are fantastic, adding stability and wisdom in supporting roles. Their characters try to teach the younger Levee that being a black man also represents stoicism, a calm demeanor, and wisdom.

From a diversity and inclusion perspective, the film features Ma’s bisexual girlfriend Dussie Mae (Taylour Paige) and nephew Sylvester (Dusan Brown), who stutters.

This offers LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) is a film that celebrates fearlessness, determination, and the ugliness and frustration of inner turmoil within one’s race.

It also features gorgeous and emotional songs from the roaring 1920s and top-notch acting performances.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Actor, Chadwick Boseman, Best Actress, Viola Davis, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design (won), Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won)

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Female Lead-Viola Davis, Best Male Lead-Chadwick Boseman, Best Supporting Male-Colman Domingo, Glynn Turmann

2007 Films, Horror, Rachel Nichols, Slasher, Thriller, Wes Bentley

P2-2007

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P2-2007

Director Franck Khalfoun

Starring Rachel Nichols, Wes Bentley

Scott’s Review #1,106 

Reviewed January 29, 2021

Grade: B

Franck Khalfoun, a French filmmaker known for the horror genre, makes his directorial debut with P2 (2007).

As a horror buff, the film has a great premise which made me immediately want to see it. Unfortunately, while the film has its moments of intrigue and plenty of gore, the climax ultimately disappoints and it turns run-of-the-mill.

Like many of its modern horror brethren, there is little that separates it from other similar films.

It’s fine Saturday night viewing fare but quite predictable.

Films set during the Christmas holiday and especially in festive New York City always enrapture me so P2 gets a leg up. The film doesn’t utilize the holiday very well save for a smattering of decorations within an office building, some snow, and one creepy holiday song.

Set on Christmas Eve, the plot follows a young businesswoman named Angela (Rachel Nichols) who becomes trapped in an underground parking garage in midtown Manhattan. She is pursued by a psychopathic unhinged security guard (Wes Bentley), who is obsessed with her.

Bentley, known for his terrific role in American Beauty (1999) is the main reason to see this film. He plays creepy and obsessed very well and is a great villain.

His piercing blue eyes are intense and frightening and his obsession with Elvis Presley and his dog is revealed. He is disturbed though for no apparent reason, which is not positive to any character development.

Why is he crazy?

When Thomas plays Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” over the intercom it’s a festive and delightfully morbid highlight.

I desired to know what makes Thomas tick and why he hunts Angela. Has he been watching her for months or does he simply see an opportunity on this particular night and go for the gusto?

The plot reveals a bit of both which is unsatisfying because there is no payoff.

Does he knock out and kidnap Angela because she rebuffs his advances or would he have done this anyway if she agreed to dinner?

He is in love with her but why? It’s not that she isn’t a catch. She is pretty and a successful businesswoman with a good head on her shoulders. Does she reject him because she gets a bad vibe or because he’s a security guard?

I wanted more backstory for both main characters but once she is chained to a table it hardly matters. He’s gone too far off the deep especially after it’s revealed he has killed others. Thomas’s motivations are not satisfying.

Nichols, a novice actress, is very good at her role. She carries the film and is in a state of peril most of the time. But she neither overacts nor plays the victim.

There is a nice balance of terror and figuring out what steps to take to save her life and flee the madman.

P2 possesses a female-empowerment vibe but Angela does appear in skimpy clothing thus issuing the standard state of undress required by their female stars, a formula many horror films stick to.

Angela is smart, quick-thinking, and strong. She tries to outsmart her capturer and more often than not she does and she is victorious in the end.

Surprise!

I noticed multiple nods to the Saw (2004-present) franchise since this series introduced and embraced the torture-horror genre.

Many horror films use this technique to shock and startle viewers instead of providing clever writing or stories. The use of videotape appears in P2 which borrows heavily from Saw.

P2 (2007) is a fine effort and will satisfy horror fans. It may tread into familiar territory and back itself into a corner with limited story possibility, but I did look over my shoulder a couple of times after viewing the film when I was in my building’s parking garage.

Ironically, I was on level P2.

Maybe the film did leave an impression after all?