Month: July 2018

In watching Oceans 8 with Matt, I learned he had never seen Oceans 11, 12 or 13 and that situation needed to be remedied. Just as Soderbergh had hoped, this movie remains a pleasure from beginning to end.* I’d also forgotten about the use of Elvis’s “A Little Less Conversation” in the soundtrack, which was the perfect amount of Elvis for this Vegas film.

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play (but free due to Google Survey credits)
Where watched: at home with Matt

Also consider watching: Logan Lucky, Now You See Me

*The dialogue! The costumes! The machinations of plot!  The Mormon twins opening scene where they are racing monster truck vs. a radio controlled monster truck!

 

There is a slight chance that my viewing of this film suffered from overly enthusiastic critics, but perhaps not. While the acting was good, I was never captivated by the story, possibly because Reverand Toller’s mental state made it hard to get a good sense of him, which put a lot of distance between me and the character I was supposed to care about, which left me a little bored.* I did enjoy the stark landscape of upstate New York in winter and the clean white lines of the Dutch Reform Church.**

Cost: $6.00
Where watched: Laurelhurst Theater with S. North (Two people walked out of this showing!)

Consider watching instead: A Ghost Story, Manchester by the Sea

*I also watched this in the 1:00–3:00 p.m. segment of the day which is a good test if the movie can hold my attention. It didn’t. I took in some of it with my eyes closed.
**I also have an opinion about THE ENDING, which I won’t express here do to spoilers.

I found the first Ant-Man movie to fall in the “eh” category of superhero films, so I’m not really sure why I went to see this, though I’m glad I did. There are so many funny things in this movie, both sight gags and scripted comedy. It also was a movie where the villain was sympathetic; her motivation had to do with survival, not some form of world domination.

Cost: $8.00
Where watched: McMenamins St. Johns Cinema

Also consider watching: Thor Ragnarock, Spider-Man: Homecoming

 

Having just watched 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days, I needed a palate cleanser and remembered I had a list of royal romance movies leftover from the Megan/Harry wedding. While the Wisconsin of this movie seems to lack seasons* and the plot overall was so-so, it did have Julia Styles, who is always a treat. While not a great movie, it was a very good palate cleanser.

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play (though free, due to cashing in Google Rewards Survey credit)
Where watched: at home

Also consider watching: The Princess Diaries, Ever After

*Tractor racing at “Thanksgiving” looks as though it was filmed in sunny, dry mid-August. Denmark is the same. Winter?  Sunny and warm, if this movie to be believed.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2004/prince_and_me.html

This film felt more immediate due to the retiring of a certain Supreme Court Justice and speculation about what the new configuration of the court might bring for Roe v. Wade. This movie is a slow-burn terror with things going astray at every turn. It’s not a pleasant movie to watch, but is worthy of your time.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home in preparation for Filmspotting Madness in March 2019

Also recommended: Vera Drake, Grandma

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2007/four_months_three_weeks_and_two_days.html

Not ready to face the fact that I had to get up the very next morning, July 5, and do two more days at the office, Matt and I escaped to the movie theater for some heist-movie fun. In the spirit of the other Ocean’s movies everything worked well: acting, plot machinations, fun things to look at, humor. Bullock’s tirade in German was particularly fun.

Cost: some ungodly amount due to Regal’s evening prices; however, I had gift cards, so it was actually free.
Where watched: Regal Lloyd Center, which has closed off its ample parking lot in preparation for mixed-use redevelopment. We had to park across the street at the mall proper.

Goes well with: The Sting, The Italian Job both 1969 and 2003.

While this is a great documentary to watch at any time, I highly recommend seeing this in the theater so you can hear everyone else around you also crying. I’m not really sure what makes it such a sob fest* I just know that it was, but in a good way. If you are going to see one documentary this decade, this is the one.**

Cost: free for me; friend paid me back for helping her move
Where watched: Hollywood Theater with, Kelly

Goes well with: probably 20 Feet From Stardom, but I haven’t seen that yet. (I know!)

*Mr. Rodger’s calm voice? The fact that our lives are nothing like the world he so carefully built for children? His philosophy of radical love?
**It also has some quite funny moments.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2018/wont_you_be_my_neighbor.html