Tag: Drama

Hamilton: For Those Who Missed the Theater Experience

A picture of Daveed Diggs, on stage as Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton (he's so great!)

Hamilton

Directed by Thomas Kail
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda

The review:

Recreating live theater experiences on film* is a tricky feat, and I’m pleased that this effort was a successful one.** I’m also thankful I can see a simulation of what everyone was talking about five years ago.*** I found this to be a deeply nerdy musical**** which didn’t take away from how enjoyable it was; my standouts were Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica, Jonathan Groff as King George,***** and Daveed Diggs, who was good as Lafayette, and amazing as Thomas Jefferson.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $13.00? (Matt signed us up for some combo Hulu/Disney+ deal which we will evaluate if we will continue.)
Where watched: at home with Boyfriend Matt

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Or “film” given that digital has taken over.
**Other “live” experiences I’ve taken in this year that were great: Homecoming, a Flim by Beyonce, Stop Making Sense. (Those are both concerts, though, not theater.)
***My plan was to see Hamilton on it’s second run through Portland as it was impossible to get tickets in my price range during the inaugural run. It looks like theater is paused for the foreseeable future, so I’m glad this option was available.
****Musicals are already the nerdiest of performance mediums. (And I say this as a big fan of musicals) Layering on a studious biography about early American politics increased the nerd factor exponentially.
*****I had no idea about this character and enjoyed him so much. “Sweetheart, it’s a domestic violence song!” I exclaimed during his first number.

Questions:

  • Who gave your favorite performance?
  • What’s your favorite stage-to-screen musical adaptation?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Filmed over the course of three days in June 2016. It started by filming a live Sunday matinee performance with cameras in the audience, after which the cast and crew spent the rest of the day and evening filming close-ups, dolly shots, and crane shots. Filming continued all day Monday (normally the cast’s day off) with more close-ups and Steadicam footage. More filming took place on Tuesday morning, before shooting another live performance on Tuesday evening, with cameras again in the audience but in different positions. Lin-Manuel Miranda said, “It was basically a three-day film shoot with the best-rehearsed cast in the history of the movies, ’cause we’d all been doing the show for a year at this point.”

Other reviews of Hamilton:

Text says: I know I talk too much, I'm abrasive. —Hamilton. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

Sleepless in Seattle is Perfect

A picture of Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle

Sleepless in Seattle

Directed by Nora Ephron
Written by Jeff Arch, Nora Ephron, and David S. Ward

The review:

This remains a classic romantic comedy* and hits all its marks. It’s even stronger because the two characters play out their own stories, but we know by the end that they are meant to be together. It’s also a movie that inspired me to do my homework** and uses so many good actors in small roles.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I don’t think I watched this more than once or twice, yet so many of the scenes were as familiar as if I had seen it more recently than the 1990s. The soundtrack, however, I wore out during my early college years.
**I watched two movies because of this movie. (An Affair to Remember, The Dirty Dozen) I didn’t love either of them.
***Tiny Gaby Hoffman! Calvin Trillin! Rita Wilson! Rosie O’Donnell! Carey Lowell! David Hyde Pierce! Frances Conroy! (I had to look her up, but she was the mom in Six Feet Under.)

Questions:

  • It’s always hard to deal with the mismatched love interest. How do you feel about the breakup scene?
  • What’s another movie that makes good use of the map?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The scene between Tom Hanks and Victor Garber crying over the movie The Dirty Dozen (1967) was completely improvised during the take.

Other reviews of Sleepless in Seattle:

Note that the Metacritic list is made up of fifteen men and two women. Grrr.

Text: Destiny is something we've invented because we can't stand the fact that everything that happens is accidental. —Sleepless in Seattle. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Cancel the Delivery of You’ve Got Mail

Photo of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the movie You've Got Mail

You’ve Got Mail

Directed by Nora Ephron
Written by Nora & Delia Ephron adapted from Miklós László’s play

The review:

I didn’t like this in 1998 and the central problem remained in 2020.* Thus, I wasn’t much of a fan, except for Meg Ryan’s incredible wardrobe,** the amazing bookshop*** and being amused at the premise that the family that runs big bookstores would have that level of wealth.**** I will say that it’s an interesting study of someone breaking out into her own person during middle age,***** which is the hidden gem of a story in this watchable-but-unlikeable film.******

The verdict: Skip

Cost: $3.99 via Google Play
Where watched: at home

Consider watching instead:

Further sentences:

*When a man knows a key piece of information and purposely withholds it from a woman he might be in love with, that makes him a secretive and manipulative jerk. It was that way when Jimmy Stewart played this role and it’s that way when Tom Hanks does.
**A few things haven’t aged well, but most of her outfits hit the spot.
***She even mentions the Betsy-Tacy books!
****This does poke fun at old men fathering children with much younger women, which is fun.
*****Though she loved books, she was carrying on her mother’s legacy. This didn’t give her a chance to find out who she wanted to be.
******I also enjoyed the quick and easy breakup scene. One could call it lazy writing, but it was carried off with such verve.

Questions:

  • What was your favorite Meg Ryan outfit?
  • How did you find the AOL aspect now that we’ve moved past AOL chatrooms?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The children’s bookstore scenes in the film were filmed at Maya Shaper’s Cheese and Antique Shop on 106 West 69th Street. The filmmakers wanted to use the antique shop because it had the quaint, homey feel they were going for. They sent the owner of the antique shop on vacation for a few weeks, and while she was gone they turned the store into a children’s bookstore. After filming was finished, they put everything back the way they had left it, and it became an antique store once again.

Other reviews of You’ve Got Mail:

Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life--well, valuable, but small--and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? —You've Got Mail. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

The Cotton Club Encore: Ignore the Gangsters

Photo of Gregory Hines in the Cotton Club Encore

The Cotton Club Encore

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by William Kennedy and Francis Ford Coppola

The review:

I’ve not seen the original, but this encore version has a not-interesting gangster story interspersed with incredible vocal and dance performances by the entertainers performing at the Cotton Club.* Richard Gere wanders around in dark sun glasses playing his coronet** looking troubled, while meanwhile Gregory Hines has actual problems*** It’s fun to see actors looking young**** but this is a very long movie that has its focus on the wrong thing.

The verdict: Skip

(or watch it and fast forward to the performance scenes)

Cost: $1.99 via Redbox OnDemand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*That’s right! You can fast forward through all of the gangster plot and just hang out at the Cotton Club.
**Much is made of the fact that Gere is really playing that coronet.
***Making the choice between being a solo act or sticking with his brother; being in love with a woman who makes choices that make it difficult to be in a relationship with her; the fact that he’s underpaid because his artistry can be exploited.
****1984 was kind of a long time ago, it turns out. Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane (very young!) Nicolas Cage (also very young!) Bob Hoskins, and Laurence Fishburne.

Questions:

  • Have you ever watched a film for reasons other than the main plot?
  • What’s your favorite “performances” film?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Laurence Fishburne’s character, Bumpy Rhodes, was based on real-life Harlem gangster Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson. Fishburne would play Bumpy in Hoodlum (1997) 13 years later.

Other reviews of The Cotton Club:

Text: You've got about as much style as a bowl of turnips. —The Cotton Club Encore. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

Apollo 13: When You Need to See a Finest Hour

A photo of actors in the movie Apollo 13

Apollo 13

Directed by Ron Howard
Written by William Broyles Jr. & Al Reinert

The review:

In a time when the U. S. of A. seems to be a little wobbly, I wanted to spend Independence Day being reminded of a time when things went wrong, people pitched in, and it all worked out.* Ron Howard films tend to sag, but this one remains taut throughout. Aside from space drama tension the acting is so very good by all the players, especially Kathleen Quinlan who makes the most of her worried-wife-stuck-on-earth role.

The verdict: Recommended**

Cost: $3.99 via Google Play
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Granted, a small group of people getting three men back from the moon is problem solving on a different scale than systemic racism and global pandemics, but you know, baby steps. Plus Matt had never seen this and also wasn’t sure who Gary Sinise was (even when I told him repeatedly: He’s Captain Dan in Forrest Gump!) so that took care of that, too.
**Random me fact: I watched this in 1995 when it was released, but I associate it with 9/11 as it was the Saturday Night Movie one of the big-three networks played when they returned to regular programming after days of covering the attacks. I watched it (with commercials) on Georges Island in the Boston Harbor with fellow park ranger Joel.

Questions:

  • Would you watch a drama that focused on the women who happen to be married to astronauts?
  • Who was your favorite of the Apollo 13 crew? (Matt’s favorite was Gary Sinise, because he did all the hard work back on Earth to get them home.)

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

When the real Jim Lovell saw the film, he found the CGI work so convincing that he firmly believed that the filmmakers had uncovered some hitherto unseen NASA footage.

Other reviews of Apollo 13:

Text: With all due respect, sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour. —Apollo 13. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

Miss Juneteenth: A Slice of Former Beauty Queen Life

Picture from the movie Miss Juneteenth

Miss Juneteenth

Directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples
Written by Channing Godfrey Peoples

The review:

Though this is the type of movie that would inspire comments by Redbox reviewers along the lines of, “Oh, my GOD soooooo boooooring!!!!”* I loved this slice of life feature, especially the push-pull of the mother/daughter relationship.** Channing Godfrey Peoples lets us come to our own conclusions about what has brought Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) to this point, and gives us hints about what her future could be. For all its quiet observation, this movie has a ton to say about class, race, family systems, and ramifications of choices made.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $4.99 via Redbox OnDemand (I had a $2.00 off coupon)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I read a Redbox user review like this for Manchester by the Sea, and thought, “Dude, did you go into this knowing nothing?”
**Mothers wanting things for their daughters that aren’t important to the daughters is a universal mother/daughter theme. Turquoise’s experience as Miss Juneteenth was a highlight of her life and keeps her from seeing that her daughter’s interests lie elsewhere.

Questions:

  • Where do you think Turquoise is steering herself in the right direction?
  • What struck you the most about this film.

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

No trivia. Instead, enjoy this quote from a Deadline article:

I wanted to tell this story about a black woman with a dream deferred, and a black woman that knows that she just wants something for herself even though she may not be able to articulate at the moment. She has these hopes and dreams for her child and she also has these hopes for her child to have a better life. As a writer and as a filmmaker, I tend to write about family cycles and what we leave behind and what we decide to move forward with. Also in my work, I definitely write about black women who are taking a step forward in their lives, and I love writing about their journeys, and I come from that unique perspective as a black woman having grown up in this country, and especially in, what I call, black Texas. Actually, I took that from another writer who said this is black Texas, and I thought that was incredible. So I’ve taken that and now I say I understand that I was raised in black Texas.

Channing Godfrey Peoples

Other reviews of Miss Juneteenth:

Text: I just want something for myself. —Miss Juneteenth. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

The Assistant’s Long Day

Picture from movie The Assistant

The Assistant

Directed by Kitty Green
Written by Kitty Green

The review:

On the one hand this is a like enduring a very long day of a job you long to quit; on the other the minute-by-minute chronicle allows plenty of time to contemplate things* as the banal a-lot-ain’t-right-here feelings continue. What Julia Garner is doing is a lot harder than it looks and she carries us through her mundane, creepy, and disgusting tasks.** Even more fun: the things other employees say as justification.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $1.80 via Redbox
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*”If movies are made by people like this, why am I even supporting the industry?” was one of my many thoughts.
**Kitty Green’s choice to never show the boss is what makes this movie so powerful.
***A close second: the lines Garners co-workers feed her so she can properly apologize to her terrible boss.

Questions:

  • What was the most surprising thing about the company?
  • Would you continue to work in this job?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The film was shot in eighteen days.

Other reviews of The Assistant:

Text reads: Don't worry. You're not his type. —The Assistant. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

Bad Times at the El Royale Make for Good Movie

A picture of the stars of the movie Bad Times at the El Royale

Bad Times at the El Royale

Directed by Drew Goddard
Written by Drew Goddard

The review:

I’m a sucker for stylish set design and once I saw the state line dividing the El Royale into California and Nevada sections I was all in.* Add more than one creepy mystery, a cast that owns the camera** and this was an excellent night at the movies.*** It was also just a tad too long, alas.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $2.00 via Redbox (They only had a Bluray copy so it cost more.)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

  • Knives Out (This is the opposite film: a sunny and fun mystery. It might make a nice palate cleanser.)
  • Brick
  • Widows
  • Game Night (Also an opposite. Hilarious mystery.)

Further sentences:

*Have I stood with four limbs in four states at Four Corners? Why yes I have! Human-created lines of demarcation are fascinating.
**The film does a great job cycling through the motel guests’ stories. From the beginning, it seems like it’s going to be Jon Hamm’s movie, but that shifts as we see the stories of each guest.
***Don’t go in expecting a happy ending, though. Also, it would be interesting to represent in graph form Chris Hemsworth’s (Billy Lee) repelling and magnetic energy. And then segment out how much his naked torso is contributing to that magnetic energy.

Questions:

  • How did you feel about the ending? Did it all work out okay for you?
  • Which character intrigued you the most?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The El Royale was built from scratch on a sound stage with much of the furniture and decor being custom made (including branded matchboxes and coasters for the bar). The color scheme was meticulously set out so that the California side was mostly yellows and oranges, while the Nevada side was purples and blues. Red was reserved for the borderline, jukebox, and chandelier, while green is almost entirely absent until the end.

Also this:

There was no pre-recorded soundtrack, so all of Cynthia Erivo’s singing in the film is for real. For the lengthy tracking shot scene behind the hotel mirrors, Erivo had to perform “Try a Little Tenderness” 27 times.

Cynthia Erivo can SING!

Other reviews of Bad Times at the El Royale:

Orange background. Text says: This is not a place for a priest, Father. You shouldn't be here. —Bad Times at the El Royale. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

Do the Right Thing: Getting to Know a Block

A picture from the movie Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing

Directed by Spike Lee
Written by Spike Lee

The review:

Spike Lee spends a lot of time letting us get to know the residents of a neighborhood block* which, by the time the big thing happens at the 90-minute mark your feeling are stronger than they would have been if the big thing happened fifteen minutes in. Aside from the tactics of the police** much of this movie felt very familiar 31 years later. The main players all turn in great performances*** and despite the fact I watched this on a not-hot day, that increasing tension of heat and city was aptly recreated.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Possibly free through one of the services? I cannot recall.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*This feature was what sunk the film for me when I first attempted to watch it in the late 90s. It’s a very slow film. It was so slow that I gave up and watched something else, or perhaps took a nap.
**Then: going in swinging with their billy clubs. Now: drawing a gun and shooting.
***You know who isn’t good at acting though? Joie Lee. Rosie Perez is also a little raw. (Though she’s great in the dance sequence that opens the film!)

Questions:

  • Mookie’s big action after the terrible action. What do you think?
  • Tell me your favorite character or characters. (Mine were the three guys (Robin Harris, Paul Benjamin, Frankie Faison) sitting in front of the red wall, though the Mayor was great too.)

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The opening sequence, which featured the song “Fight The Power”, was written especially for the movie. Rosie Perez dancing to the song took eight hours to film.

Other reviews of Do the Right Thing:

Quote from Do the Right Thing: Today's temperature's gonna rise up over 100 degress, so there's a Jheri curl alert! That's right, Jheri curl alert.

Blindspotting: Friendship & Transitions

Blindspotting

Blindspotting

Directed by Carlos López Estrada
Written by Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs

The review:

Friendship is at the heart of this film; a friendship that makes two people better and worse.* Watching the friendship between Collin (Daveed Diggs) and Miles (Rafael Casal) and choices made (now and in the past)** highlights so many contemporary issues. This is a movie where I had all the feelings, it’s laugh-while-watching-alone-funny,*** it graphically illustrates the ramifications of gentrification,**** it has a lot to say about race,***** our system of punishment, and it’s got moments of pure terror.******

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: Free! Google Play is not charging. Watch it today!
Where watched: at home.

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*People who have been friends since they were twelve sometimes have complex friendships by the time they are in their twenties. Both people have changed so much that sometimes what links them together isn’t always the best for either of them.
**The scene where we find out why Collin had to serve time is particularly brilliant. We’re hearing about the incident from an excited bystander, but the two people who were there have different feelings.
***Watching Miles sell things provides a lot of the comedy. That beauty shop scene will stick in my brain for a very long time.
****Including the transformation of the Kwik Mart and houses torn down, with new ones inserted into the block face.
*****Collin and Miles argument about Miles not using a certain word does more to get across race disparities than forty essays.
******For people who “just don’t get” Black people’s fear of the police, this movie offers a ton of opportunities to understand why.

Questions:

  • Do you think Collin and Miles will continue to be friends?
  • What was the most memorable scene for you?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Collin’s alarm clock at the halfway house is set to 6:25. 625 spells out O-A-K on a phone and is also on a shirt that Collin wears.

Other reviews of Blindspotting:

Blindspotting