Tag: Good

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood has the Right Focus

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The review:

As I discovered last year with the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Mr. Rogers has a calming and cathartic effect on me; in Marielle Heller’s* A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, it seems that Tom Hanks playing Mr. Rogers has the same effect. I think this movie was wise to avoid the biopic treatment and instead frame the story around a journalist who has a lot of problems which lets us substitute our own selves in for him as Fred Rogers takes an interest. It’s also full of actors I love to watch** and includes many memorable scenes.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: $9.75 (I didn’t plan well. I could have seen this at the Jubitz theater for $6)
Where watched: Living Room Theater (Part I of New Year’s Eve Double Feature!)

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*This film follows Heller’s excellent Can You Ever Forgive Me? which was her second feature after her incredibly enjoyable debut The Diary of a Teenage Girl. All of these films are worth your time. And hopefully Heller will continue directing films every other year or so.
**I’m always up for Chris Cooper and Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars!) and though I wasn’t familiar with them I thought Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson and Maryann Plunkett were excellent.
***Some of which show up in the article that is featured in the film and which you can read. My favorite scene though, was Fred and Joanne Rogers playing a duet on the twin grand pianos in their home.

Questions:

  • What is it about Mr. Rogers that elicits such feelings?
  • What’s your favorite Mr. Rogers moment?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

This movie is based on the article “Can You Say…’Hero’?” by Tom Junod, which was published in the November 1, 1998, issue of Esquire Magazine. In 2019, before the release of this film, Junod wrote an article in The Atlantic that was partly about this process. It started, “A long time ago, a man of resourceful and relentless kindness saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. He trusted me when I thought I was untrustworthy, and took an interest in me that went beyond my initial interest in him. He was the first person I ever wrote about who became my friend, and our friendship endured until he died. Now a movie has been made from the story I wrote about him, which is to say ‘inspired by’ the story I wrote about him, which is to say that in the movie my name is Lloyd Vogel and I get into a fistfight with my father at my sister’s wedding. I did not get into a fistfight with my father at my sister’s wedding. My sister didn’t have a wedding.”

Other reviews:

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The Two Popes is a Good Conversation

The Two Popes

The review:

Considering that The Two Popes is a movie of basically two guys talking, Fernando Meirelles directs a very good film.* For those fans of walking and talking, wrestling with weighty issues, and sins of the past, this will be a treat.** For fans of good acting, you have both Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce bringing their A game.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I mean, granted, the two guys talking aren’t dudes on the #6 bus; they’re men who became popes. The title doesn’t lie.
**Plus, you get to see the process for choosing a new pope, which I found interesting.

Question:

Do you think that the head of the Catholic Church should follow the Pope Benedict model (traditional, pomp and circumstance) or the Pope Francis model (reform, the carnival is over)

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Jonathan Pryce commented on his physical resemblance to Pope Francis at the Toronto International Film Festival: “The day Pope Francis was declared Pope, the Internet was full of images of me and him, and ‘Is Jonathan Pryce the Pope?’ Even my son texted me, ‘Dad are you the Pope?'”

Other reviews:

The Two Popes

Motherless Brooklyn is Nearly a Very, Very Good Film

Motherless Brooklyn

The review:

Edward Norton makes a worthy detective story set in the 1950s and Motherless Brooklyn was nearly a very, very, good film.* While the Tourette’s aspect feels very much like Mr. Norton is shooting for an Academy Award nomination and thus, from that angle, is distracting, it is interesting to watch his performance and how the syndrome affects his character.** The movie is also populated with excellent actors (hooray for another good role for Gugu Mbatha-Raw!) and the mystery was engrossing.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: $6.00
Where watched: Jubitz Cinema

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*It pains me to say that it’s the slightest bit too long, like maybe we didn’t need that much time watching jazz musicians at the club. As it is, it’s a very good film.
**I found it interesting that no one in the film made fun of him, or was repulsed by for his tics and twitches. I felt like that wasn’t quite up to snuff for film set in the 1950s.
***I figured out one thing before Lionel did, which made me feel very smart.

Questions:

  • Should Edward Norton direct more films?
  • How many favors do you think Mr. Norton called in to get all those really great actors? (Never mind. Answered in the IMDB triva item below.)

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

According to writer, director, and actor Edward Norton, the principal major stars all worked for free on this, his second directorial outing.

Other Reviews:

Motherless Brooklyn

Atlantics: Current Events With a Twist

Atlantics

The review:

Mati Diop’s Atlantics takes a current event topic* and crafts a unique story about the women who are left behind. This was a very atmospheric film that got more interesting as the movie continued. Mame Bineta Sane as Ada is a compelling main character.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*People attempting to escape grinding poverty by sailing across the Mediterranean for the chance of a better life

Questions:

  • What elements of this film worked for you?
  • How did you come to watch this film? (I watched it because it’s a Filmspotting Golden Brick nominee)

Favorite IMDB Trivia Item:

Mati Diop, with her submission of “Atlantics” to the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, is the first black woman director in history to compete in the festival’s competition.

Other reviews:

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a Fine Conclusion to This Trilogy

The review:

Coming off of Rian Johnson’s excellent The Last Jedi it is now time for J.J. Abrams to wrap up our third trilogy with (the official title is so very long!) Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. And Abrams does wrap things up in a competent way that shows us the many Star Wars things we’ve come to love.* I think the strength of this trilogy is the Rey-Kylo Ren connection,** and that carries through to this film, which I did liked, but did not love.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: $9.50
Where watched: Baghdad Theater with Matt, Laurie and Burt.

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Witty banter, dashing adventure, situations that always seem hopeless, plus a fun new droid to add to the canon.
**Their fight scenes added a lot to this film.
*** I am three for three for falling asleep. I missed the “here’s the plan” part.

Questions:

  • What movies that you first watched as a kid still hold up today?
  • Do you want more of the Star Wars world? If so, what would you like more of?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Disney’s sequel trilogy is the first trilogy in the Star Wars saga in which all three movies were released in the same decade.

Other reviews:

The Art of Self-Defense is Dark, Amusing

The review:

Riley Sterns directs Jesse Eisenberg* in The Art of Self-Defense a dark comedy that feels more intellectually funny than viscerally funny. While that first sentences feels like damning the film with faint praise, it was an enjoyable film experience and I especially enjoyed Alessandro Nivola’s** straight-faced Sensei whom I couldn’t quite get a bead on. This was one of those films that felt removed enough from the world I couldn’t fully settle in, but its artificial environment and subtle commentary and humor were well done.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $1.25 via Redbox
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Eisenberg was excellent as always; I don’t think I’ve ever not liked one of his performances.
**I also caught another excellent performance of his this year. He was Rabbi Dovid Kuperman in Sebastían Lelio’s Disobedience.

Questions:

  • What is your favorite dark comedy?
  • Has Jesse Eisenberg ever not been the tense and introverted character?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Writer and director Riley Stearns trains and teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Other reviews:

Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore: Scorsese, Without the Wise Guys

The review:

Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore is Scorsese without the wise guys and the good fellas.* This movie is firmly set in the 1970s, and is a great hardscrabble mother-son film.** Packed with tons of period details*** and good performances by both Ellen Burstyn and Alfred Lutter (plus a very young Harvey Keitel**** ) this was a Scorsese treat.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Although Alice has the lip that we’re used to from the wise guys.
**I’ve just googled “mother-son film” and, based on those results, I can say that it might be one of the best.
***Including what was probably considered a happy ending when the film was released; in 2019, I gave it the side eye.
****It’s probably worth watching just to see him eventually suck all the air out of the room

Questions:

  • Alice’s parenting style is not currently in fashion. Is this a good or a bad thing?
  • What would have been an actual happy ending for this for this film?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Hot off her success with The Exorcist (1973), the studio granted Ellen Burstyn total creative control over this project. She had two goals: to make a movie about woman with real-life problems, and to secure an up-and-coming filmmaker as the director. Upon selecting the script, Brian De Palma brought Francis Ford Coppola to Burstyn’s attention, who suggested she consider Martin Scorsese. While impressed with Scorsese’s talent after viewing Mean Streets (1973), Burstyn still hesitated to hire the director, fearing he could only direct men. When she asked Scorsese what he knew about women, Scorsese replied, “Nothing, but I’d like to learn.” Satisfied with his enthusiasm, Burstyn immediately hired Scorsese.

Shane: Manly but Not Toxic

The review:

George Stevens’ Shane is a manly Western, but not toxically so, and includes an interesting performance by Alan Ladd* and a terrible performance by Brandon De Wilde.** The farmer/cowman stakes are high in this film, and the movie is interesting, though not overly tense or gripping. There’s also a fight scene that had me marveling at how much fight scenes have changed in the last 60 years.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: free from the Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Much like my view of Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, Alan Ladd’s small frame (compared to today’s standards) and placid demeanor struck me as somewhat feminine in presentation. Somewhere in this phenomenon lies an interesting commentary about moving toward a society with gender equality and seeing men’s muscle mass increase, and women’s body size decrease.
**Good lord, if only they had cast a kid who could act! I spent the entire movie wondering where all the good child actors were hanging out in the 1950s, because I don’t see many quality performances from the under-10 set. Also, there seemed to be an industry-wide acceptance of terrible child acting because Brandon De Wilde was nominated for an Oscar for this performance.
***There was a lot of circling before the actual fighting got underway. It eventually got to some big fight action, but it took its time getting there. Also, the foley artists got completely carried away with the sounds of breaking glass, though they did a great job with the men grunting.

Questions:

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Having witnessed, during his World War II service, the profound effects a bullet could have on a man, realism was important to George Stevens during the making of the film. This therefore is one of the first movies to use stunt wires to pull the actors or stuntmen backwards to simulate when they’ve been shot.

Round out your 90s Paul Thomas Anderson Film Fest with Hard Eight

The review:

Paul Thomas Anderson’s first film holds its reveal for much too long, but is worth watching for the performances.* It’s always a good sign when I’m curious about what’s going on, but also don’t really need to know because the acting is keeping me entertained.** This is clearly early PT Anderson, but early PTA is still a better movie than a lot of mid-career directors.

The verdict: Good

Cost: free via Kanopy
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Watching 90s John C. Reilly in 2019, I marvel at how even when he was young he looked middle aged. He was 21 when this was released! Aside from looking reliably middle-aged for decades, he always turns in a winning performance.
**There’s also a bit part with Philip Seymour Hoffman. He’s such a gem. I still miss him.

Questions:

  • Do you think the casino rate card trick would work today?
  • What’s your dream team of PT Anderson regulars?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

When Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson) and Sydney (Philip Baker Hall) have their confrontation, Jimmy mentions that he knows Sydney’s friends Floyd Gondolli and Jimmy Gator. In Paul Thomas Anderson’s next movie, Boogie Nights (1997), Philip Baker Hall plays Floyd Gondolli. In Anderson’s followup to Boogie Nights, Magnolia (1999), Philip Baker Hall plays Jimmy Gator.

Let it Snow Is Pleasant, Unchallenging

The review:

Luke Snellin directs a gentle Christmas movie adaptation of a YA Novel* with some utterly delightful moments.** A cornucopia of young people*** plus Joan Cusack (in a coat and hat festooned with tinfoil) wander through the snow-covered landscape of generic middle America. The multiple stories are well balanced, everyone finds what they are looking for, and it made for a solid Sunday Afternoon Movie.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*The book is also named Let it Snow and it consists of three short stories written by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. Many things have changed from the book to the movie.
**My favorites: Shameik Moore charming Isabela Merced’s grandfather with his love of the Rolling Stones, Kiernan Shipka and Mitchell Hope’s duet of “The Whole of the Moon”
***Isabela Merced (the teenager in Instant Family), Shameik Moore (Miles Morales aka Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, also the main character in Dope) Odeya Rush (the rich, vapid kinda-friend in Lady Bird and the best friend in Dumplin‘); Liv Hewson (Before I Fall); Kiernan Shipka (Sally Draper in Mad Men); Jacob Balaton (the “guy in the chair” in Spider-Man: Far from Home, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and one of the many actors who portrayed A in Every Day); Miles Robbins (the guy who was the drug connoisseur in Blockers)

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite movie set in winter/in the snow?
  • Which of the actors in this movie do you think you will still be watching in fifteen years?

Favorite IMDB trivia:

Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Light Rail Vehicle 4201 is the trolley used in the Beechview Scene.
(The IMDB trivia page is a bit light right now)

Other reviews: