Tag: Good

Rebecca 2020: A Reminder to Catch Up With The 1940 Best Picture

Armie Hammer and Lily James in Rebecca (2020)

Rebecca (2020)

Directed by Ben Wheatley
Written by Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapenel, Anna Waterhouse

The review:

While this new version of Rebecca brings us the story of the second Mrs. de Winter in Technicolor and with a bigger budget* than its predecessor, it manages to drag, even though its runtime is eight minutes shorter.** I appreciate Kristin Scott Thomas’s take on housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, but it wasn’t as effective as Judith Anderson whose performance made the 1940’s version so enjoyable. Overall, the kind of newer version that is fine, especially if you haven’t seen the previous version, and perhaps it will encourage people to seek out Hitchcock’s classic.***

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*So much lingering on vast vistas! Perhaps that’s what made it seem long.
**On the plus side, though Maxim’s proposal retains its put down, Lily James has a bit more agency as the second Mrs. de Winter, especially near the end of the film.
***Which, if your library doesn’t have it, is a little hard to find. This needs to pop up on streaming tout suite!

Questions:

  • What’s your Rebecca pleasure? 1940 or 2020?
  • Would you like to live in the suite of rooms that were Rebecca’s?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The car is a 1937 Bentley.

I got some great Cruella de Ville vibes from the driving scenes.

Other reviews of Rebecca (2020):

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Show me an eligible bachelor and I'll show you a room full of women acting like they've lost their minds. —Rebecca (2020) Read the three-sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Punks and Aliens Learn How to Talk to Girls at Parties

Alex Sharp and Elle Fanning in the film How to Talk to Girls at Parties

How to Talk to Girls at Parties

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell
Written by Philippa Goslett and John Cameron Mitchell

The review:

Having gone into this film without knowing anything about it, I was surprised when a cute film about three kids into punk music took a very galactic turn.* While I found a lot of the alien stuff to be focused on worries of straight fourteen-year-old boys, I thought all the alien set decoration was very fun, especially when compared to the punks.** I don’t think this movie holds together very well, but it’s interesting to look at, I enjoyed both Fanning and Sharp, and there was a recurring joke about the alien music I found amusing.***

The verdict: Good?

(There were just enough elements to push this from Skip to Good, but it’s barely over the line. Proceed with caution.)

Cost: free via Hoopla, one of Multnomah County Library’s streaming services.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

  • Teen Spirit (a serviceable movie about music set in Britain and starring Ellen Fanning.)
  • Starman
  • Side note: this film is currently ranked #15 on the IMDB List “Most Popular Alien Disguised As Human Movies and TV Shows”
  • And, I have no other suggestions.

Further sentences:

*I found my way to this film because I enjoyed Alex Sharp in The Hustle and this was an easily accessible film he starred in, plus I like Elle Fanning. The summary of the film begins, “An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets…” Had I read that before watching, I would have been prepared for the strange alien turn. Because I was not, I was probably more amused at this film than I would have been.
**Or, for that matter, Enn’s home.
***Ethan Lawrence describing the aliens’ music at the record shop and to a DJ cracked me up.

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite human/alien film?
  • You’ve just watched this film. Do you think you wasted your time?
  • Have you read Neil Gaiman’s original short story on which this was based? How do the two compare?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

American DJ James Murphy developed a new genre for the soundtrack, described as “extraterrestrial dance music”.

Other reviews of How to Talk to Girls at Parties:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Evolve or die, love. —How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Read the three sentence review. 3SMReviews.com

Coming of Age with Northern Soul

A picture of Elliot James Langridge in the film Northern Soul

Northern Soul

Directed by Elaine Constantine
Written by Elaine Constantine

The review:

Northern Soul is a fine niche* coming-of-age movie from the usual male point of view. I loved the setting and all of the grimy details, especially the intersection of drug use and the dance scene.** While it follows the usual coming of age/drug use trajectories, the enthusiasm for Northern Soul music makes this a fun watch.

The verdict: Good

Cost: free via Hoopla, one of Multnomah County Library’s streaming services.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*The niche in question is Northern Soul music which Wikipedia tells me is “a music and dance movement that emerged in Northern England and the English Midlands in the late 1960’s from the British mod scene, based on a particular style of black American soul music…with a heavy beat and fast tempo.” You can read more here, including the information about how the lesser or unknown tracks were the most popular Northern Soul music. A plot point hinges around this.
**At times, it seemed that the big pops of color were the uppers the characters were taking.

Questions:

  • What music was your coming of age music?
  • Would you have been into Northern Soul in the early 1970s? (Or were you?)

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Was originally only meant to be playing in five screens across the UK but due to high demand it got a blanket release of over 160 screens

Other reviews of Northern Soul:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Listen, you! This is Northern Soul, not Northern Arsehole! —Northern Soul. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Despite Dumb Choices, the Birds is Great

Still from Alfred Hitchcock's film the Birds: Tippi Hedren fleeing from some awesome crows along with two children.

The Birds

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Written by Evan Hunter

The review:

I’m gonna say right off that this movie was unsatisfying because it doesn’t have an end, which is not to say that it wasn’t very satisfying all the way up until the point were there wasn’t an end.* This satisfaction comes despite the fact that every single person in the film makes dumb choices.** While the Rod Taylor/Tippi Hedren relationship was something I’m chalking up to stress induced relationship building,*** it was even more fun to see various other townspeople’s reactions to the onslaught.****

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free due to donated ticket. It would have been $35 for the two of us.
Where watched: at Zidell Yards as part of Cinema Unbound’s pop-up drive-in series.

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*While all the mayhem was happening, I was puzzling through why this thing might occur. That I never found out bugged me. Lazy writing!!!
**I’m going to chalk this up to the fact that no one in the film had seen the many horror film analysis videos and movies that have proliferated since the mid-90s. So of course they would go outside (where the birds are) when they could stay where the birds weren’t currently, which was inside. (Most of the time. Those birds were pretty inventive about getting into buildings.)
***I mean really, why are they in love already?
****The scene at the restaurant was great!

Questions:

  • If birds were attacking your town, what would be your plan of action?
  • What do you think made those birds so vengeful?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The schoolhouse in Bodega, California has been known to be haunted. According to Tippi Hedren, the entire cast was spooked to be there. She also mentioned how she had the feeling while there that “the building was immensely populated, but there was nobody there.” When Sir Alfred Hitchcock was told about the schoolhouse being haunted, according to Hedren, he was even more encouraged to film there.

(I really liked that school building!)

Other reviews of The Birds:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Don't they ever stop migrating? 3SMReviews.com: The Birds

Saving Face is a Great Debut

Lynn Chenn looking at Michelle Krusiec in the film Saving Face

Saving Face

Directed by Alice Wu
Written by Alice Wu

The review:

While this movie starts as the classic mom-sets-up-daughter-with-eligible-men story it introduces two wrinkles, one with the daughter and one with the mother. Both Michelle Krusiec (as Will, the daughter) and Joan Chen (as Hwei-Lan Gao, the mother) are fun to watch as they navigate their changing relationships.* Overall, an enjoyable film with a few fun surprises.**

The verdict: Good

Cost: $3.99 via Google Play, but free because I had a credit.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I sometimes check to see if actors in indie films from 10+ years ago are still acting, and all of the cast members I checked up on are still working regularly.
**I also enjoyed seeing one aspect of New York City’s Chinese community circa 2005.

Questions:

  • What was the most surprising moment in the film for you?
  • Did you think that the family’s expectations were reasonable?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The picture of Vivian as a child in Dr. Shing’s office is actually a photograph of Joan Chen’s daughter.

Other reviews of Saving Face:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Younger people. Today they love you. Tomorrow, who knows?--Saving Face. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Table 19 is Seated in the Right Place

Craig Robinson, Lisa Kudrow, Stephen Merchant, June Squibb, Anna Kendrick and Thomas Cocquerel in the film Table 19.

Table 19

Directed by Jeffrey Blitz
Written by Jeffery Blitz (story credit also to Mark and Jay Duplass)

The review:

A solid ensemble piece where we discover more about the wedding guests seated at a far-flung table. While the guests’ stories sometimes made great jumps to keep things moving along, the antics of the table were entertaining enough. This is the kind of movie that is good for a plane ride, or to pass a few hours when you’re too sick to follow a complex film.

The verdict: Good (enough)

Cost: Free via DVD from the Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

The lack of further sentences it itself an indication of this film’s entertainment value.

Questions:

  • Which character at Table 19 was the most like you?
  • Would this have been a better film if the Duplass brothers had directed it?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Costars Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson previously worked with each other in an episode of Friends. Robinson’s character was the one who enabled the possibility for Kudrow’s character to change her name from Phoebe to Princess Consuela Bananahammock.

Other reviews of Table 19:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: It's the same wedding. It's the same celebration no matter what table you're at. —Table 19. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

Long Shot Hits Its Target

Picture of June Diane Raphael, Seth Rogan, and Charlize Theron in the film Long Shot

Long Shot

Directed by Jonathan Levine
Written by Dan Sterling, Liz Hannah

The review:

There’s some good stuff in this comedy, especially if you are fan of Seth Rogan’s brand of humor.* And while it’s one of those stories that schlubby guys write so they can get an attractive woman,** it still had a goodly amount of barbs directed at the sexism women politicians face.*** The supporting cast didn’t shirk their duties either was amusing performances from June Diane Raphael as an aide to Bob Odenkirk as the President.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via DVD from Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I am. For those who are not, this is probably not your film.
**Here I must point out that Theron is very good at comedy, as well as drama.
***Probably because there was a woman on the writing team.

Questions:

  • Do we have any schlubby-women-get-the-hot-guy films?
  • What was your favorite talking head moment?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

When Fred plays the song “It Must Have Been Love” on his phone, it shows it’s playing from the Pretty Woman soundtrack. However, the version used in this film is the Christmas version, not the original version from Pretty Woman.

(Oh internet, I love you!)

Other reviews of Long Shot:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Okay, but you dressed me like Cap'n Crunch's Grindr date, so I'm going to drink and enjoy the part. —Long Shot. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Destination Wedding is Fun, Excruciating

A picture of Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder in the film Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding

Directed by Victor Levin
Written by Victor Levin

The review:

The charm in this film lies in Keanu Reeves acting like a normal person rather than a movie star* and the witty dialog** of two very resigned, very sad, very depressing people. It’s also interesting to watch a relationship develop between two people who have clearly given up on anything good coming their way in life.*** It’s a movie about sad people that didn’t bring me down, and I’m right there with their views of destination weddings, so this was a short (87 minutes!) interesting exercise in filmmaking.****

The verdict: Good

(Though I recognize that for many people this would be a big Skip. Proceed cautiously.)

Cost: Free via DVD from Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching (or watching instead):

Further sentences:

*His coughing up phlegm while also jiggling his ear with his pinky finger struck me as the most normal person/least Hollywood leading man thing he could do.
**I mean, you have to want to spend time with these two people and that’s not a thing that might be true for most. Also, there’s a discussion of pansexuality that had me grimacing at its ignorance.
***The usual trajectory is that the happier person shows the sadder person that life is good. When you have no happy person, it becomes an interesting exercise in how the two will connect.
****Plus, I enjoy Winona Ryder, and she hasn’t been in many movies of late.

Questions:

  • Three months from that door opening, what’s become of our characters?
  • What’s your favorite middle age romance?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

In real life, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves have been friends since the 1980s.

(This is also a fun element when watching.)

Other reviews of Destination Wedding:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: I believe that there is nobody for anyone. —Destination Wedding. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

The Magic of Ordinary Days is Decent

A picture of Keri Russell and Skeet Ulrich in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie The Magic of Ordinary Days

The Magic of Ordinary Days

Directed by Brent Shields
Written by Camille Thomasson

The review:

The two words that prompted me to watch a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie are Skeet and Ulrich.* This was a decently acted little film, though I did give some of its historical detail the side eye.** This was a film that fulfilled its HHF duty and was an okay way to spend some movie time.***

The verdict: Good

(Minus the historical inaccuracy)

Cost: Free via DVD from the Multnomah County Library.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Plus, it was on the shelves at my library branch and DVDs that don’t have to come from other branches are filled much faster than those that come from afar.
**I appreciate the side story of the Japanese Americans living in internment camps and being used for farm labor during the war. I could even get on board with a farm wife on whose land they were working striking up a friendship. But I’m pretty sure that they were not able to go into town to shop for material at the dry goods store, and I’m almost positive that there is no way the farm wife would have been able to take them for a drive in the county. Japanese Americans were in a prison camp. They didn’t get to go gallivanting around. I think the movie leaves viewers with an inaccurate picture of what it meant to be a prisoner. Plus, one character states that the Japanese American men who went to fight in the war were drafted. This is untrue as the 442nd Infantry Regiment was a volunteer unit. If you’d like a fuller picture of the Japanese American experience in World War II, I suggest the book The Light Between Us by Andrew Fukuda.
***Skeet was fun to watch. I wonder if he was then the age of the actors who play his kids on Riverdale?**** Mare Winningham as Ulrich’s sister Florence tended to pull focus from most people when she was on screen.
****He was 35 in 2005, so he was ten years older than Cole Sprouse’s 25 years in 2017 when Riverdale debuted.

Questions:

  • Can you imagine marrying a beet farmer sight unseen?
  • What would have been your favorite part of beet farming life?

The Lovefest that is 21 Years: Richard Linklater

A depiction of a reel of film with the faces of Matthew McConaughey, Jack Black, Keanu Reeves, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Billy Bob Thornton

21 Years: Richard Linklater

Directed by Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood

The review:

A lovefest about the first segment of Richard Linklater’s career which takes us through the Before movies, but cuts off before Boyhood .* It’s mostly men talking** but a lot of good stories are told and many of them are animated in an amusing style.*** Aside from hearing new things about movies that I love, I felt by the end that I had a greater appreciation of the variety of films Linklater makes.

The verdict: Good

Assuming 1) You are familiar with most of Linklater’s films, and 2) You like them.

Cost: free via Kanopy
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

  • If you like Tarantino there’s a 21 Years retrospective of his work by Tara Wood, one of the directors: QT8: The First Eight

Further sentences:

*Which they were still calling the twelve-year project.
**This makes sense given that most of his films focus on the male experience, but I could have used more from Julie Delpy (probably quoted the most) Parker Posey, and Joey Lauren Adams. Or, how about instead of the Duplass brothers, Kevin Smith, and Jason Reiteman (as much as I enjoyed them) interview some female directors to hear how Linklater’s films influenced them.
**Ethan Hawk knows how to tell a story as do Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, and Billy Bob Thornton.

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite Linklater film?
  • What do you think is his most offbeat offering?

Other reviews of 21 Years: Richard Linklater