Tag: Good

Little Woods: Poverty During Boom Times

Picture of Lily James and Tessa Thompson in the film Little Woods

Little Woods

Directed by Ni DaCosta
Written by Ni DaCosta

The review:

A quality dramatic film with about the life of a person facing economic challenges is always a win in my book, which makes this film a winner.* In this “modern Western**” Tessa Thompson and Lily James play sisters who are doing what they can to hold onto their family home and vanquish other complications. For both actors, it’s a chance to be not glamorous while flexing their serious drama skills so we can see their characters’ fight for survival,*** set in the North Dakota oil boom.****

The verdict: Good

Cost: $12.99 (monthly Disney+ and Hulu combo fee)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*They’re difficult to make. Poverty is grinding and it’s harder to wring dramatic tension out of a story about ends continually not meeting than one where, say, a meteor is going to hit earth, or a ship is sinking.
**The synopsis on IMDB calls it a modern Western. I’m not sure I agree with the term.
***In the grand tradition of always questioning poor people’s choices, I found myself wondering why they didn’t rent out some rooms in the house. I think maybe the mother had just died though, so perhaps that was hampering the process.
****I enjoyed seeing this particular slice of life, which I had only read about.

Questions:

  • What past events do you think have shaped the relationship between the two sisters?
  • Breaking the law? Necessary or avoidable in this instance?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The story was initially conceived as a modern retelling of Othello, which is where the names Deb and Ollie/Oleander come from.

Other reviews of Little Woods:

Text: Your choices are only as good as your options are. —Little Woods. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

We Are Freestyle Love Supreme Highlights Early Talent

Chris Jackson and Lin-Manuel Miranda in 2005
Is that, George Washington? But younger? And Alexander Hamilton, but younger and with shorter hair? Indeed! It’s Chris Jackson and Lin-Manuel Miranda in 2005. Which is only part of the charm of this documentary.

We Are Freestyle Love Supreme

Directed by Andrew Fried
Written by Brian Anton, Peter Curtis

The review:

The main draw to this documentary is to see Lin-Manuel Miranda in 2005, back before he was Lin-Manuel Miranda,* but what ended up hooking me was this story of an improv group doing full shows in hip-hop freestyle rhyme.** It’s fun to see shows from both 2005 and 2019 and to hear the participants talk about how important the group was to their lives. With this many people the narrative spreads thin and it felt like a lot of things got skipped, but overall, this was fascinating to watch.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: Hulu monthly fee ($12.99 in combo with Disney+)
Where watched: at home

Further sentences:

*I recognized Miranda, but then the name Thomas Kail sounded familiar. “Wasn’t that the director of Hamilton?” I asked myself. It was. Then someone else looked familiar. “Is that the George Washington guy from Hamilton?” Yes it was Chris Jackson. Matt wandered in and said, “I recognize that Utkarsh guy.” He was the boyfriend in Brittany Runs a Marathon.
**I’m always up for the creativity of improv, this added a new level. Also, as a person who’s knowledge stops with Yo! MTV Raps, I have no idea if “hip-hop freestyle rhyme” was the best way to describe what they do. Am I saying the same thing three times?
***It was good insight into where the torrent of words from Hamilton came from. Stephen Merchant was my stand-in, asking questions of the troupe as to how they manage to think of the rhymes off the top of their head.

Questions:

  • What was your favorite word that was used for freestyle improv?
  • Aside from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who do you think has had the most success in the group?

Other reviews of We are Freestyle Love Extreme:

Orange background with text: I think we decided to get back together because it's probably the purest expression of joy that any of us have ever felt in doing a show. —We Are Freestyle Love Supreme

The Old Guard: A Thoughtful Action Film

A picture of the five stars of The Old Guard

The Old Guard

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written by Greg Rucka

The review:

I like an action film with some conundrums* and The Old Guard served up a good story along with its fight scenes. The camaraderie of the four main characters was great,** as was KiKi Layne as she worked through her complex feelings about joining the group.*** The action scenes are well done, and I think the depiction of the motivation of pharmaceutical companies was spot on.****

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*That are something other than: How will this particular fight end? (I’m looking at you, Extraction.)
**Especially good were Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli
***”She’s just a baby,” Theron says, when she first sees a glimpse of her, and there is a quiet innocence on her face. It was also on display in the very good in If Beale Street Could Talk. Though she got a BFA in 2014, so she’s probably in her late twenties.
****I published a Facebook rant about their price-gouging practices right before I turned on this movie. Also, I’m enjoying Henry Melling (the former Dudley Dursley) turning up now and then in things. He was great as the head of the pharmaceutical company and also quite excellent in the Coen Brother’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

Questions:

  • I get how we’re supposed to feel about the Old Guard by the end of the film, but I kept wondering if all those faceless mercenary soldiers might also matter? What are you feelings on this topic?
  • That end-credits stinger, does it excite you, or did you roll your eyes?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The airplane fighting scene between Andy (Charlize Theron) and Nile (KiKi Layne) was the first sequence shot. Theron was nervous because it was the first week of shooting, the character was new and things were still being adjusted, and Layne because she had never done anything like that. Theron explained to Variety that it was done on purpose because the whole scene would set the tone for the whole relationship between both characters.

Other reviews of The Old Guard:

Text reads: You're a child, an infant, Your mocking is thus infantile. He's not my boyfriend. The Old Guard. 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

Have you been waiting for Can’t Hardly Wait?

Photo of the cast of Can't Hardly Wait

Can’t Hardly Wait

Directed by Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan
Written by Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont

The review:

Wowee, does this standard multi-character teenage comedy capture a time.* While it’s great to reacquaint yourself with people who once were around a lot and have faded,** I’m not sure this is the greatest use of your movie-watching time.*** But if you, like me, can never resist a teen comedy and you haven’t yet seen this, well, you’ve got some homework.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*My teen years encompassed 1987–1994 and aside from Say Anything in 1989 not one teen comedy was released while I was actually a teenager. This, in my memory, is the first after the drought.
**Jennifer Love Hewitt, Seth Green, Sean Patrick Thomas, Jenna Elfman. (Ethan Embry I just saw in a minor role in Blindspotting. He was great in that. A little so-so in this.)
***Though it’s a teen comedy before cell phones plus the 1990s clothing is so fun to remind you that you are glad you aren’t wearing it any longer.

Questions:

  • What did you think of the wrapup text that tells you where everyone is?
  • If you had to dress like one of the characters, which would it be?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

At one point, there’s a distant shot showing someone doing flips in the party’s yard. That’s actually Ethan Embry. In addition to acting, he was an award-winning gymnast from a very young age.

Other reviews of Can’t Hardly Wait:

Text says: Nobody drink the beer. The beer has gone bad! --Can's Hardly Wait. 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.

Interstellar is Engaging, Confusing

Interstellar

Interstellar

Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Jonathan & Christopher Nolan

The review:

Matthew McConaughey, in his I’m-a-serious-actor period, travels through Nolan’s take on space (and time) in a film that is engrossing, and yet left me with many questions.* It’s interesting how the first big moment of action/tension comes more than an hour into the film, yet the story up until that point is more than enough to hold my interest.** As mentioned in the previous review, I still wasn’t a fan of Cooper’s manly I-make-the-decisions move, but this time was too busy enjoying the performances of Mackenzie Foy, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain to let it bug me.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*This seems to be a theme of Nolan’s more recent films. [Vague spoilers ahead] I’m thoroughly engrossed, but what exactly did that data programmed into the watch do? Where did that tesseract thing come from? Why did Murph have to go to a different station, couldn’t Cooper have gone to her? How, exactly is Cooper getting to Brand in just that little ship? [End vague spoilers.]
**I would be curious to see a well-written drama that was a prequel of sorts. Just how did the world get to be anti-science and farmers-only?
***Plus, Wes Bently! What do I have to do to get more Wes Bentley? [Checks IMDB] Apparently, I must watch movies that I have not watched that don’t exactly appeal to me.

Questions:

  • See above questions
  • Has Matthew McConaughey’s I’m-a-serious-actor phase ended? What movies do you think that phase spanned?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The giant dust clouds were created on location, using large fans to blow cellulose-based synthetic dust through the air.

Also:

The documentary-style interviews of older survivors shown at the beginning of this movie and again on the television playing in the farmhouse toward the end of the movie are from Ken Burns The Dust Bowl (2012). They are real survivors, not actors, of that natural disaster.

Other reviews of Interstellar:

Interstellar

The Watermelon Woman is a Bushel of Fun

The Watermelon Woman

The Watermelon Woman

Directed by Cheryl Dunye
Written by Cheryl Dunye

The review:

A few months ago I watched Nisha Ganatra’s Chutney Popcorn and was charmed by it’s 90’s indie energy;* so it was for this film, an imperfect, yet incredibly engaging story of a video store clerk on a quest to find out more about a Black actress from the 1930s. While the production values are low, the charisma is high, and this film is funny.** While it’s a Good film for anyone to watch, it’s Recommended if you were of a certain age (say, 16–30) in the mid-90s, have an interest in new Queer cinema, or are curious about what’s up with that mysterious 1930s actress Cheryl is so interested in.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via Kanopy. It’s also streaming for free right now on the Criterion Channel
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*And yes, the many markers of the 90s were part of its charm for me.
**”Welcome to the Center for Lesbian Information and Technology.” (CLIT) (Ha!)

Questions:

  • What are you willing to forgive in shoddy filmmaking as long as something else is present?
  • What’s your favorite low-budget movie from the 1990s?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

(None because they are both too spoiler-y)(Here’s one from a New Republic article.)

Dunye made The Watermelon Woman on a shoestring budget of $300,000—about one tenth of which came from an NEA grant. The film received limited attention when it was originally released in the U.S., but that didn’t stop it from generating controversy when Michigan Republican Pieter Hoekstra cited it as inappropriate use of government funds. He tried unsuccessfully to get his colleagues in Congress to deduct Dunye’s $31,500 grant from the NEA budget, citing NEA funding for a series of gay and lesbian films that “most Americans would find offensive” and referring to The Watermelon Woman specifically as “patently offensive and possibly pornographic.”

Moira Donegan, New Republic

Other reviews of The Watermelon Woman:

The Watermelon Woman

Da 5 Bloods: Back to ‘Nam

Da 5 Bloods

Da 5 Bloods

Directed by Spike Lee
Written by Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, Kevin Willmott, and Spike Lee

The review:

This movie is long* and takes place in two time periods** (Vietnam in 1971 and Vietnam in present day) and has a lot of feelings ricocheting around. Much like the Vietnam War was a mess that kept getting worse, so goes the plan to find the gold.*** While things are going south there are some amazing performances**** and the actors have built characters into people we care about.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I took a bathroom break and when I paused the film I discovered that though the counter said 1:12 for having watched, there was still 1:22 left to go. I groaned, but the second half turned out to be engrossing.
**In the two time periods it uses the same actors for both without digitally de-aging them. I was not a fan of that process in the Irishman, so good job avoiding that, but it was weird to see the old actors looking old and playing young without comment. The aspect ratio changed to indicate which time period we were in. I eventually got used to it.
***I feel like there could be a movie throw down called Going After the Fortune: Totally Worth Your Time vs. Will Destroy Your Life.
****Delroy Lindo’s direct address to the camera! Wow!

Questions:

  • Where do you stand? Leave the treasure there, or go get it?
  • Which of the four remaining Bloods had the most to lose?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

This will be the first Netflix film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival in three years. Controversy had stirred up after Netflix screened their films at the 2017 festival over the differing policies of streaming versus theatrical release, prompting Netflix and festival organizers coming to strong disagreements. Netflix subsequently withdrew their films from the festival for three years after. This film will be part of the festival’s Out of Competition category for the 2020 festival.

Well that didn’t come to pass. Thanks, coronavirus.

Other reviews of Da 5 Bloods:

Da 5 Bloods

Song One: Music and Emoting

Song One

Song One

Written and directed by Kate Barker-Froyland

The review:

This film is a must-see for people who like to watch Anne Hathaway emote, like quiet films with lots of time for thinking, or perhaps would like a tour through concerts of indie musicians playing in NYC/Brooklyn circa 2015.* It’s a great film for twining pain (a brother in a coma) with the pleasure of connecting through music. It also had me reflecting about the sounds around us and how they often go unnoticed.**

The verdict: Good

Cost: $1.99 via Redbox On Demand. Arrrgh! Have just discovered it’s on Hoopla and I could have watched it for free!
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Essentially, this is the perfect “me” movie.
**Plus, after watching this, Emma. and the TV series Love Sick I’ve concluded that Johnny Flynn plays essentially the same character every time. But he’s picked a good character to play.

Questions:

  • Which was the most interesting relationship in this film: Franny and her mother, Franny and her brother, Franny and James Forester
  • How did Franny’s anthropologist training influence her attempts to bring her brother out of the coma?
  • Why is this called Song One?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The steel guitar that Johnny Flynn’s character James Forester is often seen with is his own guitar and is featured in many of his music videos.

Other reviews of Song One:

Song One