Tag: Recommended

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

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

Little is Big Fun

Picture of Marsai Martin and Issa Rae stars of Little

Little

Directed by Tina Gordon
Written by Tracy Oliver, Tina Gordon

The review:

Holy cow, does the one-two-three punch of Regina Hall, Issa Rae,* and Marsai Martin charm the heck out of this movie. Marsai Martin is particularly good,** channeling a very grown, very mean Regina Hall with uncanny accuracy. Though it slumps a bit in the third act, this movie is fun, funny, and well worth your time.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $1.80 via Redbox
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*A bright spot of 2020 is that this is the year of me catching up with Issa Rae.
**She was entirely new to me, and I’m blown away by her performance. Fingers crossed for a smooth transition from adolescence to adulthood.
***Another thing I liked was that the rest of the cast looked like real people, not body-perfect actors trying to make it in Hollywood.

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite age-swap movie?
  • How would you fare if you were thrown back to your 13-year-old self?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Marsai Martin not only pitched the movie but was also one of the executive producers.

Other reviews of Little:

Text says: So you ate her? Is that what happened? Cook her in your Easy Bake Oven? —Little. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

The delivery of this line. I can’t even. Issa Rae is a comic genius.

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

Athlete A Gets an A+

A picture from the movie Athlete A

Athlete A

Directed by Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk

The review:

The rise of the tiny gymnast has run parallel to my time on earth, and I’ve kept tabs from on the Olympic branch of the sport since the 80s* including Larry Nassar’s arrest, trial, and the 100+ victim statements.** While we follow the reporters recounting their efforts to break the abuse story, directors Cohen and Shenk use gymnasts, parents,*** lawyers, and trainers to highlight the many things wrong with USA Gymnastics.**** The use and discarding of these girls is hard to watch, but it’s worth every minute of your time.

The verdict: Recommended

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

Further sentences:

*Béla Károli hugging Mary Lou Retton after her perfect vault is one of my earliest Olympic memories, though I gave up watching the Olympics after Atlanta when the commentary became unbearable. (“What a terrible tragedy! You can see how disappointing it is that she won bronze!”)
**That Nassar’s plea bargain allowed so many women to speak was perhaps the most powerful moment in a long history of women speaking up and being ignored. (Or worse.)
***Maggie Nichols’s parents are particularly good at simply stating the many outrageous things that were going on.
****I’d like to start talking about making sure Olympic athletes meet minimum age requirements, for one.

Questions:

  • How many other sports organizations do you think need the same level of scrutiny as USA Gymnastics got?
  • What was the most moving moment in the film for you? Or the most maddening.

Other reviews of Athlete A:

Text: We love winners in this country. This is a competitive country. We consider ourselves the best in the world at everything, right? But this notion that we would sacrifice our young to win I think disgustes us a little. —Jennfier Say. —Athlete A. Read the three sentence movie review 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

I’ve Now Seen Jaws and It Is Excellent

That’s my hot take on this 45-year-old movie.

Jaws
It must have been fun to be an extra for this movie. Look at what a good time that girl on the left is having.

Jaws

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb

The review:

Thank goodness for malfunctioning mechanical sharks as the shark-less filmmaking tricks hold tried and true 45 years later, expertly establishing a solid level of fear so that when the mechanical shark does show up* I was willing to treat it with the same amount of fear I had when it was being implied. Aside from many Coronavirus parallels, this movie is packed with excellent scenes** and provides many legitimate scares. I wondered if I would end up rooting for the shark,*** but the menace was properly recorded and while I would have liked to broker a peace agreement to perhaps avoid violence being perpetuated on both sides, I was okay with how things turned out.****

The verdict: Recommended

(It’s ridiculous I am just watching this for the first time.)
(This happens a lot with movies that were released before I could walk)

Cost: $1.99 via Redbox On Demand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*It hasn’t aged well, though is pretty impressive from a practical effects standpoint.
**Roy Scheider watching with worry as people frolic on the beach; Robert Shaw’s fingernails-on-chalkboard introduction; Shaw’s tale of the USS Indianapolis; Any scene with Richard Dreyfuss; Lorraine Gary’s realization that sharks can bite through boats and her about face from “it’s okay” status.
***As I did for the whale in the Ron Howard film In the Heart of the Sea.
****This movie also has an interesting split. Most of it is the story of a police chief’s interactions with people in the town and trying to make good decisions. The last section is Men vs. Nature. The end of the film doesn’t wrap back around to tie into the chief/town part. Interesting.

Questions:

  • Does everyone find Richard Dreyfuss as mesmerizing as I do, or is this some imprinting thing that happened to me in the 80s?
  • What was the scariest part for you?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Several decades after the release of Jaws (1975), Lee Fierro, who played Mrs. Kintner, walked into a seafood restaurant and noticed that the menu had an “Alex Kintner Sandwich.” She commented that she had played his mother so many years ago; the owner of the restaurant ran out to meet her, and he was none other than Jeffrey Voorhees, who had played her son. They had not seen each other since the original movie shoot.

Other reviews of Jaws:

Jaws

Wild Rose is Not Country & Western

Wild Rose

Wild Rose

Directed by Tom Harper
Written by Nicole Taylor

The review:

Tales of striving artists tend to be complicated and none more so than when those striving artists are women.* So it was interesting to see Jessie Buckley walk the line** between paroled convict, mother, and aspiring singer, not to mention Julie Walters trying to find a middle ground as Buckley’s mother. Aside from the art/family debate, there was also some good stuff around class, a wonderful soundtrack, and great musical performances.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $2.99 via Redbox On Demand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Because the way things are set up right now there’s a lot of things women have to do on a daily basis before they can get to the art.
**Ha!

Questions:

  • What was the best choice Rose-Lynn made?
  • Which was your favorite performance?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry can also be visited, on Govan Road. It specializes in country music.

Other reviews of Wild Rose:

Wild Rose

13th Shows Exploitation

13th

13th

Directed by Ava DuVernay
Written by Spenser Averick, Ava DuVernay

The review:

DuVernay lays out a convincing case that exploitation of a phrase in the amendment that abolished slavery (except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been convicted) has continued to enslave Black people in the US since the amendment was adopted. It’s a stylish documentary, with great graphic design* and camera angles of talking heads that aren’t just static head shots. But it also packs a repeated punch** and leaves a lot of room for thinking.

The verdict: Recommended

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*It looks like old-timey posters
**For me the dialog of the current occupant of the White House overlaid with footage from the Civil Rights Movement was particularly striking. Also, the point that was made that you can talk about the lives of many white leaders without discussing the FBI, but this is impossible to do for Black leaders.

Questions:

  • What needs to be dismantled or rebuilt first?
  • What was something that struck you in this film?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The filming locations and production design of the interviews, with brick walls and industrial equipment represent labor that, according to DuVernay, “has been stolen from black people in this country for centuries.”

(I was particularly taken with the building where Angela Davis was interviewed. What was that gorgeous decaying space? I watched the Oprah/Ava conversation (available on Netflix) and learned it was an abandoned train station in Oakland, California.)

Other reviews of 13th:

13th

Becoming Captures a Time

Becoming

Becoming

  • Directed by Nadia Hallgren

The review

Nadia Hallgren takes us along on Michelle Obama’s book tour in Becoming, a movie that is both a nostalgic trip back to 2008–2016 and an illustration of why so many people admire the former first lady.* For a ninety-minute film it packs in a lot: the planning of and excerpts from her tour, behind-the-scenes footage of her daily life on tour,** discussion of her life before politics, her role as a politician’s wife, and even short bios on a few of the teenagers who participated in chats with Obama while on tour. The pacing drags near the end, but for anyone interested in Obama’s life, or how intelligent and graceful women live their lives, this is a must-see film.

The verdict: Recommended

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

Further sentences:

*There was a lot to like in this film, but I think my favorite parts were watching the audience reactions as she talked.
**Favorite scene: when her brother asked about the placement of her belt. It was a great illustration of what fashion means for men vs. for women. Also: funny.

Questions:

  • Did seeing this film change how you thought of Michelle Obama?
  • What was the most interesting behind-the-scenes moment?

Other reviews of Becoming:

Becoming