Tag: Recommended

Little Women: The Millennial Version

Little Women

The review:

By eschewing a linear narrative, Greta Gerwig manages to make the twists and turns of Little Women* into something I want to watch more than once.** As I watched the 1994 version in August, I’m heavy on the comparisons/contrasts,*** but I think this movie did what was needed to be done to the story to make this one of the best movies I’ve seen in 2019. It’s a film full of life and laughter and tears, not to mention several versions of cross-in-front sweater wraps (not quite these, but close****) that I need the pattern for.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $9.00 (and I had to go to the theater two days in a row because the first day was sold out)
Where watched: Hollywood Theater with an audience who gasped aloud in places, proving they hadn’t recently watched the 1994 version.

Consider also watching:

  • Little Women 1994
  • Frozen
  • Your Sisters Sister
  • Sense and Sensibility
  • The Virgin Suicides

Further sentences:

*A story I’ve never liked.
**True story: after the movie ended, I checked my bus arrival time, found it wasn’t coming for another 17 minutes, and snuck into the later showing so I could experience whatever scene I encountered once again.
***See below for my drilldown
****For those of you who are interested, here’s a handy article about how to steal the movie’s style without looking like an extra in a period piece.

Questions:

  • Which version do you think comes out on top? Aside from 2019 and 1994, there’s also the 2018 present-day one, the 2017 PBS one, the 1949 June Alyson one, and the 1933 Katherine Hepburn one (which I mostly remember because the sleeves were out of control!)
  • Which of the sisters are you?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Although they portray heroines of American literature, none of the four actors are American. Emma Watson and Florence Pugh are English, Saoirse Ronan is Irish, and Eliza Scanlen is Australian.

Other reviews:

1994 vs. 2019:

  • Meg: Trini Alvarado beats Emma Watson
  • Jo: Tie. I like both Winona Ryder and Saoirse Ronan for different reasons
  • Beth: Claire Danes knocks Eliza Scanlen out of the park. (I think Claire Danes is the best part of the 90s version.)
  • Amy: Kristen Dunst as young Amy beats Florence Pugh. Pugh did a good job acting younger, but she didn’t look younger. Dunst takes the win there. Florence Pugh beats out Samantha Mathis as older Amy. Best Florence Pugh scene: telling Laurie no.
  • Laurie: Christian Bale beats out Timothée Chalamet simply because Timothée Chalamet looks incredibly youthful and thus I didn’t fully believe he was grownup Laurie. Who did I enjoy watching more? Chalamet.
  • Marmee: Tie. Susan Sarandon brings more gravitas than Laura Dern, though Dern is not saddled with all that moralizing. She’s a hippie-style Marmee.
  • Aunt March: Meryl Streep beats out Mary Wickes (you know, because she’s Meryl Streep)
  • Professor Bhaer: Gabriel Byrne (IMDB has him ranked second in the casting lineup!) beats out Louis Garrel. Though I think the much older Byrne was closer in age (44 at time film) to the Professor Behr in the book (The internet is telling me 40) Louis Garrel is 36, but he doesn’t look it.
  • Mr. Lawrence: Tie. Both John Neville and Chris Cooper are good
  • Hannah: Florence Paterson beats out Jayne Houdyshell

The 1994/2019 verdict:

  • 1994: 6 wins, 3 ties
  • 2019: 2 wins, 3 ties
  • Yet somehow I enjoyed the 2019 version so much more! Directing matters!
Little Women

Bombshell: A Movie For Actors to Disappear into their Characters

Bombshell

The review:

Jay Roach’s Bombshell is a movie about three women taking on Roger Ailes/Fox News that is written and directed by men.* It’s one of those movies that lets actors disappear into their characters and Charlize Theron is the best at this task.** This movie is worth watching just to see a current-day workplace where women cannot wear pants.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $8.50
Where watched: Century Theaters Eastport with Matt
(Another cheery Christmas Eve movie selection!)

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Count me as a fan of this film, but much like Bad Moms, maybe have some actual women involved in the creation process.
**It took me about 10 minutes before I was for-sure the Megyn Kelly person was actually her. Kidman and Robbie are also good (though Robbie’s character is a composite). John Lithgow also sank into the jowls of Roger Ailes.
***The sexual harassment was one thing—it was terrible to witness Margot Robbie decide to capitulate—but PANTS! They are a commonplace thing. Everyone should be allowed to wear pants to work. Everyone!

Questions:

  • What’s your go-to women-overcoming-in-the-workplace film? (I’m having trouble thinking of anything besides this and 9 to 5)
  • If someone has told you they have been sexually harassed, should your next question be, “Did you do it?”?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Charlize Theron and Mark Duplass co-star in Tully (2018).
(This is my favorite item because in post-movie discussion, I exclaimed to Matt, “Hey! Charlize Theron and Mark Duplass were a married couple in Tully too!)
(Also because I ADORED Tully and I feel like no one watched it. Go watch Tully!)

Other reviews:

Bombshell

Harriet is the Movie Harriet Tubman Deserves

Harriet

The review:

Kasi Lemmons directs the incredible Cynthia Erivo in Harriet, giving Ms. Tubman a worthy story that is painful, tense, and hopeful throughout.* Erivo leads an excellent cast and the movie keeps the focus on the former and current slaves rather than tells the story through the eyes of white people.** This is also a biopic that includes a fair amount of speechifying that never comes off as pedantic, it isn’t draggy and has no endless scenes of drug use.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $4.00
Where watched: Academy Theater with Matt, who also enjoyed it

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*So rarely do we get to see women take the reins and steamroll over all the messages they are being told. That it’s a woman trapped in slavery makes this narrative all the better.
**I say this because so many movies about the black experience in the USA get co-opted by the white narrative (I’m looking at you Mississippi Burning)
***I’m looking at you Bohemian Rhapsody,and Walk the Line, and Straight Outta Compton. Though I had forgotten that Harriet Tubman experienced spells where she collapsed. So there’s a goodly amount of fainting.

Questions:

  • How do you feel about a British person playing a US hero?
  • Have you watched Kasi Lemmons‘ other films? (Black Nativity, Talk to Me, The Caveman’s Valentine, Eve Bayou) I’m thinking about a director retrospective in 2020.

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

This is the first feature film to be made about the life of Harriet Tubman.

Other reviews:

Harriet quote
(I love this quote so much!)

Parasite: With Whom Does Your Loyalty Lie?

The review:

The glee about Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite had me reluctantly adding it to my list; when I finally watched it, I was rewarded with a roller coaster of a movie that was just as good as I’d been hearing. Ki-taek and his family’s plight—living in poverty in a sub-basement—had me rooting for them* as Ki-taek seeks to better himself by taking a job as a tutor for a rich family. From there I cycled through so many emotions as the narrative shifted and twisted leaving me gasping aloud several times and reacting verbally** more than once.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost:$9.00 (though free due to gift card. I did buy $9.00 worth of popcorn and wine)
Where watched: Hollywood Theatre

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Throughout the film I loved the family’s interactions. They enjoyed each other’s company and were all in it together, no matter how dire their situation. I rarely see such close-knit families on screen.
**What? No! Oh my god!
***This review is intentionally unspecific because it’s best to just go in cold and be rewarded. It gets a bit bloody there in one part, but it’s doable to shield your eyes if you need to.

Questions:

  • What was your favorite scene in this film?
  • What do you think the title refers to?

Other reviews:

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The Parks’ house, said in the film to be designed by a fictional architect named Namgoong Hyeonja, was a set completely built from scratch.

Marriage Story : a Tense Dissolution

The review:

Noah Baumbach gets at the nuance of divorce* with Marriage Story and his script leaves a lot of room for incredible performances by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson.** It’s a painful divorce, but not an overly angry one, which means the movie is tense throughout, but there isn’t much yelling.*** It’s also a movie that is a tiny bit too long**** and has humor sprinkled throughout; it comes with a very clear message about the strange nature of divorce proceedings.*****

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home with S. North, who didn’t like it as much as I did.

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*There are a lot of examples of a couple in the midst of uncoupling acting very much like the couple they have always been, which is what I would guess makes divorce difficult.
**Azhy Robertson is also very good as Charlie and Nicole’s son Henry (he was also good as Ethan Hawke’s son in Juliet, Naked) and god bless Martha Kelly; her role as the social worker was the most painful and hilarious scene in the movie.
***I’m guessing a heart rate monitor would have had me at an elevated level for most of the movie.
****While one song from the Sondhiem musical Company was fine, the second wandered into indulgent territory
*****The lawyers’ interactions were fascinating, especially how they shifted from emphatically making a point to chitchat.

Questions:

  • Do you think the blame falls more on one person more than than the other in this film? If so, who?
  • What’s your favorite movie with a social worker in it?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The theme of theater is reflected in the film’s production design and the architecture. Charlie and Nicole have a proscenium arch in their apartment. In Nicole’s mother’s house, characters move in and out of rooms that interconnect to the kitchen like a backstage to the main stage. During Nicole’s monologue she walks in and out of rooms and similarly, Nicole and Charlie walk between rooms during the fight scene, these moments echo how actors move in plays.

Other reviews:

Knives Out Left Me With That Good-Movie Boost

The review:

Rian Johnson shows he has skills with yet another genre* by directing Knives Out, which is 130 minutes of delight. This movie could have been weighted down by its stellar cast,** but everything clicks and jibes along as the pieces fall into place. The mystery is well-crafted,*** the movie is funny, and the mansion shows off some great set decoration, including an amazing chair.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $6.00
Where watched: St. Johns Twin Cinema with S. North

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Noir (Brick), sci-fi time travel (Looper), franchise action/adventure/sci-fi (The Last Jedi), things for the band the Mountain Goats
**There’s something enjoyable about watching actors who seem to be enjoying the acting they are doing. Ana de Armas is the linchpin who makes the movie work, and I especially loved Noah Segan as the fawning Trooper Wagner. Also, hasn’t Christopher Plummer had a good run lately?
***Though what do I know? My brain isn’t good at solving mysteries. I’m always surprised when it comes time to figure out who done what.

Questions:

  • What was the most egregious action performed by any member of the Harlan Thrombey’s family?
  • If you had to live with one of Harlan Thrombey’s family members, which would you choose?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Despite playing his mother in the film, K Callan is actually six years younger than Christopher Plummer.

Other reviews:

Zombieland: the Zombie Nerd Angle

The review:

Ruben Fleischer does us all a good service with Zombieland; he gives us the zombie invasion from the point of view of a nerd.* After adding in a tough guy and two grifters, we have an assembled cast of not-very-likable people, but together they make for an amusing and enjoyable film.** I didn’t love the amount of blood and guts due to the zombies, but other than that this was a fresh take on a well-trod*** subject.****

The verdict: Recommended

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Complete with awkward encounters and a very savvy list of rules for survival.
**Post movie discussion: Con artists. Terrible to encounter in real life, yet often come off as charming in films.
***Even in 2009
****It also has an unforgettable sequence with a famous actor that is not to be missed.

Questions:

  • Of the four main characters, which would you prefer to spend the zombie apocolypse with?
  • Con artists. Why so good in movies?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Contrary to popular belief, the supermarket scene was not filmed at an actual supermarket. A movie set was built from scratch to look like a real supermarket, and some of the merchandise is fake. For example, the stuff behind the glass refrigerator doors is just printed on paper. According to the producers, it was cheaper than buying out a supermarket and paying them for broken merchandise.

Other reviews:

On Second Viewing, Five Feet Apart Upgrades to Recommended

The review:

Truth: a combo of slight obsession* and Redbox discount meant I watched this film a second time this year. But it got me mentally plotting out an essay about quality films that people discount because 1)they feature young female characters 2)they’re about love 3)they are made for teenage girls.** I’m here to say this is a quality flick and if you are looking for good acting, all the feelings, and an institutional setting transformed into something magical, do not miss Five Feet Apart.

The verdict: Recommended (upgraded from Good in March)

Cost: $1.25
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Channing Tatum has disappeared. In his absence, there is a thing for skinny, not-age-appropriate, curly dark-haired actors. Namely Timothee Chalemet and Cole Sprouse. I’ve caught nearly all the Chalemet, which leaves me with Sprouse, and Riverdale. I first watched this film when I didn’t know Cole Sprouse was a thing, and I wanted to re-evaulate.
**I will never get around to writing this essay; this review is standing in for it.

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite movie that everyone says isn’t worth bothering with?
  • Is Haley Lu Richardson just getting started, or are we at peak Haley Lu?
  • Moises Arias. Tell me what you think is his best role?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Both Cole Sprouse and Moises Arias are former Disney Channel stars and have also worked together in Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana (2009) and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Day Care (2006).

Other reviews:

Frozen II: A Worthy Successor

The review:

Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck’s Frozen II is a worthy successor to the the animation triumph that spawned a generation of children who know every vocal inflection of “Let It Go.”* This is an adventure story, a sister story, a story about coming to terms with things other people did in the past, and a story firmly focused on the female experience.** I don’t think there is a generation-defining song in this film, but there are plenty of good songs, both enjoyable and moving.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: free due to passes (Thanks, Danielle)
Where watched: Roseway Theater (Our first time. It was a nice neighborhood theater.)

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*2015: the year Bre’s 4/5 class sang that song often and at a volume that easily came through the walls to the school office.
**We’re not quite to the point where we can have a story focused on the female experience where the women wear flats instead of heels, but I have faith that time is coming.
***My favorite amusing song was Kristoff’s “Lost in the Woods” a homage to 80s music videos where the singer has many feelings.

Questions:

  • When do you think everyone will come to the sensible conclusion that high heeled shoes are dumb, and then stop wearing them?
  • I’ve just noticed that Martha Plimpton is in this movie. Have you seen her in anything else, of late?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

During Kristoff’s “Lost in the Woods” number, there is a moment where Kristoff sings and three reindeer behind him in a triangular arrangement in front of a black background. This resembles the music video for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody“.

Other reviews:

Jojo Rabbit is the Funniest WWII Movie in Decades (And Also Sad)

The review:

Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit continues his streak of really great movies focused on children.* This movie is both funny and heavy** and does a great job of showcasing all the talents of its stars.*** Sure, you may have been living your life thinking there would never be a movie with Adolf Hitler as an imaginary friend, but now that there is, you must see it.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: Free for me (we used my birthday dinner money)
Where watched: at the Baghdad, where there was robust clapping as the film ended.

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Or as Waititi puts it: boys with dad issues.
**There are so many dark World War II dramas; this was a breath of fresh air.
***Roman Griffin Davis carried the film, despite being eleven, Thomasin McKenzie got the nuances of a young woman in hiding, Rebel Wilson and Sam Rockwell did their thing as the comic relief, Waititi made an excellent imaginary friend/Adolf Hitler and Scarlett Johansson vacillated between a solid mother figure and one unhinged by war (though I think the choice to do the German accent was a mistake) (People who are annoyed by accent choices may have some problems with this film).

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite film with a child star?
  • What’s your favorite WWII film set in Germany?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Taika Waititi discovered in his research that WWII Germany was very vibrant and fashionable, and was interested in shying away from traditional war films showing it as dreary and dark, instead presenting the town as a seemingly celebratory place and dressing characters as stylishly as possible. He liked the idea that everything seems happy, but just underneath the surface “the third Reich is crumbling, and, you know, the dream is over.”
(This was true. Aside from great costumes, I also thought the house Jojo lived in was gorgeous.)