Oh the Drama
Oh the Horror
Keep Me in Suspense
Feels like Sci-Fi
Isn't it Romantic
So-called Comedies
Western Unions
Comic Book Heroes
Kid Stuff
Fact not Fiction
Cinema Fantastico (Subtitles)
Just Seen
Captain
Fantastic (2016) Viggo Mortensen is the definition of counterculture;
he’s raising his 6 kids in the Pacific Northwest forest where they garden, hunt
& study everything from Taoism to quantum physics by firelight. But when a family tragedy forces them to
rejoin society, Viggo must make some lasting decisions about his children’s
future. I loved this. Funny, brave, dear and exceptional, this
touched my heart in every way. My
grade: A Plus
Brooklyn (2015) Saoirse
Ronan is beyond compare as Eilis Lacey, a young woman who tearfully
leaves her sister, mother & Ireland behind in search of a better
life in 1952 America. That she finds, and more--until a tragedy
beckons her back to the Emerald Isle where she discovers a better life
there too... if she wants it. It's an old fashioned movie, beautiful in
character & story and refreshing as spring. It has worked it's
magic on me. My grade: A Plus
Room (2015) Joy
was abducted 7 years ago and locked in a shed. She gave birth to a boy
she named Jack, and created a world for him within their tiny room; but
he's 5 years old now, and she wants him to know there's a world
outside, too. There's many bonds between a parent & child, and
they're all here, and tears too, but mostly good ones. It's a
difficult, beautiful watch. My grade: A Plus
Short Term 12 (2013) is
a short-term foster care facility for broken kids with no place else to
go, held together by a youthful Max & Grace (I dearly loved
this pair). But when new girl Jayden arrives, Grace is reminded of who
she once was, and is forced to deal with her own damaged past. Achingly
wonderful, this drama is pure and caring and real. My grade: A Plus
Land (2021)
We don’t know her tragedy, but Robin Wright (love) will leave the city
and buy a ramshackle cabin in the Wyoming wilderness. With little
supplies or experience, how will she survive? She won’t—until a quiet,
helping hand comes her way. She is looking for solitude, he is looking
for a state of grace in this simple story of life after tragedy. My grade: A
Fatherhood (2021)
When his perfect wife dies giving birth, Kevin Hart will be faced with
the prospect of raising his newborn daughter on his own. Cue the crying
infant, poopy diapers, feedings at 2am & hey now! A baby carrier
in the office?? Yep, in this 1995 I mean 2021 comedy drama that DOES
get better as little Maddy grows up, and cliches fall by the wayside.
But Hart plays it serious from start to finish, and for that the movie
wins. Good show. My grade: A
Ordinary Love (2019)
After the death of their daughter in 2009, Liam Neeson and his wife
Joan (Lesley Manville) lead quiet, private lives. They watch tv and
gently poke fun at one another and quibble about mundane things… and
then one morning Joan finds a lump in her breast. It’s cancer alright,
and this gentle, gentle drama is about to become as real as it gets.
This was wonderful. My grade: A
The Two Popes (2019) It’s 2012, and the future Pope Francis
(Jonathan Pryce), tired of the Church’s rigid ways, returns to Rome to
retire; but Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) has news for him that will
shake the world. It’s a great imagining of what talks these two Supreme
Pontiffs might’ve had, the old ways and the new, equally devout, both
in doubt of their futures with the Church. This was much bigger than I
expected, and a moving, beautiful watch. My grade: A
Marriage Story (2019) Adam Driver & Scarlett Johannson (wow)
are Nicole & Charlie, a couple at the end of their marriage. Both
are amicable about it, no need for a messy or expensive split, right?
They’re about to learn they have little choice in the matter, when one
hires a lawyer forcing the other to do the same. It’s an all too real
depiction of the cost, confusion & realization that there are no
winners when it comes to divorce. Only survivors. My grade: A
The Upside (2019) Based on the wonderful 2011 French movie The Intouchables,
Kevin Hart is a paroled ex-con desperate for a job—so he accepts a
caregiver position for Bryan Cranston, a quadriplegic billionaire (who
knows Kevin is the wrong man for the job, but hires him hoping his life
will end sooner). He’ll be cared for & more, in this very kind
drama. It lacks the charm of the original, but I still enjoyed it (and
Nicole Kidman) greatly. Very nice. My grade: A
Wildlife (2018) In a Montana suburb in 1960, Jake Gyllenhaal decides he wants to go fight wildfires. What about his wife Carey Mulligan and 14 year old son Joe? Jake takes off, leaving young Joe fighting to
keep his mom’s wits about her—and losing. As melancholic as these
people are, the era is captured to perfection. It’s hopeful, authentic
& elegant... and I loved young Joe. Every parent should be so proud... and lucky. My grade: A
The Mule (2018) When Clint Eastwood’s seedling farm fails and
his home goes into foreclosure, a young man suggests he can make decent money with his old truck delivering ‘cargo’. He’ll soon learn
he’s delivering cocaine for the Mexican cartel, but the money has paid
for his granddaughter’s wedding, his home, a new VFW… how can he stop?
Well, the cartel says he can’t. It’s a powerful (yet warm) drama and
Clint is wonderful. We’re never too old to change. My grade: A
Green Book (2018) It’s 1962 when Tony (a bouncer from da Bronx) is offered a cross-country driver’s job for a snooty Negro pianist. Well, I gotta put bread on da table so…
What begins as a bumpy ride soon develops into a protective friendship
as each learn to appreciate the other’s differences—in spite of the
bigotry around them. I admit this is rife with caricatures, but was
still a fun & dear watch, and based on a real friendship. I
sure enjoyed theirs. My grade: A
The Favourite (2018)
Decadence, powdered wigs & duplicity abound when Emma Stone
travels to Queen Anne’s castle in 1700s England to ask her cousin for a job—and soon sees an opportunity to leap from
kitchen servant to the queen’s favorite in this saucy, dry humored period drama. This had no less than 3 leading ladies, all
of them worthy of the title—and for over 2 hours, I don’t think I
looked away once. I loved them all. My grade: A
Leave No Trace (2018)
Will and his teenage daughter Tom (I so much love this girl) are
survivalists, living in the Oregon woods with the barest
essentials. But after being found by Park Rangers, Social Services
places them in a home. Will is miserable, but with a roof over her
head and community, his daughter thrives. What will she do when her
dad wants to go back to the woods? Gentle
& kind, and no bad people here. Only good. My grade: A
Eighth Grade (2018)
13 year old Kayla lives with her dad & her iphone. Snapchat,
itunes, poring over classmates photos and making self-help videos (which
her clueless dad finds coool, eyeroll). She’d like to be friends with
the more popular kids like Kennedy & Aidan, but is treated with
indifference—or an indecent proposal. Times have changed but teen angst
hasn’t, it’s as awkward & hopeful as you remember but really
gets these kids today too. Gucci! My grade: A
Private Life (2018) Paul Giamatti and Kathryn
Hahn are a married couple in NYC, middle aged… and obsessed with having a
baby. Daily hormone shots, in vitro fertilizations, surrogate motherhood… they’ve done it all. And then along comes Sadie, their beloved
college age “step niece” who wants to be their egg donor. Nothing is ever simple in this very kind,
very frank look at the things big & small that keep us going. All we can do is watch and care. My grade: A
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Charlie is a quiet, lonely freshman in high school (after losing his
best friend to suicide the year before) when he's befriended by a group
of misfit seniors in this superb coming-of-age drama. With wonderful
casting and a story that tugs at your heart from the first minute, this
is a modern day classic. My grade: A Plus
The Fighter (2010) Christian
Bale & Mark Wahlberg are both in top form as brothers (and
boxers), with Bale as a former pro turned crack addict, and Wahllberg
fighting his way out of his family's shadow. Tough, grainy &
honest, and Amy Adams packs a real punch too. Contender nothing, this
shoulda won Best Picture. My grade: A Plus
Never Let Me Go (2010) Set among the English countryside in the 1990s, in a time that never
was, Carey Mulligan reflects upon her & her friends short lives;
they are "donors", their sole purpose in life to provide organs for
others. Both soul searching and brilliant, this British what-if is in a
class all it's own. My grade: A Plus
Winters Bone (2010) Tense,
brave tale about Swee' Pea, a 17 year old girl in the Ozarks, fending
for herself & her younger sibs and now on the hunt for her
meth-cooking (and long absent) dad after discovering he's put the
'family stead' up for bond. This left me shaking with it's simplicity
and brilliance. My grade: A Plus
My Sister's Keeper (2009) Based on Jodi Picoults story, Anna is an 11 year old girl suing for
'medical emancipation' after she is asked to donate a kidney to her
dying older sister Kate. Quietly told from each family member's
perspective, this was surprising and extraordinary. My grade: A Plus
Tuesday (2024) I don’t want to die… a tropical bird will wave it’s wing over the person. It is Death. And now, Julia Louis Dreyfus 20 year old daughter Tuesday is terminally ill. When Death arrives, Tuesday will befriend the bird, plead with it to wait until her mum comes home.. and so Death waits. Huge with wonder and imagination (and yes, some odd, sad humor as well). A mother’s love is endless. You will ache. My grade: A
The Starling Girl (2023)
Jem is 14 and devoted to God as one can be. (When a member of her
church points out she can see Gem’s bra strap, she cries with shame.)
But with an alcoholic father who doesn’t practice what he preaches, and a
youth pastor who looks at her with hungry eyes, where will Jem turn?
To all the wrong things in this captivating, eye raising drama. My grade: A
Irena’s Vow (2023) Germany has invaded Poland and rounded up the Jews, and the Poles are given new jobs—and Irene Gut, a nurse is now cook & server to the Nazis. She will befriend a dozen Jew laborers, but when she learns of their slated execution will hide them away—in her Nazi commander’s basement. Based on a remarkable true story, be sure to watch the end credits where we learn what happened to everyone. You will be amazed. My grade: A
Spoiler Alert (2022) As
Michael Ausiello (Jim Parsons) cradles his dying partner Kit in his
arms, we are taken back to the bumpy start of their long-term
relationship. It is sweet, funny & ultimately tragic, and it’s
everything we’ve seen before. But there is so much heart here, I was
surprised how caught up I was with these men. And Sally Field as Kit’s
mom, it doesn't get any more special. My grade: A
The Inspection (2022)
Ellis is a young black man who lives on the streets because he’s gay
and has nothing except a mom who despises him. He’ll join the Marines
but if Boot Camp wasn’t torture enough, the guys in his platoon will
soon learn who he is too. When you have no one to turn to… stay the course. That’s what Ellis will do in this proud & riveting drama. I love A24 films. My grade: A
Palmer (2021)
After a long stint in prison, Palmer (Justin Timberlake) returns home
to his grandmother—and an orphaned little boy named Sam she’s taken in.
Palmer doesn’t like the kid at first (he’s chubby, wears thick
spectacles and dreams of being a fairy princess) but when tragedy
strikes, this damaged duo will form a special bond. Boy did this tug at
my heartstrings; it was predictable enough, but still wonderful. My grade: A
The Rider (2018) Brady awakens with his head shaved and staples in his skull; thrown
from a horse, he now has a metal plate in his head. “You’ll
never ride again.” He rode broncos in the South Dakota rodeo circuit, and now works at Dollar General,
watches over his slower sister and visits broken cowboys like
himself. He doesn’t know how to do
anything else. Short on words, long on
story, Brady is one special young man in this quiet indie drama. My grade: A
Beast (2018) Moll is a troubled young woman. She’s 27, lives
with her family and is admonished daily by her domineering mother. And
then she meets Pascal, a young man her age who is an outcast,
and falls in love. But a string of young women have been murdered on
their British isle, and the police suspect him; and the louder Moll
proclaims his innocence, the more she worries he isn’t. It’s earthy,
raw & cerebral… answers and more will be unburied. My grade: A
Dean (2017)
After the death of his mom, Dean (Demetri Martin), an introverted
illustrator in New York City decides to take a break from his life
& his dad (Kevin Kline) and visit LA. He’ll meet someone
special, while his Dad is also moving on—selling his home and asking out
Mary Steenburgen. I enjoyed both stories, each deserved their own
movie. It’s dorky and kind, just smart enough and just dear enough. I
loved it. My grade: A
God’s Own Country (2017)
Johnny Saxby is the rough n’ tumble 20ish sort; he says very little as
he works his da’s sheep farm in Yorkshire by day, drinks himself
sick each night at the pub. But after they hire Gheorghe, a Romanian
man to help with lambing season—“A gypo!” Johnny will warm to him. He can’t let this end… he can’t. Told with enormous restraint, I’ve never seen so much said with so little. This is a complex, beautiful work. My grade: A
Three
Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri (2017) It’s
been 7 months since Frances McDormand’s daughter was murdered with no arrests,
so she’ll rent that row of billboards outside town to ask why—which
rankles everyone, from her ex to the police chief (Woody Harrelson) who has
terminal cancer in this black dramedy. Peeks of goodness shine
thru, a guilty chuckle now & then, but I mostly shook my head in
disbelief. You’ve got to see it to believe it. My grade: A
Lady Macbeth (2017) I like the outdoor air, sir. No. Stay indoors with your prayer book. In
1865 rural England, a bored Katherine trapped in a cruel, loveless
marriage is appalled when Sebastian, a stableman makes a pass;
but once their affair begins, she’ll let no one stand in the way—father-in-law, maids, or Sebastian himself. With a psychotic determination, this woman (Florence Pugh) truly mesmerizes; I’m both afraid and smitten. My grade: A
Mudbound (2017) Set in the 1940s Mississippi Delta, two families—the Jacksons &
McAllans—live & farm on the same square of land. Black
& white, sharecropper and landowner. Both have hardships,
boys overseas, an uneasy truce. It’s a brown saga of these times,
where nothing comes easy and prejudice has no limits… until the Jacksons
son returns home from the war. A tragic novel, this is
the stuff that Best Pictures are made of. My grade: A
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
A troubled foster boy is taken in by an eccentric farm woman who is
hugely dear with her heart of gold. But something happens, causing the
boy to run deep into the bush (New Zealand wood) and befriend a gruff
old codger who wants NO part of him. This is toughlove on another
level, dipped in blood & dark chocolate. New Zealand is so odd but
endearing, and this earthy charmer is no exception. My grade: A
Fences (2016) Based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer play,
Denzel Washington & Viola Davis are a proud blue-collar couple in 1950s
Pittsburgh (filmed in the West End, I recognized their neighborhood). But what begins as warm and nostalgic soon
turns sadder and all too real as Denzel’s flawed character, full of drink and
anger, threaten to tear this family apart. “Your daddy.. filled the room, he
was so BIG.” You both do,
Viola. You’re both wonderful. My grade: A
Southpaw (2015)
Jake Gyllenhaal is Billy Hope, middleweight boxing champion of the
world. He’s got it all, until the death of his wife (Rachel McAdams)
who he’s loved since childhood. He’ll lose everything—his fortune, his
title—but when his daughter Leila is taken from him, he’ll start over, and with the help of Forrest Whitaker's grimy gym in the
Bronx… You’ve seen this bout before, but what a powerful watch. I love Jake, and I loved this. My grade: A
Creed (2015) Michael
B. Jordan is an honest-to-God champion as Apollo Creed's son, who wants
to be a fighter; so he travels to Philly to convince boxing legend
Rocky Balboa to be his trainer. What an awesome boxing movie this was,
real and powerful, modern and intimate, and with the utmost respect for
the Rocky legacy. They just did it right. My grade: A
Boyhood (2014) Ethan
Hawke & Patricia Arquette (love them) are recently divorced,
and raising their son & daughter as best as they know how. It's a
3 hour collection of personal & family moments filmed over 12
years time, and woven together so seamlessly that if you weren't
witnessing these children growing up before your eyes... oh and Ellar
Coltrane (their son) was exceptional. An ambitious undertaking, and
worth every minute. My grade: A
Whiplash (2014) J.K.Simmons
& Miles Teller are teacher and student, a wolf and his prey
when Miles is selected for an elite jazz orchestra by an unrelenting
taskmaster and demands the impossible. Taut like a drum, this is a rich,
gold colored story from the first note to the last--I kept catching
myself holding my breath. Wow! My grade: A
Like Sunday, Like Rain (2014) Eleanor
is one night away from being homeless when she lands a temporary job
as nanny to Reggie, a precocious 12 year old child prodigy. His spirit
is weary as hers is lost, but they're both lonely and kind-hearted and
come together well. It's a quiet story of friendship, and when all is
said and done, was a joy to watch. My grade: A
Ask Me Anything (2014) After
graduation, Katie tells her mom she wants to wait a year before
attending college. She finds a part-time job and begins an anonymous
blog, chronicling her life. But as she shares her inner thoughts, her
affairs with older men and other destructive behaviors, we begin to
understand their origins. It's a thoughtful, provocative tragedy and the
final minutes startled me in their realism. My grade: A
Still Alice (2014) Julianne
Moore is a wife, mom & linguistics professor at Columbia U.
She's just celebrated her 50th birthday--and discovered she has early
onset Alzheimers. (She records a video to herself that will play when
she can no longer answer some simple questions; it mystifies her later
on, as it almost does us.) The ending is inevitable, of course... but
there is as much love here as there is loss. It matters. My grade: A
Life of Pi (2012) Pi
is an Indian who recounts his life--when he first fell in love, found
God, lost ones dear to him and was the sole survivor of a shipwreck,
cast asea on a lifeboat with a wild Bengal tiger. Wondrous and gallant,
and awakens the child in each of us. 'The world isn't what it is; it's
how we understand it.' My grade: A
Cashback (2006) This
took me by surprise, I was expecting a comedy. What I got instead was a
superior, thoughtful movie about an insomniac college student who
imagines he can stop time, & uses those moments to reflect on
his past and present. Wonderful characters & a beautiful score
add to it's magic. My grade: A
Second Best (1994)
William Hurt is a postmaster in Wales who wants to adopt a little boy;
but he’s single and 42 years old, so his options are limited. He’ll
begin spending weekends with James, a 10 year old boy with a long absent father. Hurt understands as his own dad worshiped his mom but not him. It’s a whisper-quiet
drama of fragile men, young and old, who long to be sons of fathers. A
father’s love is everything. My grade: A
Let Him Go (2020)
Kevin Costner & Diane Lane are devastated when their son dies in an
accident, and their daughter-in-law moves on, taking their grandson
with her. This is 1961 Montana, and she’s remarried into the Weboy
clan, a dangerous, abusive family—with a matriarch that makes Ma Barker
look like Ma Kettle. Taut as it is heartfelt, the story felt a little
rushed at the end but whew—Diane Lane delivers a very real Oscar worthy
performance. My grade: A-
I, Daniel Blake (2016)
Daniel is a 59 year old widower, recovering from a heart attack. As he
wearily fights his way thru the maze of the British Non-Employment
Service, he’ll befriend Katie, a young single mom with 2 kids who’s at
her wit’s end too. (When she’s caught drinking a tin of pasta sauce at
the food bank & bursts out crying, and told “It’s alright, you’ve done nothing wrong” I cried too.) As tender as it is tragic, it’s simple, heartfelt & wonderful. My grade: A-
Clouds of Sils Maria (2015) Kristen
Stewart plays personal assistant to
Juliette Binoche, an international actress set to star in a
remake of a play she did 20 years ago. Then, she played a young woman
who loved & defied an older female. But now she’ll play
the older woman, and as her & Kristen hole up in a Swiss chalet,
gossip, argue & run lines, art imitates life in
this casually elegant & complex sparring. My grade: A-
Precious (2009) Set in Harlem, Precious Jones is a heavy, dark teen pregnant with her
father's baby, hated by her vicious mother, and determined to have a
life of her own. Often too difficult to watch, this was still brilliant
filmmaking. My grade: A-
The Fablemans (2022)
Steven Spielberg wrote and directed this thinly veiled glimpse of his
childhood, early filmmaking and foray into young adulthood in the
1960s. Michelle Williams (as his eccentric mother) steals the show,
she’s so good; but the rest is a pretty bland slice of suburban
Americana. It’s pleasant and watchable enough, but was Steven’s young
life really movie-worthy? My grade: B Plus
CODA (2021)
17 year old Ruby likes to sing, and her high school choir director
thinks she has the talent to pursue an education in music; but her deaf
parents don’t understand her dream and need her help with their fishing
business. What will Ruby do? It’s loving, funny and earnest but winner
for Best Picture? C’mon. Methinks this was a tad overrated to honor
Apple's filmmaking. My grade: B Plus 
The Devil All the Time (2020) From
1950 to 1967, on stretches of road connecting a coal town in West Virginia to a
paper mill town in Ohio, various backward people struggle with cancer, shady
preachers, serial killing & the law.
These are sad and mean little stories, with justice turning up in the
most unexpected places. It’s not a
pleasant movie by any means, but it’s full of vintage characters and scary good
performances. My grade: B Plus
Justine (2019) After
her Marine husband dies in Iraq, a despondent Lisa is forced to move in
with her father-in-law with her 2 (mixed race) kids. Desperate for
work, she’ll become a nanny to 8 year old Justine, a happy little girl
with spina bifida. What will Lisa do when she learns Justine’s wealthy
dad is a racist? Confront, confront, confront... and then love Justine
anyway, in this tender, real-feeling little drama of loss &
recovery. My grade: B Plus
The Wife (2018)
It’s 1992, and Glenn Close’s husband has just been awarded the Nobel
Prize for literature. The dutiful wife, she’ll accompany him to
Stockholm, laying out his pills and shirts, a tight smile as he receives
his accolades. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing.” But there’s plenty
wrong, her discontent is barely restrained. When she reaches her
breaking point, we’ll know why… and why HE should’ve seen this coming.
Glenn, you are powerful stuff. My grade: B Plus
Boy Erased (2018) 19 year old Jared confesses to his parents (Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman) he looks at men. “Son do you want to change?” “Yes.” “Thank God, we love you and wouldn’t want to cast you out, you know what the Bible says.”
He’ll attend conversion therapy… but what happens when he refuses to
continue? Much better than expected, his parents are devout but not
kooks, and love their son. And yes, thank God. My grade: B Plus
The Kindergarten Teacher (2018) Maggie Gyllenhaal is a wife & mom, in a ‘meh’ marriage with 2 teen
kids as bored with her as she is with them. But she loves her job as a kindergarten teacher, and is an aspiring
poet, so when one of her 5 year old students begins reciting poetry (his own),
she sees a child prodigy. Why don’t others see it. Soon he’ll be all that matters, in this
uneasy drama about obsession. Maggie, I
love you. You’re fearless. My grade:
B Plus
A Star is Born (2018) Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga are star crossed lovers—one going up, the other down—in this very modern (and 4th) remake of a Hollywood classic. What can I say… they’re both great actors. But I didn’t feel them in here
(tapping my chest) like I did with Judy Garland & James Mason’s
vulnerability & charm, or Barbra Streisand’s huge talent
& real chemistry with Kris Kristofferson. This one was fine,
but I've enjoyed better. My grade: B Plus
War Horse (2011) Steven
Spielberg's stirring masterpiece of the bond shared between different
men and one horse, from a humble farm in England to the battlefields of
France during WWI. Gorgeous in color and picture, and unapologetically
sentimental, this was a classic in the making. My grade: A
The Artist (2011) Jean
Dujardin astounds as George Valentin, silent film star standing on the
brink of ruin when the stock market crashes and talkies take over; can
Peppy Miller, Hollywoods newest sensation save the day? A modern day
silent film, it's a daring and beautiful step back in time. My grade: A
Albert Nobbs (2011) Glenn Close is Mr. Nobbs, posing as a man in 19th century Ireland, a
butler who dreams of opening a tobacco shop--and then meets Helen, the
new maid, and envisions a front parlor as well. Both tragic &
wonderful, this is less a story of women loving, and more of their
surviving. My grade: A
Jane Eyre (2011) Based on the iconic 19th century novel, little Jane is sent to Lowood
Institution (a nasty place for poor or orphaned girls) where she learns
the role of governess. Her first post is at Thornfield Hall, a misty
castle with an elusive master who studies her from afar. Surely one of
his station wouldn't fall in love with Jane... can he resist? Can she? My grade: A
Mildred Pierce (2011) Set in 1931, this 5 hour HBO miniseries stars Kate Winslett as Mildred
Pierce, an abandoned mother struggling to beat the odds & build a
life for her and her daughters, one of whom yearns for privilege. Based
on the original novel, it's a long story but the attention to detail is
remarkable--as is Kate. Gosh I loved this. My grade: A
Crazy Heart (2009) Jeff
Bridges breathes new life into the 'hard living country music legend
down on his luck', desperate to set things right. What could've been a
story wallowed in misery is instead hopeful and good. My grade: A
Mother and Child (2009) Annette Bening is a 51 year old woman who writes letters to the baby
she gave up for adoption when she was 14; Naomi Watts is a guarded soul,
the daughter who her mother never knew. As they both move on with their
lives, marrying & having children, will they ever know one
another? In ways both complex and tragic, and dear. My grade: A
Like Dandelion Dust (2009) When Mira Sorvino's husband goes to prison, she gives their baby up for
adoption. Years later, he's released and demands his child
returned--and the Florida parents of a 6 year old boy are forced to hand
over their son. It's a heart wrenching but hopeful story that
ultimately shows what love is really all about. My grade: A
A Single Man (2009) Smart,
quiet story of a gay college professor (Colin Firth) in 1962, who loses
his male partner of 16 years in a car accident & must deal with
the loss alone. Julianne Moore plays the 1960s to perfection. Elegantly
done. My grade: A
Doubt (2008) Meryl Streep plays an old-school nun on a witch-hunt in this drama set
in a 1964 Bronx Catholic parish; Phillip Seymour Hoffman (as a
forward-thinking priest) is her prey. Meryl's performance makes it all
the more compelling. My grade: A
The Wrestler (2008) Brutal character study of an aged & broken professional
wrestler who's unable to walk away from the spotlight or the aging
stripper (Marisa Tomei) he pines for. Mickey Rourke, you sure earned
those accolades. My grade: A
Adam Resurrected (2008) Equally
brilliant & disturbing, Jeff Goldblum is a Holocaust Jew who
survives the camps by being a "pet dog" to the Nazis. 20 years later he
meets a hooded young man in a mental institution...I was spellbound. My grade: A
Felon (2008) Wade
is an ordinary family man who's surprised one night by an intruder,
chases him outside and clubs him with a bat only once, but kills him.
Sent to prison for involuntary manslaughter, he discovers the brutality
of life inside--from both inmates and the guards. There may be justice
for all, but there's injustice too; it's how you live with it that
matters. My grade: A
Wakefield (2017) When
Bryan Cranston notices he can see the going-ons of his wife &
daughters from the attic window of his carriage house garage, he decides
he’ll stay there. He’s tired of his marriage, the rat race, everything. He’ll chuckle as they report him missing, and sneak out at night to scavenge for food. I didn’t leave my family, I left my life. In time he’ll appreciate what he had… but some things are lost forever, his mind included. My grade: B Plus
Little Wing (2024)
It’s one thing when her parents divorce, but when her mom says they
have to sell their home, 13 year old Kaitlyn will come up with a crazy
plan to steal a valuable pigeon to sell to the Russian Bird Mafia. She
does it—now what? A lot of growing up, in this above average,
sweet-as-it-is-absurd afterschool type movie. This young lady
(Brooklynn Prince) is one to watch. My grade: B
Fancy Dance (2024) Jax is a Cherokee woman who isn’t above petty theft, or peddling drugs sometimes for a few bucks. But she’s also the aunt of Roki, her 13 year old niece who she loves fiercely—but where is Jax’s sister Tiwa, Rokis mom? She’ll do whatever it takes to find her before the big powwow—while keeping Roki by her side. It’s not a big story, but the characters are and makes this so worth watching. My grade: B
Flora and Son (2023) Flora is a young mom from Dublin with a feisty disposition and equally feisty teen son. But after giving her boy a used guitar for his birthday (and him telling her what she can do with it) she’ll learn to play the damn thing herself. Well, with online lessons from Joseph Gordon-Levitt in America. What will her ex and son say? Equal parts funny and dear, I love these Irish. My grade: B
The Whale (2022)
Brendan Fraser is morbidly obese; so much so he seems to know he
doesn't have long to live. He’ll try to reconnect to his 16 year old
daughter, but she despises him as he walked out of her life when she was
8 years old (for a younger man). Now he spends his days slobbering
down junk food and crying to his visitors how sorry he is, and I believe
him—but how much colossal dreariness can one person take? It's a
pretty glum watch. My grade: B
A Man Called Otto (2022)
After he’s forced into retirement, 65 year old widower Otto Anderson
(Tom Hanks) fashions some rope into a noose. He’s had enough. It won’t
be easy to end things though, a young Spanish woman and her family just
moved in across the street and plan to make him a member of their
family whether he likes it not. Filmed in my neighborhood, this was
sweet, gently funny and low-key as one can get. A nice story. My grade: B for Bellevue
Aftersun (2022)
11 year old Sophie is overjoyed to be on holiday with her young dad
Calum at a seaside resort; they’ll spend the week exploring
shops, playing pranks on other guests, swimming & dancing.
Sometimes at night Calum will sit on his bed and cry while Sophie’s
asleep, why? 20 years later, Soph will stare at treasured things from
their week together and wonder, in this sweet, wistful drama. My grade: B
Wolf (2022)
Jacob (brilliantly cast) is in torment; he thinks he’s a wolf trapped
in a man’s body. His parents have him committed to an institution where
other people also believe they’re animals. He wants to get better, but
a sadistic, punishing doctor is pushing Jacob’s human side farther
down. And then there’s Cecilia, who fancies herself a wildcat. This
was original, mesmerizing at times. But it’s tragic start was really
the best part. My grade: B
Passing (2021)
Irene is a society woman in 1920s NYC, black (but light-skinned),
married to a doctor. One day she runs into childhood friend Clare,
lighter skinned than her, with blonde hair now. A “passer”, her husband doesn’t know her color. Clare will begin spending
time with Irene’s family in Harlem, to what end? And what if Clare’s
husband finds out? This so capture the era, but felt vague too. What
were the characters feeling? I wish I knew. My grade: B
Nomadland (2020) After
the death of her husband and loss of their home, Frances McDormand will
move into a van. She’ll criss-cross the Midwest, working for Amazon
and annual sugar beet harvests, spending her nights in parking lots
& campgrounds, warming soup on a hotplate, pooping in a bucket,
watching giant sunsets. She’s accepted her lot in life, as have tens of
thousands who live this way. We’re houseless, not homeless. My grade: B 
The Boys in the Band (2020) On a rainy night in
1968, 7 gay men gather in Jim Parsons’ apartment to celebrate a birthday. There’ll be plenty of over-the-top dialogue
(this is based on a play, everything taking place in one room) but things turn
sour when Parsons insist they play a mean phone game. Why?
Well, it’s what pathetic characters do in this look at gays when society didn’t allow them in. Was all
this drama really necessary? Apparently so. My grade: B
Horse Girl (2020) Sarah (Allison Brie) is a shy young woman who
works in a fabric store and spends her evenings watching tv. But more
& more she’s having visions of people she doesn’t know and losing
things—like whole days. When she asks her doctor how to stop nosebleeds
and are there tests to determine if she’s a clone, he should’ve been
more helpful--this poor girl is losing her mind. By the end of her
frightful, sad story, perhaps so are we. My grade: B
All the Bright Places (2020)
When Finch (aka “The Freak”) sees his classmate Violet atop a bridge,
he talks her down and befriends her. It won’t be easy, but Violet soon
learns she isn’t alone, as Finch is wrestling with his own issues… and
losing. Can two broken pieces make a whole? Yes and no, in this
tender, fragile drama of the crosses many young adults bear. This is a
good movie to watch with your own teenage son or daughter. My grade: B
Uncut Gems (2019)
Adam Sandler (in a strong dramatic role) is a sleazy New Yawk jeweler
and sports gambler, on the run from shady lenders but convinced he’s
gonna win soon, and win big. His ex and teenage kids want nothing to do
with him, but he’ll show them and those mobsters too, just wait! A
frantic story from the first minute to the last, don’t forget to exhale
at it’s surprising, sudden end. My grade: B
Juanita (2019)
Alfre Woodard is a hospital worker in Baltimore with 3 adult children—a
son in prison, one headed there & a daughter who’s a
‘wannabe-ho’. She needs a fresh start so she packs a suitcase, buys a
$200 Greyhound ticket and travels west—to where? Welcome to Paper Moon,
Montana: a tiny town of Native Americans, including one who imagines
himself a French chef. No big drama, just a quirky charmer that felt
like a nice hug. Loved the teepees! My grade: B
Paddleton (2019)
Ray Romano & Mark Duplass (glad to see him in a good guy role)
are apartment dwellers, neighbors, best friends. They chat, make pizzas
and watch kung-fu movies together. But then Mark learns he has
terminal cancer, and his doctor’s given him euthanasia drugs. I know you’re not okay with this, but will you stay with me so I don’t have to die alone? A simple drama of middle age & friendship. Ray loves you, Mark…but you know that. My grade: B
The Laundromat (2019) When Meryl Streep suffers real tragedy and
discovers her settlement is next to nothing, she’ll attempt to learn
why; Steven Soderbergh steps in and with some black-humored backstories
shows us how shell companies, overseas banks & awful US tax laws are
helping money-launder billions and robbing everyone. Hey Rotten
Tomatoes, you creamed this movie and it deserves better. Turns out, us
little people do too. My grade: B
Wonder
(2017) Auggie is 10 years old. He has his dog Daisy, his older sister Via,
and parents Julia Roberts & Owen Wilson. He’s nervous about his first day of 5th grade and going to a
real school, he was born with facial deformities—but his dad says he was meant
to stand out, not blend in. Will the
kids like him? In his world, most are
kind—and the few who aren’t, want to be. It’s a little too good to be true, but why not… it's just a nice watch. My grade: B Plus
Other People (2016)
David (Jesse Plemons) is a struggling gay writer in NYC, who moves back
to Sacramento to be with his family—and his mom (Molly Shannon) who is
dying from cancer. He’ll connect with old friends (one is a single dad
with a 12 year old gay son who steals the show). But the star here is
Molly, resigned, defiant, crying with fear, anger, and love for her
family. She makes this small drama real, and tragic, and right. My grade: B Plus
Moonlight (2016) Chiron
is a quiet little boy, and has reason to be. Much of his existence he
spends alone, hiding from a mother who's a crack addict, or kids in his
hood who beat on him for being a "faggot ass". It seems everyone knows
his sexuality but him. He'll grow up hardened, a man of influence in
the streets, but there's someone who remembers the boy he was... it's a
dark and troubled story, but told so well with quiet, and grace. Exceptional. My grade: B Plus
Wild (2014) After
the death of her mother, and the end of her own marriage, Reese
Witherspoon feels she's on the wrong path in life. She seeks redemption
of sorts by deciding to hike the Pacific Coast Trail, a 1000 mile trek.
She will spend that year taxing both body and spirit, as she searches
for the woman inside that her mother raised her to be. I liked the
quiet, honest journey; it delivers much with little fuss. My grade: B Plus
The Shunning (2011) When
an Amish girl discovers she was adopted the night before her wedding,
she backs out of the ceremony--and her community has no choice but to
punish her with the shunning, where she's now a non-entity. But this is a
story about love, and done with real caring. Have a box of Kleenex
handy. My grade: B Plus
Tully (2018) With 3 kids, one with issues &
one a newborn, Charlize Theron is overweight, overwhelmed, depressed. Her wealthy brother offers to spring for a
night nanny. Soon a young woman shows up at her door. “Hi, I’m Tully.” She’s a godsend. They’ll grow close quickly, weird close
(trust me, you’ll understand by the end). What would Charlize do without her? She’ll learn soon enough in this tough little drama. I love Charlize. My grade: B
Lady
Bird (2017) A senior year in the life of
Christine aka “Lady Bird”, a 17 year old who’s ready to put school, family and Sacramento behind her to go to college—far away, if possible. There’s going to be some roadblocks: falling in love, finding a
college that will accept her and an outspoken mother played so right
by Laurie Metcalf who is far from perfect, as no mom should be. It can be
an awkward watch at times, but it’s honest. My
grade: B
My Cousin Rachel (2017) Orphaned and raised by his older cousin Ambrose, Phillip is 25 now and living abroad when he begins receiving letters from Ambrose that he suspects his wife Rachel is poisoning him. Soon he dies & Phillip returns home to confront this black widow—but wait, she’s sweet! What will happen when he gifts her with his fortune and demands her love? Emotional torment for starters, in this well told Victorian tragedy. My grade: B
Before I Fall (2017) 17 year old Samantha is confused when she’s told to get up for school, isn’t it the weekend? No, it’s Friday. And so was yesterday, and it will be tomorrow too, until she understands why she’s re-living the day over & over, in this ‘Groundhog Day’ drama for the teenage mindset. There’s little humor and much angst, but it’s told well, and the message it imparts is profound and good. My grade: B
Novitiate
(2017) Set in 1952, a pair of nuns talk to
little Cathleen’s mother about Catholic school. “We’re not Catholic… we have no
money.” “Consider it a scholarship.” 10 years later, to her mom’s dismay, Cathleen
joins a nunnery. But it’s now 1962, and
while Cathleen wrestles with her destiny, an angry, fearful Mother Superior is
lashing out because of modern changes coming from the Church. Embracing life is easier said than done. My grade: B
Brain
on Fire (2017) It began with feelings of confusion, then
auras, seizures & headaches. As
doctors made one misdiagnosis after another, Susannah Cahalan, a 21 year old
reporter (played scary well by Chloe Grace Moretz) sank into a cataonic state…
what will save her? Critics rolled their
eyes at this ‘Disease of the Week’ movie, but it’s a compelling watch—and the
answers her stubborn parents fought for have now saved thousands. My grade: B
Little Men (2016)
After 13 year old Jake’s granddad dies, he and his parents move into
his Brooklyn apt, that sits atop a shop he rented to a single Italian mom
who sells dresses. She has a 13 year old son too, the very
likeable Tony. Jake & Tony will become friends, but when
their parents have a falling out, the boys will bear the brunt of it. I
liked this, very much—it’s a quiet story about best friendship,
and knowing when family comes first. My grade: B
The Automatic Hate (2016) David is approached by a young woman. “Hi,
I’m your cousin Alexis! I’m the daughter of your dad’s older brother,
can I have a hug?” “You have the wrong guy, my dad doesn’t have a
brother.” Oh but he does, and as these two attempt to learn why
their fathers are estranged, a close bond will form between them.
By the time they learn their family’s secret, they’ll have secrets of
their own in this unsettling indie drama. My grade: B
Indignation (2016) Marcus'
Jewish father is elated when his son receives a scholarship to a
Christian college; so what if it isn't kosher? It's 1951 and will keep
his son from the draft and Korean War. But Marcus feels out of place,
and resents the religion forced on him there. And then he meets Olivia,
an outsider too but for different, troubled reasons. I wasn't sure
where this was going, but in its caring, final moments... oh. My grade: B
The Last Movie Star (2018) Burt Reynolds plays a once famous 70’s movie star, now a hobbled old
man who thinks he’s won a lifetime achievement award--only to discover
it’s a fanboy-thing. Hurt, he’ll ditch the affair and revisit his roots
and do much self-reflection (I liked when he talked with earlier
versions of himself from ‘Smokey & The Bandit’ &
‘Deliverance’). Burt’s humility is real, so is his pain… there’s a
smile or two here but sadly, this is one frail swan-song. My grade: C Plus
The Sea of Trees (2016) Looking for the perfect place to die (we’ll learn why in a series of somber flashbacks) a despondent Matthew McConaughey will travel to Japan’s Suicide Forest. But soon after arriving, he’ll hear pleas for help from an older Japanese man in a torn & muddied suit, claiming to be lost. Matthew will learn reasons to go on living in this tearful fable of Asian wisdom. It’s a humble story but a kind one. My grade: C Plus
The Dressmaker
(2016) Fresh from Paris, Kate Winslet returns to Australia, 1951, to
the odd little town she once called home. She’ll get right to work sewing dresses for homely women, making amends
with her disturbed mother, falling in love & determining if the rumors
about her childhood were true. And then…
okay, what is this? A comedy? Drama? Love story? Revenge flick? It tries too hard (or not enough) to be all
of them. My grade: C Plus
Please Stand By (2018) Wendy (Dakota Fanning) is autistic; she lives in a group home, works
part-time at Cinnabon & is a huge Star Trek fan. So when TV
Land announces a contest for the best Trek script, she writes one—500
pages long. But she took too long and the deadline for entry is almost
here, what will she do? She has no choice—sneak out with her
script & a carefully labeled sandwich and take a bus to Los
Angeles. Nice, nice. Not thrilling, but nice. My grade: C
Chronic
(2016) David (Tim Roth) is a
home-care nurse, quietly and methodically tending to one patient at a time; a
woman with cancer, a male stroke victim, a woman with rectal cancer. We know little of David, but maybe there isn’t
much to know—his life consists mainly of being a part of his patients lives, it
seems. It’s a strangely compelling
watch, and in the end, we're surprised just how fleeting life really is. My grade: B
Silence
(2016) A pair of Catholic priests (Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver) want
to go to Japan to find their missing mentor but are warned not to; it’s 1633
and Shogun warriors are slaughtering Christians. Convinced that faith is their ally, they go
anyway—and discover Western religion has no place there, in Martin Scorsese’s
intimate, quality (but slow moving and 3 hours long) telling of Christianity in
early Japan. Well, it’s Scorsese. My grade: B
Wildlike (2015) Her
mother in rehab, 14 year old MacKenzie is sent to live with her uncle
in Juneau Alaska. But he's a sexual predator--so she runs but has no
place to go. She'll cross paths with Bruce Greenwood, a hiker &
wary widower who can't shake her off his tail. One good soul deserves
another, in this tender story of need set among Alaska's wonder. Nicely
done. My grade: B
99 Homes (2015) It's
2008 and people are being evicted from their homes left &
right. When Andrew Garfield & mom Laura Dern are sent packing
by a steely-eyed Michael Shannon, Andrew discovers a way to get their
house back--if he follows in his new mentor's shady footsteps. It's
hard and very real, but Shannon is so darn good he makes this an even
more compelling watch. My grade: B
A Girl Like Her (2015) As
15 year old Jessica lays in a coma from an attempted suicide, a
documentary is being filmed at her school where she becomes it's main
focus; kids talk about her, including the girls who secretly bullied
& tormented her. No one yet knows that Jessica wore a
pin-camera, documenting everything. Crisp, smart &
compassionate, I wasn't expecting something this exceptional. My grade: B
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) Greg
is a Pittsburgh senior, a loner (other than an aloof friendship with
his classmate Earl--they make movies together). And then one
day, Greg's mother badgers him into befriending a girl with
leukemia. These characters felt a little too contrived, but it's still
a kind story. Even after a person's gone, their life can still
unfold in wonderful ways. My grade: B
52 Tuesdays (2015) Billie
is 16 when her mum informs her she'll be living with her dad, as she's
going to become a man and needs a year on her own; but she wants them to
still spend every Tuesday together. It begins well enough, but as time
goes on, cracks in their relationship appear as both grow in new and
surprising directions. Filmed over a year's time, it's very adult and
not very sentimental, but always genuine. My grade: B
The Skeleton Twins (2014) A failed suicide attempt brings together twins Kristen Wiig &
Bill Hader after a 10 year estrangement, only for both to learn of the
many personal demons each has. It's a sobering drama, but Hader
surprised me how good he was; when these two laughed together, so did I.
I hope Wiig's husband (Luke Wilson, the only 'normal' one) lives
happily ever after. My grade: B
Black or White (2014) After
the death of his wife, Kevin Costner is on his own with Eloise, his 9
year old bi-racial granddaughter. She's been with him since birth (his
daughter died giving birth), but now the paternal grandmother (Octavia
Spencer) feels she should be with "her own kind" and wants custody. The
decision won't be an easy one. Kevin & Octavia deliver solid
performances in this curious study of flaws and love. My grade: B
The Retrieval (2014) Will
is a 13 year old black boy in the South, 1864. With no family of his
own, he earns his keep by posing as kin to runaway slaves and other
blacks, luring them back to bounty hunters. But after he's sent to
retrieve Nate, a black in the North & gravedigger for the
government, he sees more than a few coins-- he finds a father figure. An
earnest story & gently told, this historical indie is just
right. My grade: B
The Book Thief (2013) Liesel
is a Communist girl adopted by a stern (but caring) couple in 1930s
Germany. As Nazism takes hold, she teaches herself to read &
loses herself in books--until the day her parents tell her they'll be
hiding a young man in their basement. More a movie for tweens (like my
niece Sophia) it still tells an earnest story without showing all. My grade: B
Still Mine (2013) They've
raised 7 children--and now in their 80s, James Cromwell worries their
old, rambling farmhouse is too much for his wife (Genevive Bujold) and
wants to build her a smaller home across the way--that is, if he can
fight his way thru all the infernal red tape. Based on a real story, and
this lovely pair retell it wonderfully. My grade: B
The Dirties (2013) Matt
& Owen are high schoolers who make a tongue-in-cheek movie
about taking down 'The Dirties', the bullies in their school who torture
them daily. But Owen isn't happy with their final product--or with
Matt, who is making a life outside their small circle. Compelling from
start to finish, this is 'amateur filmmaking' on a smart, curious level.
My grade: B
Coldwater (2013) Brad
is no angel--he was caught dealing pot & pills--but he's no
demon, either. Still, his mother decides to have him hauled away to a
boys boot camp, where it can take months, even a couple years to make
him a "good cittizen". Trouble is, Coldwater is a torture camp and it's
only breeding monsters. This is a tough watch, but the fact is these
camps exist today and dozens of kids have been dying in them since 1980.
My grade: B
What Maisie Knew (2013) Julianne
Moore & her ex are freshly divorced, full of hate for one
another and fighting for sole custody of their 6 year old daughter,
purely for spite. The problem is, both are busy with their own lives and
handing her off to others, over and over. Will Maisie ever receive the
love and care she needs? Sadly for some, yes. My grade: B
Flight (2012) Denzel Washington is Oscar-worthy as an airline pilot and a heavy
substance abuser; so who's to blame when his plane crashes but he still
manages to save most of the passengers? There will always be
technicalities, and there will always be the truth; neither choice is an
easy one. My grade: B
The Paperboy (2012) Set
in the Deep South in 1969, Matthew McConaughey is a journalist
investigating a sheriff's murder--and if the wrong man (Jon Cusack) was
convicted. It's a sleepy story but a steamy one too; and the cast (with
Nicole Kidman, Zak Elfron) is first rate. Ignore the critics, this is
one to watch. I loved it. My grade: B
Broken (2012) Skunk
(wonderfully played by Emily Laurence) is an 11 year old diabetic, who
lives with her dad, brother & nanny in a British cul-de-sac.
Life's about to get a lot more complicated after she starts a new
school, meets her first boyfriend & first bully, and witnesses
her slow older friend Rick lose control & be taken away. There's
some absurd & dark moments here! Still, it doesn't lessen the
story--or Skunk's charm any. My grade: B
Disconnect (2012) A
woman who lost her baby connects with someone in an online
chatroom--and her bank accounts are stolen. A shy boy is approached by a
girl on Facebook--no, it's a couple bullies in his class. A reporter
from CNN tries to save a young male model on a gay porn site. There's a
million stories in the naked city--and a million more in cyberspace. My grade: B
50/50 (2011) Joseph
Gordon-Levitt is a quiet, likeable guy who wakes up one morning with a
backache--and discovers he has cancer. But don't be too sad, his best
friend is Seth Rogen with his trademark oafish manner and vulgar wit.
Sigh. Still a fine story, and Angelica Houston (as Joseph's mom) keeps
it all real. My grade: B
The Help (2011) Emma
Stone is Miss Skeeter, a would-be journalist in Jackson Miss in the
turbulent 1960s, who creates a sensation when she writes a book
chronicling the lives of her town's black maids---and the shallow,
pretentious white women they work for. Some fine moments, but the book
is so much richer in story; see my review of the novel here. My grade: B
Hereafter (2010) Matt
Damon as a lonely, reluctant psychic is just one story in this quiet
study of three people touched by death in different ways. Directed by
Clint Eastwood, this is no 'supernatural thriller' but more a view of
the gentler side of people. A good movie for a rainy afternoon. My grade: B
Trust (2010) David
Schwimmer directs this too close-for-comfort story of Annie, a sweet 14
year old girl who is assaulted after falling for a 35 year old online
predator, and the effect it has on her & her family,
particularly her father (Clive Owen). Welcome to the 21st century,
folks. There's some good lessons here. My grade: B
Another Year (2010) Director
Mike Leigh ('Vera Drake', a brilliant film) gives us a year-in-the-life
of Tom & Gerri, happily married middle-aged London couple
& caretakers of their circle of middle-aged friends. Get a cup
of tea and something to nibble on, and visit for a bit. My grade: B
Rabbit Hole (2010) A
modern couple (Nichole Kidman & Aaron Eckhart) have no choice
but to go on living after the death of their little boy. No real drama
here, just lessons in grieving. The final moments of the movie elevate
the story to something both real and profound. My grade: B
Beautiful Boy (2010) When
a college student goes on a mass killing spree before shooting himself,
his bewildered parents are left with some unfathomable realities; how
does one go on? For as much grief & personal torment on display
here, I still think things would be ten times worse--at the very least,
there is light at the end. My grade: B
The Company Men (2010) Drama about the 2008 financial crisis from 2 angles--Ben Affleck's six
figure exec job has just been downsized (he's fired); what about his
Porsche & country club membership? Meanwhile, his former
company's veepees see millions more in stock options & such.
It's just business, folks. My grade: B
A Better Life (2011) Carlos
is an earnest man--a gardener, an illegal immigrant, a single parent
desperate to keep his son Luis out of gangs. So what happens when his
truck and tools are stolen? Both good and bad things, and ultimately
what this dad wanted for his son after all, in this tough yet tender
look at what these folk go through for a better life. My grade: B
Gun Hill Road (2011) Esai
Morales comes home from a 3 year stint in prison, to find his wife
(Judy Reyes, love her) is an independent woman now--and his teenage son
is living a secret life as a girl. Nothing's black & white
anymore, Papi. Both a brutal and beautiful film, I only wish it hadn't
ended so soon. My grade: B
Everybody's Fine (2009) Robert
DeNiro is a lonely widower who makes plans for his four children to
come home for a visit; but when they all cancel, he decides to travel
the country via buses & trains to try and reconnect. It's such a
kind and caring story that when things got a little too sentimental, I
didn't really mind. Everybody was just fine. My grade: B
That Evening Sun (2009) Hal Holbrook gives the performance of a lifetime as an 80 year old
retired farmer who leaves a nursing home to return to his family farm,
only to find another family lives there now. How will he reclaim it? I
was expecting a Hallmark story, not this slice of rich, real life. My grade: B
The Blind Side (2009) Sandra
Bullock carries the ball (& then some) in this feel-good true
story of an affluent white family who take in a homeless, oversized
black teen. A tad cloying, but for all the right reasons. I was
surprised at how much I enjoyed this. My grade: B
Up in the Air (2009) George Clooney is a corporate "firing man" in this very smart, somber
comedy directed by Jason Reitman (Juno). He's living a life in dark
suits, airport lounges & hotel rooms--and working very
diligently to keep it that way. Until... My grade: B
Shame (2008) Dark, very adult drama with Michael Fassbender as a NY loner, teeming
with sexual demons but keeping it secret--until his sister (Carey
Mulligan), a freewheeling spirit moves in, making the pot boil over.
Compelling, but why are these two so damaged? We have an idea, but we'll
never know. My grade: B
The Burning Plain (2008) Kim
Basinger is a housewife in New Mexico having an affair, Jennifer
Lawrence is her angry daughter and Charlize Theron is a depressed
restauranteur in Oregon who sleeps around; and then there's 12 year old
Maria. How do their stories all connect? With heartbreak, and hope. My grade: B
The Merry Gentleman (2008) Kelly
Macdonald is genuinely sweet as a timid Scottish woman, alone in the
world after leaving her abusive husband, when she meets and befriends a
softspoken man (Michael Keaton)--not knowing he's a professional killer.
A somber tale, but kindly done. My grade: B
Disgrace (2008) After
being ostracized for seducing one of his students, Capetown professor
John Malkovich moves to his daughter's farm--only to discover real
tragedy. Sorrowful, but a real lesson in just being. My grade: B
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) When young Bruno's father (a Nazi officer) is promoted and the family
moves to a spacious country home outside of Poland, his son discovers a
"farm with people in pajamas" beyond the woods. A curious story, but an
exploitative one too; at least the ending makes you think. My grade: B
Black Snake Moan (2007) Samuel Jackson is a Southern-fried farmer with a guitar; Christina
Ricci is the white trash he finds lying on the side of the road
& chains to his house until she's 'right'. Y'know, I honestly
love these two. My grade: B
Dream Scenario (2023)
When a middle-aged college professor (Nicholas Cage) begins appearing
in millions of peoples dreams, he becomes a celebrity of sorts. Annoyed
at first, it will grow on him. But when he begins appearing as a
violent figure.. I wish we knew how & why this was happening, but
the news & marketing’s take on poor Nic makes for an interesting
look at modern times in this oddball drama. My grade: B-
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)
Emma Thompson is a 60something widow and retired schoolteacher who
hires the most patient male prostiture on the planet as she blathers on
why she shouldn’t be doing this, and can she talk to his mum, “she wants
to help him”. Oh, eventually they get busy—in a series of clumsy, too
graphic sexual positions that made me uncomfortable. This was smartly
written to a point, but so not my cup of tea. My grade: B-
Sam & Kate (2022)
Sam (Jake Hoffman) moves back in with his ailing, older dad (Dustin
Hoffman) to take care of him. He’s attracted to the bookshop owner Kate
(Schulyer Fisk) but she has her own issues—and a needy mom who’s a
hoarder (Sissy Spacek). It’s impressive to see Hoffman & Spacek’s
kids here, but it’s a dull watch, with no chemistry. It was difficult
seeing Dustin Hoffman so old too. My grade: B-
Before I Go (2021)
Samantha is over 50, single, never married. She lives alone in NYC and
has been depressed since she was 10 years old. She’s ready to end her
life, but decides to give things one last go—berating perfect strangers
for being rude, delivering pizzas with a hobbled foot, raising an
earthworm she found in the street. Can this movie get any downer? I
don’t think so, but that’s what I liked about it. My grade: B- 
Black Bear (2020)
Aubrey Plaza plays a director of “short unsuccessful films” who’s
invited to a couple’s lakeside cottage so she can write. Emotions will
soon run overboard when a pregnant wife suspects Aubrey of.. wait,
that’s not the story! Well it’s one of them. This isn’t a movie, it’s
an artsy collection of scenarios. I love Aubrey Plaza, she’s raw &
powerful here, but I still felt gypped. My grade: B MINUS
Diane (2019)
Mary Kay Place life grows slowly more morose. She spends her days with
her terminally ill cousin Donna in hospice, or barging into her adult
son’s apt to beg him to get help for his heroin addiction. She’s close
to a few older relatives… but in a few years, they’re gone. She writes
her thoughts in a notebook: I am all alone now. No longer known by anyone, or loved or needed, all she can do is grow old and face her end. A tough watch. My grade: B-
Aftermath (2017)
While Arnold Schwarzenegger grapples with the death of his wife
& daughter from a mid-air plane collision, Jacob (the
air-traffic controller held responsible) is facing a life no less
easier. A year passes and both move on in small ways, but one is on the
brink—and about to go over the edge, in this bleak, aching drama where
tragedy begets tragedy begets tragedy. Is there hope for anyone here? There's forgiveness, perhaps. My grade: B-
Maps to the Stars (2015)
Julianne Moore is a shallow, aging star with a creepy fixation on her
mother as a young actress. Benji is a 13 year old actor who makes
millions per picture and doesn’t hide the fact he’s a monster. Enter
Agatha, Julianne’s new assistant; she has a connection to Benji
& his parents (who share a godawful secret). Welcome to
Hollywood! Well, David Cronenberg’s twisted satire of it. It’s
graphic, awful stuff… and a damn curious watch. My grade: B-
Cake (2015) Jennifer
Aniston is short-tempered & rude, with a long scar on her face,
pins in her legs and saddled with chronic pain. (We'll know more in
time.) And then one day, she learns someone in her support group has
committed suicide. Why? And why does she even care? She may not find
her answers, but we do in this quiet look at a wrecked soul and the
healing process. My grade: B-
Noah (2014) Russell Crowe is Noah, tenth descendant of Adam's son Seth, and chosen
by the Creator to build an ark to save the animals (and perhaps
humanity) from the Great Flood. Perhaps it was too ambitious an effort,
this telling of the Biblical fable--but I enjoyed it greatly, and found
it filled with imagination, and compassion and purpose. All good things.
My grade: B-
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) Ryan
Gosling is a motorcyclist who discovers he's fathered a son, and robs
banks to pay for the boy's upbringing; Bradley Cooper is a beat cop, the
son of a judge and anxious to make his dad proud. Their lives, and
their futures, will intertwine in ways neither could've imagined Long
& ambitious, but always interesting. My grade: B-
The Master (2012) WWII is over, and an aimless GI (Joaquin
Phoenix) stumbles into a cult of men & women who travel with their
charismatic leader, Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He is preaching something
new, known as ‘The Cause’. Will Joaquin join them? Yes and no, yes
and… no? It’s a beautiful period movie with great actors… but what’s
the story ultimately about? Like Scientology, it promises much but
leaves you scratching your head. My grade: B-
Margin Call (2011) An
all-star cast (Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey & Demi Moore, for
starters) drive this story of an investment firm on Wall Street in early
2008, privy to the knowledge of an impending market collapse and trying
to decide on the best course of action--who will lose, us or them? I
think you know the answer. My grade: B-
Frozen River (2008) Bleak,
unforgiving tale of a hardened single mother & a Mohawk widow
involved in human smuggling across the Canadian border. 2008 Sundance
award contender for Best Picture. I kept waiting for it to be over
before someone got hurt. My grade: B-
Raymond & Ray (2023) After the death of their estranged father, half-brothers Ewan McGregor & Ethan Hawke (same father, different mothers) attend the funeral and learn he left them $5200—with the stipulation they dig his grave. So who do they meet at the cemetery? More brothers from other mothers. Cue the yelling, tussles and perhaps another surprise or two in this very low-key dramedy. My grade: C Plus
Mass (2022)
Six years after a school shooting, 2 couples come together in a church
to share their feelings about that day, and the loss of their sons. One
couple’s son was the hunted; the other couple’s son was the hunter.
There will be crying, yelling, apologies and surprising confessions made
on both sides. This is a one room drama of sharing and despair, and
nothing else. Life goes on. My grade: C Plus
The Starling (2021)
After the death of their infant daughter, Melissa McCarthy’s husband
checks himself into a mental hospital—while she attempts to plant a
garden in their backyard. If only that damn starling would stop
divebombing her… It’s a quiet, sweet story of healing, plain as vanilla
and best watched when you’re not looking for anything loud or needing
your full attention. Oh there’s Kevin Kline as a vet… he’s nice. My grade: C Plus
Ben is Back (2018)
A family’s holiday cheer turns to dismay when 19 year old Ben checks
himself out of rehab to spend Christmas with them. His mother (Julia
Roberts) is overjoyed but pragmatic: “It’s for one day and you will not leave my side.”
Things go smooth enough, but when the house is broken into and their
dog taken (huh?) things go topsy-turvy fast. This starts out strong,
then it’s like they tossed the script while filming... Julia's still a
joy to watch, at least. My grade: C Plus
Tinker (2018) Grady
is a young farmer (and recluse) who finds his dad’s old designs for a
strange agricultural device inspired by Nikola Tesla. Obsessed with
building the contraption, he receives sad news—his sister has died,
leaving him guardian of her spectacled 6 year old son Kai. It’s a
bland, odd little charmer of rural characters, New Age thinking (huh)
& learning that doing the right thing comes with its own
rewards. It's sweet in an "out there" way. My grade: C Plus
The Old Man & the Gun (2018) Robert Redford is Forrest
Tucker, a 78 year old man who felt compelled to rob banks—and in the
early 80s, robbed nearly 100 before he was finally caught. It’s a
sleepy, folksy little drama—perhaps too sleepy. Watch it to see Sissy
Spacek (the widow he courts) and Casey Affleck, the detective who
pursued him. And for Redford, of course. Not much of a story, but for
us older folks, Redford & Spacek are always worth a look. My grade: C Plus
The Land of Steady Habits (2018) Anders (after a midlife crisis I
presume) retires from his job, leaves his wife (Edie Falco) and buys
a condo—in the same tony neighborhood he lived with Edie. He browses curios in
little stores, sometimes picks up women, sometimes drops in on his wife—who has a new life now, Anders. You can’t
have it both ways. It’s a suburban soap
that’s not bad, just... very mellow. We
all live and learn. My grade: C Plus
Trespass Against Us (2017)
Hidden in the English countryside is a circle of grungy camper vans,
travel trailers, misfit men & their scalliwag kids—all lorded
over by their grandda Colby, who directs them to thieve, commit petty
crimes & confound the police. His oldest, Chad wants a betty
life for his fam—if only he had the educate or wherewithal to do a
thinga 'bout it. Well shot, good actors—but it’s trash talk &
trash folk, n' trickle else. My grade: C Ploos (you'll need subtitles)
Beatriz
at Dinner (2017) When her car breaks down at a wealthy client’s
home, massage therapist Beatriz (Selma Hayek) is invited to stay for a small
dinner party. She’s going to wish she
declined after meeting Trumpian millionaire John Lithgow. The world would be a far better place without
people like him, she thinks. Fed up,
she’ll decide to do something about it... her decision will be a heartbreaking
one. Selma, you are love. My grade: C Plus
Una (2017) Nearly 30 now, Una goes in search of Ray—the man who lived next door
and molested her for 3 months when she was 13. He went to jail for 4
years, then moved away… but she still has questions. Why did he do
it? And more importantly, why didn’t he come back? Yep. He’ll
explain he has a new life now, he knows it was wrong… but she’s broken
and wants to stay that way in this somber, uneasy story. Fade to
black. My grade: C Plus
The Sense of an Ending (2017) Retired
& living alone, Tony is surprised when he receives a
solicitor’s letter that he’s been named in a will—by the mother of his
girlfriend Veronica from his university days. Stranger still, Veronica’s mum left him the diary that belonged to his best friend (who killed himself 50 years ago). Why does she have it? No real mystery here, more of a tease that flickers softly out in this British soap that’s not without its stodgy charm. My grade: C Plus
Mr. Church
(2016) ”Mama, there’s a black man cooking eggs in our kitchen.” 10
year old Charlotte doesn’t know her mom has breast cancer, or that her mother’s
ex-boyfriend hired Eddie Murphy (Eddie Murphy!) to cook for them for 6
months. 6 years later, her mom’s still
here, barely; but so is Mr. Church. He’s
not going anywhere, in this manipulative, formulaic “the true meaning of
family”. Oh well, it’s still a sweet story. My grade: C Plus
You Hurt My Feelings (2024)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a writer in NYC who’s dealing with an annoying
adult son, a mother showing signs of dementia and a therapist husband
who she overheard say he couldn’t stand her latest work to her sisters
husband. Everyone will plod along, plod along… eventually they’ll make
things right, in this low-key little comedy drama. It’s a bore, but has
Julia. My grade: C
Janet Planet (2023) Lacy is 11 years old and lives with her mother in a quiet house in the woods. It’s 1991, so there’s no computers or internet—only piano lessons. And New Age friends of her mother Janet, who all seem to ponder life with little emotion. Lacy has no friends, and wonders why but doesn’t really care. She has her mother. So what is the point of this banal story? Life can be pretty boring. My grade: C
Cry Macho (2021)
Clint Eastwood is an ancient horse-trainer in Texas, let go because...
well, he's old. So when his former boss offers him cash to go to Mexico
and collect his illegitimate 13 year old son (who looks and acts 18),
Clint says ok. It’s a good thing things are so tame, Clint is fragile
and moves at a snail’s pace. But there's a spark of drama at the end if
you're patient! Clint, God bless you sir. You’re acting right up ‘til
the very end, aren’t you. My grade: C
Here Before (2021) Laura is spellbound when a family moves in
next door. They have a young daughter named Megan, who seems
to know her—and reminds Laura of her own deceased daughter Josie. Could Megan be Josie reborn? Doggone it, this is just a hammy soap from Ireland with more suds than Irish Spring! With a little more work this might've been intriguing. Alas, it’s just a big Irish yawn. My grade: C
Red Joan (2019) Based on a true story, 80something Judi Dench is arrested by the British Secret Service. Why me? I’m just an old lady…
Yes, but in the 1930s you were a physics genius, in love with a
Communist and selling British war secrets to the KGB. Why did you do it
Joan? For love… and something bigger. It sounds romantic &
exciting, right? I liken it to watching a cup of hot tea go cold. A
pretty period ensemble, but utterly boring. My grade: C
Who We Are Now (2018)
Beth (Julianne Nicholson) is out of prison after serving a 10 year
sentence. She had a baby boy and made her sister Gabby his legal
guardian, but she wants shared custody now and Gabby says no. And what
should’ve been a good drama becomes a clutter of squabbles among Beth and her circle, and her public defender (Emma Roberts) and
her family. Fine acting and real enough, but drags on until it’s
sudden, abrupt end. My grade: C
Change in the Air (2018)
The neighborhood is abuzz when Olympia Dukakis’ half-senile husband
walks in front of a car—again. Meanwhile, her
neighbor JoAnn is mystified by the young woman who recently moved here…
why is she getting so much mail? Hmm… this movie is akin
to someone's dog wandering into your backyard and
doing a slow, easy yawn then leaving again. Cute, but what was all that fuss
about? My grade: C
The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
After Cameron (Chloe Grace Moretz) is caught by her boyfriend making
out with a girl at their Prom, her aunt sends her to a co-ed gay
conversion camp. Well, it’s 1993 so Christian bigots can still sell
this malarkey. And aside from one boy’s performance that brings the
house down, nothing really happens. This has all the punch of a 1970s
Afterschool Special. Pass on this one, see Boy Erased instead. My grade: C
Still (2018)
A young woman loses her way hiking the Appalachian Trail, and discovers
a cabin in the woods—and a quiet, backwards couple. The husband wants
the hiker gone NOW, but his wife likes her, so…okay she can stay. And
drink some of their moonshine. It’s pretty good stuff, it’s kept them
going for a long time. A VERY long time. This sleepy story could’ve
& should’ve been more than what it was, it’s just a lonnng yawn.
That’s all. My grade: C
Fathers &
Daughters (2016) After a car
accident kills his wife & leaves him with seizures, writer Russell Crowe
struggles to raise their 7 year old daughter Katie on his own—meanwhile, 25
years later an adult Katie (Amanda Seyfried) wrestles with emotional issues,
always wanting love but always pushing it away. Why? We’ll see in this weepy,
contrived drama about the lasting effects of losing loved ones. My grade: C Plus
Indiscretion (2016)
Mira Sorvino is a psychiatrist—and a politicians wife who feels
compelled to invite a long-haired artist to dinner. One brief fling
later, she thanks him and says goodbye… not so fast Mira! This whackjob
wants you and will do whatever it takes to make you his. Oh it’s
Lifetimey alright, and a couple notches below Fatal Attraction, but I love Mira and there’s a little speech at the end that should surprise her. It sure did me! My grade: C Plus
I Smile Back (2015)
Sarah Silverman gives an honest performance as a wife & mom
with 2 kids and a kind husband who adore & worry over her. She
wants to be better but keeps screwing things up with drugs and men. So
what's it going to take for her family to give up on her? It would seem
she has to know. My grade: C Plus
Tangerine (2015) Sin-dee a
tranny prostitute, back on the streets of West LA after a 28 day stint
in prison and on the hunt--she just found out her boyfriend-pimp Chester
has been cheating on her with a white fish named Dinah. "And she a
fish for real!" This class of society isn't exactly a step up from drug
addicts or the homeless, but they still count & still care, in
this sad, grimy drama. My grade: C
Plus
Adore (2013) Naomi
Watts & Robin Wright are lifelong friends, with beautiful
beachfront homes and each a mom to a 20 year old Adonis. So is it only
natural that these two mums fall for each other's son? No, but it
happens anyway. Is there any good to come out of all this? What do you
think? My grade: C Plus
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) Tilda
Swinton is a mother on the edge, after years of hatred and abuse from
her evil son, who seemed born that way. And now that he's in prison for
vicious acts, she reflects back and wonders if she is to blame--and how.
Such a stark and dark story. My grade: C Plus
Kodachrome
(2018) “Your
dad is dying and wants you to
drive him to Kansas to get 4 rolls of film developed. There’s only one
lab left and they're closing in a week.” “Yeah it's too bad
there isn’t an overnight service that can deliver the film--you know,
like Fed Ex.”
But Jason Sudeikis agrees to drive his estranged father (Ed Harris) and nurse
(Elizabeth Olsen) in this much too predictable road-trip movie. It’s
not terrible, but it’s not great either. My grade: C
Gook (2017) Eli & his brother struggle to
keep their run-down shoe store open in South Central LA, but they’re Koreans
and barely tolerated in the hood—except for Kamilla, an 11 year old black girl
they’ve ‘adopted’ as their kid sister. But this is 1992, and the Rodney King riots have just begun. Is their shop far enough from the looting and
burning? Yes & no in Justin Chon’s very
talented but so bleak drama. I admired
this, but it's not enough. My grade:
C
In Search of Fellini (2017)
It’s 1993, and 20 year old movie fan Lucy has led a sheltered life
(thanks to her doting mom). But when she goes to the city and stumbles
into a Fellini film festival, she’s smitten. She’ll travel to Rome to
meet the filmmaker himself, fall for a boy, lose her way in a sea of
colorful, nonsensical people and—oh I get it. This love story is more
for Fellini than the rest of us, I found it to be little more than a
gauzy snooze. My grade: C
The Keeping Hours (2017) 7 years after the death of his 5 year old son Jacob (and subsequent
divorce), Mark returns to clean out the attic and
put the house up for sale. What does he find? His son Jacob's ghost. Mark convinces his ex to see for
herself, and in a sad, strange way they become a family again. So why
is Jacob there? For sappy, hanky reasons. Wow, this movie is corny as they come. Not awful, but still gaggy. My grade: C
3 Generations (2017) If she likes girls, why can’t she be a normal lesbian like her grandma? As Naomi Watts grapples with an angry, emotional 16 year old trapped in a girl’s body, a gay mother (Susan Sarandon) who doesn’t get it & an absentee ex who refuses to sign sex-change papers for a child he’s never seen, when will it all end? No really… when will it all end. The ending’s a little too neat, but after all this anguish I’ll take it. My grade: C
American
Pastoral (2016) In the 1940s, Ewan McGregor was All-American, his
sweetheart (Jennifer Connelly) the class beauty queen. In the ‘50s they marry,
buy a home, start a family. The American
Dream. But the 1960s bring war &
protest, and they’ll watch helpless as their revolutionist daughter slips away,
taking the Dream with her. Based on
Philip Roth’s saga, a shame. Miscast actors, it felt rushed, small, phony. This
deserves a miniseries, not a movie. My
grade: D
August: Osage County (2013) After
their beaten down dad vanishes, a mean Julia Roberts and her two
sisters return home to Oklahoma to be with their abusive, cancer-ridden
mom (Meryl Streep). This gives 'dysfunctional family' a whole new
meaning, with their depressing, hateful tirades. Why Meryl, why? My grade: D
Breathe In (2013) Guy Pearce is a humdrum music teacher with a wishy-washy wife &
18 year old daughter, who takes in an 18 year old foreign exchange
student. She's wishy-washy too, but she's British, and plays soft piano
music, and looks at Guy with soul searching eyes. What's next? More
humdrum, in this cliche-laden sleeparama. My grade: D
Nebraska (2013) When
a (very old) Bruce Dern insists he's won a million dollar sweepstakes,
his son (Will Forte) agrees to drive him from Billings to Lincoln NE to
collect his winnings (and to spend some time with his dad). I realize
the intention here, but all the monochrome adds up to one boring
picture. My grade: D
White Reindeer (2013) After
the violent death of her husband, Suzanne spends the month before
Christmas grieving--she shops for box after box of stuff online, and
befriends the stripper she discovers her spouse was seeing on the side.
So where's the joy she felt as a child at this time of year? Yes, she's
really asking herself that. My grade: D for DOWNER
Wonderful World (2009) Matthew
Broderick is a dismal character with no real life or expectations--but
gosh, just so happens to have a wise roommate from Africa to show him
how good life really is. My God how boring. My grade: D