​ Author & Screenwriter

 Sandra Fontana

​​​​​​About my Movie Reviews

I love movies! Especially those based on true stories. I think of them as a reflection of our society, a time capsule, our collective memory of what has happened… or what could! When adapted from books, movies serve as an extension of the written word, allowing a comparison of the director’s vision against our own.

During the pandemic, our viewing habits changed. It was no longer "normal" to go to movie theaters. However, we were fortunate that the industry kept us entertained with very creative works that we were able to view online through streaming services and premium sites. Some features were traditional movies (current and vintage), and others were told in a series format. Notably, many films ran on these services for only a limited time. But, with so many choices available, it was daunting to make a selection: which were the best and worst, and how did we want to invest a few hours of viewing time? So, as a service to my website readers, I included condensed reviews of the films I saw on the two subscriber services I used: Amazon Prime and Netflix.   

​Now, after nearly three years of watching movies from the couch, we're back to the theaters, folks! While I expected the first big-screen film I would see would be Oppenheimer, my husband suggested we see Barbie. So, Barbie it is!

​ENTRIES ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY. 

Reviews for pre-pandemic movies are listed beneath the streaming services films.

POST-PANDEMIC MOVIES:

​Barbie (2023)

Barbie isn't just a pretty-in-pink romp through Toy Land. It's a think piece.

Populated with countless “Barbies” and countless “Kens” and their countless friends, every day in Barbie Land is pretty and sunny and bright, and the same. Until one day, when sudden physical changes overcome Barbie’s sense of self. What to do? After consulting "Weird Barbie," our heroine decides she must leave superficial Barbie Land, and travel to the Real World—in her hot pink Corvette, with Ken as a stowaway—to look for the disillusioned woman who lost hope in Mattel's promise that girls could grow up to become doctors, judges, astronauts, or even the president. This forbidden journey awakens both Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) to the truth that this isn't the way it all played out in the real world, and they realize they've been deceived by Mattel.

Seeing the need to make things right back in Barbie Land, the "Kens" reshape their role, becoming… men, while the "Barbies" adapt to being… women. What strikes a nerve is that Barbie takes male bashing to an uncomfortable level, owing to today’s gender inequity, where doors open wide for men (just for being men), while women must prove their worth as they struggle with a never-ending push/pull paradigm. But, in the fixing of this Ken vs Barbie battle, the film's overall message might've struck a more resolute tone, had the equity balance of gender roles been accomplished with diplomacy, rather than female manipulation. As, obviously, the universe will remain lopsided as long as men and women see themselves as opponents rather than partners.

A film based on a doll is entitled to play with nostalgia, and Barbie does this with campy references that most women will enjoy from the days they walked in Barbie's shoes… alas, high heels… as young girls. Peppered with subtle cultural humor, the film is both fun and funny, but also deep and noteworthy. Because, in addition to making a point using abundant creativity, the movie’s creators kept true to what Barbie-the-doll was really about: being a grown-up in a make-believe world.

Spoiler: A nice touch is Rhea Perlman's role as Ruth Handler, the creator of the Barbie doll, which she based on her own daughter. This many years later, Handler is in the position to give her creation much-needed adult wisdom.  (B)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3  (2023)

Contains spoilers. Was there a need for a third My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Apparently, Nia Vardalos, director and screenwriter, who stars as Toula Portokalos in the comedy movie series, thought there was. Built on the [convoluted] premise that Toula must hand over her now deceased father’s American-life journal to his Greek childhood best friend, she and her husband Ian (John Corbett) fly to Greece to execute the task. Naturally, almost everyone in the Portokalos family must accompany them, including their teen daughter Paris (whom I hadn’t seen before; but, then, I missed Greek 2, in which she might’ve appeared.)

Evidently, to sell this film to producers, additional plots were necessary. Dozens of them. Let’s see: A Portokalos family reunion in Greece, planned by cousin Victory (Melina Kotselou), who is the village mayor; Paris failing her first year of college, which is compounded by her unsuccessful dating history; one of her ex-boyfriends being forced to join the travel party (the maneuver of two of her great aunts); Toula’s mother having off-and-on Alzheimer’s; Toula’s brother (Louis Mandylor) Nick’s obsession with grooming himself wherever meals are served; Nick secreting his father’s ashes in his luggage so that he can bury him in his homeland; the lack of water in the Greek village that is causing the olive crop to fail; the presence of an odd old woman who dominates the family’s visit; a mysterious man who seems to be watching Toula, who turns out to be the son of the old woman, and the half-brother Toula didn’t know she had; how to communicate this news to Toula’s mother; a [forbidden] love story between the son of Toula’s half-brother and the immigrant home helper to the old woman; Toula’s inability to locate her father’s childhood best friend; Toula and Ian deciding to take a vacation in Greece (yes, that's correct-- in Greece); but first, Toula enlisting the help of her cousins Nikki and Angelo to locate her father's childhood friend; and… whew! … no one is showing up for the reunion. So much of the patchworked storyline is forced and pointless, or simply a series of running gags. And, the one family member whom we expect to deliver the humor, Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin), is as ordinary as anyone else’s aunt. Poor Ian seems like an afterthought in this film.

A ”big” movie like this is expected to deliver a grand finale. And it does: The raucous village wedding scene right out of the film Mama Mia! Fortunately, the multiple plots get laid to rest. The family is able to restore water to the village; Toula, Nick, and their new half-brother spread their father’s ashes beneath his favorite tree; Paris and her ex-boyfriend make amends; and dozens of Portokalos family members, along with the childhood friend, arrive, just in time for the wedding/reunion. Closing out the film, Toula and Nick’s half-brother flies with them to America, to meet their mother. Because, after all, the Portokalos family is “stuck together by our own sweat.”

One last thing: Did they really need a crowing rooster on set, between each scene transition? (D)

FILMS FROM STREAMING SERVICES: 

amazonPrime

7500 (2020)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Tobias Ellis, the co-captain on a flight from Berlin to Paris. Soon after the flight takes off (by which time we know that Tobias's life partner, the mother of his son, is a flight attendant on this same flight), hijackers force their way into the cockpit and seriously injure the captain. Tobias is able to eject all but one hijacker from the cockpit, whom he disables and restrains; but Tobias's arm is slashed, and he must maintain the flight path as the captain begins to succumb to his injuries. In addition, still far from the nearest airport, Tobias must deal with the ongoing threats taking place in the cabin. By the time the hijacker comes to, the captain has expired, and Tobias is engaged in an emergency landing, having watched the hijackers take one life after another on the closed-circuit camera. Be warned: from the moment the movie starts, your blood pressure will begin to rise, and it won't return to normal until the end credits begin to roll. (A)

9/11 The Filmmakers’ Commemorative Edition (2002)
A documentary of 9/11, filmed in real time. Brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet happen to be filming a documentary about New York City firefighters when the tragic event occurs. The film footage they capture as they follow first responders into the World Trade Center and around the destroyed structures is nothing less than haunting.  (A-)

Affliction (1998)

I wanted to like this movie, because it was set in my home state of New Hampshire. But the story was so bland, and the main character, Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte), was so glum, it was difficult to watch, let alone like. Wade holds a number of odd jobs, including part-time police officer, but he's constantly unsatisfied with every aspect of his life, the result of growing up with an overbearing father. He takes his frustrations out on everyone—his ex-wife, his boss, his friends, and—painfully—his young daughter. The one strand of good in Wade's life is his girlfriend, Margie (Sissy Spacek), but Wade fails to realize her value, and destroys that relationship, too. (D)

Beautiful Boy (2018)
The heartbreaking story of a drug-addicted son, and the impact on the boy’s father. The addictive lifestyle is predictable, but hope and devotion take this well-acted film to a higher level. Timothée Chalamet stars as Nic Sheff, and his father is played by Steve Carell.  (B)


Blackbird (2020)
A woman who suffers from a terminal illness invites her family for one last reunion before committing assisted suicide. Susan Sarandon's performance is reminiscent of her role as the dying mother in Stepmom. Naturally, family dynamics and grudges take center stage, as Sarandon's character dominates like a prima donna. Kate Winslet (who shines) and Mia Wasikowska play her daughters. Sam Neill also stars. (C)

Bloodlines (2010)
Set in New Zealand, and based on true events, the crime depicted in this film—a husband plotting to kill his wife—is similar to many Dateline episodes. Predictable as it is, though, the manner that this prominent psychologist goes about committing the crime and then covering his tracks is rather interesting. The actors playing the police officers and the wife's doctor contribute to the overall effectiveness of the movie's suspense. (B+)

Blow the Man Down (2019)
Two sisters in a quirky seaside Maine village try to cover up a murder. Although peppered with faces-you-know actors like Annette O'Toole and Margo Martindale, it's young newcomer Sophie Lowe, playing the older sister, Priscilla Connolly, who deserves notice. (B-)

 
Bombshell (2019)
The behind-the-scenes look at Fox News, as seen through the eyes of its female employees. Charlize Theron, as a dead-ringer for Megyn Kelly, and John Lithgow (as Roger Ailes) lead the all-star cast that also includes Nicole Kidman, Kate McKinnon, Allison Janney, and Malcolm McDowell. Margot Robbie delivers a stellar performance as the Fox newcomer wanting to get ahead at the network. Acting is great all-around, even though the material holds an oozing amount of "ick." (I actually saw this movie on the big screen, prior to the pandemic; but, since it was playing on Amazon Prime, I included the review here.) (A-)


Borat: Subsequent Movie Film
A Russian uses his daughter to curry favor with U.S. politicians and celebrities. Vulgar and idiotic. (F)
 

Breach (2007)
The true story of the FBI’s most notorious security breach. Ryan Phillippe plays Eric O'Neill, a bright, young FBI upstart motivated to be classified as an agent, is assigned to surreptitiously monitor the behaviors of the cagey veteran agent Robert Hanssen (played by Chris Cooper), who is suspected of being a turncoat—a spy within the agency. Tense and compelling, this film gives nothing away, and reveals no loose ends or bad calls in the telling of the story. (A)

Breathe (2017)

Andrew Garfield stars as Robin Cavendish, a successful tea broker, who marries well above his station in life, and then whisks his bride off to Kenya. Set in 1958, and based on a true story, within months of the couple's arrival, they are able to celebrate news of Diana's pregnancy, but they also experience considerable devastation when Robin contracts polio. Completely immobile from the neck down, Robin is destined to face the rest of his life in a hospital with other polio victims. Or, he can go along with his wife's plan of taking him home, where he can enjoy a life as free as possible, and also watch his son grow up. The Cavendishes are surrounded by wonderful friends, including one who is able to adapt Robin's many ideas into actual devices that help not only Robin, but many hundreds of severely disabled people around the world. (A)

Chef (2014)
Down on his luck, the head chef of an upscale restaurant wants to impress a well-known food critic, but the restaurant’s owner wants the same tired menu served. When the chef refuses, he’s fired, which sends him on a path of working for himself. Jon Favreau stars in this all-star cast. Favreau also wrote and directed the film. Compliments to the chef! (A)
 

The Circle (2017)

Mae Holland (Emma Watson) lands a job at a slick tech company, The Circle, where the mission is to integrate all aspects of an individual's life, and store that data for various forms of manipulation. This is a well-crafted work that provides a glimpse of the future, and how social media and the merging and sharing of our bio metrics and other personal data can go awry. Tom Hanks also stars. (A)

Crown Heights (2017)
In April 1980, at the age of 18, Colin Warner is plucked off the street, wrongfully accused of a murder. He is indicted a month later. It will be 21 years before he sees freedom. In a negligent prison system, where one black man can serve as a convenient substitute for another, and where poverty can be a death sentence, Warner’s true story illustrates how important it is to have an ally on the outside—a good friend, like Carl “KC” King, who will stop at nothing to prove Warner’s innocence. Much of the movie takes place in the prison, but KC’s efforts bring life and light to an issue that has dominated the racial discrimination dialogue for decades—prison reform. LaKeith Stanfield stars as Warner; Nnamdi Asomugha as KC. Natalie Paul turns in a good performance as Antoinette, Warner’s girlfriend. (A-)

Down the Shore (2013)

The film opens with Bailey Euler's sister, Susan, meeting a man named Jacques in Paris soon after she arrives as a tourist. Four months later, Jacques (played by Edoardo Costa) shows up on Bailey's doorstep, claiming to be Susan's widower, and saying that she willed half of Bailey's seaside cottage to him. Bailey (James Gandolfini) is portrayed as a depressed louse—he doesn't shave, he's overweight, he drinks to excess, and he operates the rides at an oceanfront carnival... in the winter. But apparently, Bailey is just what Mary Reed (Famke Janssen) is looking for. In the past, the two were destined for marriage, but after an incident that is meant to hold up the structure of this incredibly dull movie, Mary ended up marrying Wiley (now a drug addict), and together they became parents of a mentally challenged son. As the days go by, one-by-one, Mary and Bailey reminisce about their youth, when they were girlfriend and boyfriend; Jacques tries to fix Bailey's problems; and Bailey endures a fractured friendship with Wiley, knowing he is physically abusing Mary. (C-)

The Dressmaker (2015)
Kate Winslet plays Tilly Dunnage, a skilled seamstress returning to her Australian hometown to settle an old score. It’s up to her to filter out the best of the eccentric townspeople and flesh out their long-held secrets. The opening scenes of this film are somewhat offbeat. Settle in anyway; this is an entertaining film, with a strong role for Winslet to add to her already impressive resumé.  (A-)
 

The Eichmann Show (2015)

Based on reality, a blacklisted director, Leo Hurwitz, is hired to document the trial of Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi, for his significant role in the Holocaust. Hurwitz's documentary of the trial, held in Israel, is broadcast in real time on televisions around the world, and is the first time witnesses have been able to tell of the atrocities they observed, and be heard. Riveting material, made as cogent as possible through backstory. (B)

Fathers & Daughters (2016)

Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried head the cast of this parallel life story of Jake Davis, an award-winning author, and his daughter, Katie. The car accident that killed Jake's wife and Katie's mother leaves them both forever damaged. Suffering neurological impairment, Jake leaves Katie with his relatives (his deceased wife's sister and her husband) while he seeks treatment. When he returns, seven months later, he learns that his former in-laws are determined to adopt Katie, wanting to give her a better life than her own father can provide. This is an accomplished, complex story of deep emotions and suffering. (A)

Herself (2021)
Clare Dunne plays Sandra, a single mother, who, after escaping from her abusive husband, builds a new life by gathering friends and self-building a home for her two daughters. The plotline shines, going far beyond the typical spousal-abuse themes. And, because the film's material calls for an actress who can play a top-to-bottom-serious attitude while still appearing hopeful, and who can bring out the delicate power of a woman who has been beat up by bureaucracy, Dunne is the right choice. She nails it. (A)

Hope Gap (2020)

Grace (Annette Bening) takes for granted that her 29-year marriage is secure, not knowing that her husband, Edward (Bill Nighy), is on the verge of leaving her for another woman. During a long-awaited visit from their son, Jamie, Edward makes his announcement. As their only offspring, Jamie wrestles with aiding his mother's depression and his father's bliss. Set along the White Cliffs of Dover, the scenery is remarkable, but Bening's inconsistent British accent is a little off-putting. Overall, the story is slow and dull. (C-)

I Am Woman (2019)
The real-life story of Helen Reddy. Relative-newcomer Tilda Cobham-Hervey is delightful in the lead role. (A-)
 

I'm Your Woman (2020)

​Jean doesn't work outside the home, she can't cook, and she hasn't been able to bear children. She is married to Eddie. Because Eddie's work is all-consuming, she seldom sees him. Many nights he never makes it home at all. So she's surprised when, one day, Eddie brings home a six-month-old baby, to raise as her own. No explanations. It's not long after, when one of Eddie's co-workers arrives in the middle of the night, grabs a bag from Eddie's closet that contains $250,000 in cash, and tells Jean that she and the baby must leave the house. Much to her confusion, Cal, another co-worker, guides Jean in her relocation. Over the course of several months, Jean (played skillfully by Rachel Brosnahan) learns to adapt to the violent life of crime that Eddie had kept secret from her, while also finding out other things he never mentioned. (A-)

In the Electric Mist (2009)
A Louisiana sheriff comes face-to-face with a murder connected to his past while investigating the death of a young prostitute. Filmed post-Katrina, the landscape still cries from the impact of the hurricane, but there are far too many characters and red herrings for this movie to rise above the bayou. Thank goodness Tommy Lee Jones stars. (B-)


I See You (2019)
A boy goes missing, reminding town folk of the cold case of another missing boy. The lead detective on the case (played by Jon Tenney) is the husband in a household filled with angst, due to his wife’s recent affair, which has also upset their teenage son. Granted, outlandish things happen that might make you want to give up on this film early on; but eventually, everything makes sense in this tense psycho-thriller. Tenney plays the troubled, menacing role like an instrument. Helen Hunt also stars. (A-)
 

Intersection (1994)

Richard Gere stars as Vincent Eastman, an accomplished architect, whose life is complicated by juggling a wife (Sharon Stone) and a girlfriend (Lolita Davidovich), as well as a daughter. Vincent isn't sure which woman he wants in his life, as one represents history; the other, youth. This movie has more flashbacks (Eastman meeting/courting his wife, Eastman meeting/courting his girlfriend), than present-day scenes. In fact, the entirety of the move is a flashback, after Vincent is seen driving down the road at 100 mph, holding a letter addressed to his girlfriend, when he encounters a broken-down van that's situated in the middle of the road, while a tractor trailer truck approaches from the other direction. As the inevitable crash occurs, we are taken back—via flashback—to Vincent's life leading up to this moment (the wife, the girlfriend, the daughter), which comprises abundant flashbacks. (C)

Late Night (2019)

Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) is the host on a late night television talk show that has been running for thirty years. For the last ten years or so, Katherine has lost her edge, and the show's ratings have slipped. To be sure, this is not a comedy. It's a character piece that interprets a woman existing in a man's world. At the point where Katherine is informed that her show will be cancelled, she begins to unravel, much like a mid-life crisis, that can only be solved by beefing up her image and jazzing up her show. When it becomes obvious that the writing staff consists of only men, the least-likely choice—an Indian woman, currently working in a chemical plant—Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling, who also wrote the screenplay), is hired. Molly's truth-and-consequences approach is just what Katherine's show needs, if only she would accept Molly's help. Patel is delightful and engaging onscreen, but she cannot save this movie, because there are too many tangled plot ideas, with no thread to carry the theme. (C+)

The Lie (2018)
In this psycho-thriller, a teenage girl tells her parents that she murdered her friend, causing the estranged parents to do their best to protect their daughter. (B+)


Life Itself (2018)
The story of three generations whose lives are filled with tragedy. The first 20 minutes of this film should’ve been cut; but thereafter, the story comes together beautifully. The film provides a place for numerous a-list stars, with Antonio Banderas shining brightest. (A-) 

Light of My Life (2019)

Casey Affleck wrote, directed, and produced this gripping present-day post-apocalyptic tale of survival. Affleck also stars, playing the protective father of Rag, his ten-year-old daughter, who must pretend to be a boy for her own safety, because she was born soon after the plague began that virtually eradicated all females. The father’s keen intuition, and his daughter’s charming intelligence, serve them well, as they migrate on the fringes of civilization, always with an eye for escape from desperate strangers. The film’s pace is perfectly suited to the characters’ plight of weariness, danger, love—while staying true to their instincts of being constantly alert to the unknown. We’re likely to see much more of young Anna Pniowsky, who plays Rag. She is a wonder! (A)

The New Daughter (2009)

Following a divorce, John James (Kevin Costner) moves to a new house with his son and daughter. While John's relationship with his son is strong, Louisa poses problems. Some of her attitude may be attributable to hormones, but she's also disgruntled about having to attend a new school. Seeking to find her own space, Louisa spends time at the Indian burial mound located in the back yard. The mound holds mysterious powers that, little by little, affect Louisa. She becomes more reclusive and aggressive, until the forces of the mound haunt the entire family. (D-)

Nobody's Fool (1995)
This is not one of Paul Newman’s best films; but in this small, upstate New York town, he’s the aging neighborhood nice guy. (B-)
 

The Report (2019)
Depicted with as much intensity as the events that played out in real life, this is how the U.S. torture program was developed during President George W. Bush's administration. Adam Driver stars. (B)


Sound of Metal (2019)
Suffering from loss of hearing, a musician seeks help from an unconventional professional. (A)

Uncle Frank (2020)
It’s 1973, and although no one else in the family can figure it out, Frank Bledsoe (played by Paul Bettany) knows why his father doesn’t like him. On the other hand, Beth (Sophia Lillis) has always been fond of her uncle. Following some sage advice from Frank when she’s fourteen, Beth reimagines herself as a successful, powerful young woman, and later earns her way into NYU, where Frank is a professor. Always aiming to be straightforward with Beth, Frank admits to her that he’s gay, and that Wally, his roommate, is actually his lover. Beth is still absorbing this news, when a phone call comes from home, letting them know Frank’s father has died. While Frank and Beth are driving to South Carolina to attend the funeral, they discover they are being followed. It turns out that it’s Wally, who has rented a car so he can join Frank, for support. And, in the small, homophobic town of Creekville, Frank will need that support. This is a well-acted, sensitive film, with charming characters, and solid plot construction. (A)

U.S.S. Cooper: Return to Ormoc Bay (2011)
The personal account of a deep-sea diver Rob Lalumiere’s journey to the bottom of the sea, in the Philippines, with the mission of placing a memorial plaque on a sunken warship, the U.S.S. Cooper. The film connects the past with the present, but misses an opportunity by not interviewing Lalumiere when he surfaces from his dive, to capture his feelings about his tanks leaking and to learn what he discovered from the sunken ship.  (A-)


Where Hope Grows (2015)

It's not clear how long Calvin "Cal" Campbell has been burning through his legacy as a former Detroit Tigers teammate, but he's nearly hit rock bottom when he encounters a young man with Down syndrome at the grocery store, who goes by the name "Produce." At this point in his life, Cal (played by Kristoffer Polaha) seems unwilling to bond with anyone, but Produce's kind spirit is so refreshing that Cal can't resist his friendly manner. Despite Cal's rough lifestyle, this is a family drama, where the strongest expletive is Dang! Holding back a higher rating are the numerous "unlikelies" (a Hallmark Channel kind of flaw), such as Cal going to the grocery store almost every day (who does that?); Cal having plenty of money (especially for booze), despite being unemployed; the floodlights being on, with a bucket of balls waiting, on the very night that Cal decides to hit a few at the ballpark in the pouring rain; and Amy (the woman of Cal's interest) appearing at the grocery store, the church, and at an AA meeting—she's everywhere! David DeSanctis (as Produce) is the clear standout star of this film. (B+)

Wonder Wheel (2018)

On the cusp of turning 40, Ginny (Kate Winslet ) is already miserable, married to Humpty (Jim Belushi), and raising son Richie from her first marriage, when her step-daughter (who happens to be on the run from her gangster husband) arrives and moves in with them. It’s the 1950s, and they live upstairs from the Coney Island concessions vendors, next to where Mickey (Justin Timberlake), the lifeguard, works Zone 7. Ginny enjoys a summer affair with Mickey, but becomes jealous when his attention turns to Humpty’s daughter. Despite the star power, this film is a wretched mess and a waste of time. No wonder; it's a Woody Allen film. (D)

The Words (2018)
A tortured American writer discovers an unpublished manuscript in a satchel purchased by his wife in an antique shop in Paris, and then pens the novel as his own work. The last generation of storytellers could be eliminated from the film, with the conclusion told only through the main character’s point of view. (B+)


NETFLIX

The American President (1995)
Approval ratings of the widowed president of the United States, who is seeking reelection, trend downward when he begins a romantic relationship with a lobbyist. [True confession: I've seen this movie dozens of times over the years, and enjoy watching it each and every time.] (A)


Barry (2016)
Young Barack Obama faces cultural and political awakenings when he transfers to New York City’s Columbia University, in 1981. It's a steep climb to portray a character who is to become the first black president of the United States, but Devon Terrell does a fine job, and makes us believe he is the real deal. Anya Taylor-Joy adds substance as Obama's girlfriend, Charlotte.  (C+)


The Founder (2016)
The story of how Ray Kroc came to own the McDonald’s restaurant chain. Let's face it: Michael Keaton turns any role he plays into so much more—enough so, that he completely boosts the trajectory of any film in which he stars, as he does again here.  (A)

The Frozen Ground (2013)

Nicolas Cage stars as Sgt. Jack Halcombe of the Alaska State Police, whose last assignment is to track down the serial killer who rapes, tortures, and sets his victims free before shooting them like hunting trophies. We learn early on who the predator is: Robert Hansen, a local baker, played by John Cusack. Hansen's latest prey, Cindy Paulson (played by Vanessa Hudgens), is Halcombe's best option of stopping Hansen before he can kill again. Based on real life, this story might have been more gripping if some of the characters' decisions were more plausible. (B-)

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)
Leave it to director Ron Howard to reinvent the flashback. In this sad, based-on-reality tale, Howard places most scenes in the past, with just enough in the present to give the audience faith that something good will eventually happen to this dysfunctional family. With so many broken characters, it’s difficult to know who to care about most. First, there’s Beverly (played by Amy Adams), who was salutatorian of her class of 400 students, but was never able to parlay that achievement into meaningful success after getting pregnant at 18. She did, however, attain her R.N., but many poor choices left her stripped of her nursing job. It doesn’t help that she is short-tempered and disrespectful, partly due to her drug addiction. J.D. Vance, her son, strives to grow beyond his hopeless Kentucky roots. And he has a good chance, with his grandmother “Mamaw” (Glenn Close) refusing to give up on him, as she did Beverly. But Mamaw won’t live forever, so it’s up to J.D. to decide what he wants to make of his life, before it's too late. Young J.D. is played by Owen Asztalos, with the older character played by Gabriel Basso. (B+)

I Care a Lot (2021)

Rosamund Pike stars as Marla Grayson, a personal guardian who manages the lives of seniors who are unable to care for themselves. With a network of medical professionals and assisted living facility administrators feeding her referrals, Grayson is able to garner orders from the court that authorize her to take control of the lives of her wards--selling their assets, managing their meds, and preventing family member visits. But Marla has met her match when she enrolls Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest) as a new client. (B+)

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020) (a 4-part documentary)

Dozens of victim-survivors recount their experiences with one of history's most prolific perverts, Jeffrey Epstein, in this detailed documentary. The billionaire's sexual exploits occur at various properties he owns around the world—and sometimes include other high-profile men—in acts that are mostly perpetrated against vulnerable teenaged girls, who are overcome with shock and disgust by the manner in which they are forced to succumb to Epstein's deviant exploits. Well-documented with film, facts, and testimony of involved parties. (A)

The Next Three Days (2010)
In this seat-of-your-pants thriller, a desperate husband plots his wife’s escape from prison. Russell Crowe stars with Elizabeth Banks. (A)


The Professor & the Madman (2019)
Professor James Murray, an uneducated man who reads extensively and excels in languages, is hired to lead a team of scholars to create the Oxford English Dictionary, a monumental task that has taken other men years, with nothing to show for it. When Murray solicits the public for words to be included, an unlikely fellow provides valuable assistance. The film stars Mel Gibson (Murray) and Sean Penn, who breathe technicolor into this piece of mid-19th Century history.  (A)


The Queen’s Gambit (2020) (a 7-part mini-series)
Raised in an orphanage, where the janitor taught her how to play chess, Beth Harmon grows up to become a brilliant young woman who learns hard lessons about life as she takes the world by storm. Although Anya Taylor-Joy is not a novice actress, this is her breakout role. She's wonderful! (A+)

The Resistance Banker (2018)

Gijs van Hall, played by Jacob Derwig, works as a banker in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. He and his brother, Walraven, (Barry Atsma) undertake a dangerously covert scheme of helping the Dutch resistance by raising funds and moving that money through channels to keep agencies solvent so that they don't become allies of the Nazis. (B+)

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)
The true story of Josh Waitzkin, a young chess prodigy reminiscent of legendary champion Bobby Fischer. While the boy’s skills are nurtured by his father and a former chess master, his mother tackles the job of keeping her son grounded.  Max Pomeranc plays Josh, with Joe Mantegna delivering fully as the father. (A)

Secrets in Their Eyes (2015)
When former FBI agent Ray Kasten (Chiwetel Ejiofor) returns to Los Angeles for a counter-terrorism detail, he comes face-to-face with an old colleague, Claire Sloane (played by Nicole Kidman). Numerous hints of their past romance appear through flashbacks, but in the present day, there is simply no chemistry between them. Ray reveals to Claire, who is now the district attorney, that he's found a key lead in a murder he investigated 13 years ago, and so she authorizes a reopening of the case. Stern and reserved, Claire oversees Ray's investigation, which is one of the few compelling aspects of this film—the victim is the daughter of co-worker Jessica Cobb. Julia Roberts turns in an outstanding performance as Jessica; and I would’ve preferred that the past fling be between her and Ray, which would have made for a much more tightly-woven plot. Meant to be a suspense film, it falls flat. Only one crucial flashback was necessary, not the dozens of meaningless interruptions that did nothing but take up time. Moderated kudos for the ending, which has a bit of a Silence of the Lambs feel. (C+)

Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (2015) (a 2-part mini-series)

Frank Sinatra's 1971 "Retirement Concert" in Los Angeles is used as the framework for this documentary that recounts the famous singer's personal and professional life. Interviews with Sinatra, his family, and colleagues create a tapestry of how a boy from New Jersey became one of the most popular singers of all time.  (B+)

The Sinner (2017) (a 3-season/24-episode series)

Each of the three seasons consists of eight episodes—all tightly woven and uniquely suspenseful—in which Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) works as a detective trying to solve the crimes. Pullman is purposely "slow," but his actions are spot on, intense, and thorough. The first season deals with a young mother, played by Jessica Biel, who savagely kills a man on the beach for no apparent reason. The second season is about a young boy who is suspected of killing his parents while on their way to Niagara Falls. The third season begins with a car accident that presents a lot of questions. In each season, the obvious becomes more complex and remarkable. Definitely binge-worthy. (A+) 

W./E. (2011)
Without even knowing the film was directed and co-written by Madonna, her presence was evident. Was that her in the role of Wallis Simpson? It turned out, no. But, Madonna is all over the screen nevertheless. The most famous love story of all time—that of King Edward VIII and American divorcée Wallis Simpson, is juxtaposed with the present-day life of Wally Winthrop, a neglected housewife who falls in love with a Russian security guard from Sotheby's auction house. Wally is obsessed by the legacy of her glamorous namesake, and visits Sotheby's daily to fantasize about the treasures of the Royal couple. The abuse Wally endures from her husband enable the advances of security guard Evgeni to hit their intended mark. It takes a while to acclimate to the back-and-forth cuts between past and present (which sometimes overlap), making this a difficult film to watch, even though it tells the story of Simpson and "David" quite well. (C+)

FILMS FROM PRE-PANDEMIC MOVIE-THEATRE VIEWING:

THE ACCOUNTANT

(2016)

Do you like puzzles? Working on a particularly perplexing one in a neuroscience center in Hanover, New Hampshire, Christian Wolff is an autistic child with highly advanced cognitive skills. His unsympathetic father refuses when the facility’s director offers to take Christian out of the mainstream and provide free treatment, choosing instead to raise Christian and his brother in the "real world." When Christian’s mother loses her ability to cope in her own real world, she leaves the family, yielding to her husband’s sadistic treatment of the boys.

His father’s words, “You’re different. Sooner or later, different scares people,” fill every waking moment of Christian Wolff’s thoughts. Now an accountant working from his own CPA firm located in a strip mall outside Chicago, Christian (Ben Affleck) cooks the books for powerful organizations tied to the underworld—the drug cartel, money launderers, assassins. As such, he is highly valued and richly rewarded, but also the holder of his clients’ secrets, putting his life at constant risk, and forcing him to rely on the survival skills once mandated by his father. When Christian is alerted that his activities have drawn attention from the U.S. Treasury’s Criminal Investigation Unit, he takes on a legitimate client. Charged with validating a sizeable mathematical error, Christian becomes sidetracked by the client's in-house accountant, Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick), who becomes entangled not only in Christian’s secret lifestyle, but also in the Treasury’s investigation into his illegal activities.

Ben Affleck delivers a rewarding performance as a stoic, almost invisible professional, who can turn ruthless in an instant. His character is super-skilled, but believable. At times, even likable. The Accountant is a smart, tight, well-crafted screenplay with a multi-layered plot. The pieces of this suspense/action thriller fall into place just as any other puzzle would—one by one, each revealing a bit more of the complete picture.

Best performance:  Ben Affleck, as Christian Wolff

AMERICAN SNIPER

(2014) 

The complexity of American Sniper makes it difficult to put into words. Hundreds of movies have taken us to Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Vietnam, and let us feel war through the eyes of troops who were there. And now, American Sniper takes us to Iraq, into the dismal environment of another unpopular war, where the stakes couldn’t be higher. To be sure, other films have dealt with the war in Iraq. But therein lies the difference. Sniper is more about the man than the war. Hats off to Director Clint Eastwood for putting the viewer in the skin of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL burdened with being the best as a child, and then as a legendary sniper during four tours in Iraq. Imagine your every thought, blink, or move having life or death consequences. And that others are dependent on you to keep them alive. Boys become men in war, where decisions carry tremendous risk. This film weaves that intensity with the “stateside” life of Kyle’s wife and children. Through his portrayal, Bradley Cooper honors the real Chris Kyle; and Sienna Miller is spot-on as his wife. The profound images at the end of the film validate the story’s truth. And its irony.

Best performance:  Bradley Cooper, as Chris Kyle.

BIG FISH

(2003)

A jaded man navigates through fact and fiction of his dying father’s impossible, fantastical life. Starring Billy Crudup as son Will Bloom, and Albert Finney as his father, Ed, this hate/love story explores the magic of living one’s life to the fullest. Although the film demands suspension of disbelief, it’s a sweet story between father and son.

Best performance: Ewan McGregor, as the young Ed Bloom.

THE BIG SHORT

(2015)

This is the shameful true story of a fund manager who figured out… what the rest of us found out… when the bottom fell out.

In 2005, Dr. Michael Burry (Christian Bale), founder of Scion Capital, analyzes each mortgage built into the top twenty mortgage-backed securities, and discovers a time bomb that has eluded even Treasury Secretary Alan Greenspan. Acting on his findings, Burry bets against the housing industry and invests in credit default swaps (called “shorting” the market) with Goldman Sachs. When Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) gets wind of this, he calls in Frontpoint Partners, headed by Mark Baum (Steve Carell), who, even though he understands the potential windfall, feels guilty for being able to capitalize on the industry’s greed and the government’s stupidity. Former Wall Streeter Ben Rickert (played by Brad Pitt) is enlisted by two rooky investors who need help getting to the big leagues. From these different perspectives, we witness the biggest blunder in America’s history.

The basis of the film is complicated stuff: Building on the historic strength of the housing market, mortgages were loaded into mortgage-backed securities (MBS), popular with commercial investors. Sub-prime and adjustable-rate mortgages were implemented to keep the pile of fees and bonuses from toppling the house of cards that depended on ever-increasing home sales. To accommodate this market, FICO scores, credit history, and employment verification—former criteria for obtaining a mortgage—were tossed to the wind. And, as homeowners were faced with introductory-rate mortgages resetting to a higher rate, home equity loans and refinancing of home mortgages became the means to avoid foreclosure. Meanwhile, housing prices that had become unrealistically high, began tumbling. In other words, the bubble was bursting. Ripple effects of the housing market crash were tremendous, with millions of people losing their homes, their jobs, and—for many—a lifetime of investments. In 2008, the Federal Reserve approved a taxpayer bailout in excess of $900 billion in an attempt to keep America from suffering total financial ruin.

To tame the complexities of so many technical terms and so much financial maneuvering, the film’s director, Adam McKay, implements a unique method of explanation by using Margot Robbie, Selena Gomez, and Anthony Bourdain to each portray an investment principle. McKay also injects images of people, places, and events of the times, depicting consumer recklessness and oblivion.

As a former banker, I could appreciate this movie for the way it accurately depicted all the nuances associated with the crisis. And for its efforts to make sense of it all. But, anyone should find The Big Short interesting for its subject matter, and because the performances are all well done. However, because of its complexity, this may be one of those films you’ll need to see twice.

Best performance:  Christian Bale, as Dr. Michael Burry, a quirky, lonely genius

BIRDMAN

or THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE 

​(2014)

Riggan Thomson struggles to overcome his notoriety as a comic book superhero movie character. But through the development of his Broadway play, he learns to embrace the persona, and thus recapture his identity. Reminiscent of Natalie Portman’s role in The Black Swan, Michael Keaton’s character perches on the wire between reality and insanity—levitating objects, self-talking through hardships, and soaring over the city that can make or break his career. The story takes a while to get off the ground, and if not for the performances of Keaton, Emma Stone, Ed Norton, and Zack Galifianakis, it would easily have laid an egg.

Best performance:  Michael Keaton, as Riggan Thompson.


BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

(2018)

When I first learned that a film was being made of yet another rock band's rise to success—this time, Queen and its lead singer, Freddie Mercury—I rolled my eyes. Surely, I wouldn't buy a ticket for that! Oh, how glad I am that I changed my mind. 

Like many 1970s bands, Queen was outrageous and sensational. But they were also unique. And, what makes Rhapsody different is that the band's story—and mostly Freddie's—is told using two impressive tools: solid acting, and honesty. Rami Malek's sweet portrayal of Freddie brings the talented singer back to life. Not only through his music, but by virtue of his personal relationships, both gay and straight. In addition to incorporating Queen's incredible playlist, we are treated to a re-creation of the band's outstanding July 1985 performance at the benefit concert, Live Aid. Indeed, Queen... and the movie... are the champions of the world!

Best performance: Rami Malek, as Freddie Mercury

BOYHOOD

​(2014)

Well… let’s just say that if Seinfeld was the TV show about nothing, then Boyhood is the movie about nothing. The unusual dynamic of filming the same actors over a period of twelve years is an original premise, and it made me respect both the concept and dedication of all involved. But the essence of the film is lots of snippets of a single mother of two and her ex-husband eating meals, going to school, riding in vehicles, and going about their lives. All connected, these insignificant moments show the ups and downs of one family over time, but mostly, like home movies, it’s a film without a real plot.

Best performance:  Patricia Arquette, as the mother.

BRIDGE OF SPIES 

(2015)

Contains spoilers. It’s 1957 and James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is recruited by the CIA to serve as the defense attorney for Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance). Seen as a traitor himself for taking the case, Donovan faces challenges from colleagues, his family, and the public, who feel Abel doesn’t deserve a fair trial. After losing the case, Donovan pleads with the judge to send his client to jail rather than the electric chair, thinking ahead that Abel could someday be used for a prisoner exchange with the Russians. Not long after, an American pilot goes down and becomes a prisoner of war at the hands of Russians, and a student is jailed after attempting to cross the Berlin Wall. The CIA again relies on Donovan, this time to negotiate a prisoner exchange that pits country against country and ego against ego. Based on actual events during the Cold War, Bridge of Spies is rich in historical drama, and serves as a reminder of the suspicious minds characteristic of that time period. Not a great movie, but an interesting story.

Best performance:  Mark Rylance, as Rudolf Abel

DETROIT

(2017)

Contains spoilers. Fifty years ago, I was too young to be aware of a historical incident that took place at the Algiers Motel in Detroit, where nine young guests—seven black men and two white women—took refuge from nearby rioting. Detroit focuses on the city’s 1967 racial disturbances, but personalizes the conflict between whites and blacks by focusing on a gunshot from the direction of the Algiers, that takes aim on a group of police officers. The cops raid the motel and immediately shoot one of the black men, then terrorize and abuse the others, using unethical tactics in an attempt to root out whoever fired the gun at the officers. The uneven playing field that’s dominated by these racist white officers has far-reaching dominance, and their corruption is both tangible and profound. Throughout the confrontation, you hope someone with level-headed intentions will intervene. And, with such a stacked system, by the time the police officers face trial for their actions, any expectation that justice will prevail is doubtful.

Told in a very true-to-life manner, this is a striking film worthy of Oscar consideration; but a bit of editing would’ve made it tighter and more powerful.

Best performance: Will Poulter, as Police Officer Krauss.

GONE GIRL
(2014)

A woman goes missing. Naturally, the police suspect her husband. And why not? Everything lines up. Perfectly. We see the situation from both the husband’s and wife’s point of view, a different approach than in the book, in which we didn’t know for a while what had become of the wife. Like most people, having read the book, I knew what to expect in the end, but the movie provided surprises. And pointed humor. Good choice of actors. The only negative: the sound on the flashback scenes was terrible—the background music overpowered the voices, which were mumbled and of low volume, making it difficult to understand and hear what the characters were saying. This is the first time I recall preferring the movie over the book, mostly because I thought the ending in the book was contrived. The movie excelled at integrating the two points of view, making for good suspense because we knew what was going on, but we didn’t know whether the husband or the wife would come out on top.  A good psychological thriller, the story could have ended about ten minutes sooner, when a pivotal scene would cause the audience to wonder when the next act of mistrust would play out.  

Best performance:  Ben Affleck, as Nick Dunne.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

(2017)

​Hollywood has gone crazy. Only one Oscar nomination for The Greatest Showman, and it’s for Best Original Song. Unbelievable! Showman grabs you by the throat from the first image, and pulls you through a glorious adventure, the likes of which we seldom see on film. Able to stand proudly among the best BIG musicals, like Chicago and Mama Mia, this one has ALL the elements—cohesive storyline, great songs, outstanding characters, important life lessons, romance, and FLAIR! Hugh Jackman (P.T. Barnum) and Zac Efron (Phillip Carlyle) are the ring leaders in a cast of exciting, yet plausible characters, who make the show as magical as a Disney winner. Michelle Williams (as Barnum’s wife) delivers a golden performance, as does Zendaya, as the trapeze artist. The thread is Barnum’s rags-to-riches story, overlaid with a bevy of unique performers as they, together, experience the ups and downs of show business and life… all to a pulse that keeps you entertained from beginning to end. This is an uplifting film, suitable for young and old alike. Be sure to see it on the big screen, though, where the power of the greatest show on earth burns brightest. Yes, do yourself a favor: Run away and join the circus!

Best performance: Hugh Jackman, as P.T. Barnum

HACKSAW RIDGE

(2016)

Contains spoilers. Hacksaw Ridge goes against convention, telling the true story of a different kind of hero soldier. Endearingly fresh, with a winning smile, Andrew Garfield plays Desmond Doss, an awkward young man raised under the thumb of a father who uses alcohol to wash away the horrors of his own military service. Young Doss, from Lynchburg, Virginia, is deeply affected by his environment—the constant abuse his mother suffers at the hand of his father, the fear that he may have killed his brother after knocking him unconscious in a fight, and a pretty nurse named Dorothy, who works at the hospital where Doss finds himself after rescuing a friend pinned under a car. Against the approval of his father, Doss, like his brother, enlists in the Army following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As a devout Seventh Day Adventist, he intends to serve as a medic, rather than fight as a soldier. But upon arriving at Fort Jackson, Doss finds that adhering to the Sixth Commandment of the Old Testament will be more difficult than he anticipated. Branded a coward for refusing to carry a gun, Doss suffers harsh treatment from Sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn); and when Doss resists pressure to resign, Howell turns the squad against him and has him arrested for insubordination. Facing a court martial, Doss is surprised when his father, dressed in his WWI military uniform, forces his way into court and presents a letter from his former commanding officer, stating that Doss’s rights as a Conscientious Objector are protected by the U.S. Constitution.

His first encounter at the Battle of Okinawa reminds Doss that his Thou Shall Not Kill commitment will be a challenge, as soldiers returning from Hacksaw Ridge, the battlefield, are barely alive, barely whole, having suffered brutal combat from Japanese forces. Through the most violent warfare imaginable (certainly the most horrific ever depicted on film), Doss embraces his internal conflict and continually puts himself to the test, saving one life after another as we hope for him to live, hope for him to return to Dorothy in one piece, and hope for him to be awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism.

In Hacksaw Ridge, where the backstory is so significant, I was becoming impatient for the main event. But after going to war with Director Mel Gibson, where young men were maimed in every conceivable manner, I felt as if I’d been in battle myself… and couldn’t wait to go home.

Best performance: Andrew Garfield, as Desmond Doss

HIDDEN FIGURES
(2016)

Hidden Figures (a story based on facts) tackles racial discrimination, sexism, and America’s space race against Russia. Ambitious for one film, but director Theodore Melfi pulls it off, threading these components into a brilliant historical profile of the late 50s/early 60s.

Prior to the installation of a massive IBM computer, three African American women are among those employed by NASA as human computers—calculating mathematical equations necessary for launching Mercury Program spacecraft and bringing the astronauts back to earth. As head of this all-female, all-black unit, Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) serves without benefit of what she most covets: the title of supervisor. Mary Jackson (Janelle Monάe), assigned to the engineering department, fights to attend classes at the local whites-only high school, in her quest for an engineering degree. Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), a single-mom and mathematical wiz, first proves her mettle by computing the trajectory of Alan Shepard’s inaugural flight, but unwittingly helps break down racial barriers when her boss, Al Harrison (Kevin Costner), destroys the “Colored Ladies Room” sign after learning that Katherine has been dashing the half mile from her assigned office to a restroom in another building whenever she needs to relieve herself. Katherine’s unfaltering mathematical accuracy serves to advance her career, but it’s also met with resistance by the men whose calculations she is assigned to verify. But that’s an attitude Katherine has been forced to defy more than once: “Yes, Mr. Johnson, they let women do things at NASA. Not because we wear dresses. But because we wear glasses.”

While Kevin Costner delivers a solid performance as the no-nonsense leader of the Space Task Group, Jim Parsons (as chief engineer Paul Stafford) earns high credit as Katherine’s nemesis, clinging to rules and biases in an effort to subjugate her.

The script begins with a few heavy-handed lines that should be left to the audience to discern, but the remainder of the film is well-written, fascinating, educational… and inspirational.

Best performance:  Taraji P. Henson, as Katherine Johnson

THE IMITATION GAME  

(2014)

Just saw The Imitation Game and was very, very impressed. Not only is it a meaningful, serious true story, it’s intelligent, well acted, and at times humorous. Set primarily during WWII, it flashes back to Alan Turing’s childhood and forward to years later—each time period providing understanding of the man who helped crack the enigma code and invented the computer; and through his work, helped end the war and save approximately 14 million lives. If this movie were shown in schools, it would depict much more about history than current textbooks possibly could.

Best performance: Benedict Cumberbatch, as Alan Turing.

THE INTERN
(2015)

No longer the assistant to Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway (playing Jules Ostin) has climbed to the top of the fashion heap, founding her own online mega clothing business. Although she’s too busy to remember, she did approve a senior internship program, which leads to the hiring of Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro), a widowed retiree who’s looking for a way to fill his time and feel more valued. Likable as he is, Whittaker, with his old-timey behaviors, is admired and emulated by his new co-workers, but has little to occupy his time as hardworking Ostin’s personal assistant, until he takes over as her driver. The interplay at the workplace, and especially between De Niro and Hathaway, takes off like a jet… until Whittaker becomes involved in Ostin’s personal life. That’s when the whole movie falls apart, becoming a chick flick about whether Ostin can expect to have success and a marriage. It’s as if two movies—one with age-related workplace humor, and the other with an adorable daughter and a stay-at-home dad—have been spliced together. Each could stand alone if fleshed out, but pieced together like this leaves all expectations generated by a smart first half falling flat at the predictable middle. Even so, the relationship between Hathaway and De Niro is over-the-top delightful, and is enough to pull the movie together, into a rich, want-to-see-again-and-again treasure.

Best performance:  Robert De Niro, as Ben Whittaker

JOY

(2015)

Previews of this movie make it look a little silly, but in fact, Joy is a well-acted screenplay depicting the unusually difficult, yet rewarding life of Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence), a divorced mother who takes the world by storm with the “Miracle Mop” that she invents and then markets on a new shopping network, called QVC.

As a child, Joy shares with her friend, Jackie (Dascha Polanco), her vision of wanting to create things, and is inspired further by her grandmother (Diane Ladd); but when her father (Robert De Niro) moves into her home—which is already filled with mooching family members—Joy laments not following through on her dreams, now that she’s an adult. Having cut her hands while mopping up broken glass, Joy sets out to invent a self-wringing mop. Made of a 350’ continuous strand of absorbable cotton, this mop has an additional benefit: it can be thrown into the washer after each use. The thrill of seeing her invention come to life is aided by Joy's father’s new girlfriend (Isabella Rossellini), who finances the project, and ex-husband (Edgar Ramirez), who manages to get her in front of QVC exec, Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper), to pitch the mop. But Joy’s strong will is what helps her navigate a sea of obstacles that include a toxic family, unskilled lawyers, and dishonest suppliers, on her way to success.

Two bonuses: A behind-the-scenes tour of QVC; and Susan Lucci and Donna Mills starring on daytime soaps that consume Joy’s mother’s life.

Best performance:  Jennifer Lawrence, as Joy Mangano

LA LA LAND

(2016)

With a flash-mob opening sequence, it quickly becomes clear that La La Land isn’t going to be a traditional movie. Writer/Director Damien Chazelle presents a composite of Hollywood—a stage play, a 1940’s motion picture, a musical, a modern romance film, and the city itself. In this break from tradition, Chazelle’s original concept somehow delivers.

In a city known for squashing fantasies, destined lovers Ryan Gosling as Sebastian, and Emma Stone playing Mia, struggle financially in search of long-held, seemingly impossible dreams. Jazz musician Sebastian plays keyboards in other people’s clubs, hoping to someday open one of his own. And Mia, an aspiring actress, works in the Warner Bros. coffee shop, begging for time off to audition for roles. As their first year together passes, lighthearted song-and-dance routines juxtapose reality with make-believe in a way that advances Mia and Sebastian’s love story—one that is reminiscent of (perhaps) everyone’s first serious, never forgotten, relationship. Most inspiring is Sebastian’s influence in helping Mia achieve her success; and Mia’s impact on Sebastian’s.

La La Land is a feel-good movie like no other. Just sit back and put your imagination to rest, and let Chazelle take you to a place called Hollywood that’s both old and new.

Best performance: Ryan Gosling, as Sebastian

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

(2016)

I didn’t intend to see Manchester by the Sea, expecting the storyline to be too predictable. But when it earned several Oscar nominations, I yielded to the pressure of the Academy’s weighty opinion. It’s not the first time I’ve fallen for that; but it may be the last.

Brooding and morose, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) works as a maintenance man in Quincy, Mass., a blue-collar city south of Boston. As if wanting to live cut off from emotion, his only human interaction comes from fistfights he instigates in bars. When he learns of his brother’s death, he barely flinches as he goes through the motions of making funeral arrangements with the same emotional detachment he employs when fixing a faucet. But when it falls on him to serve as legal guardian of Patrick (Lucas Hedges), his sixteen-year-old nephew, Lee is forced to reconnect with society, and his past.

Manchester is a film about suffering… the characters’ and the audience’s. Utilizing a depressing screenplay that lacks editing, it plays out with parallel storylines—the past and the present. The all-too-frequent flashbacks distract in the manner of television commercial breaks: They’re incredibly annoying and make it difficult to live in the moment. The flashbacks, like Lee, keep us at arm’s length from the people who populate his life. Too much of the film’s 2 hours/17 minutes is spent establishing Lee’s character, using no less than six examples to depict his mundane job—loading boxes, and then chairs, into a dumpster. Shoveling snow, fixing a toilet, a sink, a shower. And when he gets to Beverly (not Manchester), the town where his brother was raising Patrick, we encounter too many situations that allude to Lee’s reputation, casting him as either the town hero or a louse. But it takes so long to find out which it is, that we lose interest. Even the funeral-like background music, employed throughout much of the movie, casts a net of gloom. And for the first half of the movie, the “acting” was evident, another blemish on an already-weak film. As with most movies set in the Boston area, the landscape becomes one of the characters. Which, at least, held my interest. All the negatives aside, three aspects of Manchester by the Sea stand out: Lee’s comfortable relationship with Patrick, Michelle Williams’ emotional five minutes of screen time, and it was fun to see Matthew Broderick again. If only for a minute.

Best performance:  Lucas Hedges, as Patrick.

I must humble myself by acknowledging that Casey Affleck's performance was lost on me, but widely acclaimed otherwise. I cite the following from Wikipedia: "In 2016, Affleck starred as the lead in the drama film Manchester by the Sea. For his performance as Lee Chandler, a man grieving the loss of his children, he won the Critics Choice, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy Award for Best Actor, and received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination."

THE  MARTIAN

(2015)

For some reason, The Martian begs comparison to other movies. While better than Capricorn I, it’s not as good as The Right Stuff. With more plot twists than Gravity, and more relevance than the Star Wars series, ultimately, The Martian is a cross between Saving Private Ryan and Apollo 13—but with cardboard characters who don’t connect with each other, let alone the audience.

On a manned mission to Mars, crew members presume fellow astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) has been killed in a sand storm, and leave him behind. Watney’s home-away-from-home space station is equipped with virtually everything necessary to sustain life, but food rations won’t last until the next crew returns in four years. And so, being a botanist, Watney masterminds a way to grow potatoes inside his shelter. Equipment damage prevents him from communicating with NASA, until he channels his MacGyver skills and develops a method for restoring dialogue with his colleagues, even though no effort is made to connect him with his family members. We understand Watney’s anguish and motivations through the video diary he keeps in “the Hub;” and his utilization of the endless array of equipment available to him shows how intent he is on getting rescued. But, despite its few comical moments, this is one of those movies you’ll want to see just once. Supposedly scientifically sound, the film challenges believability throughout, but especially during the last part of Watney being lost in space.

Best performance:  Matt Damon, as Mark Watney

McFARLAND, USA

(2015)

Another movie based on a true story. Played by Kevin Costner, high school coach Jim White’s problem with social interaction has once again forced him to uproot his family and relocate—this last time to the border town of McFarland, California. Here, the mostly-Mexican school is located next to the prison, and teens pull double duty as students and migrant farm workers. Cut from his new position as football coach, White decides to form a cross-country team when he discovers that several boys have developed exceptional speed running between school and their after-school picking jobs. White works overtime coaching his struggling athletes, while making efforts to understand their lifestyle; but it’s his family who finds it easier fitting into the new community and adapting to the culture. Much like Remember the Titans, the heart of the story is White’s come-from-behind team, from whom he expects nothing but the best. Although the script is a little flat, McFarland is one of those feel-good films, worth the price of admission.

Best performance:  Carlos Pratts, as Thomas Valles.


MOONLIGHT
(2016)

Contains spoilers. Whenever a film looks at familiar material in an uncommon way, it attracts attention. Such is the case as we walk through the life of a black American living in Miami—as a boy, a youth, and as a black man. We get the sense that this is a life lived by many. Moonlight opens with the timid boy hiding from bullies who mock his small size. Drug dealer, Juan (played by Mahershala Ali), takes “Little” under his wing, forming a bond that might be considered suspect in any other environment. In what becomes “Little’s” refuge from his crack-addicted mother (Naomie Harris), Juan’s girlfriend (Janelle Monáe) provides the boy with a safe place to stay and serves as a positive influence. And then there’s Kevin, “Little’s” Cuban-American friend, on whom he can count for honest guidance. Slight changes have occurred by the time “Chiron” reaches his teens. He’s taller, but still the victim of ridicule and torture at school and neglect at home. When he suffers a beating at the hand of Kevin, who was himself coerced by the bullies, “Chiron” does what he should’ve done long ago: he stands up for himself and retaliates. It’s his first brush with the law. Depressed, confused, and alone, “Chiron” is still a lost boy; but comfort from Kevin eases his burden. Now a grown man, “Black” and his mother have moved to Atlanta, where he works as a drug dealer. When, after many years, he gets a call from Kevin, “Black” knows that only his friend can relieve the pain he’s lived with far too long.

This is a touching film, which feels all too real. Three actors were necessary to play the role of "Chiron," and three for Kevin. Nevertheless, the story is seamless in its narrative of one victim's journey through today's cultural battlefield.

Best performance: Mahershala Ali, as Juan.

PHANTOM THREAD

(2017)

When, at the outset of a relationship, the man tells the woman that he has never been married and never plans to be, we can’t blame the woman for taking the challenge to be the one who will change his mind. Set in 1950’s London, Daniel Day-Lewis plays Reynolds Woodcock, an obsessed haute couture designer, who plucks Alma (Vicky Krieps) from her waitress job to be his model/protégé. Wanting more from the relationship, Alma has to contend with Reynold’s ever-present sister, Cyril (Leslie Manville), who safeguards his every like, dislike, and annoyance. But Alma is undaunted and digs herself deeper into Reynold’s lifestyle, not only modeling his gowns and cooking his meals, but when it suits him, being his lover. Their love affair comes across as a game of wills, a virtual tug-of-war, until Alma finds a way to break down Reynold’s walls and get what she wants from the relationship. Though Reynold’s arc manifests quite miraculously, the story nevertheless is an excellent character study in which the audience can fully appreciate Reynolds, Alma, and Cyril for who they truly are.

Best performance: Equal credit goes to Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, and Leslie Manville.

THE POST

(2017)

In The Post, one of America’s fundamental principles is laid centerfold—freedom of the press. Having stolen and copied thousands of pages of top-secret decision-making documents from the Pentagon about the war in Vietnam, Daniel Ellsberg, a military analyst whose opinions differ from those to whom he reports, delivers the goods to The New York Times. After the Times begins publishing what becomes known as the "Pentagon Papers," President Nixon's Department of Justice slaps them with a restraining order, which the Times challenges through the Supreme Court. Then the issue falls to Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep), with all her social-political connections, who must decide whether to continue publication of the "Papers” in the Washington Post, the newspaper she came to own after the death of her husband, who inherited the paper from Graham's father. 

Ellsberg contacts Ben Bagdikian, an editor at The Post, in hopes of getting the rest of the story out to the public. This is where the movie takes off. Ben Bradlee, from what history tells us, was a powerful executive editor at The Post, who could make decisions on his own. In this case, however, the weighty choice of whether to publish against the threat of an injunction falls to Graham. Bradlee (played by Tom Hanks) must use all of his powers of persuasion to convince Graham to do the right thing. After lots of hand wringing, the determination is finally made to move forward. Although wholly relevant to today’s media challenges, the movie takes place in the early seventies, where cultural issues are never far from the surface: Graham, a woman, owning a newspaper? And then, there’s the whole Nixon situation, the prevailing story of the time. Having previously seen The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, a documentary about the same subject matter, I felt The Post wasted much of the drama on Graham’s dilemma, and also on the mechanics of getting the documents published, rather than on Ellsberg’s moral conscience—the decision of whether to reveal the truth to those outside the political sphere. Despite capable acting by Streep and Hanks—and everyone else, for that matter—this might be one of those movies I’ll have to see twice. Not because it’s so good, but because it’s so forgettable.

Best performance: Tom Hanks, as Ben Bradlee

RED SPARROW

(2018)

When a career-ending tragedy befalls Dominika Egorova (a prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet), her uncle comes forward, offering the help she needs to protect her sickly mother from being evicted from their home, which has been provided by the Russian government. By accepting her uncle’s help, Dominika (Jennifer Lawrence) opts into a violent, underworld lifestyle, which leads to her indoctrination as a high-level spy. Shrewd and ingenious, Dominika navigates a sexual tightrope, balancing between staying on the right side of the Russians, while also looking for a way out of this ruthless existence.

Red Sparrow approaches high drama with a fair amount of success, and Jennifer Lawrence delivers a solid performance, but the audience can’t help but feel pulled along a confusing path of gratuitous sex and gore, while trying to determine which of Dominika’s associates are double agents, and whether Dominika is playing for the Russians, the U.S., or herself.

Best performance:  Jennifer Lawrence, as Dominika Egorova.

SPOTLIGHT

(2015)

In 2015, we all know about the child molestation scandal that rocked the Catholic Church; but until the Boston Globe broke the story wide open, it was the world’s best kept secret. Like All the President’s Men, this film documents the journalistic process. When Marty Baron, the Globe’s new managing editor, challenges the four-person investigative reporting team called “Spotlight” to find its next hot topic, they brush aside the story of Boston priests molesting youths, believing it to be too “thin.” But they see things differently upon learning the Church has sealed related court records. As victims come forward, the scope of the cover-up becomes a rich trifecta between the Church, the lawyers, and the press. What happened, who profited by keeping it secret, and who had the responsibility to inform the public?

Subtle production values take you back to 2001—from the office settings and coffee shops to the homes, which feel as real as being there yourself. As actors Mark Ruffalo (Mike Rezendes), Michael Keaton (Walter ‘Robby’ Robinson), and Liev Schreiber (Marty Baron) come to grips with the graphic details of the pedophilia and work through the politics of the conspiracy, piecing together long-buried clues, they realize the magnitude of their powerful undertaking. And so do we.

Best performance:  Michael Keaton as Walter ‘Robby’ Robinson, who gets extra kudos for mastering the Boston accent, without making it come across as fake.

STILL ALICE

(2014)

Julianne Moore holds the title role of Alice Howland, an accomplished professor of linguistics at Columbia, who is diagnosed with Early-onset Alzheimer’s soon after her 50th birthday. No time is wasted introducing the symptoms that cause Alice to forget words and thoughts, to repeat herself, and then gradually lose control of her life. With Maria Shriver as an executive producer, it’s no wonder the film often takes the tone of a documentary, providing a primer on how to cope with the disease, such as when Alice visits an Alzheimer’s care facility and later delivers a presentation before the Alzheimer’s Association during which she highlights her script with a marker as she speaks, so she won’t lose her place on the page. The movie forces the question: Is it more difficult to struggle with having Alzheimer’s or to be a loved one of someone who has the disease? In this regard, one would hope to have a spouse like the husband portrayed by Alec Baldwin, whose unyielding support is the glue that holds his family together. When nothing else can.

Best performance:  Alec Baldwin, as John Howland.

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

(2017)

Contains multiple spoilers. Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) lives in a town so small that everyone should know each other’s name, but instead, refer to folks by descriptions—the fat dentist, the lady with the weird eye, the midget. If Ebbing has a story to tell, it begins and ends with its current residents. When Mildred inquires about leasing three decrepit billboards to call attention to the police chief's failure to nail her daughter's rapist-killer, Mildred directs the rental agent's attention to the ones outside of town on the road that no one uses anymore now that the highway has come through, when, instead, she could refer to the ones located within sight of her own house. You know: the ones lining the road where her daughter was raped and murdered. Surely, everyone in "Mayberry" remembers ​that! But in the middle of this story about people you'd rather not know, is Mildred, who expels her revenge on practically ​everyone in this middle-American town, where the cops are absurdly inept, and also crooked and racist, and no one is ever held accountable. Coincidences pile up one after another—ex-spouses dining at the same restaurant; the fired cop being allowed after-hours access to the police station (because he still has his keys) ... on the same night that Mildred torches the station; the cop ending up in the same hospital room as the rental agent he shoved out a second-story window; a potential suspect of the murder of Mildred’s daughter’s turning up in the same bar--sitting back-to-back--to the ex-cop who’s trying to solve the murder; an entire set of replacement tarps (oh, lucky day!) being delivered to Mildred's front door after her billboards are destroyed by fire; and when the police chief (who has terminal cancer) commits suicide, it’s a black cop who is sent “from somewhere” to take his place. Frances McDormand delivers a solid, take-all-prisoners performance, but she’s given no chance to be anything but bitter. Except once--when she impulsively, playfully, flings wet breakfast cereal at her teenage son. But the moment is quickly lost, when, moments later, the ex-husband arrives, the purpose being to get in Mildred's face about putting up the billboards. And like any good coincidence, just as the son brandishes a huge knife, ready to cut his father's throat, the ex's girlfriend (who has been waiting in the car less than two minutes) suddenly enters the house to use the bathroom. I’m no language prude, but the f-word is needlessly used in virtually every sentence. And if this is a film about today's America, then we've sunk to a new low. It’s obvious that "Billboards" is meant to be a dark comedy--best described as the marriage of The Dukes of Hazzard and Die Hard--but with predictable plot twists and a contrived storyline, not to mention that it's set in a "Mayberry" town filled with vengeful misfits, the overall script comes across as if written by a second-grader. It's that lame.

Best performance:  Frances McDormand as Mildred Hayes

TOMORROWLAND

(2015)

By tying the 1964 World’s Fair to the City of the Future shown in early scenes of Tomorrowland, the producers seem to have tapped directly into Walt Disney’s imagination at the time he conceived both Disney World’s “Tomorrowland” and Epcot. Magnificent as it may be, the “future” does little to bridge the huge disconnect between the poorly-developed storyline and the message the film attempts to convey.

The daughter of a NASA engineer, Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) acquires a special pin that, when touched, takes her—and only her—to an enchanted world that she believes to be the future. When the magic of the pin fades, she travels to Texas, where she expects to have its powers restored. She encounters a bright girl named Athena (Raffey Cassidy), who suggests they reach out to sci-fi guy Frank Walker (George Clooney), whom Athena knew as a boy. The three travel to the future—a place all three have been before.

Tomorrowland is filled with tech effects reminiscent of Star Wars, Transformers, and Ghostbusters, but it’s a hodgepodge of ideas that only serve as filler on the way to its rather heavy moral message. Overall, the movie misses its mark. It wouldn’t be fair to say that studio heads didn’t know what this film is about; but the reason they kept so much of the premise under wraps until its opening is now obvious: They didn’t know how to promote it.

Best performance:  Raffey Cassidy, as Athena

UNBROKEN

(2014)

While serving on a bombing mission during World War II, former Olympiad Louis Zamperini’s plane crashes in the Pacific. He and two of his fellow crew members endure the elements aboard their life raft, but when a Japanese vessel picks them up forty-seven days later, only two of the men are alive. Now emaciated and fatigued, Zamperini (played by Jack O’Connell) reflects on youthful memories of his brother’s support when he’s singled out for extreme treatment at the Japanese prisoner-of-war camp where he’s detained until the end of the war.

Japanese prison guard Takamasa Isihara, or “Bird,” as he’s known by (played skillfully by Miyavi) is sure to stand trial as a war criminal for his treatment of prisoners, but the movie implies that Zamperini alone had to endure such wrath. Either Zamperini was victimized for having been an Olympic athlete, or the film magnified his treatment for dramatic effect.

If there is one thing true about Unbroken, it’s the title, as Zamperini is characterized as having a will of iron. However, the film itself calls for considerable suspension of disbelief.

Best performance:  Jack O’Connell, as Louis Zamperini


A WALK IN THE WOODS

(2015)

When well-known travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) sets out to hike the Appalachian Trail with old friend Stephen Katz (Nick Nolte), the journey takes the two mismatched senior citizens to places neither could have anticipated. Beginning in Georgia at the trail’s southernmost point, hints of a years-ago dispute between the men lingers along the trail as they battle wits, weather, terrain, and other hikers. Filled with witty mishaps and laugh-out-loud experiences, the film’s pleasant perceptions of age, nature, and friendship keep it from going slapstick. Referring to this as a “buddy movie” is a dismissive insult. Like Bryson’s bestselling book of the same name, A Walk in the Woods is an amusing, colorful trip that doesn’t take itself too seriously. And that’s its charm.

Best performance:  Nick Nolte, as Stephen Katz

WILD

(2014)

Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) sets off to hike the Pacific Coast Trail (the PCT) to find her best self. Having failed to do research or planning of any kind, she’s set herself up for struggles by the mile. And there are 2,650 of them ahead of her! The backpack she carries is almost as heavy as the memories she takes along—of her deceased mother, her failed marriage, and a lifetime of bad choices. Along the way, Cheryl encounters a few people (primarily when she’s off- trail), but most of the movie is a patchwork of sometimes scary, but mostly grueling, hiking experiences tacked together with flashbacks of her mother’s fight against cancer and the mistakes Cheryl made after her mother’s death. The catharsis of being inside her own head for almost one hundred days leads to the path that the rest of her life will take.

The title of the film seems an odd choice, as Mild might’ve been more fitting.

Best performance:  Reese Witherspoon, as Cheryl Strayed