Chaos. From the opening scenes as masses of people in the dark night are hurried into a building and a room to disrobe, a man with a hat, averting his eyes from anyone in charge, a large red X painted across his back, helps to lead those masses into the building, helps them leave their…
Nothing like waiting until the last minute to see some Oscar contenders, but that I did, finally earlier this evening watching the live action short films nominated for a 2016 Oscar. The five films were mostly heavy, hard subjects with one endearingly lovely tale wedged in the middle. As usual, they were all very good.…
About five years ago, my dear friend and frequent movie companion put his total trust in me, and we went to see the animated (almost silent save for a few lines in Gaelic) French-Scottish film, The Illusionist (L’Illusionniste, 2010). I’ve never lived it down. Today, he indicated that we’d hit a new low. 😉 Okay, so not…
45 Years is one of those quiet, introspective dramas that demonstrates how risky it can be to pull at the scabs of old wounds of a marriage before they are healed, or, perhaps, ever. Whether an actual, physical wound or the emotional achilles heel of a relationship, you don’t always know what’s underneath. And for Kate,…
To say that Mad Max is not my typical film, well, unless this is your first rodeo reading my reflections, you already know that, and seeing this posted here, you’re likely as surprised as anyone that this is included in my viewing. Okay, so not so fast, perhaps. Yes, I have to admit that this…
As this movie ended, I turned to my movie companion, remarking, “That was fun!” And that’s pretty much my summary of this film. It’s just pure, simple, *awful*, fun. Fun? Awful? Well, yes. See, it’s also profane, violent, silly, sexual, refreshing, vulgar, and more—sometimes all at the same time. I belly-laughed loudly, and I forgot…
Ah, the Coen Brothers. Such diversity they have. Even when I look at my favorite films* they wrote, those are vastly different from each other. As is their latest, Hail, Caesar!, being in its own category. So let me be honest: the film made me feel not smart. Okay, that goes too far. But what I…
Go. See. This. Movie. Okay, sure, it highlights and explains a fair part* of the greed and corruption that led to our economic crisis in 2007/2008. And yes, I wish more people would understand the risk of un(or under)regulated Wall Street. But it’s also a really great film! The Big Short patiently (and partially) explains (quite…
The Revenant was among the top five (or so) most-anticipated films for me this year. The previews promised drama, suspense, and amazing landscape as a backdrop. The film, an epic early 1800s piece focusing on survival and revenge, did not disappoint. After seeing the film, I remarked to a friend that it was good, but…
Wow. This film was gripping. And it was bleak. Another that I caught up with while on a recent flight, Everest entertains. The film covers the true story (as a dramatization, not as a verified actual account) of the fatal expeditions on Mount Everest in 1996. Yes, fatal. Going in, I knew people would not survive. But…
Watching movies during flights usually isn’t my typical use of the time. But a recent flight found life not so typical. And 99 Homes had an actor nominated for a Golden Globe, so I partook. The movie was good, but it was also relatively quickly forgotten. The film—about an evicted home owner whose house is…
Ex Machina called to me as a film to see in the theater, but life got busy, and I didn’t make it. But I finally caught up with it let month on DVD. I’m glad I did not miss it entirely. And to be fair, I’ll admit that it’s been a few weeks since I…
I’m not sure if Tarantino has mellowed or improved or reined in what before felt like too-scattered, too-off-key, too-*too* something films, but I’ve very much enjoyed his last two flicks, this most recent being The Hateful Eight. Please don’t misunderstand me: this is still very much a Tarantino film; his signature is all over it…
What fun! Amy Poehler and Tina Fey deliver a silly, raunchy, sweet film that was a perfect escape for a couple of hours. And I watched it with my sister, which made it even better! I’ll borrow the words a friend used in describing the movie—that although the plot did not completely hold up as…
The Danish Girl is a beautiful film—warm and thought-provoking. It moved a bit too slowly for my preference, but I get that. It is about the characters and their difficult journey in navigating an emotional state of their marriage and life. This character study needed a pulled-back pace. It needed time to reflect on what…