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briner8397
Reviews
Elvis (2022)
My oh my
I noticed the publicity campaign for this film several weeks ago and was very skeptical. Is there anything new to reveal about Elvis? Will this story be a bunch of cliches? Perhaps even a parody? But with so few new movies right now I decided to see it at my nearest cineplex on a Tuesday afternoon. I was fascinated and deeply moved. Elvis was popular before I became an adult, I thought of him as a stereotype, and I'm happy to say I was wrong. This film? I've seen and know ALL of the music biopics released in the past 5-10 years. They've all been at least good but this one is great. The director's stamp was to make it dreamlike rather than literal. He chose moments and influences rather than checking the well-known story points. In the first ten minutes I was worried I wouldn't like the visual style, but was quickly won over and then reveled in how everything looked. At the end I thought "Well here's a story that left no bullets in the chamber; it fired every shot in the gun and left me on the floor. Elvis himself probably would have loved this movie as something way beyond what he knew. It's an incredible tribute 45 years after his early death at age 42. This is the best of moviemaking.
Nomadland (2020)
Not For Everyone
I unexpectedly saw the movie Nomadland on February 26, 2021, on a 65" flat screen so it was close to a theatrical experience. I was somewhat drawn to this movie by the recent publicity and buzz surrounding it, including early reviews, but also because (1) the location shooting was done primarily in desolate locations in Nevada and Arizona, (2) part of its subject matter is late 20th Century (post-1975) and contemporary (post-2008) economic dislocation, downsizing, and desperation; and (3) the no-nonsense, hard-nosed protagonist played by veteran and near icon Frances McDormand. I wondered if it was anything like the memorable 1988 movie Bagdad Café (filmed in the California desert near Barstow), and would it bring back 50-year-old memories I have of a 1,000-mile roundtrip camper trip I went on in December 1969 with my dad, from Los Angeles to Hoover Dam, Nevada, and the Grand Canyon, Arizona (to take a switchback mule ride between the rim and valley floor). Nomadland very much reminded me of both.
I knew Nomadland wouldn't be a walk in the park - that it would likely be a serious drama on the contemplative side - and it delivered in spades as such to the point of being relentless and a couple of times in the 2nd half of its 1-hour and 47-minute run time I yearned for the scenery and dialog to lighten up a little! Is Nomadland a movie about death, dying, funeral homes and cemeteries? No, but it felt like it at times.
Nomadland could be described as a modern-day Grapes of Wrath, following itinerant laborers around the country in search of economic survival but it's deeper than that. Nomadland not only doesn't pull punches, a few times it lands them when you're not looking in terms of frigid temperatures inside vans and campers, the chalk-in-your-mouth feeling using public bathrooms, and how people relieve themselves without access to a private toilet (that subject was bound to come in this story and Nomadland deals with it without flinching).
There's a lot of Frances McDormand staring into the distance in Nomadland but it's not gratuitous - she ALWAYS has a lot to think about, including a few very specific bumps in the road. At one plot point she is (and we feel) vulnerable as the engine in her converted van fails to turn over one morning and a local mechanic diagnoses the problem and gives her the bad news. She (and we) hear the unbearable amount of the bill and know the jig is up - until she pulls a rabbit out of a hat by borrowing money from a semi-estranged relative.
It turns out the protagonist in Nomadland has a family background and old and potentially new family members who feel loyalty to her and worry about her. That, dear friends, is probably the fairy tale part of this story that doesn't match the reality for most nomads. But as you would expect in a project this serious, even the home environment that's available to her is fraught with ambiguity and emotional snares and Frances retreats to the familiarity of her van that's parked in the driveway.
Nomadland includes at least a half dozen emotional highlights involving peripheral characters, which adds to its richness. Characters who might be off-putting just outside your personal space but are disarming as they reveal their personal story and humanity. I felt haunted by a heavily tattooed young drifter who turned out to be as sweet as they come (he fled his home in Wisconsin). What about rescuing someone like that for a short time? (The answer is probably bad news for several reasons).
I would give Nomadland 8 out of 10 stars but also be wary of recommending it. It's not for the overwhelming majority of moviegoers who are looking for action, romance, superheroes, musicals, or familiar stories about people like them or that they know. It's an art house film for sure. Containing no sex or violence, it's almost PG. Emotionally, it's R for sure.
Greyhound (2020)
Exceeded expectations, learned something new, things have changed
After watching ("screening") Greyhound:
1. I had modest expectations and it exceeded my expectations. My first reaction to the title and synopsis was "Great, another heroic WWII movie" but it's not that at all -- to Tom Hanks' credit. It focuses on one ocean crossing, unvarnished reality, and the context of real life.
2. I would say Greyhound is dialog heavy and almost all situational -- dealing with what's going on rather than backstory, future plans, or personal dramas. And the situational dialog is military command more than I've ever seen or noticed that in a movie BY FAR. How is intelligence collected, transmitted, and processed? By whom? Using what protocols? Is that information embellished, romanticized, or dealt with as focused or unfocused? Are any of the military protocols silly or unnecessary? Not as presented in this movie; they are all absolutely necessary, critical, and productive. A military mission doesn't invite, encourage, or ask for compliance; it's the blood of a team that sinks or swims together (literally while at sea).
3. It occurred to me while watching Greyhound that the WWII type of military conflict is now totally outdated. There is just as much conflict in the world, but literally it's now all digital and cyber. There is no efficacy in shooting bullets or launching bombs or missiles anymore; just disable an adversary's banking system or other critical infrastructure. Disrupt another country's elections and government, or another country's social order by disinformation and micro targeting disaffection and social comity. Today, Russia and China and North Korea and Iran can spend 1% of their military budget on cyber warfare and get 100 times more results. Traditional military operations have become the tactics of another century.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Creative and unpredictible
I saw a preview of JoJo Rabbit months ago and wrote it off as art house remainder bin, but when my life changed recently and I needed to see a movie that might shake me up I thought "Why not?" From the first shot it reminded me of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (2012), that I loved, and it spread out and deepened up to the last scene. Sure, it's goofy, but life is goofy. Just look at our current politics (and political leaders). Every personality in this movie is over the top, which makes it an anti-documentary that rings more true than not. The child protagonist reminded me of The Kid in Charlie Chaplin's movie of that name. Sadly, there was only one other person in the audience at today's suburban afternoon weekday matinee. The tone of JoJo Rabbit won't be everyone's cup of tea but I encourage every slightly bent, broken, or discouraged movie goer to roll the dice and see this minor masterpiece. If your choice is either JoJo Rabbit or a presidential rally, fellow citizens choose life over death.
Rocketman (2019)
Old subjects handled creatively and with integrity
Unhappy childhood? Get in line. Successful people indulging addictions? Been there done that. On those levels Elton's life is rather typical, but somehow this story hits the right tone and even flights of fancy don't detract from Rocketman's authenticity. The music is MY story as a 1973 high school graduate; I remember exactly where I was when I heard Your Song for the first time; ditto Rocketman and other hits. That might make the audience for this film smallish, except the magic, cautionary tale, and struggle to reconcile makes it damn near universal. How sad it was that the previews I watched while waiting for Rocketman included an upcoming Judy Garland biopic Under The Rainbow -- wherein Judy's sad life from childhood to barely middle age is told anew accompanied by her stellar talent and indelible performances. Judy couldn't figure it out while Elton apparently has. Who should we try to emulate? In Rocketman I was also impressed by the perennial dilemma of how to film the creative process, including connecting with creative lyrics and doodling on the piano; in almost all other movies about composers the light bulb moment is comical but for some reason I can't pinpoint here it seemed real or at least plausible. Elton John is a rare talent who found himself in the right place at the right time and made the most of it. He could have easily been just another rock star dead in his 20s but he caught himself in time (with a little help from some of his friends). Rocketman deserves to do very well at the box office.
Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
Why so violent?
I saw "Bad Times" because of the motel/neon/noir setup and loved all that, but the party was spoiled by over-the-top violence - sudden, loud, and excessive. The gratuitous violence pretty much ruined this movie for me. It would have been eight stars from me but descended to four stars overall.
First Reformed (2017)
Excellent until the last 15 minutes
I've been a fan of Ethan Hawke for 38 years, and I was sailing along with First Reformed through the dramatic turn but disconnected in the last fifteen minutes when the storytelling went off the rails. The protagonist gets an idea that is certainly dramatic, but doesn't first his character or backstory. It simply makes no sense and when the screen went to black for the credits I actually thought there was a projection malfunction! The abrupt ending wasn't challenging, it was stupid and I felt used. I do not expect or want The Sound Of Music with every film; I can go with dark as long as its believable and I care. The last fifteen minutes of First Reformed were neither.
American Animals (2018)
Wow!
Bad title, that would lead most people to assume this movie is about violence and/or debauchery but there's very little of either. I might have been in the right mood but I was mesmerized and give it a 10 score. Based on a true story and yet a fictional retelling. You know basically what's going to happen but never exactly how events will transpire. Not one false emotion or action in this 2-hour film that treats moviegoers like adults (take THAT superheroes and CGI!). What a relief that a story doesn't take place on either coast, nor is it elitist. And although it's in the genre of heist capers this is a totally original setup. No banks, casinos, jewelry, or even cash. The perpetrators aren't sympathetic or unsympathetic, but believable. Also shows, for real, the impact on family and friends when bored young men cook up something exciting. Hitchcock would love American Animals!
Coco (2017)
Almost a 10
Flirts with bathos sentimentality in the last ten minutes, but other than that awesome. Pixar is the successor to Walt Disney, who advanced animation in the 1920s. Coco's creative team -- numbering in the hundreds -- can sleep well because they took some risks with this story and hit the sweet spot of imagination and intellect (smart people make life meaningful by carefully observing the world they see and adding possibilities that cannot be seen; dia de los muertos is totally plausible to me because it honors all souls). The triumph of Coco belies building a wall. Sorry John Wayne.
Brad's Status (2017)
Welcome to fall, but
Brad's Status definitely makes an effort to say something meaningful. I always like that in storytelling. At times during Brad's Status I began to think about my own choices in life (at 60+), missed opportunities, and the long and winding road from college to
It was a LOL moment when Ben Stiller was described in a bar conversation about being in his 50s and he assertively comes back with "Actually, I'm 47." I wanted to like this movie but it didn't have the courage of its convictions. Real life for almost everyone is chock full of meaningful situations and dilemmas. Why oh why did the screenwriters of this fable resort to the extremes of top 1% wealth and for God's sake Harvard University. There are thousands of high quality colleges and universities across the country that could have been the object of this young man's and his father's fantasy. Why Harvard? Maybe because that name is a shortcut for wealth, privilege, and ultimate validation in the eyes of others. The poverty of that assertion is a separate question, but in this movie there's also the existential question of pegging one's self worth compared to the perceived success of others (in this case, friends from college after thirty years). That's fine, but why not make the class difference more real world? Like maybe between a 50-something with zero in 401(k) retirement savings and someone else in his suburban neighborhood with $100,000 in the bank? Why portray the difference between upper middle class and three old friends in the top 1%? That extremism ruined the movie for me and oh yeah, the ending that meant nothing. All of this Major Motion Picture resources for nothing? Ben Stiller racks his heart and soul and comes up with nothing? Thankfully there are no car crashes, CGI, or gun violence in Brad's Status. Unfortunately, the screenwriter doesn't have anything to say in this technically well made movie.
Beach Rats (2017)
Why was this reviewed well?
I drove 30 miles to see this art house film because I read two favorable reviews of it in national periodicals. For only the second time in recent memory I left before it ended. A few moments were closely observed and genuine, but the story development was mostly unbelievable, unpleasant-to-cringe-worthy, and I dreaded it becoming a gay Looking For Mr. Goodbar (Diane Keaton, 1977). Cruising Jersey Shore would have been a better title. I wouldn't want to spend one minute with any of the characters in this movie.
Dunkirk (2017)
Rare quality summer movie
Moments reminded me of Das Boot (1981) and Titanic (1997), but overall its own creation and statement. I was wary of another war movie until seeing several laudatory reviews. Thankfully it's not the usual hero or conflicted hero war movie; it's not a war movie at all from the perspective of the push and pull of victory and defeat. The alternative take? How about minimal dialog! This isn't storytelling by actors reading a carefully written script (as if real people ever talk like a screenplay); it moves along relentlessly as a condensed version of a very short time period. I also had to think of how Howard Hughes would have loved the flight dogfight scenes from his experience as a fearless pilot and brief moviemaker of WWI flight dogfight scenes. I loathe the excessive CGI in 90% of summer movies, and this one had very little if any artificiality and contrivance. I felt the drab beaches populated by huge numbers of troops, supply ships capsizing, and spitfires strafing. This is a movie about almost constant peril, but I hear that's what war is when it's in gear. I also had to think about our present political leadership and real heroism and sacrifice, but won't go there in this public comment. Dunkirk is a gem.
How to Be a Latin Lover (2017)
Pretty good
Low concept (nothing new but all in). High budget (a lot of fairly expensive scenes). Great casting (a handful of real life Hollywood survivors). Not always funny but a few times over-the-top hilarious. Sweet, but mostly in an after-school-special way. Outtakes over the credits are a nice bonus. A poor man's La La Land (looked to be all filmed in L.A.). While waiting for this screening I spent 30 minutes watching The Zookeeper's Wife, so I had movies-as-serious-stuff whiplash. I predict that this won't be a crossover hit, but will turn a small profit (as it deserves to). Worth my time and senior discount ticket, but if you don't like silly pick something else. Casting alone worth it for most people. Finally, kudos for a very young child actor who looked real and was used sensitively.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
25th Anniversary DVD (1990-2015)
I'm a geek who keeps an ongoing Master Calendar of my life, including all the movies I've ever seen in a theatre (not a huge number, maybe ten a year, but over the past thirty years that's 300 movies). I recently noticed that a 25th Anniversary DVD of Edward Scissorhands was being released, and didn't hesitate to order a copy because I fondly remember seeing it in 1990. After receiving the DVD I first carefully watched it with the Director's commentary, then Danny Elfman's (composer of the musical score) commentary, then the original theatrical release. That's well over five hours and it took me several days, but I was reminded of the film's creativity, beauty, over-the-top production design, and sweet story. Twenty-five years later Johnny Depp has gone on to be a big movie star, other actors in this film have become better known (including the ubiquitous but always watchable Alan Arkin), and Vincent Price has sadly left this earth. Looking through my Master Calendar of the past 30 years I often see movie titles that I literally remember nothing about, but not Edward Scissorhands. This is in the top 5% of all the movies that have ever been made. (At least it's in my top 5%).
Into the Woods (2014)
Took two screenings to make sure
The source material is so great (for intelligent and creative people) yet the success ratio for movie musicals is so dismal that I was wary. I loved the stage version of Le Miz but hated the 2012 movie. I would still favor various Broadway soundtracks of ITW, but the 2014 movie succeeds in its creative vision. Every character is at least good, several are deeply moving, the spare CGI works, and the source material survives. Stephen Sondheim can rest assured. Legit theater fanatics can stick with the imagination of the stage; this movie version shares the concept with a much bigger audience. Hopefully the fairy tale literati will welcome this modern mash-up. The risk of this movie was worth it even if it doesn't quite match the magic of The Wizard of Oz (what does?).