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Thursday, May 14, 2020
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
The Current War
THE GIST: Brilliant inventor Thomas Edison is on the cusp of seeing his electricity delivery system adopted all across America. Genius Nikola Tesla, however, believes he has a better system and partners with wealthy businessman George Westinghouse to make it a reality. Who will win this war among titans?The Current War is based on accounts of true events, which makes it all the more interesting. Tales that show what "could have been" usually are, particularly when the subject is something widely used every day all over the world.
Still, it's not a great movie and I think the reason falls on its need to speed through a very large amount of facts in a reasonable amount of time. This can cause some confusion as well as information overload.
At any rate, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, and Tom Holland all do a very good job. Sets and costumes are amazing as well.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The Current War is a movie enjoyable primarily for shedding some light (pun not intended) on how mankind conquered perennial nightly darkness at one's command. I liked it enough.
Grade: 6
Parasite (Gisaengchung)
THE GIST: The four Kim family members (mom, dad, son, and daughter) live in the slums in abject poverty. One day, the son forges his credentials and finds work as a tutor for the daughter of the Parks, a very wealthy family. One by one, and unbeknownst to the Parks, he manages to have the rest of his family hired in different roles, without letting on that they're related. All seems to be going well, until a former employee is forced to reveal a dark secret.Parasite was the shock winner of the Best Picture Oscar this year, a historic feat as it was the first time ever that a foreign film and a not-in-English film took home the topmost prize at the Academy Awards.
Not only that, it also nabbed Best Director and Best Screenplay, both for Bong Joon Ho, a name unknown to most filmgoers up until now, and of course Best International Feature Film.
I personally loved this movie because it felt incredibly original, so I was all too pleased that its brilliance was recognized so adoringly by the Academy.
THE BOTTOM LINE: This film has a little bit of everything in it: comedy, drama, horror, thriller, crime, action, so I think it should be able to please large segments of the audience. Don't let the subtitles scare you off, there's a whole wealth of great movies made in languages other than English out there in the world, all ready to be enjoyed.
Grade: 9
Jojo Rabbit
THE GIST: Ten-year-old Johannes lives with his mother in Germany during WWII. He counts on being accepted in the Nazi Party Youth Organization, especially because his imaginary best friend is none other than Adolf Hitler himself. One day, he discovers a Jewish girl is hiding in his house, under the protection of his mother.Taika Waititi, who plays Hitler here, wrote and directed this quirky satire and his brand of offbeat humor is all over the place. If you are into it then you might enjoy Jojo Rabbit, otherwise it's unlikely.
Roman Griffin Davis shows a lot of promise in his introductory feature, flanked by rising star Thomasin McKenzie.
Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen, and Stephen Merchant are all quite good. On the other hand, Rebel Wilson is an actress I still haven't figured out whether she just phones her performances in or simply has a very nonchalant kind of approach to acting. Not really a fan yet.
THE BOTTOM LINE: This is not the type of movie that everyone will enjoy. If you're unfamiliar with Waititi's work and style or if you find it unacceptable to use satire or comedy when dealing with a touchy subject like the Holocaust, then perhaps you should pass on this, even though it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
Grade: 7
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Doctor Sleep
THE GIST: It has taken years and lots of hard work, but Dan Torrance has finally gotten a hold of his powers and his life back together. One day, he makes a telepathic connection to what turns out to be a young girl with similar powers to his, who will soon need his help in order to survive a cult called The True Knot that's hell bent on killing her.The Shining is one of my all-time favorite movies, with a mesmerizing performance by Jack Nicholson and a script based on a novel by Stephen King, one of my favorite authors. Needless to say, I was excited when a sequel was announced, but also a bit concerned that it might turn out to be a dud.
Fortunately, I'm happy to report that Doctor Sleep is quite good, with a script that expertly weaves select threads from the original story into a new tale that's intriguing and engrossing.
Ewan McGregor plays adult Danny with his usual talent. He's flanked by Rebecca Ferguson, Cliff Curtis, Zahn McClarnon, and a very promising Kyliegh Curran.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you enjoyed the original, fear not, for Doctor Sleep is a thrilling new ride well deserving of following in its footsteps.
Grade: 8
Midway
THE GIST: After Japan't attack on Pearl Harbor, which forces the United States to join World War II, the two countries jostle for a decisive victory in their next major face-off: the Battle of Midway.I wasn't familiar with the story of the Battle of Midway, so I was curious to see this movie. I'm glad I did. The story is well told thanks to a tautly written screenplay and great editing.
The stellar cast includes Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans, Luke Kleintank, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Keean Johnson, Darren Criss, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Jun Kunimura, and Nick Jonas. They all do a wonderful job.
An incredible amount of detail went into costumes, sets, visual and sound effects. The end result is thrilling.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you like war movies, then by all means do not pass this up. Midway tells a great story exhaustively well.
Grade: 7
Harriet
THE GIST: After successfully escaping from slavery, Harriet Tubman finds her calling in helping other slaves gain their freedom through the Underground Railroad, even if it means putting herself and her newfound safety at risk.Harriet is based on true accounts of Tubman's extraordinary courage and determination in helping as many slaves as possible gain freedom. She often put her safety at risk and dared to face dangers that no one else would.
At its heart, the movie is a rousing tale of the perennial fight of good versus evil and of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity and injustice.
Cynthia Erivo, as always, delivers a stirring performance in the lead role, joined by Joe Alwyn, Clarke Peters, Leslie Odom Jr., Vanessa Bell Calloway, Zackary Momoh, and Janelle Monáe.
THE BOTTOM LINE: This film tells a story deserving to be known. It certainly isn't perfect and might take some dramatic liberties for the sake of storytelling, but it's a solid product.
Grade: 7
Monday, May 11, 2020
Queen & Slim
THE GIST: Queen and Slim go on their first date one night with no idea of the unexpected turn their lives will take after being pulled over by a cop on their way home.Queen & Slim is a really good movie that audiences all over America should see. It perfectly encapsulates the arduousness of being black in the US in a time when doing perfectly common and normal things (like driving, walking, running, going home, etc...) "while black" could lead to an arrest, jail time, or worse, death.
The screenplay by Lena Waithe and James Frey is really good and very well written, taking these two innocent souls through a veritable tour-de-force of emotions and adventures all in order to survive.
Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith turn in wonderful performances that feel completely real.
Finally, the cinematography is notable and makes this film an especially indelible one.
THE BOTTOM LINE: I would recommend this movie wholeheartedly to anybody. It's not always easy to watch, but that's part of what makes it a must-see. A true little gem.
Grade: 8
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