Author: James Hathaway

Movie 1: Final Account

This film is a remarkable documentary of interviews including the last generation of Hitler’s Third Reich. Some of the material is quite disturbing, often monumentally disturbing, sometimes painfully difficult to absorb. It is not to be missed! English and German with English subtitles. In theaters now.

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Movie 2: The Dry

The Dry is listed as an Australian thriller. It’s rated R for violence, language. It’s based on 2016 book by the same name. It won numerous international awards. Overall it’s a murder mystery with good performances, a fair amount of angst and a hefty share of dark secrets.

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Movie 3: Dream Horse

This is a charming film about a small town in Wales and the true story of a horse and a community of local supporters. It’s listed as a drama/comedy. Ultimately it’s a feel good film. It’s uplifting and well constructed. We found it fun and satisfying. Stay for the credits.

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Movie 1: Spiral: Saw

Oy! The full title is “Spiral: From the Book of Saw”. If you are a fan of torture, bloody violence, drug abuse and drug use as part of your evening entertainment then this film is right up your alley! We suggest just skipping this one.

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Movie 2: Finding You

Here is a romance, drama, comedy that is sure to please. Set in Ireland with a young couple learning how to fall in love. It’s a reminder courage and integrity can create strong behaviors and develop positive relationships. Cinematography of Ireland is gorgeous.

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Movie 3: The Woman in the Window

This Netflix mystery thriller is rated R (for language and violence).  It has a great cast including Amy Adams, Gary Oldman and a score of  others.  It’s based on the novel by the same name.  Our favorite critique comment is “a trashy movie trying to be classy!”  

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Movie 1: Oxygen

This is a unique Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller. But it’s so much more. It’s about a woman who wakes up in a cryogenic chamber with NO memory!! See it if you don’t want to sleep well for a few nights…maybe longer! Very claustrophobic. It is a French film dubbed in English.

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Movie 2: Those Who Wish Me Dead

It’s listed as an “American neo-Western action thriller. We’re not quite sure what that means. Critics reviews were not nice to this film. We found it intense but thoroughly engaging. It’s based on the novel by the same name. It’s also nice to see Angelina Jolie giving a strong performance.

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Movie 3: Profile

This mystery, drama, thriller gets confusing, thrilling and creepy very rapidly and doesn’t let up for most of the film. The in depth story gets even more intense and difficult to follow. It’s very timely and based on true events. We found it fascinating. Mostly English, some Arabic with English subtitles.

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Movie 1: Here Today

Here is a PG-13 comedy-drama worth seeking out! Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish have great chemistry and are concurrently hilarious and charming. There is occasional strong language and sexual references.

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Movie 2: Limbo

It’s listed as a Drama/Indie film. It’s actually much more and quite complicated. The lead character is a Syrian refugee who finds himself on a remote Scottish island waiting for asylum. It’s sometimes funny, other times bleak and still other times confusing. English and Arabic with English subtitles.

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Movie 3: Wrath of Man

This film directed by Guy Ritchie features Jason Statham as a surprising tough guy in an action/crime film. It’s rated R for language, violence and a bit more. It’s a thriller, occasionally confusing but overall a solid mystery film. We really enjoyed it.

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Movie 1: Four Good Days

This film is based on true events. It’s the story about a young girl with a long history of drug addiction. She seeks shelter at her Mom’s home while struggling to stay clean for four days in order to qualify for a new long term solution to the addiction.

It has good acting and a good storyline. Surprisingly audiences were mixed!

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Movie 2: Concrete Cowboy

This Netflix film was impressive in spite of the often tough subject matter. It has a great cast featuring Idris Elba as the ringleader of a group of youngsters struggling to overcome street life and drug addiction. It’s worth the 2 hour run time.

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Movie 3: Green Zone

Set in 2003 Iraq and featuring Matt Damon in another conspiracy action thriller. It’s also well worthy of the two hour run time. It’s filmed in Spain but it sure looks like Iraq. Rated R for Action/War.

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Movie 1: Demon Slayer: Mugen Train

Well…This was a unique animated feature film from Japan. It’s been released in two versions Japanese with English subtitles and (the version we saw…dubbed in English).

That said, while the film was visually stunning, it was quite difficult, if not impossible to follow without a knowledge of the background of the story! Wait…there’s more. For some reason the ticket price was much more expensive than other first released films. Bottom line, we could not understand much of the story and we felt ripped off at the box office.

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Movie 2: Things Heard and Seen

This Netflix thriller is a bit slow and confusing. The husband is a school teacher run amuck. It tries to be too artsy fartsy. It’s a shame given the film’s roots come from Sundance. It was good to see F. Murray Abraham again.

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Movie 3: Synchronic

This Netflix film is both unique and confusing. Critics called it “a smart mystery thriller.” It’s an odd mix of edgy with a time travel plot that slowly reveals itself. All said, it’s unique.

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Movie 1: Nomadland

This review is a repeat from February. Given today’s Academy Awards we are reposting our previous review. This week we saw it in a movie theater and upgraded our globes from three to four.

This Netflix film is a character study about a downtrodden women who ends up living in her van and traveling the backroads. The lead character is played by Frances McDormand. Her performance alone is worthy of your audience. The film is a well made Drama with a run time of 1 hour 48 minutes. It’s a likely Oscar winner!

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Movie 2: Stowaway

This Netflix release space thriller is intense. A lead character risks the survival of the crew’s oxygen! Overall the plot is a little confusing. It’s not your ordinary ride to Mars. Well worth a watch!

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Movie 3: Together Together

This film is smart, funny, clever, fresh and unique. It will make you laugh and cry. It’s well acted, challenging and thought provoking. We highly recommend.

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Live TONIGHT April 25, 8 PM Eastern time, 5 PM Pacific time.

We are pleased to submit our picks for the 2021 Academy Awards.

2021 OSCAR NOMINEES
BEST PICTURE	Jim & John	Your Pick	Winner
“The Father”
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“Mank”
“Minari”
“Nomadland”	X
“Promising Young Woman”
“Sound of Metal”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7″
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Glenn Close, “Hillbilly Elegy”
Olivia Colman, “The Father”
Amanda Seyfried, “Mank”
Youn Yuh-jung, “Minari”	X
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Sacha Baron Cohen, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”	X
Leslie Odom Jr., “One Night in Miami”
Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”
Lakeith Stanfield, “Judas and the Black Messiah”
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
“Another Round” – Denmark	X
“Better Days” – Hong Kong
“Collective” – Romania
“The Man Who Sold His Skin” – Tunisia
Qu Vadis, Aida? – Bosnia and Herzegovina
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)
“Colette”
“A Concerto Is a Conversation”
“Do Not Split”
“Hunger Ward”
“A Love Song For Latasha”	X
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“Collective”
“Crip Camp”
“The Mole Agent”
“My Octopus Teacher”	X
“Time”
ORIGINAL SONG
“Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”
“Hear My Voice” from “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
“Husavik” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”
“lo Sì (Seen)” from “The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)”	X
“Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami…”

 

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“Onward”
“Over the Moon”
“A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon”
“Soul”	X
“Wolfwalkers”
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“Borat Subsequent MovieFilm”	X
“The Father”
“Nomadland”
“One Night in Miami”
“The White Tiger”
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“Minari”
“Promising Young Woman”
“Sound of Metal”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”	X
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal”
Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”	X
Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”
Gary Oldman, “Mank”
Steven Yeun, “Minari”
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”	X
Andra Day, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman”
Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”
Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”
DIRECTOR
Thomas Vinterberg, “Another Round”
David Fincher, “Mank”
Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”
Chloe Zhao, “Nomadland”	X
Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman”
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“The Father”
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
“Mank”	X
“News of the World”
“Tenet”
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sean Bobbitt, “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Erik Messerschmidt, “Mank”
Dariusz Wolski, “News of the World”
Joshua James Richards, “Nomadland”	X
Phedon Papamichael , “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

 

COSTUME DESIGN
“Emma”
“Ma Rainey’s Blackbottom”	X
“Mank”
“Mulan”
“Pinocchio”
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
“Greyhound”
“Mank”
“News of the World”
“Soul”
“Sound of Metal”	X
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
“Burrow”
“Genius Loci”
“If Anything Happens I Love You”	X
“Opera”
“Yes-People”
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
“Feeling Through”
“The Letter Room”
“The Present”
“Two Distant Strangers”	X
“White Eye”
ORIGINAL SCORE
“Da 5 Bloods”
“Mank”
“Minari”
“News of the World”
“Soul”	X
VISUAL EFFECTS
“Love and Monsters”
“The Midnight Sky”
“Mulan”
“The One and Only Ivan”
“Tenet”	X
FILM EDITING
“The Father”
“Nomadland”
“Promising Young Woman”
“Sound of Metal”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”	X
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“Emma”
“Hillbilly Elegy”
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”	X
“Mank”
“Pinocchio”

Movie 1: Nobody

Interestingly…the first words read about this film included…”visceral, smashing, ludicrous, bonkers”. All true! We would add violent and loopy, if not loony. Great soundtrack though.

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Movie 2: Godzilla vs. Kong

Talk about history…the first Godzilla film dates to 1962. This particular rendition is the 36th film of the Godzilla franchise!! So far this movie is the third highest-grossing film of 2021. It’s gripping, and a bit bizarre, but sure to be a classic…

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Movie 3: Voyagers

Now we are talking!! A current century Sci-fi Thriller. A multi-generational space mission with the goal to “save the universe”…or something like that. The only problem is…the generation inheriting the universe is a balancing act between creepy and constant tension. All said, it’s still worth a watch!

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Special Note:  This year’s annual Oscar Season started a while ago.  Most theaters have been closed for the duration of the pandemic.  Many are now opening to limited days and audiences.  We have been lucky enough to catch several films in the last few weeks and we will continue to ‘catch up’ as film distribution increases.

Movie 1: A Love Song for Latasha

This is an amazing Oscar nominated Documentary/Short Subject film with just a 19 minute run time. It’s the story of 15 year old Latasha Harlins from south central Los Angeles. It’s also the story about bravery, righteousness and perseverance. It is a powerful and timely message to all!

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Movie 2: Crip Camp

This film is a commentary on youth disabilities of the ’60s,’70s and right up to current events. It is currently available on Netflix. This Oscar nominated Documentary Feature is rated R for language and some sexual references. It is noteworthy Barack Obama and Michelle Obama served as Executive Producers. Run time is just under 2 hours.

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Movie 3: Moffie

This drama is set in 1981 South Africa. It deals with the war with Angola, racism and homophobia. It’s difficult to watch. The subject matters are numerous and can be challenging to digest! That said, it’s often brutal yet relevant filmmaking. Afrikaans and limited English, with English subtitles.

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