Category: Movies

Good morning to all!  Six calendar days until the end of the year.  It will be a mad dash for us to cram in as many Oscar hopeful films between now and this Saturday.  The always challenging Animated Short Subject and Live Action Short Subject releases will not be out until January!!

As a reminder, we will be in India the entire month of February.  That said, we WILL have our Oscar Predictions out before we leave!

Mark your calendars, the 89th Academy Awards are Sunday, February 26, 2017, 5:30 PM Pacific Time.  We will be somewhere in Rajasthan.  We don’t know where exactly but if there is a TV with coverage, we may skip any planned activities that day and watch. (Should be about 5 AM India time.)  We’ll make it part of the adventure if possible.

In the meantime, please enjoy the following!  More to come soon.

J&J

Sing

This is another animated animal cartoon musical comedy that has become so popular over the last few years.  This time, Illumination Entertainment, (of Despicable Me fame), finds theater owner mouse making a last ditch effort to save his business by hosting a singing competition (sound familiar?!).

The best news is the cast: Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Matthew McConaughy, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, John C.Reilly, Jennifer Hudson, Rhea Perlman and several more.

All does not go well, with one disaster followed by mishap followed by catastrophy.  Finally, there is one last show that captures the local news on TV.  You can guess the rest.

It is just a lot of fun.  The theater was packed with families and lots of quiet as a mouse children.  Rated PG and listed accurately as a Drama/Musical.  Running 1 hour, 50 minutes.

Feature length animated films are going to be a tight race come Oscar season!

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Passengers

This is very interesting movie about the future of space travel taking over 90 years with guests and crew in a state of hibernation.  It is clever and inventive.  The cinematography is spectacular.

The acting is quite good.  The chemistry between the lead characters is impressive.  Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt share great on screen chemistry. That is until, well, they don’t.  Michael Sheen is great, along with Laurence Fishburne and Andy Garcia.

The critics were not kind in their reviews.  We thought that was a bit harsh.  It is a thought provoking concept with lots of clever twists and turns.

It is listed as a Fantasy/Science Fiction running just under two hours.  It is rated PG-13.

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Assassin’s Creed

I’m not sure how this movie got on our play list but since we saw it, we will review it.  It is based on a video game series.  That would explain why there was only young males in the audience and one woman, apparently a girlfriend/wife.

The cast was quite impressive.  Michael Fassbender who is typically exceptional in every role, gave a good delivery.  Marion Cotillard, who has been having a stellar year, was also good.  Jeremy Irons also performed well as the Dad.  Other performances included Brendan Gleeson, Michael K Willims and a bit part by Charlotte Rampling.

Overall, the film was dark, confusing, and disorienting.  We now assume you need to know the game in order to understand the movie.  A bummer because the connection to 15th century Spain, the Templar Order and the Assassins was the draw in the first place.

Rated PG-13, but we would caution parents about significant and prolonged violence.  It is listed as a Fantasy/Science Fiction that runs 2 hours, 20 minutes.

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Man Down

We recently saw this film.  It was a bit confusing and sometimes overwhelming.  Overall, it did a good job of showing what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can look like.  Some of this movie can be difficult, if not painful, to watch.  That said, it is probably the most effective movie representation on the topic.

The acting was impressive.  Shia LaBeouf plays the lead character, a young Marine, husband and father sent to war.  Gary Oldman plays a military doctor trying to unravel the mental damage.  Kate Mara plays the wife and mother.  Jai Courtney plays the best friend and fellow soldier.

Listed as a Drama/Thriller and rated R for extreme violence.  Run time is 1 hour, 32 minutes.  Absolutely not appropriate for children.

The critics mostly trashed this film.  I think it is a necessary story that needs to be told and taken seriously.  In limited release.

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La La Land

Who says the ‘good old days’ of Hollywood musicals is dead?!  La La Land shatters that myth once and for all.  This film is visually stunning.  Director Damien Chazelle definitely hit a home run with this production.  Lead actors Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have a glowing chemistry together.

The cinematography is brilliant.  As an example, the film opens with a phenomenal single shot in the middle of an LA freeway that turns into an extraordinary musical jam session.  The story flows effortlessly from scene to scene like a river.

This Romantic Drama is rated PG-13 with a running time of 2 hours and 8 minutes.  This is a charming story that never loses focus on what it wants to say. Oscar material to be sure.  This is sure to be an instant classic.

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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The much anticipated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was recently released to excited audiences and well received by most critics.  We found it interesting and somewhat entertaining.  It had all the usual bells and whistles we have come to expect.

But, for life long Star Wars fans we were disappointed.  It felt “pieced together”, like tons of loose ends were recycled from the conference room white boards and cutting room floors with the goal: “Let’s see what we can come up with folks!  This is all good material and there ought to be a good story our customers will buy!”

The cast was typically good.  Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed and Forest Whitaker all delivered on their character performances.

Rated PG-13 and listed as Science Fiction/Action.  Directed by Gareth Edwards and a $200 million budget.  Worth it?  Share your comments.

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Miss Sloane

This film is powerful, intelligent, thought provoking and above all timely.  It is an inside peek at the all powerful political lobbying industry in Washington, DC.

Jessica Chastain dominates the cast with an iron clad performance as Elizabeth Sloane, the alpha lobbyist.  She already has nominations for best actress for the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards.  It’s too early to tell regarding the Oscar as the holiday releases are coming in hot and heavy right now.

Other excellent performances are given by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, Allison Pill, Michael Stuhbarg and Jake Lacy.  Veteran actors John Lithgow and Sam Waterston also give noteworthy performances.

Directed by John Madden.  There is an excellent, yet complex, screenplay by Jonathan Perera.  Rated R for mature subject matter.  It is listed as a Drama Thriller with a run time of 2 hours, 12 minutes.  If you like political insider stories, don’t miss this one.

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Jackie

This film is focused on Jackie Kennedy’s personal journey after the assassination of her husband, John F. Kennedy.  It is a personal chronicle of her trauma, grief, her children, their future, his funeral and ultimately her husband’s legacy.

The film is intense, insightful, sometimes harsh and painful to watch.  For those of us of a certain age, it recalls that time warp when we all remember where we were and the angst that prevailed.

The acting is exceptional.  Natalie Portman, as always, is stellar.  She is Jackie! She is accompanied by Caspar Phillipson as John F. Kennedy and Peter Sarsgaard as Robert F. Kennedy.  There is Billy Crudup as the Journalist, John Hurt as the Preist and the charming Sunnie Pelant as Caroline Kennedy.

Rated R for some graphic images.  Listed as a Drama/Biography, 1 hour and 40 minutes.  It is a unique perspective on history well worth a look.

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Collateral Beauty

We just saw this film yesterday and were moved by its storytelling.  There is a great cast and a candid connection to everyday life.  So I was surprised to see so many harsh comments from so many critics.

Perhaps the theme of the grief stricken Will Smith character withdrawing from normal life and challenging the concepts of Love, Time and Death was too artsy fartsy for many reviewers.

I thought is was an intriguing perspective, told in a unique and thought provoking way.  It was delivered by good solid performances.  Will Smith is the Dad, Kate Winslet is the coworker, Keira Knightly plays ‘Love’, Helen Mirren shines as ‘Death’ and singer Jacob Latimore impresses as ‘Time’.  Other strong performances by Ed Norton, Naomie Harris and Michael Pena round out the cast.

It is rated PG13 but the subject matter might be challenging for young ones.  Listed as a Drama, running 1 hour 37 minutes.  If you like stage dramas and engaging performances, you will probably like this film.

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We are finally caught up on our movies after a lot of travel.  So bring on the December rush of releases and the remaining Oscar hopefuls for 2016.  We are ready!

The Duelist

This Russian film features Czarist Russia in St. Petersburg during the 19th century when royalty hired “representatives” to act on their behalf when challenged to a duel.

The cast is made up of attractive Russian actors portraying the nobility and settling disputes of the day using a strict code of behavior.  The sets and costumes are truly stunning.

That said, the drama, trauma and horror drags on for way too long.  There is treachery, backstabbing, bludgeoning, shootings, stabbings that seems never ending.

Listed as an Action/Adventure/Drama/Thriller and runs 1 hour, 50 minutes (it seemed longer…).  It is rated R for strong violence and some sexuality/nudity.  Russian and German with English subtitles.

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Rules Don’t Apply

This story about Howard Hughes, his businesses and his pack of Hollywood contract actresses was Produced, Directed and stars Warren Beatty as Mr. Hughes.

It is beautifully filmed with a very good cast that includes Warren Beatty, Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, Annette Bening, and Matthew Broderick.  It is just believeable enough, goofy enough and funny enough until you recall this was mostly true enough.

The reviews have been all over the board.  Rated PG-13 (but I would not take a child to see it.  How do you explain some of Mr. Hughes behavior?!)  Listed as a Drama/Romance (I guess ‘delusional farce’ is not yet a category) with a run time of 2 hours, 38 minutes.

Rating

Closet Monster

Stephen Dunn Directed and wrote the Screenplay, a gem for his first feature film. The film flashes between a young boys youth and teen years and is haunted by his traumatic memories.

The acting is believable with solid performances by Conner Jessup as the teen, Aaron Abrams as the Dad, Joanne Kelly as the Mom.  A surprise performance from Isabella Rossellini as Buffy’s voice (the hampster).

It’s original, unpredictable, sometimes ambiguous, and engaging.  It displays all the aspects of a coming of age story in a classic agenda yet there are a few surprises in store for the viewer.

Listed as a Drama with a run time of 1 hour, 30 minutes, is not rated.

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Note: It is always fun to discover a new movie venue in San Francisco.  The Alamo Drafthouse New Mission is a recently restored/reinvented theater dating back 100 years.  Originally a massive single screen venue, later remodeled with an art deco decor.  It later still sat idle for decades until the recent overhaul.  Today it retains much of the art deco trappings with one huge main screen and four other screens on two additional levels.  There is also full bar and food service at every stadium seat with roving waiters.  There are also several bars and dining options throughout the building.  We loved it and will return as often as practical.

Elle

This Drama/Thriller by French Director Paul Verhoeven has been getting a lot of favorable press.  There can be no doubt it is expertly crafted, well acted, unpredictable and provocative.

It can also be described as lurid, controversial, suave perversity.  In any case, it will certainly be a shocker and unconventional.  Not your typical French international import for sure.

All that said, Isabelle Hubbert is fantastic in her role as a divorced owner of a tech game company, driven, confident with a dark sense of humor and not your ordinary housewife, daughter or Mom.

Rated R for violence, language and sexual content.  Run time is 2 hours, 10 minutes.  French with English subtitles.

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Nocturnal Animals

This film was Written and Directed by Tom Ford (yes, the fashion designer icon).  It is quite unique in the way it toggles between two stories concurrently, one in real time and one fictional.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams both give superb performances.  Also noteworthy are roles played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon and Karl Glusman.

It is an intriguing mix of a psychological thriller and a dark terrifying crime scene that is visually stunning and unsettling at the same time.  It is truly unique. It has gained praise in Europe but it is too early to see what US audiences think of it.

Rated R for violence and sexual content.  Listed as a Drama/Thriller, 1 hour an 57 minutes.

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The Eagle Huntress

Occasionally a documentary comes along that shines as bright as the best films out there.  This film is about a 13 year old girl named Aishol-pan.  The entire story takes place in Mongolia.  She is determined to compete with the best eagle hunters in all of the country.

What is especially impressive is the historically all male dominated competition process yields to allow Aishol-pan to participate just like any other contestant.

The cinematography is simply stunning.  The peek at the scenery and the lifestyle of these nomadic people is honest and straightforward.  The bond between her and her father is heartwarming.

Rated G as a Sport/Adventure film with a run time of 1 hour, 41 minutes. Mongolian with English subtitles.

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Allied

Director Robert Zemeckis delivers a another well crafted film about war operatives in WWII played be Brad Pitt and Marion Cottillard.  It is a throw back to a time when romance and intrigue created a strong foundation for the rest of the story.

Many reviews were mixed, but we loved the old fashioned techniques layered with modern cinematography.  Characters and romantic chemistry you actually care about.  Costume design and cinematography could garner Oscar nominations if not the Award itself.

Rated R for sexually and listed as a Drama/Thriller, the film runs 2 hours and 4 minutes.  Lots of little surprises will tease you, especially the final scene.

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Edge of Seventeen

This film does an excellent job of reminding audiences of what it was like being 16 or 17 years old and in high school; awkward, emotional, and torment that can often last years.

Impressive acting by young Hailee Steinfeld giving an authentic performance as the teen, Blake Jenner as her older athletic brother, and Kyra Sedgwick as the Mom.

The script is laser focused on teen topics and spares little angst for the young characters.  But there is also a lighthearted side to the film that helps balance to story line.

Written and Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig with a running time of 1 hour 40 minutes.  Rated R for strong language and sexual content.  Drama/Comedy.

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Manchester by the Sea

This is a story about a working class New England family and the extended reach that death can cause.  Some critics felt the prolonged trauma and the performance by Affleck overpowered the story line.  I thought it contributed to the breadth and depth of the family’s overwhelming endurance.

There are stellar performances, most notably, Casey Affleck, Michele Williams and Lucas Hedges as the son.  There are a dozen other actors, including Kyle Chandler, giving good solid performances.

This film is brilliantly crafted by the Director and Writer Kenneth Lonergan.  Don’t be surprised to see one or more Oscar nominations for this film.

Rated R for violence and language.  (It is not suitable for young children.)  Listed as a Drama.  Run time is 2 hours and 17 minutes.

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Set in 1926, pre-Harry Potter, Newt Scamander arrives in New York after traveling the world to find unknown magical creatures in the wild.  But this New York is not the same as the one we all studied in grammar school.

It has an excellent cast including Eddie Redmayne, Colin Ferrell, Katherine Waterston, Erza Miller, Jon Voight and a quick cameo by Johnny Depp.

While there was non stop special effects and lots of unexpected twists and turns the story felt crowded, leaving this viewer exhausted trying to process everything that was going on.

That said, it was often funny, clever, and fresh material for the eyes and ears.

Rated PG-13, but we were surprised how few children were in the theater, mostly adults on a rainy Saturday afternoon.  Listed as a Fantasy/Action film and a heafty 2 hours 14 minutes.

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Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

The movie is based on the novel by Ben Fountain and is directed by Ang Lee.  It tells the story of Bravo Squad, a group of celebrated heroes from the Iraq war and their victory tour while on leave back in the States.

I think the intent was to demonstrate the disconnect between the public’s perception of today’s war heroes with the brutal reality of modern war and the impact on its soldiers.

This film only partially succeeds.  The acting was generally believable with solid performances by Joe Alwyn, Kristen Stewart, and Vin Diesel.  The critics have not been too kind.  Some, however, have been applauding the 3D version as the “sharpest focus ever”.  We did not see this movie in 3D.

Rated R for violence, language and alcohol abuse.  Listed as Drama/History. Running 1 hour, 50 minutes.

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Loving

Every once in a while a movie comes along and just shines.  So often they are true stories such as this one.  Richard and Mildred Loving fell in love and got married in 1958.  Interracial marriage was illegal in their State of Virginia.  And that was the beginning of their story and this movie.

What makes this a special movie is the grace and simplicity of the storytelling.  Joel Edgerton plays the husband, Ruth Negga the wife, and a long list of perfectly cast others seem naturals in their roles.

Director Jeff Nichols brilliantly weaves the then socially charged issues of the day into scene after scene with finesse and surgical skill.  Ultimately it is a touching reminder of times past, although not really so long ago.

Rated PG-13 as a Drama/History film, running 2 hours and 3 minutes.  Oscar worthy in several categories.

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The theaters are flush with new releases just ahead of the holidays and the December 31 deadline for Oscar contenders.  We cannot believe we are looking at the end of another year.  This week’s reviews are…

Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange is…well, a strange movie.  There are stunning visuals and special effects but the storyline is confusing and overly complicated.  Dr. Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, whose character is a talented neurosurgeon cut short after a horrible car accident.

There are all the trappings of the Marvel superhero stable except this story gets dark very quickly and stays there for most of the movie.  Overall, the film is both bizarre and beautiful at the same time.

All that said, costar Tilda Swinton is sensational.  Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a great good guy and Mads Mikkelsen plays an equally good bad guy.

Rated PG-13 as a Fantasy/Science Fiction film with a hefty run time of 1 hour, 55 minutes.  Watch for Oscar nominations for special and technical categories.

Rating:  

Moonlight

Raw, powerful, revealing, insightful, gut wrenching, compelling, sensitive, timely, Oscar worthy.

This film is divided into three parts, with three different actors playing the lead character as he ages.  It is Barry Jenkin’s second movie and it is nothing short of genius.  It is based on a short theater piece by playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney called In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.

Is is beautifully acted.  Every scene is complete, more would be too much and less would diminish the story.  It is about a poor black male coming of age and his journey through poverty, crime and a toxic self image.

It is currently in limited release. Rated R. Run time is 110 minutes. Don’t miss this one!

Rating 

A Man Called Ove

This Drama/Comedy film will be Sweden’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the next Academy Awards.  (That category will be a challenge given so many excellent choices to date.)

It’s a story about a gruff heartbroken widower, played by Rolf Lassgard, after losing his job with the railroad of over 40 years.  He channels his energy to enforcing the rules of the small gated community where he lives.  He is grumpy and grouchy to just about everyone.

There are a variety of scenes, some funny, some sad, but eventually the story of his life unfolds.  Movie buffs will enjoy this film.  Rated PG-13, parents be warned, even with this rating, the subject matter (death, anger) may not be suitable for young children.  Run time is 1 hour 56 minutes.

Rating 

We are still catching up on movies.  It is no small task given the looming holiday season and the plethora of new releases.  We were pleased to see so many earlier released films still in the theaters.  And when have you seen us post 3 four globe movies?!  Plenty of Oscar worthy material here.

Enjoy!  J&J

The Accountant

Ben Affleck delivers a powerful performance as a clandestine accountant to the rich and poor.  His character was born with a high functioning autism, raised by his tough-as-nails father, and lives just steps ahead of danger and the authorities.

That said, reviews have not been overly complimentary.  Overall, the comments could be characterized as unremarkable.  That seems overly harsh to my thinking.   I found it fresh, inventive, intelligent, compelling and believable.

The acting is quite good in my opinion.  Co-starring Anna Kendrick, and J. K. Simmons and cameo performances by John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor.

Listed as a Crime/Drama.  It runs 2 hours, 8 minutes.  It is rated R for violence and language.  It is pretty intense and may not be suitable for young children.

Rating  

Arrival

Here is a smart, intelligent Sci-Fi movie where 12 alien space ships park themselves around the planet to engage mankind in delivering a message.  It is based on Ted Chang’s “Story of Your Life“.

On one hand this is eerie and puzzling.  On the other hand it is intimate and thought provoking.  I am not sure why Director Denis Villeneuve decided to beef up the military aspect of the story.  Box office draw?  Reality check?

The acting was very good.  Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner take the leads along with Forest Whitaker.  The cinematography and special effects were exceptional.  Ultimately, the story was thought provoking.

Rated PG13 as a Mystery Science story.  Run time is 1 hour 58 minutes.

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Hacksaw Ridge

Wow!  This film is a compelling look at war in WWII Okinawa.  It is the true story of Desmond Doss, a pacifist that wanted to serve his country.  It is also one of the most authentic looks at the horrific reality of war at the time.

It is counter balanced by a look at rural America of the day and the social dynamics at play.  A love story threads its way throughout the storytelling adding a contrast to death and destruction.

Andrew Garfield and Teresa Palmer take the leading roles.  Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington and Luke Pegler highlight many other actors.

Directed by Mel Gibson, filmed in Australia.  Rated R for violence.  Labeled: Drama/Action with an exhausting 2 hours, 18 minutes.  Do not miss the real footage at the end of the film.

Rating 

Inferno

This is the third film adaptation by Director Ron Howard from Author Dan Brown.  First was The Da Vinci Code and the Second was Angels &Demons.  It must be said, we loved these films and the storylines.  So it should come as no surprise we would love Inferno too.

The critics…well, let’s say reviews overall has been tepid.  It is hard to say why.  Inferno has all the same ingredients except without the heavy church overtones.  It is filled with as many twists and turns as the previous movies.  It is another romp to incredibly wonderful destinations of Florence, Venice and Istanbul.  And what could be more important than than half the planet’s population?

Actors included a tight cast with Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen and the Ben Foster as a really bad guy.

As with most of the series, the film production was first rate.  We were fortunate enough to watch it at Vue, London’s Westfield Center in Shepherd’s Bush.  It was showing in the Extreme theater, screen 30 feet high and over 70 feet wide, capacity over 800.  We were the only two in the theater for the 9:30 AM show.

Rating 

Queen of Katwe

This story is heart wrenching and inspiring at the same time.  It spans several years of the true story of Phiona Mutesi’s emergence from the slums of Kampala, Uganda.  She joins a club to help young people learn how to play chess.  Phiona has a natural talent, become a Chess Champion with a path to an education and eventually out of poverty.

The film is based on the book by Tim Carothers.  The movie was produced by Disney and ESPN.  It was directed by Mira Nair.  It is a powerful look at poverty, determination and perseverance. The acting was excellent, starring the Oscar Award actress, Lupita Nyong’o as Phiona’s mom.  Additional noteworthy performances by David Oyelowo, Madina Nalwanga as Phiona, and Ethan Nazario Lubega as Phiona’s little brother.

Run time is a whopping 2 hours and 4 minutes.  Rated PG.

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NOTE TO ALL:  Tomorrow we embark on our second cruise for the next two weeks.  We will assume no access to first run movies for the duration.  That will put the pressure on us when we return as we will be in the middle of the historical Oscar season.  Nonetheless we commit to getting up to speed and will be sure to keep you posted on all the Oscar buzz!

J&J