January 20th, 2025

A Complete Unknown: Timothee Chalamet is pretty much everywhere these days and I wondered where he found the time to fit this film into his schedule. He has the hair and the look of a young Bob Dylan, and he does an admirable job at mannerisms and voice. He also does sing it would appear. I will note that this movie is over a relatively short period of the long life of Dylan. It chronicles his early days in NYC when he is looking to establish himself as a folk singer. It shows his attendance at a folk festival in Connecticut or Rhode Island. He meets a young more established Joan Baez. He also befriends the Edward Norton character Pete Seegar (known for If I Had a Hammer, Where Have All the Flowers Gone). Norton’s character is friends with and spends time with well known singer Woddy Guthrie (This Land Is Your Land, City of New Orleans) who is in hospital with a chronic worsening disease. Dylan wanted to meet him.

We see that Dylan started by mostly covering other artists songs. But he is creating his own music. The creative process is fascinating. He plucks away at the guitar, all the while writing down verses in his notebook. Music flows out of him. It is almost as though he can’t turn it off. We see him in a hotel room late at night creating while a female companion is looking to sleep. He is engrossed fully in writing. Later as he becomes more popular and in demand he realizes that there are some drawbacks to fame. The money is good but the fame can be a distraction. He can’t just sit quietly in the corner at a local pub and listen to artists play. Later he is at a party and he can’t just attend, he is expected to perform and play for people there. He is pulled in many ways. But he is a restless and independent soul. He forges his own way and the main turning point in the film is his attendance at the same folk festival but he plays his latest songs mostly played on electric guitar rather than the well known folk songs that this audience wants to here. He is the headliner and he has to decide whether he should “play along” or be true to himself and his art.
I liked this. There were strong performances, with Chalamet yes but also Joan Baez and Norton. This is worth your time although I am not sure whether it needs to be seen on the big screen. There will Oscars nominations for this movie and justifiably so. This is infinitely better than the other Dylan related movie I Am Not There, where disjointed Dylan stories were told with various stars playing Dylan, including Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger.

My Old Ass: On Prime, this was a movie that had a short release over the summer. I was introduced to it by a buddy who lives in Muskoka on Lake Rosseau, and he had said that it was filmed there. Margot Robbie is one of the Producers and she had spent some time up there. I was intrigued, as a lifetime cottager and familiar with the area. I will say that this movie was really a pleasant surprise, and more than just a travel log to see Muskoka in its peak summertime season.

The premise is a simple one. A young woman who is turning 18yo through unimportant means manages to meet her 39yo self. They have an initial conversation and then have an ongoing dialogue, in person and over text and phone. After some good jokes, the older self says that she should avoid a guy named Chad. The younger self is intrigued because she hasn’t met anyone named Chad yet. In fact she is having a current hook up from time to time with a local woman who works in Port Carling.

The performances are good with Aubrey Plaza playing the 39yo self. Canadian Maisy Stella plays the younger self. She is unfamiliar to me. There are additional things that older self brings forward but she is careful not to disclose too much and take away from the learning of the younger. A couple suggestions are to golf with her brother, as well as spending more time with her Mom and the rest of the family that younger self is eagerly awaiting her chance to run away from and spread her wings in big city, Toronto. Lessons are learned. There is growth but interestingly it isn’t just one way as you might expect. There are some turns which I won’t share. There is an emotional impact which belies the high level description of this being a comedy. Yes it has some comedic moments but it is more than that. I can easily recommend this from someone who came into it cold, and took more away from it than I thought.

Woman of the Hour: This movie was released on Netflix. It is directed by the star Anna Kendrick. It is a true story about an aspiring actress woman who in the late 1970s in Hollywood was placed on The Dating Game. In the show she as the bachelorette is asking three men random playfully suggestive questions, and the men answer.

The difference in this instance we see that one of male contestants has had a history or acting violently with women, with a few who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Kendrick of course has no idea about this. The TV producers didn’t do much due diligence and are focusing on putting on an entertaining show. Even when it is brought to their attention from a viewer who recognizes the guy contestant, they are very quick to try to dismiss the allegations of having a dangerous contestant.

This was okay and showed that TV back then and even today is an artificial reality where producers just want ratings. Spend enough time watching YouTube and you will see stories of the treatment of reality TV participants, and how they are treated all in the name of entertainment. There are some disconcerting stories. Kendrick does a decent job in her portrayal and we see how lucky she was in avoiding the fate of some earlier women. The epilogue is quite disturbing and how such a predator can be at large for such a prolonged period of time.

January 13th, 2025

The Apprentice: Donald Trump the President-elect tried to get this movie prevented from being shown before the November election took place. I can see why. Showing the life in New York of a younger Trump, he is the second son of his parents, looking to make an impact on the family business. Sebastian Stan plays the young Trump. Although The Apprentice, you may feel makes reference to the Donald Trump TV show where he was famous for saying “you’re fired” to contestants, it more likely refers to Trump learning his business trade from the notorious NY based lawyer Roy Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong. Strong was introduced to a young Trump and helped him along with a couple of sticky situations which utilized questionable ethics in order to allow Trump to deliver on promises that were not otherwise possible. This included the original litigation where Trump’s father, Fred, was being sued do to his business practices in tenant discrimination. Cohn explains his three principals of business which explain a great deal about Trump and how he interacts with the world. These rules include: (1) attack, attack, attack, (2) admit nothing, deny everything, and (3) never admit defeat.

Trump takes these to heart, and even look to add to them. With Cohn’s help early, for which Trump is shown as begging for it, you later see Cohn for whatever reason “liking” Trump and seeing something in him to help work with him. Trump is certainly being shaped by the people with whom he surrounds himself. From a young impressionable guy from a family involved in rental buildings, he has a vision to try and bring New York back from being on the brink of bankruptcy and crime everywhere into transforming into the city that people around the world want to visit. He wants to purchase an older decrepit building downtown and turn it into a luxury hotel. But standing in the way is the City, who is hurting for revenue and needs the taxes collected. The story about how this project is completed tells a lot about the times and the man and his people. He meets Ivanna. The movie certainly characterizes the relationship about being very much a business transaction. Ivanna according to the early meetings was “engaged” but later after a meeting in Colorado, she discusses being with Trump. After a failed attempt at a pre-nuptual agreement orchestrated by Cohn, Trump offers her $75,000 to go through with the wedding just days away. They marry. They have kids. His passion for her fades. Then the infidelity takes place. Later we see Trump looking to develop Atlantic City, with new hotels there, which Cohn feels will over-extend him. Trump begins to relegate Cohn to a lesser important status. His usefulness has passed. Time and again the pattern takes place, and the character of Trump is shown. The way he treats people in deals with him. The way labour isn’t paid. His quest for power and money, all the while seeking easy fixes to his expanding waistline and increasing male pattern baldness in the back of his head.

Sebastian Stan is good in the role as Trump. I think that Jeremy Strong was excellent as Roy Cohn in looks and mannerisms. Both are bullies. The Trump family life to borrow the incoming President’s words “is a disaster” as older brother Fred who is an airline pilot is viewed by the family as a failure, acting as a “bus driver in the sky”. We can only marvel from afar how half of the American eligible voters can believe in this man that he can think of them and try and improve their lives. This movie didn’t suck. I am not sure how much I learned about Trump, although the family life and the relationship with the older brother was a revelation. I feel as though I feed into Trump’s narcissism by watching movies about him. That people constantly talk about him. At least for four more years he will get exactly what he has been seeking. He scoffed earlier as a business person about politicians, and yet he has become the most powerful one in the world.

Wicked: I have seen the musical live production of this play, developed from the book from Gregory Maguire, three times (twice in Toronto and once in New York). I am a big fan. The story is a prequel to the Wizard of Oz, the beloved Judy Garland film from 1939. The musical has been on Broadway since June 2003. It won three Tony Awards in 2004, and has grossed $5 Billion, making it the third best grossing Broadway musical of all time behind The Lion King and Phantom of the Opera. Universal bought the rights and has turned it into a two-part movie. Part One is longer than Broadway musical. I was disheartened to read that the movie was turned into two parts. I view this as a money grab, in the same way as splitting The Hobbit into two movies was an unnecessary cash grab. How do they add all this time? More backstory is the answer. There are no new songs in this movie version, although I have to admit that I don’t remember them all upon the viewing being in the play. As for the cast, the two principal female roles are played by Ariana Grande, the singer as Glinda, and then Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Both of these women played their roles, and sang the songs admirably, being true to the origins of the songs. I commend them both for taking these roles on, which cannot be easy to repeat.

The original Broadway cast had Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, and Idina Menzel as the Tony winning Elphaba. The movie had a very nice touch by having these two reunited as the new pair enter the Emerald City. I really like the play because it involves two strong female characters who learn about true friendship. There are catchy and memorable songs from Stephen Schwartz, with The Wizard and I, I’m Not that Girl, Popular and the titanic Defying Gravity. Part two will have one of my favourite songs For Good. There is an emotional hook in the story with not only the friendship bond for two unexpected friends, but also that family level with Elphaba being shunned by her father, as she grew up in favour of her younger sister. There is guilt and a sense of not belonging and being bullied for the green skinned Elphaba. There are some visually stunning scenes that are not capable on the stage. It is all very bright, vibrant colours. Still, I can’t help but feeling that the story is overblown and bloated. I felt that additional minutes were adding very little, but I also was coming to it from someone who knew the pacing and storyline from the musical. Perhaps that is unfair, and I should judge this on its own. But the additions didn’t add to the enjoyment. At the Golden Globes, despite a number of nominations, the only award received was for the new category of Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. In other words it made a lot of money worldwide. I liked this. It was entertaining. I know where the plot will be going for Part Two, and it will be interesting how they put it on film. The adventure will continue. I do think that one of the most charming stories about this movie adaption is the stories about the audiences attending and then making it a sing-along without prompting. That is how impactful these songs and the story are for people. In times of great uncertainty, and war and political and economic challenges – there is something to be said for bringing forward entertainment that brings people together in song. I hope that it continues to reach people. I saw on the small screen and not the theatre.

January 5th, 2025

Welcome to 2025! This is the first post of the year. Last night was the Golden Globes, but this was written before the awards were announced on Sunday evening. It is wild to think that we are 25 years into this century already. Time actually flies by. I get more grey-haired and still write about the movies that I am watching. The holiday season means that there is more watching, and I will spread out some of the reviews. This week is The Brutalist that I saw last night, and then The Substance that I watched on TV the night before. Others to come include the Donald Trump The Apprentice movie as well as the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked.

The Brutalist: This movie was nominated for a Best Picture for the Golden Globes, among its seven nominations, which also included Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress. It was on this buzz that I wanted to seek it out. It is only playing at a single theatre here in Toronto. Written and directed by Brady Corbet, who was known for his prior work Thirteen among others. The movie is 3 hours and 35 mins with a 15 minute Intermission at the 1:40 mark. In the broadest description, it is a story of a married Hungarian Jewish architect, named Laslo Toth, in post World War II establishing himself in a new life in the United States from Europe. He is initially separated from his wife, Erzsebet played by Felicity Jones, and neither are certain whether the other is living or dead. Played ably by Adrian Brody, Laslo begins his US story by being picked up by his cousin in Pennsylvania, who is married and owns a furniture store. While working with the cousin, Laslo is asked to quote a job to the son of a rich industrialist for a new library at the expansive house at the family estate. The industrialist, played by Guy Pearce, becomes an important part of Lalso’s life. From modest beginnings, the industrialist and the architect become involved in an important community building project.

I struggled with this movie in a way that I don’t very often. It was hard to pin point it for me. It was not straightforward movie telling, all the while being filmed in chronological order. It was long with a pace that felt slow. When it was all done, I marvelled at the performance by Brody, because he plays a man who had his own demons. His struggles and challenges are many, from being in a foreign land with no support, and even the support he receives doesn’t turn out as you might hope. Then there are challenges with his business partner and also his wife. This was evident throughout the telling of this tale. Split into parts by time, part one introduces the characters and the project and it is from 1946-1952. Then part two is from 1953 to 1960. Brody who has no trouble showing anger and expressing his thoughts, he also can be very quiet with his deepest feelings. Most notably with this, is in his work; the building that he has designed and all of its symbolism. I will note that the character of Laslo Toth is fictional, as well as the industrialist, but he could very well be a Rockefeller or Henry Ford. Unlike Ford, the industrialist isn’t blessed with any talent beyond making money. Yet he can recognize artistry in others. Felicity Jones as his wife has her own challenges with her relationship with her husband, their situation, as well as her own skills and education as a journalist. She tries to steer her husband, all the while feeling as though he doesn’t have the same passion for her as he did before. She is also accompanied by her niece, the daughter of Laslo’s sister. All these characters interact with Laslo, but also with the industrialist and his son and daughter.

After seeing Conclave, I came away thinking that Ralph Fiennes will finally win an Oscar. I still believe this because overall I like that movie better than this one. But I can be convinced that the breadth of the Brody performance is greater and shows more depth of emotion. Toth leads a complicated life where he is not in charge of it. Others hold the cards and are sure to ensure that he is a aware of this fact. I do think now upon reflection and discussion that the Epilogue is crucial. It brings much of it together, although for me in a way where I feel as though I would more fully understand all that happened only through a re-watch. I am not sure whether I am prepared to spend another three-plus hours with this material. It is unlikely. Is this the best drama of the year? I am not sure. I don’t think so. But it is ambitious and the performances make it worthy of consideration.

The Substance: In another Golden Globe category, Demi Moore was nominated in the Best Actress category of musical or comedy (?) for this “body horror” film. Her co-star Margaret Qualley was also nominated as Best Supporting Actress. I had no idea what “body horror” meant, but upon viewing it seems to be channelling a movie like The Fly, where the Jeff Goldblum character turns from human into a fly-human Brundel-fly combination to the point where he became unrecognizable. Here the 62-yo Moore plays Hollywood Star Walk of Fame recipient Elisabeth Sparkle who is celebrating her 50th birthday. Sparkle has a Jane Fonda workout like show, which in many ways mirrors the 1980s Twenty Minute Workout and all of its over-sexualized images. Her TV executive boss Dennis Quaid, in an over-the-top repulsive performance, decides to release her and head in a younger direction. While she is seeing a doctor, she has a note slipped into her pocket which reads that this company changed their life with a phone number. Elisabeth in an act of aging defiance chooses to make the call and see what this offer is.

With very little instruction, Elisabeth picks up a do-it-yourself package with vaccuum-packed instruments and mysterious substance that is supposed to “be all you”. She takes the chance and immediately feels that a mistake has been made. In short a younger version of herself is created, although the two share an existence where each gets to live fully for seven days at a time, without exception before then going into a form of hybernation. There are consequences for taking longer of the others time. Predicatably things go awry. Unpredictably, the consequences and sequence of events goes far beyond what you might expect, with the resulting effects being, like Dennis Quaid, over-the-top. There were 11,000 gallons of fake blood used in the filming which tells you really all that you need to know. In many ways, it is a lot like the ending of Carrie at the prom or perhaps The Shining with the elevator.

Does Moore and her co-star deserve nominations for this performance? As I watched I wasn’t convinced. It seemed that the nomination comes from the willingness to be nude on screen, which for me isn’t acting. Even at 62 years old. In the third act, there were some moments of physical acting, but I feel as though the make up was doing more of the acting than the actor themselves. As opposed to a horror movie, I feel that this is more of a gross-out. There are so many needles scenes (which for me are very uncomfortable and trigger me) but also shots of deteriorating and aging body parts. It is disconcerting and went beyond where it needed to. Is this worthy of a nomination? No. Is it Musical or Comedy? No. It was silly to the point of ridiculousness which in itself is laughable, but it isn’t a comedy. I do think that a horror performance can be nomination worthy, like Toni Collette in Hereditary which comes immeditately to mind. I do not see either performance as worthy of the win.

December 30, 2024 (Bye 2024)

This is the final posting for 2024. I have to admit that I feel as though this was a weaker year movie-wise. Funny that it has been a strong year in TV series on the various streaming services. Today I will review one of both. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and all the best to one and all into 2025 – already a quarter of the way through 2020s! Five years removed from COVID scarily enough.

Priscilla: This 2023 release from Sophia Coppolla is the story of the life of Priscilla Presley with Elvis. It is based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me from Priscilla herself. Starring Caelee Spaeny (previously unknown to me) and Jacob Elordi as Elvis we see the arc of their love story and relationship. Elvis met Priscilla in the army when he served when he was 24 and she was 14 in 1959. For those of you who are parents, let that sink in. Priscilla’s father was a Captain in the Army, with a wife and two children. Elvis was already a rock n roll star, with plenty of tabloid coverage for his relationships. The parents rightfully and notably recognized this creepy age gap, but Elvis was nothing if not persistent and willing to convince her parents that he was honourable. The parents relented over time and Priscilla was flown to be with Elvis on numerous occasions. Sometimes, she was rebuffed when he was filming some of his movies. There were long stretches of time where they were not geographically close.

They dated until 1967 when they got married and they remained married for six years until 1973. A relatively short marriage, but it was certainly eventful. Elvis was by no means the ideal husband or partner. He was grooming her from the beginning in how she dressed, her hairstyle and (to his credit) focussing on her education. He also introduced Priscilla to pills that would help one sleep, or keep you awake. In the film he is shown giving her a pill upon her arrival at Graceland to help her sleep and she didn’t awake for two days. The drug use was prevalent. Through the tabloids, Priscilla was able to see Elvis being seen with co-stars like Nancy Sinatra and later Ann-Margret who was alleged to be engaged to him. Tensions clearly escalated over this, which Elvis was shown being angry and dismissive of Priscilla. The relationship didn’t improve with the birth of daughter Lisa Marie.

I have to admit that I think that Austin Butler plays a more convincing Elvis than Elordi. I felt in the movie that whenever there was a tension building moment that the soundtrack took over and replaced the dialogue that should be taking place. It was a common occurence and was a distraction. Clearly Priscilla loved Elvis, as it was her only romantic relationship in her formative years. There are scenes when Elvis is rebuffing physical intimacy with her until he decides that the “time is right”. I don’t really know a lot more about Priscilla Presley after viewing it. I frankly don’t understand his motivations in being with someone so young when he was so famous, so wealthy and could be (and was) with anyone he chose to be with. He would have had women thowing themselves at him all the time. Priscilla ignores this for a time, but eventually sees it for what it is. I cannot recommend this film, as I really don’t feel that I got a lot out of it. No real revelations come fromit, save that Elvis was a man who very much liked very young women. Priscilla had a long life post Elvis, and is still busy to this day in her late 70s.

Black Doves: Is recently released on Netflix, and stars Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw (Q in later James Bond) and Sarah Lancashire (Julia Child in Julia series). It is a spy thriller, which seems to be all the rage between The Day of the Jackal, and The Agency, along others and I am also catching up on Slow Horses, with Gary Oldman. So what is a Black Dove exactly? Well you learn about it over time, as like a Slow Horse it is a term of art. Basically it is a group of spies who gather intelligence information and then sell that information to the highest bidder without any discrimination on who the purchaser may be. Keira Knightley is a member of the group and we learn her backstory as she gained skills to become a more lethal spy. She is married with two kids, and her husband is a current Defense Minister in the UK government. He wasn’t always that way. Knightley has a complex relationship with her husband, and she had a lover who ended up dead in an apparent professional hit. Knightley wants to know who killed him, and hunt them down for pure revenge.

Lancashire is Knightley’s boss and leader of a small group. She is concerned about Knightley’s relationship and her commitment to vengeance. It may have put more eyes on her with the wrong people. Things happen. Intrigue gets deeper as we uncover not only what happened with this lover, but also the backstory for those involved. Ben Whishaw plays Sam Young who is a Trigger Man, also known as an assassin or hired gun. Lancashire brings Ben in to oversee and protect Knightley. They have history together. It’s a good friendship where they look out for one another and will do the necessary. Ben taught Knightley her combat and weapons skills. The story moves along with Knightley balancing a political killing with a Chinese diplomat ending up inexplicably dead, with fingers being pointed in a number of directions, including the US CIA and the British. Other hired killers get involved, and as supporting actors the two female killers lead by Williams (played by Ella Lily Hyland) are a quality addition. Not only do they provide some comic relief, with some very clever writing, but also some needed assistance with some later more involved activities which in some ways are reminiscent of John Wick.

I really liked this as it got more and more involved. Knightley is put in an extremely difficult position and she takes that situation to the next level not allowing herself to be a pawn on a board. She ensures that people who threaten her or her family quickly learn that this is unacceptable. All the while she needs to protect her feelings which are complicated. I think she does an excellent job at portraying this and is equalled in the task by Whishaw battling his own character, with his background against a desire for a relationship that defines him. All six episodes were entertaining and kept me engaged. I recommend this series.

December 23, 2024

September 5: This new release written and directed by Swiss born Tim Fehlbahm. It speaks about the day when Palistinian terrorists infiltrated some of the Israeli rooms in the Olympic Village and demanded release of 200 political prisoners held in Israel. If you think you know this story, you likely do from the previous Steven Speilberg 2005 film Munich starring Eric Bana. The difference is that this movie focuses on the ABC Sports TV team who covered this story during the second week of the 1972 Munich Olympics. It also focuses on the production team at ABC for that 24 hour period from the initial hostage taking to the resolution that the local military airport. The movie interlaces archived coverage from the actual broadcast with host Jim McKay and the actors in the control room.

The team features in real life was Roone Arledge (played by Peter Sarsgaard), Geoff Mason his producer (played by John Magaro) and also Peter Jennings (played by Benjamin Walker). There are many others with various technical roles who contribute, along with a German technician who beomes more and more important as understanding the commincations among police orgaizations and news stations becomes more important.

For me with a son in the TV business now, I was fascinated at the processes taken to get a picture to the screen. We take for granted now all the computer graphics on the screen. These didn’t exist in 1972. There are satellite uplink times shared by numerous networks, hard tapes from large and heavy cameras which need to be developed, viewed and edited. Rotary dial telephones are needed to be patched into live feeds to allow the host to speak to a reporter in the field. All this gets created on the spot. Meanwhile, the unthinkable is happening with this unexpected attack by a radical group on the athletes with shots fired in the Village. The German police are inexperienced and with little training for a situation like this. It was not their finest hour. The situation continues with plenty of tension in the control room with plenty of external factors. No one seems to know just how important this series of events is playing out on the world stage.

We were at a showing where they had members of the cast and crew responding to questions from a moderator. Sarsgaard spoke about the human ability to compartmentalize, that even after watching something utterly horrific (like a man with a gun pointed at his head) we can shift back to a sporting event and cheer a good play. This ability has been honed especially these days with an inundation of news and stories, but it is shown for dramatic effect as the Olympics continued while the hostage taking was going on and competition still took place. The post script of the film talked about 900 million people watching the coverage of this. They make the argument that this is the first time the world had watched a news event live like this. I disagree. I think the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald in November 1963 was one of the first times this occured and later in 1969 the world watched the moon landing. So in 1972, there were many times when this was happening. Part of the allure for the terrorists is knowing that there would be coverage. Overall, the was an engaging and entertaining film. 51 years prior to the atrocities of October 7, 2023 we replay a terrorist attack by Palestinians against Israel. I think is well worth watching, although I am not sure this is a big screen movie. Check it out.

The Ultimatum Season 3: On Wednesday, the final episode and the reunion show were dropped for this forgettable season. The final episode showed the remaining resolution for the four remaining couples out of six. Two as you recall had left early and left two other singles lingering without partners. I have to admit that I was surprised with two of the end decisions. It doesn’t matter which of the two it was.

One of those decisions was remedied in the Reunion show. Still this is a show where so many of those who participated appeared to be nowhere near ready to be married. But it’s really a wonder why such couples would want to put themselves and their relationship (which is clearly coming to a decision point) before the whole world to see. Sadly this group had a couple of people who were over-the-top troubled and it impacted not only their experience but also of those around them. The premise is flawed which I have talked about before, as it makes no sense to put strangers in a living situation for a Trial Marriage in order to assess their current relationship. So while this is mind candy and senseless TV for me, this is a season and a group of people that I didn’t need to spend time with.

December 16, 2024

Emilia Perez: The Golden Globe nominations were announced this past week, for the award ceremony that will take place Sunday January 5th. The awards are for both film and TV. This Netflix movie lead all nominees with ten nominations, which is the most ever for a film surpassing Barbie a year ago with nine. The nominations include Best Musical or Comedy, Best Non-English Picture, Best Female Actor (Karla Sofía Gascón), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez), and Best Director among others, including two songs. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, knowing nothing about the premise.

The first big surprise is that this has singing and dancing in it. It is mostly in Spanish. Who knew that Zoe Sandana could fluently speak Spanish, along with singing and dancing? Certainly not me. The overall premise is one that I won’t share in detail, but basically there is Saldana who is a bright criminal lawyer in Mexico City, Mexico. She works hard and has other more senior lawyers take her arguments and use them (not as well as she could) on behalf of the firm’s clients. But she is a bit disillusioned. Life for her is not very fulfilling with too much work and not enough personal life. A chance meeting puts her in a position to take on a new client who will pay her handsomely for assisting with a super-secret project that this client is looking to undertake. The temptation is too great to pass up, but the audience wonders just what this will entail. Things happen, and the project is a success.

Fast forward and this client is looking in many ways to have their cake and eat it too. The underlying message being that one cannot ever fully escape their past. With the follow on message that if you live by the sword, you die by the sword, however much you look to start afresh. The client and Saldana both observe this lesson first hand. As an aside, I am surprised about the Globe nomination for Gomez. She was a singer in her past. Much of the role is not a stretch. The story overall is an interesting premise, although certainly not universally applicable, as the fact situation is very specific and I would think, in a word, unique. I guess the singing is also novel as a way to communicate the plot, with the thoguhts and feelings of those involved. Should this be the most awarded film ever in Golden Globes history? No. Then again, the awards are now more comprehensive adding different categories like Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, which I think is a way to try and reward those films making tons of money like Top Gun Maverick or Barbie. Curious though that Dune II didn’t get a nomination for this but Alien Romulus did. This is a party after all, and you want unique and plentiful guests to encourage viewership. With Dick Clark productions acquiring Hollywood Foreign Press, there is nothing but ratings to seek. This movie being in a musical category helps it. I do not see it as the Best Picture for the year.

Masters of the Air: This Apple TV series has nine episodes. Brought to us from the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg producing tandem that created Band of Brothers for HBO back in 2001, which remains one of the best war-time series and movies in recent memory. This story focuses on the airmen who were bombing and protecting Britain during the Second World War. Starring Austin Butler from Elvis fame, and Barry Keough in some earlier episodes in this is a true-to-life telling of the stories of these airmen. The final episode shows a number of the principal players with pictures and post-war descriptions of what had happened to them, and how old they lived until.

It took me some time to get through this as I am not an Apple TV subscriber. Rather I saw some early episodes on a flight to Europe and then managed to find someone with a subscription where I could finish it. I am glad that I did. Time and again, over and over there are stories of very heroic young men who are about the same age as my youngest son. I think about the risks, the responsibility, the character and courage of each of them as they faced one day after anther in war time. The youth of today, and even the younger version of me cannot fathom this level of stress and anxiety. We have labeled it, they lived it. Of course, many came back broken men who were a shell of their former selves. PTSD is a real thing. So many came back with mental scars and addictions to alcohol and other mind-numbing substances. But they were facing a worldwide threat to a way of life. They saw foreign country after foreign country fall, and chose to setp up for what they believed in. The early bombing missions into Germany were hell as they had to fight through barrages of land based shells, but also in the air. Dogfighting with German fighter planes, while trying to deliver a bomb to a target. They were heroic, and they found a way to do the job required.

I don’t put this on par with Band of Brothers but it was better than the follow up The Pacific from 2010. I like that there is an effort to retell the stories of these men at the end of their lives. Each of them has a story to tell. Of course there are women, and women who made great sacrifices and contributions to the war effort. But generally these are the men fighting in the planes, and on the front lines. Most of the actors are unfamiliar. But they each do an admirable job at bringing forth a life unknown to most but a few family and community members. As a father, the stories hit home harder, as I think about having my children in harm’s way. But I am glad that I watched this, and I encourage others to do so. If for nothing more than to understand that 2024 is 40 years since 1984. And that 1984 is 40 years since 1944, when D-Day took place and the invasion back into France. The beginning of the end for the Nazis, who fall a little over a year later when they gave up air superiority, and the bombing of their industrial complex wiped away their ability to wage war. This is worth your time.

Interstellar: Remarkably it has been ten years since the first release of this Christopher Nolan film, starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain and John Lithgow. It has been re-released in theatres and I saw in IMAX on Friday night. Knowing the story well, this experience allowed me to more soak in all of the sub-plots and other aspects to it. Upon first viewing ten years ago I downloaded the Hans Zimmer soundtrack that I regard as one of the finest sound tracks anywhere (the use of the organ is just excellent). From the first moments of the film, it creates the mood of the entire film. There are times in an IMAX theatre when the seats shake at the deep music. Time is a key theme and this is fully explored. This is also visually stunning and and a sound sympthony, as the space ship goes through a worm hole and past a black hole, and shows us in detail a plausible argument on what it can all be about. And it is all just an argument and conjecture. Nolan loves to play with time and Einstein’s theory of relativity is given a good workout as it is explained, and how such a thing a time slippage can take place. How does one hour on a particular planet equal seven years of Earth time? Gravity.

But space aside, this is a also a very deep personal movie, with a father taking on a mission which can impct the whole world, while leaving behind his own two teen children. There are no easy choices. How do you separate one’s own desire to do what you are feel you are born to do, and wish to do, against spending time with your kids and watching them live and grow? The scenes on the Mann planet with the discussions about survival instinct, care for one’s own family versus humanity overall are very poignant.

This movie was nominated for five Oscars, all in sound, music and visual effects. Hans Zimmer did not win the Oscar for this, rather The Grand Budapest Hotel did win. The only win was Visual Effects. This is the year Birdman won the Best Picture Oscar.

If you haven’t seen this movie, then see it where it belongs in all of its grandeur. If you know the film, but want a refresher check it out. This is a movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen with big sound. It is a remarkable achievement. Some of Christopher Nolan’s best work.

December 9th, 2024

One Day (series): Netflix has released a 14-episode series based upon the book by the same name from writer David Nichols (unread by me) and is a retelling of the story from the 2011 film starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess (also not watched by me). I came into this series fresh, having no knowldge about it, which I think made it more impactful. The story is a romance set in the UK set over 20+ years as these two young people go through their lives, and how they intersect with one another from time to time.

The couple initially meet at an outdoor party in the main courtyard of their university in Edinburgh Scotland. They meet, they walk and talk with the conversation bringing them back to her apartment. They talk some more but are not intimate with one another. They part ways. Then the story, which has some episodes as short as 25 mins, becomes similar to the Neil Simon movie Same Time, Next Year, where we see where the two are each year. This carries on for twenty plus years.

I found that this started off slowly, but the viewer is richly rewarded for the payoff in the last couple episodes where the emotional groundwork has been laid. It seems that this couple is living the Blue Rodeo song Bad Timing, where they are just off. The performances by both of the leads is compelling. We see two people who are real, authentic and flawed. They both spend time trying to find a direction for their lives, with troubles, challenges with families, friends and each other as well as other romantic relationships. It is all very real. The writing is good. I like how despite being separated emotionally and geographically at times, they manage to find a way to connect. They also have direct impact on shaping the life of the other, bringing forth their own observations about their friendship and the person. They both have an ebb and flow in their lives. One can be struggling while the other is finding their stride but then life happens and things change.

The last couple of episodes definitely make the early episodes worth it, with an emotional connection coming forward that was a surprise. Having no knowledge of the story or prior movie, this benefitted me. What I can say is that I think that this is worth a second viewing for me. I think that I will see more, knowing the arc of the story. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as the stars have done an excellent job in showing range and growth with these two characters. I expect that there is more work coming from the both of them. Definitely worth your time.

The Day of the Jackal: In 1973, the cerebral British actor Edward Fox starred in the movie based upon the best selling book by Frederick Forsyth. This is a remake of that, and an updating of the story with a cat and mouse game, with a rogue unaffiliated assassin (independent and not part of KGB, CIA, MI6 etc) being tracked by a UK investigative service. The original movie surrounded a plot to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. This effort updates this to a German industrialist looking to be the Chancellor, and later an internet guru with a new tool that is meant to show transparently where money is being hidden throughout the world. Think of it as a target like an Elon Musk who is changing the financial world with a tool soon to be fully released.

Eddie Redmayne plays the Jackal, who leads two lives. In one he is a secretive, known assassin earning millions of dollars for each target. In the other, he is a quiet married man with a young child living in a small town in Spain. He travels a lot and is away from home plenty. His wife isn’t happy at his frequent need to be away during family events. There are many pressures on the Jackal, including a client who is refusing to pay him for the work accomplished.

Redmayne is a master of disguise in many ways like the earlier episodes of Mission Impossible. He researches, he emulates his targets and finds way to get close to his targets. He also has managed to obtain a rifle which allows him to make long distance shots that are unparalleled in history.

These long distance shots are the beginnings of tracking him down by British Intelligence, who are concerned that a rifle like this to allow the shots could be manufactured in Britain. Lashana Lynch plays Bianca, who was in the latest James Bond film No Time to Die. There were rumours back in 2021 that she might actually take on the Bond role, and was actually named 007 in that film with Daniel Craig.

I have finished the first three episodes that have been released. So far I like it. I think that they do a good job at showing the tightening noose for the Jackal. Circumstance seems to find a way to bring the Jackal out of his comfort zone, but the money offered ($100M) is just too rich to pass up. It is early in this series, but it is compelling enough for me to keep watching.

The Ultimatum Season 3: This was just dropped on Netflix and they have not released all of the episodes. This is another buuble gum season of quasi-reality TV where a number of young couples put their romantic relationships on display for all to see and scrutinize. One member of the couple has given an ultimatum to the other; marry me or move on.

The results are predictable with plenty of tears and drama. Of course the flaw in this experiment, is that you have couples who at times have been together for two or three years. They head to this show, and then are expected to split, quickly date others only in this small circle, and then match up in a “new trial marriage” complete with meeting friends and family. How odd? Why get parents and friends involved? They barely know these new people, and they are expected to be living with them. Some aren’t even living with their current partner! The difference in this season is that we have a number of participants who decide quite suddenly that they are not prepared to participate any longer. This leaves a couple of the newly paired people to be on their own, stewing in their own juices. One of those people is a 38yo artist Nick who gave the ultimatum to his 27yo girlfriend Sandy. Sandy is embracing her “new marriage” and this sets Nick tailspinning out of control. Seems he “never expected” that this would be the result. He’s the only one! So this drama continues and further episodes aree to be dropped later this week.

December 2, 2024

Gladiator II: A couple years back when I had heard rumours of a sequel being made by Ridley Scott for Gladiator, I had thought to myself, how can their be a sequel, Maximum (the Russell Crowe Gladiator) had been killed. It was a fitting ending to a good story, well told. I quibbled a bit with the CGI, especially of Rome and the Coliseum as it looked more from a video game than a Hollywood movie, but the film’s performances overshadowed some of the challenges. I was tempering my enthusiasm, as best as I try to do with highly anticipated movies like this one because in the back of my mind is that I don’t want to build it up in my head such that it cannot meet the expectations. I entered the theatre hoping for the best, thinking “I hope this doesn’t suck”.

Well sadly, this was not was I was hoping for at all. Did it suck? I wouldn’t go that far, but I would say that it is a story not worthy of the original, nor Ridley Scott. First of all, however much Russell Crowe is not “in” this movie, his image and finger prints are all over it. I hope that Crowe gets paid for his 2000 image being used so often. The only two original actors in this version is Derek Jacobi (as a senator) and Connie Nielson (who played Lucilla, the daughter of slain Emperor Marcus Aurilius).

My limited pre-screening knowledge was that this was a story about Lucius, the young son of Lucilla who had met Maximus when he was in Rome as a slave gladiator. Maximus’ last words were confirming that “Lucius is safe”. I honestly wished that I hadn’t heard even this little bit of information. It spoiled the earlier part of the movie. There are some heavy hitting acting talents on screen like Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal (who is virtually everywhere) and Paul Mescal as Lucius. For me as someone who really likes the original Best Picture as well four other Oscars. But it misses. The plot comes across for me as contrived. I had always thought, “how does Lucius get all these mad fighting skills as a prince raised in the palace”? But it goes beyond that. In Rome, as opposed to the “vision of Rome” and it becoming a Republic once again with the people running it as opposed to an Emperor, it now has twin Emperors running the country. And these twins are as outlandish and cartoonish as you can imagine. Incidentally, there have never been twin brothers on the throne as Emperor. It just doesn’t make sense, and it wasn’t necessary. It makes the current General’s issue (played by Pascal) with the leadership plain. Then it goes further with a re-enactment in the Coliseum of a naval battle. It has full ships, including oars for the boats, along with many sharks swimming in the waters. I was told that naval battles were shown, however not with sharks nor water deep enough for oars. The final straw for me is the whole issue about details about Lucius which just make sense either for me. So while this movie never approached the original, it didn’t suck, but it didn’t really reveal any reason for being. It didn’t move the overall story much. So I cannot recommend this, and see it as a lost opportunity.

Say Nothing: I had heard about this series on Disney +, as it dealt with The Troubles in Ireland during that 1970s and beyond, and a number of the prominent figures in the Irish Republican Army. It is based upon the book by Patrick Radden Keefe unread by me. This nine-part series tells the true story about the Belfast Project at Boston College, where it had been arranged to have volunteers from the IRA tell their stories on the condition that these stories wouldn’t be disclosed until the person was dead. The aim was to have the whole truth come out for later generations of Northern Irish to explain the actions of Gerry Adams. You see, Adams denies ever being a part of the IRA, let alone being one the leaders in Belfast. There was leadership, like Adams, and there would foot soldiers like Brendan Hughes, Dolours and Marian Price. Adams had become one of the negotiators for a ceasefire in the 1980s with the British, as there was a truce which didn’t mean that the British occupying force was leaving the Emerald Island for good.

This series has a number of different storylines, focusing on the two sisters and their story and involvement with the IRA movement. The story evolves from a re-telling of events according to Dolours, the redhead picture above. I won’t share any more of the details because it is a fascinating story of very difficult and complex times. The issues have evolved over the centuries. I have been to Belfast a couple of times, including taking a black cab tour explaining some of the history within Belfast. It was very eye opening, and scary that in my lifetime, these events can have unfolded with bombings in London, hunger strikes, police brutality within a walled city. But now, progress can be seen as I can take a bus to Belfast and tour the Titanic Museum and have no fear about any difficulties. I am hopeful that the peace which is very controversial, especially among staunch Republic supporters (justifably was a sell-out allowing further British occupation) but on the other hand you have to start somewhere. I don’t have all the answers. Not even close. I don’t think that Gerry Adams has all the answers either, and he is a human without character to throw his supporters and one-time friends under the bus to seek glory for himself, but has he served the greater good of the people of Northern Ireland? Time will tell the answer on that. If you want more insight into the truth of what happened, this is a series for you to view. I highly recommend this. A couple of questions though on this: with the further tale of murder and mayhem within the IRA, who benefits most from this? If the aim remains to get the British out of Ireland, how can this be done in a peaceful way? One would think that if Germany can be reunified, and the Berlin wall can fall, that Ireland should be capable of being one island once again, and entitled to self-rule.

November 25, 2024

The Prestige: I am not entirely sure how I seemed to have missed this Christopher Nolan from back in 2006. It has an impressive cast with Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and a really good cameo. I think this movie was eclipsed for me with the release of the similar themed movie about magic starring Edward Norton titled The Illusionist. I still prefer the Norton film better. But this movie has many of the Nolan trademarks and some tricks and twists along the way. There are plenty of hints that likely will trigger the viewer upon a second viewing.

In brief, Bale and Jackman are young competing magicians/illusionists who used to work together. A defining event occurs where one of them blames the other for the outcome. They split and seek out a memorable trick which will propel them into fame, fortune and notoriety. The competition between the two is so intense that they are looking to cause actual harm to the other in the tricks that they are performing. The acting is good. The story doubles back onto itself a number of times, and despite the plot recap it can still be confusing. Nolan’s movies are nothing if not tests of the audience’s ability to pay close attention at all aspects of the story and the characters within it. There are hints of course, as mentioned earlier, but cleverly the magician doesn’t give up their secrets, and this movie waits until the end to piece it all together for the audience. I think it does show the extremes that some people will undertake to become known, or remembered. They don’t necessarily see the cost to them and those that they love for this reward. I liked the movie. It isn’t Nolan’s best but it certainly isn’t wasting the considerable acting talent that is on display. Worth checking out if you have the chance.

Blitz: Saoirse Ronan has been busy with last week’s The Outrun which is Oscar-worthy and this week the Apple TV release of this WWII movie. Written and directed by Steve McQueen and using Hans Zimmer for the score, this movie tells the story of a single Mom (Rita played by Ronan) during the German bombing of England who looks to find her son (George, played by Elliott Heffernan). During what was referred to as the Blitz, which is a shortened version of the German word “blitzkrieg” where military forces are used in a coordinated way to psychologically demoralize the people using elements of surprise and strength. The German tanks were well known for effecitvely using this method of attack. The Blitz took place September 1940 until May 1941. Over one million children from London alone were relocated during this time.

I give away nothing to say that Rita’s son is mixed race, with the father a young man from Africa who was whisked away by authorities in what can only be described as a racially motivated act by the police against him. We learn this over time, but the main focus is Rita who works in a munitions factory eventually deciding to keep her 9 yo son safe by sending him by train out to the country where he would be cared for along with thousands of other children. This is a very personal story, dealing with these two people and the small family, which included Rita’s father, played by The Jam musical group’s Paul Weller.

When this generation talks about anxiety and not feeling safe, one should remember that in 1940 (just 84 years ago) in addition to their houses being bombed into oblivion, killing neighbours and friends, there was also the stress of finding food, and remaining safe by separating children from their parents. Imagine then, having a headstrong son who decides to escape back to his mother. This story is not specific to one family or person, but rather it is indicative of many such stories with children who were lost during these traumatic times. We see things as an audience that have been previously not seen by me, which was looting and theft at the time after the bombs had been dropped onto stores and houses. Seems that not everyone was looking out for the greater good for the country, but rather looking for ways to survive. We are all so removed in 2024 North American society from real war that is is difficult to contemplate what each of us would do. I would like to think that more citizens would remain true to their values, than what is seen in this movie. I also think that this movie does a really good job at showing the value of the subway stations at a time when it was not safe on the streets outside. People huddled together, slept in the stations and waited out the bombings being uncertain as to what they would come back to when emerging. I enjoyed this, and it is worth checking out.

November 18, 2024

The Outrun: A few weeks back I had written about Conclave, that I felt that I had seen the Best Actor Oscar Winner for this year with Ralph Fiennes. After seeing this new release from Producer Saoirse Ronan and her husband Jack Lowden, directed by Nora Fingscheidt, I think that I can say that I have seen the Best Actress Oscar Winner too. In some ways, it feels like having watched Emma Stone in Poor Things last year.

I will say up front that this is not an easy watch. Set in Scotland, based on the true story novel of the same name (released in 2015), the film tells the story of a young woman Rona (Ronan) and her life and lifestyle. She is a woman with an alcohol addiction problem, and you see her tell her story in reverse from the moment when she realized that she had reached rock bottom and wanted to make a change. As the story reveals itself, we see that a very young Rona grew up in a household where father had his own issues and these impacted her, and her Mom as the marriage fell apart. She managed to get away to London where she fully enjoyed the partying lifestyle in London. The drinking, the loud music, the quick hook ups all contribute to her perception that these are really good times. What she can’t recall is that as she drinks more, she becomes an angry, belligerent drunk. So her memories are selective. She struggles as we see that she had many issues stacked against her. She chooses to leave London, and go back to Scotland where she finds a home for herself on the Orkney Islands on the northern tip of Scotland. It is a solo life, in a small hut where she can detox herself, but also become closer to nature. Temptations arise, and this is no surprise when you live in a pub culture within the UK (Scotland as well as Ireland and England). She also gets to better develop her love for the ocean, and the marine biology degree that she has achieved earlier. There are moments in her struggle where I stated audibly “don’t do it”.

I like Ronan as an actor/actress. I think she is one of the most versatile and talented actors of her generation. For that, she already before starting has me hoping for the best for her. Then this character and her struggles, she shows that she needs help, is vulnerable, and is looking for some direction. As an acting performance, there are physical elements, showing yourself to be impaired but also her interactions among family, friends and romantic interests. Her range of emotion is wide from anger and rage, to crying and seeking foregiveness, to kindness and showing her interaction with people. She is a high functioning drunk, but it doesn’t take away from the allure for her addiction. I sympathize as a parent, but also for any person who is fighting with addiction. I can’t imagine not feeling satisfaction or joy from life without the adding of any substance. Others have played people with alcohol issues and done well with Oscar like Nic Cage (1996 Leaving Las Vegas) or Jessica Lange (1994 Blue Sky) or Elizabeth Taylor (1966 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?). There are many, many more. This is worth viewing, and I expect will be mentioned often between now and March 2, 2025.

The Penguin: I finished watching on Crave this limited series. I feel as though it got better and better as it went on. As it went on, I think I became to cheer more for the Cristin Milioti character, Sofia Falcone. The Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot aka Oz Cobb, played excellently by the unrecognizable Colin Farrell, it not a likeable character. He loves one thing in life, which is his Mom, and he is dedicated to a promise to provide her with a better life. To that end, he will do anything. He has no conscience. He became the middleman in a mob war, and was a driver for the young Sofia Falcone when she was young. He is trying to make it on his own, by having the warring mobs destroy one another.

The final episode brings the story full circle. There are some good plot twists and changes in momentum. Those who have been paying attention will see where it will end up going, but the avenues taken are not those that you might have expected. I think the acting and story were first rate. It ties well into the Robert Pattinson The Batman series which will have a second installment released in October 2026. This is worth checking out.