February 17th, 2025

Nosferatu: Back in 2000, there was a movie released called Shadow of a Vampire, starring John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe about the filming of the German early horror film from 1922 titled Nosferatu-Eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu-a Symphony of Horror). Shadow was nominated for two Oscars, one for Dafoe as Max Schreck who seemed to take his role more seriously than was anticipated. The other was for Best Makeup. Neither nomination won. Fast forward to 2024, and this movie is released on the subject of Nosferatu, but this is a period horror vampire film about the reknowned vampire.

Set in Germany in 1830s, a young newlywed Thomas Hutter (played by Nicholas Hoult) with his new bride Ellen (played by Lily-Rose Depp). She as a young girl summoned a friend, but we will get back to that. Young Hutter is a new employee at a real estate agency, and his boss played by Simon McBurney, requests that he ride to Transylvania and personally some papers to allow this count to purchase a crumbling estate in this small German town. Ellen has no interest in this trip which will take weeks. Off Thomas goes to fulfill this well-paying assignment. He meets up with Count Orlok (who is unrecognizable played by Bill Skarsgard).

This film is beautifully and carefully shot. There are images of grey, forboding with an ancient castle, along with many others. The set design, production, makeup and cinematography are all first rate and are well deserving of the Oscar nominations. It is stunning. The movie is also a horror film with some startling moments, as well as moments to make the audience queasy. You have been warned. It is a very dark story. A story of love and love conquering all things. It is also about actions, whenever they might be, having lasting implications. Back to Willem Dafoe, he is in this film as a professor who educated the town’s local medical doctor, but Dafoe fell from the scientific path, was dismissed and disgraced as he followed along the dark arts and psychological aspects of human behaviour (remember that these are days when the doctors would still bleed their patients). He becomes part of the team back in the town who are looking to avoid a catastophic plague which has engulfed the town since the arrival of the vampire in his coffin. There are some very traditional aspects of vampirism, like the nocturnal nature of the vampire, and having to sleep in his own soil each night in a coffin. He engages with minions who assist him. Count Orlok is imposing, intimidating with a well versed in the dark arts.

Did I like this? It was an experience, with a horror film that takes the vampire story in directions not always anticipated. I still admit that Gary Oldman in the 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula is still my favourite vampire. Plenty of elements from Dracula are followed in Nosferatu. So this was a different take which I did enjoy as a visual spectacle and I felt as though I was transported into a different place and time. That is something to be sure. It will not surprise me if this wins an Oscar or two.

Love Is Blind (Season 8): Well, Netflix seems to be churning out as many of the Love Is Blinds as they can. I had just finished watching the German version of this and noticed that another American version had been dropped. This time set in Minnesota. We learn in a few episodes that it was done over Valentine’s Day a year ago. As we are too familiar, the premise is the flawed one can fall in love with someone without setting eyes on their physical appearance, and they must propose to this person and be engaged as they then set off on a beach vacation together, and then live together with this complete stranger. What could go wrong??

The first six episodes were dropped by February 14th, with two more episodes being released February 21st. It takes the first six episodes for the participants to sort themselves. We are told that this is the largest group of participants in the history of the show. The drama of course ramps when there is one participant who is the focus of more than one person’s attention. In the Men’s and Women’s Quarters many use the code-speak of “Number 1” versus “Number 2” or others. This looks to keep hidden who they are focused on as the dates continues and fewer contestants remain. For me, those who are so perplexed on a couple people, should know that the answer is that neither one is “the One” and they should reconsider. A first from my experience with these shows is a woman who makes a very personal confession in her past which falls flat with her dating partner. She chooses to pull herself from further consideration rather than risk the rejection which she could feel coming. But she is presumptuous and didn’t even allow herself the chance to go forward. It is also interesting to see a participant focused primarily on one person, and then pivot to a Number 2 when they get rejected. Not sure how I would feel about being a Consolation Prize. An Option B. Don’t you want your person to find you, choose you, and focus on you? Just a thought. This is mind candy as I have always said. I will continue to watch. Incidentally, there are both men and women who are playing the Number 1 and 2 cards, stringing along both when they are seemingly have a very hard time making up their minds. The falsehood is that no one can know anybody thoroughly as you may hope to make a major decision on a TV show, or even in real life for that matter. It is still amazing to see just how many people are willing to lay out their personal lives for the world to see and judge!

February 10th, 2025

A Different Man: Sebastian Stan has had a busy year, certainly with filming in 2023, and then releasing of movies in 2024. He starred as Donald Trump in The Apprentice, recently reviewed by me, and also got a Golden Globe nomination and victory for his role in this 2024 release. Directed by Aaron Schimberg, it tells the fictional story of a New York actor, Edward, who has a disfigurement similar but not as extreme as John Merrick from The Elephant Man movie. Proteus syndrome is what John Merrick suffered from, but he had the added complication that his mother, according to the movie was injured by an elephant when she was pregnant in the late 1850s. Here in modern times, Edward is an actor working in a play. His lives in an apartment building alone, and keeps mostly to himself. He is used to people acting badly around him, and not knowing how to react. A new woman rents in his building and she seems fairly interested in him. She, named Ingrid and played by The Worst Person in the World actress Renate Reinsve, is a playwrite and wanting to do a play with someone with Edward’s skills. In time Edward when visiting a doctor is told that the doctor knows of someone who doing some experimental testing on looking to find a cure for his ailment.

In an emotional moment, Edward decided because he felt like an outsider, and not fully enjoying life that he would try the procedure.

There is an element of “body horror” in this movie too, which I won’t disclose fully, but it is a transformative moment for Edward where he is no longer physically different from others, and in fact he is quite handsome. It is difficult for him to adjust to people reacting so differently to him, and especially women. However, his role in the play as written for him, is something he no longer appears outwardly ready to capture, from the playwrite/neighbour’s perspective. In her mind, Edward just disappeared. The story continues.

This is a fable, and one which delivers the old adage “be careful what you wish for, you might just get it”. For all purposes, it would appear that Edward has won the lottery and his life can now be lived fully. But some elements of his old life, he yearns for, like his neighbour, and the acting gig. He has become a successful real estate agent, as it seems you only need looks to be successful in that in NYC. But this movie carries that theme to an extreme to make a point, and look to be entertaining. I think it doesn’t make a lot of sense that this situation would happen, as most people outwardly may embrace the new reality for Edward. But maybe that is me, putting my only narrow lens onto Edward, and how I would want to look more like everyone else. Maybe, but I think it would be very unusual for an Ingrid to embrace Edward and then later the new actor Oswald, who shares in Edward’s affliction, in the way that she does. Once again, it seems exaggerated to make the point, and impact Edward most profoundly. I liked this. I thought that Stan did a very good job at revealing the complex emotions and feelings of Edward. People want to be love and accepted and acknowledged for who they are. Edward is no exception. But when his perceived dreams are seemingly granted, the story turns to provide a moral. This is worth seeing. I saw it it on Crave. I am not sure whether this Award worthy from Stan but the Golden Globe is his. Ironically Stan was nominated in The Apprentice for an Oscar and not this role. Check them both out and judge for yourself which one you thought was most deserving.

Silo Season 2: I have just begun getting into season 2 of Silo with Rebecca Ferguson. This season takes two directions, as the now exiled Ferguson sherriff is outside the original silo, and then there are the happenings within that silo for those that remain. The inhabitants of the original silo are not sure whether Ferguson’s Juliette Nichols is alive or dead. But it is creating dissention in the ranks as many believe that she is alive and that they are being lied to by the powers that be.

There is a good cast with Ferguson joined with Tim Robbins, Steve Zahn and Rashida Jones and Common. I will continue to watch this and see where it goes. Between this and Yellowstone on Netflix, there is plenty of content to watch. Stay tuned for more fulsome reviews.

February 3rd, 2025

I’m Still Here: This movie is based on real events. It is in Portugese with English subtitles. Set in 1970 in Rio De Janeiro Brasil, Eunice and Rubens Paiva have five children (ages 17yo or so to much younger). Golden Globe Winner and Oscar nominated Fernanda Torres plays Eunice. The family lives well with a servant, a car and beach front property on the famous Leblon Beach. They are also developing another property nearby. Rubens was formerly a minister in the previous government. He had gone into exile after that government was deposed. A new military dictatorship has taken power and they are quickly addressing a burgeoning rebellion/public protest against this government. Early on we see the Paiva’s eldest daughter and her “hippie” friends stopped in their car at a road block with military aggressively checking for “terrorists” who have kidnapped a foreign ambassador.

Things happen and both Rubens and Eunice are separately taken away from their home and family for interrogation. It seems Rubens has, along with some of his friends, been looking to fan the flames of discontent. It has been noticed.

The family is close. They joke and play and are a tight group, even with eldest daughter deciding to head to London UK just before Mom and Dad were questioned. Fernanda Torres shows in spectacular fashion her range of emotions in dealing with the unexpected; including an illegal search and seizure within her family. Torres within her face shows the pain and anguish of addressing her immediate uncertainty for herself but also to calm her children. It’s a balance of being real for them while sheltering them from a situation that one doesn’t control and are uncertain of the outcome. Parents do this all of the time, thinking about their children first rather than their own safety. Kids need to feel safe. The parent also needs to keep older children from saying too much in front of the little ones. Torres encapsulates all this so well. This resilient woman isn’t bowing down to the new people in power. She pivots and dedicates herself in ways that are impressive, reflecting a desire to understand, educate and overcome. She decides personally and professionally on a new direction that can support her family but also reflect her desire to show the horrible actions of a regime not that very long ago. Absolute power it seems can corrupt absolutely especially for those looking to be dictators and rule with an iron fist.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It has just been released in Toronto. It surprises me that a movie without the coverage still garners the nominations and wins that it has including Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress and Best International Film (a first ever for a Brazilian film). This is worth your time and seeking out.

Yellowstone: Netflix just released the full four seasons of Yellowstone in the last few weeks. This is a series that I have heard from many people that it is worth watching. Sadly it was on Amazon, and I don’t carry that service. I have seen a couple episodes on airplanes every now and then but it has never stuck with me, because it was so limited. I am already five episodes into season 1, and I have enjoyed it. This seems in many ways to be Succession on a ranch, with Kevin Costner as the patriarch, a powerful man of influence and land owner. He has a wide ranging farm (larger than Rhode Island within the State of Montana). Created by Taylor Sheridan it has been the source of a number of spin offs.

There is much intrigue at the ranch. There is a competing real estate development, there are challenges with his various children, as well as the ranch hands, along with political intrigue. This is well written, well shot with lovely scenery. It is acted well, with complex characters, especially Costner and his children.

I will continue to watch this, although I am told that the last season without Costner is not as good. But one must start somewhere and this has caught my attention enough to merit more time.

January 27th, 2025

The Wild Robot: Universal Pictures brought forth this animated feature, which was very well received, with a box office over $324M. It was nominated for four Golden Globe nominations including Best Animated Feature, Best Score and the new Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. I came into this knowing no more than above. I had no knowledge of the premise, but was interested to see what all the fuss was about. With a bit of a chaotic beginning, we see shipwrecked a number of boxed up robots. One in particular survives, and we learned is named Roz (voiced by actress Lupita Nyong’o). She is a robot meant for a modern industrial world and human interaction, defined by assigned tasks and being useful. She has fallen into an animal kingdom with many different creatures about. The creatures are terrified of the robot, who has created some destructive events around her. The robot chooses to reprogram herself, and better understand the animal languages, this is useful as we can then understand the creatures in words, rather than just actions. Among the creatures are ducks, fox, a beaver, possum, a bear and others.

Roz is definitely an outsider, and feared. Things happen that result in Roz taking on a task that was unexpected, with results that many audience members can relate. From this, many new tasks are created that are not always in Roz’ control, and she is offered some assistance. The assistance while at first seems self-serving to the assistant, there is a bond that is formed that grows as a result. I won’t get into the details, because it is from this that the basis of the emotional connection of the movie takes place. It is strong.

From one challenge, there is another challenge that takes place with Roz and those around her. It requires some coordinated effort and shows to the animal world what Roz is all about. She, of course, is a robot with programs as opposed to emotions and a brain to rule her actions. There is growth in many of the characters and creatures, and they learn some valuable lessons about working together and putting differences aside for the sake of the greater good. All the while there is the primary relationship character arc with Roz. It is moving. This movie had more soul and emotion to it than I had expected, which is interesting when you know the focus is a robot. A machine can learn, and that machine can teach others valuable lessons. This not only will be cute for kids, but the adults will get much out of it. For me, this is the sign for a quality animated feature; adults and kids can enjoy on different levels. This is worth seeking out.

Inside Out 2: I liked the original Pixar Inside Out when it was first released back in 2015. I think that the premise of creating characters inside the head of the little 11yo girl Riley was creative in showing how a young girl perceives the world around her, especially when the family moves from her known home of Minnesota to San Francisco. The original emotions characterized were Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sadness. They are voiced by well known actors, although I don’t really see the need for that. In this sequel, the hockey-playing Riley is entering puberty and there are a whole new set of emotions that have come to take control of Riley’s mind. These emotions include Anxiety, Embarrassment, Ennui, Envy, and Nostalgia (Anxiety is the orange character below).

Anxiety takes centre stage as Joy is pushed to the side. A teenager’s worries are pondered, then re-examined and turned upside down which leaves little room for other emotions. Many of those emotions can be negative. Riley has challenges with her existing friends, a new hockey team, a potential new school and dealing with all these crazy feelings inside.

I think that this movie does a very good job, without any formal psychological education on my part, at explaining how a human being creates and holds their core values. These are depicted very well with moments in time (shown as marbles the size of a 5 pin bowling ball) having a growth (like a plant) into the sky to then form a complex personality with an overall theme. For Riley, it is “I am a good person” initially. Then it changes with the introduction of more anxiety to be “I’m not good enough” with some consequences that she acts out in ways that she normally would not. I think that it is powerful when one realizes the influence of joy. It’s not a mistake that Joy drives Riley in the first movie. Joy in the second must overcome many obstacles in order to gain control back from Anxiety the character. For my generation, this impact of anxiety on young people is very different than when I grew up. For me, we got nervous at certain occasions, but this became an opportunity for growth rather than a place I think where these days kids succomb to the anxiety and it becomes a source of inaction. For us, it didn’t always work out, of course, which could also be growth of a different kind. All this to say that I enjoyed this movie as well. It had some fun moments, but also some moments which were emotional and telling for a young person. It gives insight into adults who try and understand behaviour. This is a Disney production and the ending is predictable. But the journey was worth it, and I enjoyed the time getting there. Well worth checking out.

January 27, 2025

Oscar Nominations: The Oscar nominations have been released this past week with some notable snubs. For me, the biggest snub remains Sairose Ronan for The Outrun. It seems not enough people saw it. But the lack of nomination for the performance especially given the next review from Anora is a head scratcher. I was also surprised with Denis Villeneuve not being acknowledged for Dune Part 2 which was better than the first film. Edward Berger also was not nominated for Best Director either for Conclave. Kate Winslet was not nominated for Lee. I have to admit that I am pleased that Pam Anderson, Nicole Kidman, and Selena Gomez were not nominated. Overall I see 2024 as a thin year for quality movies. The long listing of Best Picture nominees of which I have seen eight of the ten nominees, for me, truly only has two or three legitimate contenders. Those would include Conclave (my personal favourite), The Brutalist and Dune Part 2. In years to come the movie most people will come back to watch multiple times likely with be Dune Part 2. We’ll see if this is another year where a more artsy film like Bird Man, or The Artist wins over the more compelling and entertaining film.

Anora: I watched this movie this past weekend. It has received six Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Director, screenplay and editing. One would think that this would be excellent entertainment. In short, I don’t see it.

As a story it is a tale set in NYC about a young female exotic dancer from Brooklyn, played by Mickey Madison, who one night meets up with an equally young Russian male customer. She is requested by the club manager to meet this guy because she speaks Russian. She meets the young man, named Ivan, and his buddy and turns on the charm. He likes her and manages to spend time and money with her and hopes to see her some more. She meets Ivan away from the club and they do what adults do.

The young people party, have fun and head to Vegas. On a whim, Ivan proposes to her. They head to a chapel and get married. For Anora (she calls herself Ani) the wedding is her ticket to a life of leisure with no money worries, and at her age the money is the primary factor for being interested. This is a transaction. So it seems. The news of the Ivan’s wedding is not welcome to his oligarch father and mother. The parents are back in Russia, but they have an older Armenian man overseeing the young man in NYC. He didn’t know about the trip to Vegas. Like Ivan’s Mom he is furious and see Ivan being married to a “prostitute” as a very bad thing for the reputation of the family. The Armenian overseer sends his men to talk to Ivan and confirm the news about the marriage back at his house in NYC. It doesn’t go well. Ivan has been watched by this overseer for most of his life. Apparently he has been a handful. He manages to elude the henchmen and the overseer and they need to find him in NYC. Good luck. In the end there are some funny situational moments, but this is really a simple story. There is plenty of nudity. None of the acting struck me as particularly effective. Anora was perhaps the best. The nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Yurily Borisov, is particularly surprising as he doesn’t say anything for the first half of the movie. He is present with Anora but not interacting much. He is the muscle on the team, along with the overseer’s bearded brother. Only later does he have much to contribute. There is a great deal of yelling. A lot of profanity. Not a lot happens. An eventful long weekend for Ivan ends fairly predictably as the spoiled, entitled man has his parents fix what he has created. It’s not the first time and most certainly won’t be the last.
The ending can be interpreted in different ways. I think Anora’s final reaction stems from her finally feeling some real feelings, with no ulterior motives or transaction in the balance. Maybe it was the reaction from the culmination of a series of dramatic events? When the movie ended my reaction was “is that it?” It is hard to compare a movie like this or The Substance with a movie like Conclave or The Brutalist. The former are over-the-top and tongue in cheek while the others are more dramatic and seriously told. I cannot recommend this movie despite all the award nominations.

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.