Downton Abbey - The Movie

Whether you've been living under a rock for several years, due to choice or circumstance, or you were a dyed-in-the-wool devotee of Downton Abbey, I recommend you plop yourself down in a comfortable, cool, dark theater and for two hours steep yourself in the bygone era of the early 1900s. Now, I try not to romanticize past eras, even those I've lived through. The very definition of nostalgia conveys a certain rose-colored glass perspective, often far from reality. HOWEVER, for these two hours you will be immersed in a time of manners, civility, pomp and regalia, and a certain comfort within the very constriction of convention. (Boy, couldn't we use that now!) Listen closely to the conversations of British aristocracy. They're not stuffy at all! Words are measured and refined, but the substance and the passion are there. All your favorite characters are there...well, not MATHew, but, you know... The movie? Short on plot: the King and Queen are coming. That's it. But the film is a reunion for fans, a snapshot of a time and place, with more humor than the series ever had. There is one side narrative of poignant relevancy, and another scene of deep familial sentiment. It's all I needed, and I enjoyed every minute. Oh - and if you're new to the D.A. phenomenon, or you're forgetful, don't worry; Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson (out of character) take us through a quick review before the show.

Isobel: "How you hate to be wrong."
Violet: "I wouldn't know; I'm not familiar with the sensation."

Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu3mP0c51hE

Bad Times at the El Royale

Hi Film Fans!

Every so often an "art house" film comes along that knocks our socks off!

Bad Times at the El Royale is one of them.  This film is as bizarre and fascinating as I've ever seen.

Never the spoiler, I'll just say a few words about the plot:  A hodgepodge of weird, dysfunctional characters meet at a hotel on the California-Nevada border.  Each is there for a different reason, some not so savory.

At first, the encounters seem fairly innocuous.  A salesman, a priest, and a singer await their rooms in the lobby of the hotel.  Question is:  Are they who they say they are?  What are they really doing there?  And when others arrive, why are they there as well?

Nothing is as it first seems.  The sunny opening gets "noir" fast!

The brief overview may not seem that gripping.  But the film draws you in and keeps you glued to the screen.  Things start to happen, and first appearances quickly crumble!  Before long, there's a conflict between good and evil, and between diverse personalities, that leads to tense drama and eventual violence.

Have I piqued your interest?  I can't say more.

Let me comment on the actors:

John Hamm:  If you thought he could never be anyone other than Don Draper in Mad Men, think again!  Hamm is sleazy, and not so sleazy, as his character evolves.

Chris Hemsworth: The well-known Hollywood hunk is one bad dude!  Think of anyone who is pure evil....that's him!

Dakota Johnson:  Having earned her rep as the adventurous lover in Fifty Shades of Grey, she is a far cry from that role.  Check out the shotgun she carries!

Jeff Bridges:  The wonderfully versatile actor is a long ways from "the Dude" in The Big Lebowski. 
Now he's a well-spoken priest...or is he?

Lewis Pullman: A relative newcomer to Hollywood, the son of Bill Pullman, sometimes steals the show.  Yes, he's that good.  Watch him change as the freaky events unfold!

Cynthia Erivo:  The British actress, currently embroiled in a debate about whether she is the right actress for the role of Harriet Tubman in a soon-to-be-released movie, sings beautifully.  She epitomizes the conflict between morality and immorality in the film.

So, we have a film with great actors and a truly original plot.

But why do I really love this movie?

I am amazed at how it unfolds like a morality play.  Every act is shaded.  No one is totally right, and no one is entirely wrong.  Don't miss the fire symbolism that represents hell...and the angelic singer's voice that represents heaven.

Need I say more?  The film shocks but is laden with deep and troubling messages.

Go to Netflix or other sources and catch this one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Grade:  A++.... one of the best I've seen.

Rocketman

Hi Film Fans!

Hollywood has been on a roll with film biographies.  Remember Jamie Foxx in Ray?  He brought the music and life of Ray Charles to life.  Remember Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody?  He did Queen with pizazz!

I for one love the music biopics.  They are full of great sounds and wonderful dance.  They depict the magic of some of the great performers and get us inside their often painful voyages to stardom.

Now we have Rocketman.  The film tells the story of Elton John.  Never the spoiler, I'll tell you why this film is so much fun.

First, there is the music.  Elton John's repertoire of great tunes seems endless, numbering in the hundreds, and many of the famous ones fill the screen. Of course, Sir Elton did more than just create memorable songs.  He performed them with over-the-top costumes, wild antics at the piano, and charismatic showmanship that is rarely matched.

OK, since I just mentioned costumes, that too is part of the experience.  Word has it that Elton John lent his actual costumes to the actor playing him.  There are so many varieties of outfits and glasses that the audience is mesmerized by the wild presentations.

Guess I'll have to think out of the box the next time I buy a pair of glasses!

Then there's the story.  We go back to Elton's childhood to see how it all began.  We discover that he came from a dysfunctional home and demonstrated genius on the piano before he was ten years old.  We learn that he was pained by this family's lack of acceptance of his life, from being gay to performing at rock concerts.

What about the acting?  Great stuff here.  The lead is played by Taron Egerton.  Who?  A relatively unknown actor, to be sure.  I did a bit of research and learned that his claim to fame was a minor role in the cult British spy thriller, Kingsman.  I also learned that he played the lead in a film about a British ski jumper, Eddie the Eagle.

Seems that Egerton was made for the Elton John role.  He simply knocks it out of the park when it comes to depicting the famous singer.  He has the same outlandish moves of the music star.  He will no doubt be Best Actor material for the Oscars.

My favorite Elton John song is "Crocodile Rock."  In my view, the film truly dazzles when we see Elton perform the classic rock tune in front of thousands of viewers.  This is the moment he seems to fly...like a rocket!

Do I have any criticisms of the film?

The biop left out two of the singer's most famous songs.  The first is "Can you feel the love tonight?"  Made for Disney's Lion King back in '93, the song is one of the most moving in music history.  The other is "Candle in the Wind", which Elton sang at Princess Diana's funeral back in '97.

I would also have enjoyed seeing a bit of Elton in the past two decades.  There is no mention of his being knighted by the queen.  There is no mention of his long and loving relationship with David Furnish.  There is no mention of the dignified life he has led since his days of drugs and booze.

If you like wonderful song and dance, and you enjoy seeing how stars are born, run out and see this film.

I guarantee you will put it right up there with Bohemian Rhapsody.....or at least close to it!

Songs in the Movies

Hi Film Fans:

Here's a little different spin on the movies.

Do you ever see a film and then find yourself singing the main tune in your head for days?  I often do!

The reason?  The tune is catchy.  More importantly, it becomes inextricably linked in your mind to the plot of the movie.

I thought it might be fun to go back and look at some of the films where the song stayed with you...and perhaps still does!

1.  High Noon.  While Gary Cooper faces off with the bad guys and Grace Kelly has given him an earful about how he should not risk his life, Tex Ritter's tune pervades:  "Do not forsake me oh my darling."  I rarely think of the film without the music.  Fact is, the famous scene where he faces off with the killers would not be the same if the song were not playing.

2.  Sea of Love.  In the film, Al Pacino is smitten with Ellen Barkin.  But is she a cold-blooded killer who leaves a record playing a tune after each murder?  You guessed it:  The song is "The Sea of Love" by Phil Phillips.  The song came out in 1959...but it came to life when Al Pacino boldly pursued the woman he was sure would kill him.  Don't miss the scene where he's romancing Ellen with the music pounding in the background!

3.  Fallen.  This is a little-known thriller starring Denzel Washington.  The plot is gripping: A fallen angel, or devil as it were, invades people and makes them kill.  Satan moves from person to person via touch.  As regular folks are driven to do murder, a song runs constantly:  "Time is on my side."  Yeah, it's the Rolling Stone classic.  I guarantee that after seeing the movie, you will not idly hum the song any more...  Haha!

4.  Reservoir Dogs.  This was Quentin Tarantino's breakout movie.  If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend it highly.  In the film, bank robbers, wounded and bleeding, end up with a hostage in a warehouse.  Should they kill the hostage?  In walks one of the bad guys, played by Michael Madsen (an early career-changing role for him).  Madsen points his gun at the hostage and starts to dance.  The music playing?  "Stuck in the Middle with you," the 1973 Gerry Rafferty/Steelers Wheel classic.  Oh my, talk about being in a bind!  You'll hum the tune whenever you're in a pickle!

5.  Pulp Fiction.  In another Tarantino masterpiece, the film follows two hitmen around town, as they shoot people and philosophize.  In one unforgettable scene, John Travolta (who plays Vincent, one of the hitmen) is out to dinner with the boss's wife, Uma Thurman (who plays Mia Wallace).  They have hamburgers at a 50s diner, where there's a twist contest.  The music?  "Teenage Wedding" by Chuck Berry.  I enjoy most of Chuck Berry's hits, but there's something special about this song once you've seen the movie.  You'll think of the down-and-out couple doing their moves on the dance floor.

6.  The Graduate.  Poor, confused Benjamin.  The protagonist, played by the then-unknown Dustin Hoffman, can't figure out what to do with his life.  Should he take a job in plastics?  Or maybe just hang out at his parents' house wondering about his future?  Of course, he's a bit distracted: he's taking up with Mrs. Robinson next door!  Simon and Garfunkle's song "Mrs. Robinson" became a tune that would rank up there with other songs-in-film greats.

7.  Saturday Night Fever.  Remember the mellow 70s?  Flower-shirts and bellbottoms followed the raucous 60s.  Jimmy Carter had us driving 55 miles an hour and instead of hard rock we had soft disco music!  The decade would not have been complete without John Travolta knocking 'em dead on the dance floor!  The hit song?  "Stayin' Alive."  I still sing the Bee Gees tune when I think of the 70s.  I see Travolta is his white suit strutting and pointing his fingers!

Here is a list of more films with memorable songs.  I think they're all worth seeing...either again for for the first time.

Film                                              Song

Flashdance                                    What a feeling
Dirty Dancing                               The Time of my life
Titanic                                           My heart will go on
Mary Poppins                                A spoonful of sugar
Back to the Future                         The power of Love
Pinocchio                                       When you wish upon a star
White Christmas                            I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
The spy who loved me                   Nobody does it better
Wizard of Oz                                  Over the rainbow
Casablanca                                     As time goes by
Singin' in the rain                           Singin' in the rain
Breakfast at Tiffanys                      Moon river
The Way we Were                          The way we were
Gentlemen Prefer Blonds               Diamonds are a girl's best friends
Funny Girl                                      People
Top Hat                                           Cheek to cheek
My Fair Lady                                  I could have danced all night
Butch Cassidy                                 Raindrops keep falling on my head
South Pacific                                   Some enchanted evening
An American in Paris                      I got rhythm
Hair                                                 Aquarius
West Side Story                               America
Bodyguard                                       I will always love you
Grease                                              Summer nights
Meet me in St Louis                        Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Gilda                                                Put the blame on Mame
Footloose                                         Footloose

Final thought:  There are SO MANY more!

Enjoy!

Film Noir: 1980s

Hi film fans!

Do you like "film noir?"  I do!

The dark, steamy, seedy stories of woman as vixen are fun!  Recently, I've been re-watching the great classics from the 80s, and these films are something else!  Talk about great acting and tense plots...wow!

Forget running out and seeing the hottest new film:  There are treasures awaiting you from the past.

First, if you missed any of the four, be sure to move them to the top of your viewing schedule.  If you have seen all four, try seeing them again. I did, and I could not believe how good each was.  I had forgotten plotlines and details that made each film a joy.

Let's take a peek at each one.

The Postman Always Rings Twice.

When Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange team up to do the remake of the 1946 version, which was based on a 1935 novel, they set out to create a better story.   Do they ever succeed!  While the censors in 1946 would not let Lana Turner and John Garfield heat up the screen too much, they gave the 1981 cast more leeway to get spicy!  Just a reminder about the basic plot:  a drifter enters a rural restaurant, meets the sexy young wife of an old Greek man who owns the eating establishment, and the two of them get cozy.  That's when Cora (Jessica Lange) persuades Frank (Jack Nicholson) to kill her husband!  Do they?  No spoiler, but you will be glued to your seat as you watch the volatile lovers conspire to do murder!  You will squirm as they bungle the plan only to become more expert with time!

Body Heat:

When Kathleen Turner and John Hurt teamed up, sparks ignited on the screen!  The basic plot: a lawyer struggling to earn a living meets the wife of a wealthy businessman.  As you might expect, the two get close fast, and before long the lawyer is hooked.  When you see some of the bedroom scenes, and the hot chemistry between the actors, you won't believe you're watching a movie made some forty years ago.  By the way, the story takes place during a heat wave in Florida, and is there any better way to stay cool than to peel off one's clothes?  Haha!  Matty (Kathleen Turner) tells Ned (Willian Hurt) that she hates her husband, and, truth to tell, simply wants to start a new life...with his money!  Financial gain is usually a motif in film noir.  Naturally, the naive lawyer wants to help his lover get free of her marital bonds and get rich and eventually enjoy the money with her!  The best way to do it?  Kill the husband, of course!  I won't be a spoiler, but Matty is one clever lady.  She's a vixen who has the chump do her dirty work for her.  Want to know more?  The film awaits you!

Sea of Love:

If in Film Noir the women are vixens, the men are almost always losers.  Enter Al Pacino.  He admits to being a cop on the way down.  He's got alcohol problems and a marriage on the skids.  He's a maverick, with a talent for having things go wrong.  He's a twenty year veteran of police work with little to show for it except a battered sense of self.  Small wonder he's ripe for the pickin' when he meets Helen, played by the gravely-voiced, seductive Ellen Barkin.  Never mind that she's a prime suspect in a murder.  Never mind that the cop knows better than to cavort with a possible murderer.  As the music from The Sea of Love pounds out a gripping beat, we wonder if the cop will die at the hand of the femme fatale.  Oh my, what drama!  What grit!  Al Pacino brilliantly embodies the cop on the edge, and as we move toward the edge with him we can't help but bite our fingernails.

Black Widow:

FBI agent Alexandra (Debra Winger) has had a checkered career with the bureau.  She's often going against the boss's directives.  She becomes fixated on a bizarre set of events:  rich older men, not long after marrying a beautiful and smart lady (Theresa Russell), end up dead!   The deaths seem like they are due to natural causes.  But every time, the young bride gets rich.  Talk about noir!  Of course the federal agent must figure out what in the world is going on.  How should she do that?  By becoming best friends with the suspect!  Your skin will crawl as the two new "friends" sip margaritas on a beach in Hawaii and idly chat about their lovers.  It gets more juicy:  the FBI agent and the suspect love the same man!  No spoiler, but think of all the possible outcomes!  Debra Winger steals the show with her flowing 80s hair, fearlessness, and boldness.  Theresa Russell dazzles as the black widow.

Summary:

All four films are winners.  Each is different.  Each hits home.  Sit back with your favorite snack and enter the dark, scary world of psychopaths and lovers.  You will enjoy every minute of  it.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Hi Film Fans:

Here's another winner for you!

Do you like stories about bands that hit it big?  I do! This flick takes us into the hearts and minds of a group of musicians who literally start with nothing and end up being one of the most significant bands of all time.  It is the story of Queen, the rock band that was the sensation of the 70s and 80s.

Never the spoiler, I would like to take my own look at the film.

Rami Malek knocks it out of the park with his acting.  He is brilliant as Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury.  Known for his amazing work in Mr. Robot, for which he won an Emmy in 2016, Malek came to the set after Sacha Baron Cohen bowed out.

Malek deftly plays the Indian Parsi refugee from Zanzibar who begins as a baggage handler at the airport.  He stumbles on a small group of struggling musicians, proves his worth to them with his extraordinary voice, and propels them all to stardom.

I was thrilled to see him win an Oscar for best lead actor.

As the lead singer who grows from a simple dreamer into a superstar, Malek conveys all the joy, pain, and sorrow of a man destined to push the envelope in the music world.  His style is simply one of a kind!

Lucy Boynton plays his love interest with equal skill.  She is a well-shaded character as the pretty blond who comes to understand Freddie Mercury.  In the early years, she is his girlfriend, and the love of his love, but as Freddie becomes more troubled, she must strive to love him as a best friend.

Let's talk music.

I'm personally not a fan of the music that Queen produced. What?  I may sound like a heathen to the millions of fans who adore Queen, but truth to tell, I still find the music heavy, ponderous, and loud.  I do admire the stage presence of the band and how they "rocked" the house at big arena events.  But if I can choose between any of a hundred other bands, they would not compete in my book.

Which is not to say that I don't love their best work:  "We will, we will, rock you!"  What a mesmerizing chant that we have all heard or recited!  Of course the words are typical Queen: not really logical.  Think of the lyrics: "You got mud on your face, you big disgrace, kicking your can all over the place."  Hmmmm....

So while I would not spend time in the evening listening to Queen in my living room, I would nevertheless laud this film.  It tells a story that you can't forget.

I give the film A+.

It's not easy to watch, because Freddie Mercury was so tormented.  But it's worth every minute you spend with Queen...and Rami Malek.

A Star is Born

Hi film fans!

Want to see a GREAT movie?

Get out to the theater and catch Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga light up the big screen!

Before getting down to why this film is so good, we might note that the Cooper/Gaga version is the fourth iteration of the story.  The original came out in 1937 and starred Janet Gaynor and Frederick March.  The second arrived in 1954 and featured Judy Garland and James Mason.  Then in 1976, in the middle of the disco sound, a remake was done with Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand.

Which is the best?  The latest by far!

The story is familiar:  Famous male rock star is on his way down, hitting the bottle and trying to hang on.  He meets the young, pretty starlet with the wonderful voice and big dreams.  A romance ensues, and needless to say, the couple goes through some tough times.

Let's look at Brad.  The entire film was apparently his vision.  He directed it.  He wrote songs for it.  He sang.  He acted.  He was brilliant as the charming, sometimes loving, sometimes obnoxious, alcohol-bathed star, with a big troubled heart.

If you've seen some of Bradley Cooper's other films, you can easily understand why he is so good in A Star is Born.  He was fantastic opposite Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Lining Playbook.  He was even better as the tormented soldier in American Sniper.  He was perfect in American Hustle.  He garnered Academy Award nominations for all three movies.

Then we have Lady Gaga.  Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, the young singer rose to stardom about ten years ago.  I remember her when she sang on American Idol.  Did you see her perform at last year's Super Bowl halftime show?

Lady Gaga has an angelic voice.  She does over-the-top performances.  She dresses in audacious, in-your-face outfits.  She is Madonna times ten when it comes to outlandish.  Beneath the glitter and spectacle lies an extraordinarily talented singer.

OK, we know we have two brilliant performers.  But the big question is, how do they do together?

The answer: Perfectly!

The chemistry between these two is electric.  The story is all about the vibes between the two.  With Brad and Lady Gaga, it seems so real.  I never felt that way about Kris and Barbra.

The songs are magic.  The scenes are dramatic.  The love story is so moving it is palpable.

Oh, don't forget about the great supporting actor Sam Elliott.  To me, Sam's best work is in westerns.  If you don't know him well, watch him play one of the Earp brothers in Tombstone.  He is dynamite opposite Kurt Russell.

In A Star is Born, he plays the rock star's older brother.  He does so with dignity and panache.  No wonder he has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Supporting Role category.

As long as we're talking Oscars, both Brad Cooper and Lady Gaga are up for Best Actor/Actress.

I won't go into further details, for fear of giving away some plot twists.  Suffice it to say that the movie is a winner!

I give it A+!

 If you enjoy fantastic music, visual spectacles, and love stories, you will experience real film magic.

It's Oscar Time!

The nominations are in! Tell David and Valerie who gets your vote for what!!

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/oscar-nominations-2019-academy-awards_us_5c467505e4b0bfa693c65d3e

Vice

Well, I promised my blog buddy, David, that I would post on Vice, and since we are meeting for lunch in a few hours, I'd better be able to report that I did! 

Anyway, I love a good pun title, and this one does it. Vice chronicles the political career of a Mr. Dick Cheney (you may have heard of him?), who served as vice president for not one, but TWO presidents named George Bush! Morphing himself into arguably the most powerful person to hold that office, he easily plays as a Shakespearean character. His vice? Greed, power... 

But I will keep this brief and focused on the film. It is written and directed by Adam McKay, who also did The Big Short. In both films, he manages to break down a complicated subject in both instructional and entertaining ways. The topic and message he takes seriously, the film, not so much. Delightful pacing and fun departures from conventional film limitations. 

Performances are astounding. Geeze, just look at the above image. The right is Christian Bale (WHAA?????) in an incredible transformation. He can play anything and anyone. (Just the day before seeing this, I had revisited a very young CB in Little Women.) Every tic, nuance, gesture and walk IS Dick Cheney. 

Playing his wife, Lynn, is Amy Adams, and it's fun to see them paired again (American Hustle). Sam Rockwell (I'm a big fan) is flawless as George W., with Steve Carell as Donald Rumsfeld. 

Cheney has always been a polarizing figure, and at last week's Golden Globe Awards, as the out-spoken Bale accepted the Best Actor Award, he thanked "Satan for his inspiration." Ouch. That brought out claws from daughter Liz Cheney the next day! Hahaha

Excellent film which manages to draw in today's national issues.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Hi movie fans!

There's a film out there getting quite a bit of buzz.  Let's take a quick look at it.

First, the title:  It's misleading, in a way.  At first glance, I thought of someone doing something terrible to someone else and seeking forgiveness.  Sadly, the film is not that profound.

What's it about?  Without being a spoiler, I can say the plot is hardly complex.  A writer with former success struggles to publish, needs money, and forges literary letters.  Hmmm...what is so interesting about this?  Not much, I would argue.

Yes, film fans, I'm not one, a fan that is, of this flick.  I found the subject matter worthy of potential.  There could have been some serious character development and major messages.  Alas, both are lacking.

In any story, I seek to learn from the plight of the characters.  To do so, the characters themselves need to take us on a journey of discovery.  My problem with this film is that I did not perceive much growth in the two main characters from start to finish.  Both are dishonest and inconsiderate of others at the outset of their relationship.  They end up the same way.

Any positives?  Yes. Solid acting.  Melissa McCarthy has been wowing us for years with offbeat, varied roles.  She was truly funny in Bridesmaids.  She was a riot in Spy.  She began her comedy career in nightclubs in NYC, and her skills as a comedian are evident.

Is she as effective in a serious role?  Hard to say.  The role was not that challenging.  She just had to look miserable and downbeat, as she does in the photo above.  Sure, she was convincing, sure, she had her dramatic moments.  But I was not blown away by her work.

Folks must disagree with me.  She has been nominated for a Best Actress award for the Golden Globes.

I was far more impressed by the acting of her co-star, Richard E Grant.  I looked him up on Google and did not find much.  He has some experience, but not the kind that would warrant putting him in a major role in a big release.  He nevertheless nailed the character of the best "friend" to the down and out Lee Israel, the main character played by McCarthy upon whom the story is based.

Perhaps another positive:  If you like New York city, you might relate to this film.  There's a lot of the Big Apple here:  References to high rents, scenes with a literary agent, and a sense of desperation that unsuccessful people feel in the dog-eat-dog city.

I have to laud Hollywood for offering a film where the main female character is unhappy and unkind.  If you're looking for a glimpse of life as it truly is, you have the real deal here.

If you want to see a film about a forgery expert that is fun and more profound, go back and view the now classic Catch Me If you Can.  An evening watching Tom Hanks chasing Leo DiCaprio will be far more entertaining and informative.

I have a hunch that with all the positive reviews out there, you may see Can You Ever Forgive Me and disagree with my appraisal of the film.  If so, please write and let me know where I've missed the boat.

Until someone convinces me that I've greatly misinterpreted this film, I must offer a grade of C at best.