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.