As close as anyone has come…so far.
Watched Mank last night. I thought it was going to be just another Hollywood insider film that nobody but insiders understand, but it was actually quite good. I had no idea that the guy ever existed, let alone wrote the script for Citizen Kane.
I watched “The Coldest Game” the other day. Just to save you all the time and trouble…
Ostensibly about the Cuban Missile Crisis, but really a poor plot and script about what some Polish producers imagined happened during a contemporaneous chess tournament in Warsaw between an American and a Russian chess champion.
However, “The Command”, was actually better than I expected it would. It’s based on a true story about the Russian submarine tragedy of the Kursk.
Last night I watched “The Vanishing”. Based on true story about a crew of lighthouse keepers in Scotland. Good acting. Fair plot. But character development could have been better for Gerard Butler’s character.
Feminism galore here:
The Glorias: a biopic about Gloria Steinem, told with a lot of jumping back and forth between Gloria as a child, as a teenager, as a young woman and as an older woman. The four “Glorias” are played by different actresses (with Julianne Moore as the eldest); the four occasionally interact with each other or swap places. There’s also a lot of other cinematic jiggery-pokery, some of which works well and some of which…doesn’t. It does, however, keep the nearly 2.5 hour film from dragging, even if it occasionally inspires eyerolling.
I’ll also add that my mother was an ardent feminist in the 1970s (and after) and I grew up reading Ms. magazine, so about halfway through the film the events being portrayed started to look familiar.
Also on deck:
Moxie, an Amy Poehler-written teenage comedy/drama with a strong feminist theme. A little heavyhanded in places (as these things often are) and the whole thing is one big soapbox, but more than sufficiently on point to get away with it. Made my wife and daughter furious - my daughter because of the unfairness of some of the things portrayed, and my wife because a lot of it was personally experienced.
Also features Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son Patrick as school football team captain and lead bad guy. Did you know he had a son who was an actor? I did not.
The movie theaters in LA county re-opened this week!
So, on Friday, out of all the movies available (I counted about 20 different titles within 30 minutes of me), I chose to see…Monster Hunter
It was actually the perfect mindless action-fest for my first time in a theater with other people in almost exactly a year.
Then, over the weekend I saw Minari and Nomadland. Both are as good as the critics say. Though Minari is not as good as Shoplifters (2019) and Nomadland did not have impact on me that Chloe Zhao’s previous film, The Rider (2017), did.
It wasn’t until about a half hour in to Nomadland that I realized (and remembered) Zhao’s extensive use on non-professional actors in her films (to great effect).
It also occurred to me that if you enjoyed Nomadland, you should find The Florida Project (2017) a good companion piece.
Just finished watching The Sons of Katie Elder, which I probably last saw when it came out in 1965. It’s actually a pretty good movie for an old oater. John Wayne, Dean Martin, music by Elmer Bernstein.
I saw The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane with Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen. TCM had a short interview with Jodie to discuss the role.
I had never heard of this movie. I’m pretty familiar with Jodie’s movies. This one is billed as a horror/thriller. It’s a disturbing role for a child actor. The story is not as bad as Taxi Driver.
Martin Sheen plays the neighborhood pedo that stalks Jodie.
Yeah, it’s a bit 
. But I enjoyed the movie and won’t spoil it.
Oh good! I saw it was on last night and recorded it. I’ve read the book so at least I have an idea what to expect.
Yesterday I tried to watch the world’s worst made-for-tv movie with my daughter. Yes, the very worst, I feel comfortable with defending that position. It was an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland from the eighties, and the cast list is full of big names. It was one of those things they used to do, where every celebrity they could scrape together would do a cameo. Only thing they forgot was a good script, good songs (yes, it was a musical), and a good actress for the title character. It was just so wrong, you guys. After a while I begged my kid to turn it off because I was afraid I’d have nightmares. (She made me watch the part with Carol Channing first, just to be sure). I tell you, if I ever get a chance to ask Ringo one question, it’s going to be “WTF man?”
I’m fighting my way through the Zack Snyder’s Justice League marathon. So far it’s a perfect example of why movies are generally about two hours long, not four.
If you’re thinking of giving it a shot, just bear in mind it’s not a different story or anything like that, so if you saw Justice League you essentially watched a bunch of spoilers.
I FINALLY saw Day of the Triffids (1962). The low budget really hampered what could have been a classic; the acting was pretty lame, as well.
If you get a chance, watch the 1981 BBC serial, which is much better, and faithful to the book
I’ve got it on DVD.
From all reports, you should avoid the 2009 BBC version like a plague of triffids
^ Thanks, Cal, that’s good news, the story was definitely worth a better treatment.
Wikipedia indicated the movie followed the book closely. One notable change is the way one character dies.
I really enjoyed the movie. It’s a slow thriller where things seem normal and then a jarring bit of action.
A favorite of mine! I missed the TCM showing, but I have it on DVD, so maybe a rewatch is in order.
Memorable exchange (which contains a very general, vague spoiler):
(Hallet) “Tea tastes like almonds.”
(Rynn) “Must be the almond cookies.”
Some recent Netflix movies:
The One I Love Wasn’t sure what to expect as the description was pretty vague. It sounded like dark comedy, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprized to find it was a “Twilight Zone” like story ! Perhaps more “mystical” than “sci-fi” as not much explanation on the “how” is given. But it was entertaining… and a little confusing at the same time.
The Most Hated Woman in America One of those “lost tidbits of history” types of movies about the woman who started the American Atheists. Kind of an unsung hero, in my opinion. Not unlike those who stood up against racism/discrimination, this woman had the courage and conviction to fight for what she believed in. The movie also showed she had human frailties as well, so it was balanced in that respect. Interesting demise and not at the hands of those you might suspect.
The Dig Others had mentioned this on the board, and I really enjoyed this. True story about an “un official” excavation in England that turns out to be an amazing find. Ralph Fiennes in a very non-Ralph Fiennes type of role for a change (I kept expecting him to revert to his “normal” character, but it never happened).
The Hunt for the Wilder-People If you like Taika Waititi’s stuff (“What We Do in the Shadows”, “Jojo Rabbit”), I would recommend this. It’s an offbeat, “chase” movie. But there are these little tidbits that were just cracking me up. Both Sam Neill and the boy are really good.
[bolding mine]
Heh. Or what she didn’t.
:: rimshot ::
Agreed, I liked this movie a lot more than I expected. I think it’s the way the main characters are presented and played; as very likable and always showing believable human reactions to the tragedy. The sets are very good too, they didn’t “cheap out” here. Solid movie overall.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Netflix) mentioned by a doper, probably even upthread, so I put it on the watchlist and last night my wife and I got around to it. It was pretty good, almost The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock meets Stranger Than Fiction. Ben Stiller did a fine job and while I like much of his comedy I agree with the other poster than you should check this out even if you hate his usual schtick. I thought the end was both predictable and then unbelievable but it kept us entertained throughout.
A perfect choice for a couples movie to watch while the young ones are still not completely asleep.
I watched it too, and hadn’t heard of it either. Really disturbing movie, but great acting for a 14-year-old. I liked Foster’s comment that her early films are like her “home movies” that her kids can watch.