Movie #1862 ........................."1917"

Movie # "1917" --- this is one AMAZING film, and I really respected it and its craftsmanship.  The story is straightforward and simple --- two young men during WWI are given one clear job --- to get info to a squadron ahead to not get caught into a trap that is being set up for them --- what makes it important esp. to one of the soldiers is that his brother is one of the members of the group he must warn --- so they charge ahead.  The filming of the  first part of the trip uses very few edits (you really have to search for them,) as they traipse  through one trench after another, filled with all sorts of doughboys doing all sorts of activities that would have to be set up long before the two main actors get there, with all their props, including minor explosions., etc.  It's something the viewer  doesn't  think about, but  I went in knowing that about the film so one scene after another, I sat with my mouth open wondering "now how did they do that?"  There's a scene with rats that do particular actions -- are we expected to think they were trained?  or thrown from above?  Amazing.  The guys are watching a plane in the distance flying overhead and then all of a sudden it takes a turn and comes toward them and keeps coming and coming  and crashes right in front of their eyes (and ours ---once again AMAZING! the way it is filmed).  The photography is wonderful and no wonder --- the great Roger Deakins is at the helm, and could there be another academy award for him after not winning for several films he was nominated for?   DGA saturday night gave the Best Director award to Sam Mendes for this film, which sets him up to possibly win another Oscar this year ("American Beauty" was the previous one) , and my first reaction to seeing this movie is ---- finally, a movie that I would be proud of winning the Oscar for this year , which I wasn't too sure about with the others (though "Jojo Rabbit" is my very favorite this year, I realize it wouldn't be liked universally because humor is tough to bottle and sell ---- I realize for example,  laughing at a Hitler character might not be everyone's cup of tea).  I see the merits in the other films that are nominated this year, , and I DO understand why the others are nominated, but this is the one that has everything in a nice neat package --- good script, terrific cinematography, unbelievable acting from two young kids (along with some secondary work, like the priest from "Fleabag" in a small but wonderfully funny scene).  This one moved me to tears, such a tender ending ----- and it left visual images for me that I will remember forever.  I give this a 5 out of 5 and have a new film to be rooting for now.  I highly recommend it (and I am NOT a war picture fan at all, but I am sure glad I put that prejudice aside and saw it).


"1917"     1 hour and 59 minutes           rated R

April 6th 1917. As a regiment assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message, that will stop 1,600 men, from walking straight into a deadly trap.

Director:

 Sam Mendes

Writers:

 Sam Mendes, Krysty Wilson-Cairns

Stars:

 Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays 

Movie #1861 ........................."Parasite"

Movie #1861 "Parasite"  - On my quest to see everything that was nominated this year for an oscar (or at least what I am able to see because a few of the shorts and foreign language films are not available), we went to see the much talked about "Parasite:" today ---- and found it to be really very good.  I was worried it would be a let down like "Roma" was to me last year because it , too, was nominated for both best picture, best foreign language film and best director.  But this one is much more deserving than "Roma" was.  It bas a lot of laughs, esp. in the first part of the film, until it takes a dark turn --- but there's a tenseness throughout that enables the film to take the viewer on this adventure without a clear "plan" (when you see the movie, you'll get that comment even more so --- right now, it just means that the film keeps you wondering where it is going next) It shines in directing, editing, and cinematography, but especially script.writing.   And it would be wrong for anyone to tell you more than what IMDB wrote below  --- I recommend you see the film, but  go into it with very little background.  I think you will find it quite entertaining and worth your while.  4.5 out of 5 from me.


"PARASITE"   2019     2 hours and 17 mins

All unemployed, Ki-taek and his family take peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks, as they ingratiate themselves into their lives and get entangled in an unexpected incident.

Director:

 Bong Joon Ho

Writers:

 Bong Joon Ho (story), Bong Joon Ho (screenplay)  

Stars:

 Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo

Movie #1860 ........................."Kim's Convenience" (t.v. show, streamable on netflix, Season 1)

Movie #1860 "Kim's Convenience" Season 1:  Filmed in  Toronto, the t.v. comedy (with no laughtrack) follows the family of 4 South Koreans who run the local convenience store.  There's quite a diverse group  of people who walk in and out, and the papa (Appa here) is an Archie Bunker type businessman who has a great work ethic and thinks everyone else should do the same and has no patience with loud kids, and people who come to muss up his store.  Unlike Archie, this head of the household does not have a weak wife like Edith --- Umma is very set in her standards as well, and a pretty complex character with an interesting past --- the daughter spends a lot of time working at the place while trying to get her degree in photography (which her father doesn't understand, unless he can sell her pictures in the store!)  and the son is estranged from the dad (for several years now they haven't spoken) and the family tries to deal with that problem.  We watched the whole season 1 n two days and love the scripts and situations they get into, and we plan to watch the rest.  We highly recommend this sit-com.  4.5 out of 5.


"KIM'S CONVENIENCE"    22 mins/each show      2016

The misadventures of a Korean-Canadian family running a convenience store.

Stars:

 Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang 

Movie #1859 ........................."Operation Finale"

Movie #1859 "Operation Finale" (netflix disc)  I had this disc for a month but because of watching all the hallmark movies, and it being Christmas, I just didn't fit in a happy (being sarcastic) holocaust film until yesterday when I sat down to finally watch this.  I had wondered about Adolph Eichmann, the designer of the final solution, and what would be his thinking, being a human being and all, to think of ways to get rid of millions of people.  And how he could live with himself.  and how others felt about him, etc.  And this film covers all of that...albeit very slowly.  It tries to be like an "Argo" picture with the big moment of chase at the very end , but it really fails in keeping much attention throughout because of the length of time it takes to break down barriers between Oscar Isaac (who plays a spy agent based on the actual guy) who kidnaps and holds as prisoner Ben Kingsley (Adolph) --- they need to get his signature to get him on a plane -- I thought that was a feeble reason given because they themselves said they couldn't fake the signature because not many people could identify his handwriting --- so why didn't they fake it and at least try?  because while they are waiting, and waiting,  and waiting.... Adiolph's son has gathered a bunch of antisemites (there's a club in Germany at the time) to FIND HIS FATHER, the hero of the holocaust to them and someone who supposedly was dead, but he wasn't.  I just didn't like the script, and it went way too long.  I did like the powerful ending, but up until  tbat point, it was a tough watch and I wouldn't recommend it.  I didn't;'t even think there were great moments between Oscar and Ben that were worth watching.  So I give this a 3.5 and say you can skip it.


"OPERATION FINALE": 2 hours and 2 minutes     2018     PG-13

A team of secret agents set out to track down the Nazi officer who masterminded the Holocaust.

Director:

 Chris Weitz

Writer:

 Matthew Orton

Stars:

 Oscar Isaac, Ben Kingsley, Mélanie Laurent

Movie #1858 ........................."Berlin, I Love You"

Movie #1858 "Berlin, I Love You" --- This is one of those vignette-filled kind of films (like Paris, Je t'aime (see below for others) with each vignette taking place in the location --- here, Berlin --- and with its own cast and director and writer(s).  It becomes a fluid piece when one actor of one scene walks in the background of the other --- and  like here, for the ending, at least actor from each of the vignettes shows up at a concert taking place at the end of the picture and so there is a nice curtain call for each scene at the very end.  I like the set up, and I really like seeing the location from different angles.  Never having gone to Berlin, it was fun to see the various parts of the city in this way while watching a good, or not-so-good story being played out ---- if the story didn't work or didn't have much to it, at least the location was beautifully filmed!  hah!  I esp. liked the Helen Mirren story with Keira Knightly --- of course, with the two high-powered actors the scene worked better than others, but then I also liked one where a female uber driver picks up a guy unknowing to her who is in a run for his life --- and he leaves papers of importance in the uber when he gets taken from her cab.  the stories varied in tone and action, but I found it to be a nice two hours to watch while I was exercising in the background.  I didn't;t have to concentrate all that much and I was up for that.  I'd give this a 3.5 out of 5.   (and for those Noah Baumbach fans, he penned one of these (the Mickey O'Rourke one)  and it was quite emotion-packed to me).

"BERLIN, I LOVE YOU"    2019      2 hours

Latest installment of the Cities of Love series (Paris, je t'aime / New York, I Love You / Rio, Eu Te Amo), this collective feature film is made of ten stories of romance set in the German capital.

Directors:

 Dianna Agron, Peter Chelsom  | 11 more credits »

Writers:

 Fernando Eimbcke, Justin Franklin  | 6 more credits »

Stars:

 Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Luke Wilson, 

As you can see, each of the 10 vignettes had its own cast, crew, writer and director.  

Movie #1857 ........................."Just Mercy"

Movie #1857 "Just Mercy" -- Bryan Stevenson, whom this movie is based on, is deserving of this film  --- and we are truly blessed to have a man like this in our midst --- such a selfless human being, intelligent, graduate of Harvard Law School, who gives all the opportunities he has to make lots of bucks, and moves himself down to Alabama to help  wrongly accused prisoners on  Death Row.  We have seen films set up this way quite a bit, esp. prison films (Shawshank, Green Mile, Dead Man Walking are a few that come to  mind) but none of them show such a self sacrificing  black hero as this who risks his life to seek the truth.  It is so inspiring to see someone care so much about truth and justice and mercy, esp. in this day and age when you start to think these are just  things of the past.  The script has some clunky moments (even though it has an oscar nod in the  adapted screenplay category  (which I think Gerwig has a lock on at this point in time), but then there are some strong moments (when the music isn't pushing to drive all the emotion into a scene) that really work.  Michael B. Jordan is pretty steady here and doesn't really have a breakout moment to shine (which is why he probably isn't nominated) but i was surprised Jamie Fox didn't get a nod for supporting actor because I think he does more here than most of the actors nominated in that category this year. Brie does a nice supporting role, but once against doesn't have  that big  moment --- she is just a steady right hand gal for Bryan, but she is definitely playing a different character than other films I have seen her in.  The stats at the end of the film and the real footage of the real hero are enlightening ,  and I'm glad I got to see this film.  It was very insightful into one of the many problems with our prison system.  I'd give it 4 out of 5 and worth a watch.



"JUST MERCY"     2019       2 hours and 17 mins.     PG-13

World-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson works to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner.

Director:

 Destin Daniel Cretton

Writers:

 Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Lanham  | 1 more credit »

Stars:

 Brie Larson, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx 

Movie #1856 ........................."The Two Popes"

Movie #1856 "The Two Popes" --- if you are up for a real talkie, but insightful film, this one is streamable on netflix and up for a couple of academy awards.  It was amazing to see how these two wonderful actors embody the two popes of our time --- Pope Benedict, very conservative and on his way out, and Pope Francis, very liberal (and a dancer, to boot!)  on his way in.  It is a turning point in both of their lives and in the life of the church --- Pope Benedict says he doesn't hear God any more, and Francis  has recently sent the pope a letter of resignation because he's ready to leave.  There's lots of disagreement between the two who see life very differently, but there's some common ground they find to discuss, and they share secrets and confessions with each other --- both hiding big secrets they need to convey to someone else they can trust.  I wish I knew Argentinian history a bit more to understand Cardinal Francis's plight, but I could still enjoy the relationship here that is shown in this huge discussion (takes up more than half the film) between the two of them and their coming of minds.  I recommend it to viewers who are patient and interested in a lengthy discussion.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.


'THE TWO POPES"   2019     2 hours and 5 minutes  

Behind Vatican walls, the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.

Director:

 Fernando Meirelles

Writer:

 Anthony McCarten

Stars:

 Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujín