Movie #2174 ........................."The Lost King" (Chicago Film Fest)

 Movie #2174 "The Lost King" (Chicago Film Fest)  Of the three films that I watched at the Chicago Film Festival, this was the least popular with me.  And I love watching Sally Hawkins get into a character ---- I liked what she did here, and Steve Coogan supports her well as her ex-husband (could have been used even more) . But I was never pulled emotionally into the film --- the plot looks kind of like fun when it is presented in a synopsis, but when you watch her plight of getting King Richard's tomb moved to its rightful place, it's very ho-hum to me.  I didn't see the need that much --- I look around and see so many more problems that i would have been cheering on to get done, and this one wasn't one of those problems I would have suggested necessary to solve.  Other than that, it was good --- just a movie too long about a topic not all that interesting.  But she did the best she could with the script, I felt.  I'd give it a 3.5.  I esp. disliked all the fantasy included in the slower moments --- her mini discussions with Richard III.  

"THE LOST KING"    2022       1 HOUR 48 MINS

An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III's remains, which were lost for over 500 years.

Director:  Stephen Frears

Writers:  Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope

Actors:  Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan

Movie #2173 ........................."Raymond & Ray" (Chicago film fest)

 I attended the Film Festival in Chicago and saw three films --- they may be released into movie theaters since they all have famous people in the cast ---

#2173 "Raymond & Ray" (Chicago film fest)  I liked this quirky bro film about two estranged sons of a man who has died, and they are asked to attend the funeral by their dead dad --- and also they have to dig the grave themselves.  I said it was quirky.....but that's only the beginning..... they both have grudges against their dad which they uncover throughout their journey to send him off to the great beyond.  They meet and are befriended by other quirky people who help them get through this.   The acting was very strong -- the film moved along to the funeral rather well, but there were a few slow parts.  However, the actors are so good, they were hardly noticed.  I would give this a 4 and recommend it as a good drama, with quirky moments and characters.  

"RAYMOND & RAY"   2022    R    1 hour and 45 Half brothers Raymond and Ray reunite when their estranged father dies - and discover that his final wish was for them to dig his grave.  Together, they p[rocess who they've become as men, both because of their father and in spite of him.

Director:  Rodrigo Garcia

Writer:  Rodrigo Garcia

Actors:  Ewan McGregor, Ethan Hawke, Jalyn Baiden

Movie #2172 ........................."The Last Word" (Netflix DVD)

 Movie #2172 "The Last Word" (Netflix DVD) I saw a trailer for this one and wondered why I hadn't seen it --- went to netflix and it was in my queue, so I just moved it up to 1 and received it in the mail and voila --- I'm glad I watched it because it could be Shirley Maclaine's Last hurrah.  Why?  Because she does the whole gamut here..... the film allows her to dance and sing (which she came to Hollywood to do in the first place, but not a lot of people know that), and do the "strange" out- of -the -box stuff ( for example, at 80, she strips to her underwear and jumps into a body of water with two other "gals" - it's an  intergenerational leap of unity, I would think she'd say.)  She's known mostly now for her mystical thinking, and that's even covered here because the film deals with death --- her death ---- and how she doesn't feel like she's going to be remembered; so just when the elderly are thought to fold up and just live out their dying years, she takes a stand (several, actually) to never be forgotten ------but, in true MacLaine fashion, she is her own person throughout --- glib, peckish, judgmental , with no filter on her at all.  She pushes people away most of the time, but there's something about her that makes her somewhat endearing .....and Maclaine, the supreme actress (one of the best of our generation) is able to carry it off.   I'd give it 4 out of 5, with a big shout out to Amanda Seyfried (again) holding up her end of the film, along with the little girl they both befriend.  My favorite line from the film:  "She puts the 'bitch' in obituary!"  

"THE LAST WORD"    2917       R           1 HOUR AND 48 MINS

Harriet is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her .  When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth, resulting in a life-altering friendship.

Director:  Mark Pellington

Writer:  Stuart Ross Fink

Actors:  Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, AnnJewel Lee Dixon

Movie #2171 ........................."International Falls" (Hulu)

 Movie #2171 "International Falls" (Hulu)  This is definitely an "indie" film with mostly talking and not a lot of action --- A comedian on the downside of his career checks into a motel and meets a wanna be comedian just thinking of starting up --- they both use each other for what they need as they spend one day together mostly talking about .....everything, really, and since they are comics, their comments are oftentimes very insightful and glib.  I'd give it a 4.  This was given 100% on rotten tomatoes so far, but it might be because the critics that saw it , loved it, but there aren't that many reviews yet.  (I didn't want to misrepresent the comics; both are not that funny, really, one burned out, and other just starting out -- so not laugh out loud funny, but it has a good ending)

"INTERNATIONAL FALLS"     2019          1 hour and 33 mins         (I'm guessing R)  

A woman stuck in a small, snowbound border town has dreams of doing comedy when she meets a washed up, burned out comedian with dreams of doing anything else.  

Director:  Amber McGinnis

Writer:  Thomas Ward

Actors:  Rachael Harris, Rob Huebel, Mindy Sterling

Movie #2170 ........................."Not Okay" (Hulu)

 Movie #2170 "Not Okay" (hulu)  - this is another Zoe Deutch  film with an odd premise, and another one she runs about a young woman  who due to a big lie becomes instantly famous on instagram, and what a pain that can be to be famous over night --- another good theme for young people.  Once again, Zoey is great as she goes through all the highs and lows of living this life of instant fame,  But the girl playing Rowin, a survivor of a school shooting that she meets in a survivor's group is, too.  The movie is worth the watch, and once again a tough one to watch --- Zoe seems to like parts that put her in a negative light because of how she acts, but she is able to keep us believing that she cn do better so we root for her throughout the film.  I'd give this one a 3.8.

"NOT OKAY"                hulu    2022       1 hour 40m         R (there's a guy in this & reason for ranking)

An Ambitious young woman finds followers and fame when she poses as the survivor of a deadly attack, but she soon learns that online notoriety comes with a terrible price.  

Director:  Quinn Shephard

Writer:  Quin Shephard

Actors:  Zoey Deutch, Mia Isaac, Dylan O'Brien

Movie #2169 ........................."Before I Fall" (netflix DVD)

 Movie #2169 "Before I Fall" (Netflix DVD) These are two films that I saw on my quest to see Zoe Deutsch in movies she has done --- this one I would liken to a teen Ground Hog Day because the basic plot is that for some reason we don't know initially understand why this teen is reliving her last day.  As she does, she changes her behavior to avoid the ending that happens at midnight .....and it is an interesting idea (even though I found it a tedious one in "Groundhog day") There is more at stake here, I think, so that's why I bought not it --- And it has a nice, surprising but oh so sad ending on her last trip through the day..... It's a bit raunchy film --- her friends talk rather carelessly to each other for humor so I'm not sure it is exactly for your tweener, but high school definitely --- but, once again, her friends are pretty mean and bullies at the outset --- so there are tough moments to watch here.  But the lesson about living each day as if it were your last is loud and clear to a high schooler.  And Zoe is very good in this.  You see repercussions for the bullying and lack of kindness to others, for sure.  I would give this a 4 out of 5, mostly for the theme and for Zoe's outstanding performance in it.  

"BEFORE I FALL"     2017            PG-13         1 hour and 38 mins

February 12 is just another day in Sam's charmed life, until it turns out to be her last.  Stuck reliving her last day over and over, Sam untangles the mystery around her death and discovers everything she's losing.

Director:  Ry Russo-Young

Writers:  Maria Magenta (screenplay by), Lauren Oliver (based on her novel)

Actors:  Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Cynthy Wu

Movie #2168 .........................."Amsterdam" (movie theatre)

 Movie #2168 "Amsterdam" (movie theatre)  Well, I have seen many of David O. Russell films, and so I was ready for some off-the-wall kind of story  --- like his "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle" "Joy, "  and "The Fighter."  But all of these I have liked for one reason or another --- this one, not as much.  Oh, it has what the others have in a very capable cast --- and it also has beautifully dressed locations and sets, and it has been set in some recent past --- although this one is more distant than the others --- and that, to me, is the best part of the film --- the history of the time period it takes place in -- that time in the 1930s where we see a rise of Nazism and the effect on the American public.  There's no doubt the characters are quirky like in his other films, but this one stands out in its very slow pacing.....the others don't really have that --- it's as if the audience is thought  not to be  up to par with what is happening,  I felt that esp. when the narrator stops action toward the end and explains everything that happened ---- there were no surprises to me, and I think of myself as John Q. Public when watching the film, so I felt at that time that the film was doing too much explaining --- in fact, the film is about 20 minutes too long to me. However,  I think you can say  that even though this has a historical focus , it speaks rather loudly about what is happening in our society today --- Russell esp. lets us know this when in the credits at the end of the film, he juxtaposes Robert Deniro's speech (as a powerful businessman who sees the problem of an authoritarian approach to government and therefore gives a big persuasive speech to the country)  with the real person he is based on --- they use the same exact words.  So the director wants us to know that he is trying to speak truth here and we should be attentive.  I'd give this a 3.5 and my recommendation is that it isn't for everyone at all, but if you are a Russell fan or not, I'd be interested to hear what you have to say.  We went to see it thinking it would take place part of the time in Amsterdam and we could see a bit of the city  (since we are taking a trip there next March/April) -- but there's very little of that, for sure, and what is shown is dated because of the historical factor.

"AMSTERDAM"   2 hours and 14 minutes    2022           rated R (for language)

In the 1930s, three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Director:  David O. Russell

Writer:  David O. Russell

Actors:  Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington