Movie #1870 ........................."Sister"

Movie #1870 "Sister" (Chinese) -- I don't want to say too much about this one because it would ruin the effect -- the below synopsis is right on the money, so I will let it speak for me on the plot.  This one, though, was like a punch in the stomach when I found out the lesson behind the film.  Very poignant and of the times.  The characters are portrayed in felt material that makes then malleable and can be squeezed in all types of contortions --- I thought there was a symbolic reason fore it being done that way, not to mention how different it makes the film look.  I liked this one a lot and would give it 5 out of 5 stars.




"SISTER"  2018   8 MINS

A man thinks back to his childhood memories of growing up with an annoying little sister in China in the 1990s. What would his life have been like if things had gone differently?

Director:

 Siqi Song

Writer:

 Siqi Song (story) 

Star:

 Bingyang Liu

Movie #1869 ........................."Dcera"

Movie #1869 "Dcera" another animated short --- as the synopsis says below, there is obviously a lack of communication between the father and daughter in this short film, it just isn't obvious all the time the whys --- they just keep missing those moments of closeness --- the could be vs. the way it is..... stop motion is used which distorts the images of the daughter and father and they look like ceramic figures slowly moving away from each other.  It is a bit odd and not as easily understood as the first one.  I would give this a 4 out of 5.



"THE DAUGHTER (DCERA)"     2019    15 MINS.

The bond between a father and a daughter is imperiled by matters that go unspoken and hurts that are slow to heal.

Director:

 Daria Kashcheeva

Writer:

 Daria Kashcheeva

Movie #1868 ........................."Kitbull"

In my quest to see as many oscar-nominated films as I can before Sunday, these are the animated shorts that I saw this week:

Movie #1868 "Kitbull" - this film, like most of the pixar films, is adorable.  The infectious part of it is the two main characters --- a kitten and a pitbull --- and their characteristics seem so authentic.  The film is so universal because we have seen (and sometimes have had) animals that act like this.  And it exposes all the awkward moments we all have in trying to make friends.  The story flows really smoothly, animation is good, and I would give it a 5 out of 5.


"KITBULL"    2019     9 mins     pixar     pg

An unlikely connection sparks between two creatures: a fiercely independent stray kitten and a pit bull. Together, they experience friendship for the first time.

Director:

 Rosana Sullivan

Writer:

 Rosana Sullivan

Movie #1867 ........................"Hold Back the Down"

Movie #1867 "Hold Back the Down" --- I was surprised I hadn't seen this one before the other night on TCM, but I didn't.  The movie is well respected.  I found the topic fascinating, but the film itself a bit dull.  (I was fighting to stay awake).  Any way, the topic is still a hot one --- immigrants getting married to get a green card and being able to stay in the US.  Boyer wants to stay so he decided to marry the very naive Olivia de Havilland, who always brings an A+ acting job to every role. Even with an annoying loudmouthed Paulette Goddard in a few scenes with her boyfriend Boyer, it was hard to stay awake through this --- packing was slow, and everything pretty much happened in the last 20 minutes.  I'd give it a 3.8, but only because of the acting and the topic.





"HOLD BACK THE DAWN"        1941       1 HOUR AND 56 MINS

Stopped in Mexico by U.S. Immigration, Georges Isocovescu hopes to get into the country by marrying a citizen.

Director:  Mitchell Leisen

Writers:  Charles Brackett, Bill Wilder

Stars:  Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, Paulette Goddard

Movie #1866 ........................."The Morning Show" (Season 1) Streamable on Apple TV

Movie #1866 "The Morning Show" (Season 1 - streamable on Apple TV)  Loosely based, to me, on the Today  show fiasco with Matt Lauer, this show is intense from beginning to end, focused on the "me too" movement with  strong females vying to get into more leadership positions in the oftentimes men's club of  t.v. production.  In this world created in the show, there seem to be very few really nice people with integrity (much like our government), with lots and lots of backstabbing , esp. in the midst of tragedies.  And the one here is a Matt Lauer type situation.  Contrary to the story that was played out to the audience of the Today show in the days following the Lauer  headline, we follow the lives  of the accusers, the accused, the coworkers, the coworkers' family and friends.....all the people on the fringe of the circle of "family" that surround that t.v. show.  And, in addition, we see the puppeteers/ the leaders and how they are affected and how they play their workers like chess pieces.  As I watched this show, I so much more enjoy when it focuses  on the intricacies of putting on the show, instead of baggage and backstabbing from one scene to the next.  In the middle of this season, it does give a respite to the audience to see what it was like "before" the tragedy, and thus was more lighthearted than the other shows. But the rest of the time it really gets down and dirty and shows such nastiness among the coworkers.  Is it really this bad  in the workplaces across our nation?  or is this a soap opera rendition that fuels  good t.v.?  The acting is solid, but at times it  can't get past the soap opera portions of the show, but after sticking with this for one season, I give it a 4, and I want to see where it is going or at least where it ends up.  It brings up lots of good talk on what is and is not sexual harassment/abuse.


"THE MORNING SHOW"    10 shows each about 55 mins -- 2020

An inside look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the men and women who carry out this daily televised ritual.

Creators:

 Jay Carson, Kerry Ehrin

Stars:

 Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup 

Movie #1865 ........................."Wonder Wheel"

"Wonder Wheel"  --- yikes, this is a bad film by Woody Allen.  Many of you reading this are probably saying, well, of course --- it is Woody Allen.  But that would be not taking into consideration that he has been a leading director in US film industry for decades, directing some of the best films in various genres with many , many top notch actors who used to beg to be in his films, and at least they'd consider it an honor to be asked to work with him.  This film suggests that he needs to quit, because it is that bad.  I had to watch it because I wanted to see what Kate Winslet would do with this part, and she actually seems to be doing a different film from the others --- she is playing it like she's in a Tennessee Williams' film like "Streetcar" or "Glass Mengaerie" or "Rose Tattoo" and steals the film, followed by Juno Temple who seems to be passionately involved.  But Him Belushi and Justin Timberlake do not fit with the film and when they have monologues, I just cringed.  One of JT's lines kind of describes this debacle of a film:  "we seem to be going annoyingly from one drama to the next."  Amen.  Don't need to see it.  I rented it from Netflix (not streamable) and immediately sent it back, so it wouldn't tain any other films that I would next put in my DVD.  2 stars out of 5.  The women were strong, but with very little script --it seems he is still trying to explain why he married his wife when she was raised by his lover Mia Farrow.  Ugh!


"WONDER WHEEL"    2017   1 hour and 41 mins      PG-13

On Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator, his beleaguered wife, and the visitor who turns their lives upside-down. (the husband's daughter)

Director:

 Woody Allen

Writer:

 Woody Allen

Stars:

 Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple, Robert C. Kirk 

Movie #1864 ........................."Pain and Glory"

Movie #1894 "Pain and Glory" - watched this because 1) it was awarded at Cannes for best actor (antonion Banderas) 2) it is an Almodovar film, and I have liked his films in the past, and 3) it is nominated for best actor for Oscars.  This is a don't bother film.  Yes, he is good, but he doesn't do the whole gamut at all.....he isn't in the whole film because it is full of flashbacks so he is played by others, and in the present he is sickly and trying to find out what is wrong, so he is very laidback and quiet and resigned.  So I'm surprised he is nominated among all these really good actors that are nominated --- he is taking up a place that I think should have gone to  Matthew Rhys ("The Americans").  And then as far as the film, it was compared to Felini's "8 1/2 "and I can tell you it is no Felini's "8  1/2 " --- in pacing, intrigue, photography, etc.  I'd give it a 2.8 with the best part Banderas's acting -- but that isn't saying much.   If you want to see this, it can be found at Redbox.




"PAIN AND GLORY"    1 hour and 53 minutes       R rated      2019

A film director reflects on the choices he's made as past and present come crashing down around him.

Director:

 Pedro Almodóvar

Writer:

 Pedro Almodóvar

Stars:

 Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia