Movie #2112 ........................."Nomadland" (Hulu)

 Movie #2112 "Nomadland"  (Hulu)   there isn't much of a story here ---- more like "one day in the life of" a nomad in the western part of the U.S.  It does get across quite successfully what all that entails --- working at an Amazon plant during the holidays, sorting huge amounts of potatoes, working at fast food joints, dealing with the extremes of weather, socializing with other nomads you meet from one place to another, fixing up your van to make it your home, making connections with people but then having to move on, etc.  This movie has gotten best picture awards at the Golden Globes and at the Critics' Choice ceremony, and that's nice, but it isn't near as good as other films that have garnered that award in the past.  It didn't wow this viewer ---- it was borderline documentary, which isn't saying that it is bad, but there's usually more of a storyline in a feature film.  The visuals are stunning, Frances McDormand is sensational, as always (and so is David Strathairn, and his parts with her are the best in the film to me), and it is a fine film, but best film this year?  We'll see!  But it could be a way for a female director to get the best picture nod this year!  I give it a 4 out of 5.  One added bonus - some people in the film are playing themselves, esp. the guru guy for this lifestyle --- and his short discussions and speech in the film are very powerful.

"NOMADLAND"     1 hour, 47 mins         rated R      2021

After losing everything in the Great Recession, a woman embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.

Director:

 Chloé Zhao

Writers:

 Jessica Bruder (based on the book by), Chloé Zhao(written for the screen by) 

Stars:

 Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May

Movie # 2111 ........................."The Comey Rule" (Cox - On Demand)

Movie #2111 "The Comey Rule" (Cox-On Demand)I found this quite interesting and intriguing.  Yes, it is very talky, and yes Comey is pretty quiet, at times holier-than-thou, smart and full of integrity --- but he is termed a bit of a showboat at times by Rod Rosenstein and others. So all of it wasn't so dry......But   I have to say there were very little  surprises here, given the complete coverage that Rachel Maddow offers us on a nightly basis in her broadcasts, because she focused on him and his weird decisions up to the 2016 election quite a bit.  So if you paid attention to headlines, you might feel that way, too.   But I did  like  to overhear  some of the closeted discussions of the people doing the work in the FBI during this time --- I had read some of Andrew MacCabe's book and heard him speak in the past , and his story corroborates Comey's version here in this miniseries which is based on Comey's book.   They try to let us know that Comey   constantly took  notes and then locked  them up in a safe  for future use (for this book, I'm guessing).    I did not read his book, but one little surprise offered in this piece is some of the dialogue between agent orange and Comey at the now infamous ( "just the two of them") dinner.  Also I delighted in seeing how the various people tried to handle Agent Orange and his lies ---- it's kind of a cat and mouse game in talking to him: you  try to say what he wants to hear (flattery) while trying to speak only the truth in the situation.  It was nice to see Comey's  family and how they react at various times to his election- altering decisions.  (it was a wife and three daughters, who asked his permission to join  in on the  protest the weekend after the election)   And another interesting factor is to learn a bit more on  what Obama knew and when, as well. I will be anxious to see this played out again in another 10 years when we are farther away from the fiasco of the Trump administration, and when more people are willing to tell their side of the story (and whistleblowers don't have their lives endangered by coming forward).  I didn't like the portrayal of Trump --- too cartoonish for me --- but he had the staring eyes and his manner that would make anyone uncomfortable ---Ironically, they are the same traits shared with Comey....just not the same values.   I think this was a good show for this time period --- a reminder that some people with integrity are still trying to do the right thing in the justice department.  

"THE COMEY RULE"     3 hours and 30 minutes                  2020    miniseries

Jeff Daniels and Brendan Gleeson star as former FBI Dir. James Comey and President Donald J. Trump in this limited series of the story of two powerful men, whose strikingly different ethics and loyalties put them on a collision course.

Creator:

 Billy Ray

Stars:

Jeff Daniels, Holly Hunter, Michael Kelly 

Movie #2110 ........................."Judas & the Black Messiah" (HBO max)

 Movie #2110 "Judas & the Black Messiah" (HBO max) I wasn't sure if I wanted to see a movie on the Black Panthers --- I thought I knew my position on them, but when most of this happened in the film, I was busy teaching and didn't keep up with the news as much as I have time to do now.  And boy, was I led to believe some untruths about the organization and the chairman Fred Hampton.  What a story!  I have to admit, I don't watch or understand the violent scenes in movies like this, but everything else was spot on, in my opinion.  I learned so much about what Hampton stood for, what the black panthers under his tutelage were trying to do, and how awful his assassination was by the FBI.  The equally important  part of the movie concerned Bill  O'Neal.  This seems to be very topical --- a justice department that goes too far with its power?  and the use and  misuse of whistleblowers... These  topics  have been in the forefront of our discussions in the news lately, so  it seems fitting to do a study of a complex/confused "stool pigeon"/'"whistleblower" who had a definite bearing on the activities of the organization through his actions guided by the abusive power of the FBI.  Knowing that Bill O'Neal killed himself shortly after a documentary was done on his "work" to bring down Fred Hampton, Bill himself would agree with the portrayal of himself in this film.  I thought Daniel Kaluuya, was dead on as Fred Hampton from what I have seen in footage of the real man, and he is very deserving, I thought, of the golden globe he won this past weekend.  Laketh Stanfield, on the other hand, had more of a problem getting Bill O'Neal 's motivation out to us --- maybe because the man himself (bill) was so conflicted --- I guess that was what ate at Bill O'Neal through the rest of his life.  I really appreciated the eye-opening experience of watching this story unfold.  But I never like the violence it had to use to get it across.  I'd give it 4 out of 5. (the middle was challenging to watch --- could have been a bit clearer in the direction it was going)

"JUDAS & THE BLACK MESSIAH"   2 hrs, 6 mins.     R-rated    2021

Bill O'Neal infiltrates the Black Panther Party per FBI Agent Mitchell and J. Edgar Hoover. As Party Chairman Fred Hampton ascends, falling for a fellow revolutionary en route, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul.

Director:

 Shaka King

Writers:

 Will Berson (story by), Shaka King (story by)  |

Stars:

 Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Movie #2109 ........................."Unorthodox" (season 1, netflix)

 Movie #2109 "Unorthodox" (season 1, netflix)  I really liked this one --- I felt like I learned so much about the Hasedic jews.  I was mesmerized by the lead girl --- she was so good --- the way she walked, the way she talked, dressed, her mannerisms........ I was really pulled in from the start.  The story follows her young marriage (arranged) to a rather weak, but with some kindness in his eyes, orthodox jew who believes what he is told to believe through his religion.  They have a rocky start with sex  (kind of like " Bridgeton" but then a little bit more complex because just a few discussions about it wouldn't solve the problem) and there's stress upon stress to have a child in this environment (again like Bridgerton) but to the point where her mother-in-law is kept in the loop all about it!  Yikes!  Esty (short for Esther) loves music and you can tell she isn't so much "married" to all the rules, so it gets to be too much and she jumps ship --- just leaves, gets on a plane and goes to Berlin, of all places.  (really didn't know why a jew who knows all about the Holocaust would make this a #1 place, except her mom lives here now, so maybe it gave her comfort just knowing that she wouldn't be completely alone? it's only a guess because  she doesn't go to see her  mom until she absolutely has to --- to use her mom's address for some audition papers she needs) It is not a surprise that her love for music brings her to a conservatory where she sleeps a few nights until she is caught and then helped to find a place to camp for a while.  From there, the story unfolds how she tries to start a new life, while her husband and cousin go out to find her.  It is slow going, but the back and forth editing of the two leads  helps.  Still this show is full of pauses and quietude, just because of the hesitation and cerebral thinking of the main character.  When it was over, I was surprised because I didn't know it would be done in 4 parts (duh!) and I was willing to see much more, so that speaks for its ability to get me emotionally involved in it.  I hope there's a second season, but it did appear somewhat finished  if there isn't one.  I'd give it 4.5 and recommend it.  It does have a lot of subtitling --- not all, but most is in Yiddish!  

"UNORTHODOX"     3 hours, 33 mins     4 parts       2020

Story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life abroad.

Creator:

 Anna Winger

Stars:

 Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch

Movie #2108 ........................."Minari"

 Movie #2108 "Minari" --- this should be in movie theaters soon because it has been honored by all kinds of nominations, and just this past weekend it won the  golden globe for foreign film.  (more on that at the end of this blog)  It is mostly in korean subtitles, but it is truly an immigrant point of view of how difficult it is striving  for the American Dream we so much promise in our country.  This one Korean family  comes to a very small town in Arkansas, and they buy a plot of land "with good dirt" that is way out in No man's land.... Their intention is to start a garden and farm, raising crops for Korean food.  They experience difficulties in every turn.  The husband and wife are having problems in their marriage due to this journey, and the kids can sense that and try to make the best of it.  But it is hard to make new friends , obviously not fitting in with the other townspeople.   To combat some of the loneliness, the father suggests his wife's mother come from Korea to live with them, and that brings a lot of the humor of the film, to counter all the discomfort and moodiness of the rest of the film.  The grandma and grandson( little David) really steal most of the film (they were the highlights for me) at least in the humor department,  but the rest of the film is so real, authentic and sincere, and it definitely shows the plight of the immigrant to fit in.  This is such good timing, in my opinion, for everyone to see this and put yourself in the place of this family.  Esp. with  the confusing feelings we seem to have in our country about what to do with immigrants coming into our country.  I would give this a 4.5 out of 5 ---- just a bit slow in pacing, but very well done!  Should win lots more awards  this year.  

PS  on the awards subject --- there is controversy what category this film should be put in.  For golden globes they put it in foreign language film mostly because it uses Korean most of the way through; however, it is an American film, filmed in America, so people are wondering what to do with it.  I hope the Oscars make the right decision and put it in both foreign language and best picture.  They have done that before, but who knows what will happen.   Stay tuned.

Also, I usually put where I saw the film.  I didn't for this one because I purchased it from  a screening room (A-4) that sent it out to people who go to film festivals.  (I saw it through the Phoenix film festival)  

"MINARI"     1 hour and 55 minutes                PG-13                   2020

A Korean family starts a farm in 1980s Arkansas.

Director:

 Lee Isaac Chung

Writer:

 Lee Isaac Chung

Stars:

 Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan S. Kim

Movie #2107........................."Emma" 2020(HBO and Amazon Prime)

 Movie #2107 "Emma" 2020 (HBO/Amazon Prime) --- I first must say I am a huge Jane Austen fan, picking her books up in high school.  My favorite is "Pride and Prejudice," and I have really not thoroughly enjoyed most  film  renditions of any of her books.  This one tries to get across the humor, but it is so uneven!  Bill Nighy is in one film where he campily tries to get across the addle-pated father to Emma, always worried about the cooling system in the old house.  Then there's Mr. Knightly, who is playing some angst ridden lad who falls for this selfish (not worthy of him in this film) young Dolly Levi who tries to mettle in everyone's love life.  The guy they cast here looked constipated most of the time (sorry, if I insulted anyone, but if you saw him, I think you'd agree --- he looks in pain, anyway --- I think he finally smiled at the end --- I was thinking maybe the costume didn't fit him properly?  he is so modern looking, it is laughable) and then there's Emma herself, played by "Queen's Gambit" herself --- and played it the same way?  At least to my way of thinking.  It left me with...why would anyone fall in love with such a cold hearted/manipulative person as this?   Oh, there is just a little bit of a crack in her demeanor  in the end of the film toward poor Harriet (after she nearly destroys the poor waif).  but that's it?  Then, back to Mr. Elton, who, I thought, stole the movie --- well, him and Bill Nighy --- I wanted to see that movie --- Josh O'Connor, the actor I enjoyed so much as Larry (the Hemingway writer) in the "Durrells" (watch that!  so much better than this film) and now I need to watch as Prince Charles in "The Crown, puts so much into the part of Mr. Elton, I was on the floor laughing.  That is the Jane Austen I know and love from her books!  So the big complaint here is with the two leads (isn't it always?  #1 in a Hallmark film!) and the unevenness of the film.  Nighy and O'connor do their level best to get across Austen here --- the other actors in the film need to work up to their level.  Better Directing would help, too!  3 out of 5.

"EMMA"    2020     Pg- rating          2 hours and 4 mins

In 1800s England, a well meaning but selfish young woman meddles in the love lives of her friends.

Director:

 Autumn de Wilde

Writers:

 Eleanor Catton (screenplay by), Jane Austen (based on the novel by) 

Stars:

 Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth, Bill Nighy

Movie #2106 ........................."Pieces of a Woman" (netflix)

 Movie #2106 "Pieces of a Woman" (netflix) The first 20 minutes are especially strong in this film --- the rest of the film  kind of wallows, at times reels, from the raw opening.  The beginning tragedy (unimaginable, but very real) not only punishes everyone in the film, but the viewer as well because THIS MOVIE IS A TOUGH MOVIE TO WATCH!  We've seen this story before, but usually after the first 20 minutes --- and the feeling when you are done watching it is that you never want to see it again .  But after all that is said, it IS a subject that people deal with and it DESERVES TREATMENT.  But that doesn't mean everyone needs to see this film.  After going through the whole film, I must say I found the ending satisfying, but that doesn't make the journey easier at all.  The acting was raw, too.  Shia Leboef as you have never seen him, actually works really hard in the film.  Ellen Burstyn does her part of supporting, but I'd be surprised if she wins awards for it because it is hard to watch anything but the married couple.  The woman is asked to do a lot of acting without words, and I wasn't fully convinced of her portrayal --- she left me wondering what was on her mind a lot of the time, but that could be problems with the script or pacing or directing...... maybe it was me, and I expected more from her.  I don't know.  But it wasn't like a drop dead acting job like I saw with Shira Haas in "Unorthodox" this year.  So I don't know what more to say about this film --- it's sad, they convey that, you don't want it to happen to anyone, but you know it will, and when/if it happens, you still won't know what to say, so I'm not sure why you need to see the film if grief and how it can break up a family is the only subject that is covered. 3.5 out of 5.

"PIECES OF A WOMAN"     2 HRS 6 mins., R     2020

When a young mother's home birth ends in unfathomable tragedy, she begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones in this deeply personal story of a woman learning to live alongside her loss.

Director:

 Kornél Mundruczó

Writer:

 Kata Wéber

Stars:

 Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn