Chris Columbus Christmas
I watched two old Christmas movies this past few days:
Home Alone (1990) - directed by Chris Columbus
Christmas with the Kranks (2003) - written by Chris based on a novel by John Grisham
Both have a lot in common: the vaguely Midwestern suburb where there are large homes, nosy neighbors, friendly cops, and hapless parents. Danger lurks in suburbia like in a Tom Perotta novel turned movie (e.g. The Leftovers, Little Children, Election)
Home Alone is a little ham-handed, but the scenes where Macaulay Culkin fends off Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are pure comedy gold.
Home Alone (1990) - directed by Chris Columbus
Christmas with the Kranks (2003) - written by Chris based on a novel by John Grisham
Both have a lot in common: the vaguely Midwestern suburb where there are large homes, nosy neighbors, friendly cops, and hapless parents. Danger lurks in suburbia like in a Tom Perotta novel turned movie (e.g. The Leftovers, Little Children, Election)
Home Alone is a little ham-handed, but the scenes where Macaulay Culkin fends off Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are pure comedy gold.
Collateral Beauty
Will Smith plays Steve Jobs (so to speak) - he's actually Howard, who's daughter has died at a young age and he has given up on working, lost his marriage, and lives a mute hermit-like existence. Of course he's rich and brilliant and coddled so he can get by in Manhattan without blinking an eye.
His co-workers need him to snap out of it, mainly so they can sell Howard's company and get rich. So they (Kate Winslett, Edward Norton, Michael Pena) hatch a plan to hire three actors (Helen Mirren, Jacob Latimore and the lovely Keira Knightly) to "gaslight" Howard [ I just looked that up - to make him think he's crazy].
So at heart it's an elaborate ruse that would only work with a willing audience. And that, we are.
The three actors are personifications of Love, Time and Death and they interact with Howard in various ways. At the same time they interact with the three co-workers. So it becomes an interwoven ensemble piece like Christmas Day or Love Actually, with a Larger Message.
* * * of 5
His co-workers need him to snap out of it, mainly so they can sell Howard's company and get rich. So they (Kate Winslett, Edward Norton, Michael Pena) hatch a plan to hire three actors (Helen Mirren, Jacob Latimore and the lovely Keira Knightly) to "gaslight" Howard [ I just looked that up - to make him think he's crazy].
So at heart it's an elaborate ruse that would only work with a willing audience. And that, we are.
The three actors are personifications of Love, Time and Death and they interact with Howard in various ways. At the same time they interact with the three co-workers. So it becomes an interwoven ensemble piece like Christmas Day or Love Actually, with a Larger Message.
* * * of 5
Rogue One - A Star Wars Story
Even directed by Gareth Edwards, we have a lot of George Lucas here. The movie can be divided into two halves, the Raiders of the Lost Ark first half (vaguely North African desert and bazaars, searching for people for a dangerous mission) and the New Hope second half (the boarding of the enemy spaceship, the X wing fighters, and so forth).
Credit goes for SOME originality ( whereas in the Force Awakens there was precious little) but again, we're falling into James Bond territory, telling the same story over and over. Ride the horse until it drops.
I suppose some time in a Galaxy far, far away that we'll have a new telling of the story like The Dark Knight, that breathes some new light here. Until then, just note the 6 major characters in Star Wars (1977) and expect from them.
* * * * of 5
Credit goes for SOME originality ( whereas in the Force Awakens there was precious little) but again, we're falling into James Bond territory, telling the same story over and over. Ride the horse until it drops.
I suppose some time in a Galaxy far, far away that we'll have a new telling of the story like The Dark Knight, that breathes some new light here. Until then, just note the 6 major characters in Star Wars (1977) and expect from them.
* * * * of 5
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hogwarts comes to America in this Harry Potter alternate universe. Here we have Newt (Eddie Redmayne) just off the boat at Ellis Island. He's got a suitcase of unusual creatures that he smuggles in. He does it with a smile so it's OK, right? But of course he loses the suitcase to a bumbling American (Dan Fogler) and gets investigated by the Dragnet of the Magical Congress (Katherine Waterston).
And of course, we have Colin Farrell, a Southland View favorite, as the Professor Snape character.
A surprise character awaits at the end - he's credited, so we should expect more of Grindewald (Johnny Depp) in the future.
No need to overthink the plot or read the book. It's a fun movie and there should be plenty more in this new series.
* * * * * (highest rating
And of course, we have Colin Farrell, a Southland View favorite, as the Professor Snape character.
A surprise character awaits at the end - he's credited, so we should expect more of Grindewald (Johnny Depp) in the future.
No need to overthink the plot or read the book. It's a fun movie and there should be plenty more in this new series.
* * * * * (highest rating
Transient
Executive produced by... Gregory Turley, among others, this indie film by first time writer/director Alexander Stockton is a timely story of a young man, Franky, of Mexican descent (Michael Ocampo) who has been living illegally in the US. When he gets into legal trouble he is deported to Mexico, away from the home he knows. He is fortunately to meet up with his long-lost father, but because his father is tied up with local corruption, Franky must choose to stay or try and return to the US.
Done on a $60,000 budget the look is pretty professional. The look has a sepia tone, reminscient of the dusty border on both sides. The sound is very good quality and the subtitles done well as much of the film switches between English and Spanish. Original music gives it a good feel as well.
This film screened at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, the Chain Film Festival in New York and at the Cine Sol Film Festival here in McAllen, TX where it was partially filmed. Many of the cast and crew have Rio Grande Valley ties, including the lead actress Ana Sofia Rodriguez, who does the best performance as Alex.
Check out more of the film at Facebook.com/transientfilm
Done on a $60,000 budget the look is pretty professional. The look has a sepia tone, reminscient of the dusty border on both sides. The sound is very good quality and the subtitles done well as much of the film switches between English and Spanish. Original music gives it a good feel as well.
This film screened at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, the Chain Film Festival in New York and at the Cine Sol Film Festival here in McAllen, TX where it was partially filmed. Many of the cast and crew have Rio Grande Valley ties, including the lead actress Ana Sofia Rodriguez, who does the best performance as Alex.
Check out more of the film at Facebook.com/transientfilm
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Happy Thanksgiving to all of us at Southlandview.blogspot.com! See you at the movies.
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
Based on the novel by Ben Fountain, this is a story set to begin and end on a single day of Thanksgiving, where Billy Lynn's Bravo Squad is to honored at halftime of the Dallas Cowboys football game. The juxtaposition of football, America and war is the mashup of this story.
It's more mash than mashup, because its hard to tell a good story about one topic, much less three. The book was not easy to follow as it tries to be satire a la The Bonfire of the Vanities. Not a good movie compliment, as Bonfire is a noted flop of a movie... but you get the point.
And when Hollywood gets their hooks into a story about.. Hollywood, then it really goes off the rails. To play an American hero, get an unknown Brit (Joe Allwyn). The story revolving around the Dallas Cowboys game gets lost after there is no NFL participation (except for decent cameos by Richard Sherman and J.J. Watt). So we have a Cowboy-ish look. Steve Martin plays Jerry Jones/Norm, the halftime entertainment is a Beyonce-less version of Destiny's Child (we never see their faces) so it gets a Made for TV movie style.
Best performance is certainly Garrett Hedlund as Sgt. David Dime, the leader of the pack. His shading from the book get left out and he's the secondary hero to Billy. The Bravo Squad is famous due to its battle being caught on camera, and so that video does come out during the movie, at a decent time. The squad is somewhat of a fish out of water, being honored for a traumatic war experience, being wooed by strangers, and half wanting to enjoy the moment and half wanting to go back to the home military base, where they know what to expect, good or bad.
* * * of 5
It's more mash than mashup, because its hard to tell a good story about one topic, much less three. The book was not easy to follow as it tries to be satire a la The Bonfire of the Vanities. Not a good movie compliment, as Bonfire is a noted flop of a movie... but you get the point.
And when Hollywood gets their hooks into a story about.. Hollywood, then it really goes off the rails. To play an American hero, get an unknown Brit (Joe Allwyn). The story revolving around the Dallas Cowboys game gets lost after there is no NFL participation (except for decent cameos by Richard Sherman and J.J. Watt). So we have a Cowboy-ish look. Steve Martin plays Jerry Jones/Norm, the halftime entertainment is a Beyonce-less version of Destiny's Child (we never see their faces) so it gets a Made for TV movie style.
Best performance is certainly Garrett Hedlund as Sgt. David Dime, the leader of the pack. His shading from the book get left out and he's the secondary hero to Billy. The Bravo Squad is famous due to its battle being caught on camera, and so that video does come out during the movie, at a decent time. The squad is somewhat of a fish out of water, being honored for a traumatic war experience, being wooed by strangers, and half wanting to enjoy the moment and half wanting to go back to the home military base, where they know what to expect, good or bad.
* * * of 5
Inferno
The latest in the Dan Brown authored, Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon, romping through Europe, solving historical mysteries. If it sounds better on paper, then you've seen the best of this series. Inferno is not the best.
Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, Italy, not knowing how he got there. His beautiful doctor (Felicity Jones) attempts to jog his memory. The story turns on an Elon Musk-ish billionaire, who seeks to avoid the Earth's Malthusian crash by introducing the Black Plague back into the world to thin the population rising at an unsustainable rate. Doing it for our own good.
So Langdon must stop him, while reviewing Dante's works on Hell, looking for clues. He is assisted in that every tourist stop he goes into is closed, so he is the only one there.
Good news is that the scenery of Florence, Venice and Istanbul is lovely. Bad news is the thin plot, the hard to follow story and the lame acting.
* * of 5
Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, Italy, not knowing how he got there. His beautiful doctor (Felicity Jones) attempts to jog his memory. The story turns on an Elon Musk-ish billionaire, who seeks to avoid the Earth's Malthusian crash by introducing the Black Plague back into the world to thin the population rising at an unsustainable rate. Doing it for our own good.
So Langdon must stop him, while reviewing Dante's works on Hell, looking for clues. He is assisted in that every tourist stop he goes into is closed, so he is the only one there.
Good news is that the scenery of Florence, Venice and Istanbul is lovely. Bad news is the thin plot, the hard to follow story and the lame acting.
* * of 5
Rush - Time Stand Still
I recently saw Rush-Time Stand Still about the fandom of the Canadian trio. There were many fans who had seen many live shows. But I seemed to either have slept through those opportunities - or maybe I just didn't choose to spend the money. Of course, concerts were not as big of a business back in the 80s.
Here's the major concerts I did see in the 80s:
Van Halen - Austin - 1981 - my first time. Like many first times, it wasn't that great. David Lee Roth was so drunk...he forgot the words to "Running with the Devil"
The Police - Austin - 1983 - The Fixx opened. Outdoors at the Meadows. Synchronicity Tour. Who knew it would be the last for many years.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - 1984 - Austin. Great show. Southern Accents tour.
Dire Straits - Madrid, Spain, 1985 - right before they blew it up with Money for Nothing. That time it was me who was so drunk. Not the best way to enjoy a concert. I was truly on the front row - the show was outdoor and I was right up front.
Madonna - RFK Stadium 1987 - Level 42 opened. Washington DC - an early stadium show. Who knew she would still be filling stadiums in 2016? I had two women with me for that show - now that IS the best way to enjoy the show.
Here's the major concerts I did see in the 80s:
Van Halen - Austin - 1981 - my first time. Like many first times, it wasn't that great. David Lee Roth was so drunk...he forgot the words to "Running with the Devil"
The Police - Austin - 1983 - The Fixx opened. Outdoors at the Meadows. Synchronicity Tour. Who knew it would be the last for many years.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - 1984 - Austin. Great show. Southern Accents tour.
Dire Straits - Madrid, Spain, 1985 - right before they blew it up with Money for Nothing. That time it was me who was so drunk. Not the best way to enjoy a concert. I was truly on the front row - the show was outdoor and I was right up front.
Madonna - RFK Stadium 1987 - Level 42 opened. Washington DC - an early stadium show. Who knew she would still be filling stadiums in 2016? I had two women with me for that show - now that IS the best way to enjoy the show.
Jack Reacher - Never Go Back
Tom Cruise stars as Jack Reacher, ex Major in the Military Police. He calls himself ex, but he is still involved covertly while living a vagabond life. When he calls in to Maj. Susan Turner (Colbie Smulders) to pay her a Deep Throat type visit, they are both accused of military law violations. They go on the run to avoid not only the law, but a covert assassin hunting them down.
There's always a weakness to exploit - here's it's a teenaged girl, who may or may not be Jack's daughter. Jack and Susan grab her and take her along to New Orleans for good measure. Along the way they become a little family, with Mom and Dad arguing who should go to work and who should stay home with the kids.
Tom Cruise doesn't change much, and after he changed clothes, he's wearing the exact same Top Gun outfit 30 years later. He even has the same facial cuts as in Mission Impossible and Collateral.
A good popcorn shoot-em-up. His version of Taken. * * * of 5
There's always a weakness to exploit - here's it's a teenaged girl, who may or may not be Jack's daughter. Jack and Susan grab her and take her along to New Orleans for good measure. Along the way they become a little family, with Mom and Dad arguing who should go to work and who should stay home with the kids.
Tom Cruise doesn't change much, and after he changed clothes, he's wearing the exact same Top Gun outfit 30 years later. He even has the same facial cuts as in Mission Impossible and Collateral.
A good popcorn shoot-em-up. His version of Taken. * * * of 5
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
All week, The Onion will look back at the most iconic horror films of all time. Today: ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’ #OnionFilmStandard pic.twitter.com/NCujrb1K1m
— The Onion (@TheOnion) October 25, 2016
Black Sheep (1996)
This is today's Facebook meme - How has 2016 gone so far?
Another movie I seemed to have missed in the 90s - won't do it again
Upcoming movies - November and December
Rules Don't Apply - directed by Warren Beatty - a Hollywood and Vine story
Fantasic Beasts - more from J.K. Rowling/Harry Potter Version 8
More Star Wars - Rogue One - December 16 - get your tickets now!
The Girl on the Train
I have been looking forward to this movie for some time, since I found out that the plot of the book by Paula Hawkins reminded my Gypsy friend of my book Hideaway (available on Amazon). So I organized a big outing to see the movie this weekend.
Emily Blunt plays Rachel, who is drinking and depressed after divorcing Tom. She has become unemployed so she fakes going to work and rides the train to and from some central location. As she rides by her and Tom's old home, she recognizes not only Tom and his new wife Anna but also two neighbors, Megan and her husband/boyfriend.
As she fantasizes about Megan's life, she begins to find out more about her. But the plan backfires when Megan turns up missing and Rachel is found to be a little too close and familiar with Megan.
It's a complicated plot and so I'll say that the movie follows the book pretty well. Directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Winter's Bone) there's a tendency to go for the dramatic shot whenever possible.
Not sure if that helps or hurts here.
The cinematography is set to evoke a fall/winter bleakness to match the characters. Originally set in London, it's moved her to New York for no other reason than to appeal to American audiences.
A good mystery, somewhat dark. Easy to compare to Gone Girl which had a similar missing girl plot (but the mystery was solved that much sooner in that movie).
* * * * of 5
Emily Blunt plays Rachel, who is drinking and depressed after divorcing Tom. She has become unemployed so she fakes going to work and rides the train to and from some central location. As she rides by her and Tom's old home, she recognizes not only Tom and his new wife Anna but also two neighbors, Megan and her husband/boyfriend.
As she fantasizes about Megan's life, she begins to find out more about her. But the plan backfires when Megan turns up missing and Rachel is found to be a little too close and familiar with Megan.
It's a complicated plot and so I'll say that the movie follows the book pretty well. Directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Winter's Bone) there's a tendency to go for the dramatic shot whenever possible.
Not sure if that helps or hurts here.
The cinematography is set to evoke a fall/winter bleakness to match the characters. Originally set in London, it's moved her to New York for no other reason than to appeal to American audiences.
A good mystery, somewhat dark. Easy to compare to Gone Girl which had a similar missing girl plot (but the mystery was solved that much sooner in that movie).
* * * * of 5
Bridget Jones's Baby
The 3rd installment of Bridget Jones (first since 2004), we have Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth again, along with Patrick Dempsey playing the Hugh Grant character.
"Characters" is the best way to describe this universe. Some many plot devices all rolled into one - the TV career woman, the uptight lawyer, the millionaire handsome playboy, the American in England, the unexpected pregnancy, the entire 9 months, the rushing to to the hospital.
Very similar plotline to Mamma Mia (also with Colin Firth). The mystery as to who is the father of the baby. Bridget has two flings with both men and can't for the life of her figure out who's baby it is. Of course, both of them want to be the father - some healthy competition. No pesky wives or girlfriends for Bridget to contend with.
Good dialogue, good music, an enjoyable movie. Interesting how Firth's character is Mr. Darby - a little Pride and Prejudice story connection.
* * * of 5
"Characters" is the best way to describe this universe. Some many plot devices all rolled into one - the TV career woman, the uptight lawyer, the millionaire handsome playboy, the American in England, the unexpected pregnancy, the entire 9 months, the rushing to to the hospital.
Very similar plotline to Mamma Mia (also with Colin Firth). The mystery as to who is the father of the baby. Bridget has two flings with both men and can't for the life of her figure out who's baby it is. Of course, both of them want to be the father - some healthy competition. No pesky wives or girlfriends for Bridget to contend with.
Good dialogue, good music, an enjoyable movie. Interesting how Firth's character is Mr. Darby - a little Pride and Prejudice story connection.
* * * of 5
Braveheart (1995)
When you have a child born in 1994, you don't get to see all the movies of 1995. Years later, you get around to the cleanup. Start with the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as Best Director, Best Cinematography, etc.
Mel Gibson plays William Walllace, the common matter fighter leader of 13th century Scotland. We start when he is young, seeing the horrors inflicted on his friends and family by the English invaders. As he grows to be a fighting man, the dreaded invaders kill his wife Marron as well in graphic fashion after she had the nerve to fight back.
This of course is too much and Wallace leads a commoners' rebellion and wins a battle. But can he lead this bunch against the King's armies?
I can see how many men call this their favorite movie. Like The Godfather or The Shawshank Redemption, you've got a story of a regular man put in intolerable conditions, personally harmed and fighting and winning against a much stronger foe.
The big screen treatment never looked as good here. Like Lawrence of Arabia or the Lord of the Rings (also a regular man put in intolerable conditions...) the sweeping vistas and mountaintop shots are very appealing to watch.
* * * * *
Mel Gibson plays William Walllace, the common matter fighter leader of 13th century Scotland. We start when he is young, seeing the horrors inflicted on his friends and family by the English invaders. As he grows to be a fighting man, the dreaded invaders kill his wife Marron as well in graphic fashion after she had the nerve to fight back.
This of course is too much and Wallace leads a commoners' rebellion and wins a battle. But can he lead this bunch against the King's armies?
I can see how many men call this their favorite movie. Like The Godfather or The Shawshank Redemption, you've got a story of a regular man put in intolerable conditions, personally harmed and fighting and winning against a much stronger foe.
The big screen treatment never looked as good here. Like Lawrence of Arabia or the Lord of the Rings (also a regular man put in intolerable conditions...) the sweeping vistas and mountaintop shots are very appealing to watch.
* * * * *
Sully
With a news title like "Miracle on the Hudson" it's amazing it took so long to make a movie of it. Clint Eastwood as director can take a historical story and turn it into a great movie (Flags of Our Fathers, Invictus, Jersey Boys). He does the same here. It will make you Proud to be an American.
Capt. Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) starts the story in a hearing from the National Transportation Safety Board. Michael Brown would be a perfect choice for this job ("Brownie's doing a heckuva job") We know the plane has been landed safely but that's not good enough. As First Officer Skiller (Aaron Eckhart) noted, when an expensive plane is lost, there's going to be an investigation and a price to pay.
From there the story goes from Sully walking through the airport, getting ready and starting the takeoff. It was interesting to see how short a time it was from takeoff to landing. 208 seconds.
Some good lines they used in their defense. "Engineers say you could have landed at La Guardia" Sully noted, "First, engineers are not pilots. Second, they're wrong. Third, they weren't there"
And Skiller said later "You're just not used to an investigation where there's a successful outcome"
The flight scenes were realistic and well done. Very similar to the 747 flyover in Invictus.
All in all, an excellent movie, telling a story that should be repeated. Hats off to the whole crew who save all 155 people on Flight 1549.
* * * * * (highest)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
A good look back at a fun movie - I took a little time off today and this made it seem just right for its time.
Taxi Driver (1976)
For an iconic American movie, I thought Taxi Driver was a Middle Aged Loser movie, with the crisis coming in earlier in Travis Bickle's life than expected. Washed out of the Army in Vietnam, Travis (Robert DeNiro) gets a job as a cabbie in New York City (of course) and spends his time driving aimlessly and getting upset at the crime and grime he sees. He decides to take matters into his own hands. Violence results with no apparent consequence.
Perhaps it was a product of its time, Post Vietnam, Pre 9/11, in the era of anger at the system. If he could yell "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore", he would. But Network preceded this one - that line was taken.
I though the Cybill Shepard/Albert Brooks parts were the best - normal people contrasting against this burning fuse.
Just didn't get the allure. Perhaps its the names: DeNiro/Scorsece. Not my type.
* * of 5
Perhaps it was a product of its time, Post Vietnam, Pre 9/11, in the era of anger at the system. If he could yell "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore", he would. But Network preceded this one - that line was taken.
I though the Cybill Shepard/Albert Brooks parts were the best - normal people contrasting against this burning fuse.
Just didn't get the allure. Perhaps its the names: DeNiro/Scorsece. Not my type.
* * of 5
Hell or High Water
No Country for Old Men meets Thelma and Louise is how I might recap this according to the famous pitches in The Player, an underrated 90s movie. Two hapless brothers (Ben Foster and Chris Pine) plan to rob banks for the important reason of saving the family farm and catching up on Little Brother's child support.
The Texas Ranger Marcus (Jeff Bridges) uses his aw-shucks intuition to track the robbers and who early on states "They must be trying to raise a certain amount of money". His partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham) plays a much more interesting role but there's only room for one star here. Too bad. He was the most interesting character.
A somewhat point-to-point story with a number of well-worn plot points (the aging lawman facing retirement, getting shot but only wounded, robbery gone awry, close calls with the police, the final showdown). In that respect it did remind me of Heat, another bank robbery movie with a strong if interchangeable connection between predator and prey.
The larger point made was the dying frontier, that Last Picture Show, (also starring Jeff Bridges as Duane) an aspect which the cinematography showed well. Even the area of Archer City, Olney is the same as the fictional town of Thalia made famous by Larry McMurtry.
As well was the struggle of the 99% in a world of payday lenders, greedy bankers and the plight of the poor. A good point, also made well by a similar movie 99 Homes.
* * * * * of 5
Cousin Jon had a strong review and cannot believe anyone would rate it lower that he did. See for yourself.
The Texas Ranger Marcus (Jeff Bridges) uses his aw-shucks intuition to track the robbers and who early on states "They must be trying to raise a certain amount of money". His partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham) plays a much more interesting role but there's only room for one star here. Too bad. He was the most interesting character.
A somewhat point-to-point story with a number of well-worn plot points (the aging lawman facing retirement, getting shot but only wounded, robbery gone awry, close calls with the police, the final showdown). In that respect it did remind me of Heat, another bank robbery movie with a strong if interchangeable connection between predator and prey.
The larger point made was the dying frontier, that Last Picture Show, (also starring Jeff Bridges as Duane) an aspect which the cinematography showed well. Even the area of Archer City, Olney is the same as the fictional town of Thalia made famous by Larry McMurtry.
As well was the struggle of the 99% in a world of payday lenders, greedy bankers and the plight of the poor. A good point, also made well by a similar movie 99 Homes.
* * * * * of 5
Cousin Jon had a strong review and cannot believe anyone would rate it lower that he did. See for yourself.
Peter Sobczynski now writes the movie reviews for the RogerEbert.com website. What he recently penned about the movie ' Hell or High Water ' probably had Roger turning in his grave. I can picture Mr. Sob. . . playing the Gene role and Roger responding " Gene you are clueless as this is not only one of the best movies of the year , it is one of the best movies in years. "
So the last part of the faux quote is a stretch , but I'm biased. ' Butch Cassidy ' is my all time favorite movie so I really enjoy western themed movies. When I saw the trailer for ' Hell or High Water ' a few months back I knew I had to see the movie.
Trailers are often deceiving so I rarely see a movie without first reading some critical reviews ; Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb are my references. However , this time around I was only interested in the statistical numbers. I did not want to read any potential spoilers. A simple confirmation to the idea of a modern western would do. And though it is rare for a movie intended for mass release to score near a 100% , ' Hell or High Water ' kept its 98% rating.
I will not offer any details. It is a tight and well crafted script which touches on multiple themes. Plus it does it without the usual dwelling so common in most movies. Hit it , knock it out of the park and move on. The acting is on point. Chris Pine does a great young James Kirk , but Pine is phenomenal as Toby Howard. Jeff Bridges deserves another Oscar too. Some less known actors / actresses really nail their bit parts. Like waves on a beach the movie has a wonderful ebb and flow. The action is dispersed amongst scenes of west Texas ; though technically it's New Mexico. No roll on floor jokes , but some funny lines and scenes. Country music makes up the soundtrack.
I have since read a lot of the professional reviews. Basically I wanted to find out what morons ; 3 outta 144 are clueless professional critics ; didn't like the movie. Though the movie would be alright on DVD it really deserves a big screen viewing. In fact I am going back for a second helping this coming week. It's that good !
Popcorn rating = leftovers ( and that's the tops )
September movies
Its Labor Day weekend and not much is new in theaters this week. Today I am here in Madison, WI which is on par (more like bogey) with McAllen, TX as Multiplexland. So nothing of note is available to see. So that makes me turn toward the upcoming movies:
Sully - September 9 - the story of the Miracle on the Hudson starring Tom Hanks and directed by Clint Eastwood. A must see in my book:
Southside with You
The Sundance take on the first date of Barack and Michelle Obama
Snowden
Directed by Oliver Stone - the story of Edward Snowden - should be a good thriller a la No Way Out or All the President's Men - 2 of my favorites
Deepwater Horizon - September 30
Hopefully this will break the Mark Wahlberg jinx that I have. I'm willing to give it a try
Sully - September 9 - the story of the Miracle on the Hudson starring Tom Hanks and directed by Clint Eastwood. A must see in my book:
Southside with You
The Sundance take on the first date of Barack and Michelle Obama
Snowden
Directed by Oliver Stone - the story of Edward Snowden - should be a good thriller a la No Way Out or All the President's Men - 2 of my favorites
Deepwater Horizon - September 30
Hopefully this will break the Mark Wahlberg jinx that I have. I'm willing to give it a try
Weiner
I saw this in Austin in June. A Sundance prize winner, it is a reality-show look at former Congressman Anthony Weiner, rehabbing himself by running for Mayor of New York City. Hard to believe he would participate in this (as well as his wife Huma Abedin) who presumably have a lot to lose. But maybe they thought they had hit bottom and had nowhere to go but up. You decide.
* * * * of 5
* * * * of 5
Mechanic Resurrection
Starring Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones
Jason Statham is.. . an assassin. Jessica Alba is... a beautiful woman. Boy meet Girl, but Girl is kidnapped and Boy is forces to do what he does. Kill 3 people and make it look like an accident. Chapter 1 and 2 go as you might expect and then Boy meets Person # 3, Tommy Lee Jones.
As the description goes, its an orderly, if predictable story.
* * * of 5
War Dogs
Welcome back to Todd Phillips, who after resting (rightfully) after The Hangover (2009) and coasting from Hangover 2 and 3, is back as director with a good true story movie about the rise and fall of 2 regular guy- arms dealers. Two nice Jewish boys from Florida (of course) who get in the business and then quickly over their heads.
Based on the Rolling Stone article, the story was optioned right away for a movie. Jonah Hill plays Efraim billed as the leader and Miles Teller plays David his old friend. They find a loophole that allows their company to bid on war contracts and because the industry is so large, they are able to get a piece of the very large pie, making them big bucks. Good while it lasts, right? And nothing good last forever, right?
There's a lot to like here. This is probably the best of the Iraq/Afghanistan auxillary side of the war movies that have come out (Rock the Casbah, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot). And it is done very much in the style of The Big Short, down to the trip to Las Vegas, the narration, the visual clues as to who is who, and the chapter storytelling. Cinematography is excellent and it seemed pretty clear that it was the same (good) look as the Hangover - same director of cinematography Lawrence Sher. Good job.
Bradley Cooper rounds out the usual gang starring her as the shady international man Henry. Like in a farce, he wears these silly oversized glasses. The Brad Pitt problem - too good looking, have to mess up the look a bit. Cooper also co-produced the movie so he knew a good thing to get in on.
It's a good bunch to have - hope they continue working on original materials.
* * * * * highest rating
Based on the Rolling Stone article, the story was optioned right away for a movie. Jonah Hill plays Efraim billed as the leader and Miles Teller plays David his old friend. They find a loophole that allows their company to bid on war contracts and because the industry is so large, they are able to get a piece of the very large pie, making them big bucks. Good while it lasts, right? And nothing good last forever, right?
There's a lot to like here. This is probably the best of the Iraq/Afghanistan auxillary side of the war movies that have come out (Rock the Casbah, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot). And it is done very much in the style of The Big Short, down to the trip to Las Vegas, the narration, the visual clues as to who is who, and the chapter storytelling. Cinematography is excellent and it seemed pretty clear that it was the same (good) look as the Hangover - same director of cinematography Lawrence Sher. Good job.
Bradley Cooper rounds out the usual gang starring her as the shady international man Henry. Like in a farce, he wears these silly oversized glasses. The Brad Pitt problem - too good looking, have to mess up the look a bit. Cooper also co-produced the movie so he knew a good thing to get in on.
It's a good bunch to have - hope they continue working on original materials.
* * * * * highest rating
Sausage Party
At some point during the movie, I was watching the animated characters (here they are food items) trying to get into/escape from the animated pizza driver human schlub and his car and realized "This is exactly like Toy Story 2". At that moment I noted the bumper sticker on the car "DIXAR".
That is a good summation of Sausage Party. It doesn't stray too far from the tried and true animated story of cartoons v. humans but it does throw a few curves in. If you don't like Seth Rogen/James Franco humor (Pineapple Express, This is the End, The Interview), then you'll call this "potty humor" and be offended by the "F word".
But if you're a real adult, you might enjoy a few parts of this. Good voicing by the usual cast of comedy characters: Kristin Wiig, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera. And a few easter eggs to discover along the way. Nice and light. Can't have enough R rated comedies these days.
* * * 1/2 of 5
That is a good summation of Sausage Party. It doesn't stray too far from the tried and true animated story of cartoons v. humans but it does throw a few curves in. If you don't like Seth Rogen/James Franco humor (Pineapple Express, This is the End, The Interview), then you'll call this "potty humor" and be offended by the "F word".
But if you're a real adult, you might enjoy a few parts of this. Good voicing by the usual cast of comedy characters: Kristin Wiig, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera. And a few easter eggs to discover along the way. Nice and light. Can't have enough R rated comedies these days.
* * * 1/2 of 5
Defending Your Life (1991)
Albert Brooks, probably best known now as the voice of Nemo, wrote and directed this story about the afterlife in Judgment City, where humans go in a sort of way station to determine if they will go on, or be sent back to Earth to live another life. Meryl Streep is a fellow traveller he meets. He is envious that her "trial" is set to be shorter than his. He thinks his "attorney" Rip Torn is not good enough. He thinks that he did not use enough of his brain while on Earth. He thinks his prosecutor (Lee Grant) is too good. He even thinks he should have a better hotel.
It's an interesting look at an alternative, imaginative view of the afterlife, or at least part of it. The goal is to go on, wherever that is, rather than to be sent back, which is viewed as a type of failure. Even in death, there's a sense of "I could've done more". Of course since the main characters died young deaths, that is pervasive in their thinking.
Made in 1991 it is a lot like When Harry Met Sally, the nice Jewish boy meets the WASP princess and wants to be "good enough." See also The Heartbreak Kid, The Graduate, Meet the Parents.
* * * * of 5
Here's a nice recap of the movie on its 25th anniversary.
It's an interesting look at an alternative, imaginative view of the afterlife, or at least part of it. The goal is to go on, wherever that is, rather than to be sent back, which is viewed as a type of failure. Even in death, there's a sense of "I could've done more". Of course since the main characters died young deaths, that is pervasive in their thinking.
Made in 1991 it is a lot like When Harry Met Sally, the nice Jewish boy meets the WASP princess and wants to be "good enough." See also The Heartbreak Kid, The Graduate, Meet the Parents.
* * * * of 5
Here's a nice recap of the movie on its 25th anniversary.
Suicide Squad
DC Comics enters the Marvel Cinematic Universe by dusting off a collection of Batman's foes over the years. Ben Affleck as Batman makes a nice appearance to kick things off. We've got the Joker (Jared Leto), his girlfriend Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Boomerang (somebody), The Flame (somebody else) and the gratuitous Croc Man. This motley crew is deputized and Col. Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) is tasked with leading them, at peril of death.
Will Smith notes the suicide mission and the Suicide Squad is born. They go off to save New York City - again. Actually it's Gotham City now. The kick is that these super villians are like WMD's and must be contained for national security reasons, less they fall into the wrong hands.
Forgive me if I can't remember much of the plot. It's the basic save the world from destruction which I have seen several times this summer, Captain American, Ghostbusters, Batman v. Superman.
But good new characters and a nice set up for more going forward.
* * * * of 5
Will Smith notes the suicide mission and the Suicide Squad is born. They go off to save New York City - again. Actually it's Gotham City now. The kick is that these super villians are like WMD's and must be contained for national security reasons, less they fall into the wrong hands.
Forgive me if I can't remember much of the plot. It's the basic save the world from destruction which I have seen several times this summer, Captain American, Ghostbusters, Batman v. Superman.
But good new characters and a nice set up for more going forward.
* * * * of 5
Hillary's America
Two can play the political documentary game - it's not just Michael Moore territory anymore. The Republican Response to the upcoming Presidential election, its an interesting movie by Dinesh D'Souza, who describes his occupation as "Scholar."
Dinesh wrote a number of books in the 90s and was a leading conservative for years. He claims that after his book Obama's America in 2012 that he was targeted by the government (maybe?) and he was convicted of campaign finance crimes - who knew?
So after 8 months in prison and continuing on probation he set about to do a movie doubling as a history lesson. It is kind of like something you would see in school. His thesis is that the Democratic Party is the party of slavery, Indian removal, KKK, and only takes in minority, immigrants and women just to use them. The Republican Party of Lincoln is the true friend.
There's not a lot of Hillary here - only toward the end when he turns his sights on the Clinton Global Initiative, and perhaps rightly so. It definitely asks some hard questions.
In general there was a lot more recreation acting that actual footage. Perhaps because of its historical sweep. Overall, better than expected. Particularly if you like the documentary format.
* * * * of 5
Bad Moms
Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristin Bell star as a group of outsider moms in the school PTA who band together to be Bad Moms. They party, they sleep in, they make the kids prepare their own breakfast. Their nemisis (Newman!) is the Supermom PTA President, played by Christina Applegate.
Because its about about moms, there are no redeming males here. There's a F___boy and that's about it. There are a few loser dads for comparison. The dads of course lie around, do nothing, and look pathetic. The writers (of the Hangover fame) must have had some fun with the comparisons.
It actually comes together at the end, with the lead in to how the mom's life must improve.
Best part is the end credits - where we have real life Moms and Daughters from the movie.
* * * of 5
Because its about about moms, there are no redeming males here. There's a F___boy and that's about it. There are a few loser dads for comparison. The dads of course lie around, do nothing, and look pathetic. The writers (of the Hangover fame) must have had some fun with the comparisons.
It actually comes together at the end, with the lead in to how the mom's life must improve.
Best part is the end credits - where we have real life Moms and Daughters from the movie.
* * * of 5
Ghostbusters (2016)
The 1984 semi-classic has been rebooted by Paul Feig of Bridesmaids fame, reuniting Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. I call the 1984 a semi-classic because it is memorable if otherwise forgettable. I think the allure is that is done at the comedy heights of its 2 Saturday Night Live stars, Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd. At the time all they had to do was look at the camera and it was funny.d Now we have a new generation of SNL star in Kristin Wiig as the lead.
The reboot follows the familiar script of a (somewhat) friendly ghost haunting with the first turn toward academia, but that "science" is debunked, and our professor is fired, therefore having nothing better to do that to start a new business for Ghost Busting. Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones add some good new life here.
The first half takes a few interesting turns before the movie settles back into the 1984 script culminating in the attack of the Stay-Puft marshmallow man. Was that every funny? Never the less, all the familiar faces from 1984 make a cameo again, except for Harold Ramis who is unfortunately deceased. Too bad his ghost couldn't add a little more "life" here.
* * * * of 5 - a light summer movie, again
The reboot follows the familiar script of a (somewhat) friendly ghost haunting with the first turn toward academia, but that "science" is debunked, and our professor is fired, therefore having nothing better to do that to start a new business for Ghost Busting. Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones add some good new life here.
The first half takes a few interesting turns before the movie settles back into the 1984 script culminating in the attack of the Stay-Puft marshmallow man. Was that every funny? Never the less, all the familiar faces from 1984 make a cameo again, except for Harold Ramis who is unfortunately deceased. Too bad his ghost couldn't add a little more "life" here.
* * * * of 5 - a light summer movie, again
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Inspired by a true story when 2 brothers put out a Craigslist ad for dates to a wedding, this is the Hollywood take. The brothers are true Bros (Adam Levine and Zac Efron) and they strut around and pound their chests. Zac Efron seems to be cast this way a lot: Dirty Grandpa, Neighbors.
They meet their match in 2 friends who seek to out-bro the Bros, Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza. Like I said it is the Hollywood take to have 2 beautiful ladies along for the ride.
Ultimately its a retread of Meet the Parents and a better movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. See it for the same reason I did - a brainless summer escape.
* * * of 5. Dude!
They meet their match in 2 friends who seek to out-bro the Bros, Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza. Like I said it is the Hollywood take to have 2 beautiful ladies along for the ride.
Ultimately its a retread of Meet the Parents and a better movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. See it for the same reason I did - a brainless summer escape.
* * * of 5. Dude!
The BFG
Steven Speilberg does it again, this time adapting a children's book by Roald Dahl. Screenplay by Melissa Mathison who also did E.T., it is similar story of a child in need of a friend, who happens to be from another world.
Sophie is an orphan (of course) who is up late at night when she sees a giant walking through the darkened streets. When the giant sees that he is discovered, he snatches the girl so she can't tell others about him and takes her back to his Bat Cave, Giant Land. Mark Rylance plays the giant well. There, they become friends and he is renamed BFG. BFG's job is to catch and release dreams and so he has to go back to the real world to do that.
I won't say more because the plot is very interesting and unusual. Great cinematography as usual from Janusz Kaminski.
* * * * * (highest)
Sophie is an orphan (of course) who is up late at night when she sees a giant walking through the darkened streets. When the giant sees that he is discovered, he snatches the girl so she can't tell others about him and takes her back to his Bat Cave, Giant Land. Mark Rylance plays the giant well. There, they become friends and he is renamed BFG. BFG's job is to catch and release dreams and so he has to go back to the real world to do that.
I won't say more because the plot is very interesting and unusual. Great cinematography as usual from Janusz Kaminski.
* * * * * (highest)
Double Feature * Me Before You/ Central Intelligence
Here's a double feature review - I am planning on reviewing 12 movies this summer:
Me Before You
Emilia Clarke stars as Lou who is hired as a caretaker of sorts for Will Traynor (Sam Claffin), a rich, good-looking... quadriplegic. Lou is not really the caretaker, as Will has another medical professional Patrick to do most of the work. Lou is supposed to keep him cheered up for 6 months.
Of course, this mismatched couple from different sides of the castle, different families, different histories fall in love and have a Bucket List Affair. And then the Nicholas Sparks plot twist comes in.
* * * of 5
Central Intelligence
Dwayne Johnson (formerly The Rock) is Bob Stone and Kevin Hart is Calvin, who in high school was the Golden Jet. Bob was formerly Robbie Wierdicht, a fat, bullied kid in high school. Now Robbie is the Rock and Calvin is an accountant searching for lost glories. Bob, a secret agent, offers such glory to him.
Much better than expected, it combines the odd couple escaping danger (very much like Midnight Run) as well as the high school reunion layered on it. Lots of references to that other 80s high school misfit movie Pretty In Pink. And the secret agent-ness reminded me of Date Night.
* * * * of 5
Me Before You
Emilia Clarke stars as Lou who is hired as a caretaker of sorts for Will Traynor (Sam Claffin), a rich, good-looking... quadriplegic. Lou is not really the caretaker, as Will has another medical professional Patrick to do most of the work. Lou is supposed to keep him cheered up for 6 months.
Of course, this mismatched couple from different sides of the castle, different families, different histories fall in love and have a Bucket List Affair. And then the Nicholas Sparks plot twist comes in.
* * * of 5
Central Intelligence
Dwayne Johnson (formerly The Rock) is Bob Stone and Kevin Hart is Calvin, who in high school was the Golden Jet. Bob was formerly Robbie Wierdicht, a fat, bullied kid in high school. Now Robbie is the Rock and Calvin is an accountant searching for lost glories. Bob, a secret agent, offers such glory to him.
Much better than expected, it combines the odd couple escaping danger (very much like Midnight Run) as well as the high school reunion layered on it. Lots of references to that other 80s high school misfit movie Pretty In Pink. And the secret agent-ness reminded me of Date Night.
* * * * of 5
Memorial Day weekend
I saw two pretty good movies this weekend - Money Monster and The Nice Guys. Here's the thumbnail reviews:
Money Monster, starring George Clooney as Lee Gates, a version of Jim Cramer, hosting a show about money. Julia Roberts is his trusty right hand producer. When a maniac crashes the show and makes Lee put on a bomb vest, we have a hostage, a ticker and a hunt for an answer all at the same time. Directed by Jodie Foster, * * * * of 5
The Nice Guys, starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling about 2 competing private eyes, both searching for the same person, Amelia. Set in the 1970s only to give legitimacy to the porno movie angle and the smoking. Does anyone actually have real sex in the mainstream movies anymore? Bring back Michelle Pfeiffer! A relatively lame plot but it accelerates at the end. With a small plot by Kim Basinger, it reminded me of L.A. Confidential, another movie with a plot that never quite completes the circle. And of course a nod to Boogie Nights, also a film about sex but afraid of sex itself. * * * of 5
Money Monster, starring George Clooney as Lee Gates, a version of Jim Cramer, hosting a show about money. Julia Roberts is his trusty right hand producer. When a maniac crashes the show and makes Lee put on a bomb vest, we have a hostage, a ticker and a hunt for an answer all at the same time. Directed by Jodie Foster, * * * * of 5
The Nice Guys, starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling about 2 competing private eyes, both searching for the same person, Amelia. Set in the 1970s only to give legitimacy to the porno movie angle and the smoking. Does anyone actually have real sex in the mainstream movies anymore? Bring back Michelle Pfeiffer! A relatively lame plot but it accelerates at the end. With a small plot by Kim Basinger, it reminded me of L.A. Confidential, another movie with a plot that never quite completes the circle. And of course a nod to Boogie Nights, also a film about sex but afraid of sex itself. * * * of 5
Upcoming movies in August
Three that look like they are worth waiting for in August
War Dogs - based on this Rolling Stone story - The Stoner Arms Dealers - August 19
Suicide Squad - DC Comic's version of getting to the level B villains - starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto (as the Joker) - August 5
The Founder - Michael Keaton is back as Ray Kroc kicking the McDonald brothers (Nick Offerman and John Carrol) to the curb. Behind every great fortune is a great crime - Balzac - August 5
Southside with You
Sundance loved this story of Barack and Michelle's first date - August 26 - in Austin of course (but highly unlikely in McAllen, TX)
War Dogs - based on this Rolling Stone story - The Stoner Arms Dealers - August 19
Suicide Squad - DC Comic's version of getting to the level B villains - starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto (as the Joker) - August 5
The Founder - Michael Keaton is back as Ray Kroc kicking the McDonald brothers (Nick Offerman and John Carrol) to the curb. Behind every great fortune is a great crime - Balzac - August 5
Southside with You
Sundance loved this story of Barack and Michelle's first date - August 26 - in Austin of course (but highly unlikely in McAllen, TX)
Everybody Wants Some
When they said this was a "spiritual sequel" to Dazed and Confused, I should have stopped at "sequel". Don't mess with a classic is the moral of this story.
It really has nothing to do with Dazed and Confused except that it is set in 1980 to D&C's mid 70s feel. Our hero arrives at Southeast Texas State to play baseball and in the first 3 days is introduced to beer, weed, women and brotherhood in that time. When the 3 days is up and school starts, he promptly falls asleep. So much for a college movie.
While the director Richard Linklater tries to spotlight a few interesting aspects e.g. the types of music coming together, the competitiveness of the players, he ruins it by having the characters notice - "Can you believe that we went to 4 different types of parties?" Nothing left to the imagination here.
* * of 5
I recommend you watch the original instead, the To Kill a Mockingbird to this Go Set A Watchman
It really has nothing to do with Dazed and Confused except that it is set in 1980 to D&C's mid 70s feel. Our hero arrives at Southeast Texas State to play baseball and in the first 3 days is introduced to beer, weed, women and brotherhood in that time. When the 3 days is up and school starts, he promptly falls asleep. So much for a college movie.
While the director Richard Linklater tries to spotlight a few interesting aspects e.g. the types of music coming together, the competitiveness of the players, he ruins it by having the characters notice - "Can you believe that we went to 4 different types of parties?" Nothing left to the imagination here.
* * of 5
I recommend you watch the original instead, the To Kill a Mockingbird to this Go Set A Watchman
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
If you can believe it, this won all 5 major Academy awards, Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. And it deserved them all.
Strong female lead - check. Strong villian - best ever! Suspenseful. Uncertain mystery. Fine direction - Jonathan Demme. Just the right amount of gore. Even 20 years later when a lot of the movie scenes have become iconic, it still has a lot of power.
Excellent * * * * *
I plan to read the book. Be sure to watch Manhunter and Red Dragon which were prequels but basically tell a very similar story.
Strong female lead - check. Strong villian - best ever! Suspenseful. Uncertain mystery. Fine direction - Jonathan Demme. Just the right amount of gore. Even 20 years later when a lot of the movie scenes have become iconic, it still has a lot of power.
Excellent * * * * *
I plan to read the book. Be sure to watch Manhunter and Red Dragon which were prequels but basically tell a very similar story.
Stop Making Sense (1984)
As I listen to Pandora radio, I find myself rocking more and more to the Talking Heads, which had a strong but relatively short run in the 70s and 80s.
So I turned to their iconic concert movie Stop Making Sense directed by Jonathan Demme.
It's interesting in that it unfolds as if the band is setting up for a show. First there is David Byrne solo doing an acoustic Psycho Killer version. On the next song, he is joined by Tina Weymouth, as the second band member. The third song, the drummer, Chris Frantz appears. During the time, the roadies are setting up the show. As it goes on the scene is set and everyone is there.
And I mean everyone. I didn't realize what a funk band that the Talking Heads were just listening to them. But watching... its a real experience, high energy. The show culminates is a long version of Take Me to the River and Girlfriend is Better.
* * * * *
So I turned to their iconic concert movie Stop Making Sense directed by Jonathan Demme.
It's interesting in that it unfolds as if the band is setting up for a show. First there is David Byrne solo doing an acoustic Psycho Killer version. On the next song, he is joined by Tina Weymouth, as the second band member. The third song, the drummer, Chris Frantz appears. During the time, the roadies are setting up the show. As it goes on the scene is set and everyone is there.
And I mean everyone. I didn't realize what a funk band that the Talking Heads were just listening to them. But watching... its a real experience, high energy. The show culminates is a long version of Take Me to the River and Girlfriend is Better.
* * * * *
The Cannes Film Festival Roundup 2016
The Festival de Cannes, who showcases and celebrates cinema on an international stage has an intriguing lineup for 2016. Of special interest to us Texans is Austin native, director Jeff Nichols showcasing his latest work, “Loving”, which interprets ahttp://www.festival-cannes.com/en/films/loving civil rights case held in 1958 where an interracial couple were arrested for getting married. “Loving” follows their case proceeding and stars Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga and Michael Shannon.
Woody Allen’s highly anticipated “Café Society” will be the opening show outside of competition and stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart.
Steven Spielberg’s “The BFG” is an adaptation of Ronald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant and will star Rebecca Hall, Mark Rylance and Bill Hader.
“Money Monster” a screening by Jodie Foster, features George Clooney and Julia Roberts in a suspenseful, financial disaster meltdown tale.
Jim Jarmusch will feature two films, “Paterson” about a bus driver played by Adam Driver and “Gimme Danger,” an Iggy Pop documentary.
Shane Black, an Austin Film Festival regular will feature “The Nice Guys” starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, investigators in a porn star’s apparent suicide. In the demise of a relationship, Asghar Farhadi’s screening of “The Salesman” follows a couple acting out Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman”.
“The Neon Demon” a horror movie by Nicolas Winding Refn stars Elle Fanning while Sean Penn’s “The Last Face” features Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem in a love story set in Liberia.
Andrea Arnold’s “American Honey” will include Shia Labeouf, Sasha Lane and Riley Keogh in a tale about wandering magazine salespeople while actress Sonia Braga wanders through time in Kleber Mendonca Filho’s upcoming time travel tale, “Aquarius”.
Jonathon Littell’s Cannes debut “Wrong Elements” a documentary timed in the late 1980’s Ugandan turmoil will have a special screening out of competition.
A special tribute in the official selection will include “Hands of Stone” starring Robert De Niro and is to be released state side in August.
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