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
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