It's the DC Comics Villain origin story for Cruella De Ville from 101 Dalmations. A nice cross between Batman and The Devil Wears Prada. Starring a pair of Emma's, Emma Stone (Estella/Cruella) and Emma Thompson (Baroness). Good show! * * * * *
Alien 3 (1992)
I must have really appreciated the original Alien (1979) - I remember seeing it in the original Woodlake 3 theater when I probably walked the pipes of Buffalo Bayou to get there. So as a result I didn't see Aliens (1986) or Alien 3 until much later.
Worth the wait as this third installment was a nice capper. Sigourney Weaver returns as Lt. Ripley and she has landed on a distant planet outpost being used as a prison. She is befriended by the local doctor but suspect by the warden. Turns out she has brought a new alien along which wreaks havoc before a fateful showdown. A familiar setup.
Directed by David Fincher, it's one of his early efforts. The running scenes play well as well as the non-CGI alien. It's probably one of the last 'analog' efforts and it still screens well.
* * * * - good dialogue and story
Loving (2016)
This is a dramatized version of Richard and Mildrid Loving, a married couple arrested for the crime of being married as a white man and black woman in the late 1950s in Virginia. Their sentence was to leave Virginia for 25 years. They came back to fight the conviction and the case went to the US Supreme Court, where the court in Loving v. Virginia held that marriage was a fundamental right that could not be prevented by state law based on racial classifications.
The film directed by Jeff Nichols was well done, starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga. Photography was well done, lots of dark shadows, interior shots, and outdoor shots with cars, cars, cars everywhere.
* * * * *
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
After 30+ years, it seemed time to review this classic. I recalled one of its last lines "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
Billy Crystal is Harry and Meg Ryan is Sally. There's a lot of nods to the past, as the film is very reminscnent of Woody Allen's Manhattan from the scenery to the musical interludes. It follows their 12 year relationship from screwball beginnings, to a big New Year's Eve finale. Along the way we have several running gags: men and women can't be friends, men leave after sex, women are picky eaters and picky when finding mates.
Some of the fun discoveries were: Carrie Fisher as a strong support role, the subplot involving her and Bruno Kirby. The nods to Casablanca. The evolving hairstyles of Sally. And of course the fake orgasm in the diner scene leads directly to many episodes of Seinfeld for which this humor certainly influenced.
A little fluffier than I recall. But we'll still give it * * * * * as setting a standard that many others followed.
Directed by Rob Reiner, Written by Nora Ephron, Cinematography by Barry Sonnenfeld. Good name talent at their best.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Set in 1959 at a all boys private school called Welton Academy, Robin Williams is Mr. Keating, a new teacher. One of his students is a teenaged Ethan Hawke (Tommy).
Mr. Keating quickly shows himself to be an out-of-the-box instructor, who becomes well-followed by the boys who follow in his footsteps by forming the Dead Poets Society which has a Carpe Diem/Seize the Day mentality. It encourages the boys to do things like ask girls out, stay out late, and act in school plays.
Needless to say this behavior is not well received by the administration and parents and it sets up a three way conflict between them and the boys.
Larger themes which have not stood the test of time are: the conformity of the aspiring Ivy League, the all-white school, the subservient women's roles, hinged by the threat of male on female violence.
Good cinematography and an interesting plot. 1990 Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay If you can read this, thank a teacher!
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Question of the Day? What is the significance of 1984 in this sequel to Wonder Woman (2017)? A good question with several potential answers. The biggest answer? Well, you'll have to see it for yourself. I hope you get to do that in a theater as watching at home would be very Ho-Hum. That may be where the split may come in, those who see it on a big screen v. those who don't.
Gal Gadot returns as Diana Prince. When we last saw her she was fighting in World War I (1917) and now it is 1984. She hasn't aged a bit, still a beautiful movie star. Her love of Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) still burns but he is long gone. But wait, it's the 80s, it must be a dream just like the Dallas TV show!
So Chris Pine returns, in a bit of time travel fun, a reverse Back to the Future, complete with a Marty McFly costume. The villain here, the Lex Luthor of his time Max Lord (Pedro Pascal) seeks to take over the world. A counter villain, Barbara Minerva (Kristin Wiig) becomes the Cheetah and there is of course a climactic battle a la Iron Man between the two.
A complex plot, but very much a superhero movie from a woman's point of view, much different shows of mercy than in other renditions. Violence is not the answer is an overriding theme which makes this a fresh look with a old premise.
See if you can find these 80s movie homages:
Back to the Future
Superman
Batman
For Your Eyes Only/Octopussy/A View to a Kill
Working Girl
No Way Out
And there is a lot of DC Film Universe working here as well. Be sure to stay for the credits.
One note: original music by Hans Zimmer is cool but it would have been nice to have more recognizable 80s music to dance along with.
**** of 5
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