I came up slightly short of a dozen movies in November, but I am almost certain to hit my goal of 150 for the year with one month and just 11 movies left to see. I saw lots of new ones in November and especially liked "Green Book." Movies are rated on a scale of 0-5 cans of tuna fish (I had to change the scale since for the first time one movie received 0 cans). Movies marked with an asterisk are ones I had not seen previously and numbering picks up from prior months.
129. Can You Ever Forgive Me?* (2018) – Real-life author Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) was once on the best-seller list, but the hard-drinking woman has fallen on hard times in the early 1990s. She can’t pay her rent or the bill from the vet, her apartment is a dump and her agent won’t take her phone calls because she claims she can’t sell anything Lee plans to write. Desperate, she begins to forge letters from such literary luminaries as of Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward and others, and she adapts to their witty, acerbic styles so well that the letters seem authentic. She teams up with her equally irresponsible friend Jack (Richard Grant) sell the forged letters to book shops for resale. The phony correspondence is coveted by dealers for clients, and Lee begins to emerge from her lonely existence and earn enough money to sustain herself and her drinking habits. But can the deception last? This movie is billed as a “comedy-thriller,” but there were only smatterings of clever comedy and it wasn’t all that thrilling, either. Based on a true story – Israel wrote a book about her experience – and viewers can tell how it turns out, and I suspect that Lee knows, too. 3½ cans.
130. Switched for Christmas* (2017) – There was a time when “The Hallmark Hall of Fame” broadcast superb stories, memorable movies that I enjoyed and looked forward to seeing. Now, Hallmark preempts its daily Hallmark Channel programs (I miss Lucy and “The Golden Girls” to telecast these treacly Christmas-themed movies for more than two months each year. Since many of my friends freely admit enjoying them – often, they claim, just to cleanse the brain with mindless “entertainment” – I thought it would only be right to see what they find so addictive. Wrong! My first foray was this story of twin sisters who switch places, with the career woman taking over for the art-teacher mom, both played by Hallmark heroine Candace Cameron Bure. I’d tell you the rest of the plot if it mattered in the least, which is not the case here. It is mindless entertainment; I was asleep in the first 20 minutes, went to bed, and used my extra hour of sleep to finish it on the morning of the first day of Eastern Standard Time. There’s an hour of my life I’m not getting back. But I am not giving up. I will do an unscientific study to see if any of these movies can even get on the tuna fish scale, so to speak. 0 cans.
131. Beautiful Boy* (2018) – This intense true story stars Timothee Chalamet as Nic, a sweet, meth-addicted teenager who needs his father’s help but resents him when he tries to come to his rescue. Steve Carell is David, a writer who does everything he can to save the boy he loves so much. The frustrated father, divorced from Nic’s mother and raising two young children with second wife Karen (Maura Tierney), makes his son feel he has disappointed his father with each attempt to give him the help and support he needs. But nothing can fill the void in the young man’s life, and the drugs are just too enticing. This is a story filled with love, failure, sadness and hope. Chalamet’s performance breaks your heart. 4 cans.
132. The Road to Christmas* (2018) – I’m trying to understand why many of my friends adore these corny, predictable Hallmark Christmas movies, which invade the airways for two full months before Christmas. In this one, the star is a TV producer, working with a Martha Stewart (but less bossy) type of TV star on her annual Christmas special. And this year, it is going live. So the boss lady brings in her son (Chad Michael Murray, the main reason I watched this in the first place), who has produced previous TV specials, to help out on this one. He is experienced but a little smug. Everyone wants this show to succeed, there are technical issues, weather challenges, family issues, and do you think that they just might fall in love? Oh, the suspense is killing me. Another innocuous cinematic trifle, hardly worth the time and effort. 1 can.
133. Tootsie (1982) – I find this Dustin Hoffman comedy irresistible, especially Hoffman’s performance as an obnoxious actor who achieves success when he masquerades as an actress to snag a part in a long-running TV soap opera. His Michael Dorsey is a much better person as Dorothy, a rather frumpy woman who falls in love with the star of the soap, played by Jessica Lange. In today’s Me, Too, environment, I could look at the plot and the characters in a new light and note how we use stereotypes to pass judgment on people without knowing them. As Michael says to Lange late in the movie, “I was a better man with you, as a woman... than I ever was with a woman, as a man.” Watch the movie and it all makes perfect sense. 4 cans.
134. Green Book* (2018) – If you were Black in the 1960s and wanted to travel in the south, you had better have a copy of the “Green Book,” the directory that listed which hotels would accept people of color. Even Dr. Don Shirley, an African-American who was a noted concert pianist booked to entertain the local gentry in their stately southern country clubs, could not eat in the clubs’ dining rooms or stay in the finer hotels. When Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) embarks on his southern performance tour, he hires a rough and tumble New Yorker with mob connections, Tony “Lip” (Viggo Mortenson, perfectly cast), to be his driver. Tony eats greasy food, can’t compose a decent letter to the wife he left behind – but he knows how to get out of and avoid trouble. Shirley, on the other hand, is as prim and proper, talented and poised, well-dressed and well-mannered, who needs a little dose of reality from the Lip. The movie reminded me of “Driving Miss Daisy,” where two people who come from different worlds overcome their differences and become great friends and companions. Without question, one of the best movies of the year. 4½ cans.
135. Bohemian Rhapsody* (2018) – Let’s start with the fact that I know very little about the rock band Queen other than their iconic anthems like “We Are The Champions” and “We Will Rock You,” – and, of course, the title tune, a lengthy and unlikely hit that was strictly the brainchild of dynamic lead singer Freddy Mercury (Rami Malek). The biopic traces the history of a band going nowhere until Mercury joins. Malek gives a sensational performance as a man who struggles with his own sexuality, the trappings of fame and the excesses made possible by becoming a major rock star. How can you tell whether the people in your corner are friends or sycophants? The crescendo of the movie is when Queen is asked to perform at the legendary 1985 “Live Aid” concert that was held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia and which became the Woodstock of its generation in terms of talent on the stage. How they recreated or used footage of those concerts in the movie is remarkable. Amazing and entertaining. 4 cans and a probable Oscar nomination for Malek.
136. The Death of Stalin* (2017) – And now for something completely different. Imagine “Monty Python” executing (pun intended) the succession plan when Soviet leader Joseph Stalin dies in 1953. With nods to the Marx Brothers and shades of “The In-Laws,” a whacky bunch of inept Russians fight over everything from Stalin’s successor to whether he is really dead (at least they confirm that before they grab a saw and start slicing into his skull). This movie is a satire, though you can see overtones of today’s political climate in each of the characters. The standouts for me were the always excellent Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev and Jeffrey Tambour as the wry and wily minister of whatever (it really doesn’t matter). This is “All the Dictator’s Men” and it is a farcical delight. 3½ cans.
137. Chappaquiddick* (2017) – In the annals of politics, there has never been a family quite like the Kennedys. The story here is familiar – Senator Ted Kennedy, partying with a bunch of attractive young Bobby Kennedy staffers, goes off in a car with Mary Jo Kopechne and accidentally drives the car off a bridge in Chappaquiddick in July 1969, just when Apollo 11 is making its way to the moon. Somehow, he manages to escape as the car, with Mary Jo drowning in it, sinks – along with his hopes for the presidency. Teddy has to be persuaded to report the incident to the local authorities, but he holds off until the next day, not knowing how to best concoct a story that will save his political career and keep him out of jail. The Kennedys and their staffers are portrayed as unfeeling despots whose main objective is to contain and control the news with minimal damage to Teddy. His lack of action is inexcusable in every way, but the local authorities as well as Kennedy staffers cut him every conceivable break. What a totally reprehensible lot they all were. Well played by Jason Clarke as Kennedy, a man alternating between ambition and remorse. 3 cans.
138. The Last Days of Knight* (2018) – This documentary about legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight of Indiana is part of the ESPN series “30 for 30.” If you are familiar with Knight, you probably know about his success as a coach and his well-known temper. He was an equal opportunity bully, hounding his players, nasty to the media that followed his program, and disrespectful to university officials and faculty. But did he go too far? The documentary spends an inordinate amount of time focusing on one player, Pat Reid, who transferred out of Indiana and ultimately revealed that he had been choked by Knight in a fit of rage at a team practice. Former players and officials either condemned or denied the action until, mysteriously, a videotape was mailed to Robert Abbott, the CNN writer/producer working on the Knight story, verifying that the incident took place. Winning coaches are revered and afforded great latitude with enormous power and prestige. Ultimately, Knight lost his job when he couldn’t follow the ultimatum handed down to him by the university president and he attacked a student on campus. Success in athletics shouldn’t be realized out of fear and dread. I thought this documentary, while thorough, placed too much emphasis on the writer/producer and his attempts to uncover the story over time. 3 cans.
139. Widows* (2018) – Veronica (Viola Davis) clearly loves her husband, but Harry Rawlins (Liam Neeson) is a gangster who pulls off big jobs with his crew. Until they get blown up during a heist. Veronica and the other women in the lives of this gang find out they have been ripped off, too, left with their husbands’ debts to powerful men in Chicago. They team up to pull off Harry’s next job, even though they have no experience buying or shooting guns and generally no knowledge of how to be criminals. Veronica is the ringleader, following the meticulously outlined plans she finds in Harry’s the notebook. There is plenty of shooting, double-crossing, plotting and planning in this female empowerment caper. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the women are mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore. Also starring Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Eviro as the vengeful women and Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya and Robert Duvall. Sisters are doing it for themselves. 3½ cans.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
November Message from Tina - Monthly Musings
If you know me, you know that I am a dedicated Rutgers Women’s
Basketball fan(atic). I was thrilled to be at the game on November 13
when Hall of Fame Coach C. Vivian Stringer became only the 6th coach
(male or female) to reach 1000 winds in her career. I was there for
#700, #800 and #900, and this milestone clearly topped them all. Vivian
Stringer is an inspiring woman, a leader, teacher, mother figure to her
players and one so integral to their lives that they remain close to
her long after they have graduated. Her former players and assistant
coaches descended on the RAC from as far away as Turkey and Hawaii to be
on hand for this special night. I can’t even describe how exciting it
was to witness this remarkable woman join the ranks of other coaching
legends. Way to go, CVS!
If you ever want to see a group of women in a state of absolute panic, just tell them that you heard that Bed Bath & Beyond is going to stop accepting expired coupons! Or, even worse, that BB&B isn’t going to issue any coupons at all. As for me, my collection of the beloved BB&B coupons has grown to the point that I should designate a beneficiary for them in my will.
I think the cashier in Wegman’s just put my 18 items into 12 bags. And I carried them all into the house in one trip. Of course!
If you ever are behind me and the tag from my top is sticking out, you have my permission to tuck it in, no questions asked. Thank you.
A few of my Book Club friends went to lunch today and I asked if anyone had finished reading this month's book, After Anna. One was finished, the other almost finished. I said I was up to the part where...and neither knew what I was talking about. Turns out that I am reading a different book by the same name. And I really like it, so I will have to finish that one and start the other one. Two books with the same name is just WRONG!
Let’s talk about pantyhose, the bane of existence for most women. Rarely worn by many women these days, pantyhose remain a wardrobe must if you are getting dressed up for something special. I don’t know about you, but when I open the package and look at the panty part of the hose, my first thought is always, “How am I supposed to get THIS (looking at my hips and butt) into THAT?” According to the size chart, as long as I weigh the same amount as someone who is 5’8”, we wear the same size. In realistic terms, that means the top is going to be too small to accommodate my width and the bottom will be way too long for my length. What’s a woman to do? Now I am learning that when a pair fits me right I save the label so I know to buy that exact same style again – assuming I can find them. And further, who comes up with these names: “Midnight black,” “Jet black” and “Nude?” If I wanted my legs to be nude in the first place, I wouldn’t be wearing pantyhose. And you know that there will be the inevitable run in the pantyhose before the night is through, right? I hate them!
I found a great recipe for an apple cider doughnut cake and I thought about baking it. But when I read the instructions to flour a bundt pan, I remembered that I don’t own a bundt pan because I don’t bake.
Something to ponder: Do we wake up in the middle of the night because we have to go to the bathroom, or do we go to the bathroom because we wake up? Please discuss.
I recently bought two bottles of shampoo online because I cannot find this particular variety of Finesse in a store. The company that shipped them to me has now sent me 3 emails requesting that I fill out a survey to let them know whether they did a good job. You read the order, got the bottles, put them in a box and shipped them to my house. No more, no less. I’m not wasting my time commending you for doing exactly what you were supposed to do. I’ll spend my time with “lather, rinse, repeat.”
My friends took me out for a celebratory birthday dinner to a place that had changed hands. We all knew what it used to be called, which led to a discussion of places that go in and out of business, operating under new names. One of my friends reported that a place she knows had changed hands so often that the new owners decided to name it “Used To Bes,” in honor of its lifetime of iterations of places that people knew and loved.
If my handwriting gets any worse, I will be forced to put an MD after my name and pretend I am a doctor.
I have had more medical claims this year than ever before. This is the first time I have hit my out-of-pocket maximum for the year and my most recent statement from my insurance company was 27 pages long. Yikes. I’m fine, by the way.
Vanity Fair magazine issue #3 of my new subscription just arrived, which is great, except for the fact that I have yet to read issues #1 and 2. And that’s why I had stopped this subscription in the first place. It is a good magazine, but I never seem to get around to reading it. It’s great for travel, however. Just read and recycle as you go.
Hey, Movie Pass: Don't send me an offer to buy discounted wine. I signed up for discounted movies, and you can't seem to do that correctly. I started with a year's subscription for unlimited movies. Then you reduced that to several movies per month. Then you reduced that to only certain movies of YOUR choice, not mine. Now the app never seems to have the movies I want to see - when it works at all. Is the special wine offer because you are driving me to drink? I can't even cancel my subscription, because it is an annual one and doesn't run out until April, 2019. I might as well keep it on the off-chance I might again, someday, see a movie for a discounted price. And that was why I signed up in the first place. I predict this company will go the way of Blockbuster and the FlipCam - a good idea but not a viable business model.
My friend Flora points out that wishing someone a “happy belated birthday” actually makes no sense. The birthday was on time. It was your good wishes that were tardy. Instead, try, “belated happy birthday” the next time you are trying to make up for forgetting.
I ask my home companion, Alexa, for the weather report every day (it accounts for the majority of our interaction). She tells me the temperature, but if I ask her whether I should expect rain, she really equivocates. “It might rain,” she says noncommittally. Those are the days I wear sunglasses and bring an umbrella, just in case. I imagine her chatting with her sister Alexa devices and claiming that her owner really is the dullest person imaginable.
In the history of relaxation, has anyone ever relaxed when admonished to do so? It never works in the gynecologist’s office, and when the nail technician tells me to relax my hands, that doesn’t work either. If my hands are tense, it’s not intentional. It’s like having the dentist tell me to move my tongue. I have no idea where my tongue is. There are just body parts that have a mind of their own, I guess.
Why do all medical personnel think that you have privacy when they close that cloth curtain? I was in the recovery room after my recent colonoscopy, and now I know that everyone has diverticulosis and who didn’t do a really good prep for the procedure. And is there a rule that the procedure area must use that speckled linoleum on the floor? I went for blood work recently and walked into the waiting room, which looked like a bus terminal – cheap chairs, lined up as if the people waiting were about to start a game of musical chairs, moving only when someone’s name was barked out of the window in the wall separating the people waiting from the procedure area with the ugly linoleum floors. And the curtains are not soundproof, folks!
Today’s schedule was carefully plotted out to take into consideration the tasks I had to accomplish, where each place I had to go was located and the time I needed to spend getting there in the most efficient way, with no backtracking. What I didn’t account for was the car traveling at 10 miles an hour UNDER the speed limit on River Road in Piscataway or selecting what seemed like the best check-out line at ShopRite, never imagining that the elderly woman ahead of me would decide that the cashier was Italian so she could ask her advice about why her meatballs fall apart. People, come on, I have places to go and people to see!
Friends, if you have a milestone high school reunion coming up and are undecided about attending, take my advice and GO! At my 50th in October, everyone was so friendly and excited to be there. I loved catching up with old, dear friends and speaking to people I barely knew back then. Everyone had so much fun! Even the spouses and guests seemed to have a great time. So do yourself and the Reunion Committee a favor. Make sure you give them your contact information so they can find you, and, when invited, sign up and go. Unless you had a real bad high school experience, you will be pleasantly surprised to see how well everyone has grown up.
If you ever want to see a group of women in a state of absolute panic, just tell them that you heard that Bed Bath & Beyond is going to stop accepting expired coupons! Or, even worse, that BB&B isn’t going to issue any coupons at all. As for me, my collection of the beloved BB&B coupons has grown to the point that I should designate a beneficiary for them in my will.
I think the cashier in Wegman’s just put my 18 items into 12 bags. And I carried them all into the house in one trip. Of course!
If you ever are behind me and the tag from my top is sticking out, you have my permission to tuck it in, no questions asked. Thank you.
A few of my Book Club friends went to lunch today and I asked if anyone had finished reading this month's book, After Anna. One was finished, the other almost finished. I said I was up to the part where...and neither knew what I was talking about. Turns out that I am reading a different book by the same name. And I really like it, so I will have to finish that one and start the other one. Two books with the same name is just WRONG!
Let’s talk about pantyhose, the bane of existence for most women. Rarely worn by many women these days, pantyhose remain a wardrobe must if you are getting dressed up for something special. I don’t know about you, but when I open the package and look at the panty part of the hose, my first thought is always, “How am I supposed to get THIS (looking at my hips and butt) into THAT?” According to the size chart, as long as I weigh the same amount as someone who is 5’8”, we wear the same size. In realistic terms, that means the top is going to be too small to accommodate my width and the bottom will be way too long for my length. What’s a woman to do? Now I am learning that when a pair fits me right I save the label so I know to buy that exact same style again – assuming I can find them. And further, who comes up with these names: “Midnight black,” “Jet black” and “Nude?” If I wanted my legs to be nude in the first place, I wouldn’t be wearing pantyhose. And you know that there will be the inevitable run in the pantyhose before the night is through, right? I hate them!
I found a great recipe for an apple cider doughnut cake and I thought about baking it. But when I read the instructions to flour a bundt pan, I remembered that I don’t own a bundt pan because I don’t bake.
Something to ponder: Do we wake up in the middle of the night because we have to go to the bathroom, or do we go to the bathroom because we wake up? Please discuss.
I recently bought two bottles of shampoo online because I cannot find this particular variety of Finesse in a store. The company that shipped them to me has now sent me 3 emails requesting that I fill out a survey to let them know whether they did a good job. You read the order, got the bottles, put them in a box and shipped them to my house. No more, no less. I’m not wasting my time commending you for doing exactly what you were supposed to do. I’ll spend my time with “lather, rinse, repeat.”
My friends took me out for a celebratory birthday dinner to a place that had changed hands. We all knew what it used to be called, which led to a discussion of places that go in and out of business, operating under new names. One of my friends reported that a place she knows had changed hands so often that the new owners decided to name it “Used To Bes,” in honor of its lifetime of iterations of places that people knew and loved.
If my handwriting gets any worse, I will be forced to put an MD after my name and pretend I am a doctor.
I have had more medical claims this year than ever before. This is the first time I have hit my out-of-pocket maximum for the year and my most recent statement from my insurance company was 27 pages long. Yikes. I’m fine, by the way.
Vanity Fair magazine issue #3 of my new subscription just arrived, which is great, except for the fact that I have yet to read issues #1 and 2. And that’s why I had stopped this subscription in the first place. It is a good magazine, but I never seem to get around to reading it. It’s great for travel, however. Just read and recycle as you go.
Hey, Movie Pass: Don't send me an offer to buy discounted wine. I signed up for discounted movies, and you can't seem to do that correctly. I started with a year's subscription for unlimited movies. Then you reduced that to several movies per month. Then you reduced that to only certain movies of YOUR choice, not mine. Now the app never seems to have the movies I want to see - when it works at all. Is the special wine offer because you are driving me to drink? I can't even cancel my subscription, because it is an annual one and doesn't run out until April, 2019. I might as well keep it on the off-chance I might again, someday, see a movie for a discounted price. And that was why I signed up in the first place. I predict this company will go the way of Blockbuster and the FlipCam - a good idea but not a viable business model.
My friend Flora points out that wishing someone a “happy belated birthday” actually makes no sense. The birthday was on time. It was your good wishes that were tardy. Instead, try, “belated happy birthday” the next time you are trying to make up for forgetting.
I ask my home companion, Alexa, for the weather report every day (it accounts for the majority of our interaction). She tells me the temperature, but if I ask her whether I should expect rain, she really equivocates. “It might rain,” she says noncommittally. Those are the days I wear sunglasses and bring an umbrella, just in case. I imagine her chatting with her sister Alexa devices and claiming that her owner really is the dullest person imaginable.
In the history of relaxation, has anyone ever relaxed when admonished to do so? It never works in the gynecologist’s office, and when the nail technician tells me to relax my hands, that doesn’t work either. If my hands are tense, it’s not intentional. It’s like having the dentist tell me to move my tongue. I have no idea where my tongue is. There are just body parts that have a mind of their own, I guess.
Why do all medical personnel think that you have privacy when they close that cloth curtain? I was in the recovery room after my recent colonoscopy, and now I know that everyone has diverticulosis and who didn’t do a really good prep for the procedure. And is there a rule that the procedure area must use that speckled linoleum on the floor? I went for blood work recently and walked into the waiting room, which looked like a bus terminal – cheap chairs, lined up as if the people waiting were about to start a game of musical chairs, moving only when someone’s name was barked out of the window in the wall separating the people waiting from the procedure area with the ugly linoleum floors. And the curtains are not soundproof, folks!
Today’s schedule was carefully plotted out to take into consideration the tasks I had to accomplish, where each place I had to go was located and the time I needed to spend getting there in the most efficient way, with no backtracking. What I didn’t account for was the car traveling at 10 miles an hour UNDER the speed limit on River Road in Piscataway or selecting what seemed like the best check-out line at ShopRite, never imagining that the elderly woman ahead of me would decide that the cashier was Italian so she could ask her advice about why her meatballs fall apart. People, come on, I have places to go and people to see!
Friends, if you have a milestone high school reunion coming up and are undecided about attending, take my advice and GO! At my 50th in October, everyone was so friendly and excited to be there. I loved catching up with old, dear friends and speaking to people I barely knew back then. Everyone had so much fun! Even the spouses and guests seemed to have a great time. So do yourself and the Reunion Committee a favor. Make sure you give them your contact information so they can find you, and, when invited, sign up and go. Unless you had a real bad high school experience, you will be pleasantly surprised to see how well everyone has grown up.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Tina's October 2018 Movies
This month's eclectic collection includes a ballyhooed musical, documentaries on two transcendent stars, the Queen, a bunch of Dames and student-athletes, and a look at Tovah Feldshuh movies I love. Movies are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 being the top rating. Numbering picks up from previous months and movies I had not seen previously are marked with an asterisk.
116. Student-Athlete* (2018) – The term “student-athlete” was coined by NCAA President Walter Byers in 1964 to define collegiate athletes as a category different from employees of the college or university – but are they? Things have changed and student-athletes now can get modest stipends, but they still cannot cash in on their autographs or get paid for the use of their pictures. Yet the NCAA is rolling in money and many of the college coaches are paid millionaires. This documentary, from LeBron James (who, ironically, skipped college to play professional basketball right out of high school), focuses on four young men at various stages of their athletic careers. There is the high school basketball player who is being courted by a legion of top name colleges and another who played in college but whose injuries have prevented him from pursuing his professional career. Two football players, including Shamar Graves of Rutgers, are included. Graves’ story is about his trying to make it professionally after college. The other football player went to Baylor not on a scholarship, and he gets into trouble for accepting housing and expense money from the parents of a friend who claim they were helping him only as a student, not because he was an athlete. Even the most minor of benefits are not permitted, despite the fact that many of these kids come from families below the poverty line. After college has ended (with or without a degree), they have slim chances of making the pros because of the competition, and chasing their dreams is costly financially, mentally and physically. This film is an indictment of the system and chock full of statistics that tell the story of the money and fate of the student-athlete. 4 cans.
117. A Star Is Born* (2018) – Yes, in fact, a new movie star emerges in this retelling of the ASIB tale, and her name is Lady Gaga. Here she delivers an earthy portrayal of Ally, a powerhouse singer performing in a drag club that Major Rock Star Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper, who also directed, sings and plays guitar and piano) stumbles into one night (literally, and not the last time you will see him in this state) just to get a drink. He’s a star, she’s an unknown, but their fortunes will change once they team up. The songs are meaningful and performed with skill and gusto by both Gaga and Cooper. And as her star ascends, his declines, weighed down by booze, drugs and hearing problems. Maybe because I know the story from having seen the Barbra Streisand-Kris Kristofferson version many times (I have also seen Judy Garland and James Mason in these roles), I kept wanting this version to be even better. And as outstanding as Bradley Cooper was, he looked a little too robust than a man with a drug problem should look (he was not emaciated, as was Kris Kristofferson). But forget “Bette Davis Eyes” – I could gaze into Bradley Cooper’s eyes all day! Outstanding performances, excellent music with just a little pacing problem at times, but really a must-see. 4 cans and Oscars in the air for the star who was born on screen in this movie, Lady Gaga.
118. The Paper Chase (1973) – If you can survive contract law class with Professor Kingsfield as a first-year law student at Harvard, the rest of your life should be easy. Timothy Bottoms, hair flying in every direction, is eager-to-please 1L James Hart, determined to survive and thrive the harshness of Kingsfield’s Socratic teaching approach. He complicates his life by entering a relationship with Susan (Lindsay Wagner), who turns out to be the professor’s married (but separated) daughter. John Houseman imbues Kingsfield with unquestioned authority as he motivates his students to think and not turn their minds to mush. I give the movie an A and put it on the Dean’s List. 3½ cans.
119. Queen* (2018) – This PBS documentary uses formerly unseen footage to review the life of Queen Elizabeth and the extended Royal Family. It includes a lengthy segment on new Duchess Megan Markle, recent bride of Prince Harry, as she looks at her wedding gown for the first time after the ceremony, pointing out how a flower from each of the 51 countries that make up the British Commonwealth was included. There is footage of the young Queen and husband Prince Philip on their long trip to visit the Commonwealth Countries when her own children were very young. Having watched “The Crown,” I have a better understanding of the responsibilities the young Queen faced as she entered a role she never expected to assume. Fascinating footage. 3 cans.
120. First Man* (2018) – Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) was a quiet, intense engineer who became an astronaut and was the first man to set foot on the Moon. But the story here is how NASA managed to make that happen, despite numerous technical problems that cost the lives of some of the astronauts. The drama is overstated for movie purposes, since we all know that Armstrong makes it to the moon and back. The flight sequences show the difficult conditions in which these heroes worked, with space capsules and planes shaking wildly and appearing ready to burst at any moment. I can’t be disappointed in the portrayal of Armstrong if he truly was a bland, dull guy, but at least we know that part of the reason for his taciturn personality was the loss of his young daughter. Clare Foy plays his wife with more fire in her than in Armstrong himself. I would like to have seen fewer shots of my man Ryan through his helmet, but he does a fine job in a limiting role. 3½ cans.
121. Gaga, Five Foot Two* (2018) – This Netflix documentary gives viewers a real behind-the-scenes look at the immensely talented Lady Gaga, a dynamic singer and performer. We see her perform in concert, culminating with her performance at halftime at the Super Bowl, a lifetime achievement for most entertainers. But what I found most appealing was the unsparing look at the realities of her life, the physical pain she endures, the recounting of her successes that were followed by heartbreaks, her love for her friends and family, and her admission of loneliness. This woman is not just someone who wore outrageous outfits, but a real human being trying to manage her life along with her obligations while rocketing to the top of show business. 4 cans.
122. Creed* (2015) – The “Rocky” saga lives on through young Adonis (Donnie) Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of former champion boxer and Rocky’s stellar opponent, the late Apollo Creed. Donnie wants to fight but needs to step out of the shadow of the father he never met, so who better to turn to than old family friend Rocky Balboa himself. Sylvester Stallone resurrects Rocky once again, this time lonely, aging and ultimately, sick, still pining for his beloved Adrienne and his late friend/foe Apollo. At first reluctant, Rocky takes on his young charge, having him chase chickens and race down the streets of Philadelphia. This franchise has always been somewhat predictable, a tad overly-dramatic, but always full of heart and warmth, and this outing is no exception. At the end of the Big Fight, you know there will be a Creed II, and I just saw the previews in the theater this week. I’ll be seeing that one, too. 3½ cans.
123. Tea with the Dames* (2018) – You feel like an eavesdropper watching this delightful session among English All-Star actresses Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Eileen Atkins. Old friends (and they would emphasize the word “old”), they all know each other from co-starring on stage or screen, they have worked together or with each other’s husbands and have tales to tell as they sip their tea – which eventually switches to champagne. Each is well-known for a major role – although Maggie Smith claims never to have watched her most recent triumph, in the renowned PBS series “Downton Abbey.” Here they sit around outside a charming English home, eventually retreating inside because of rain, and swap their stories. It was fun listening to these masters and friends. There is nothing like a dame. 3 cans.
124. First Monday in October* (1981) – Since the Supreme Court has been in the news a lot lately, I thought it was appropriate to give this old movie a viewing. Jill Clayburgh (a wonderful actress) is conservative judge Ruth Loomis, selected by the President to fill a sudden vacancy in the Supreme Court (and her Congressional hearing was not nearly as acrimonious as was the recent hearing), making her the first woman to serve on the highest court of the land. The other justices treat her fairly, but irascible Daniel Snow (Walter Matthau, who plays irascible like he was born to do it), a liberal, clashes with Loomis on key cases coming before the court. Will they ever agree? Will they become an unlikely romantic pairing? I found this movie very preachy in its examination of big business (he hates it, she accepts it) and on defining pornography (she wants to view the entire movie in question to see if it represents actual art or has any redeeming qualities, while he has made up his mind without seeing it). Any relationship they develop seems forced to me, yet the timing of this topic was right to view, so I’ll give it 3 cans.
125. Taking Woodstock* (2009) – I should have devoted my time to watching the “Woodstock” documentary rather than this behind-the scenes dramatized account of how the biggest music festival of its generation came to Max Yasgur’s farm in upstate New York. Here, Elliot Tiber (Dimitri Martin, who could hardly be more bland), a nice young man who helps his aging parents at their run-down upstate NY motel, connects with his former pal Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff) to help secure the space from farmer Yasgur for the festival. Elliot, the head of the local Chamber of Commerce, already conducts a music festival of sorts and is always looking for a way to attract customers for the dumpy motel, so he has a permit but lacks the vision of Lang. Woodstock turned into a cultural phenomenon, with three days of rain, blocked roads, mud and music (like Elliot, we viewers don’t get to experience it) for the ages. Watch the documentary and skip this one. 2 cans.
126. Love, Gilda* (2018) – It is hard not to love Gilda Radner, a phenomenal comedic talent who burst into prominence as an original cast member of “Saturday Night Live” in the 1970s. Her indelible characters (Emily Littella, Roseanne Rosanadana and Baba Wawa) and her fearless approach to making everything funny set her apart from the other women on the program. Her story of fame and her death from ovarian cancer are not news, and this loving documentary sheds little new light on her life. Nonetheless, it is heartwarming and heartbreaking to relive her moments of glory knowing that the story will not have a happy ending. 3 cans.
127. & 128. Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) and A Walk on the Moon (1999) – I’m combining these two movies, which I have reviewed before, under the category of “Tovah Feldshuh Movies I Love.” Though the veteran actress doesn’t get all that much screen time, she plays a pivotal role in the most warm and believable way in both films. In “Stein,” she plays the mother of Jessica, a young Jewish woman who is looking for love and pushed by her mother to find happiness. When Jessica seems to find it with another woman but doesn’t want to disappoint her mother, Feldshuh displays a remarkable tenderness and acceptance in one key scene. In “Moon,” she is Bubbie, grandmother to her son Marty’s children with his wife Pearl (Liev Schreiber and Diane Lane). As Pearl’s mother-in-law, she is both shocked and pragmatic about the younger woman’s affair with the “blouse man” (Viggo Mortensen) at the Catskills camp where they spend the summer in a modest bungalow. This is during Woodstock, and Pearl finds herself reawakening as a woman who married and had a child at a very young age. And yes, Neil Armstrong lands on the moon, but that is a different sort of exploration. My recommendation is to see Feldshuh’s work in both of these movies and admire how she effortlessly moves the action, serves up commentary and enables the other actors to shine.
116. Student-Athlete* (2018) – The term “student-athlete” was coined by NCAA President Walter Byers in 1964 to define collegiate athletes as a category different from employees of the college or university – but are they? Things have changed and student-athletes now can get modest stipends, but they still cannot cash in on their autographs or get paid for the use of their pictures. Yet the NCAA is rolling in money and many of the college coaches are paid millionaires. This documentary, from LeBron James (who, ironically, skipped college to play professional basketball right out of high school), focuses on four young men at various stages of their athletic careers. There is the high school basketball player who is being courted by a legion of top name colleges and another who played in college but whose injuries have prevented him from pursuing his professional career. Two football players, including Shamar Graves of Rutgers, are included. Graves’ story is about his trying to make it professionally after college. The other football player went to Baylor not on a scholarship, and he gets into trouble for accepting housing and expense money from the parents of a friend who claim they were helping him only as a student, not because he was an athlete. Even the most minor of benefits are not permitted, despite the fact that many of these kids come from families below the poverty line. After college has ended (with or without a degree), they have slim chances of making the pros because of the competition, and chasing their dreams is costly financially, mentally and physically. This film is an indictment of the system and chock full of statistics that tell the story of the money and fate of the student-athlete. 4 cans.
117. A Star Is Born* (2018) – Yes, in fact, a new movie star emerges in this retelling of the ASIB tale, and her name is Lady Gaga. Here she delivers an earthy portrayal of Ally, a powerhouse singer performing in a drag club that Major Rock Star Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper, who also directed, sings and plays guitar and piano) stumbles into one night (literally, and not the last time you will see him in this state) just to get a drink. He’s a star, she’s an unknown, but their fortunes will change once they team up. The songs are meaningful and performed with skill and gusto by both Gaga and Cooper. And as her star ascends, his declines, weighed down by booze, drugs and hearing problems. Maybe because I know the story from having seen the Barbra Streisand-Kris Kristofferson version many times (I have also seen Judy Garland and James Mason in these roles), I kept wanting this version to be even better. And as outstanding as Bradley Cooper was, he looked a little too robust than a man with a drug problem should look (he was not emaciated, as was Kris Kristofferson). But forget “Bette Davis Eyes” – I could gaze into Bradley Cooper’s eyes all day! Outstanding performances, excellent music with just a little pacing problem at times, but really a must-see. 4 cans and Oscars in the air for the star who was born on screen in this movie, Lady Gaga.
118. The Paper Chase (1973) – If you can survive contract law class with Professor Kingsfield as a first-year law student at Harvard, the rest of your life should be easy. Timothy Bottoms, hair flying in every direction, is eager-to-please 1L James Hart, determined to survive and thrive the harshness of Kingsfield’s Socratic teaching approach. He complicates his life by entering a relationship with Susan (Lindsay Wagner), who turns out to be the professor’s married (but separated) daughter. John Houseman imbues Kingsfield with unquestioned authority as he motivates his students to think and not turn their minds to mush. I give the movie an A and put it on the Dean’s List. 3½ cans.
119. Queen* (2018) – This PBS documentary uses formerly unseen footage to review the life of Queen Elizabeth and the extended Royal Family. It includes a lengthy segment on new Duchess Megan Markle, recent bride of Prince Harry, as she looks at her wedding gown for the first time after the ceremony, pointing out how a flower from each of the 51 countries that make up the British Commonwealth was included. There is footage of the young Queen and husband Prince Philip on their long trip to visit the Commonwealth Countries when her own children were very young. Having watched “The Crown,” I have a better understanding of the responsibilities the young Queen faced as she entered a role she never expected to assume. Fascinating footage. 3 cans.
120. First Man* (2018) – Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) was a quiet, intense engineer who became an astronaut and was the first man to set foot on the Moon. But the story here is how NASA managed to make that happen, despite numerous technical problems that cost the lives of some of the astronauts. The drama is overstated for movie purposes, since we all know that Armstrong makes it to the moon and back. The flight sequences show the difficult conditions in which these heroes worked, with space capsules and planes shaking wildly and appearing ready to burst at any moment. I can’t be disappointed in the portrayal of Armstrong if he truly was a bland, dull guy, but at least we know that part of the reason for his taciturn personality was the loss of his young daughter. Clare Foy plays his wife with more fire in her than in Armstrong himself. I would like to have seen fewer shots of my man Ryan through his helmet, but he does a fine job in a limiting role. 3½ cans.
121. Gaga, Five Foot Two* (2018) – This Netflix documentary gives viewers a real behind-the-scenes look at the immensely talented Lady Gaga, a dynamic singer and performer. We see her perform in concert, culminating with her performance at halftime at the Super Bowl, a lifetime achievement for most entertainers. But what I found most appealing was the unsparing look at the realities of her life, the physical pain she endures, the recounting of her successes that were followed by heartbreaks, her love for her friends and family, and her admission of loneliness. This woman is not just someone who wore outrageous outfits, but a real human being trying to manage her life along with her obligations while rocketing to the top of show business. 4 cans.
122. Creed* (2015) – The “Rocky” saga lives on through young Adonis (Donnie) Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of former champion boxer and Rocky’s stellar opponent, the late Apollo Creed. Donnie wants to fight but needs to step out of the shadow of the father he never met, so who better to turn to than old family friend Rocky Balboa himself. Sylvester Stallone resurrects Rocky once again, this time lonely, aging and ultimately, sick, still pining for his beloved Adrienne and his late friend/foe Apollo. At first reluctant, Rocky takes on his young charge, having him chase chickens and race down the streets of Philadelphia. This franchise has always been somewhat predictable, a tad overly-dramatic, but always full of heart and warmth, and this outing is no exception. At the end of the Big Fight, you know there will be a Creed II, and I just saw the previews in the theater this week. I’ll be seeing that one, too. 3½ cans.
123. Tea with the Dames* (2018) – You feel like an eavesdropper watching this delightful session among English All-Star actresses Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Eileen Atkins. Old friends (and they would emphasize the word “old”), they all know each other from co-starring on stage or screen, they have worked together or with each other’s husbands and have tales to tell as they sip their tea – which eventually switches to champagne. Each is well-known for a major role – although Maggie Smith claims never to have watched her most recent triumph, in the renowned PBS series “Downton Abbey.” Here they sit around outside a charming English home, eventually retreating inside because of rain, and swap their stories. It was fun listening to these masters and friends. There is nothing like a dame. 3 cans.
124. First Monday in October* (1981) – Since the Supreme Court has been in the news a lot lately, I thought it was appropriate to give this old movie a viewing. Jill Clayburgh (a wonderful actress) is conservative judge Ruth Loomis, selected by the President to fill a sudden vacancy in the Supreme Court (and her Congressional hearing was not nearly as acrimonious as was the recent hearing), making her the first woman to serve on the highest court of the land. The other justices treat her fairly, but irascible Daniel Snow (Walter Matthau, who plays irascible like he was born to do it), a liberal, clashes with Loomis on key cases coming before the court. Will they ever agree? Will they become an unlikely romantic pairing? I found this movie very preachy in its examination of big business (he hates it, she accepts it) and on defining pornography (she wants to view the entire movie in question to see if it represents actual art or has any redeeming qualities, while he has made up his mind without seeing it). Any relationship they develop seems forced to me, yet the timing of this topic was right to view, so I’ll give it 3 cans.
125. Taking Woodstock* (2009) – I should have devoted my time to watching the “Woodstock” documentary rather than this behind-the scenes dramatized account of how the biggest music festival of its generation came to Max Yasgur’s farm in upstate New York. Here, Elliot Tiber (Dimitri Martin, who could hardly be more bland), a nice young man who helps his aging parents at their run-down upstate NY motel, connects with his former pal Michael Lang (Jonathan Groff) to help secure the space from farmer Yasgur for the festival. Elliot, the head of the local Chamber of Commerce, already conducts a music festival of sorts and is always looking for a way to attract customers for the dumpy motel, so he has a permit but lacks the vision of Lang. Woodstock turned into a cultural phenomenon, with three days of rain, blocked roads, mud and music (like Elliot, we viewers don’t get to experience it) for the ages. Watch the documentary and skip this one. 2 cans.
126. Love, Gilda* (2018) – It is hard not to love Gilda Radner, a phenomenal comedic talent who burst into prominence as an original cast member of “Saturday Night Live” in the 1970s. Her indelible characters (Emily Littella, Roseanne Rosanadana and Baba Wawa) and her fearless approach to making everything funny set her apart from the other women on the program. Her story of fame and her death from ovarian cancer are not news, and this loving documentary sheds little new light on her life. Nonetheless, it is heartwarming and heartbreaking to relive her moments of glory knowing that the story will not have a happy ending. 3 cans.
127. & 128. Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) and A Walk on the Moon (1999) – I’m combining these two movies, which I have reviewed before, under the category of “Tovah Feldshuh Movies I Love.” Though the veteran actress doesn’t get all that much screen time, she plays a pivotal role in the most warm and believable way in both films. In “Stein,” she plays the mother of Jessica, a young Jewish woman who is looking for love and pushed by her mother to find happiness. When Jessica seems to find it with another woman but doesn’t want to disappoint her mother, Feldshuh displays a remarkable tenderness and acceptance in one key scene. In “Moon,” she is Bubbie, grandmother to her son Marty’s children with his wife Pearl (Liev Schreiber and Diane Lane). As Pearl’s mother-in-law, she is both shocked and pragmatic about the younger woman’s affair with the “blouse man” (Viggo Mortensen) at the Catskills camp where they spend the summer in a modest bungalow. This is during Woodstock, and Pearl finds herself reawakening as a woman who married and had a child at a very young age. And yes, Neil Armstrong lands on the moon, but that is a different sort of exploration. My recommendation is to see Feldshuh’s work in both of these movies and admire how she effortlessly moves the action, serves up commentary and enables the other actors to shine.
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