As you can see from the 25 entries here, I am back to watching movies (and TV series) again after a lack of focus in April. In May, I watched 25 movies and series, including the 10-part Michael Jordan classic on ESPN, the delectable "Dead to Me," a Netflix mini-series, and others. I spent lots of hours spent in front of the screen in May so I can share a bunch of movies and more to keep you entertained during the quarantine. Numbering picks up from previous months and programs I had not seen previously are marked with an asterisk. Ratings are on a scale from 1-5 cans of tuna fish, with 5 being the highest.
54. Mrs. America* (2020) My first foray into an original Hulu presentation, this mini-series is about the ERA amendment, its supporters – Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan – and its chief opponent, Phyllis Schlafly, a whip-smart housewife from Illinois who characterizes the amendment intended to help women gain equal access to all that men have as a sinister piece of legislation that threatens to draft women and set up unisex bathrooms. It is 1972, the Democrats are about to nominate George McGovern, and the feminists want to see black Congressman Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba) oppose him. But is she running as a woman of color or as a feminist? There are major cracks among the party leaders, as the photogenic Steinem (Rose Byrne), the editor of newly-created Ms. Magazine, is put forth as the spokesperson for the feminists, while the mother of the movement, the more radical Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman) is shunted aside. Also pulling strings is the wise but overbearing NY powerhouse pol Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale). Meanwhile, in the Midwest, housewives sip their tea and bake bread while listening to Schlafly (the brilliant Care Blanchett) oppose the ERA on the grounds that women will lose their rights – by remaining second class citizens. There is a lot of tough talk here and shrewd negotiating about issues like abortion, a woman’s right to choose and equal pay, marginalizing women and making them tokens. Sadly, 50 years later, those issues have not died down and Schlafly and her sturdy crew of highly controlled women prevented the ERA from being passed. And here we are. This is a very well-cast, well-played drama on those times that carries over into 2020.
3½ cans. It would have been 4 had the ERA ever passed.
55. A Secret Love* (2020) – This lovely documentary from Netflix is about two women who shared a love affair for more than 60 years. The two, Terry and Pat, arrived from Canada to play in the Girls All-American Baseball League (the focus of “A League of Their Own”) and became fast friends. Soon that friendship blossomed into love, and they began to live together. They would pass as cousins or as friends sharing a house for economic reasons, but they were not about to come out of the closet. People in their lives may have suspected the two were lesbian lovers, but in the 40s-50s and on, such a relationship was considered unacceptable by many. The documentary focuses on their deep love for each other and the practical considerations of leaving their beloved house for a place better suited to an aging couple with health issues. I won’t spoil the rest, but I can say that this film makes it clear that love is love, and what could be wrong with that? 4 cans.
56. The Art of Racing in the Rain* (2019) – Call it overly sentimental, call it too dramatic, or mushy or whatever. I’ll call this movie wonderful. Milo Ventimiglia plays race car driver Denny, who adopts a loveable dog he names Enzo. The pair are inseparable, until along comes Eve (Amanda Seyfried), the woman Denny falls in love with. We know exactly how Enzo feels about this new person in their lives, because his thoughts are conveyed via the voice of Kevin Costner – and this dog has a lot to say. He loves going to the racetrack with Denny and he understands how Denny strategizes his races. Denny’s friendship with Enzo withstands all kinds of heartbreak. To say more would take away the discovery of the plot, and I couldn’t do that. I’m not a dog lover, but I loved Enzo and this movie. Milo definitely reminded me of his role as Jack Pearson in “This Is Us.” I cried so many times that I had to shut the windows so the neighbors couldn’t hear me. If you loved the nostalgia of “My Dog Skip,” this movie is for you. 4½ cans.
57. Natalie Wood, What Remains Behind* (2020) – This loving HBO documentary was put together by Natasha Gregson, daughter of the late actress Natalie Wood, who provides an intimate look at her life with Natalie and her stepfather, Robert Wagner, whom she calls “Daddy Wagner.” Wood and Wagner were married to each other twice and had several other children with other partners, but theirs was clearly a special love story. Gregson provides plenty of footage of the comingled family enjoying holidays and everyday life together. From the time she was a little girl – and became the breadwinner in her family – Natalie Wood was an actress and a star. Whether you remember her from “Rebel Without a Cause,” “West Side Story,” the splendid “Splendor in the Grass” or one of my personal favorites, “Love With a Proper Stranger,” if you are of a certain age, she was everywhere. When she died by drowning in 1981, the circumstances of her mysterious death kept her in the news for years, with some holding Wagner responsible. Natasha directly asks him about that horrible time and it is hard not to believe him when he shows his grief and proclaims his lack of involvement in her death. I enjoyed the look back at her famous films and her transition from young woman to major star. Only in her 40s at the time of her death, Natalie Wood had plenty more parts left to play. In his movie, she plays her favorite role, as a great mother. 3½ cans.
58. The Final Season* (2007) – Sean Astin of “Rudy” fame plays Kent, an earnest and determined young man, an assistant high school baseball coach working under a celebrated and successful head coach (Powers Boothe). Despite winning 19 state championships with his team, Coach Jim Van Scoyoc is told that this school will be merging with another school for budgetary reasons, and that costs Jim his job, which is given to Kent for the final season. The grizzled coach is a fair and knowledgeable veteran who speaks only in sports clichés, and I while there was a true friendship between the older and younger man, I don’t think I ever saw Astin smile. This movie was based on a true story of Norway High School in Iowa, but that didn’t make it better. This one is a passed ball. 1 can.
59. Rainman Twins* (2008) – If you recall Dustin Hoffman’s character from “Rainman,” you will understand the amazing abilities of Flo and Kay Lyman, the world’s only female autistic savant twins. The women, filmed by local newsman Dave Wagner (bless his heart), have the uncanny ability to recall every detail of their lives. They can spout out the day of any date, what they had for dinner on November 3, 1995, and they know the release date and artist of any record you can name. And they were obsessed with Dick Clark, watching his game show, “The $10,000 Pyramid,” daily, tracking every detail, every time the bell sounded. With the death of their parents, they were taken in by their younger sister and eventually had a chance to meet Dick Clark twice, thanks to Wagner, who documented their lives for more than 13 years. Theirs is a sad and fascinating true story that provides viewers with an understanding of what a savant really is. Available on Amazon Prime Video 3½ cans.
60. Fame* (2009) – Fame is a lame remake of the original 1980 stunner, which was the exciting story of a bunch of exuberant, talented kids and their quest to get into and thrive at the New York Performing Arts High School, the first step in their dreams of success in the arts. The first movie gave us breakout performances by Irene Cara and the rest of the class; by comparison, this one lacks that level of performance and the songs made famous by the original. I even loved the television series sparked by the original film more than this needless remake. This version looked and felt like it was made by the kids who might not have made the cut at PA in the first place. Nice try, but you had too big shoes to fill. 2 cans.
61. Dead to Me, Season 2* (2020) – The second season of this Netflix dark comedy picks up where the first season ended, with the murder of bad guy Steve by Jen (Christina Applegate). And we are off and running for 10 more episodes of this rich, suspenseful, silly and dark comedy. Jen and BFF Judy (Linda Cardellini) have plenty of secrets, side convos and quickly-devised plans to keep themselves out of trouble with the cops, the FBI, their families and friends. The twists and turns continue, and there were plenty of things I saw that made me say to myself, “I didn’t see THAT coming.” No spoilers here, I promise, just high praise for the surefooted performances by the main characters, who are both supportive of each other and ready to kill each other. My favorite episode was the penultimate one, where both Applegate and Cardellini really show off their acting chops. Don’t watch this if you haven’t seen Season 1, but I promise you that both seasons are a good investment of your time and much better to see than to read about. 4½ cans.
62. Becoming* (2020) – Former First Lady Michell Obama wrote a book after her husband, President Barack Obama, left office. This documentary on Netflix covers her tour to promote that book, and while it differs from the book itself, it still presents so much information on her background, her family and the huge responsibility of being the First Lady. Just having her sign a book was an overwhelming experience for some people, but she makes sure she has a meaningful exchange and encouraging words for each person. I found her story inspiring and appreciated particularly her ability to instill hope in the young people she was able to interact with in smaller groups. Being the First Lady carries a huge responsibility and being the first black woman in that role was an overwhelming challenge that she carried off with grace and depth. After serving in such a confining role, it is clear that Michelle is ready to start a new journey of her own and relishes a chance to be herself. 4 cans.
63. Freeheld (2015) – Laurel Hester is a tough-as-nails, dedicated police officer in Ocean County, NJ. She plays by the book, and she keeps her private life private because she is sure that being a lesbian will hold her back in a male-dominated environment. Laurel (Juliane Moore) doesn’t even share that part of her life with her trusted partner Dale (Michael Shannon). But when she finds out she has terminal cancer, all she wants to do is leave her pension benefits to her domestic partner, Stacie (Ellen Page), so Stacie can remain in the house that they lovingly renovated and shared. The Ocean County Freeholders don’t want to defy the state ban on gay marriage, even though they could easily choose to vote in her favor. Spurred by the enthusiastic head of Garden State Equality (enthusiastically played by Steve Carell) and supported by Dale, fellow officers and friends rally to force the politicians to grant Laurel her dying wish. Moore plays the role with an understated dignity, refusing to become the poster child for gay marriage. Her interest is equality. Page looks pained throughout most of the movie, but Shannon, who is typically intense, and Carell, who brings levity, are superb. The happy ending here is that seven years after Laurel’s death (trust me, I did not spoil it for you), NJ approved gay marriage, followed by a national approval. Love is love. 3½ cans.
64. Return to Me (2000) – Bob (David Duchovny) loses his beloved wife in a car accident. That heart ends up being transplanted into Grace (Minnie Driver), a young woman whose heart has betrayed her. Through a series of coincidences, Grace ends up meeting Bob when she waits on him at her grandfather’s Irish/Italian pub/restaurant. There’s instant chemistry, even as Bob and Grace feel wary because of his love of his late wife and her reluctance to show the scar from her surgery. Neither knows why this connection of the heart seems so strong. Will she let him into her heart? Will he understand he can have a new love? Will they figure out that Bob’s wife’s heart lives on in his new love? Tune in to find out. Director/co-writer Bonnie Hunt (who also acts in the film) is at her best in this charmer about finding love and finding a new life. The Irish/Italian pub run by Grace’s grandfather (Carroll O’Connor) has a host of warm and wonderful characters who all love Grace and whose stellar friendships made me smile. The relationship between the shy couple is a joy to watch, as each grows in new ways. I won’t spoil the movie but I will encourage anyone who hasn’t seen it to rent it, buy it, record it – just watch it. It starts with Dean Martin singing the title song and just keeps getting better. What a delight! 4½ cans.
65. Peanut Butter Falcon* (2019) – This buddy movie conjures up the iconic “Midnight Cowboy,” named Best Picture of the Year in 1969. Shia LaBoef is Tyler, an angry, disappointed man mourning the death of his brother and given to stealing crabs from the fishermen off the coast of Carolina. Zak Gottsagen is Zak, a young man with Down’s Syndrome, stuck living without family in a nursing home and determined to get out on his own. He wants to become a professional wrestler and is obsessed by videos of his wrestling hero, Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Hayden Church). Though deemed a flight risk by Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a staffer at the nursing home, Zak escapes and hides out on a boat that Tyler steals. The two become friends, with Tyler on the lam and heading to Florida to escape the guys whose fish he stole. Tyler agrees to take Zak to Redneck’s wrestling camp, and even though he knows nothing about the sport, he agrees to train and coach Zak to do the things he was always told he was incapable of doing. The two create the character the “Peanut Butter Falcon” for Zak’s professional wrestling name and finally find the now defunct former wrestling camp. This is a sweet and caring film, depicting a warm relationship between two markedly different men. And even Eleanor, desperately searching for Zak, finally shows true compassion for the differently abled man. 3½ cans.
66. On Golden Pond (1981) – Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn had never worked together before this film, but their chemistry is immediate. He is cantankerous grouch Norman, a retired and respected university professor coming to grips with the short time he has left as he turns 80. Hepburn is so completely warm and convincing as Ethel, a tough old broad who adores her grumpy husband, even as she has to help him remember not to set the house on fire. Their grown daughter Chelsea is played by Fonda’s own daughter, Jane, in a story that in many ways reflects their own allegedly rocky relationship. Chelsea joins her parents at their beloved lake cabin for a visit with the news that she and her dentist-boyfriend are going away for a few weeks and plan to leave his smart-mouthed 13-year old son Billy (Doug McKeon) with them. Where Chelsea and her father never were on the same page, it doesn’t take Billy and Norman long to bond over fishing and sneaking around. Billy is the son Norman wished Chelsea to be. My favorite part of the movie is seeing the old man and the young boy begin to appreciate each other and enjoy spending time together. And maybe there is still time for Chelsea and Norman to build an equally strong bond, even if she has to do a perfect backflip off the dock to make that happen. The outstanding cast, the heartwarming (if sentimental) story, the cinematography and the music make this movie one of my favorites. Fonda-Hepburn-Fonda is a formidable trio. 4 cans.
67. The Upside (2019) – Kevin Hart is Dell, an ex-con desperate for a job (or at least to prove he’s looking for one), and Bryan Cranston is Philip, is a wealthy quadriplegic author living in a stunning NYC penthouse who requires extensive care. Dell takes on the assignment despite his discomfort with some of the responsibilities (inserting a catheter tops the list) so he can pay his child support and reestablish ties with his son. As can be predicted, the two men from very different backgrounds forge a bond. Dell becomes less of a wise ass and Philip, who is ready to die, becomes better at living. The secret sauce here is the chemistry between Hart and Cranston, which could bring a smile to anyone’s face. Life is not easy for either man and they both have their own handicaps. This movie is “hart”-warming. 3½ cans.
68. A Dog’s Purpose* (2017) and 69. A Dog’s Journey* (2019) – Dennis Quaid, playing Ethan, is the titular star of each of these movies, but the real action centers on the dog/dogs that are part of his life for generations. Josh Gad does a perfect job of voicing the dog’s thoughts, which always center on protecting his (or her) master. When the first dog, Bailey, dies, he is reincarnated as a new dog with a new owner, but he always remembers the smell of Ethan and his quest is to get back and show Ethan he is the same dog. I liked the Journey installment better than the Purpose, but each movie was a lovely escape from reality and a reminder of why people love their dogs. Although I am not a pet lover and have never owned a dog, I enjoyed everything about these movies, which you can watch with your kids and grandchildren. 3½ cans and a bunch of dog treats.
70. The Last Dance* (2020) – This remarkable 10-part ESPN series on basketball legend Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls’ last championship run in 1998 tells the story of a man driven by competitive desires, ready and eager to not only beat but crush his opponents, especially if he perceived the smallest slight or disrespect. When the game is on the line, who has the ball in his hand and the defense on his back and is STILL able to make the winning shot? The greatest player of all time – the “GOAT” – demanded excellence from himself and encouraged, cajoled and bullied his teammates to achieve not just their potential but play to HIS exacting standards. In most cases, his intensity was matched by his joy when the team won, but there were times he won and seemed to take no pleasure, just relief. I thought the most moving scene in the series was when Jordan, having lost his father but having just won the championship, clutches the trophy while sobbing on the floor of the locker room. Thanks go to the unprecedented access to Jordan and the Bulls that the documentary crew had and to Jason Hehir, the director, and his crew for somehow editing all of that footage into an cohesive drama so compelling that I would have watched all 10 hours in a row if they had chosen to air it that way. I had always considered “Hoop Dreams” to be the best sports documentary I had ever seen. That movie is now number 2 on my list. 5 cans.
71. Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel* (2012) – Diana Vreeland was the prophet of fashion as fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and editor of Vogue for decades. She had the sense of what would be on trend, went to all of the best shows around the world, discovered hired the most talented photographers and models (like a young Lauren Bacall) and made them important like no one else. Her selections could be the life or death of a career, as she featured the work of designers in the pages of her magazines. If you saw “The Devil Wears Prada,” you can understand some of the stories about Vreeland in this documentary. As I was watching this show wearing the same clothes I had worn the day before during the quarantine, I could not escape that irony or the reality that I know NOTHING about fashion. But for decades, Diana Vreeland was its doyenne, a word I have always wanted to use in a sentence. 3 cans.
72. The Post (2017) – I thought another look at this movie about the venerable Washington Post was timely in light of the constant “fake news” declaration by our current president whenever he doesn’t like what he reads. This movie is led by the dynamic duo of Post Editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) and Publisher Kathryn Graham (Meryl Streep) as they wrestle with whether to publish The Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers were a confidential history of the war in Vietnam over many years that was done by the Department of Defense and stolen by Daniel Ellsberg, who provided copies to both The New York Times and The Post. At the same time, the Post is about to become a publicly-traded company, anticipating a cash infusion from the shares sold that will keep the paper going during difficult times. Graham might be risking the financial support needed for the transaction by challenging the administration – and her old friend, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Bruce Greenwood). Will she rise above the politics by defying President Nixon and his henchmen and informing the American public what they needed to hear? There are so many parallels, even between the unhinged Nixon and the miscreant Trump, that make this story current. 3½ cans.
73. Cocktail (1988) – This frothy mix finds a way to elevate the Tom Cruise megawatt smile and charm while offering little dramatic challenge for his limited acting chops. His Bryan Flannigan can’t find a job in marketing or sales or anywhere else, for that matter, but he gets hired for a job as a bartender so his good looks can attract the female customers. He thrives under the tutelage of Doug (Bryan Brown), a veteran bartender/philosopher, and soon the pair are flipping bottles to the strains of “Hippie, Hippie Shake.” Both men see better things for themselves, but eventually their partnership goes off the rails, with Bryan hitting the Caribbean to dazzle the ladies on vacation. He still wants his own place and has plenty of ideas but no financial backing. But when he meets Jordan (Elizabeth Shue), he seems ready to get off the bartender/woman chaser circuit and man up. And then Doug shows up with his gorgeous and insanely rich young wife, starting the dream all over again. Good music, nice tropical settings, and rampant overacting by Cruise. It’s one of those 80s movies you really should experience. 3½ cans.
74. Hearts Beat Loud* (2018) – Frank (Nick Offerman) is hooked on music, although his moribund record store in Brooklyn has few visitors, no less customers. His daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) is getting ready to go off to UCLA to become a doctor, but the daughter and dad still have some jam sessions to do. Together they write a song and he uploads it to Spotify, where it gets some air play. The duo that he calls “We Are Not a Band” has a few more songs they create. His dying record store isn’t bringing in the cash he needs, his mother (Blythe Danner) keeps getting caught shoplifting, and the landlady (Toni Collette) proposes they form a partnership to refresh the store and give him a place to play. This movie has its moments of sweetness and poignancy, and it never stops being about his love for his daughter and music. Available free on Hulu. 3 cans.
75. Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) – Looooong before he was Dr. McDreamy, Patrick Dempsey was Ronald Miller, certified nerd in his sunny high school filled with cheerleaders and jocks. The high school caste system, where social status dictates cafeteria seating, makes him eligible to sit only with the dorky friends he had since grade school. When his dream girl, head cheerleader Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson), needs money, Ronald gladly puts up his lawn-cutting earnings with the proviso that she pose as his girlfriend for a month so he can hang out with the cool kids. It works. They have a convincing month together, during which time he goes from geek to chic, and he doesn’t need her anymore. The plot is obvious, but the cast and the plot are secondary to the good feeling you get from watching this movie about high school and reexamining the stereotypes. 3½ cans.
76. The Bridges of Madison County (1995) – In this movie, the incomparable Meryl Streep lends subtlety and nuance to her portrayal of an Iowa farmer’s wife, stuck in a mundane existence, until a photographer (Clint Eastwood, who directed) arrives to take pictures of local bridges. She offers to assist him, and the two spend the next few days falling into one of those once-in-a-lifetime loves. Can she leave behind her husband and children to build a new life? Or will she take the path she has led for so long and remain on the farm? The haunting score and beautiful scenery, combined with the details of the simple farmhouse, Streep’s clothes and hair, all build a reality that depicts every phase of the character’s life. This movie has a great cast, a great story and it always gives me a good cry. Definitely a chick flick on that score, but I couldn’t love it more. 5 cans.
77. Love Happens* (2009) – Jennifer Anniston is such an appealing actress. She is believable, reliable and attractive – even wearing a knit hat. But here, as in so many movies, there is just not a part she can sink her teeth into. She plays Eloise, a florist in Seattle who services a local hotel where Burke (Aaron Eckhart), a self-help guru, is lecturing audiences on surviving a personal loss. Burke’s wife was killed in a car accident, and, unlike his bigger-than-life, “A-Okay” persona, he has never really dealt with the loss. Let’s see: Attractive and inwardly sad man means vivacious, attractive woman. What could possibly happen? The movie isn’t as frothy as that description (after all, his wife DID die), but it would never be on a list of “must-see” movies. I watched it on a day when I needed a distraction from reality. This did the trick. 3 cans.
78. Defending Jacob* (2020) – This mini-series on Apple TV is based on a book I read for my book club. Chris Evans stars as Andy Barber, a devoted father and an assistant district attorney in Newton, Mass., who initially gets assigned to case involving the murder of a 14-year old boy who turns out to be a classmate of his son, Jacob (Jaeden Martell). It is not long before authorities turn up information that points to Jacob’s possible involvement in the case. Andy and his wife Laurie (Michelle Dockery) hire good local attorney Joanna Klein (Cherry Jones) to defend Jacob, but Andy isn’t done with his own unofficial investigation into a possible suspect when he is removed from the case because of his conflict of interest. Andy has a few secrets of his own that he has never felt the need to share with his wife that come out as the case moves forward. As for Jacob, who is a bit of a loner, young teenagers leave a trail of their lives all over social media, and Jacob is no exception. Was he bullied by Ben, the boy he is accused of killing? Will his posts and information shared by his friends point the trail to him? Do his parents really believe in his innocence or are they blinded by their love for him? The end of the book and the end of this 8-part series are not exactly the same, but they are equally powerful. Very worth your time if you can get Apple TV, a $4.99 a month subscription (I got one free week by signing up, so I can drop the charge if I can’t find anything else to watch.) 4 cans.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment