Two more months left in the year and I have an outside shot at reaching a total of 200 movies & more for the first time ever! The ratings go from 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 the top score. Movies I had not previously seen are marked with an asterisk and the numbering picks up from previous months.
158. American Murder: The Family Next Door* (2020, Netflix) – This documentary covers the murder of a pregnant woman and her two small children by her husband, Chris Watts. One day Shanann Watts and the two girls simply disappear. Of course, we know the cops always look at the spouse, and, with no break-in, no sign of forced entry and no evidence that Shanann left voluntarily (no woman leaves behind her phone, keys and car unless there is foul play), police rely on phone records and plenty of video footage from police body cams, Watt’s own security system and that of his neighbor to see what really transpired. This film takes a different approach, using the texts and the social media posts of the wife to show that the relationship was on a downturn. Even if you know the story, if you like murder mysteries, this suspenseful case is worth watching. 3½ cans.
159. The Palindromists* (2018, On-line rental) – "Was it a car or a cat I saw?" That is an example of a palindrome. A simpler one is WOW – a word, sentence or phrase that reads the same backwards as it does forward. This wordplay holds the interests of people as diverse as a bassoonist from Utah and a man from Australia, both of whom appear in this film as competitors in a palindrome competition. Will Shortz, the mad genius behind The New York Times crossword puzzle and the man who hosted the National Crossword Puzzle competition that was featured in the wonderful movie “Wordplay,” hosts this gathering of palindromists. I enjoyed seeing the fascination people have with words, and Shortz issues tough challenges in this competition. I know I couldn’t do it. I would be too stressed, which would lead to the consumption of too many desserts. Get it? 3 cans.
160. Mercury 13* (2018) – Apparently, I am much more interested in the US Space Program than I thought I was, since in the last few weeks I have watched “Mission Control,” “Challenger, the Last Flight,” and this documentary about women who were almost accepted into the Space program in the ‘50s and ‘60s. These women were dubbed the “Mercury 13.” All were experienced pilots who were accepted into a rigorous training program to see if they could qualify to join the original Mercury astronauts – John Glenn & company – and ride a rocket into space and history. They failed one key qualification: They were not men. The footage here includes interviews with several of the original 13 and their adult children. Until Sally Ride took her flight in 1983, no woman was launched into space. Discrimination against women is not limited solely to earth. 3½ cans.
161. Touch the Wall* (2014, Prime Video) – Like most Americans, every four years my attention turns to sports that I otherwise never even think about as we all root for sprinters and gymnasts and swimmers competing in the Olympics. This documentary traces the beginning of the career of swimming phenom Missy Franklin, a starting with the 14-year old Colorado high school student with the typical swimmer’s broad shoulders and narrow waist who spends most of her day in the pool. Missy is loyal to her coach and her high school and club teams, even as she advances up the ranks of swimming to the Olympic Trials. She is firm on her plans to go to college instead of becoming a professional swimmer. Here she trains with Kara, a 24-year old swimmer whose career is on the wane but whose experience and wisdom help Missy develop mentally as well as in the pool. Franklin went on to be a celebrated Olympic champion, and her genuine enthusiasm captivated the American public. Beautiful underwater photography makes the swimmers here look like mermaids with their grace and strength. Their goal is simple; as swimmers, they want to touch the wall – first. 3 cans.
162. Reasonable Doubt* (2014, EPIX Channel on Xfinity) – I had plenty of reasonable doubt about this movie, but it turned out to be better than I thought. Mitch (Dominic Cooper) is a prosecutor in Chicago, a young man on the track to success and a father with a wife and new baby. Driving home from a night out with the boys after a few drinks, he hits a man who darts out in front of his SUV, makes a 911 call from a nearby pay phone, and runs. When another man (Samuel L. Jackson) is accused of the crime, he prosecutes the case but takes risky steps to ease his conscience even though he has doubts about the accused. Suspenseful. 3½ cans.
163. Bruce Springsteen: Glory Days* (2011, Ovations channel) – At 44 minutes, this documentary on the career of Bruce Springsteen may actually be shorter than a single performance of one of his rock anthems, but I couldn’t resist spending the time with the greatest rock ‘n roller of all-time. This documentary starts with his humble Jersey beginnings, takes us through the proclamation by writer Jon Landau of Bruce as “the future of rock ‘n roll,” through his legendary on-stage performances to his release of such iconic albums as “The River,” “Born to Run” and “Born in the USA.” There is not much heard here from The Boss himself, but you come away with the impression of a man who lives for his music, who has made a happy life for himself with wife Patty Scialfa and their three kids, and whose E Street bandmates were truly his brothers (we miss, you, Clarence Clemmons), and who has given us memorable songs and performances for nearly 50 years. And he is not done yet. 3½ cans. PS – Ovations is one of those channels in my Xfinity line-up that I didn’t know existed, but if there are more shows like this one, I’ll be spending time there.
164. Mike Wallace Is Here* (2019, Hulu) – Those four words were enough to make any professional PR person recoil in fear. Mike Wallace was a relentless reporter, not afraid to ask the toughest questions and demand answers. This documentary takes him from his radio days through early TV, where he was a game show host and pitch man for products, to his breakthrough interview show, “Night Beat,” through his storied career at the brand-new and now venerable “60 Minutes.” Wallace interviewed everyone -- from celebrities such as the difficult Bette Davis and Barbra Streisand to Johnny Carson and Frank Lloyd Wright to world leaders, such as Anwar Sadat and the Ayatollah Khomeini. And then there were his famous “ambush interviews,” designed to uncover people doing things that were illegal or corrupt. He had an enormous body of work, including his infamous interview with General William Westmoreland that resulted is the General’s suit against Wallace and CBS. He was feisty and fearless and would have relished the chance to hold today’s leaders accountable. Before news was deemed “fake,” there was Mike Wallace borrowing his way to the truth. Just one caveat – in the style of “60 Minutes” the people being interviewed are not identified. I guess I have seen a lot of Wallace’s work, because the only people I did not immediately identify were actress Diana Dors (before my time) and architect Frank Lloyd Wright. 4 cans for the wealth of subjects included here. PS -- this documentary is also available on Prime Video, but for rent. Hulu has it for free.
165. Wild Card: The Downfall of a Radio Loudmouth* (2020, HBO) – If you live in the NY/NJ area and are a sports fan, chances are you have heard morning sports host Craig Carton, half of the WFAN duo Boomer & Carton. Or you did hear them, until Carton was carted off to prison for fraud and money laundering. Carton is a shock jock, brash and manic, willing to say or do anything to keep listeners amazed and amused. But off air, he had a singular passion – gambling. After his morning show, he would drive from NYC to AC to play blackjack. Sometimes he flew down on a helicopter, returning just in time to go on the air. When his perpetual winning streak turned into a losing streak, he borrowed money, raised money, started a ticket business so he could use the profits to pay off his debt. I know gambling is an addiction, but I found it hard to summon up any sympathy for a man whose family is barely mentioned (and, given his flights and working schedule, probably largely ignored) and who played with other people’s money. But you know that America loves a good redemption story. Now out of jail, Carton has signed a deal to get back into radio again, and all will be forgiven. Or maybe not. 3½ cans.
166. My Octopus Teacher* (2020 Netflix) – Man meets octopus, man photographs octopus, man falls in love with octopus. This documentary is the remarkable story of a man who spent more than a year following the movements of one octopus off the coast of Africa, getting in touch with nature and his own feelings, and taking magnificent footage of the kingdom under the sea. This kind of movie is out of my wheelhouse, but I admire this man’s passion about the sea creatures, his devotion to this one octopus and the stunning footage he captured (and footage that captured him). 3½ cans.
167. Hoops U* (2015, Showtime on Demand) – Only a desperate college basketball fan would watch this account covering a part of one season with two teams. The men’s teams from Notre Dame ad Maryland in 2015 are featured, each playing in a different conference and each enjoying successful seasons. The coaches (Mike Brey at ND and Mark Turgeon at UMD) are inspiring without looking like they are abusive martinets, and their teams win a few and lose a few in the period leading up through their conference tournaments. The film stops short of the NCAA Selections, which would have been an appropriate coda. Really, only a desperate, diehard fan would watch this. And I’m glad I did. 3 cans.
168. Totally Under Control* (2020, Apple TV+ rental) – This new documentary on Apple TV+ traces the COVID-19 timeline from the beginning up until the president's own diagnosis. It is insightful and devastating. This isn't over yet, but the pandemic's path might not have been so severe had politics not trumped science. Comments from long-serving public health officials, doctors, scientists and others convey their personal anguish as the virus raged on. They were unable to get the personal protective equipment they needed nor the attention of the government, which continued to downplay the spread of disease, contradict scientific advice and make pronouncements about the forthcoming “disappearance” of a disease which has now killed 225,000 Americans and shattered the economy. Looking at how this catastrophe was handled here versus in many other countries is an indictment of the administration’s response and a demonstration of its culpability. 4½ cans.
169. Rebecca* (2018, Netflix) – This movie is a remake, but not an update, of the classic Hitchcock 1940 movie about a man whose wife dies and whose presence continues to be felt in his house, now occupied by him and his new young wife. Here handsome Armie Hammer plays the wealthy Max, still mourning the loss of his Rebecca. He meets a pretty young woman (Lily James) and very quickly marries her and takes her home to his rather creepy estate. The droves of staff are led by the taciturn Mrs. Danley (Kristin Scott Thomas), who adored her previous mistress and doesn’t welcome the new Mrs. with open arms. There are spooky goings on, suspense and an unexpected twist and turn (since I barely remembered the plot of the original). This is a bit of a film noir and well done. 3½ cans.
170. Letter to You* (2020, Apple TV+) – In my second Springsteen movie of the month, the Boss himself offers this poignant video diary to introduce a new collection of songs interspersed with his memories of his musical journey. He has such great respect for the process and such great love for his E Street Band brothers, the musicians who have helped him express his vision for nearly 50 years. Still firmly “The Boss,” Bruce draws on his Jersey youth, incorporating several songs he wrote in the 70s, but everything here seems like vintage Bruce, no matter the time. He pays tribute to the E Street members who have passed away and notes that he is now the only remaining member of his first band, the Castiles. Bruce has gotten less raucous as he has aged, but the E Street Band still rocks, and the songs here match his mood perfectly. I had tears in my eyes more than once. Was it from the music, the memories, or just the magic that is Bruce? 4 cans.
171. Marching Orders* (2018, Netflix) – I have never played an instrument, twirled a flag, performed as a dancer or marched in a band, but that didn’t deter me from watching this mini-series about the Mighty Wildcats of the Bethune-Cookman College marching band. This mini-series consists of 12 short (under 12-minute) segments focusing on the flag twirlers, the dancers, the drum majors, the horn section and the head of this dedicated, hardworking and award-winning group. I must like all of the behind-the-scenes shows, since I have watched “Last Chance U” (junior college football), “Touch the Wall” (swimming), “Cheer” (college cheerleading) and others about kids who might not otherwise get a college education without participating in these “extracurricular” activities. This one was not quite as captivating as similar series (maybe the episodes were too short) but I admire people who try and work so hard to accomplish something for the team and for themselves. 3 cans.
172. Dolly Parton Here I Am* (2019, Netflix) – Dolly Parton is a force of nature, with her towering wigs, extreme make-up and other assets that you just can’t miss. But behind the glamourous, show biz façade, she is a country girl at heart who considers herself a songwriter first and performer, actress and everything else after that. A 50-year vet of country music’s Grand Ol’ Opry, Parton has had a brilliant career as a singer whose memorable songs include such classics as “Jolene” and my personal favorite, “I Will Always Love You.” In this documentary, she tells the story of writing the theme song for the movie “9 to 5,” which she starred in along with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, a song that became an icon for working women everywhere. She also built her own amusement park, Dollywood, and established a program that has provided millions of books for children. Hello, Dolly! 3 ½ cans.
173. I Am Woman* (2019, Netflix) – Speaking of strong women, Helen Reddy provided the anthem “I Am Woman” to the women’s movement in the 1960s as women united to try to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in the US. This biopic takes the Australian singer from a single mother struggling to make ends meet in New York through the establishment of her partnership with her eventual husband, manager Jeff Wald, who guided her career and depended on her success to launch his own. Tilda Cobham-Hervey plays Reddy, who first couldn’t get booked because music was dominated by male groups like the Beatles. But the dawn of the singer-songwriter opened the door for Reddy and Wald (Evan Peters) helped her get through it. This is a typical rags-to-riches story with career and financial ups and downs. Helen Reddy passed away recently, so this was a good opportunity to revisit her many hits and how they fit into the times. 3 cans.
174. Goldfinger (1964, On Demand) – As my own personal tribute to Sean Connery, who died today, I thought I’d watch one of the few James Bond movies I have seen. Goldfinger has just what audience have come to expect – lots of cool gadgets and cars, beautiful women, and a man who can wear a tux better than anyone since Cary Grant. Connery is the OG Bond, suave, debonair and cool as the other side of the pillow. Nobody does it better. 4 cans.
175. The Trial of the Chicago 7* (2020, Netflix) – I’m sufficiently old enough to remember the riots in Chicago in 1968, as the Yippies, the SDS, the Black Panthers and other groups tried (and succeeded) in attracting attention outside the nearby Democratic National Convention. This movie by Aaron Sorkin, a master of dialog, focuses on the trial of seven organizers of the protests to the war in Vietnam. These protestors – Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and the others – were arrested on charges of conspiracy, even though they didn’t know each other and didn’t do any planning together. They were in Chicago to protest peacefully and get droves of people to voice their discontent without violence. But the Chicago PD, under Mayor Daley, had other ideas. Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen, who is terrific here) and Rubin opposed the war, like to smoke pot and were not about to get violent. Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne) was very political and wanted to make an antiwar statement. The trial was unconventional to say the least. Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella) was as much of a character as the fictional judge played by Fred Gwynne in “My Cousin Vinnie.” This movie is a flashback to a different kind of protesting. 4 cans.
