I watched a bunch of movies in December to finish the year off strong. My goal is 12 per month, but I’m always happy to reach 150. I topped out at 162 in 2018, but I also included some TV shows and series that I enjoyed and wanted to share. First, here are my Top 10 Favorites (this does not mean the BEST movies of the year, since this list subjectively reflects just my opinion). That list is followed by a few movies notable for being really BAD, and then the list of what I watched in December. That list is followed by the complete 2018 list. Movies marked with an asterisk are ones I had not previously seen, and the rating scale used is 1-5 (highest) cans of tuna. Here’s to more good viewing in 2019.
TOP 10 FAVORITES
Green Book
A Star is Born
Three Identical Strangers
Black Panther
Young Victoria
RBG
Mudbound
Orange Is the New Black
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Springsteen on Broadway & Ellen Degeneres: Relatable (tied)
THE WORST:
Snatched (Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn)
Life of the Party (Melissa McCarthy as a mother-undergrad)
THE LEAST FAVORITE:
The Favourite (not mine!)
December
140. Creed II* (2018) – “Creed II” is a worthy successor not only to the first “Creed,” but also to its parent franchise, the “Rocky” series. But the tide shifts here, as Rocky himself (still played by Sylvester Stallone) is subjugated to a diminished but still inspiring role as the aging former champ who mentors Adonis Creed (an aptly named character; wait until you get a look at the transformed physique of star Michael B. Jordan) as he tries to even the score in taking on Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the Russian boxer who killed Adonis’ father, Apollo. Still with me? This is the beginning of a new franchise, where Adonis becomes a husband and father (Tessa Thompson plays his wife) and their world is not the impoverished Philadelphia where Rocky lives. Adonis has his own motivation, but he can’t win without his beloved “Unc,” Rocky. Stallone swears this is his last run as Rocky, but I won’t buy it until they kill him off (on-screen or off). There are brutal boxing scenes, a hallmark of the series, comebacks, underdogs, revenge – all the usual elements, and all delivered with heart. “Creed II” packs a punch. 4 cans.
141. Love, Actually (2003) – No holiday would be complete without at least one airing of this delightful charmer, an intertwined story of people finding (and losing) love. From kids with crushes to Prime Ministers and their assistants, this movie has become one of my favorite holiday movies. Why waste time on Hallmark when you can watch Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Kiera Knightly, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson and more at work? Just watching Mr. Bean wrap a gift is worth the price of admission (and it is free on Netflix!). Plus, it features my favorite Christmas tune, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” I promise you will love it, actually. 4½ cans.
142. Always at the Carlyle* (2018) – This loving tribute to New York’s swankiest hotel takes viewers behind the scenes of the classic Carlyle, with its masterful art, its Bemelmen’s Bar, its Café Carlyle (and performers such as Bobby Short) and a staff that has served important and wealthy guests for decades. We meet everyone from the general manager to the elevator operators (yes, they still have them), to the seamstress who embroiders the name of the guest on his or her pillowcases. Known for its discretion in protecting the privacy of its celebrity clientele, the Carlyle offers a personalized hotel experience for repeat guests like George Clooney and his wife Amal (he is interviewed on camera while the staff insists he is their favorite guest), tennis champion Roger Federer, singer Lenny Kravitz, actress Angelica Houston (whose former boyfriend Jack Nicholson charmed the staff by calling each of them by name), actor Bill Murray, the late Anthony Bourdain and many more. It is nice to know that in this digital world, there are still elegant places with old-world charm and service. I’m pretty sure I’ll never spring for a $10K a night room there, so this free trip was the closest I’ll get! 3½ cans.
143. Rocky Balboa* (2006) – Having just seen “Creed II,” I wanted to complete the entire “Rocky” saga by watching the only movie in the series that I had never seen. Here an aging Rocky (Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote and directed) is having trouble adjusting to life without purpose – and without his late, beloved wife, Adrian). He’s squabbling with his buddy Pauly, who wants to move on, and he has a fractured relationship with his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), a twenty-something who wants to be someone known for more than being the Champ’s kid. He’s not fulfilled telling the same stories every night at the restaurant he owns that he named after Adrian. He’s made friends with a woman working at a bar and maybe something will come of that, but meanwhile, what’s a fighter to do but fight? So Rocky looks for some small-scale matches with local talent and, before he can fight anyone, he is approached to fight the World Champion, Mason Dixon (Stallone has always been great with characters’ names) in what Dixon and his handlers figure will be a glorified exhibition for the Champ. Rocky goes into the ring to win – after the obligatory training scenes and one more run up those iconic steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Does our man win or lose? You know he will give it his all. This was the least impressive movie of the series, but you just have to love Rocky, a man with loyalty, persistence and heart. 3½ cans.
144. Spielberg (2017) – This superb documentary covers the life and work of filmmaker Steven Spielberg, the man responsible for creating some of the best-known and best movies of our time. Think “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Jaws,” “ET,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Saving Private Ryan,” to name just a few. His fascination with film started when he was just a boy. His imagination and immense talent in story-telling illustrates a theme of loneliness and abandonment by a parent in many of his movies. Although I am not an aficionado of works like “Indiana Jones,” I admire and respect Spielberg for brining such diverse entertainment to the screen. 4 cans and a few Oscars.
145. Doubt (2008) – There is no doubt that this provocative film makes the viewer think and wonder, and, while now 10 years old, its themes are very contemporary. Meryl Streep is the tough and feisty nun who is the principal of Catholic school in Boston. Her unrelenting adherence to the traditional ways of teaching make it tough on the students as well as the staff. The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman is a priest new to the parish who has a lighter, friendlier touch. He even has the temerity to suggest that secular songs be included in the Christmas pageant. But the real issue is his involvement with the one black student, a lonely boy who Father Flynn takes under his wing. Is he really interested in the boy’s welfare, or is his interest more nefarious? Young, innocent and idealistic nun Sister James (Amy Adams) thinks she has observed behavior that is inappropriate and when she talks to Sister Aloysius to express her concerns, the older woman delves into the matter. Who should be believed? The boy’s mother (Viola Davis) just wants him to get through the school year, but the Sister has her doubts. Not a fun movie to watch, but one that shows the acting chops of all the characters, with Streep and Hoffman at the top of their games. 4 cans.
146. The Favourite* (2018) – I should have known when I immediately took a dislike to the design and typeface used for the credits of this black comedy that I wouldn’t like the movie. And I didn’t. I will give it credit for phenomenal acting. Olivia Coleman as Queen Anne of England isn’t afraid to look horrible and throw up on camera, and Rachel Weisz as her close friend and aide Sarah (who is much more the Queen than the Queen) and Emma Stone as a former woman of status who is now just a sneaky woman in waiting – waiting for the others to die – are superb. The sets and costumes were magnificent. But if we are awarding points for gratuitous sex, nudity and general debauchery, this one ranks high up on the scale. My friend and I found it beyond bizarre. I haven’t seen this much vomiting in a movie since “Animal House,” and that was on Dean Wormer’s desk. The plot, such as it is, involves the women vying for the affection and advantages of being top dog to the Queen. I must admit that it makes political figures look like crazy, incompetent sycophants, and that seems timely, but overall, I was ready to walk out. You will find much more favorable reviews than mine, but I have to say that “The Favourite” was not my favorite movie of the year. 1 can.
147. Springsteen On Broadway* (2018) – Thank you, Netflix, for the gift I could not buy for myself. I tried entering the ticket lottery to see Bruce on Broadway, but to no avail. So now Netflix has saved me hundreds of dollars and a trip into the city to see Bruce tell his story – much of which he revealed in his autobiography – and punctuate this tale with a smattering of relevant songs. I cannot even imagine the intimacy and electricity in the audience when Bruce talks about retrieving his father from the local bar or tells us how his mother, now seven years into Alzheimer’s, still dances around when she hears music. This is a Jersey boy, raised in a blue collar town, telling stories of cars he couldn’t drive and jobs he’s never held with a gritty reality that seems absolutely genuine. He performs all but two songs by himself, with wife Patty Scialfa joining him on stage. I was so transfixed, I didn’t even miss the huge, iconic sound of the E Street Band backing him up. Bruce bares his soul and makes you feel he is talking just to the people in that room. Well-played, Bruce. 4½ cans.
148. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Season 2* (2018) – The Emmy-winning Amazon comedy is back for season 2, and while I welcomed seeing Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager Suzy (Alex Borstin) again, I chafed a bit from the rest of the family this time around. Midge’s mother flies off to Paris to arouse some attention from her self-centered husband in episode 1, and their obnoxious behavior and frenzied dialog set the tone for a season fraught with the rise of the secondary characters. Midge is undecided – or uncommitted – to her career as a stand-up comedian for the first half of the new episodes. She won’t even tell her family where she goes at night when she is performing at comedy clubs. Her estranged husband Joel, on the other hand, has given up on his attempt at comedy (good choice, Joel) and now works for his father’s garment business with his faithful secretary, the estimable Mrs. Moskowitz, at his side (she was one secondary character who was neither over-written or overplayed). Maybe I liked last season better, when the characters, the premise and the concept of the show were shiny and new. Or maybe it was just a sophomore slump, but this season year fell short of last year’s burst onto the scene. It was good, and you should watch it, but I felt it was better last year. 3½ cans.
149. Ellen DeGeneres – Relatable* (2018) – Can a self-admitted multimillionaire with a sprawling house and servants and a 16-year old talk show still be relatable to her audience? If she’s Ellen, absolutely. Like the rest of us, she doesn’t appreciate slow drivers, she scoffs at the trend towards a menagerie of “support animals” found on airplanes, and she squeezes every last bit of toothpaste out of the tube – even if she has to use her American Express Gold Card to do it. She loves to dance to her favorite songs (this after admitting she never should have started dancing every day on her show), but only on the designated dance floor. She admits to feeling constricted by her reputation as “that “kind” girl, so she has to act a certain way in public, and she tells stories about how she and everyone who was associated with her “coming out” episode of her sitcom was shunned by Hollywood (she claims she had no money and didn’t work for years after the revelation). But she is so appealing in an everywoman way, it doesn’t matter if she has her butler serve her chunks of pineapple or if she swears she never sits past row 10 on a plane (all of which is meant to illustrate her affluence). She hasn’t done stand-up for 15 years, and this Netflix special reminds me just how much I have missed her. 4 cans and a standing 0.
150. Home Alone (1999) – On the heels of a very clever parody of this Christmas “classic” currently making the Internet rounds, starring a grown-up Kevin McAllister (Macauley Culkin), I thought it would be time to revisit the original. You can look at this movie as a prime example of bad parenting, with young Kevin’s overwrought parents taking off for the holidays with their unruly brood and “accidentally” neglecting to assure the full headcount, as they depart without their 7-year-old energetic and challenging son. Kevin is left to outplay, outlast and outwit would-be – but inept – burglars, which he does through ingenious ways to make them think he is anything but alone in that big house. I’m not a fan of slapstick, but this movie – overlooking its neglect and possible child abuse – is funny. Credit goes to Culkin himself, with just the right amount of ham in him, and to the late director, John Hughes, who had a distinctive touch working with kids and teenagers. It is mostly harmless and mostly amusing, and although it isn’t a Christmas movie on the order of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it is holiday viewing at its silliest. 3½ cans.
151. The Mule* (2018) – It’s not much of a stretch for Clint Eastwood to play a guy in his late 80s these days, and he devoted minimal effort to be convincing here as Earl Stone. Earl is a failed husband and father, a veteran who devoted too much time and effort to his flower business at the expense of his family, driving all over the country without any moving violations. Those qualities are appealing to a local drug cartel, and Earl is approached about doing some driving to transport huge amounts of drugs. He just has to haul drugs to collect his cash, a lucrative and easy job for a guy who has few ties to tempt him to stay home. Bradley Cooper is a DEA agent looking to crack the cartel, but can he catch the “mule” and make a big name for himself? Based on a real story. If Eastwood were any more low-key you would have to check him for a pulse. A different story with more than a few platitudes about the importance of putting family first, but worth the trip – pun intended – to see it. 3½ cans.
152. Long Shot* (2017) – In this intriguing Netflix documentary, Dodger fan Juan Catalan is enjoying a game with his daughter when, after the game ends, he is accused of attacking a killing a young woman in the vicinity. One eye witness’ description leads to a sketch of a man who resembles Juan, and that’s enough for police to try to make a case against him. But if you think Juan was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he wasn’t. His guilt or innocence hinges on footage shot that day at the game for “The Larry David Show” on HBO, and his attorney his determine to put though every frame to see if he can place Juan at the game. Yes, it is a long shot, but will it work? This is a short movie and it easily held my interest. 3 strikes and he was almost out.
153. The Children Act* (2017) – British High Court Judge Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson) is the sole of efficiency, ruling over complex legal cases with a thorough understanding of the law and empathy for the parties involved. She is so dedicated to her profession that she completely disregards neglected husband Jack (Stanley Tucci), who reminds her of their loveless marriage by declaring he wants to have an affair. But she is more concerned with the heart-wrenching case of Adam, a 17-year old boy (Fionn Whitehead) dying of leukemia whose Jehovah Witness family will not allow him to have a needed blood transfusion. She has to follow the law and protect the child, whose medical situation becomes just part of the story. Thompson is strong and wise and a bit perplexed by this case and its aftermath. This is a quiet and surprising story that is made that much better by the magnificent Thompson. 3½ cans.
154. In & Out (1997) – Greenleaf, Indiana, is shaken to its mushy core when beloved English teacher Howard Bracket is outed by a former student during his Oscar acceptance speech. After all, Bracket (the immensely talented Kevin Kline) is just about to marry his long-time love Emily (the underrated Joan Cusack), so he can’t possibly be gay. Or could he? There is his Barbra Streisand fetish, the fact that he picked out Emily’s bridal gown, and the three-year engagement and wait before, well, never mind. When TV reporter Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck) comes to town to cover the story, Howard is less sure about himself than ever. I don’t want to reveal the plot of this comedy gem, but Cusack gets off two of the best lines. There is a treasure trove of supporting actors – Debbie Reynolds, Wilfred Brimley, Bob Newhart, Matt Dillon as the actor who gets the rumor mill cranking – but Cusack steals the show. I hope none of my gay friends find the humor here offensive, because I think this movie is hilarious. 4 cans.
155. Dave (1993) – This political comedy was my Kevin Kline double feature of the day. Here Kline is Dave, a doppelganger for evil President Bill Mitchell, who has suffered a debilitating stroke. The President’s mem (Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn) don’t want to surrender their power by having the VP (Ben Kingsley) take over, so they enlist Dave to take his place. It would all work out except that Dave is a good guy who doesn’t want to cut funding for children and who can find ways to save money in the budget that the president’s men have padded to work their way. Even the first Lady (Sigourney Weaver), who is estranged from Mitchell but stuck in her role, doesn’t catch on at first. Can good overcome evil? What will all the President’s men do? There’s a bit of Jimmy Stewart’s “Mr. Deeds Goes to Washington” sentimentality here, but Kline is so amiable and so naïve in his quest to do the right thing, that the movie can be very heartwarming. 3½ cans.
156. The Producers (2005) – The inspired lunacy of Mel Brooks is on delightful display in this musical comedy about Broadway producers Bialystock and Bloom (Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick), who concoct a scheme to find the worst Broadway show ever, open on Broadway with investors’ money and epically fail so the show immediately closes and they reap the rewards. And in “Springtime for Hitler,” they seem to have found the perfect failure. I’ve seen this one before (including the original Zero Mostel-Gene Wilder version as well as the musical on Broadway) and I love the story, the songs and dances, the performances and the chutzpah of Brooks to highlight the humor he finds in what had always been an unmentionable period of history that lacked any degree of humor. But leave it to Brooks. Their musical is so repugnant and people are so completely shocked, that they don’t get the joke and fall for it, killing the producers’ hopes and dreams of failure. Funny, funny stuff. 4 cans.
157. Stepmom (1998) – Susan Sarandon is Jackie, the perfect mother of two, divorced from Luke (Ed Harris) and loathing Isabel (Julia Roberts, who has never looked better than she does here), the attractive, independent woman he is dating. The kids are precocious, Jackie is passive-aggressive, Isabel is kind-hearted but no shrinking violet, and Luke is never around. Finding her place in a family where she is resented isn’t easy for Isabel, and Jackie’s disdain doesn’t help. This is a beautifully filmed movie that tugs on my heartstrings. The kids in the movie – Jena Malone and Liam Aiken – are outstanding. 4 cans.
158. A Christmas Story (1988) –Clever and warm, chock full of reminiscing, this classic is one I eagerly watch every Christmas Eve. Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas, but he’ll shoot his eye out, warns every adult in his life. There’s the scene with the hideous lamp, the kid who gets his tongue frozen to the lamppost, Ralphie getting his mouth washed out with a bar of soap (he prefers Lux) for using the ultimate bad word, the turkey going to the dogs and the scene in the Chinese restaurant. I no longer laugh out loud, but each year I marvel at the wit and wisdom of the writer, Jean Shepherd, in providing this view of growing up in a small town in the “good old” days. 4 cans.
159. Second Act* (2018) – Jennifer Lopez is Maya, a high school dropout who is smart enough to have built a career in a discount store with her ingenious marketing ideas. But when she is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she quits and lets her godson create a resume for her that makes her too good to be true. She gets a new job and a new life (minus her boyfriend Trey, played by Milo Ventimiglia), where she has to compete with the owner’s daughter (Vanessa Hudgens). This movie is a little too full of coincidences and storylines, but Lopez is so good trying not to be Jenny from the block that she wins you over. There are splashes of “Working Girl” evident here, and things work out a bit too well, but J-Lo is far too likable on screen to discount the movie. The best chemistry is reserved for Maya’s BFF Joan (Leah Remini, her bestie in real life), who riff off each other and keep the humor light and laughable. This isn’t on the list of top movies of the year, but it is one worth watching. J-Lo is drop dead gorgeous here. 3½ cans.
160. Ben Is Back* (2018) – Julia Roberts’ megawatt grin is missing here and replaced by a face full of fear and anguish as she deals with her drug-addicted son (played by Lucas Hedges) who is unexpectantly home from rehab and trying to avoid the triggers that could sabotage his recovery. This is a good movie, with outstanding acting, but it is hardly light and cheery holiday fare. Roberts is fierce and determined as she fights desperately to keep her son from his addictive behaviors. This is the second movie I have seen this year about young adults battling addiction (the other one is “Beautiful Boy”) and the parents who are desperate to help them. Not a fun movie, but kudos to the actors. 3½ cans.
161. Life of the Party* (2018) – The only good thing about this ridiculous comedy is that I didn’t pay money to see it in a theater. But I’m telling you, if Melissa McCarthy doesn’t stop making these over-the-top pieces of sheer dreck, she will find her career going the way of Shelley Long’s. This movie is practically science fiction: A soon-to-be divorced mother decides to finish her long-delayed undergraduate degree at the college where her daughter is a senior and the daughter and all her sorority sisters welcome the bedazzled mom with open arms. Mom hooks up with a cute guy at a fraternity party, has sex with him in the stacks at the library and parties like it’s 1989. On what planet is Mom welcome to hang with the sorority sisters? And how is her bouffant hairdo converted to a decent ‘do with a few brush strokes? Sorry, Melissa, I’m not buying it. And I am glad I didn’t. 0 cans.
162. If You Build It* (2014) – In this documentary, designer Emily and her partner Matt, an architect, propose an interesting approach to improving a small North Carolina town by teaching high school students how to design and build practical structures and letting them develop new skills. The Board of Education is all for it, but they don’t have the funds to pay the teachers, who take the challenge anyway, surviving on grants to cover expenses. The kids – none of whom previously were eager to attend school – thrive under their instruction and take on everything from building chicken coops to a farmers’ market in the economically-deprived town. Watching the kids embrace education is rewarding. The area might be in better hands with more of Emily and Matt and less of the administrators and officials who run the town. 2½ cans.
FULL MOVIE LIST 2018
JANUARY
1. Coffee Shop* (2014) – Donovan Turner (Laura Vandervoort) is renowned for her ability to match the perfect blend of coffee for customers in her charming coffee shop, but she isn’t quite as good at finding a match for her own love life. When her boyfriend moved to Chicago, she passed up the chance to leave her hometown and the shop she started at age 19 to stay home and serve the eclectic group of regulars. She prepares for dates by studying her potential mate, but to no avail. Then cute playwright Ben (Cory Grant) walks into her shop and orders a cup of tea. They immediately clash, which is always a sign that a couple is destined for each other. Donovan’s business isn’t much better than her love life, as the new banker in town is about to foreclose on her property. Then the old boyfriend shows up and things get complicated. This little trifle, which I watched on Netflix, is my idea of a Lifetime movie – attractive actors, pretty setting, no violence – and not much worth recommending. My quality of movies can only go up from here! 2 cans.
2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel* (2017) – This Amazon TV series is just as its title exclaims: Marvelous. Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) is a young housewife and mother living on the upper West Side of NY with her businessman husband Joel (Michael Zegen), an aspiring stand-up comedian. She is so supportive of his sideline venture that she makes briskets to bribe the Gaslight Club manager Susie (Alex Borstein) into giving him a better timeslot. They live the good life, with a great apartment in a building with a doorman and an elevator operator, where her parents also reside, and there is nothing but bliss destined for their future. Until, that is, when Joel – who steals Bob Newhart’s material and is nowhere near as good in delivering it – becomes the ultimate cliché, dumping Midge for his bland secretary. Midge goes to the Gaslight and rants about him and a star is born. This absolutely delightful series is a tour de force for Brosnahan, and, not surprisingly (based on the speed with which the dialog is delivered), is created by Amy Sherman Palladino of “Gilmore Girls” fame. The action takes place in the late 50s and has an authentic look and feel, helped immeasurably by the sets, the pointy bras, and the wonderful casting (Tony Shaloub as Abe, Midge’s father, and Marin Hinckle as her very proper Jewish mother). Was Miriam really destined to be content serving spectacular Yom Kippur dinners or is comedy her destiny? I will definitely be sticking around to find out. 4½ cans.
3. Castaway (2007) – I have to see this movie at least once a year, and what better time to watch than on a freezing cold day in January? Tom Hanks is Chuck Nolan, loyal FedEx employee whose plane goes down somewhere in the Pacific, and he spends the next four years on an isolated island, learning to make fire, provide for all of his sustenance, and, remarkably, somehow wearing the tattered, last threads of his pants. Hanks, with minimal dialog on the island beyond his conversations with Wilson, the volleyball he adopts as his BFF, gives a memorable performance. What keeps him alive aside from his ability to capture fish and eat coconuts is his love for his girlfriend, Kelly (Helen Hunt). Will he ever get off that island, and will love conquer all? I love this movie, their relationship and Chuck’s sheer will to survive. Great movie. 5 cans.
4. The Post* (2017) – Today’s headline: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg support freedom of the press. Katherine Graham (Streep), real-life publisher of The Washington Post, is in a bind in 1971. Her newspaper, the family business passed from her father to her husband Philip and onto Katherine upon her husband’s suicide, is about to go public. At the same time, editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks) senses that his rival, The New York Times, is working on a major story and he refuses to get aced out. The story is major, alright: It is the Times’ publishing of “The Pentagon Papers,” a voluminous government-sponsored report on the history of US involvement in the Vietnam war, revealing secrets and lies by US government officials all the way back to Harry S Truman. The government, now headed by President Richard Nixon, is furious when the report’s author, Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys), divulges the contents, and the feds sue the Times, potentially preventing all other newspapers from publishing the story without risking jail time. When Bradlees’ reporters get a copy of the Pentagon Papers, they are ready and eager to publish, but it is up to Graham to pull the trigger. Will she risk the government’s wrath, the unraveling of her deal to issue an initial public offering to recapitalize the paper, AND her close friendship with former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara by letting Bradlee’s bunch proceed? This movie speaks to the often contentious relationship between the government and the media at a particularly appropriate time in our current history, when the media is decried and labeled fake by the president. The media is portrayed here as heroic, and perhaps a little sanctimonious, but, as President John Kennedy said, “Even though we never like it, and even though we wish they didn't write it, and even though we disapprove, there isn't any doubt that we could not do the job at all in a free society without a very, very active press.” 4 cans.
5. God’s Pocket* (2014) – With a box office take of just $1 million, I think it is safe to say that virtually NO ONE saw this independent film. The action takes place in a close knit section of Philadelphia called God’s Pocket, where the locals trust no one not born and raised in their very lower class neighborhood. Philip Seymour Hoffman is Mick, a guy who earns a living collecting debts and is barely scraping by. The guy doesn’t have much luck to begin with, and things only get worse when the low-life nut job son of his wife Jeannie (Christina Hendricks) dies in an industrial accident – or at least that’s what the foreman tells the cops who are called to investigate. But Jeannie isn’t buying it. Mick has to come up with enough dough to pay for the funeral but he doesn’t help his own cause when he takes the money collected at the local watering hole and blows it on a horse that doesn’t finish in the money. Meanwhile, a local reporter (Richard Jenkins), who is a good writer but too lazy to do any real work, finds out that the death may not have been an accident and starts his research by bedding the grieving mother. Huh? There are vague attempts at humor here, and the acting is quite good, but the misery is relentless for Mick and nobody in this neck of the woods is going to have a happy ending. If this were really God’s pocket, He would be better off emptying it. 2 cans, mostly for Hoffman’s fine work.
6. Phantom Thread* (2018) – Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day Lewis) is a fastidious man who presides over his house of dressmaking in a brooding and meticulous manner. Anything that upsets his routine can set him off – an unexpected appointment request, buttering bread with excessive sound, someone else chewing. Yet, when he sees awkward waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps) at work, he is smitten and he drafts her to be his muse. He then alternately adores and ignores her, always giving priority to his work. His business partner is his taciturn sister (Leslie Manville), who is accustomed to his eccentricities, even if she has the audacity to ask him for a schedule change as he eats his breakfast. His business is a well-oiled machine, staffed by loyal and dedicated seamstresses who silently deliver on his creations to keep the rich and important people looking well turned out. But Alma chafes at being overlooked. She wants to be Reynolds’ partner in life, and she devises a clever and dangerous way to avoid being ignored and achieve her ambitions. Yes, he sews messages into the garments, but that is just a way to demonstrate his attention to detail. This is a sumptuous feast for the eyes and ears and provides a story unlike any other I have seen. I can’t say I loved the clothes, but the movie rates 4 cans. Just don’t eat the mushrooms.
7. Kinsey* (2002) – I don’t know what on earth I was thinking when I selected this movie about renowned sex researcher Albert Kinsey (Liam Neeson). It was graphic enough to make me uncomfortable, but maybe that’s the point – that people would rather practice sex than talk about it. Kinsey set about collecting detailed information about the sexual habits of man, asking for all kinds of data to support his research. Just as I wouldn’t want to ride on a train with Neeson, I sure wouldn’t want to take his test. 1 can.
8. Venus & Serena* (2012) – This documentary takes a look at the Williams sisters, certainly the most celebrated siblings in their – and maybe any other – sport. Footage shows the competitive duo as kids up through 2012. Venus, the older sister, comes across as less intense than Serena, who is done no favors by the inclusion of several incidents where she harshly berates officials. Both women are 5-time Wimbledon champions, but this is not just about winning. It is about what it takes to get there, with plenty of tough training, facing illnesses (Venus with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease, and Serena with blood clots on her lungs). To be the best you have to face challenges, and to stay on top is more difficult that you can imagine. These two support each other, set records for doubles victories, and have won every major tennis tournament. It is said that Serena is not only the best female tennis player in history, but certainly one of the best players period, and Venus is not far behind. A fascinating study of two champions. 3½ cans.
9. Mudbound* (2018) – Of all the movies I have seen recently, this film ranks as one of the best. The characters here are quite literally stuck in the mud, farming in Mississippi, where the rain can wash out the crops, roads and bridges. Laura McAllan (Carey Mulligan) is stuck in a marriage to Henry (Jason Clarke), an unappealing guy who isn’t smart enough to make a good living as a farmer. He relies on Hap Jackson (Rob Morgan), a proud black pastor, and his stoic wife Florence (Mary G. Blige, who has been nominated for an Oscar) to sharecrop the fields. Henry’s brother Jamie (Garrett Hedlund) goes off to fight in WWII, as does Ronsel (Jason Mitchell), son of Hap and Florence. Ronsel is a pilot, a decorated hero, who becomes fast friends with Jamie when the vets return to their families. But this is still the era of Jim Crow, and when some low-life white person demands that Ronsel exit a store through the back door, the young war hero isn’t about to exchange pleasantries. Ronsel is hunted by McAllan patriarch Pappy (Jonathan Banks) and his sheet-wearing friends just because of the color of his skin. This is not an easy movie to watch, and, while it is not quite up to the level of last year’s Oscar-winner, “Moonlight,” it evoked similar themes about society, discrimination and class. There is terror and there is kindness; there is empathy and hatred. This film is primarily available on Netflix, and only in a few theaters, so grab a seat on the couch and be prepared for its ugliness and its beauty. 4 cans.
10. A United Kingdom* (2017) – This movie is about a kingdom that is not at all united. Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) is the nephew of the current ruler of Botswana and has been preparing for his ascension to the throne by continuing his education in Great Britain. There he meets the lovely Ruth (Rosamund Pike), and the two fall in love and marry, much to the consternation of her white family and his black, African family, as well as the British authorities who rule over the country. And the people of his country will have to accept a white, British woman as their queen. They move to his native country, but the Brits set him up to return to England and to be banished from his homeland. His wife is accepted by the people and declares that she plans to stay in Botswana, while Seretse pursues diplomatic means to return and become the ruler. The Brits in authority are smug and uncooperative, until Seretse discovers that his native land may be a rich repository for diamonds. Can he get back to his homeland and succeed his uncle as the ruler? This movie, based on a true story, shows the issues with apartheid, problems with developing countries and foreign rule. 3 cans.
11. The Young Victoria (2009) – Since I am currently watching season 2 of the PBS series “Victoria,” I thought I’d stay immersed in 19th century British Royalty with this drama about the ascension of the teenaged Victoria (Emily Blunt, looking strikingly regal) to the throne. Her biggest obstacle is her age as she prepares to succeed her childless uncle, the King. Her domineering mother and her advisor treat her like a child, even forbidding her from walking down a staircase without taking the hand of her mother or governess. When Victoria’s “promotion” comes through, she relies heavily on the advice of the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany) to guide her. She grows into the role, defying the wishes of her family by falling for her German cousin Albert (Rupert Friend) instead of marrying her cousin George (and what’s with all these kissing cousins?). The PBS series as more detail and depth, but this film more than adequately covers an interesting period in the monarchy. 4 cans.
12. Private Benjamin (1980) – Can it be 38 years since Goldie Hawn burst onto the scene as spoiled Judy Benjamin? The film opens with the lavish wedding of 28-year old Judy and her lawyer husband Yale (Albert Brooks), followed almost immediately by his funeral following a lethal heart attack suffered on their wedding night. Distraught and snookered by a clever Army recruiter, Judy signs up for active duty, but her perception of the Army is not quite the reality. This movie needs no plot summary. Suffice to say that Hawn is engaging and adorable, there are hilarious lines my friends and I still quote to this day, and the scene of Private Benjamin and her squad dancing in the barracks to Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” is reason enough to watch it. Kudos to Eileen Brennan for her role as the tough drill sergeant who tries to get Benjamin to go home to Mom and Dad. 4 cans.
FEBRUARY
13. The Shape of Water* (2018) – This movie is “Beauty and the Beast” in an aquarium. You know, the usual girl meets monster and falls in love fare. It is part sci-fi, part fantasy, part love story and, to me, all strange. Sally Hawkins plays a mute woman who falls in love with a sea creature captured for study by the government. There are bad guys (Michael Shannon) and helpful foreign agents and best friends (Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer, playing the prototypical Octavia Spencer role). I jumped more than a few times, laughed while wondering if parts were intended to evoke humor, and felt some real empathy for an impossible and implausible situation. I don’t do well suspending my sense of reality, and I still don’t know the shape of water. This film received 13 Oscar nominations, but it is just not my cup of tea. 3½ cans.
14. Mother’s Day* (2016) – Jennifer Anniston is sure that her ex-husband (Timothy Oliphant) wants to rekindle their relationship – that is, until he tells her that he has married a much younger woman. Julia Roberts plays a successful businesswoman always selling her wares on HSN, and Kristin (Britt Robertson) is looking for her real mother. Go ahead, draw your own conclusion. Jason Sudekis plays a man whose wife died a year ago and he is trying to raise their daughters and get over his loss. Kate Hudson, Margo Martindale and others fill out the cast. This movie is one of those productions that sets up separate but overlapping stories filled with stars and tries to make a plot work. This one more or less succeeds, but certainly not on the order of the best of the bunch, “Love, Actually.” Nicely done but hardly memorable. 3 cans.
15. Cinema Paradiso (1990) – Nothing like a good movie – about movies – on a nasty, rainy day. Young Toto lives in a sleepy Sicilian village during WWII, where the biggest (and apparently only) activity is going to the movies. Toto becomes the protégé of grumpy Alfredo (Phillippe Noiret), the aging projectionist at the Cinema Paradiso. Over the years, the boy grows into a young man and takes over the projectionist job and becomes even more enamored of movies. The beautiful relationship between the lonely boy and the fatherly, gruff man is the core of this film, with both sharing their love of cinema and of the Cinema Paradiso. I cannot get through this movie without having a big lump in my throat and a few tears running down my cheeks. It is in Italian with subtitles, but well worth reading. See it. You’ll thank me. 4½ cans.
16. Summer of ’42 – 15-year old buddies Hermie, Oscky and Benji are spending the summer on an island, hanging out and trying to understand the mysteries of sex when Hermie (Gary Grimes) falls hard for a stunning young woman (Jennifer O’Neill) whose husband has shipped off to war. This poignant coming-of-age movie builds to a climax that Hermie will never forget. A beautiful, sad movie with a haunting score and a realistic view of teenaged boys in all of their goofy, hormone-fueled ways. 4 cans.
17. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) – Here’s the thing about Breakfast at Tiffany’s: You can throw out the plot and just listen to the engaging score by Henry Mancini (“Moon River” won the Oscar for Best Song) or you can simply feast your eyes on the stunning Audrey Hepburn, the icon of style in her Givenchy clothes. Who cares that her Holly Golightly supports herself thanks to the kindness of men who are not exactly strangers? Or that, like her nameless cat, the woman herself has no real identity beyond being an attractive New Yorker with a penchant for rich men and the baubles of her favorite store, Tiffany’s? Or that she refuses to admit she cares for her attractive neighbor, Paul (George Peppard) because she cannot commit to anything? She insists on calling Paul, a minor author with major aspirations, by the name of her beloved brother, Fred. She gallivants around swanky parties, befriending those who can help her sustain her lifestyle, which, just based on the gorgeous clothing, requires substantial investment. This movie is a comedy/drama, with Hepburn as the bon vivant Holly, and yet there is an overarching sadness to this woman who has moved beyond her past and won’t invest in her own future. This is Hepburn’s shining moment, and she dominates every second she is on the screen. It is worth watching the movie just to see her sport a pair of sunglasses and an oversized hat. So don’t look for plotlines here. I’m just dazzled by the stylishness of the character and the actress who plays her. 4 cans.
18. A Family Man* (2016) – I have seen too many movies that depict the office environment as a cutthroat workplace populated by immoral and unfeeling people who compete with each other to assure their respective futures. Think “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Up in the Air,” “Miss Sloan” and “Wall Street.” This one falls right into that genre. Dane Jensen (Gerard Butler) is a headhunter who commandeers a bunch of guys (the only woman in sight is his rival for the next promotion) looking for companies to help fill positions. They don’t care about ruining careers or helping people. They care about scoring, even ringing a bell when they make a fat-fee placement. Dane’s kids know he is always on the phone and working, so they are used to his missing bedtime, storytime and Halloween. His absence angers his wife (Gretchen Moll), but he defends himself with the argument that he is doing it all for his family. So when his son gets seriously ill and he finds himself suddenly having to rearrange his priorities, it isn’t easy for anyone. It takes his son – who describes his father’s job as “he helps other fathers get jobs so they can help their families” – and one older engineer who he just can’t seem to place to give him much needed respective. 3½ cans.
19. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) – The year 1939 was a great one for movies. “Gone With the Wind,” “Goodbye Mr. Chips,” “Dark Victory,” “Of Mice and Men” and “Love Affair” were all released that year. Although this one is now approaching 80 years old, it seemed the perfect movie to watch with our current political climate. Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) is an honest and naïve guy who ends up appointed to a vacant Senate seat because the political machine in his home state assumes they can push him around and continue the graft and corruption that has made them rich at taxpayers’ expense. When he proposes a bill to use land for a National Boys camp, they frame him for fraud, and the wet-behind-the ears senator (who they keep referring to as a boy despite the requirement that a senator must be at least 35!) gets a tough lesson in government and politics. To me, the flaw in the film is that he doesn’t speak up fast enough or fervently enough to prevent expulsion until it is very late in the game, when only a filibuster on the floor of the Senate will help him win support. This being a Frank Capra film, it has a happy ending, and I guess if it weren’t constructed that way it might have been much shorter and less celebratory. Nonetheless, a classic for Stewart and for American moviemaking. 4 cans.
20. Icarus* (2017) – I admire documentary makers. They have an idea, often have to do dogged research to get the footage they need and sometimes their efforts are in vain because the story doesn’t always end the way they planned. In this case, that’s not such a bad thing. Bryan Fogel, a very serious amateur cyclist, inspired by the Lance Armstrong doping denials that he eventually admitted were true, set out to start his own doping program to demonstrate how the use of performance enhancing drugs could improve his own performance in a demanding bike race. Somewhere along the way he encountered Russian doping expert Grigory Rodchenkov and enlisted his aid. And that’s when the movie became a mystery/thriller. Grigory is a shadowy Russian figure who is an expert not only on setting up a program of drug use to improve performance, but also an expert on how to avoid getting caught on tests to determine whether athletes are “clean.” Armstrong was right when he insisted he never failed a drug test, because there are ways – such as swapping test samples with clean urine – to get rid of the evidence. Grigory reveals a massive Russian conspiracy to have every athlete use drugs, and despite close supervision by world doping officials, to avoid detection. Many Russian officials were involved, including the KGB. Although we never learn how Fogel fared in his big race, we sure know much more about the science of doping. 3½ cans.
21. The DUFF* (2015) – One thing is certain in high schools of every generation: There will always be a hierarchy. There are the popular kids, the jocks, the brainy kids and the kids who are overlooked. If your best girlfriends are the pretty, popular ones and the boys come and talk to YOU because they want information on THEM, you might just be the DUFF – Designated Ugly Fat Friend. Bianca (Mae Whitman) finds she is in the DUFF role from her next door neighbor, high school heartthrob Wes (Robbie Amell), the class jock who dates Queen Madison (Bella Throne in the bitch role). Wes promises to help Bianca step up her game if she’ll help him in chemistry, and he is a man of his word. So she drops the mean girls and flannel shirts. This is a standard issue teen comedy with a heart (and with requisite teenaged angst and a heavy dose of modern technology) and well played by the actors cast in the stereotyped roles (although Amell looks at least 25). The always wonderful Allison Janney has a small part as Bianca’s self-help author Mom. 3 cans.
22. The Radicalization of Patty Hearst* (2017) – This multi-part CNN documentary explores the enthralling case of publishing heiress Patricia Hearst, kidnapped in San Francisco in1974 by the SLA, a radical group of protestors. During the course of her captivity, she began identifying with her “comrades” and when she was finally spotted after police were unsuccessful in finding her, she was brandishing a rifle and robbing a bank. Calling herself “Tanya,” Hearst participated in more bank robberies, attempted bombings and other crimes until the authorities finally located the remainder of the SLA members and arrested all of them. Was she a captive who was brainwashed or a willing participant in a crime spree and murder? This is a story you can’t make up, and I recall following the events closely as they unfolded. My friends and I even discussed who would play Patty Hearst in the inevitable movie (turns out, it was Natasha Richardson; I don’t recall our choice). This is a story of civil unrest, of privilege, of the criminal justice system, and especially of a tough but impressionable young woman who eagerly rejected her parents’ lifestyle only to embrace it later. 4 cans.
23. Klute (1971) – I saw this movie so long ago that the main thing I remembered was Jane Fonda’s “shag” haircut, the biggest hair style news until Jennifer Anniston’s “Rachel” from “Friends.” But this suspenseful drama is much more than superficial. Fonda is Bree Daniels, a New York call girl who is being investigated by John Klute (Donald Sutherland) in the disappearance of his businessman friend who seems tied to Daniels as a client. Klute shows up on her doorstep to hunt down his friend’s last activity and discovers the not-so-secret world of sex workers – high class and otherwise. When Klute offers Bree $50 for some information, she scoff, saying she can make that much on a lunch break. She is cool outwardly, but when someone else seems to be on her trail, she is justifiably anxious. Klute becomes her protector even as he is wary of her. This is a dark story (and could have used more light on the screen to be more visible). They should have called it “Bree” rather than “Klute,” because she is the dominant character by far. 4 cans.
MARCH
24. Game Night* (2018) – Jason Bateman and Rachel MacAdams are an attractive young couple obsessed with playing games or all types. Then Bateman’s brother (Kyle Chandler) shows up with an idea for a fun evening, and things go terribly awry. Or do they? The plot is funny despite the lack of believability, and Bateman is his usual appealing self. 3½ cans.
25. Black Panther* (2018) – Despite my reluctance to embrace the action/fantasy genre, I have to admit that this Marvel production captured my attention. For once, an action movie focuses on people of color and the power of women (I liked last year’s Wonder Woman for its emphasis on the power of women, too). Great special effects and a terrific cast (Chaswick Bozeman, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyongo, who is so outrageously beautiful, among others). The story is not as important as the message it sends, and the audiences and box office appeal prove that there is an audience for kickass women and warrior men of color. 4 cans.
26. A Place in the Sun (1951) – George Eastman (Montgomery Clift) is a poor man with a wealthy family, the son of impoverished evangelists and the nephew of a powerful industrialist. His life is clearly not charmed, but he has aspirations when he takes a job on the lowest rung of the Eastman ladder in hopes of moving up. He begins a relationship with a co-worker (Shelley Winters), but sets his sites considerably higher, on the beautiful, vivacious and wealthy young woman, Angela Vickers (a stunning Elizabeth Taylor), who improbably falls for the poor, dreamy, quiet young man. This story of class differences is based on the Theodore Dreiser novel “An American Tragedy,” a more apt title for the misfortune that ensues. The novel tells a broader tale and sets up the stunning conundrum that is portrayed in the movie with equal doubt as to intent. No more spoilers: Just read the book or watch the movie. Both are terrific, if dated. 4 cans.
27. Little Man Tate* (1991) – Jodie Foster directed this movie about a working class single mother (Foster) and her genius 7-year old son, Fred (Adam Hann-Byrd). Fred may be brilliant, but what he really wants is just someone with whom to eat lunch. An accomplished pianist and amazing mathematician, Fred is a lonely little boy. Dede, his mother, is extremely down-to-earth, and she realizes that she cannot foster his academic career, so she allows him to be cared for by Jane (Dianne Weist), a teacher of gifted children, who takes Fred to live with her while attending college classes. Aside from a brief encounter and learning to play pool with a fellow college student (Harry Connick, Jr.), Fred is left by himself, teased and overlooked by everyone. It is the adults here who need to be educated so they can figure out what is best for poor Fred. It doesn’t take a genius to see that the quiet kid is lonely and needs friends. 3½ cans.
28. About a Boy (2002) – Hugh Grant is Will, a confirmed bachelor who lives off royalties from an annoying Christmas song penned by his father. When 12-year old Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) unexpectantly enters his life, everything changes, as the irresponsible Will suddenly has to assist young Marcus and his depressed mother (Toni Collette). But aside from buying good sneakers and living in a cool bachelor pad, Will – who neither wants nor enjoys helping other people – is not the least bit qualified to help. Grant is great at self-deprecating humor. Here, his impeccable timing and innate charm come in handy. I always enjoy this movie. 4 cans.
29. The Assassination of Gianni Versace* (2018) – In the spirit of last year’s dramatization of the O.J. Simpson case, this multi-part TV docudrama tackles the subject of the title. Darren Criss plays assassin Andrew Cunanan, whose life is thoroughly explored with flashbacks. Andrew is brought up being told he is special by a father who cheats and lies, so it is no surprise that Andrew himself becomes adept at the same things. Mastering multiple identities, he preys on rich, older men looking for a handsome young man with taste for the finer things in life. He imagines himself in a relationship with fashion designer Gianni Versace but ends up shooting him down at the entrance to his Miami villa and simply walking away with his ability to retreat into a crowd. I found this program tediously long – at least a few episodes longer than necessary – and very violent. But Andrew, who comes across as charming as he is psychopathic, is confounding to watch. He’s a sociopath with no qualms about killing people. He wants and believes he deserves the very best things and gets other people to support him. In the end, as the authorities close in on him a week after Versace’s death (still in Miami), he shoots himself. 3½ cans, but give Criss a 4.
30. Everything, Everything* (2017) – For her entire 18 years, Maddy (Amandla Stenberg) has lived her life indoors. Suffering from a rare illness called SCID (Severly Compromised Immuno Deficiency), she can become fatally ill just by coming into contact with someone. Her doctor mother (Anika Nonni Rose) keeps her in an airlocked (but gorgeous!) home, and only she and the trusted nurse can have regular contact with the beautiful young woman. Then adorable teenager Olly (Nick Robinson) moves in next door, and the two develop a texting relationship. She is like Rapunzel, locked up in her tower, and the two young people get to know each other at a distance but want more. Can she risk EVERYTHING to have a relationship with the boy next door? This movie reminded me of “The Fault in Our Stars,” another story of sick kids who yearn to be free and normal. The main characters are just a little too perfect, the families and homes just a little contrived, but the story has a lot of heart. 3½ cans.
31. Love, Simon* (2018) – I had never heard of Nick Robinson until today, and now I have seen him in two movies. Here Nick is Simon, an adorable and extremely normal gay teenager who is afraid to come out to his family and friends. When he discovers that a classmate of his is also gay, he and the mysterious young man begin to exchange heartfelt emails without knowing each other’s identities. He is threatened with blackmail by another classmate, and Simon has to figure out who the potential mate is without giving away his own secret. Robinson is extremely likeable in this part of a normal kid with a great family (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhmel are his parents), good friends and a desire for love. 3½ cans.
32. Masquerade (1988) – Rob Lowe plays Tim, a handsome, young yacht skipper who is racing a boat for a rich citizen of the Hamptons when he meets the beautiful Olivia (Meg Tilly), a shy, sheltered, orphaned heiress of a very wealthy family. Competing for her millions is her evil stepfather. Tim falls in love with Olivia and she with him, although there are undertones immediately that something is just not right. The settings are gorgeous, and so is Lowe, in this suspenseful, underrated drama. 3½ cans.
33. Snatched* (2017) – Sometimes you have to watch something that is so bad, so unfunny and so totally inept just so you can appreciate really good movies – and almost every movie I can think of is better than this one. It wastes the iconic Goldie Hawn in a role as a mother to an adult (???) daughter, a woman who would rather clean the kitty litter than go out and have fun. But when her desperate daughter Emily (Amy Shumer) finds herself with a non-refundable ticket to Ecuador and no traveling companion, Mom agrees to come along. Not surprisingly, things go horribly wrong, as the two women are kidnapped by local bad guys and have to fight and run for their lives. Back home, Emily’s ne’er-do-well brother tries to talk the State Department into rescuing them. I’ll go ahead and ruin it for you and let you know that they survive as long as you promise never to watch this train wreck (which is the name of another bad Shumer movie). I don’t find Shumer’s smarmy, audacious humor funny; she lands between snarky and disgusting on the comedic scale. Despite appearances by Wanda Sykes and Joan Cusak (whose character is unable to speak, which is probably just as well), there is nothing worth seeing in this film. And that goes for Hawn’s drastically altered face, where extensive plastic surgery makes her nearly unrecognizable and unable to move her lips. Our scale here is 1-5, but this movie is truly off the charts. 0 cans. See what I do for you people? You’re welcome.
34. Overboard* (1987) – With the stench of “Snatched” still lingering here, I decided to clear the air with an actual comedy from Goldie Hawn, and since I recently watched “Private Benjamin,” I figured this one would have to do. It is a bit too madcap, as Hawn plays Joanna, a haughty woman who lives the rich life with her husband (Edward Hermann), until she suddenly gets thrown overboard from their enormous yacht. She is rescued but has no identification and is suffering from amnesia. Her hubby is not all that keen on having her home again, so he leaves her in the hospital. When Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) sees her on the news, he realizes she has no idea who she is and he decides to seek revenge for the way she treated him when he did some work for her on the yacht. He comes forth, claims she is his wife, takes her home and puts her in charge of “their” 4 rowdy boys. She still sounds as if she comes from money and she has no idea how to even turn on the stove, no less cook, but this new life of squalor isn’t completely repulsive to the poor little rich woman. There is chemistry between Hawn and Russell, and, playing a rich bitch or a bewildered wife and mother, Hawn has plenty great comedy chops. Though the ending is inevitable and the plot requires suspension of reality, this comedy is actually funny and takes advantage of Hawn’s comedic gifts. That was a major step up from “Snatched.” Shudder… 3 cans.
35. Gran Torino (2001) – Clint Eastwood (who also directed and wrote the title song) is Walt, an ornery bigot with a thick skull and a kind heart who lives next door to a Hmong family. When the neighbor’s son Thao (Bee Vang) tries to steal his beloved Gran Torino classic car as a gang initiation prank, he develops an unlikely friendship with the young man, whom he takes under his wing. The cultural differences between them initially seem like deal breakers, but Thao’s very chill sister invites Walt over for Vietnamese barbecue and the family manages (despite language differences) to win his heart. But Thao and his family are terrorized by their thuggish cousins who are involved in a gang, and tensions escalate. You would think Walt is too set in his ways to ever change, but you would be wrong. This is a very moving and unexpected film that is much more than I would have expected from the taciturn Eastwood. 4 cans.
36. Our Souls at Night* (2017) – If you ever think that you are too old for romance, watch this sweet film. Robert Redford reteams with Jane Fonda to play widowed neighbors who get to know each other much better when Addie makes Louis an unexpected proposition: She is lonely and craves having a man in her bed. Not for sex, mind you, but just for physical closeness. Louis doesn’t say much – Addie takes the lead – but each little thing he does or how he moves says much about his character. He’s afraid they will be caught and the neighbors will talk. She could not care less. When she has to take in her 7-year old grandson Jamie (the delightful Ian Armitage) temporarily, Louis is there to teach the sheltered young boy how to throw a ball and play with something other than video games on his phone. When we say this film is intended for mature audiences, it is not because of sex and smut but rather directed to an audience that is chronologically advanced but not too old to understand intimacy. Heartwarming and worthy of 3½ cans.
37. The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling* (2018) – Drama is easy; comedy is hard. That old show business adage is on ample display in Judd Apatow’s loving but frank documentary about his dear friend and mentor, the late comedian Garry Shandling. Shandling started as a writer, penning jokes for stand-up comedians and then for TV shows, but he had an urge to perform. Once he hit it big for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show,” his goal was to host the classic late-night program, and he eventually became a permanent guest host. But by then he was involved in his innovative comedy program, aptly called “The Garry Shandling Show,” so he gave up “Tonight.” Shandling was a neurotic, introspective, unsatisfied, articulate and clever guy, but despite his success, he just could not seem to achieve peace and happiness. He skewered the talk show genre with his landmark “Larry Sanders” show, but eventually gave that up, too. Throughout the film, Apatow relies on snippets from Shandling’s extensive diaries to gain insight into his state of mind. The result is an engrossing look at a genuinely funny guy with doubts and dreams whose career must be considered accomplished by the public even as Shandling himself professes misgivings about his life and work. 4 cans.
APRIL
38. Girls Trip* (2017) – This girls-just-wanna-have-fun romp is nasty, raunchy and hilarious. The dialog makes “Bridesmaids” seem like “The Remains of the Day” in comparison. A group of college buddies have drifted apart but still maintain that bond of friendship that women cherish, so they gather in New Orleans to have some big fun despite their different lives and careers. Since this movie isn’t exactly plot-driven, I will spare you the details and just tell you that I always love Queen Latifah and I want to hang out with the outrageous Tiffany Haddish. Regina Hall and Jada Pinkett Smith complete the ensemble. Full disclosure: if swearing and sexual references are NOT your thing, you will think this movie is embarrassingly offensive and you should avoid it at all costs. In truth, it isn’t good beyond shock value, but I did have more than a few laughs. In the beginning of the movie, Haddish’s character gets fired from her job, and she doesn’t even understand that she has been let go. That part alone – not at all raunchy – cracked me up. This is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. 2 cans.
39. Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool* (2017) – Annette Bening plays real life movie star Gloria Grahame, who takes on a much younger lover/caretaker, Peter (Jamie Bell, years removed from the dancing kid in “Billy Elliott”), an aspiring actor who worships and adores her. She is at the end of her career, frail and sick and refusing to treat her dying movie star condition. Despite the age difference (she is easily old enough to be his mother), the two have a genuine connection, and she builds a relationship with both Peter and his supportive family. Bening’s character reminded me of Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” all diaphanous and fragile and desperate for loving care despite wanting to dictate the terms of the relationship. He feels obligated to protect her and genuinely cares for her. 3 cans.
40. Novitiate* (2017) –If having an actual life and feelings for anyone in it other than God is NOT for you, stay away from the nunnery. Here the strict Mother Superior (Melissa Leo) bristles against the loosening of regulations under the Vatican 2 rulings in the early 1960s. She prefers her young nuns in training to maintain frequent silences, to walk on their knees around the chapel when they commit a transgression and to advance in their training so someday they can be worthy of being nuns. This life is not for everyone, and although there are occasional glimpses of these young women displaying personalities, it is best for them to all look and act alike to carry on the traditions. Mother Very Superior is determined to avoid any reformation of the church and anyone questioning her power. This movie reminded me of the tough love training of “An Officer and a Gentleman,” except this was harder in many ways, and I’m not sure the MS loved the girls since here, only the love of God counts. After the reforms on Vatican 2 were enacted, droves of women in training to be nuns left the church. I can see why. 2 cans.
41. Paterno* (2018) – This HBO docudrama is about the fallout of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual assault cases that took place in the area of Penn State over a period of several decades. It covers just one week and how Penn State’s revered football coach, Joe Paterno (Al Pacino) slid from acclaimed coach to a man who protected a sexual predator in the eyes of the public. All Paterno wants to do is coach, not deal with the walls closing in. He underestimates the grand jury’s actions and the indictments that follow. The story is uncovered by a young reporter, Sara Ganim (Riley Keough), whose dogged research of the cases eventually earned her a Pulitzer Prize. This program focuses on the demise of the JoePa era, following a career that yielded 409 football victories. What did Paterno know and when did he know it? Was strictly following protocol and reporting the story of Sandusky in the shower that was told to him by PSU assistant coach Mike McQueary enough? Did Paterno, a god-like figure at the university whose power at the university was vast and whose generosity in helping young men develop and get an education have a moral responsibility to the victims? Of course he did, and no matter how befuddled he seems here (he doesn’t really understand the description of the shower incident reported to him), he glossed over it because Sandusky was known to have kids around him all the time. Everyone knew of allegations about Sandusky, but no one alerted authorities. When one of the victims did, the case was buried. Pacino shows Paterno’s familiar shuffle, hunched shoulders and a good degree of confusion – though the coach is sharp enough to call football plays. Moral obligations go unmet, and more victims of Sandusky result. There is plenty of blame to go around here, and the exemplary life of an otherwise good man comes apart in a way he never could have imagined, losing his job as head coach after 46 years via a phone call from a member of the PSU Board even as the University President and other officials scramble to keep theirs. If you see something, say something. No question. 3½ cans.
42. The Kennedy Dynasty* (2018) – CNN has broadcast some interesting documentaries in recent years, and this look at the dynastic Kennedys is one of the best. We all know the story of Patriarch Joseph P. Kennedy and his wife Rose, his ill-fated sons (who include President John F. Kennedy and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, both assassinated) and more tragedy than you could possibly imagine. There are deaths, botched operations, great success and huge challenges. This multi-part documentary, benefitting from tons of available footage, shows the highs and lows of being a Kennedy or a Kennedy spouse, and it doesn’t gloss over the womanizing and health issues of JFK. It is a fascinating study of generations of Kennedys, with real promise, hopes and disappointments. 4 cans, because I find this subject engrossing.
43. My Cousin Rachel* (2017) – Philip Ashley (Sam Claflin) is the heir to the estate of his late cousin, who took him in when he was orphaned as a child. Cousin Ambrose had married a captivating young woman, Rachel (Rachel Weisz), and shortly thereafter began suffering from various ailments. When Philip goes to his cousin’s estate to sort things out, he meets the beautiful and mysterious widow – who has no legitimate claim on the wealthy man’s estate – and it is his turn to fall for her. Does she feel the same way, or is she in it for the money, which Philip is about to inherit as he turns 25? Soon strapping young Philip is also falling ill, too. Coincidence? Scheme? Scandal? This is no “My Cousin Vinny,” but there are plenty of legal issues and a love story to keep the tension high. 3½ cans.
44. At All Costs* (2017) – The world of “amateur” basketball has long been criticized for taking advantage of the young (high school and younger) athletes. This movie reveals the extreme pressure placed on high school students by the system and by the parents to secure a high rating and a college scholarships. High school basketball has been supplanted in many cases by elite AAU teams who compete for players and the prestige of appearing in showcases run around the country by the shoe companies (Nike, Adidas and Under Armour). The men who run those teams are competing for lucrative contracts from the shoe companies, courting young kids and their parents and pushing them to the limit. This documentary follows Parker Jackson-Cartwright and his LaVarr Ball-like father, who pushes his son, determined to make the 5’8” high school junior into a superstar point guard. He is obnoxious, overbearing and foul-mouthed. It doesn’t matter that at age 16 Parker already is tired of the travel required (AAU concentrates on summer tournaments, but there are elite camps to attend and special training sessions and plenty of year-round basketball for the highly-rated prospects), practice sessions and injuries. This is a JOB, folks, not just a game played in the driveway. And other than acknowledging that the kid attends high school, there is never a mention of scholastic requirements. A special committee chaired by Condoleezza Rice just last month released a report on the current state of men’s college basketball in the wake of reports of illegal payments, unfair recruiting and other issues with coaches, players, agents and shoe companies. I know this system affords some kids a chance to attend college and get support from their AAU coaches that would otherwise be impossible, but at what cost? 3 basketballs.
45. The Beach House* (2018) – In general, I avoid all of those treacly, clichéd Hallmark movies, but since this one was a Hallmark Hall of Fame production, I thought I would give it a try. It was far from the kind of high quality that used to be associated with the Hall of Fame imprimatur, but, with an enormously attractive cast (Andie McDowell, Minka Kelly and Chad Michael Murray), it was easy on the eyes and no mental challenge was required. Kelly’s Cara has moved away from her South Carolina roots to Chicago, barely staying in touch with her mother Lovie (McDowell) and staying away from former boyfriend Brett (Murray, who is too cute and NICE to ever dump). She loses her bigshot advertising job and returns home without revealing the reason for her sudden visit. Lovie has a secret of her own. There is resentment between nearly every twosome, including Cara’s brother Parker and Cara, and secrets are not making things better. And then there are turtles hatching on the beach, much to Lovie’s delight. The scenes along the coast are beautiful, the cast is competent and at least it didn’t “star” some of the routine performers generally found in these Hallmark productions. It was a soft, gentle change of pace for me, though I in no way consider it a cinematic triumph. 2½ cans.
46. Kodachrome* (2018) – Ben (Ed Harris) is an irascible, annoying man who is dying. He is a professional photographer whose last wish – a demand, really – is that his son Matt (Jason Sudekis) drive him to Kansas so he can have some long-held Kodachrome slide film developed in the last remaining Kodachrome-processing lab, one that is closing forever. His nurse Zooey (Elizabeth Olson) is along for the ride as Matt, a failing music promoter, reluctantly agrees to drive the father he rarely sees. It is a race against the clock: They need to get to the photo lab in Kansas before it closes or Ben succumbs to his cancer. This is not your typical road/buddy movie. You can find it only on Netflix. 3½ cans.
47. The Terminal (2004) – This movie offers further evidence about why you should never travel with Tom Hanks. Here he plays Viktor Navorski, a man from a country in Eastern Europe who is stranded at a New York airport when his country revolts and he becomes a man without a country. No valid passport = no entry into the US. The airport security manager, played by Stanley Tucci, confines him to the International terminal, where Viktor, who speaks practically no English, is left to fend for himself among the kiosks, stores and food court. He is stranded for months, dealing with US bureaucracy, making friends among the staff there, learning English by looking at books at Borders, getting a construction job at the airport and falling in love with a flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Hanks is resourceful and persistent in an engaging performance. 4 cans.
MAY
48. Tully* (2018) – Charlize Theron is Marlo, an overwhelmed mother of three in this comedy-drama (emphasis on the latter) who is “gifted” a night nanny to care for her infant son so she can sleep through the night. Enter 20-something Tully (Mackenzie Davis), who fits in immediately. She is likable, engaging, a good caretaker and a friend to Marlo. But as is usually the case, mothers get the brunt of the care responsibilities. Marlo’s loving husband Craig (Mark Duplass) means well, but as she settles down for a night bound to be interrupted by the need to breastfeed or pump (even with Tully handling the kids), he puts on his headset and plays video games. She feels bad, looks worse and is desperately combatting lack of sleep with post-partum depression or worse. To the credit of the stunning Theron, she looks awful but real (she gained 50 pounds for the part) and desperate, unable to articulate her needs or frustrations. This is surely not the feel-good movie of the year, and the trailer is much funnier than the actual movie, but it is a brave depiction of a woman on or over the verge of a breakdown, trying to cope and be a good mother while sublimating all of her needs and succumbing to what seems like post-traumatic stress syndrome. I’m certain many women will relate to this movie in ways they would like to forget. 3½ cans.
49. A League of Their Own (1992) – Women have always had to fight to be recognized in their fields, whether it is in a corporation, politics or on a baseball diamond. This ode to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is based on a true story. With American men off fighting World War II, some promoters thought it would be a good idea to start a league for women, and teams such as the Rockford Peaches turned out to have some pretty good players and a strong cadre of fans. The heart of the story is the relationship between sisters Dottie (Gena Davis) and Kit (Lorie Petty). Dottie has the baseball acumen and good sense, while Kit is a volatile, emotional gamer. The team is a collection of women (among them are Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell) who bond as a team and as friends. Tom Hanks is their initially disinterested manager, a boozy former player now relegated to women’s baseball and resentful about it until he sees the talent on his roster. His main contribution to this film is to utter the classic line, “There’s no crying in baseball!” One thing that always bugged me about this movie is the lack of athletes in key roles; none of these ladies look like they could throw the ball nearly well enough to be a pro player. This one will never make it to the Big Leagues, but it is a pleasant, if corny tale. 3 cans.
50. Finding Your Feet* (2018) – When wealthy, upper-crust Lady Sandra Abbott (Imelda Staunton) suddenly finds that her husband of 40 years is having an affair with her now former best friend, she immediately leaves and heads for the funky apartment of her estranged sister, Bif (Cecilia Imrie), a free-spirited woman who is nothing like her straitlaced older sibling. Bif loves to ride her bike, hoist a few at the local pub or smoke weed with her posse of likeminded friends, among them Charlie (Timothy Spall). She especially loves to dance with a group of people in her older age bracket. There’s nothing here that you cannot see coming, but it is joyful to watch as Sandra comes out of her shell and finds her footing after such a disheartening incident. I hope that when my friends and I are their age, we will enjoy life as much as Sandra and Bif. 3½ cans.
51. RBG* (2018) – Ruth Bader Ginsburg is notorious for her liberal opinions as a Justice of the Supreme Court, her work on equality and women’s rights as a lawyer who argued cases before the high court, and for her feminine collars that decorate her jurist’s robes. Supremely intelligent, a dogged worker who barely sleeps, the octogenarian does a workout with her trainer that I couldn’t do. She entered Harvard Law as one of nine women in a class of more than 600 and made the Law Review her second year. She married the love of her life, nursed him back to health and through law school when he was deathly ill, had two children, became an icon for women’s rights and handled some of the landmark decisions that have guided this country for decades. It is only May, but I am sure this movie will be the best documentary – and one of the best movies – of the year. In a movie world full of superheroes, Ruth Bader Ginsburg towers above the rest. 4½ cans.
52. Breathe* (2017) – Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield) and his wife Diana (Claire Foy) are active, fun, healthy and happy when he suddenly contracts polio at age 28, just as they are expecting their first child. Paralyzed, Robin doesn’t want to live, but Diana is not about to let him give up. Instead, Diana, her brothers and inventor Teddy Hall help him survive and even thrive thanks to a series of breakthrough inventions that allow him to be transported practically anywhere, with his special wheelchair/respirator breathing for him. He devotes his life to showing the world what innovation can do to inspire and assist the disabled. Based on a true story from his son, this movie is a salute to hope, love and technology. 3 cans.
53. Ladies in Lavender* (2004) – Aging siblings Janet (Maggie Smith) and Ursula (Judi Dench) live a quiet existence in an English coastal fishing village, content to garden, sip tea and listen to the radio. One morning after a big storm, they find the still-breathing body of a young man (Daniel Bruehl) washed up on shore. They summon the doctor and get him into their house, where they precede to care for him. He lies in bed, sleeping and recovering, while they spend a lot of time – particularly the never-married Ursula – staring at him. The young man does not speak English but the widowed Janet converses with him in her halting German, determining that he is from Poland. They are curiously not curious about how he came to wash up on their beach. Ursula becomes enraptured with him and, as he recovers and ventures out of the house, she goes through moments of jealously and anguish, knowing that eventually he will leave. He is a talented violinist, and he was on his way to the US to make a better life for himself than he would have in pre-World War II Poland. Will he take up with the attractive young painter in town? He’s NOT going to fall for Ursula, right? This is a gentle film about longing and loneliness. 3 cans.
54. If These Knishes Could Talk* (2014) – If knishes could talk, they would undoubtedly do so with a “New York” accent. The melting pot of Italian, Irish and Jewish people who immigrated to the US more than 100 years ago developed their own way of speaking, and this documentary looked – and listened – to all of them in concluding that New York is, shall we say, different. The common things the region shares is the inability for people to speak without using their hands, as conveyed by native New Yorker and noted attorney Alan Dershowitz. New Yorkers are a ribald group of people who swear profusely (even in sign language), who are tough-minded, quick to interrupt and quick to poke fun. The people here include everyone from a Korean man who sounds like the prototypical New “Yawker” and whose Asian background is sublimated to his accent; to Bronx native Penny Marshall, the actress and director who was told that with her accent she would have no career in Hollywood; to guys who sound like they are right out of “Goodfellas.” In fact, one protests that he and his friends already spoke that way and “Marty” (Scorsese, we assume) took the accent from him, not the other way around. There is no great meaning here, but it is fun to hear people who swear they have no accent display when everyone NOT from New York swears they certainly do. 3½ cans. PS – If you don’t have Amazon Prime Video, you can fuhgetabout seeing this movie.
55. Twice in a Lifetime (1984) – I have now seen this movie twice in my lifetime and I’m still not sure how I feel about it. As Harry (Gene Hackman) celebrates his 50th birthday with his buddies in a bar, his wife Kate (Ellyn Burstyn, who used to star in practically every movie of that era) stays home. Harry works the night shift in the local factory in Seattle, cheers for the Seahawks and generally has a very predictable life. It is fairly safe to assume that his birthday night flirting with Audrey, the attractive new barmaid at the Shamrock (Ann-Margret), is a new thing for him, but before you know it, Harry is cheating on Kate and taking up with Audrey. But the story is less about a marriage falling apart than the effect of the dissolution on his family, especially on hot-tempered daughter Sonny (Amy Madigan, at her best), a woman with marital and financial woes of her own. What always bothered me about this movie is how Harry moves so easily from his loyal, caring wife into a routine but more exciting relationship with this new woman. He doesn’t have enough guilt or regret, and he still loves wife #1. Then again, isn’t everyone entitled to their share of happiness? 3½ cans.
56. Words & Pictures* (2013) – Alcoholic English teacher Jack Marcus (Clive Owen) knows plenty about words, but although he is a published author, he is more sanctimonious than scholarly, and he hasn’t published anything lately. Artist and art teacher Dina Delsanto (Juliette Binoche) is convinced that pictures matter more than words, although her rheumatoid arthritis has greatly affected her ability to paint. The two teachers disagree with each other and set up a competition at the school to see what matters most, words or pictures. Their sparring can only lead to romance, as we know from the million movies before this feeble attempt to give us a loving couple. The school is filled with the usual clichéd students, there is a threat that Jack could lose his job, and will either Jack or Dina ever be able to again demonstrate real talent in their chosen fields? By the end, I really didn’t care. Neither evoked any sympathy or admiration from me, despite my relish for good words, well-written literature and my penchant for a punchy phrase. 2 cans.
57. Book Club* (2018) – There are perfect date movies, action movies and movies for women of a certain age, as evidenced by the groups of women who sauntered into the theater for this one. The remarkably restored Jane Fonda, the wry Candice Bergen, the quirky Diane Keaton and the youngest of the bunch, Mary Steenbergen, relish their time together, discussing books, drinking lots of wine, enjoying snacks and bonding as friends. When they decide to read the trilogy “Fifty Shades of Grey,” they all realize that their personal lives could use a little spicing up. Immediately, Keaton meets a pilot (Andy Garcia) on a flight to see her overprotective daughters, Fonda is reunited with an old flame (Don Johnson), Bergen goes online and meets a charming date (Richard Dreyfuss) and Steenbergen really, really works at bringing back the magic with her husband (Craig T. Nelson). The movie is much less silly than I anticipated and laced with humor, warmth and heart. Go read a book and see this movie. 3½ cans.
58. The Family Stone (2005) – Sarah Jessica Parker is Meredith, a buttoned-up, humorless, self-centered woman who is dragged to the home of her soon to be fiancé, Everett (Dermot Mulrooney) to meet the family at Christmas, and the tension is as tight as the hair pulled back on her head. The family is a big, laid-back group, headed by mother Sybil (Diane Keaton) and father Kelly (Craig T. Nelson). Everett’s sister Amy (Rachel McAdams) takes a quick dislike to Meredith, who is clearly the square peg here (extra points to any of you who get THAT reference), but brother Ben (Luke Wilson) wants to help her out. Complicating matters is the arrival of Meredith’s sister Julie (Clare Danes), the friendly and fun sister of the two, who hits it off bigtime with Everett. The plot doesn’t thicken as much as it slides toward the inevitable, but it is worth the ride. Parker is particularly good as the uptight guest. 4 cans.
59. Growing Up Smith* (2015) – He may be of Indian descent, but 10-year old Smith (Roni Akurati) is the all-American boy. He likes “Star Wars,” “Happy Days,” “Saturday Night Fever” and has a mad crush on his classmate and neighbor Amy (Brighton Sharbino). But his pushy papa insists on his carrying on the traditions of HIS native country. Although his son is just 10, the father has already picked out his Indian bride. Smith’s biggest problem is trying to be a good son while also trying to be an average kid. Helping him out is neighbor Bucky (Jason Lee), a motorcycle-riding guy fighting with his wife (Hilarie Burton). I was reminded of one of my favorite TV shows, “The Wonder Years,” by the theme of kids with crushes just trying to survive overbearing parents and be “normal.” And the kid who plays Smith with a wide-eyed innocence loos much like Paul Pfeiffer (Josh Saviano) on TWY. 3½ cans.
60. Hollywoodland* (2006) – The 1959 death of actor George Reeves – famous for playing Superman on TV – was ruled a suicide, but private investigator Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) doesn’t agree. He connects with the actor’s doubting mother and tries to unravel the mystery, told in flashbacks, about Reeves’ relationships with Hollywood movers and shakers as the handsome actor tries to land movie roles before being cast – and typecast – as the Man of Steel. Ben Affleck is convincing as Reeves, who is appalled with his cartoonish role, and Diane Lane – one of my favorite actresses – plays a woman having an affair with Reeves while married to a top studio exec. There’s plenty of suspense here. 3½ cans.
JUNE
61. On Chesil Beach* (2018) – Just married couple Edward and Florence (Billy Howle and Saoirse Ronan) approach their wedding night with great trepidation. Neither has had experience in love-making, and neither seems particularly eager to get things going. She has been reading sex manuals to know what to expect, and she isn’t encouraged by what she has read. Both have family issues that weigh in on their relationship. His mother is a free-spirited artist who was in an accident that left her with some brain damage and the propensity to run around the house naked. She is an accomplished violinist with a very strict father who intimidates her, so their opposite sex role models are of no help. The action (if you can call it that) takes place in 1962, so it is safe to say times were a bit more chaste. They stall around through dinner, and when the big moment is about to begin, he can’t even unzip her dress. This couple seems so in love, yet distant and cold with each other. Can love overcome such reluctance and lack of intimacy? 3½ cans.
62. Adrift* (2018) – Young couple Tammy (Shailene Woodley) and Richard (Sam Caflin) set sail across the Pacific to the US. He is an experienced sailor and in his 30s; she isn’t exactly a novice, but at 23, she’s much less familiar with guiding a boat for thousands of miles. When a massive hurricane hits the area and practically capsizes their boat, Tammy wakes up and realizes Richard is gone, washed overboard. She somehow spots him in the ocean and determinedly swims out to rescue him and haul his injured body back on board. For the next 41 days, Tammy is forced to find a way for them to survive without much food or water (she does a very happy dance when it rains and she can capture fresh water). Tammy is resourceful, and – let’s face it – she has nothing to lose. She either saves the day or dies trying. The hurricane scenes are harrowing, loud and wild. There isn’t an abundance of dialog and let’s just say the costume changes are minimal. Will they get to Hawaii? Will a ship rescue them at sea? Or will the elements, the damaged boat, the injuries and lack of sustenance get them in the end? All I know is to cross sailing off my list of leisure activities. 4 cans.
63. John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls* (2018) – This HBO documentary about Senator John McCain solidifies McCain’s status as a true American hero. He not only survived five years in captivity in Vietnam as a Navy pilot, he survived 30 years in the Senate. According to this bio, McCain was one of the few politicians who stayed true to his beliefs – although he admits to making mistakes in his political career, the most serious one of which was naming Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate in the 2008 Presidential election that he ultimately lost to Barack Obama. I was most impressed by his admissions and his graciousness and generosity toward his rival in defending him as a fine man. So is McCain. 3½ cans.
64. Ocean’s 8* (2018) – This clever caper movie picks up from the Ocean franchise, but this time with an all-female cast, led by Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, sister of the late Danny Ocean. Just released from prison after a 5½ year term, Debbie has had plenty of time to plan her next job and she promptly rounds up her former partner-in-crime (Cate Blanchette) to pull off a huge and complex plan to steal a $150 million necklace at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala. She gets a fashion designer (Helena Bonham Carter) to work with a megastar actress (Anne Hathaway) and recruits a tech-savvy Rihanna, jeweler Mindy Kaling and a housewife/fence (Sarah Paulsen) to the team. You have to watch closely to see the intricacies of their movements and to follow the plot. I like an action movie without crazy car chases and killings, and this one delivers. Just under 4 cans but more than 3½.
65. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) – Diane Lane is Frances, a writer devastated by her cheating husband and subsequent divorce, who leaves San Francisco for an Italian getaway. She impulsively buys a broken down mansion, hires workers to renovate it and gets quickly acclimated to the culture in her small town outside Florence. Lane shines as Frances begins to come out of her shell, relax and enjoy her life. Sandra Oh plays her best buddy, who unexpectedly shows up and fits right into the new life. This movie is about relationships and family, however we choose to define them. 3½ cans (the scenery alone merits a 4).
66. Café Society* (2016) – I actually started boycotting Woody Allen movies years ago because of the rumors about his private life. I should have stuck with the boycott and avoided this lame Allen creation. Jesse Eisenberg, with the worst posture this side of Quasimodo (and at least he had a hump as his excuse), plays a nebbishy guy (a Woody Allen staple) who goes to Hollywood in the 30s to get a job with his bigshot uncle (Steve Carrell), an agent. He meets Vonnie (Kristen Stewart), the girl of his dreams. Too bad she is in love with his uncle. Even though he meets another Vonnie (Blake Lively), his love for the original lives on. Neither the story nor the acting was distinguished here, and with the exception of one great line, the movie is unmemorable. The line, you say? “Live every day like it’s your last because one day you’ll be right.” 4 cans for that line, 2 cans for the movie.
67. David Cassidy – The Last Session* (2018) – No one was hotter than pop star and teen idol David Cassidy in the early 1970s. His iconic TV show, “The Partridge Family,” thrust the young man into teenybopper heaven, his face on magazine covers and lunchboxes, his songs, such as “I Think I Love You,” playing on AM radio nationwide, his legions of fans swarming the stage at his sold-out concerts. The fledgling actor and musician chafed under the pressure of being a teen idol, touring and being Keith Partridge. He wanted to be taken seriously for his music. His relationship with his father – actor Jack Cassidy – only became more complicated as the fame of the son surpassed that of the father. Here, an aging David Cassidy, sick, weary, in constant pain and initially diagnosed with dementia, tries to put together an album of songs his father taught him. I don’t want to give away the entire story, but it is sad to see the engaging and affable Cassidy in his final days. He really was more than a musical lightweight, and that smile was infectious. I admit I still sing along to “I Think I Love You” whenever I hear it on the radio. 3½ cans.
68. The Rise and Fall of Penn Station* (2014) – This PBS documentary (on Amazon Prime) traces the design and building of New York’s Penn Station by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1910. The private company constructed the neoclassical building as the last part of a massive project to link the rest of the country (specifically New Jersey) to the Manhattan by designing and building tunnels under the Hudson and East Rivers. The expansion of the suburbs and tremendous economic growth throughout the area was the result of this masterful feat of engineering and architecture. The majestic building proudly stood for more than 50 years, until the company that owned the public space succumbed to the realities of business and tore it down to build a new Penn Station and sell the air rights above it to Madison Square Garden, which opened in 1961. Soon afterwards, New York City wisely established a Landmark Commission to assure the protection of many of the special spaces that make New York a unique city, including the beloved Grand Central Station. This movie shows the arduous task of burrowing beneath the rivers to build the tunnels from both the Manhattan and New York sides and the design and construction of the landmark train station. When joined together, the tunnels were within a 1/16” of each other, a marvel of 1910 engineering. 3½ cans.
69. The Mountain Between Us* (2017) – You know you’re having a REALLY bad day when the airlines cancel your flight the day before your wedding because of an impending storm, so you and a complete stranger charter a plane with a flaky pilot who doesn’t file a flight plan and then proceeds to have a stroke and crashes the plane into a mountain. And it gets worse. Kate Winslett is a photographer heading home to her wedding and Idris Elba is a doctor scheduled to operate on a young boy when they find themselves injured and alone (except for the pilot’s dog) on a mountain with no civilization in sight. Generally, I like a good story of people overcoming impossible odds who triumph over adversity (see “Cast Away,” “Apollo 13,” and the more recent “Adrift,” among others), but this story was just too unbelievable. The couple is left with virtually no food, yet neither they nor the dog starve, and the good doctor is always able to start a fire (one of which was frighteningly close to the airplane, in my opinion). She can barely walk due to her injuries, and yet…Well, see the movie. Or don’t. 3 cans, some for the breathtaking scenery.
70. Brain on Fire* (2016) – Susannah (Chloe Grace Moritz) plays a young writer for a New York newspaper who suddenly starts missing deadlines, looking confused and hearing voices. It isn’t a drug problem and it is getting worse. This movie – based on a real story – is a medical mystery. Why is Susannah manic one minute and catatonic the next? What is causing her seizures? Sometimes the love of those around you just isn’t enough to ease your pain. Warm and moving, it is also confounding and scary for the young woman and her family, who wonder if they are losing her forever. 3 cans.
71. Losing in Love* (2016) – Ronny (Marty Papazian, who also wrote and directed the film) is a low-key, sad-sack kind of guy, a writer who once wrote a big commercial but has been looking for a breakthrough ever since. Recently released from prison, Ronny is in a prison of his own, unable to truly connect with a woman and living a lonely existence. He meets a waitress (Marina Benedict), at the diner in Los Angeles where he goes to write during the day and is immediately smitten – although you only know this because we can hear his thoughts. This is a love story, and so is what Ronny is writing, as he and the waitress become friends and more reliant on each other. This is also a sad story, and one where all of the characters have trouble dealing with relationships and society. A little slow-moving, but I’ll give it 3½ cans for its warmth.
72. Runaway Jury (2003) – This legal tale is from prolific author John Grisham and tackles a key aspect of any trial – the jury. John Cusack is Nicholas Easter, an average guy in his 20s who is called for jury duty in a case against a large gun manufacturer who lawyer Dustin Hoffman claims is responsible for the shooting death of his client’s husband. Going up against him in court is Bruce Davison, but he is actually controlled by jury consultant Gene Hackman and his team of investigators, aided by modern technology that traces every aspect of a juror or potential juror’s life to assure they will be inclined to support the defendant. But this isn’t the story of 12 angry men. Someone on the inside is attempting to sway the jurors and is asking for big bucks to deliver the verdict. How and why provide the intrigue here. The story is a contemporary one, as the lawyers either support the right to bear arms and blame the shooter for the man’s death or the claim by the plaintiff that the manufacturer makes it too easy to buy their products. Worth watching again after a long absence. 4 cans.
JULY
73. Darling Companion* (2012) – From the title, you would assume this is a love story between two people, but it is mostly about a woman’s unrelenting love for her beloved dog. Diane Keaton is the wife of Kevin Kline, a smug, self-centered doctor who pays much more attention to his practice than he does to his wife. When she brings home a rescue dog, Freeway, they both assume custodial duty, but he is always on his phone while taking the dog out for a walk. When they are at their cabin in Colorado, he loses the dog, and she refuses to leave until they find the pet and rescue him all over again. This is a light movie which probably plays better to pet lovers than it did to me. But I love both Keaton and Kline as actors, so it was worth watching just this once. 2½ cans.
74. The Four Seasons (1981) – M*A*S*H* star Alan Alda appeared in a number of movies around this time, all intended for grown-up audiences. Here he co-stars with Carol Burnett as his wife and good buddies played by Len Cariou, Rita Moreno and Jack Weston as three couples so close that they vacation together. When Cariou’s character has the temerity to divorce his bland wife (Sandy Dennis) and fall for a vivacious, younger woman (Bess Armstrong), he upsets the balance among the group. Their respective annoying habits and insecurities come out through their banter and they can really get on each other’s nerves – as couples and as friends. Armstrong’s character is the most honest, while the more “mature” adults are either too reluctant to express their issues or they go overboard. This movie has its moments of warmth and humor in depicting married people whose relationships ebb and flow. 3½ cans.
75. Billie Jean King: Portrait of a Pioneer* (HBO) – Billie Jean King is probably as well-known for what she did for the women’s movement in the 1970s in this country as she is for her tremendous accomplishments on the tennis court. This documentary traces her rise from the courts of Southern California to the courts at the Old England Racket Club and beyond. A champion at Wimbledon many times over – in women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles – Billie Jean worked just as hard to ensure equal pay for women. She not only ushered in big-time tennis for women professionals, she summarily dismissed Bobby Riggs in their spectacular “Battle of the Sexes.” Even today’s tennis pros and the organizers of the sport understand the gratitude they owe to Billie Jean, as evidenced by putting her name on the stadium where the US Open is played. I have to confess, BJK is one of my sheroes. She should be one of everyone’s heroes. 4 cans.
76. Glory Road (2006) – I am old enough (barely) and have been a basketball fan long enough to actually remember the events captured by this movie. Josh Lucas portrays Don Haskins, hired as the new coach of Texas Western University in the late ‘60s, who does something unprecedented: He recruits inner city players and improbably brings his inexperienced team to the NCAA Championship in an era when black players were barely considered for college play. In the NCAA 1967 final against Adolph Rupp and his all-white Kentucky team, Haskins starts five of his black players. In the course of the season, Haskins shows his team how to win – in the game and at life. An uplifting, inspiring story that recalls how racism is everywhere – then and now. 4 cans.
77. Catch & Release* (2006) – Jennifer Garner has to face the death of her fiancée while discovering that she didn’t know as much about him as she thought she did. She learns more by hanging out and getting close with his roommates (Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger and Timothy Olyphant), maybe a little too close. Cute but nothing really worth writing about here. 3 cans.
78. Die Hard 2 (1990) – I don’t watch many action movies, but the original “Die Hard” stands out for its action, its humor and for Bruce Willis as LA cop John McClane. Here, instead of a building being taken over by terrorists, it is an airport in Washington DC, where McClane is waiting for the arrival of his wife (Bonnie Bedelia) when terrorists take over the airport. McClane outwits the airport security team as well as the bad guys in once again saving the day (you didn’t think our hero was going to perish, did you?) The first one in this series was so much better, and the last one was forgettable. This one? I could see this a dozen times and still not understand what the bad guys were trying to pull off. And when McClane finds his way through the labyrinth of underground passageways to the right runway to stop the plane, I had to call bullshit. I can’t even find my way around the airport with signs everywhere! 3½ cans.
79. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – When I posted on-line that I was watching this film for the umpteenth time, some wise friend noted, “You can’t NOT watch it.” True. It is the perfect movie, about strength and friendship, respect and hope -- and all under the guise of a bunch of criminals who live at a prison in Maine. Tim Robbins is understated and touching as convicted murderer and former banker Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman is outstanding as his best buddy, Red. If you have not seen this movie or if you don’t love this movie, I’m pretty sure we cannot be friends. 5 cans.
80. A Star Is Born (1976) – It may be corny, it may be a cliché, but this version of the classic story of a rock star whose career is on the decline who meets and falls in love with a woman whose career is on the rise is compelling to see. Barbra Streisand is at the height of her vocal prowess as Esther Hoffman, an unassuming woman who isn’t looking for love when John Norman Howard (an underrated Kris Kristofferson) bulls his way into her life and sets her on a path to stardom. He is nothing but trouble, drinking excessively, using drugs, being stubbornly irresponsible (he doesn’t even know how many rooms are in his LA mansion), but he has a sweetness about him that makes it easy for her to fall for him. He has been singing the same songs for a long time and his stardom is fading just as her bursts of creativity are making her well-known and a popular new music star. There is a new version of this movie heading our way, starring Bradley Cooper (who also directed) and Lady Gaga in the lead roles, so I figured this was a good opportunity to brush up on the ASIB lure. I loved it 40 years ago and still love it. 4 cans.
81. Robin Williams: Come Inside my Mind* (2018) – I’m not sure there would have been room inside Robin Williams’ mind, which is filled with so many characters you’ve seen and hear in his epic comedy rants. This HBO documentary traces the clever comedian’s life, growing up almost like an only child and wanting to win approval. Moving from Michigan to Northern California put Williams in the right place at the right time, giving him the chance to develop his amazing comic chops and band with a brotherhood of comedians. Well trained in drama, Williams fed his addiction to comedy with stand-up, followed by TV and movies, always entertaining his fellow thespians with material not exactly in the script. Here a plethora of comedy comrades talk lovingly but realistically about his excesses – from drugs and booze to women and performing nonstop. It is hard to watch his life story without feeling a tremendous sense of loss – for his family, his friends and his fans. He was a gifted and amazing man and it is unlikely we will ever see a performer like Robin Williams again. 4 cans and a few tears shed.
82. Shattered Glass (2003) – Young (25) writer Stephen Glass gets caught up in a fraud of his own making in this drama that is based on a true story. A writer for The New Republic magazine, Glass (Hayden Christiansen) is a bright and eager-to-please young talent. His insecurities manifest themselves with his constant asking of peers and superiors, “Are you mad at me?” His boss Chuck (Peter Saarsgard) at first indulges his charm yet he is wary when Glass spins detailed accounts of amusing incidents. Then one day Chuck gets a call from a digital magazine that raises doubts about a story Glass wrote on a “hackers” convention. His notes are full of details, but it becomes increasingly clear that they are fabrications. Glass has excuses and denials, but when Chuck accompanies him to the place where the alleged convention took placed, he knows for sure that Glass made it up. This is a shattering story of an ambitious young person without journalistic integrity but he is certainly not the only prominent writer to have committed this journalistic impropriety (The Times’ Janet Cooke won a Pulitzer Prize for a story she largely concocted) – not that I am condoning it in any way. Ironically, today Glass is a lawyer, living and working in Washington, DC, so his fall from grace was not exactly lethal. 4 cans.
83. Die Hard (1988) – OK, since I watched Die Hard 2 earlier in the week, I thought I’d let myself go back to see where this franchise began. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is the perfect wise-guy hero, a live action figure with great lines, whose estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) just happens to work in a building that is taken over by terrorists looking for millions in bonds. There is plenty of action – shooting, crawling through elevator shafts, sending dead bodies flying out of skyscraper windows) – and how McClain not only survives by outwits, outplays and outlasts the bad guys is the stuff movies are made of. Mindless but entertaining. 3½ cans, as action movies go.
84. Absolute Power (1997) – Ten years after he played the Secretary of Defense in the terrific “No Way Out,” Gene Hackman is back to play the President of the United States, still flexing his power and looking for someone to blame when his illicit girlfriend is killed. Clint Eastwood, who directed this suspenseful thriller, is an old jewel thief, a real pro at the top of his game, and he is immediately suspected of the murder when the authorities find that the woman’s jewels have been stolen. Oh, he was there, alright, so he actually knows what happened but he is forced to stay one step ahead of the authorities and the bad guys looking to blame him. This movie really held my attention as Clint’s Luther has to outfox the good and bad guys and protect his estranged daughter since the authorities want to use her to get to him. 4 cans.
85. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) – No, it isn’t Thanksgiving, but I was looking for something that was funny and light, and this Steve Martin-John Candy buddy movie fits the description perfectly. Martin’s Neil Page is desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, and when he runs into traveling salesman Del (Candy), who is also headed home, the two are first rivals and then grudgingly friends as they face the worst travel adversities (including trains, planes and automobiles – plus a few trucks). Del is a talkative guy who drives Neal crazy as the two are thrown together. This is a guy you don’t want as a seatmate. Anything that can go wrong here does go wrong, and in hilarious style. Candy driving down the highway in the dark while listening to Ray Charles singing “The Mess Around” is only one of the great scenes. 4 cans and a suitcase full of laughs.
86. Beverly Hills Cop (1974) – This is the comedy-action movie that propelled Eddie Murphy from Saturday Night Live to movie star status. His Axel Foley is a Detroit cop who is quick-witted and unconventional. When a childhood friend returns home from California to visit Foley and is murdered, Axel heads west to track down the killers. The Beverly Hills cops are not pleased to see him disrupting their version of law and order, but he eventually wins them over as his unorthodox methods lead them all to the bad guy. Murphy plays all of his comedy cards here and gives a memorable performance. This movie and “Trading Places” are still the best movies in his long resume. The story alone rates 3 cans, but Murphy’s performance pulls this movie up to a 4.
87. Witness to Murder* (1954) – Cheryl Draper (Barbara Stanwyck) lives close enough to Albert Richter (George Sanders) to see into his window, and one night she sees something she wishes she hadn’t – a murder. She contacts the police and Lt. Matthews (Gary Merrill) and his partner come over to check things out. In the meantime, however, Richter has moved the body to an empty apartment, leaving exactly no clues for the investigators. The case starts to really go awry when the clever Richter starts gaslighting Ms. Draper by sneaking into her apartment and writing threatening notes on her typewriter, making it appear that SHE is sending them to him. Even the cops think that she didn’t really see a murder, telling her that it was just a dream. Eventually, she starts questioning herself: Could she have written the notes? Did she really see the murder or was in her imagination? I thought this was a very intriguing drama, and it reminded me of “Rear Window” and of a book I recently read, “The Woman in the Window.” The moral of the story? Close the curtains! 3½ cans.
88. ET: The Extra Terrestrial (1982) – I typically have no interest in any kind of science fiction since I am so down-to-earth that I have trouble suspending my sense of reality. But suspend away for this incredibly moving story about the gentle extraterrestrial creature who ends up on earth and in the home of Elliott (Henry Thomas). Elliott is a typical kid, with an older brother and younger sister (an indescribably adorable Drew Barrymore at age 5 or so). He is curious, and when the creature he ultimately names E.T. (for Extraterrestrial) shows up, he gets over his initial fear and becomes friends with this new creature. This is not so much a sci-fi movie as it is a story of hope, love, friendship and acceptance. When someone or something comes into your life that doesn’t look like you, talk like you or understand you, reach out, teach him and you may find a memorable experience that will enrich your life. The superb acting by the kids in this movie, the amazing direction by Steven Spielberg, the fanciful script and the soaring music by John Williams all make this movie one of the best movies EVER. 5 cans, and don’t forget to phone home.
89. Paper Clips (2005) – This remarkable documentary tells the story of Whitman Middle School in rural Tennessee, where, in 1999, students collected 6 million paperclips (the final tally was 29 million) to honor the victims of the Holocaust. The collection demonstrated to them the enormity of the horrors of intolerance and hate and seems especially relevant in today's fractured US society. We cannot allow such dehumanization of any people to happen again. Bring tissues. I own the DVD but caught the movie on Jewish Life TV (JLTV) on Comcast. 5 cans.
90. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?* (2018) – Mr. (Fred) Rogers became a TV icon with his children’s show that aired on PBS for decades. His gentle approach to serious, everyday subjects won him acclaim from parents and parenting experts and adoration from kids. His quiet conversation, delivered in a languorous way of speaking, gave children reassurance that each child is “special.” By calling each child special, he wasn’t advocating that annoying “every kid gets a trophy” philosophy. He promoted trust and faith in themselves. As an ordained minister, he was well equipped to deliver important, impactful messages in a non-secular way. He believed in love and trust and educated children with the kind of subtlety that contradicts the car crashing, video gaming mentality that is often what children see on TV. He delivered good, sound and simple advice in the wake of national tragedies, such as the assassination of Robert Kennedy and the explosion of the Challenger aircraft. Built from clips from his shows and interviews with Mr. Rogers, his colleagues, friends and wife, this documentary offers insight into a simple man with a simple message that had more depth than a submarine. If Mr. Rogers were your neighbor, you would be assured of a quiet neighborhood. 3½ cans.
91. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again* (2018) – If you go into something with really low expectations, it is less likely that you will be disappointed, and such was the case with this sequel of the original musical. This festive romp about a young woman who gives birth to a daughter but isn’t sure which one of three men (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard) is her father, builds on the original. Through flashbacks (nicely edited), we see Sophie in the present day (Amanda Seyfried) trying to reopen the hotel dreamed about by her late mother (Meryl Streep) in the land that she loved – Greece. Flashbacks show Sophie’s Mom Donna (Lily James) at Sophie’s age and we meet the three young men who eventually became her father. Her mother’s old bandmates (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) are on hand for the festivities, still mourning the death of their friend the prior year. The movie weaves in the ABBA songs well and the entire movie is, as a friend pointed out, the equivalent of a “beach read” – light on the drama and overall just a fun day at the movies. If you want suspense or action, this movie is not for you. But a bunch of people singing fun songs and looking like they are “having the time of our lives,” isn’t a bad thing to see, provided you don’t have high hopes for much more. And, thankfully, Pierce Brosnan barely sings at all this time around. 3 cans.
92. Three Identical Strangers* (2018) – This movie proves the old adage “Truth is stranger than fiction.” When Bobby Shafran enrolls in college, he is greeted as an old friend by people who are strangers to him. That’s because they mistake him for his brother, Eddie, a brother whom he had never met. A mutual friend tells him he knows Eddie and knows they share the same birthday. Sure enough, Eddie and Bobby were given up by their mother and their adoption was arranged by the same agency. Overjoyed to meet each other, the young men are even more surprised when a third brother, David, surfaces. The boys soak up their 15 minutes of fame, making TV appearances and hanging out at Studio 54. But families have their secrets, and as close as the boys are (they lived together at one point and even started a club together), they have different backgrounds and very different adoptive families. This story is gripping, with twists and turns and ethical issues you probably won’t see coming. Oh, brother! 4 cans.
93. Orange Is the New Black, Season 6 (2018) – I waited more than a year to see what happened to the ladies of Litchfield prison after last season’s riot and the murder of a guard. And then I watched the entire 13-episode season in 4 days. The new season is much less intense than the powerful drama of last year. Overall it is lighter, brighter (they actually go outside for fresh air) and funnier (pretty much anything is funnier than a prison riot, I guess), BUT, now the inmates have been moved from minimum security to max, where the rules are harsher and where there are preexisting gangs built around the geography of the prison and not organized by race or nationality. Some characters have disappeared this year, moved to other prisons, but erstwhile star of the show, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), and her girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon), are still on hand. Among the new characters are a pair of feuding sisters, a small but fierce tough woman and a psychopath. Just as much of last year centered around inmate Tastee, who handled negotiations for the inmates, this year sees Tastee (Denise Brooks) in a prominent role, accused of the murder of the extremely abusive guard who was killed in the riot. To reveal more would not be fair to the fans of the show who have yet to enjoy the whole series. But I will say that my favorite line of the season, and maybe of the series itself, takes place when the inmates are allowed to make a phone call, and Black Cindy (Adrienne C. Moore), a convert to Judaism, calls her rabbi and greets him with, “Rabbi, it’s your girl, Tova.” Kudos especially to Brooks and Moore for stellar work this year. (There is also a great line that has to do with the Wahlberg brothers, but since this is a family blog, I’ll refrain from sharing it.) The only downside is that I have to wait another year to watch Season 7. 4½ cans.
AUGUST
94. Murder by Numbers* (2002) – With a cast headed by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Gosling, this movie had my expectations high, but it didn’t fulfill its promise. Bullock plays an outwardly tough police detective with a new partner (Ben Chaplin) assigned to solve the case of a murdered woman. While the evidence neatly leads to a school janitor who conveniently shoots himself, Bullock is convinced that two high school students are involved in the crime. Gosling is a wiseass rich kid and Michael Pitt is a loner who falls under his charmed spell. But did they do it? How did they do it and why did they do it, and can the detectives’ meticulous search for clues pin it on two kids? I didn’t much like Bullock’s character, and while Gosling is always a personal favorite, he isn’t very captivating this time around. 2½ cans.
95. Like Father* (2018) – This lightweight Netflix movie features two appealing performers (Kelsey Grammer and Kristen Bell) trapped in a contrived, formulaic comedy that is neither funny nor worthy of viewing. He is the father who abandoned her as a child. With perfect timing, he shows up after 20-something years to attend her wedding – where the groom abandons her at the altar when she has her omnipresent cell phone hidden within her bouquet. Father and daughter somehow decide, after a drunken night, to go on her honeymoon together, where they encounter every cliché character possible and proceed to have madcap adventures and hijinks. I just saved you about 90 minutes, because you know she will become less uptight and he will become a better father. You’re welcome. 2 cans.
96. Mr. Mom (1983) – Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) loses his automotive engineer position and his wife Carolyn (the always reliable Teri Garr) goes to work to support the family with a job in advertising under the supervision of Ron Richardson (the always perfectly smarmy Martin Mull). Jack thinks he can handle the household and the three children, but between leaving calls for “clean-up in aisle 3” all over the supermarket, going the wrong way to drop the kids off, and trying to master the vacuum cleaner nicknamed “Jaws,” he proves not only how utterly inept he is around the house, but how challenging it is to manage a household and children. Granted, this is not exactly a classic comedy, but the affable Keaton is perfect as the befuddled dad who morphs into, well, Mr. Mom. The scene with Jack and the neighborhood moms playing cards and using coupons as cash is one of many that made me laugh out loud. 3½ cans.
97. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society* (2018) – This movie is about a book club, but it is not like any book club YOU are in. First, it is co-ed, which happens to have a few advantages over the usual, single-gender variety. And second, it features four actors straight out of my beloved “Downton Abbey.” Lily James is author Juliet Ashton, who corresponds with members of the GLPPPS and decides she must meet them. The action takes place just after WWII, and the members of the club can recount their experiences during the war, when Guernsey was under Nazi rule. This is an engaging story, filled with warmth, as the group becomes a family. Also starring Downton Abbey faves Matthew Goode (in a brief part), Jessica Brown Findlay and Penelope Wilton. It is based on a book, so you might want to stay true to its original purpose and read it instead of watching it, but then you’d miss the loveliness of the location and the talents of the actors. 3½ cans.
98. Puzzle* (2018) – Poor Agnes (Kelly McDonald) leads a dull and unstimulating life, serving as housewife and mother and practically handmaiden to her tone-deaf husband (David Denman) and two nearly grown sons. In the beginning of the movie, she is setting up for a birthday party, serving the food and putting candles on a birthday cake that turns out to be hers. One of the gifts she receives is a jigsaw puzzle, and when she finally takes time for herself to give it a try, she gets through it with blinding speed. Soon she is out at a puzzle store, embracing her new interest and contacting a man (Irfan Khan) who is looking for a puzzle partner with whom he can enter a puzzle competition. Agnes comes more alive, taking trips into New York, forgetting about church meetings and failing to show up on time to feed her wary brood and instead showing her amazing gift for puzzles to a stranger. This is an interesting story about a woman who needs order, who needs the pieces of her life to come together, but who uncharacteristically strays from her routines and broadens her views. If you’re looking for action, adventure or laughs, you can skip this one. But sometimes I like to see a quiet little story about how people live their lives and how something so unexpected comes along to change them. 3½ cans.
99. As Good As It Gets (1997) – Jack Nicholson is Melvin, a feisty, obsessive-compulsive man who people try to avoid. His routine consists of a daily trip to the local restaurant (which he gets to by assiduously avoiding stepping on any cracks in the sidewalk) where only Carol (Helen Hunt) will agree to serve him. He is a bully and a bigot – but you know that he will not end the movie the way he starts it. When he is stuck caring for the dog of his gay neighbor Simon (Greg Kinnear), he actually shows a break in his armor by liking the dog, though he belittles Simon at every possible chance. That, too, will change. Nicholson is at his best as a blustery bigot, and Hunt’s single mother of a sick child helps to inject a more humane approach in Melvin. Sometimes you have to check your situation and wonder about your own life, “Is this as good as it gets?” 4 cans.
100. The Remains of the Day (1993) – Each time I see this masterpiece, I find something new in the story of an unspoken, unrequited love story between a butler and a housekeeper serving a large English estate. Mr. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is the always-proper butler and major domo of the household, loyal to his master and able to manage the staff and the household with alacrity. For someone always so present, he can practically make himself invisible. He dares not take in the discussions between the German-sympathizing lord of the manor and his would-be diplomatic friends that take place between the two World Wars, lest he be distracted from his duties. Not even the death of his father, a man formerly of his position but now resigned to mops and brooms in the household, can take him away from serving. His counterpoint is Miss Kenton (the wonderful Emma Thompson), who serves by his side for many years, always calling him Mr. Stevens and answering to his Miss Kenton. Will these two people acknowledge that their relationship is more than butler and head housekeeper? Can they express their feelings when given an opportunity? If you are a Downton Abbey fan, you will love this look at the downstairs folks that shows their dedication as well as their sacrifice of self to the duties of service. 5 cans.
101. Running Scared (1986) – Ray and Danny (Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal) are two Chicago undercover detectives charged with apprehending drug kingpin Julio Gonzalez (Jimmy Smits). They are best friends and running buddies, unconventional in their approach to police work, wise-cracking and nearly fearless. The story here matters less than the chemistry between the two men and the action, with plenty of car chases, including a race along Chicago’s L train, and a shootout in the State Building. Hines and Crystal have magic between them, which makes this buddy movie worth seeing. If you want to see a couple of guys on the run in a much funnier movie, check out “Midnight Run.” 3 cans.
102. The Last Movie Star* (2018) – Burt Reynolds plays Vic Edwards, fading former Hollywood star, who accepts an invitation to be honored at the Nashville Film Festival. Little does he know that the festival is nothing more than a Vic Edwards Fan Club meeting of a small but loyal group of mostly men in their 20s who adore the star and his somewhat campy movies. Vic is put out, but he uses the opportunity to walk – slowly – down memory lane, accompanied by the young woman (Ariel Winter) assigned to pick him up at the airport and drive him around. This is a poignant story of a man who recognizes exactly where he is on the career path, who but can’t help looking back on what once was. The producers managed to work in scenes from his actual movies, sometimes keeping the virile superstar walking with the present-day model, even showing off that infamous Playboy centerfold of Reynolds at his peak of popularity. Wow, I guess we have all gotten old. I found this on Amazon Prime (free to members). 3 cans.
103. All the Queen’s Horses* (2015) – The most famous citizen of Dixon, Illinois, was President Ronald Reagan. And then Rita Crundwell came along. As a finance person in the city administration, Rita was responsible for paying bills, keeping accounts and practically every financial matter for Dixon. Renowned as a horsewoman who owned many expensive, prize-winning quarter horses, Rita was well known to the townspeople. But she became truly infamous when it was discovered in 2011 that she had embezzled $57 million from the town’s coffers over 20 years, enabling her to purchase real estate, take vacations and live the good life on the salary of a municipal worker. I couldn’t help but wonder what the town budget was if no one noticed the disappearance of $57 million over time. How did she do it and how was she caught? It was remarkably simple to pull off: She simply created a phony account with phony invoices and transferred the money from the city accounts to her own. And no one questioned it. This story’s red flags are blinding, yet the auditors and the banks with whom the town did business picked them up. For more details, take a look at this documentary on Netflix. Maybe those televised town meetings on the local community channel are more interesting than I thought. 3 cans.
SEPTEMBER
104. The Wife* (2018) – He is a renowned author who has just won the Nobel Prize for Literature. She is the wife, the woman who carries his extra glasses and reminds him to take his pills. He publicly professes his love for her. And then he hands her his coat to hold. Underneath her placid exterior is an intelligent, talented woman simmering with disappointment bordering on rage. There were moments when I thought she (Glenn Close) would start to display some of the character she played in “Fatal Attraction.” Close gives an outstanding performance as the wife. Jonathan Pryce plays her renowned but hapless (in so many ways) husband, a proud and priggish man who thinks public proclamations of his adoration of his wife Joanie are enough. Christian Slater is a man trying to win both of them over so he can write the writer’s biography. Slater can be a smarmy sort, which fits this character perfectly. I can’t say more without giving away the plot, but I will reveal that no rabbits were boiled in the making of this film. 4 cans.
105. Slap Shot (1977) – What “Bull Durham” is to minor league baseball, “Slap Shot” is to minor league hockey – minus the rom-com aspects and with more comedy. This a raucous movie about the trials and tribulations of a minor league hockey team about to fold. Newman is Reg Dunlap, the aging player-coach of the Charlestown Chiefs, a horrible hockey team in a crappy league full of has-beens and never-weres. The team is headed to oblivion when management decides to bring back brawling, led by the bespectacled Hanson brothers. When the three brothers arrive on the scene (complete with their toys) and are let loose on the ice, mayhem ensues and the team succeeds. Ah, but enough to make them an attractive franchise for another town to purchase? Newman is terrific, skating enough to seem credible as a hockey player. Michael Ontkean is the brainy player who won’t fight, and Strother Martin, Newman’s nemesis in the great “Cool Hand Luke,” is the general manager of the hockey club. 4 cans for a lot of laughs and the great Maxine Nightingale song, “Get Right Back to Where You Started From.” And Newman.
106. The Captive* (2014) – This apparently little-known movie is an intriguing one. (I found it on Netflix but could not find information online about it because it shares its title with a 1959 film.) Ryan Reynolds is a desperate dad following the disappearance of his nearly 10-year-old daughter from his truck while he quickly ducked into a store to get her ice cream. Eight years pass, with police still on the case but gathering no clues. Who would have abducted her and why? Detectives Rosario Dawson and Scott Speedman have a theory and begin to eek out info and details, but they think the father may be involved. Meanwhile, on the marital front, the relationship is deteriorating since mom blames dad for leaving their daughter alone in the truck. There were times I was transfixed and other times that I thought this is never going to end. Never leave kids alone in the car is the message here. 3½ cans.
107. My Fair Lady (1964) – THIS is a musical. It has a book, lovely songs with memorable lyrics, plenty of dancing, and STARS – Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins and Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle. It is based on the classic Pygmalion story by George Bernard Shaw about a professor of linguistics who makes a bet with his colleague that he can take a lowly flower girl with a Cockney accent and make her into a lady. In today’s climate, I had to overlook the misogynistic tone and the Professor’s impervious manner, but it is a joy watching as Eliza transforms from a shrinking violet to a self-assured woman. You know the saying, “They don’t make them like that anymore?” Well, they don’t. I can understand the outrage of replacing Julie Andrews, who starred in the stage version, with Hepburn, a bigger star whose voice was dubbed, but the musical succeeds quite nicely, with credit to Harrison – who, ironically, speaks his numbers but does it so well that you don’t mind. Since I am going to see the revival at Lincoln Center, I thought I should brush up on my proper English first. 4 cans. PS – The stage version I saw at Lincoln Center was outstanding. I highly recommend it.
108. The Gift* (2015) – Joel Edgerton gave himself a gift with this suspenseful movie, serving as writer, director and a star. Gordo (Edgerton) and Simon (the always watchable Jason Bateman) are former high school classmates who meet as Simon and his wife move into town for his big promotion. Gordo seems nice enough, but there are shades of stalking in his repeated contacts with Simon and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) – showing up unannounced, bearing gifts so the young couple has to respond, etc. It seems Simon and Gordo were more than classmates, and Simon may not be the great guy he appears to be, making Robyn uncomfortable with her hubby as well as his strange friend. 3 cans.
109. The Group* (1966) – As someone who graduated from a women’s college, I thought this movie about a group of women from an unnamed but Ivy League-type college in 1933 would be more appealing. Instead, it is overwrought, badly acted, stilted and it reinforces men’s bad behavior (I’m not saying it is inaccurate, mind you). The story follows the young women as they leave college, meet and marry (or try to) men and establish careers. The eight characters are all relatively wealthy and privileged, but that does not translate into happiness in this soapy drama. The cast is a good one on paper (Candace Bergen, in her feature film debut, gets the least amount of screen time but her character’s name is mentioned most often), Jessica Walter, Joanna Pettit and a bunch of others who seem virtually interchangeable. Maybe it was more relevant when it was released in the mid-60s, but now it seems too melodramatic. One point in its favor is the strength of the bond between the women, which definitely resonates with me. 3 cans.
110. All the Money In the World* (2017) – This is the film notorious for editing out actor and accused sexual molester Kevin Spacey, who originally played billionaire J. Paul Getty, and replacing him with Christopher Plummer as the aging oil mogul whose 16-year old grandson Paul (Charlie Plummer) is kidnapped. You may remember the story, so I’ll skip the details. Getty refuses the pleas of Gail, his former daughter-in-law (Michelle Williams) to pay the $17 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers. Getty states publicly that if he were to pay, the bad guys would abduct all 17 of his grandchildren. The action goes between negotiations with Getty and Gail, aided by Getty advisor Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg), who is clearly on the side of the distraught mother. Getty wants to find a way to pay less – if anything – and do it in a way that he can deduct it from his taxes. He is a stubborn old miser, collecting art and furnishing grand mansions while his family is nearly destitute. Meanwhile, the poor kid’s life hangs in the balance while the bad guys ramp up their threats of harming the teenager. Not a fun movie to watch, but kudos for excellent performances. 3½ cans.
111. Searching* (2018) – Too many people live their lives online these days, where everything you do or say can be consumed by friends or enemies. John Cho is David Kim, whose relationship with his 16-year-old daughter Margot (Michelle La) is largely conducted online, even though they live in the same house. They text, Facetime, send emails and do everything except actually sit and talk, for the most part. So, when she goes missing one day and he is asked by Detective Vick (Debra Messing in a rare dramatic role) for names of her friends and for her activities, David is at a loss. He turns to the computer for clues, and most of the movie is shown on a screen, with Facetime, videocalls and lots of clicking on the keyboard as he constructs a life for his daughter that he knew nothing about. The movie has plenty of intrigue as the detectives, aided by the distraught dad, pursue all the leads to find Margot. One of the best movies I have seen this year. 4 cans.
112. The Proposal* (2009) – New York book publisher Margaret (Sandra Bullock) matches up with all of the stereotypes we have seen portrayed in movies about intelligent and powerful women. She is cold, unyielding and cunning and she treats everyone – especially her thoughtful and loyal assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) – with no appreciation and a healthy dose of disdain. But when Margaret, a Canadian, is threatened with deportation, she coerces Andrew into agreeing to say they are engaged so she can stay in the US and retain her position. Andrew isn’t quite the milquetoast he seems, bargaining for a promotion as he goes along with the scheme. Things get complicated when the two, in an attempt to fool the determined immigration agent, end up going to Alaska for the weekend to attend Andrew’s grandmother’s birthday party, and they have to pretend they are engaged. His family – who only knows Margaret through Andrew’s caustic references to her brow-beating of him as her assistant – is shocked that the pair are now a couple, but they welcome her into the family. Come on, now, we all know exactly where this is heading, and it would be a TV movie at best except for the warm and wonderful performances by the entire cast, including Betty White as Gammy and Craig T. Nelson and Mary Steenbergen as Andrew’s parents. This is not “Citizen Caine,” but it has substantial merits, and I really like Bullock and Reynolds. 3 ½ cans.
113. Step Up* (2006) – In the pantheon of post-Fred, Ginger and Gene dance movies, this film will inevitably be compared to the more modern “Saturday Night Fever” with John Travolta, “Dirty Dancing” with Patrick Swayze and “Footloose” with Kevin Bacon. All of them have the same basic plot: Bad boy meets good girl, they dance, they fall in love, something bad happens, dancing redeems them. Here Channing Tatum is a naturally talented hip-hop dancer assigned to community service at the arts high school he trashed, and while mopping floor and cleaning windows, he spots dancer Nora (Jenna Dewan) and “steps up” to be her partner in a dance showcase when her original partner is injured. They dance and become entranced, but there is no point in dwelling on the plot. This film modernizes the previous ones (granted, “Dirty Dancing” was set in the 1960s) with more current music and character types, and it largely pulls it off. Like Travolta and Swayze, Tatum is completely captivating on the dance floor, oversized clothes and all. This isn’t a great movie by any means, but it celebrates the exuberance and beauty of dance, and that’s enough for me. 3½ cans.
114. A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY* (2014) – I cannot begin to understand the strength, bravery and skill required to fight fires, especially in a turbulent, crowded city like New York. This documentary by actor Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), a former firefighter in NY, takes viewers behind the scenes with rare footage and revealing interviews with New York’s Bravest. Men and women, black, white and all ethnicities, these heroes tell why they joined the Fire Department and what the bonds they build really mean. What they do is so important, and you can’t help but admire them for doing it. 3½ cans.
115. Jane Fonda in Five Acts* (2017) – What actress has had more acts than Jane Fonda? From Henry’s daughter to his co-star (in “On Golden Pond”), from Vietnam War critic and social activist to the fitness icon responsible for an entire video industry, from “Barbarella” to “Coming Home” and from Oscar-winning actress to mogul Ted Turner’s trophy wife? In this HBO documentary Fonda reveals it all. She cops to being subservient to her various husbands and she regrets that picture of her in Hanoi that gave her the moniker “Hanoi Jane” and stirred the hatred of millions. But despite the controversies surrounding her life, she has turned out exceptional movies like “Klute,” “Coming Home,” – both Oscar-winning for her – and a few she used as vehicles to speak out about important issues, such as “The China Syndrome,” about a nuclear meltdown, and “9-5,” a call for equality in the workplace. Neglected by her mentally-ill mother (who committed suicide when Jane was 12) and her detached, emotionless father, Jane carries plenty of emotional baggage. I know there are people who still harbor resentment for her antiwar activism, but this is the same woman who fought for veterans and ran summer camps for kids at her home. And at 80, even Jane admits that she looks pretty damn good. Those Jane Fonda workout tapes had a long-lasting effect. 4 cans.
OCTOBER
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 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.
NOVEMBER
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 live 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.
DECEMBER
140. Creed II* (2018) – “Creed II” is a worthy successor not only to the first “Creed,” but also to its parent franchise, the “Rocky” series. But the tide shifts here, as Rocky himself (still played by Sylvester Stallone) is subjugated to a diminished but still inspiring role as the aging former champ who mentors Adonis Creed (an aptly named character; wait until you get a look at the transformed physique of star Michael B. Jordan) as he tries to even the score in taking on Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the Russian boxer who killed Adonis’ father, Apollo. Still with me? This is the beginning of a new franchise, where Adonis becomes a husband and father (Tessa Thompson plays his wife) and their world is not the impoverished Philadelphia where Rocky lives. Adonis has his own motivation, but he can’t win without his beloved “Unc,” Rocky. Stallone swears this is his last run as Rocky, but I won’t buy it until they kill him off (on-screen or off). There are brutal boxing scenes, a hallmark of the series, comebacks, underdogs, revenge – all the usual elements, and all delivered with heart. “Creed II” packs a punch. 4 cans.
141. Love, Actually (2003) – No holiday would be complete without at least one airing of this delightful charmer, an intertwined story of people finding (and losing) love. From kids with crushes to Prime Ministers and their assistants, this movie has become one of my favorite holiday movies. Why waste time on Hallmark when you can watch Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Kiera Knightly, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson and more at work? Just watching Mr. Bean wrap a gift is worth the price of admission (and it is free on Netflix!). Plus, it features my favorite Christmas tune, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” I promise you will love it, actually. 4½ cans.
142. Always at the Carlyle* (2018) – This loving tribute to New York’s swankiest hotel takes viewers behind the scenes of the classic Carlyle, with its masterful art, its Bemelmen’s Bar, its Café Carlyle (and performers such as Bobby Short) and a staff that has served important and wealthy guests for decades. We meet everyone from the general manager to the elevator operators (yes, they still have them), to the seamstress who embroiders the name of the guest on his or her pillowcases. Known for its discretion in protecting the privacy of its celebrity clientele, the Carlyle offers a personalized hotel experience for repeat guests like George Clooney and his wife Amal (he is interviewed on camera while the staff insists he is their favorite guest), tennis champion Roger Federer, singer Lenny Kravitz, actress Angelica Houston (whose former boyfriend Jack Nicholson charmed the staff by calling each of them by name), actor Bill Murray, the late Anthony Bourdain and many more. It is nice to know that in this digital world, there are still elegant places with old-world charm and service. I’m pretty sure I’ll never spring for a $10K a night room there, so this free trip was the closest I’ll get! 3½ cans.
143. Rocky Balboa* (2006) – Having just seen “Creed II,” I wanted to complete the entire “Rocky” saga by watching the only movie in the series that I had never seen. Here an aging Rocky (Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote and directed) is having trouble adjusting to life without purpose – and without his late, beloved wife, Adrian). He’s squabbling with his buddy Pauly, who wants to move on, and he has a fractured relationship with his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), a twenty-something who wants to be someone known for more than being the Champ’s kid. He’s not fulfilled telling the same stories every night at the restaurant he owns that he named after Adrian. He’s made friends with a woman working at a bar and maybe something will come of that, but meanwhile, what’s a fighter to do but fight? So Rocky looks for some small-scale matches with local talent and, before he can fight anyone, he is approached to fight the World Champion, Mason Dixon (Stallone has always been great with characters’ names) in what Dixon and his handlers figure will be a glorified exhibition for the Champ. Rocky goes into the ring to win – after the obligatory training scenes and one more run up those iconic steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Does our man win or lose? You know he will give it his all. This was the least impressive movie of the series, but you just have to love Rocky, a man with loyalty, persistence and heart. 3½ cans.
144. Spielberg (2017) – This superb documentary covers the life and work of filmmaker Steven Spielberg, the man responsible for creating some of the best-known and best movies of our time. Think “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Jaws,” “ET,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Saving Private Ryan,” to name just a few. His fascination with film started when he was just a boy. His imagination and immense talent in story-telling illustrates a theme of loneliness and abandonment by a parent in many of his movies. Although I am not an aficionado of works like “Indiana Jones,” I admire and respect Spielberg for brining such diverse entertainment to the screen. 4 cans and a few Oscars.
145. Doubt (2008) – There is no doubt that this provocative film makes the viewer think and wonder, and, while now 10 years old, its themes are very contemporary. Meryl Streep is the tough and feisty nun who is the principal of Catholic school in Boston. Her unrelenting adherence to the traditional ways of teaching make it tough on the students as well as the staff. The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman is a priest new to the parish who has a lighter, friendlier touch. He even has the temerity to suggest that secular songs be included in the Christmas pageant. But the real issue is his involvement with the one black student, a lonely boy who Father Flynn takes under his wing. Is he really interested in the boy’s welfare, or is his interest more nefarious? Young, innocent and idealistic nun Sister James (Amy Adams) thinks she has observed behavior that is inappropriate and when she talks to Sister Aloysius to express her concerns, the older woman delves into the matter. Who should be believed? The boy’s mother (Viola Davis) just wants him to get through the school year, but the Sister has her doubts. Not a fun movie to watch, but one that shows the acting chops of all the characters, with Streep and Hoffman at the top of their games. 4 cans.
146. The Favourite* (2018) – I should have known when I immediately took a dislike to the design and typeface used for the credits of this black comedy that I wouldn’t like the movie. And I didn’t. I will give it credit for phenomenal acting. Olivia Coleman as Queen Anne of England isn’t afraid to look horrible and throw up on camera, and Rachel Weisz as her close friend and aide Sarah (who is much more the Queen than the Queen) and Emma Stone as a former woman of status who is now just a sneaky woman in waiting – waiting for the others to die – are superb. The sets and costumes were magnificent. But if we are awarding points for gratuitous sex, nudity and general debauchery, this one ranks high up on the scale. My friend and I found it beyond bizarre. I haven’t seen this much vomiting in a movie since “Animal House,” and that was on Dean Wormer’s desk. The plot, such as it is, involves the women vying for the affection and advantages of being top dog to the Queen. I must admit that it makes political figures look like crazy, incompetent sycophants, and that seems timely, but overall, I was ready to walk out. You will find much more favorable reviews than mine, but I have to say that “The Favourite” was not my favorite movie of the year. 1 can.
147. Springsteen On Broadway* (2018) – Thank you, Netflix, for the gift I could not buy for myself. I tried entering the ticket lottery to see Bruce on Broadway, but to no avail. So now Netflix has saved me hundreds of dollars and a trip into the city to see Bruce tell his story – much of which he revealed in his autobiography – and punctuate this tale with a smattering of relevant songs. I cannot even imagine the intimacy and electricity in the audience when Bruce talks about retrieving his father from the local bar or tells us how his mother, now seven years into Alzheimer’s, still dances around when she hears music. This is a Jersey boy, raised in a blue collar town, telling stories of cars he couldn’t drive and jobs he’s never held with a gritty reality that seems absolutely genuine. He performs all but two songs by himself, with wife Patty Scialfa joining him on stage. I was so transfixed, I didn’t even miss the huge, iconic sound of the E Street Band backing him up. Bruce bares his soul and makes you feel he is talking just to the people in that room. Well-played, Bruce. 4½ cans.
148. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Season 2* (2018) – The Emmy-winning Amazon comedy is back for season 2, and while I welcomed seeing Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager Suzy (Alex Borstin) again, I chafed a bit from the rest of the family this time around. Midge’s mother flies off to Paris to arouse some attention from her self-centered husband in episode 1, and their obnoxious behavior and frenzied dialog set the tone for a season fraught with the rise of the secondary characters. Midge is undecided – or uncommitted – to her career as a stand-up comedian for the first half of the new episodes. She won’t even tell her family where she goes at night when she is performing at comedy clubs. Her estranged husband Joel, on the other hand, has given up on his attempt at comedy (good choice, Joel) and now works for his father’s garment business with his faithful secretary, the estimable Mrs. Moskowitz, at his side (she was one secondary character who was neither over-written or overplayed). Maybe I liked last season better, when the characters, the premise and the concept of the show were shiny and new. Or maybe it was just a sophomore slump, but this season year fell short of last year’s burst onto the scene. It was good, and you should watch it, but I felt it was better last year. 3½ cans.
149. Ellen DeGeneres – Relatable* (2018) – Can a self-admitted multimillionaire with a sprawling house and servants and a 16-year old talk show still be relatable to her audience? If she’s Ellen, absolutely. Like the rest of us, she doesn’t appreciate slow drivers, she scoffs at the trend towards a menagerie of “support animals” found on airplanes, and she squeezes every last bit of toothpaste out of the tube – even if she has to use her American Express Gold Card to do it. She loves to dance to her favorite songs (this after admitting she never should have started dancing every day on her show), but only on the designated dance floor. She admits to feeling constricted by her reputation as “that “kind” girl, so she has to act a certain way in public, and she tells stories about how she and everyone who was associated with her “coming out” episode of her sitcom was shunned by Hollywood (she claims she had no money and didn’t work for years after the revelation). But she is so appealing in an everywoman way, it doesn’t matter if she has her butler serve her chunks of pineapple or if she swears she never sits past row 10 on a plane (all of which is meant to illustrate her affluence). She hasn’t done stand-up for 15 years, and this Netflix special reminds me just how much I have missed her. 4 cans and a standing 0.
150. Home Alone (1999) – On the heels of a very clever parody of this Christmas “classic” currently making the Internet rounds, starring a grown-up Kevin McAllister (Macauley Culkin), I thought it would be time to revisit the original. You can look at this movie as a prime example of bad parenting, with young Kevin’s overwrought parents taking off for the holidays with their unruly brood and “accidentally” neglecting to assure the full headcount, as they depart without their 7-year-old energetic and challenging son. Kevin is left to outplay, outlast and outwit would-be – but inept – burglars, which he does through ingenious ways to make them think he is anything but alone in that big house. I’m not a fan of slapstick, but this movie – overlooking its neglect and possible child abuse – is funny. Credit goes to Culkin himself, with just the right amount of ham in him, and to the late director, John Hughes, who had a distinctive touch working with kids and teenagers. It is mostly harmless and mostly amusing, and although it isn’t a Christmas movie on the order of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it is holiday viewing at its silliest. 3½ cans.
151. The Mule* (2018) – It’s not much of a stretch for Clint Eastwood to play a guy in his late 80s these days, and he devoted minimal effort to be convincing here as Earl Stone. Earl is a failed husband and father, a veteran who devoted too much time and effort to his flower business at the expense of his family, driving all over the country without any moving violations. Those qualities are appealing to a local drug cartel, and Earl is approached about doing some driving to transport huge amounts of drugs. He just has to haul drugs to collect his cash, a lucrative and easy job for a guy who has few ties to tempt him to stay home. Bradley Cooper is a DEA agent looking to crack the cartel, but can he catch the “mule” and make a big name for himself? Based on a real story. If Eastwood were any more low-key you would have to check him for a pulse. A different story with more than a few platitudes about the importance of putting family first, but worth the trip – pun intended – to see it. 3½ cans.
152. Long Shot* (2017) – In this intriguing Netflix documentary, Dodger fan Juan Catalan is enjoying a game with his daughter when, after the game ends, he is accused of attacking a killing a young woman in the vicinity. One eye witness’ description leads to a sketch of a man who resembles Juan, and that’s enough for police to try to make a case against him. But if you think Juan was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he wasn’t. His guilt or innocence hinges on footage shot that day at the game for “The Larry David Show” on HBO, and his attorney his determine to put though every frame to see if he can place Juan at the game. Yes, it is a long shot, but will it work? This is a short movie and it easily held my interest. 3 strikes and he was almost out.
153. The Children Act* (2017) – British High Court Judge Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson) is the sole of efficiency, ruling over complex legal cases with a thorough understanding of the law and empathy for the parties involved. She is so dedicated to her profession that she completely disregards neglected husband Jack (Stanley Tucci), who reminds her of their loveless marriage by declaring he wants to have an affair. But she is more concerned with the heart-wrenching case of Adam, a 17-year old boy (Fionn Whitehead) dying of leukemia whose Jehovah Witness family will not allow him to have a needed blood transfusion. She has to follow the law and protect the child, whose medical situation becomes just part of the story. Thompson is strong and wise and a bit perplexed by this case and its aftermath. This is a quiet and surprising story that is made that much better by the magnificent Thompson. 3½ cans.
154. In & Out (1997) – Greenleaf, Indiana, is shaken to its mushy core when beloved English teacher Howard Bracket is outed by a former student during his Oscar acceptance speech. After all, Bracket (the immensely talented Kevin Kline) is just about to marry his long-time love Emily (the underrated Joan Cusack), so he can’t possibly be gay. Or could he? There is his Barbra Streisand fetish, the fact that he picked out Emily’s bridal gown, and the three-year engagement and wait before, well, never mind. When TV reporter Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck) comes to town to cover the story, Howard is less sure about himself than ever. I don’t want to reveal the plot of this comedy gem, but Cusack gets off two of the best lines. There is a treasure trove of supporting actors – Debbie Reynolds, Wilfred Brimley, Bob Newhart, Matt Dillon as the actor who gets the rumor mill cranking – but Cusack steals the show. I hope none of my gay friends find the humor here offensive, because I think this movie is hilarious. 4 cans.
155. Dave (1993) – This political comedy was my Kevin Kline double feature of the day. Here Kline is Dave, a doppelganger for evil President Bill Mitchell, who has suffered a debilitating stroke. The President’s mem (Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn) don’t want to surrender their power by having the VP (Ben Kingsley) take over, so they enlist Dave to take his place. It would all work out except that Dave is a good guy who doesn’t want to cut funding for children and who can find ways to save money in the budget that the president’s men have padded to work their way. Even the first Lady (Sigourney Weaver), who is estranged from Mitchell but stuck in her role, doesn’t catch on at first. Can good overcome evil? What will all the President’s men do? There’s a bit of Jimmy Stewart’s “Mr. Deeds Goes to Washington” sentimentality here, but Kline is so amiable and so naïve in his quest to do the right thing, that the movie can be very heartwarming. 3½ cans.
156. The Producers (2005) – The inspired lunacy of Mel Brooks is on delightful display in this musical comedy about Broadway producers Bialystock and Bloom (Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick), who concoct a scheme to find the worst Broadway show ever, open on Broadway with investors’ money and epically fail so the show immediately closes and they reap the rewards. And in “Springtime for Hitler,” they seem to have found the perfect failure. I’ve seen this one before (including the original Zero Mostel-Gene Wilder version as well as the musical on Broadway) and I love the story, the songs and dances, the performances and the chutzpah of Brooks to highlight the humor he finds in what had always been an unmentionable period of history that lacked any degree of humor. But leave it to Brooks. Their musical is so repugnant and people are so completely shocked, that they don’t get the joke and fall for it, killing the producers’ hopes and dreams of failure. Funny, funny stuff. 4 cans.
157. Stepmom (1998) – Susan Sarandon is Jackie, the perfect mother of two, divorced from Luke (Ed Harris) and loathing Isabel (Julia Roberts, who has never looked better than she does here), the attractive, independent woman he is dating. The kids are precocious, Jackie is passive-aggressive, Isabel is kind-hearted but no shrinking violet, and Luke is never around. Finding her place in a family where she is resented isn’t easy for Isabel, and Jackie’s disdain doesn’t help. This is a beautifully filmed movie that tugs on my heartstrings. The kids in the movie – Jena Malone and Liam Aiken – are outstanding. 4 cans.
158. A Christmas Story (1988) –Clever and warm, chock full of reminiscing, this classic is one I eagerly watch every Christmas Eve. Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas, but he’ll shoot his eye out, warns every adult in his life. There’s the scene with the hideous lamp, the kid who gets his tongue frozen to the lamppost, Ralphie getting his mouth washed out with a bar of soap (he prefers Lux) for using the ultimate bad word, the turkey going to the dogs and the scene in the Chinese restaurant. I no longer laugh out loud, but each year I marvel at the wit and wisdom of the writer, Jean Shepherd, in providing this view of growing up in a small town in the “good old” days. 4 cans.
159. Second Act* (2018) – Jennifer Lopez is Maya, a high school dropout who is smart enough to have built a career in a discount store with her ingenious marketing ideas. But when she is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she quits and lets her godson create a resume for her that makes her too good to be true. She gets a new job and a new life (minus her boyfriend Trey, played by Milo Ventimiglia), where she has to compete with the owner’s daughter (Vanessa Hudgens). This movie is a little too full of coincidences and storylines, but Lopez is so good trying not to be Jenny from the block that she wins you over. There are splashes of “Working Girl” evident here, and things work out a bit too well, but J-Lo is far too likable on screen to discount the movie. The best chemistry is reserved for Maya’s BFF Joan (Leah Remini, her bestie in real life), who riff off each other and keep the humor light and laughable. This isn’t on the list of top movies of the year, but it is one worth watching. J-Lo is drop dead gorgeous here. 3½ cans.
160. Ben Is Back* (2018) – Julia Roberts’ megawatt grin is missing here and replaced by a face full of fear and anguish as she deals with her drug-addicted son (played by Lucas Hedges) who is unexpectantly home from rehab and trying to avoid the triggers that could sabotage his recovery. This is a good movie, with outstanding acting, but it is hardly light and cheery holiday fare. Roberts is fierce and determined as she fights desperately to keep her son from his addictive behaviors. This is the second movie I have seen this year about young adults battling addiction (the other one is “Beautiful Boy”) and the parents who are desperate to help them. Not a fun movie, but kudos to the actors. 3½ cans.
161. Life of the Party* (2018) – The only good thing about this ridiculous comedy is that I didn’t pay money to see it in a theatre. But I’m telling you, if Melissa McCarthy doesn’t stop making these over-the-top pieces of sheer dreck, she will find her career going the way of Shelley Long’s. This movie is practically science fiction: A soon-to-be divorced mother decides to finish her long-delayed undergraduate degree at the college where her daughter is a senior and the daughter and all her sorority sisters welcome the bedazzled mom with open arms. Mom hooks up with a cute guy at a fraternity party, has sex with him in the stacks at the library and parties like it’s 1989. On what planet is Mom welcome to hang with the sorority sisters? And how is her bouffant hairdo converted to a decent ‘do with a few brush strokes? Sorry, Melissa, I’m not buying it. And I am glad I didn’t. 0 cans.
162. If You Build It* (2014) – In this documentary, designer Emily and her partner Matt, an architect, propose an interesting approach to improving a small North Carolina town by teaching high school students how to design and build practical structures and letting them develop new skills. The Board of Education is all for it, but they don’t have the funds to pay the teachers, who take the challenge anyway, surviving on grants to cover expenses. The kids – none of whom previously were eager to attend school – thrive under their instruction and take on everything from building chicken coops to a farmers’ market in the economically-deprived town. Watching the kids embrace education is rewarding. The area might be in better hands with more of Emily and Matt and less of the administrators and officials who run the town. 2½ cans.
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