Short Movie Reviews-Updated Jan 24, 2023 Including- Living/ TAR/ A Man Called Otto/ Hustle/ To Leslie/ Babylon/ If These Walls Could Sing/ The Cursed/ I Wanna Dance With Somebody/ Puss In Boots: The Last Wish/ RRR
This is updated as of this morning Jan 24, 2023, to include the films that have been nominated for an Academy Award.
LIVING, in theaters now.
Nominated for Best Actor-Bill Nighy
Adapted screenplay
The film has been nominated for a few BAFTA awards on February 19, including Best Actor for Bill Nighy, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Outstanding British Film.
I'm not sure if this will be nominated for anything from the Academy, on Tuesday, as I think it's not a film that they really nominate, although it would be a nice surprise.
The film takes place in 1950s London.
A scene in the film near the end has a wonderful scene between one of his colleagues and a bobbie where they reminisce about who he was, it's quite a nice and respectful scene.
He develops a friendship with a female colleague who is much younger than he is, it goes without saying that there is some talk around town about it, but he is just lonely for a friend. Margaret (Aimee Lou Wood, below) also questions his reasoning for wanting to be with her.
Unlike a lot of what I have been watching of late, this is a very quiet movie, with a great score that really helps set the tone of the movie from the opening credits.
TAR, is available to rent or own on physical media.
Best Actress in a leading role--Cate Blanchett
Cinematography Florian Hoffmeister
Director-Todd Fields
Editing-Monika Willi
Best Picture
Best Original Screenplay
They dare start the film with the credits first and make no attempt to have them scroll by either. Opens with a discussion between Tar and a person interviewing her in an auditorium in front of a crowd.
The movie is a slow burn and they could have trimmed off a good half hour or so but overall it's a great character piece and Cate Blanchett is as good as ever.
I'm not sure who else could play the role as convincing as she has.
Conversations with other characters are deep and she challenges her students to challenge themselves.
In the end, it doesn't clear up a problem brought on by a student or someone who becomes obsessed with her, but it's kind of vague for us, the audience, as to what fully happened in that regard. Other than that I was interested in how it was going to end.
From Movieweb:
While Tár is marketed as a biopic, she is not a real person. Between Blanchett's phenomenal performance of the cruel conductor, whose selfish behavior leads to her swift downfall, and the realistic riches-to-rags story, Field certainly did everything to make the film feel as real as possible.
PAWN SHOP CHRONICLES(2013) Amazon Prime
I have never heard of it, but I can certainly see that the filmmakers were inspired by Creepshow, as they use the same opening of each of the different stories like a comic book.
I can see how Matt Dillon( kind of)prepared for his role in The House that Jack Built, almost the same character, minus a few things.... head's up but a pretty brutal scene with him and Elijah Wood....
They even it all out with credit bloopers, with some pretty funny scenes.
"An Elvis impersonator, meth-addicted white supremacists, and a man searching for his wife hunts for a missing wedding ring.
Release date: July 12, 2013 (USA)
A MAN CALLED OTTO, playing in theaters
This movie is about as tired and predictable as they come.
On top of that Tom Hanks is one of the worst "grumpy old man" I have ever seen on film.
Want grumpy old man? Try St Vincent with Bill Murray or Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood, even The Grinch (original animated version) is a more convincing grump. Typical end to the film as one can expect from a movie like this.
I guess they sort of thought he would be a cute grump?
I wasn't sure if he would be able to pull it off, but I gave it a chance.
Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson are both producers of the film.
He was, however very good in Elvis, where he plays Thomas Andrew Parker aka Colonel Parker.
HUSTLE, playing on Netflix
I'm not a big Adam Sandler fan, at least not for the majority of what he does. But I think he really makes some good choices when it comes to the dramatic roles he does.
I'm still very fond of Punch Drunk Love and he was great in Uncut Gems.
Here he is a basketball scout for the Philadelphia 76s, in the film he's married to Queen Latifah, who is also really good here.
Ben Foster has a bit role, playing the co-owner of the team.
Other than that, he's surrounded by actual former and current NBA basketball players, owners, and coaches, there are a lot of them in this film, almost a full minute of footage of the players, etc at the end of the film before the credits role.
There are a lot of the basic elements of an up-and-coming star, and a lot of the training scenes are clearly inspired by the Rocky franchise, but it still works.
It was an enjoyable film overall.
It, of course, has the standard Hollywood ending which you can see a million miles away.
I don't watch basketball anymore but I used to back in the day when it was the Seattle Celtics vs the L.A. Lakers, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dennis Rodman, Scotty Pippen, and Michael Jordan were playing.
TO LESLIE, Available to rent it on Amazon Prime or Apple TV
Nominated for Best Actress -Andrea Risenborogh
Sometimes a movie just falls in your lap and makes you realize that there are some pretty amazing pieces of work that go right under the radar.
Definitely a hidden gem from last year.
As the line from a review of the film in the poster says, it does feel like it was made in the 70s.
To Leslie, is a true story of the film's writer, Ryan Binaco's mother Leslie, with an amazing performance by Andrea Risenborogh.
It's a very honest, and very hard truth sort of film. Nothing is painted perfectly, and even though she wins $190,000 at the start of the movie, she's suddenly thrown out of her apartment and on the street.
We watch helplessly as she's constantly drinking, she's also at the mercy of the alcohol. She's not wanting to be like this, about halfway through the film, there is a scene in the bar where a song finished playing and the camera pans to her face and she realizes that she has to change, it's intentionally quiet, to the point that we can only hear the clock ticking...
She continues to drink and sleep on the street, until someone comes into contact with her and offers her a job at the hotel he owns and changes her life, one of the most sincere people, I think I have seen on film, ever, with Sweeney (Marc Maron).
These are some of the most realistic people I think I saw last year in a movie.
The performances are solid, and I hope there are some nominations for it, even though I think it's going to be for an Independent Spirit Award, which is fine, it's a better show anyway.
I had to pause for a minute to get a drink and was surprised to see that I was 45 minutes into the film which felt like maybe 20, real people, real story, really spectacular film.
BABYLON, in theaters
Best Costuming - Mary Zophrees
Best Original Score- Justin Hurwitz
Production Design- Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino
When the film isn't bothering itself with the overly done party scenes and focuses more on the story, this is one hell of a movie.
In the 1920s they were switching from the silent era to talkies and with that, it brought the likes of Douglas Fairbanks and others who didn't have the voice that the audience expected to hear, to an end.
Brad Pitt plays such a character.
This is really a love and tribute to the filmmakers of the past and it has a very nice ending, ala Cinema Paradiso (almost).
If they cut out the endless parties in the film, it wouldn't be 3+ hours to sit through.
I'm not sure why but it seems almost like every film this past year has been over 2 hours or longer.
Overall I enjoyed it but because of the length of the film, I doubt it will be one to watch again for me.
IF THESE WALLS COULD SING
If These Walls Could Sing, directed by Mary McCartney is very much a love letter to Abbey Road studios and all of the amount of music that has been recorded there, and continues to.
Some great archival footage of the bands, orchestras, etc that have filled the rooms with their talents and skills. To the people who have worked at the studio and have helped the artists capture their sound.
New interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Elton John. Also Roger Waters and David Gilmour, Liam, and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. John Williams and George Lucas on Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi.
To more modern artists such as Celeste and Kayne West with John Legend.
THE CURSED, on Amazon Prime
This is a gem of a film.
One of the best horror movies I have seen in quite some time.
Definitely one of the best werewolf movies, I can't remember the last time there was a decent one.
Can raise the hair on the back of your neck( no pun intended), it did mine.
It really takes time to build up the suspense.
Even if it has a lot of the same storyline we have seen, it's the performances and the overall creepy atmosphere of the film that really works on so many levels.
The camera helps the film, and some of the shots and cinematography are creative.
Plus, there's a scarecrow who haunts people in their dreams, almost like Freddy Krueger...
If you enjoyed The Woman in Black, this has the same sort of feel, the story takes place around the same time.
(Not to be confused with the Wes Craven film of the same name)
I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, in theaters
Well, that didn't do her justice.
A very cookie-cutter movie and very generic performances.
Understandably, the lead actress is lipsyncing to her voice as there has only been one Whitney Houston.
Rest in Peace.
I was a fan of Whitney Houston when she first started and I bought her first two albums.
Clive Davis is one of the producers, and so is Pat Houston, who was her manager and sister-in-law.
"Discovered by record executive Clive Davis, Whitney Houston rises from obscurity to international fame in the 1980s to become one of the greatest singers of her generation."
PUSS IN BOOTS THE LAST WISH, in theaters
Nominated for Best Animated Feature Film
This was a ton of fun and I enjoyed it so much more than the original, which is rare to like the sequel more than the original film.
Puss in Boots is my favorite character from the Shrek universe.
(Possibly because he's a cat 🤷)
Antonio Banderas returns as Puss
Salma Hayek is Soft Paws(the black cat in the poster)
Florence Pugh is Goldilocks and teams up with the three bears as a crime family.
Has some of the same wit as the Shrek movies did from the trilogy, having fun with the stories we know from our childhood.
The end of the film has him sailing on a boat and in the distance is Far Far Away Land, a possible third film?
RRR, on Netflix
Best Original Song- Naatu Naatu
RRR is one of the most amazing movies I have ever seen!
So many parts of the film gave me goosebumps, and also many scenes made me gasp in amazement.
The two lead actors are extremely talented, very skilled in martial arts and dancing with incredible skill and speed.
I haven't seen a film this year that compares to this one.
One of the best action movies ever made!
The length of the film is 3 hrs 7 minutes. It's so well done that I didn't realize it until I searched the length.
(When you type the title in Google search it has the horse and motorcycle following each other and they switch position on each run. They're used at the finale of the movie)
From the Hollywood Reporter
Although the central characters are based on real-life historical figures, RRR (the title stands for “Rise, Roar, Revolt”) is strictly fictional, as one of the most extensive opening disclaimers ever seen onscreen takes pain to emphasize. (We’re also assured that all of the animals seen in the film, and there are plenty, are strictly CGI. Which is definitely a good thing for them.)
(the last review, from December 28, 2022)
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET(1947), on Disney+
Couldn't sleep last night so I decided to watch a film I haven't seen in years, or so it would be that I have never seen before.
Miracle on 34th Street, 1947.
This is easily the best version of the film, (I tried unsuccessfully to watch the remake after this, but turned it off, from 1994.) also Edmund Gwenn is arguably one of the best Santa Claus in movie history, if not the best of all time.
His demeanor and gentle way is very heartwarming.
(Edit)
(I played Santa Claus for my friend's daycare for 10 years, I can spot the real deal from miles, or decades away, lol)
Natalie Wood is adorable and such a good little actress here, she outshines Maureen O'Hara in my opinion.
My Top Ten movies of the year (that I have seen)
1 🇺🇸 The Fablemans
2🇮🇳 RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt)
3 🇦🇺 The Legend of Molly Johnson-
written/directed & starring Leah Purcell Official
4🇨🇦 🇲🇹Carmen-Directed by Valerie Buhagiar
5 🇮🇪The Banshees of Inisherin
6 🇺🇸 Elvis
7 🇺🇸 Everything, Everywhere All At Once
8 🇨🇦 Cult Hero starring Ry Barrett & Liv Collins Cook
9 🇨🇦 Broken Angel Directed by Jules Koostachin
10 🇨🇦 Bandit written by Kraig Wenman & directed by Allan Ungar
Honorable mentions
She Said
The Bad Guys
Emily The Criminal
X & Pearl
The Batman
The Witch 2: The Other One
The Menu
To Leslie
Living
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