Phantom Thread

— This is one of those luxurious films where you can almost feel the texture of upholstery. Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance as Reynolds Woodcock, a 1950’s London dressmaker is mesmerizing, but so is Lesley Manville's Cyril, his sister and business partner, and Vicky Krieps' Alma, the woman who catches his eye. It’s the tale of an artist living in his own world, seemingly spoiled and pampered by the women whose existences he seemingly sees as less important. The film opens with Cyril, his frosty sister, guiding him through both business and personal matters, even preparing to dismiss his latest love interest whose affections no longer interest him, so his life is uncluttered and his creative genius unfettered. Around him are a bevy of women to stitch the dresses and the ghost of his dead mother who is with him always. His passion is in making beautiful dresses that make his wealthy clients beautiful. Into this world enters Alma, a seemingly blank canvas, preparing the audience for a seemingly Pygmalion-like plot. Luckily, not much is as it seems and and, instead, the plot takes off on a series of twists and turns, evolving into a look at the struggle for power and dominance in relationships, at passion and desire, at the value of change, at love in its many forms, at genius, at needs, and at emotional growth. The acting is so good and the visuals so lush that it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen, and with so many emotions conveyed by the twitch of a mouth or the shift in a gaze, it’s a good thing. I think it’s a great film, but maybe not a satisfying one.

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[2017. 130 min. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, and Vicky Krieps.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/phantom-thread-2017

Call Me By My Name

— I should have read reviews before going to this very interesting film so I wouldn't have expected it to be some kind of hidden, gay, first-love story. It's really more of a coming of age film, about learning the lessons of love, and being open to all experiences. It takes place in the early 1980s when Oliver, a handsome American in his mid-20s, arrives to assist an academic spending the summer in Italy with his wife and Ello, their 17-year-old son. The previously lazy, quiet existence changes as Oliver moves into Ello’s old room and his American-bred confidence, good looks, and easy swagger bring a new element to the mix. Ello’s precocious about a lot of things, but somewhat stunted emotionally, seeming to fall into a relationship with a local girl and, at the same time, working out feelings for Oliver. It's a gorgeous film—lots of Italian countryside and towns—with great acting. Sometimes it seems a little sluggish, but pretty quickly you realize you’re just in a luxurious, sensuous segment. There is also a slight fuzziness to it in places, but it ends up lending a feeling of remembrance instead of real time. It’s directed by Luca Guadagnino whose two earlier films I also loved (“A Bigger Splash” which made my list of top films in 2016, and “I am Love”). For such a subtle film, I didn't fully appreciate Ello’s father getting a little too didactic at the end, but I’ll let it go given how low key the rest of the film is. It really is one of the better films of the year.

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[2017. 132 min. Directed by Luca Guadagnino. Starring Armie Hammer, Tirmothee Chalamet, Chicahel Stuhlbarg, and Amira Casar.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/call-me-by-your-name-2017

Chappie

— Not exactly a bad film, but disappointing for this director and a sad choice for Hugh Jackman whose role is so black and white that about all he can do is look like a mean person with bad hair. The police robot named Chappie is sweet enough and we all laugh as he develops a swagger and starts wearing gold chains from falling in with a bad crowd, but there’s just not much meat on these bones. The film looks good and appears to have had adequate backing, but it doesn’t take long to know where the story is headed. It’s fine for late night streaming, but I wouldn’t have been happy if I’d paid to see it in a theater. [Netflix]

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[2015. 120 min. Directed by Neill Blomkamp. Starring Sharito Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman, Yo-Lani Visser, and Sigourney Weaver.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/chappie-2015

The Post

— There’s a lot to be said for “The Post,” a film that looks at the Washington Post’s decision to print the Pentagon Papers. Streep and Hanks are both incredible. The “look” of the times is carefully presented in the costumes and the sets. Spielberg concentrates on telling the story and keeping technique in the background…and it's a fascinating and timely story. It was a long time ago, but I remember the sense of outrage I and my peers felt when we learned our government had withheld “the truth” for so many years. That was a time when journalists were still held in revere and while we knew First Amendment rights were at stake, I don’t remember thinking about the potential cost to The Washington Post and to Katherine Graham or, for that matter, Graham’s unique place as a woman in charge of a major company. The film manages to tell an interesting story and touch on lots of issues for viewers to think about in addition to defending the press’ role in exposing corruption and acting as the public’s watchdog. You’ll end up considering a leader’s responsibilities to shareholders and to the public, question who determines the truth and how it evolves, remember an earlier time in the slow progress toward gender equality in the workplace, and be reminded that every person in power who comes from money and privilege isn’t an enemy of the majority. Even better, all these issues come out of the story, instead of being interjected by a narrator. It’s a film that’s well worth seeing and among the best of the year.

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[2017. 116 min. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, and Bob Odenkirk.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-post-2017

The Light Between Oceans

— This is a beautiful film [DVD], filed with gorgeous seascapes and tender glances, along with some decent actors, but midway through, a plot twist shifts it in a direction that forces viewers in a direction they'd like to avoid. It moves from passion and happiness in isolation to a lie born out of grief. Ultimately, things head toward resolution and revenge, but it’s all too much like an overly dramatized Nicholas Sparks’ novel. It may be worth seeing the chemistry between Vikander and Fassbender or the pretty scenes, but as a film it’s a disappointment.

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[2016. 133 min. Directed by Derek Cianfrance. Starring Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Florence Clery, and Jack Thompson.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-light-between-oceans-2016

Molly’s Game

— Ever since “The Tree of Life” I’ve been mesmerized by Jessica Chastain but her portrayal of Molly Bloom is a little off her game, even with Idris Elba as her attorney. Pair those two with Aaron Sorkin as scriptwriter and director and there should have been magic. What there is a so-so Sorkin script and great technique. The script’s a bit bloated and relies too much on voice-over as it jumps around in time. I liked the story itself since Molly’s an unusual heroine by today’s standards in that we don’t rally behind her because she’s famous, or rich, or has championed a cause, or because she oozes family values or falls in love with the prince. Instead, what she’s really got going for her is old-fashioned integrity. The problem is, integrity’s kind of a flat characteristic so the film doesn’t seem to build to some pivotal moment; instead it’s more of a slight incline. It doesn’t help that Sorkin’s script seems to be missing the lovely cadence we’ve come to expect form his work while it retains the elevated word count. I was a little disappointed by it, but even on a bad day, Chastain can still captivate.

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[2017. 140 min. Written and Directed by Aaron Sorkin. Starting Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, and Kevin Costner.]
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/01/mollys-game-review/549803/

The Greatest Showman

— I almost didn’t see “The Greatest Showman” after reading reviews and then a friend told me how she’d thoroughly enjoyed it. The key, I think, is to realize we all have more than one story…and to let loose a little. It isn’t a biography and it isn’t painting a picture of Barnum as savior of the marginalized, but viewers who have to see everything as an injustice to be righted won’t be tapping their toes or shedding a tear to this musical effort. An unusually large number of songs try to be anthems, and too many numbers surge with colorfully dressed characters singing and dancing across the screen—even a few animals too—but even if it’s almost too rousing, Hugh Jackman is amazing and carries things along like, well, the greatest showman. It’s not the best musical film ever made, and its message is a little simple, but I knew it was only a slice of a story, on the screen not to deceive but to entertain, and that I like to be entertained.

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[2017. 105 min. Directed by Michael Gracey. Starting Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, and Zac Efron.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-greatest-showman-2017

Downsizing

— The concept has merit. A civilization facing its own demise as a result of over-population and depletion of natural resources figures out how to shrink its population, literally, and when people are only .0364 of their original height, their consumption and waste is also reduced by the same factor. Even better, prices for housing and goods are similarly reduced while a person’s net worth remains unchanged. This is more than enough for a humorous social satire but along the way Payne decides to wander more heavily into social awareness. It’s a shame really, since the film was better before it developed too much of a conscience. Matt Damon’s character, Paul, is about as much of a blank slate as someone can be at the start of the film and as Payne takes him through his “large” life, downsizing to a “perfect” life, to signs of oppression making his life “perfect. We assume Paul is learning and growing but it’s hard to tell. The pieces don’t fit together an it’s too bad because I kept thinking the film would eventually do something wonderful. Instead, Paul just realizes he’s a nice guy. Nice for him, but not very satisfying for the viewer.

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(2017. 135 min. Directed by Alexander Payne. Starring Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, and Hong Chau.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/downsizing-2017

All the Money In the World

— When the richest man in the world refuses to pay any ransom after his grandson is kidnapped and his daughter-in-law insists she has no share of her father-in-law’s billions, you know there’s a movie script somewhere. Luckily this one ended with Ridley Scott instead of with Lifetime Television. Christopher Plummer and Michelle Williams are wonderful, letting the audience see behind the façade. Plummer, as J. Paul Getty, accumulated art and artifacts instead of people, focusing on being wealthy instead of nurturing relationships. It ends up being an interesting crime film but a more interesting look at wealth and the inner workings of Getty’s mind. Of course, all the hubbub over reshooting the Getty part with Plummer instead of Kevin Spacey made me look for visible seams but they’re nowhere to be found, another testament to Ridley Scott’s production abilities as well as his artistic abilities. The film starts with a little hesitation but once it gathers steam its worth your while.

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(2017. 132 min. Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, and Mark Wallberg.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/all-the-money-in-the-world-2017