The Cakemaker

— I’m not sure how I missed Ofir Raul Graizer’s first feature film, when it was released a few years ago, but I’m glad I watched it this week. At its simplest, it’s the story of Thomas, a German baker whose affair with Oren, a married, Israeli transportation engineer who frequently travels from Jerusalem to Berlin for work, is cut short when Oren dies in an accident. When Thomas hears nothing from Oren and can’t reach him on his phone, he travels to Jerusalem and takes a job in a small Kosher restaurant owned by Oren’s wife, Sarah. The focus becomes one of shared grief and shared love, as Thomas learns about Oren’s family and, unbeknownst to Sarah, she learns about Oren’s lover. An intimacy develops. Issues of religion and cultural differences filter through the story, adding another layer. It’s a beautiful, intimate film. It is also meticulously slow-paced with the story unfolding in an almost passive way, probably because it relies so much on viewer interpretation of a facial expression or some other nuance. It is sensitive and intimate and, at times, a little melancholic, but oh so satisfying as long as you don’t mind ambiguous endings. If I had any criticism, it is that, at times, the images or music almost become too conspicuous, drawing focus away from the story instead of letting all the wonderful elements coexist. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2017. 113 min. Written and directed by Ofir Raul Graizer. Starring Tim Kalkhof, Sara Adler, Roy Miller. And Zohar Shtrauss.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-cakemaker-2018

Happiness Continues

— I liked "Chasing Happiness," so I checked out “Happiness Continues,” a documentary/concert film of the Jonas Brothers’ ”Happiness Begins” tour. The first film was a fascinating look into their rise, split, and regrouping six years later, that felt almost like a Jomas Brothers’ therapy session. If you’re a fan of their music, then you should like “Happiness Continues.” For me, it was a little heavy on concert footage and light on interviews and conversation, but still worth seeing. [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2020. 104 min. Directed by Anthony Mandler. Featuring Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, and Nick Jonas.]

Becoming

— Fans of Michelle Obama will enjoy this documentary, focusing on the book tour associated with her memoir of the same name. It’s impossible not to realize the film has been carefully edited under a watchful eye so the story that emerges is the story meant to emerge. There’s an emphasis on being uplifting and joyous, but it really shines when there are glimpses of behind-the-scenes activities or snippets of on-stage interviews during the tour. She knows how to tell a story, how to come across as personal, but with a little sass and lot of smarts. I enjoyed it. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2020. 89 min. Directed by Nadia Hallgren. With Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and Phoebe Robinson.]

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/06/850798007/becoming-offers-a-revealing-but-selective-view-of-michelle-obama

Hollywood

— I had high hopes for this since I find alternate history tales are usually fascinating. I wasn’t disappointed by the cast, including actors like Patti LuPone, Dylan McDermott, Joe Mantello, Jim Parsons, and Holland Taylor, and the production value was excellent. The idea’s not bad: a rewrite of 1940’s Hollywood, making it an era with more inclusion, dressing it up with gay, black, Jewish, Asian, and gender issues to make you think you're watching something a cut above the typical tawdry Hollywood tale. Well you are and you aren’t. The problem is that it just wanders all over the place in search of a kumbaya moment, seemingly lacking focus and also focused just a little too much on the gay angle. I’ll admit I watched all seven episodes, so it succeeds as entertainment but was still a little disappointing when it comes to substance. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2020. 347 min., 7 episodes. Created by Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy. Starring David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier, Joe Mantello, Dylan McDermott, Jake Picking, Jeremy Pope, Holland Taylor, Jim Parsons, and Patti LuPone.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hollywood-2020