This post starts with just one entry, as I spent much of the first day of the year traveling home, happy for Netflix on my phone, but it will get added to with each new movie watched throughout the year. Happy viewing!
21. 12/31/17
(Netflix)
I've become quite the Mike Birbiglia fan over the years, and though I meant to see this movie in the theater when it came out, life got in the way. I'm glad that I randomly remembered it because Hubby and I were trying to kill time and make it until midnight on New Year's Eve, and this was available on Netflix- perfect! I really enjoyed the film, and I think it showed Birbiglia's adeptness at writing complex characters at both difficult and ordinary times in their lives. I also keep being reminded that Gillian Jacobs is so freaking talented! I'm so happy I finally got to see this one.
20. 12/30/17
The Greatest Showman(theater)
If I can separate the truth about PT Barnum's life of good and bad, and I can take this film as absolute fiction with the purpose of entertainment, then this was one helluva movie. The choreography was astounding, and the music blew me away. (I saw you in the credits, Alex Lacamoire!) I had such fun watching it when I could quiet the voice in my head that wanted to point out the differences between the movie and real life. The soundtrack will certainly be played frequently at our house, as this film rocked my 11-year-old daughter's world!
19. 12/28/17
(theater)
So, if I'm going to spend over two and a half hours watching something that I don't really know much about or really have any overwhelming interest in, I'm going to try my best to understand what I'm watching. And that means I take notes. I wrote in the dark, noting questions I had when they popped up and recording the comments that I wish I could have said in the moment had we not been in a public theater and if people didn't mind pausing a movie every few minutes so I could have an outburst. Yeah. Anyway, I think I got most of it. I asked my questions to the two resident SW geeks in my family, and I shared my (hilarious!) observations for their amusement. I think it's safe to say that I liked it and had fun with the whole experience, if for no other reason than to see female and non-white characters in positions of leadership, bravery, and importance.
18. 12/27/17
(theater)
Yes, this movie is worthy of all the praise it's received. It hits all the nuances of a teenage daughter and mother relationship absolutely perfectly- the love, the hate, the pushing away, the pulling close. Damn, even with my own history circumstantially different in some ways, watching this was like reminiscing with my own past emotions and watching those of my mom get portrayed for me, because of course, I didn't think about them at the time. The performances here were universally fantastic. Not one on-screen appearance was off. Utter perfection in tone, in visual choices, in characterization, in performances.
17. 12/9/17
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation(theater!)
This was on the lineup of holiday movies at our town's little theater uptown, and how could I resist seeing it on the big screen once again? It's been almost THIRTY YEARS since I went with two friends (Shawn and Pam!) to see this when it first released, and I can't count how many times I've viewed it since. We introduced it to our teenager a few years back, and he's just as avid a fan now, so he joined us at the theater, too. Damn, there's so much to laugh at in this film, and I know every joke that's coming, so I start laughing in anticipation of the punchline or sight gag. Chevy Chase may be an absolute tool in real life, but this is him in his comedic heyday. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah.
16. 12/2/17
True Grit (2010)(DVD)
I had just finished the original novel about a week earlier and I was curious to see how the story played out on the screen. I had read that the 2010 Coen brothers' version was more true to the book, and I wasn't terribly looking forward to watching a John Wayne movie, so this was a good option. The movie was slow, which I think kinda surprised me, because I had read the book so quickly. But what I think didn't translate as well to the screen was Mattie's internal voice as narrator. That really was the highlight of the novel for me, though I did quite like Hailee Steinfeld's portrayal of Mattie overall. The movie reinforced that this isn't a favorite genre for me, though I did quite like the novel.
15. 11/25/17
Loving(HBO)
My 11-year-old daughter really, really wanted to see this, so we DVR'd it and sat together to watch it, though the 10-year-old lost interest about halfway through. It was definitely a slow-paced film, and I don't think he was as invested in the story as his sister, so I expected him to move on. She, however, stuck with it, asking a few questions here and there. We paused a few times to look at real photos online of the couple and do a little research, and we were super impressed at their depiction. I liked the focus on the individuals in this quiet telling of their story, and honestly, they couldn't have had a more perfect last name. Beautiful.
14. 11/5/17
(theater)
Okay, I laughed-- a lot at times-- but that doesn't mean I'd say this was a good movie. It was really not that great, filled with tropes and such extreme and ridiculous scenarios that there was little to relate to, which was unfortunate. I was going into this with the idea that it would be a good representation of what it means to be a mom at the holidays, and other than one short scene in which they discussed the realistic pressures many can understand, the rest was so beyond extreme.
13. 10/23/17
Get Out(DVD)
Well, fuck. A second viewing of this film made me hate myself for missing so much in the way of clues, hints, and THE WHOLE BIG SECRET JUST RIGHT THERE FOR THE TAKING the first time I watched. It was just as maddening the second time, maybe even more so, knowing what lay ahead for Chris. Damn. I just can't get over how perfect and brilliant and perfectly brilliant this entire film is. An alternate ending? DAMN. I've got to get this copy back to the library finally, but I placed my order on Amazon tonight, so the deleted scenes and the entire film with Jordan Peele's commentary are in my near future.
12. 9/9/17
The Big Sick(theater)
This was delightful, simply put. A romantic comedy that was clearly based on real-life that just hit every single note spot-on, this film was a "roller coaster" according to my husband, and I totally understood what he meant. The emotions were all over the place, just as they are in real life. The writing was deliciously sharp with many surprises that elicited outbursts of laughter in the theater. I'm really glad we went to see this one.
11. 7/8/17
Despicable Me 3 (theater)
Eh, this was bland and not terribly amusing at all. I was disappointed because I have enjoyed the others, yet I believe I only laughed one time during this whole flick. Overall, it was disappointing and I even napped a tiny bit. The villian was annoying as all out, not amusing in any way, which is different than usual. Thankfully, our city's movie theater only charges $5 a ticket, so it wasn't a huge waste of cash!
10. 4/2/17
Hunt for the Wilderpeople(DVD)
This film was ridiculously delightful. I adored Ricky Baker, and Paula from Child Welfare was a right bloody wanker. Okay, this was just a perfect movie-- entertaining, touching, totally unique characters, and GORGEOUS cinematography. The young actor who plays Ricky deserves an award for this portrayal, totally. Highly recommend grabbing this at the Redbox!
9. 3/15/17
The Hand that Feeds(theater)
We went to see this 2014 documentary at our local arthouse theater when an Ohio University group was sponsoring it. My husband brought me to it, but I didn't even know what was being shown until we got there. I'd not heard of this particular story in the news from just a few years ago, but what a compelling story it was. Growing up with a union dad, I always had the UAW magazine in my bathroom, so I read a lot about the importance of unions to protect workers' rights. This film put individual faces to that idea, with a small group of mostly undocumented workers fighting to get at least minimum wage and a safe working environment, risking literally everything to do so. Hugely important film, and even more timely under our current administration.
8. 3/12/17
(DVD)
Well, when this movie ended, I'm pretty sure my words to my husband were, "I'm not really sure what I just watched." Yeah, this one is wholly and entirely weird and unlike traditional movies as we know them. I could absolutely dig into the metaphors in this wacky film and talk all about what was represented as Hank describes life, in all its beauty and ugliness alike, to Manny's flatulent corpse self. But for this capacity, let's just leave it at the statement that this is the weirdest movie I've ever watched. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it, necessarily. Honestly, I just finished it, and I'm still not sure how I felt about it.
7. 3/6/17
Arrival(DVD)
This was super clever and thoughtful, and I quite loved the focus on both linguistics and the perception of time. I did not see the twist coming, though when the end big reveal came, I couldn't help but smile at how perfectly it all came together. Amy Adams was as good as she always is, which is to say excellent, of course. This is absolutely the kind of sci-fi film I can get behind-- one that is intelligent and full of emotion as it puts humanity under a microscope.
6. 3/5/17
Moonlight(DVD)
When this film came to our local artsy theater, I tried several times to go, but our family's schedule never allowed for it. Then they brought it back for one week only around the Oscars broadcast time, and the flu hit our house and I was once again unable to go. Then it won Best Picture and I was determined, so thankfully it came right to the Redbox at our grocery store when it was released on DVD and I scooped it up. I fell in love with this movie almost immediately, and most definitely with the three young actors that played Chiron at different times in his life. I was blown away by their performances-- so few spoken words, yet a breadth of emotion that was deeply touching. Those three actors embodied the very same spirit, and it was magical. At times, I was reminded of the vision of the movie Boyhood- the celebration of one boy's journey through childhood into adulthood. This was an incredible film.
5. 2/25/17
13th (library screening)
I'm not sure that I have the words to describe my reaction to this movie. From slavery to Jim Crow to mass incarceration, an entire path of institutional racism is laid out, the ways that White America has kept Black America, especially men, in chains. Ava Duvernay compiled interviews with some of the most informed and intelligent voices about the history of racism, and combined with clips of film from history, music, and movies, this film is visually captivating and horrifyingly real in its presentation of the disgusting way our country has treated an entire swath of people. Brilliantly, she juxtaposed audio from Donald Trump's rallies and public appearances in which he spoke about inflicting violence on protestors with footage of the very same types of violence being inflicted upon black people during the Civil Rights Movement. It was fucking disgusting. This country has never, ever, ever been great.
4. 2/21/17
Get Out(theater)
All the curse words. All. Of. Them. This film was fucking brilliant. Jordan Peele takes on racism in a way that hints at slavery and eugenics in a completely unforeseen manner. It was terrifying in a dark way that kept me on the edge of my seat but unable to look away. The actors were brilliant, and Peele leaves a trail that's just discernable enough to get you on the right track to figuring out the horror that's unfolding on the screen. Daniel Kaluuya gives an absolutely incredible performance. His chuckle alone conveyed a depth of emotions that I imagine would be familiar to anyone who has ever experienced microaggressions or worse.
3. 2/20/17
The LEGO Batman Movie(theater)
Yup, I giggled a lot, though not nearly as much as during the first LEGO movie, and when I was reminded of the producer status of DT's ridiculous Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, I got a sour taste in my mouth. But, overall, it was worth the $5 that my ticket cost for 90ish minutes of some chuckles and clever one-liners.
2. 1/15/17
Hidden Figures(theater)
I knew I wanted to see this movie as soon as I heard it was being made, but I wasn't sure if I could take the kids, too. Happily, the 9- and 10-year-olds both really wanted to see it, and the reviews and reports from friends who had watched it made me comfortable that it would be appropriate for them to do so. I prepared them to expect a "grown-up" movie with serious themes rather than what they're accustomed to with children's flicks. They watched intently and both declared it "AMAZING!" I, too, quite loved it, and I appreciated that we didn't have anyone sitting too close to us so I could whisper some context for the kids here and there. I did speak a bit about the "white savior" tendency of some movies that tackle civil rights themed stories in print and on screen, emphasizing that we shouldn't leave a scene feeling like the white man who knocked down the "colored bathroom" sign was the hero instead of recognizing the heroic and brave behavior of Katherine Johnson who took a huge risk in voicing her mistreatment. I'm especially curious to know how Katherine Johnson has reacted to her portrayal and the story told in the movie. What amazing women who so deserve to have their stories told.
1. 1/1/17
Begin Again(Netflix)
My mom recommended this movie, and very highly so. I was surprised by that when I realized the amount of cursing present in the film, but perhaps she was able to look past that because of the intriguing story and performances. I quite adore Mark Ruffalo, even when he's playing a bit of a cad, as he does here. I couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable with the hints at a relationship between the two main characters, but I was pleased with how it all played out in the end. The music is fun and lighthearted even as it tackles serious emotions, and it made this a perfect film to watch when I needed a distraction from my surroundings.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Whatcha thinking?