Realty Message 2017/2018

There's a turd in the punch bowl.

2 "Big" Movies Get High Ratings

These 2 great films, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Darkest Hour will obviously be up for Oscars this season.  Frances McDormand is spot-on as a fed up mother whose murdered daughter's criminal investigation has dragged on without results for over a year.  Is there an actress alive who could have come near to matching this performance?  Plus, the script here is also Oscar worthy as well as the cast, especially Sam Rockwell, as an angry cop and Woody Harrelson as the sheriff.   In The Darkest Hour Gary Oldman plays Winston Churchill as a tough, gruff, articulate and forceful leader during the time the Brits and the world needed him most.  It's another Oscar worthy performance and so is that of his wife, played by Kristin Scott Thomas.

Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Race

The best news since the turd was elected.

The Midwife

Here we have an engaging French movie about 2 women starring Catherine Deneuve, the older woman, and Catherine Frot, the younger.  The older previously ran out on the younger's father and is now asking for help.  It's a stretch, but that is just what this movie and these characters do.  When a movie like this comes along, you can't help but say "the French do this best".  A ride you don't want to miss.

Columbus

I saw this movie a while back and it has stuck with me.  It is set in Columbus, Indiana, a city well known for its architecture.  I agree with a friend who called the plot tedious, but the cinematography and the views are extraordinary.  It's like going to an photography exhibit, with scene after scene a fresh and compelling look.

Detroiit

Here we have Detroit and the riots and the aftermath in the late '60s.  It's all too reminiscent of the police treatment of blacks that has been a continuing issue in the present day.  So why hasn't more been done to prevent this from happening?  I'm not going try to answer such a question here, but I will say this movie is the best movie I've seen in depicting this kind of treatment and what followed with our criminal justice system dealing with these horrendous crimes.  Reality +.  Don't miss it.

Baby Driver

Ok, finally got back to a movie after our major move of residence.
Good review in Chron with Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey.  Gave it a go.
Holy crap!  What a giant pile of car chases, killing innocents and impossible "action".  This is entertainment?  With a connection noted to our "leader", Mr WTF (and a credit nod to Bill Maher), I find it hard to fathom that these actors (thinking of Mad Men, Ray and  LA Confidential) would sign on to this ridiculous dog shit.  $$$.  And every single preview, and there were many, seemed to be at this same level, WTF!

Kedi and The Sense of an Ending

Kedi is a documentary about the cats living on the streets of Istanbul.  It's funny and insightful with the citizens who deal with the cats describing them in human terms and appreciating their obvious independence.
The Sense of an Ending is about a curmudgeon who confronts his demons and his past and changes his attitude about the present in the process.  It's Jim Broadbent giving us another one of his everyday guy powerful performances.  Don't miss it and consider looking over his consistent career of engaging roles in some of the best movies of our times.

Quick Oscars Wrap

Ok, I'm glad Moonlight won, even if Knight of Cups was my favorite movie of the year.
As for my choice for couple of the night, they were the singer of that great opening number, Justin Timberlake, and his wife, Jessica Biel, who was the most dazzling looker of the night.

Oscar Nominations

The fact that a pretty good movie gets 14 nominations indicates this wasn't a great year for movies. On the other hand at least Manchester by the Sea and Captain Fantastic got some attention from the Academy.  There were, however, 2 huge oversights in the Best Picture category:  Knight of Cups and Indignation.  Other good films that were ignored were:   Queen of Katwe, Aquarius, The Founder, Wiener and Genius. 

Best scene:
The student, played by Logan Lerman,  and the dean, played by Tracy Letts, have a startling, frank and hilarious discussion in the dean's office in Indignation.

Actor who's got the arched eyebrow down:
Ryan Gosling in La La Land.

The Founder

 The Founder is the astounding story of how Ray Kroc built up McDonald's to be an international chain of burger joints and made him into a billionaire.  He says he did it with persistence but failed to mention that he was amoral, unethical and just plain nasty.  Sound familiar?