Saturday, June 27, 2020

1104. Roma

Roma
2018
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron








We must once again, shift aside our anger and bitterness over the wrongs Alfonso Cuaron has inflicted upon us, in order to judge this next movie fairly. The wrongs I am speaking of, naturally, are his bungling of the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. How can we do this, I hear you cry indignantly from behind your keyboards. Such things can't be forgotten, and certainly never forgiven! He ruined Dumbledore's character, you shout, and made them all wear Muggle clothing! Yes, believe me, I understand, but the List has called upon our vestiges of forgiveness before and we have gotten through it. I must ask you all to soldier on as bravely as you can, keep calm, and endure.

Roma follows the life of Cleo, a live in maid for an affluent family in Mexico City, 1970. Cleo becomes pregnant by her boyfriend Fermin, who has a less than ideal reaction to the news. While Cleo copes with her pregnancy, her employer Sofia attempts to hide her marital problems from the her children.

So this is the kind of story that I would probably love to explore in novel format, with somebody like Iris Murdoch or Virginia Woolf at the helm. As a movie, I was less enthused: it dragged in places and I can't really make a case for why it needed to be in black and white. It just seemed like a rather shallow attempt at making the film appear artier than it was.

That being said, I was still intrigued by the characters, although Cleo was certainly a tough nut to crack.  The ending was moving, but left me with one burning question: why did Cuaron give all of Ron's good lines to Hermione?

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

The delivery scene was done in one take.

Shot in chronological order.

Cuaron calls this the most essential movie of his career. That hurts, Cuaron.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

1103. Straight Outta Compton

Straight Outta Compton
2015
Directed by F. Gary Gray













I just listened to Straight Outta Compton on my album blog (which was the close of the 80s, thank Nayru). Even though I didn't take to that album much (shock), it felt only right to then view the movie, with the album fresh in my mind.

Basically, the movie tells the story of the meteoric rise and fall of gangsta rap group N.W.A. There's infighting, shady managers, and rampant homophobia/anti semitism/sexism. I wish the latter had been addressed more in the film. I am not saying the entire movie had to be devoted to N.W.A's misogyny, but some elaboration of these views would have been welcome. Like, what did the women in their lives think about their music? I found the "Bye Felicia" scene particularly disturbing. I guess it was supposed to be funny.

Hey, I get it, or at least, am trying to get it. This thug persona is armor they wear to cope with the cruel realities of life in Compton. They are reporting the world as they see it, but I'm not entirely sure what their call to action is. I think they are too angry to have one. That being said, the police brutality scenes remain disturbingly relevant.

Still, the acting was great and the performances were, for me, the highlight of the film. Also, Paul Giamatti is always welcome on this blog.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

The actors rerecorded the entire Straight Outta Compton album to help get into character.

Eazy-E's son auditioned for the role of his father, but didn't get it.

NWA were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after the release of this movie.

Saturday, June 13, 2020

1102. Peter Ibbetson

Peter Ibbetson
1935
Directed by Henry Hathaway










I recently watched a video on YouTube that explained the origin of the Transatlantic accent, that strange way old movie stars had of talking that wasn't quite British and wasn't quite American either. It's an accent I've pulled out after a few drinks, but my version is generally panned by critics. Anyway, watching the video put me in "an old movie" mood and I was pleased to discover that I still had an unwatched Gary Cooper movie on the List.

Gogo is a young British boy who is constantly bickering with his neighbor, a young girl named Mimsey, who looks like she should be standing in a hallway of a haunted hotel. After Gogo's mother dies, Gogo moves to England with his uncle, changes his name, and becomes an architect (proving that architects do exist outside of romantic comedies; they are in melodramas too!). He is commissioned for a restoration job in Yorkshire by the Duke of Towers, whose wife just happens to be Mimsey. He's enchanted to discover her hair is just as weird as it was in childhood, and they both become determined to exchange one of those awkward movie kisses.

Well, that was strange, over the top, melodramatic, and very odd. The scenes with the child actors were particularly cringey. I felt like the film took too long to get to the fantasy part, and it was just weirdly tacked on at the end, like in Grease when Danny and Sandy's car started flying (but at least that was a musical).

The movie didn't do that great of a job in making us root for the couple. It was one of those old movie romances where they love each other because they love each other. Still, I was entertained, and it was nice seeing Gary Cooper so young. I almost didn't recognize him.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Gary Cooper considered himself miscast for this movie. Don't be so hard on yourself, Gar.

Claudette Colbert was considered for the lead role.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

1101. An Education

An Education
2009
Directed by Lone Scherfig












Why did it take me so long to watch this movie? It has everything I could possibly want: female director, coming of age story, discussions of literature, and a handsome man in a suit. Throw in Alfred Molina and this could very well be the perfect movie. For me, at least.

It's London in the 60s, and Jenny is a young woman who has everything going for her. She is the brightest in her school, and plans on attending Oxford. One day on her way home from a youth orchestra rehearsal, she meets David, a charming older man who shows her there is more to life than studying latin on your father's orders.

I feel like not a lot of female coming of age stories deal with the displaced rage that comes with adolescence. I guess because anger is typically viewed as a male emotion. Jenny is angry at the adults trying to help her, and fascinated by the adults who are not. Maybe not the most unique story, but it was very relatable.

The cast of this film is also amazing. I think Peter Sarsgaard in particular did a good job of portraying something dark with a shiny veneer. Must run in the family.

Highly recommended.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Dominic Cooper replaced Orlando Bloom a week before filming.

Carey Mulligan was 22 year olds when this was filmed, despite playing a 16 year old.