Here

My View:  Here  (2024)  PG-13  Here is about more than a century of life in one American home, one room, shown to us from one view as we see a tale of love, loss, laughter, family, and life. Here is an intriguing filmmaking experiment that occasionally succeeds, but most of the time feels too gimmicky for its own good. The camera stays stationary throughout the film as we traverse the history of this piece of land and, for the majority of the film, the history of the house. Much has been made of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright back together again as a couple in this film, and yes, there is some de-aging (sometimes not well), but mostly this is a film about couples and how they spend their lives together, most until the very end. The film takes a bit of getting used to as it constantly goes back and forth through time, never staying in one place for too long. Each scene builds its story, like the bricks we see being laid for the house’s foundation early in the film. Some couples stand out more than others, even a few famous ones (if you count a couple who invented a certain landmark recliner). And as we move along, we get a few interesting tidbits, but they come in dribbles and drabs. The family that Tom Hanks’s character is part of makes up a good portion of the film, and for better and sometimes worse, we get to know that family the best. There is some joy in Here but it doesn't come from the Hanks/Wright portion and that makes the film feel uneven. I have a feeling that Here would have made a great animated short, but alas, instead, we get a valiant attempt in filmmaking at creating something unusual. However, the melodrama of the story and the sheer gimmickry overwhelm what could have been.  My Rating: Cable  Here Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Anora  (2024)  R   Anora (Mikey Madison), or as she will tell you, Ani, is a sex worker from Brooklyn who meets Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein), who hires her for the weekend. The weekend becomes something more when the two impulsively marry. Little does Anora know that Ivan is the son of an oligarch, and when his family finds out about the marriage, Anora and Ivan are in big trouble. Mikey Madison gives us a performance that knocks you right out of your seat as the take no bull, just trying to survive anyway she can Ani. It's a stunning, take no prisoners display that will make Madison a star and maybe even get her a deserved Oscar nomination. Anora is from award-winning filmmaker Sean Baker, who gave us Tangerine, The Florida Project, and Red Rocket. As with his previous movie, Red Rocket, sex plays a vital role in the plot and how Ani sees herself and her world. Now, at first glance, you will fall in love, as does Ani, with Ivan, played by the beautifully hyper Mark Eidelshtein. However, there is a secondary character that will steal the film from everyone except for Madison. Igor, played by the amazingly low-key Yura Borisov. Borisov, as the muscle in the film, is able to make us follow him as he barely says anything, but his part becomes more important as the film moves along. The film slows down a bit in the last third of the film, but that allows us to see the little things that go on between Ani and Igor. I and my fellow critics were blown away by the final scene of Anora at a screening. We all sat there in silence, watching all the credits roll by, not wanting to break the mood of what we just watched. It's possible that you will do the same. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Anora Website   Now playing in select theaters.

My View:  Music by John Williams  (2024)  Music by John Williams is a documentary film about the life and work of legendary composer John Williams, who has composed some of Hollywood’s most famous scores. Music by John Williams is more of a tribute film than a life story documentary, and if anyone deserves a tribute film, it’s John Williams. I was amazed by how much he has done in his life, from leading a jazz band to composing music for symphonies, along the way, playing piano on some of the great film scores of the 50s and 60s. And in all that, he also did a ton of TV work in the 60s, creating scores for programs like Peter Gunn and, yes, Gilligan’s Island. Then he met a certain director, Mr. Spielberg, who was just starting his career, and they began a partnership that created some of the most iconic and beautiful scores for films that will be celebrated long after they are gone. The amount of work that Williams did was astounding, including one year when he did the scores for Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List in the same year. Fans of Williams will love all the behind-the-scenes stories that he tells about his work, and film buffs will love all the scenes from some of the most influential films of the last 30 years that John Williams made memorable because of the music he created.  My Rating: Full Price  Music by John Williams Website  Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

My View:  Martha  (2024)  R  The documentary Martha tells the story of Martha Stewart, who went from teen model to America’s first influencer, a woman who became a billionaire but also went to prison. Martha Stewart is a person who I would call an odd duck. She is a brilliant woman who insists on perfection from herself and anyone who works for her. From this film, we see that. We also see a woman who got married too young. Had a child too young and from what you see in this film, she shouldn't have ever gotten married. Martha is interviewed on camera for the film, and there are a few moments when we glimpse a bit behind the curtain of the woman who wants to control everything. It’s very fleeting, but when she talks about her marriage and her husband’s cheating, we see a bit of Martha that we don’t normally see. It’s still a fascinating story about a woman who was driven to be a success and kept breaking that glass ceiling, whether it was working on the male-driven world of Wall Street or convincing a group of stodgy old men that her magazine idea would not only work but would be a huge seller. The film does look at her arrest and trial. It’s very clear that Martha was put on trial to make an example of, not because she had been caught doing something wrong. If you are a fan of Martha, you will love this film because you see so much of her life both in the past and now. If you aren’t a fan, then you might, like me, get a little tired of the constant self-congratulation that she does throughout the film. But that’s Martha being Martha. She feels that if she doesn’t do it, no one will do it. At least not to her high standards.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Martha Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Time Cut  (2024)  Time Cut is about Lucy (Madison Bailey), a modern high school senior who stumbles on a time machine and is transported back to 2003, the year her sister was murdered by a serial killer. Lucy must now figure out how to blend in while living in 2003 as she tries to find and stop a serial killer and save her sister. Time Cut is a film that has the basis of a good plot that never comes to the surface. Madison Bailey is the best thing about this poor excuse for a slasher film, but even her effervescence can’t overcome a script that throws out things like time machines without explanation or reason. The scares are barely there, and the killer looks like a terrible attempt at putting together a Jason costume teen for a last-minute party. I love how films like this ask us to just accept that Lucy can just show up at a high school and no one will ask who the heck she is. The plot is too lazy to explain anything, and the ending is mind-blowingly dumb. It’s too bad because other than a few cool April Lavigne songs and a brief trip to the mall, not much is made of the 20-year time jump unless you have Lucy ask about Facebook and Twitter, haha. Nevermind.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Time Cut Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film:  On the Edge  (2001)  R  Jonathan (Cillian Murphy) is mourning the loss of his father. He steals his father’s ashes and tries to commit suicide by driving a stolen car off a cliff. He survives with barely a scratch and is sent to a psychiatric hospital. Jonathan develops friendships and realizes that life can be challenging and troublesome, but if you have friends and a sense of humor, things can change. Although On the Edge is not a great film, it features an exceptional performance from a very young Cillian Murphy. Murphy’s Jonathan is a young man who is hurting but uses humor to stay sane. Murphy carries the film, which overall is a script that could have used a rewrite or two. However, Murphy makes On the Edge worth watching.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  On the Edge Info  The film is available for rent/buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Time Cut:  Additional Literary Material

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Small Things Like These  (2024)  PG-13  Small Things Like These takes place in Ireland in 1985, where Bill (Cillian Murphy), a local coal distributor, lives with his wife and five children. While delivering coal, he sees a sight that will change his life: a young woman is screaming while being dragged against her will by two nuns and another woman into the church of the convent he is delivering to. The film was shot on location in Ireland. That’s enough for me to see it.  Small Things Like These Website  Coming to theaters on Friday, November 8, 2024. 

Until Next Time!