Coco

Family Faire:  Coco  (2017)  PG  Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) wants more than anything to be a musician, but his family has an ancestral ban on music. Miguel will enter the ‘Land of the Dead’ to figure out why his family has followed the ban for so long. This is a beautiful film, both visually and story-wise. The songs are vibrant and fit the film with the song ‘Remember Me,’ one of the focal points of the movie an Oscar contender. Anthony Gonzalez has a fine voice that is made for Mariachi/Ranchera style songs of this film.This film took me back to my childhood summers that I spent in a small town in Mexico as it extraordinarily depicts life in a tiny town. It lovingly explores how much music means to the Mexican culture, and I love how the filmmakers add in cultural heroes like the wrestler Santo or the beloved artist and icon Frida Khalo.  The film really gets going when it goes to the magical ‘Land of the Dead’ with its incredibly colorful buildings and magical creatures. The movie treats the Mexican culture that few American films have, with love and respect. I will caution you, this film deals with death and with loss of family and abandonment. During the screening I went to a child, probably 6 or 7 started crying pretty uncontrollably, but that shouldn’t stop you from seeing this visually stunning and genuinely touching movie.  And yes, the 21 minute Frozen short Olaf's Frozen Adventure is as bad as you have heard. Normally the Pixar shorts are brilliant and moving, this one is stupid and boring.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Coco Facebook Page

My View:  The Man Who Invented Christmas  (2017)  PG  The journey that led Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) to create his magical ‘A Christmas Carol’ which re-defined what Christmas means to us.  I enjoyed this new and imaginative spin on the Dicken’s tale.  We get to see the writing process of Dickens as he struggles to pen a new book under the pressure of needing to provide for his family. As he struggles to write, we see how Dickens uses his imagination to help him overcome writer's block and a very annoying father. What makes this film is the performance of Christopher Plummer as Scrooge. Plummer is perfect in the role of the crabby and despicable Ebenezer, giving what could be an Oscar nomination performance. I think this is the perfect film to get you in the mood for the Christmas season.     My Rating: Full Price     The Man Who Invented Christmas Website

Indiefest:  Novitiate  (2017)  R  Set in the early 1960’s a young woman ( Margaret Qualley) in training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, the changing ways of the church and her sexuality.  An impressive feature film debut by writer/director Margaret Betts who gives us what it was like to become a nun in the 60s as the Pope was reforming the church during the era of Vatican II. Melissa Leo gives a tour de force performance as the stern Reverend Mother, and Margaret Qualley gives the performance of a lifetime as Sister Cathleen, a young woman who is determined to become a nun, until she has a crisis of self-doubt.  Qualley is brilliant, quietly filling up the screen with her presence as her love for God is shone in every move that she makes. The film throws emotional punches at us throughout. The girls who want to become nuns are challenged at every turn as the Reverend Mother throws roadblocks at the women from the start. There is a painful scene where Sister Evelyn, played by Morgan Saylor, is forced by the Reverend Mother, in front of all the girls, to confront and expound on her faults, as ‘no one can be perfect.’ The film questions the old ways of the church, the power of faith and if someone like the Reverend Mother should be given so much power and influence over impressionable women. Novitiate is not always a comfortable film to watch, but it is worth your time to see a new filmmaker express her voice.    My Rating: Full Price   Novitiate Website

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-ray):  Good Time  (2017)  R    Connie (Robert Pattinson) and his brother, Nick (Benny Safdie), have money problems and decide to rob a bank. The bank job goes bad, and Nick is caught by police. Connie is on the run and wants, somehow, to get his brother out of prison.  Anchored by an unprecedented performance by Robert Pattinson, this is a gritty crime film about a bank robbery that goes bad very quickly. Pattinson, who has come far as an actor from those early Twilight days, gives a powerful and dynamic performance. I don't know if enough Academy Award voters will see this film, but I think it could be on some Indie and film critic awards lists at the end of the year. The cinematography is brilliantly executed and perfectly enhances the mood and feel of the movie. Good Time is an impressive film with a scintillating performance by Robert Pattinson.  My Rating: Full Price   Good Time Website

Forgotten Film:  Ripley’s Game (2002)  R   Tom Ripley (John Malkovich) is a man you do not want to cross as, not only is he a con man, he is a steely-eyed killer. When his past catches up with him, and he is hired to take down a mob boss, he hires Jonathan (Dougray Scott), a down on his luck picture framer, to become his protégé. Malkovich is mesmerizing as Ripley (and yes, this is the same character that Matt Damon played in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley) as he doesn’t care what you do or think as long as you stay out of his way. The film has plenty of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.    My Rating: Full Price   Ripley's Game Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Coco: Simulation Technical Director


Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Call Me By Your Name  (2017)  R  In Northern Italy in 1983, Oliver (Armie Hammer) is visiting Mr. Perlman (Michael Stuhlbarg) and his family as they do research for a project. Oliver takes Elio (Timothee Chalamet ), a 17-year-old music prodigy, under his wing and teaches him about life and love. Critics who have seen this film are raving about the performances of Hammer and Chalamet.    Call Me By Your Name Website

Until Next Time!

Leap!

Family Faire:  Leap!  (2017)  PG  A young orphan named, Felicie (Elle Fanning), always dreamed of being a dancer. She and her best friend, Victor (Nat Wolf), escape from the orphanage and make their way to Pairs. Will Felicie be able to follow her dreams and dance at the Paris Opera Ballet?  The film combines beautiful and lavish animation with a storyline that any ballet fan will love. The dancing in this movie is stunning as the animators used footage of real Paris Opera Ballet dancers to make their film feel and look authentic. I love the soundtrack of this film with songs by Carly Rae Jepsen and Sia. Leap! is a movie that will inspire kids to become dancers with its message that you can succeed against all the odds with determination and hard work.  My Rating: Full Price   Leap! Facebook page

Indiefest:  Ingrid Goes West  (2017)  R  An unhinged social media stalker (Aubrey Plaza) moves to LA and figures out a way to become part of an Instagram Star’s (Elizabeth Olsen) life. Not quite a comedy, more like a drama with a few light hearted moments, Ingrid Goes West works because Aubrey Plaza is a chameleon of an actress. You both pity her character at the same time that you are rooting for her against all the odds that she will find happiness. The film doesn't always work but those moments that do work are magical. There is great chemistry between Olsen and Plaza, making their almost instant friendship seem real, though you feel that both characters aren't genuine or telling the truth. The film covers a lot of ground in this day of instant gratification and celebrities that make their living endorsing products online. Aubrey Plaza makes this movie worth seeing and if you follow some of the 'Instagram stars' you just might find that you are unfollowing them after seeing this film.   My Rating: Full Price   Ingrid Goes West Webpage

Indiefest:  Good Time  (2017)  R  Connie (Robert Pattinson) and his brother, Nick (Benny Safdie), have money problems and decide to rob a bank. The bank job goes bad, and Nick is caught by police. Connie is on the run and wants to, somehow, get his brother out of prison.  Anchored by an unprecedented performance by Robert Pattinson, this is a gritty crime film about a bank robbery that goes bad very quickly. Pattinson, who has come far as an actor from those early Twilight days, gives a powerful and dynamic performance. I don't know if enough Academy Award voters will see this film, but I think he could be on some Indie and film critic awards lists at the end of the year. The cinematography is brilliantly executed and perfectly enhances the mood and feel of the movie. Good Time is an impressive film with a scintillating performance by Robert Pattinson.  My Rating: Full Price   Good Time Facebook page

Indiefest:  Patti Cake$  (2017)  R  Patricia Dombrowski (Danielle Macdonald), aka Killa P, aka Patti Cake$, dreams of being a rapper and being famous. She fights to achieve this unlikely quest in her downtrodden hometown in New Jersey.  Macdonald gives an impressive performance as the young woman who dreams big and is willing to do just about anything to achieve her goals. I'm not a big rap fan, but her songs are outstanding, and Macdonald delivers them with a gusto that is fun and compelling. The final song is one of the best performances of the year in film. Patti Cake$ is a fun experience that will have you rooting for her to succeed.  My Rating:  Full Price   Patti Cake$ website

Indiefest:  Letters from Baghdad  (2016)  This documentary tells the story of Gertrude Lowthian Bell, sometimes called the ‘female’ Lawrence of Arabia.  She traveled all over the Middle East before, during and after World War I, often going where she was the only female. The Middle East, especially Baghdad, fascinates Bell as she gathers information for the British government. This documentary uses Bell's letters and communiqués to give us her voice as narrated by Tilda Swinton. Actors are used on-camera to portray people like T. E. Lawrence to help chronicle the story. The film uses archival pictures and movies from the period to give us the feel of what it was like to live in that part of the world during that time. Bell was an intriguing woman and an interesting subject for a film, which this movie brings to life.  My Rating: Full Price   Letters from Baghdad website

Indiefest:  Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World  (2017)  Packed with compelling concert footage, this documentary explores how the Native American influence helped shape music history, despite attempts to ban, censor and erase Indian culture in the United States. This is an engrossing film about how much Native Americans have influenced rock and roll. From the legendary guitarist Link Wray to The Band's Robbie Robertson, artists who are Native Americans have shaped rock. The film explores the roots of rock looking at artists like Mildred Bailey, a Native American singer who was the first woman to have her own radio show. The film showcases guitarist Jessie Ed Davis, who made legendary music with Taj Mahal in the 60s.  It's a subject that I didn't know much about, but now I'll look at these rockers in a different, more informed light.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Rumble website

Indiefest:    Gook  (2017)  Set in  community near South Central L.A. on April 29, 1992, two brothers, Eli (Justin Chon) and Daniel (David So) run a struggling shoe store. The two brothers form an unlikely friendship with Kamilla (Simone Baker), an eleven year—old girl who has cut school, again. It’s the day of the Rodney King verdict, and soon the three will have to decide to fight for their store or flee. Your pulling for the three main characters right from the start as writer/director/actor Justin Chon has created a movie that may seem far away from us but is instantly relatable. The use of black and white, along with hand held cameras allows us to feel like we are apart of this world. We get to experience what it was like to live in a world that was falling apart in front of the people that lived in that area and this film delivers that for all the emotional impact for the full muster.  My Rating:  Full Price   Gook Website

Forgotten Film:  Hard Eight  (1996)  Professional gambler Sydney (Phillip Baker Hall) takes John (John C. Reilly), a down-on-his-luck young man under his wing and teaches him how to gamble. John flourishes until he falls for a cocktail waitress named, Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow). The reason to watch this film is that it is filled with interesting characters and brilliant dialogue. The plot has a nice twist that you don't see coming, and you actually believe that these characters live and breathe gambling.    My Rating: Full Price   Hard Eight Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Leap!: French Dubbing Artist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The LEGO Ninjago Movie  (2017)  PG  By day six, young friends are just trying to survive high school, but, at night, they change into ninjas who have been given the task of defending their island home from evil. I loved the LEGO Movie and enjoyed the LEGO Batman Movie, so I am looking forward to this one.   The LEGO Ninjago Movie website

Until Next Time!