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Bohemian Rhapsody Movie Review

November 2, 2018 (updated November 16, 2018) Published by Shari K. Green

Bryan Singer, known for Superman Returns, X-Men and The Usual Suspects was the perfect choice to make a movie about Queen. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who could have caught and ceremonious displayed the man Freddie Mercury was, with such concentrated effort on Queen’s stunning and charismatic music at the same time, as Bryan Singer. They were outstanding performers with phenomenal talent but what you never knew about the band off stage, most especially their inventive and creative lead singer, is gloriously shown here. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is a must-see. Rami Malek, who plays him, embodies Freddie so well it’s almost eerie to see. Singer bookends the film with Queen’s epic performance at Live Aid and watching Malek’s Mercury brings both joy and sorrow… for what we had and what we lost.

The film establishes for us the timeline that took Queen to rise to the top of the charts around the globe. They start out as a common club band who were headed nowhere. Freddie, a man desperately searching for a way to escape who he is and become who he knows he can be, reaches out to them when they lose their lead singer. They look him over and aren’t interested until he opens his mouth and blows them away with his surprisingly extraordinary set of pipes. On stage, the audience looks at him the same way the band did and weren’t inclined to give him a chance either until he impresses them with his stage presence, versatility and his ability to hit the high notes and hold it.

While this is a biopic about Queen, and it does include their brilliant songs throughout the entire film, Singer gets more deeply involved in Freddie than the other individual members. Singer knew, as Freddie knew, there was no Queen without him.

Since it examines what brought Freddie to this point and where it leads him just as much as it covers the group entirely, it might feel as if you’re invading his personal space but it only tackles what he would have allowed… only what you may have already known. It’s very respectful of who he was, while at the same time, removing the thinnest of veils for us to see who he loved, what he was able to give and how little he needed in return.

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is an absolute delight. This is a fantastic tribute to Freddie, it’s a good night out at the movies and practically an opera on its own. If you’re not a Queen fan when you walk into the theatre to find your seat you will be by the time you stand up and walk out. The cast gives this dramatic script life while at the same Rami Malek brings Freddie Mercury back to life for just a moment. It’s not a stretch to assume he’ll be up for an Academy Award for his performance. You’ll love Mike Myers as Ray Foster, the man whose shortsightedness let them get away. Also, when you get home, watch Queen at Live Aid. It’s uncanny how very well the actors and filmmakers were at reproducing that moment for you.

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The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Movie Review

November 2, 2018 (updated October 31, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” is a new Disney movie based on a (very old) story from 1816 called “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”. So the ‘House of Mouse’ finally gets to work on the ‘Mouse King’. The famous music by Tchaikovsky is based on this story, and some of his memorable themes are also in here. The story has evolved over these years, and now it has the main character Clara going into the realm of a fantasy world to fight evil and make things right. Similar story patterns are found in “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Alice in Wonderland, as well as finding adventure like ‘Indiana Jones’. So call it — “Indiana Clara and the Realm of Naria in Wonderland”…

In 18th century London, Clara Stahlbaum (Mackenzie Foy) is missing her dead mother, and her father, Mr. Stahlbaum (Matthew Macfadyen), does not know how to deal with it. On Christmas Eve, the family goes to visit Clara’s godfather, named Drosselmeyer (Morgan Freeman). He is an inventor, like Clara, and he sends her out to solve a mystery. But she goes straight into a new fantasy dimension, a land of Four Realms. She meets the rulers of three of the Realms: Land of Snowflakes, Land of Flowers, and Land of Sweets. The Sugar Plum Fairy (Keira Knightley) acts as her guide to the new world. But the Fourth Realm is off-limits. It ruled by Mother Ginger (Helen Mirren). But the Sugar Plum Fairy says Ginger is nothing but an evil tyrant, bent on the destruction of all four Realms.

Clara gets some help from a friendly border guard, and some mice who seem at first to be evil, but then come around to being her best ally. Clara finds out that she was the first one to come to this magical place. Her deceased mother had also come to the land as a child, and she became the Queen. So Clara is officially named the returned Princess. But there is deception afoot. When one of the current rulers becomes obsessed with being the Ruler of all the Realms, she plots against the other rulers, and against Clara. But Clara proves that she is a clever girl after all. Using her scientific knowledge and her skills at design, she makes an alliance with the other Realm rulers, including the Mouse King. They all work in unison to stop the destructive power of the Tin Soldier Army – led by.. Well you will just have to see the movie to find out who that is…

This movie adaptation is just one in a string of versions and revisions to the original story. This one downplays the excellent music of Tchaikovsky to instead rely on a serviceable soundtrack from James Newton Howard. But the basic issue is the lack of originality and the failure to add anything new or fresh to the story. So many themes and plot devices, up to and including some of the screen imagery, have all been done before. This version has two directors and two writers, so there must have been some conflict in the overall concept and execution.

Mackenzie Foy is a perfect Clara, with her wonderful expressions and knowing glances. But Keira Knightley really takes a shine to the Sugar Plum Fairy and gives the role a deliciously off-kilter performance. She starts off so sweet and kind, and before you know it, she is ready to take no prisoners. She has a crazed range between overly too-sweet BFF and turns into a loony power-obsessed Fairy. Helen Mirren does okay in a limited role, and Morgan Freeman only has an extended cameo appearance.

This one would be a pleasant time to spend with the kids or grandkids. There is just enough of the classical ballet and music that the older fans will remember how wonderful the original really was. Of course, the real test is whether this movie can stand up to the best Nutcracker adaptation ever – “Care Bears Nutcracker Suite”!

Can You Ever Forgive Me? Movie Review

October 26, 2018 (updated November 16, 2018) Published by Shari K. Green

Finally! Something Melissa McCarthy can sink her teeth into! She was impressive in this role. Though I wasn’t fired up to see this for some reason, the story didn’t exactly excite me, I knew she wouldn’t disappoint me. And she did more than delight, she proved she’s worth one of those bright shiny trophies they give away at the end of the season. Not just her but her cohort, supporting actor Richard E. Grant. It’s easy to envision this film walking away with several, not only nominations, but wins.

The film is based on true events that happened in New York in 1991. However, you get the feeling it could be set in any town, in any year and happen to anyone. Nothing about this story tells you that the setting is particularly special to the storyline. I rather liked that approach. McCarthy plays Lee Israel, a real-life writer/biographer who once saw for herself a bright future but ends up being convicted of forgery; something she did to pay the bills. What unravels onscreen is why she did it, how she got away with it as long as she did, who her accomplice was and what her ultimate unraveling ends up being. The forgery was her unraveling, of course, but desperation plays a large part. No longer brave enough to write a book of her own words, she writes about other people.

When we meet her, she’s turned to drinking, loses her job, is behind on her rent and on top of that, has a sick cat named Jersey. Jersey is her world. She would have no one else but Jersey had it not been for running into someone with even worse luck, Jack Hock (Grant), a sickly-looking friend she once had drinks with. He uses that moment to get closer to her and with no one else in her life, she clings to him, too. Perhaps once successful himself, he keeps himself alive these days by selling coke that’s cut mostly with a laxative and lives on the streets. Though you’re happy these two at least have someone, you know this is a disaster waiting to happen.

Hoping to not have to do something extreme to make ends meet, Lee visits her agent Marjorie (Curtain) who gives it to her straight. Lee tells her she is close to finishing her biography on Fannie Brice but Marjorie explains that her subjects and her style are not what people are looking for anymore. She needs to change with the times and come up with something better or she needs to look for work in a different field. Rather than looking inward, Lee turns the blame on Marjorie and drowns her sorrows in more scotch, her favorite pastime. While doing research for her book, Lee finds a letter that’s signed by Fanny Brice. Score! She sells it to the owner of a bookstore and thus begins her life of crime. Being a creative woman, she gets so much money from the sale of the letter, why not try again? She knows the people she has studied very well. She decides she needs to be very detailed about the work and ages the paper, writes something to fit the style of the author and everyone in town falls for it. It works perfectly… until it doesn’t.

Though Lee is a mess and a grump you couldn’t stand to be around more than five minutes, you root for her and that’s because of the relationship director Marielle Heller and Melissa McCarthy accomplished to create before the cameras even started rolling. This deserves Oscar’s attention. I hope he turns his head and takes a look. The soundtrack is beautiful. The structure of the writing is spectacular. The directing is spot on and if you want examples of incredible character acting performances, look no further. It’s all here. The title is also something that intrigued me. Who does Lee want to forgive her? Her ex-girlfriend, her agent, the friends she’s always cranky toward, the people she defrauded or is it herself?

Wildlife Movie Review

October 26, 2018 (updated November 16, 2018) Published by Shari K. Green

When I read the synopsis for this movie, I wasn’t expecting what I ultimately received. It was outlined properly but ‘Wildlife’ (the title will make sense when you watch it) was so much more than what the trailer suggests. From the title, you don’t foresee yourself taking the journey you’re about to take with the characters in this film. It was such an emotional task, I’d like to see it again and soon. It stays with you.

Making his directorial debut after helping pen the script with Zoe Kazan and Richard Ford, Paul Dano, adds a special touch that seems to accompany all of the characters he plays; one of quiet, deep contemplation, internal reflection, and inspection of oneself. I see in the son of the main character, Joe (Oxenbould) the roles Dano chooses for himself. I would go so far as to say Joe is the central figure of the piece rather than his mother Jean (Mulligan). Joe is a boy of fourteen and soon a lot more than should be will be asked of him. He’s forced to grow up rather quickly and steady a rock he isn’t nearly ready to climb. A pivotal question is, will he be able to and how will this affect his life after?

Set in 1960’s Montana, Jerry (Gyllenhaal) loses his job and is having a difficult time finding another. Jean and Joe are worried about finances and let him know they’re willing to work to help pay the bills and put food on the table. Prideful and with his masculinity in question, Jerry doesn’t want his wife and son working to support the family when that’s what he’s there for. Instead, though it’ll take him out of the house, he accepts employment as a firefighter. Near the border, the state is in need of help to contain an uncontrolled fire. Very symbolic of Jerry and Jean’s relationship the fire is consuming everything in its path. Concerned and now regretting their recent move to Montana, Jean’s misgivings are more about what his taking a job so far from home really means and asks, ‘What kind of man leaves his wife and child in such a lonely place.’

The script is so impressively written and so serious in its approach to these lives after Jerry leaves, you soon see that the present and his job aren’t the problems for Jean, but that something else may have happened to her in the past that she can’t entirely escape from. The drama builds from that point on. You watch the drama unfold from Joe’s point of view, witnessing his mother fall apart before his very eyes. You’ll be drawn in with excellent performances and outstanding writing that, rather appropriately, let’s this story, as Dano does the best, slowly develop. You’ll be mystified and mesmerized and speculate just how manic has this woman become as well as ponder how balanced was she really before? What is it that kept her from showing these signs of self-doubt. What is she willing to do to right the ship and for whose best interest?

Jean speaks to Joe as if he’s her friend, not her child, a recipe for disaster. She talks to him in a manner she shouldn’t and is operating in a way that his young mind can’t quite comprehend; his eyes observe what they should never see. Despondent, the child reminds his mother of her responsibilities as a parent and of his father as she flirts with other men to feel better about herself or, as you assume is the case from her behavior, move on to something better. Perhaps it’s both? Unfortunately for Joe, he’s about to find out.

Mulligan is downright frightening to watch in this portrayal as she slips on her ‘desperation dress’ and devours more alcohol. It’s hard to see this being overlooked during Academy time. Oxenbould was the perfect choice to give the audience a feeling of desperation and hope at the same time. He eats alone, shops and does the dishes as his mother becomes less available to him but he always appears to have faith that things will work out. However, over time it starts to slip. Close Up shots and landscapes are used to put you in this town, in the house, and in the conversations and work to magnify the story. Jerry forces Joe to talk and Dano, magnificently might I add, forces you to watch Joe’s struggle with being in the middle of his parent’s pain and struggle. While at the same time, they’re ignoring their son’s. This is a very complex and deeply profound film to watch. I must insist you see it. The very end scene captures it all. ‘Hold still.’ Look. What do you see?

What They Had Movie Review

October 26, 2018 (updated October 23, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“What They Had” is heart-tugging and lovely look at love. Or, perhaps, even more importantly – a study in commitment. When the older parents of two siblings have some health issues, do the kids have the right to tell the parents that they need to move into separate long-term care facilities? These parents are nothing if not committed to staying together, so it could be an uphill climb. The couple has been in this Chicago condo for ages, and they have no intention of leaving. Even if the wife is having memory problems, and she thinks she needs to trek in the middle of the night in a snowstorm, so she can get back to her ‘home’. Even if the husband is still having heart issues…

The couple in question is Burt (Robert Forster) and Ruth (Blythe Danner) who live the warm and cozy condo in a Chicago suburb. Burt has had a heart attack, or two, in the past couple of years. But he is feeling fine now. His wife of many years is Ruth, and she is starting to suffer from Alzheimer’s. One night, on Christmas Eve, Ruth puts on a light jacket and some slippers. Then she goes outside to walk from her house to her ‘home’ where she lived as a child. Burt gets very worried and calls his son Nicky (Michael Shannon). Ruth is located, and it brought to the hospital. Nicky calls his sister Bridget (Hilary Swank). Bridget and her daughter Emma (Taissa Farmiga) leave to go back to Chicago.

Nicky pleads with Bridget to convince their Dad to get into Ruth into a memory-care facility. It would be a safe place for her to be, and Burt can live at the assisted care place on the same campus. Burt will have none of that! He married Ruth to be there by her side, sickness and health, that type of thing – and he takes it all very seriously. He will not permit her to be anywhere but at their warm and cozy condo. She will remain right by his side, because – he made a commitment. So, there is an impasse. Nicky goes back his bar that he owns, and Bridget and Emma are not able to change Burt’s mind.

Besides, Bridget is having marital issues with her husband Eddie (Josh Lucas). She feels that she married him just to get her dad’s approval. Emma is in college, and she is not she wants to continue. But these problems will be minor if Ruth one day gets loose and gets lost somewhere in Chicago. That does appear to be a potential problem, as her Alzheimer’s continues to get worse. She can identify her kids correctly, be she calls Burt her ‘boyfriend’. Nicky thinks that the only way to get their Mom and Dad safe again is to get them out of that condo. Burt and Ruth are ready to get on with their lives. They do not want to be apart, but Burt thinks that maybe that will be a safer way to care for Ruth. But there are even more medical issues ahead, for both of them…

“What They Had” is a movie that can strike close to home, especially if you have any parents who are getting up in age. The medical conditions that can afflict older people can also affect their immediate family. This movie shows that is the case, and does it in a very straight-forward fashion. It does not sugar-coat it, and it does not take an easy way out. Of course none of this would matter without the right actors.

That is exactly what makes this movie so good. Robert Forster and Blythe Danner are paired up and they are amazing as the older couple. They fit the roles just perfectly. Hilary Swank is also very good. But Michael Shannon is superb in another emotionally heavy role – the type that seems to excel in being cast to play. The writing gives all of them a lot of very great conversations (as opposed to just plain dialog).

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Johnny English Strikes Again Movie Review

October 26, 2018 (updated October 23, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“Johnny English Strikes Again” is a sequel in the “Johnny English” series, with Rowan Atkinson as an MI7 spy. He is the most bumbling and ill-prepared secret agent ever. He does little that is right, but he always thinks he is top of the line. English is similar to the inept Inspector Clouseau from the ‘Pink Panther’ movies. Peter Sellers was perfect for those movies, and Rowan Atkinson is pretty much the arrow in the bullseye for “Johnny English”. It’s just that the humor in the 60’s was fine for its time. But today, audiences do expect a little bit other than pratfalls and big-eared goofy grins.

Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) is brought back into MI7 service after a technical data hack on the bureau. All current spies have been exposed and the Prime Minister (Emma Thompson) is upset. The country is undergoing several mysterious data hacks, and things are not good for the British Empire. The Prime Minister thinks that perhaps a young tech-savvy billionaire named Jason Volta (Jake Lacy) can get the country running smoothly again. English is the only retired field agent who can be called upon to investigate. He also gets an assist with his old MI7 friend named Angus Bough (Ben Miller). For some reason, English pronounces Bough as ‘Boof’. These two get sent to check out the computer hacks, first in France.

Johhny and ‘Boof’ find out that a luxury sailing yacht named the “Dot Calm” had something to do with the British data hack. They also meet up with a beautiful woman named Ophelia (Olga Kurylenko) on the yacht. She knows that boat belongs to billionaire Jason Volta, and she is looking into why he wants to make a business deal with the Prime Minister. When Johnny and Boof pretend to be waiters at a fancy French resort, there is a total disaster in the making. Ophelia heads to England to track Volta, so Johnny and Boof also go back home.

Johnny English has a feeling that Volta might be up to something very bad. But the Prime Minister is all smiles about Volta, and she will not disavow him. Johnny and Boof have a ‘Virtual Reality’ mock-up of Volta’s English country estate. Johnny uses this VR device to learn how to maneuver Volta’s estate to find evidence of his wrong-doing. However, Johnny does everything wrong (as usual) and thinks he is in the VR lab when he is actually out in the London bookstores and coffee shops – attacking people who are Volta’s “Heanchmen”. He and Boof go to estate for real, and they do find evidence that Volta is evil. They work with Ophelia to record Volta’s evil plans, but of course, Johnny messes that up when he tries to play it for the Prime Minister.

Johnny and Boof are fired and need to stay away from the big conference in Scotland, where the Prime Minister and Jason Volta will sign a big agreement. All the other European countries will also join in, because Volta promises to protect all their data. They of course do not know that Volta has been behind all of the data hacks and is leading up to taking over the various countries. If Johnny and Boof only were able to be there and effectively protect England and all of Europe. If only they could work with Ophelia, who is an undercover Russian agent, to stop Volta from being an evil jerk. If only– but wait — of course Johnny English will blunder into a situation and somehow make the ‘not the worst thing’ happen. If only — by accident…

“Johnny English Strikes Again” shows that Rowan Atkinson does not strike out, but he also does not hit any home runs. Call this one a broken-bat single. Atkinson is terrific at what he does, which is to play the unknowing fool. The rest of the cast enjoys slumming around with him, especially Emma Thompson. The story is a series of set pieces, all tied together with Atkinson basic goofy character. There is some humor to be found, but it does not sustain the entire run time. But there is nothing objectionable, so Grandmums can watch it with their wee laddie grandsons.

Mid90s Movie Review

October 26, 2018 (updated October 23, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

The movie “Mid90s” is a backward glance a time where growing up in L.A. was full of adventure and pain. Both written and directed by Jonah Hill, this is not a 1990’s celebration of nostalgia, but more a look back full of retrospection and subtle comment. The main story line is a basic ‘coming-of-age’ story, placed out in the streets of L.A. full of the skateboard wizards and loud rap music of that time. This is not a sweet replay of a bygone era, such as “American Graffiti”. It is more like a dirty, gritty review of that selected mid-decade – sort of an “L.A. Tagging”.

Stevie (Sunny Suljic) is a thirteen-year-old living in a lower middle class area in Los Angeles. His older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) often beats up on Stevie. His single mother Dabney (Katherine Waterston) is rarely around and sometimes brings home guys – but they only stay the night. Stevie thinks that his time needs to be spent outside the house, and he decides to find new friends. He finds them at a local skate shop on the main road near his home. He first meets Ruben (Gio Galicia), who is only few years older than Stevie. He later meets the other guys in that group, who are all good skaters. There is the somewhat slow guy named ‘Fourth Grade’ (Ryder McLaughlin), and the awkwardly named ‘Fuckshit’ (Olan Prenatt). But the best skater in the group is Ray (Na-kel Smith), who nicknames Stevie ‘Sunburn’.

Stevie hangs around and learns to skate (a little bit), but he mostly wants to hang out with these cool guys. They all trash talk to each other and to anyone around that they meet. It’s like locker room talk, but without the lockers. They teach Stevie to skate, but they also teach him the best places to hang out, how to smoke, how to drink, and basically how to deal with troubles at home. Ray always keeps in practice, and even when the others want to party and find liquor – Ray still practices his skating skills. Someday he wants to be a Pro, and skate in tournaments.

Stevie’s mother Dabney does not like the fact that he is spending too much time with his skating friends. Stevie is gaining too many bad habits to go along with his friendships. Stevie is now smoking, and drinking, and sometimes stealing money. He is taking risks, and he is getting some friendly time with girls. But because Stevie is feeling invincible, he even is starting to put down his best friend Ruben. One night when there are confrontations between Ray and Fuckshit, there are also troubles between Ruben and Stevie. But because too many of them are a little too drunk, there are some bad choices which lead to a terrible and tragic event.

Jonah Hill has done an excellent job at portraying a particular place and time. His eye for dialog is really spot on, and the supporting music fits in with certain flair. He has gathered a group of really new actors (who can also skate pretty well) and gotten a very meaning performance out of each one. The few ‘name’ actors are used quite well, also. The only major argument that I have with the story is that there is pretty big disastrous event right at the end, but nobody is held accountable. That strikes me as wrong…

“Mid90s” is reflective of the high ranking that many of the critics will be giving this movie. It is a work of passion for Jonah Hill, and he makes it come to life. Even for a short while, you feel that you know that decade and a few of those people.

Hunter Killer Movie Review

October 26, 2018 (updated October 25, 2018) Published by JMcNaughton

“Hunter Killer” is a serviceable, if somewhat ludicrous, military action movie involving submarines and Russian coup attempts. The “ripped from the Cold War” plotlines do not match up as well today, seeing that cyber-warfare is the go to choice of many nations. The idea that a rogue Russian Defense Minister could take over the government’s power has a lot of potential, but it is all wasted here. With all of the prior suspenseful submarine movies (“Hunt for Red October”, Das Boot”, “Run Silent, Run Deep”, “Ice Station Zebra”), this movie is a clinker that can barely stay afloat.

Joe Glass (Gerard Butler) is the new commander of the USS Omaha, an American sub of the ‘hunter killer’ class. Newly promoted, he and his crew are sent to investigate the strange disappearance of both a Russian and a US sub in waters off the Russian coast. His sub is attacked by another Russian sub, and then fighting back – the crew destroys the Russian submarine. But there is no retaliation or show of Russian military power, because the Russian Defense Minister is busy taking over the country. Glass and his crew find a survivor from the first Russian sub that was sunk. They are able to save Captain Andropov (Michael Nyqvist) and a few of his crew from his crippled sub.

Back at the Pentagon, Rear Admiral Fisk (Common) and Admiral Donnegan (Gary Oldman) get prepared for war. But an NSA operative named Norquist (Linda Cardellini) thinks that a coup might be happening. She convinces them to send some Special Ops deep into Russian territory to investigate. This team is lead by Navy SEAL Lieutenant Beaman (Toby Stephens). The Seals are able to confirm that the Russian President is being held captive by the Defense Minister.

The Seals are able to get the Russian President away from the military base where he was being held. But now they need safe passage out of there, so Joe Glass will be coming in to the rescue. But the only person who knows the Russian waters, and all the tricky underwater booby traps that wait there, is the Russian sub Captain Andropov. He is able to guide the submarine close enough to create an escape route for the President and surviving Seal operatives. But getting the sub and all the people out will be a task that might prove impossible.

The Russian Minister of Defense has been trying to trick the Americans all along. He wants the US side to fire first, so he can unleash an all-out war. He had caused the first Russian sub to go down, the one that was captained by Andropov. But his sabotage did not start a major conflict. Now he wants Joe Glass to fire first on the Destroyer class Russian ship that is chasing it down. Joe Glass plays a waiting game before releasing missiles, and he is hoping for a Russian ‘ex machina’ to save him and his crew. But will he get it?

“Hunter Killer” seems like a left over concept from a time that is gone by. Sure, there are still submarine fleets, and the sub operations can be very impressive. But the Russian Federation is not like the old USSR. And even the current military has different goals and strategies than during the Cold War. Much of this movie seems to want it both ways. They want a Hillary Clinton type US President in a Tom Clancy novel world. Many parts of that equation do not add up…

But for a decent submarine action movie, this one is all right. Gerard Butler plays a fine leader of a group of dedicated men. Michael Nyqvist is great as the frail and older Russian captain. This was his final roll before his untimely death. Gary Oldman runs around looking for more scenery to chew on. Common does a very sturdy job in his role, but poor Linda Cardellini is drowned in a sea of testosterone.

“Hunter Killer” drags on longer than it needs to, and the ending is very preposterous. However, there are some decent action scenes and some tense underwater moments. So, all in all, this movie gets a little waterlogged at times, but it never sinks to the bottom.

The Oath Movie Review

October 19, 2018 (updated November 16, 2018) Published by Shari K. Green

In ‘The Oath,’ actor and comedian, now producer, writer, and director of a feature film, Ike Barinholtz, plays Chris. Chris is the everyman and Barinholtz plays him quite well. ‘The Oath,’ is a movie that needs its audience to connect with the lead in order to have faith in its message so casting was pivotal. The message is political and very powerful but no matter how you lean politically it’s a strong movie for both sides. Through a brutal comedy, you see both sides somewhat shredded and hopefully, everyone comes out on the other side the better for it. I think that’s the central reason the film was made. One blatant and glaring spotlight is directed on the idea that the country is to fall in line with whatever the president says or wants. Nowhere in the Constitution of the United States of America does it even suggest we are to support the president, a person, but instead, the president is to support what he swore AN OATH to protect and that’s the Constitution. The Constitution, in turn, protects the country and her people.

In the film, the president is asking that people sign The Patriot’s Oath. This is an oath of loyalty to him. Not only is he asking, though you are not required to, is giving you a tax deduction if you do sign… and there’s a deadline. The movie centers around this deadline moving closer and closer. The day will be after Thanksgiving… ‘Black Friday.’

Today’s political climate is all over this movie. With midterms fast approaching us and a 2020 presidential campaign looming ever closer, the film is released at the perfect time for reflection… no doubt on purpose.

Chris is very progressive and against The Patriot’s Oath. He is continually educating his wife Kai (Tiffany Haddish), also progressive but not as dynamic as he, that what the government is asking of its citizens is wrong. He’s an angry patriot and his anger increases as he witnesses American citizens grow more hostile toward one another; dividing like at no other point in history. Racists feel free to scream statements at people such as, ‘Get out of my country!’ Arguments and talking points are used to spread lies and fear, much like they are in the news you watch today. Chris believes he’s right and you are wrong which is ultimately the problem… there must be something that brings everyone back together. It can’t be just blind loyalty to only your beliefs.

The family is coming for Thanksgiving to Chris’ house and as tension toward the Oath builds, Chris prays to a God he doesn’t believe in, that he can get through the family visit. The day is here and, unable to let it go since the deadline to sign is tomorrow, Chris asks of his family members to reveal who has signed. At this point, the film digs deeply into the human psyche, and the bonds we develop, more than at any other time. Not only do we see who is with Chris and who is not, but there are a few unwelcomed visitors from the Citizens Protection Unit known as the CPU (think Dept. of Homeland Security) there to strongly suggest to people, in this case, Chris, to sign. This is where the movie goes from being a comedy that forces us to look inward, into something darker. That said, should we be led there so we can see we’re all capable of making mistakes? Anyway, the CPU isn’t there just to ‘ask’ Chris to sign, as all the other family members, even Kai, have done, but to ‘tell’ him to. In a very cryptic way, Barinholtz may be trying to remind us all of what’s important. Family. Friends. Water. Air. Who and what are we without these? Can he continue to fight against what seems to be the popular choice or should people who are signing an oath to a person wake up and see some of his point of view?

Barinholtz is great in this. I’m impressed with his work behind and in front of the camera. Tiffany Haddish brings on the laughs but also gets to show that she’s competent enough to explore a more serious tone for her audience. Nora Dunn and the rest of the cast are exceptional in coloring the landscape that’s been created, rendering you incapable of avoiding the subject yet entertaining you at the same time. Another thing the film does is emphasize how bad things get at a moments notice and how quickly arguments can escalate out of control if cooler heads don’t prevail. See ‘The Oath’ for all the reasons I’ve listed but also look at it this way… it could serve as a warning to you to keep you from bringing up the topic of politics this year during the holidays. It comes out to today so see it as soon as possible.

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Halloween Movie Review (2018)

October 19, 2018 (updated November 16, 2018) Published by Shari K. Green

Thank you Blumhouse for helping to bring this back! This movie is terrifyingly fantastic. It has a rock solid, substantial, concrete script and it’s, I’d have to say, exactly what any horror fan, especially if they liked this franchise, is looking for. I wasn’t sure about it at first, thinking to myself, ‘Here we go again,’ as I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t have been more wrong to doubt it. The only way anyone coming out of the theatre after watching this could say that it was just ‘so-so’ or ‘meh’ either has a grudge against films of this type or they were asleep.

Not only is the story grotesquely imaginative and holds your attention the entire time but, pleasantly, I found that Danny McBride had a hand in writing it and you can feel his influence everywhere. I think his being involved made all the difference in the world. When there was some much-needed comic relief, he gave us plenty. It’s not that the comedy takes over or anything, this is a true horror film, but when it does come it fits the characters and the moment. Another thing I was appreciative of was the score. To get it right, I believed John Carpenter had to do it and it was good to see I wasn’t disappointed there.

If you’re reading this, I won’t give a lot away because you’d be rather mad at me for ruining the surprises for you. However, I do have to reveal a few things about the story. You know how the original ‘Halloween’ started, right? If not, see it before you see this when possible. In the first film, Michael, as a little boy, stabs his sister to death with a butcher knife. She had just had sex with her boyfriend and that act seemed to have upset his fragile nature. They sent him away to a mental institution after that. Then we advance to fifteen years later where it’s 1978 and Michael has turned twenty-one. He escapes the institution he’s being held in and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield. He’s on the hunt to kill again. He focuses his attention on trying to get to Laurie Strode (Curtis) but with the help of Michael’s physician at the institution, Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence), she manages to survive his efforts to end her life. There were several films that followed but forget those. This is the direct sequel to the first film as if all the others never happened and it works beautifully.

We meet Laurie again when she’s much older and she’s living like a hermit. To avoid another bloodbath, she built a fortress, complete with panic room, around her house and around her emotions. She’s disconnected to protect herself. Michael may not have killed her body, but he killed her spirit. It was riveting to peer into how she lives yet somewhat heartbreaking to see that she has lost the ability to get close to anyone. This is obviously due to the fact that she was so traumatized and is still afraid Michael could be around every corner. She has to be prepared at all time and is she ever!

Laurie taught her daughter Karen (Greer) to defend herself, too, and how to use weapons. Karen now holds that against her. Having to tell your mother to stop being afraid of the ‘Boogie Man’ has been difficult for Karen to overcome. Now a mother herself, she wants her daughter Allyson (Matichak), to live the normal childhood she was denied so they, for the most part, keep their distance from Laurie.

By the time Michael gets to Haddonfield, he has already slaughtered a few people and wants to continue. The cinematographer does a magnificent job of putting you on edge by giving you shadow and reflection before you see the monster in action. There are several very creative shots you don’t usually find in horror. You’ll love Michael’s prey, I mean the characters, especially young Julian (Nantambu). He’s a very wise child, with a potty mouth, who knows more about the world than the babysitter who’s watching him gives him credit for. His scene relaxes you for a moment but not for long.

Look, the film doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s just trying to entertain people who love the genre and it does. There are times when the audience laughs, yells at the screen and jumps at the brutality of the quality kills Michael often proudly displayed. There are several I haven’t quite gotten over yet! Now, doesn’t that sound like something worth watching? If you remember, I mentioned to you that there are surprises. Oh, you’re going to love those. After watching, I’m sure you’ll agree that the first ‘Halloween’ was a classic and that this one WILL BE, TOO.

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