Saturday, September 24, 2016

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week

I was 7 years old when I first saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. At that tender age I was rocked. I grew up with their music, but did not know much about heir early touring years. In the documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week, those days are presented in archival footage and interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. In their own words the band expressed their feelings about the music, travel and fame. The hysteria was crazy! There is a 30 minute film after the documentary of their concert at Shea Stadium. Amazing stuff. Well worth seeing.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037

I work in manufacturing. I love music. These two things made the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037 a very satisfying film for for me. Along with the artistry involved with making a Steinway piano, the dedication, logistics and people is fascinating to me. Beautifully filmed, the year long process of making one of these beauties is detailed by it's craftsmen. We learn the history of Steinway as well. This is the second time I've seen the film and I still love it. It inspired me to sit down and play a few tunes at my own piano. Haven't done that in a while. Nice film.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2? Disappointing. Clunky and awkward. What a mess. Nuff said.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Snowden

Laura Poitras is a documentarian who traveled to Hong Kong to film Edward Snowden as he spoke of his story. Citizen Four highlights Snowden's whistle-blowing on the US government in regards to internet survelence. In The film Snowden, Oliver Stone dramatizes this. Some see Snowden as a traitor, some see him as a hero. The fact that all of our communications are being monitored is disturbing. I really liked the way the film ended. It will be interesting to see if he ever returns to the US and if he ever stands trial. I thought this film was very well done and very interesting. Nice job.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Little Men

Rave reviews brought me to see Little Men. A quiet film about a friendship and several family struggles. There are ethics and feelings involved on a complicated level.The pace of the film was a little slow for me, but the relationships and the struggles make the film worth a look.

Now You See Me 2

I liked Now You See Me better than the critics, and now it appears I feel the same about Now You See Me 2. The plot is a bit thin and far-fetched, but I found the characters entertaining and engaging. A decent rental enjoyed.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Captain America: Civil War

I'll admit to a bit of superhero fatigue as I watched Captain America: Civil War. The battles are tedious, the snark overdone and the storyline a bit melodramatic. Avengers have become vengeful, desperate and sad to me. I will say, this is a fantastic cast and a few new characters are interesting. The teasers at the end of the film sucked me in for what Marvel has in store. An OK rental.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

I don't get the title Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. I also realize that I am not the audience for the music in this movie. The story of fame and success in the music industry is not new, but it is funny and corny here. Lonely Island's performance at the end was the only song I appreciated, as this is a hard R comedy. I'm guessing that in the end, I got it. An OK rental.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Sully

Not only is the Miracle on the Hudson portrayed several times, in several ways, but the film Sully presents depth and closure to an amazing event. The editing and performances pleased me. As in many films based on true stories, photos and clips of the actual people and event are nice. Well done.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

All the Way

I saw the play All the Way on Broadway. HBO presented it as a film, and wow did they do it proud. The film All the Way presents LBJ's policies and presidency with high production value, humor and amazing performances. The dialogue is dense and well represented. I really liked this film.

Friday, September 09, 2016

Love & Friendship

The tongue-in-cheek nature of Love & Friendship reminds me a lot of Another Period. Though not as outrageous, I enjoyed the light nature and a bit of satire. On-screen explanations are both helpful and funny. Lots of characters and aristocratic melodrama. Decent rental.

Saturday, September 03, 2016

Kubo and the Two Strings

Deciding to see Kubo and the Two Strings was easy because Laika Entertainment puts out quality film. The story of a boy on a quest is intense and beautifully animated. The battle scenes and themes of loss may be a bit much for little ones, but this was a solid film. Credits are worth watching.

Friday, September 02, 2016

White Men Can't Jump

In the streets of New York, hustlers make their livings. In White Men Can't Jump we see the con worked over and over for different motivations. Hustlers hustling hustlers is entertaining, but not as entertaining as a young woman using Jeopardy! to the same end. Cool rental and Rosie Perez is a national treasure. Great rental.

Thursday, September 01, 2016

Walkabout

In Australia, as a rite of passage, 15 year old boys get sent into the outback to live on their own. This is called a Walkabout. In the film with this title, a brother and sister come upon such a young man while lost. The film is a gorgeous adventure. This is so beautifully shot, and I had to keep reminding myself that it was made in the early 70s. Well worth seeing.