A Dirty Shame

In a recent interview with John Waters there is a discussion about his film A Dirty Shame. This film is raunchy and funny with a huge heart. Outrageous as only Waters can do with a great cast and a very funny premise. This is a great rental.

John Wick Part 2

Vapid and full of fight scenes John Wick Part 2 was as boring as expected. I rented it so I can see John Wick 3. That may not have been necessary. Weak rental.

Fosse / Verdon

I adore musical theater. The film All That Jazz gave me a close up look at Bob Fosse at a young age. It taught me that flawed people can make beautiful art. The mini series Fosse/Verdon expands that story and brings in Gwen Verdon's point of view. Each episode focuses on a specific show, and segues beautifully from one to the next. The cast is superb and there is a great surprise appearance in the final episode. Great job from all angles.

Wine Country

Women on a road-trip is the premise of Wine Country. This is a weak story with an astounding cast. Paula Pell is a national treasure and Maya Rudolph kills every scene she is in. The story just didn't do it for me. Still worth watching for the performances. An OK rental.

Booksmart

One of the funniest movies this year could be Booksmart. High school students on the night before their graduation go from party to party in a series of great scenes and scenarios. The acting is outstanding and the characters are very genuine and believable. The editing also moves the film at a nice pace and Billie Lourd made me laugh every time she came on screen. Well done.

To Sir With Love

I had forgotten what a good movie To Sir With Love is. When an engineer reluctantly takes a job as a high school teacher, the reality of rebellious teens are brought to the screen. I like that he does not succeed at every turn. There is enough failure to make him human and the story realistic. The performances are excellent and this is really well shot. I'm glad that I saw this film again. Well done.

The Upside

In The Upside a very wealthy quadriplegic hires a new caregiver. The caregiver is an ex-con. This is a fish-out-of-water story with a bit of a twist. The chemistry between Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart was a surprise and I liked this film a lot more than I expected to.

Fighting with My Family

I did not think that a film set in the professional wrestling world would be my jam, but I found Fighting with My Family to be very well done. Based on the true origin story of  Saraya Knight, we watch a family true to professional wrestling work the game. The process of auditioning, training and performing is sown with grit and heart. Great performances all around. I really liked this film.

The Long Riders

That brothers are playing brothers in the film The Long Riders was such  draw for me. The story of the James gang is told in a story that explores motivation and relationships. The Ford brothers come to the story in an interesting way, considering the ultimate outcome. The way the film is shot really captures the flavor of the wild west, and oh those shoot-outs. I liked this film a lot.

Avengers: Endgame

After 21 movies and adventures in the MCU, Avengers: Endgame brings the saga to an end. In all it's 3 hour-plus glory the stories play out with eye-popping action and a nice dose of humor. No spoilers here...see it for yourself. Well done.

Amazing Grace

The beauty and dynamic voice of Aretha Franklin is showcased in Amazing Grace in an impeccable way. The footage from 1972 reveals the heart of her gospel roots. Her focus and talent are on full display and the joy of the congregation is infectious. Wonderful piece of music history.

Nights and Weekends

The difficulty of long distance relationships is explored in Nights and Weekends to a painful degree. The desperation of a couple living in separate cities is palpable and a bit sad. The more they try to make the relationship work, the less it does. The performances are outstanding, but this is a sad story.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

I enjoyed The LEGO Movie, so I was hoping that The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part would follow suit. The story takes a darker turn which is OK.I prefer my LEGO characters more upbeat. The older sibling viewing his younger sibling as a threat was honest, but again, pretty dark. This was an OK rental.

The Woman in Red

There is a strong 80s style in the film The Woman in Red that brings great joy. The story is odd. Teddy's restlessness and awkward demeanor do not seem to deserve the attention he gets. His fantasies are out there. This is well worth seeing for the performance from Gilda Radnor. It's an OK rental.

My Fair Lady

I've always had trouble getting through the movie version of My Fair Lady even though I know the story and the music well. The misogyny was always too much. I saw the latest Broadway version and learned that they had changed a few small things to make the plot more palatable. I enjoyed the live version I saw, so I decided to give the movie another try. Audrey Hepburn is the biggest reason to see this film. Her performance is outstanding, even though the singing is dubbed (Thank you Marne Nixon). I'm still disgusted by the character of Henry Higgins, but there is a charm to most of the others that won me over. The costumes are amazing as well and I had the pleasure of seeing them live in the Warner Brother's Museum back in October. I'm glad that the Broadway version brought me back to the film. Well done.