Movie Review: Steel Magnolias

PLOT:

Pivoting around the lively Truvy Jones’ Louisiana beauty parlour, a tightly-knit band of friends, confront griefs, loss, life’s unforeseen tragedies and heartaches with what they do best: gossiping and sharing. The spirited diabetic and bride-to-be, Shelby; her always supportive mother, M’Lynn; Truvy’s gawky assistant, Annelle; the city’s curmudgeon, Ouiser; and the town’s former first lady, Clairee, are the warm Southern belles who know how to survive life’s challenges with their unwavering friendship. But when Shelby decides to conceive, things will turn upside down

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Sightseeing. Having attended college in the small town where this was filmed, I always enjoy seeing the familiar surroundings and marvel at how much they changed to make this fictional representation. For me, it is also a joy to see many professors and people from the city playing background roles. When this was made, I was still 5-6 years away from enrolling, so some of the folks were a bit younger than when I first met them. If you’ve ever had a movie filmed in your town, then you know the feeling, especially if you’re from a small town that never gets any publicity save for the occasional sports story or coverage of a festival.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. I am heartless and pretty much devoid of all emotion. However, I can see how people would run the gamut of the spectrum watching this picture. There are numerous quotable lines (its a battle between Dolly Parton and Olympia Dukakis for the true comic relief) and the heartbreak that goes down in latter half of the film is enough to melt even the iciest of hearts. Not many films are able to pull off this mixture of emotions as most veer heavily toward one and when they attempt to try the other it falls flat. I give mad props to this picture for being able to pull this feat off. I wonder if the ladies this was based on (the original play is based on a true story) were actually like this.

Cast. Julia Roberts. Shirley MacLaine. Sally Field. Olympia Dukakis. Dolly Parton. Daryl Hannah, What a cast! Now, when I say that, keep in mind this was made in 1989, so Roberts was still an up and comer (Pretty Woman would be released the following year), Daryl Hannah is a few years removed from Splash, Dolly is still known more for her music than anything else, and Sally Field is still in shock that people like her. Having said that, it is amazing how well these women gel. From what I heard from locals that were around, they were often times seen eating (and drinking) together, which explains the comradery. It was a natural thing. I wonder if the ladies in the remake even bothered to talk to each other off-screen.

What didn’t I like?

Cause of death. In the first scene with all the ladies in the beauty shop, Julia Roberts’ character has an attack, for lack of a better term, that lets the audience know she is diabetic. Sally Field’s character is quick to point out how severe her condition is every chance she gets (I’ll get to her shortly). In the film’s denouement moment, if you will, Roberts collapses on her back porch, leaving her baby crying. Eventually her husband comes home and finds her. We don’t know how long she was out there or how long the kid was crying, but the refrigerator was open and food was cooking on the stove, so it couldn’t have been that long. This is followed up with the gut wrenching montage and scene in the hospital. I’ll leave it at that. Now, to my knowledge, one cannot die from type I diabetes if they are doing what they need to do. As far as we can tell, she was doing what she needed to do, just a little more stressed than she should have been. If you were seeing this for the first time, you wouldn’t know that she rejected the kidney her mother donated to her and that was the cause. This is glossed over in the film, sadly.

(Not a) Man’s world. Obviously, this is a film focused on the women. However, I have to take issue with how the men are portrayed. Not a single one of them is in a shining light type of situation. Shelby’s dad is a bit of an eccentric. Truvy’s husband lays around the house feeling sorry for himself because he can’t get work. The bartender that Annelle hooks up with is just whipped, shall we say. Perhaps Shelby’s husband comes out the best, but he’s such a non-character. Other than the moment he comes home and finds her, you wouldn’t even know he was there, save for the wedding (and his aunt’s cake making skills). Should any of the men in the film been promoted to more of a principal role? No, but they could have been giving something more respectable. Imagine if this was made current year and the roles were reversed. People would be raising hell because of how these characters were written.

Mother knows best. Many ladies I know complain about how overbearing their mothers are. In some cases, I have seen this up close and personal. Sally Field’s character, while well-meaning, fits that mold to a ‘T’. Maybe it is because I am not a mother, but surely she could just let her daughter live her life, rather than criticize and hover over her. That being said, she did come through for her when it came to donating a kidney and being a grandmother, so there is that. I don’t know, I guess because my mom was more encouraging this characterization is foreign to me.

Final verdict:

What did I think of Steel Magnolias? First off, I am a little biased as this is a film/story/play you cannot get away from when you attend college in this town. I think the theater department did it twice during my time there, if I am not mistaken. The amount of love and care that was put into this film from the script, to the authentic hometown feel (yes, that Christmas festival is real…just WAY bigger now). I may be a little biased, but there are few major problems with this picture. Sure, it is a bit of a chick flick, but everything can’t be a super macho, pecs out, guns blazing, blood gushing action film. I very highly recommend this very well made entertaining film. After you finish, think about making a trek to Natchotiches, La and seeing the houses up close and personal. Much of it is unchanged!

5 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Pearl Harbor

PLOT:

Pearl Harbor is a classic tale of romance set during a war that complicates everything. It all starts when childhood friends Rafe and Danny become Army Air Corps pilots and meet Evelyn, a Navy nurse. Rafe falls head over heels and he and Evelyn and Rafe hook up. Then Rafe volunteers to go fight in Britain, and Evelyn and Danny get transferred to Pearl Harbor. While Rafe is off fighting, suddenly one morning comes the air raid we now know as “Pearl Harbor.”

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Action. Say what you will about Michael Bay, he knows two things, action and beautiful women. I’ll get to the ladies a little later, but good googly moogly are these action scenes beautiful, particularly the titular attack. Bay does a great job of showing not only the CG expulsions, but also some practical ones, as well. The dogfight in the air is also something special, but being an Air Force brat, I’m a little biased. I do wish we could have seen some naval battles besides the bombing of carriers and the men going down with the ship, but that’s a personal preference and not a knock against the film.

Casualties of war. War is hell! While this film is far from the realism one can see in a film such as Saving Private Ryan, there are times when you feel the weight of what is going on. First, the first hour or so of the film is the calm before the storm, if you will. Every time we see the hospital, it is empty, save for one or two patients getting checked out. The floors and sheets are pristine and the windows are open with air flowing like its an air freshener commercial. Then the bombing happens and all hell breaks loose. No longer do we see this bright center of bliss, but rather a dark, blood soaked vision of horror. That is nothing compared to the scene where the men are stuck in the USS Arizona. As people are valiantly trying to get open it up and get them out before it downs, a couple of hands pop out. As the water completely consumes the compartment, we see these men leave this mortal coil. It is quite the sad sight. For those that enjoy seeing more suffering, earlier on it is shown these same men get stuck in the overturned ship. All this really shows how even though WWII is glamourized, this was a war and not fun!

Inspirational propaganda. FDR was probably the greatest wartime president this country has had. The man was a living inspiration, of that there is no arguing. There are a couple of scenes that are more legend than fact, particularly when he is talking to a defeatist room of military advisers. For those not familiar, Roosevelt was stricken with a case of polio and it confined him to a wheelchair. As each of these advisors are giving cowardly excuses for why the US should not retaliate against the Japanese, FDR backs up, locks the wheels of his chair and stands up, telling the room to “not tell what he can or can’t do [sic]”. It is obvious cinematic drama, but it works to really get the cause going. One can only wonder had he done that for real what the result would have been.

What didn’t I like?

Love and war. There are 2 major plotlines in this picture. One is the war effort, obviously, but the other is a love story. Now, alot of WWII stories and portrayals seem to be romanticized, but this one really takes the cake. I don’t really have an issue with the love stuff until it becomes a triangle complete with Ben Affleck’s character coming back from the dead, the pregnancy of Kate Beckinsale’s character, and the convenience of the bombing. This was just too much drama for me, not to mention it takes up way too much time. Cutting some of this out would drastically reduce the runtime of this nearly 3 hour film.

Attack on Cuba. I wasn’t going to bring this up, but when we meet Cuba Gooding. Jr.’s character he is competing in a boxing match. Quite noticeable is that he’s a light skinned man and all the other African American sailors are very dark skinned. Maybe that was coincidence, maybe it was done for a visual effect so that Cuba could stand out. I do not know. What I do know is that the film goes out of its way to let us know that Cuba’s character is more than a cook, only for him to have once scene where he does something (shooting down a plan with the ship’s gun) and that’s it. It appears that his character was a real person, which makes this “portrayal” even worse! Fret not, though Gooding had already played a historical Naval officer before this film and had the whole film (Men of Honor) to respectfully portray him.

Pretty nurses. Earlier I mention Bay’s penchant for casting beautiful women. There is no shortage of that here with Kate Beckinsale, Jamie King, Jennifer Garner, Sara Rue, and others. What is my issue with these women? Beckinsale is one the 3 main characters alongside Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett. Jamie King gets a small subplot with her dating and getting engaged to one of military boys before he meets an unfortunate end during the bombing. Jennifer Garner seems to be the comic relief, as well as the sensitive one, but she doesn’t seem to have much to do, which is really what can be said for all of them. Sure, we see them saving lives in the latter half of the film, but for the rest of the time, they are just (extremely) pretty faces. Nothing wrong with a little eye candy, but they should have something to do, especially if they have a profession where they are needed!

Final verdict:

What did I think of Pearl Harbor? This is not the film for you to watch if you are looking to write a paper on the attack. There are numerous historical inaccuracies. However, this is a fun film to watch, regardless. Bay is a masterful director when it comes to action and he has a hard on for the military, so this is right up his alley. For some reason, this film gets a lot of hate and I still do not know why. Action, drama, beautiful ladies, a swingin’ soundtrack…what more could you ask for? I highly recommend you check it out, particularly this Memorial Day weekend!

4 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Street Smart

PLOT:

Magazine reporter Jonathan Fisher, in danger of losing his job, promises to write a factual hard-hitting story of prostitution. But when he tries to get information from the subjects, he is ignored. So he ends up faking a well received story of a pimp, describing his life and crimes. But police think the story is of a real life pimp who is wanted for murder and start pressuring him to reveal the identity of subject in his story, and all he knows. The pimp the police suspect, also thinks the story is about himself, and wants to know what Jonathan knows, and who told him. 

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Not what you know. Morgan Freeman and Christopher Reeve are both legendary actors. Reeve is best known to many as Superman, while Freeman usually plays a calm, wise, often mentor type role in his films. Well, Reeve is again a reporter, but he’s not the squeaky clean Clark Kent type. Not only does he make up a story to keep his job, but he cheats on his girlfriend by starting a relationship with a prostitute. As far as Freeman goes, that cool, calm demeanor that he is well-known for is here, but this character is almost bi-polar with how quick he is to anger and, I have to mention, his pimp hand is strong!

Sympathy. Kathy Baker is Freeman’s top prostitute, at least she’s the one he seems to have around the most. She is also the one that I mention Christopher Reeve’s character having an affair with. When the audience first meets her, she is what you would expect from a prostitute. However, as the plot thickens, she becomes an integral part of the story. Even the antagonistic assistant DA picks up on how important she is and sets out to find her to aid in his case against Freeman. Without realizing it, the audience is made to feel for this prostitute. No, she isn’t a hooker with a heart of gold like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, but she is more human than many others of her profession we have met in television and movies.

Hard out here for a pimp. A film like this, which takes someone who knows little to nothing of life on the streets and inserts them there, is sure to garner some criticism for unauthentic portrayal. That said, the streets scenes don’t feel fake or manufactured. The stakes are real! This is New York in the 80s, so it wasn’t hard to make it a gritty, crime ridden ghetto, for lack of a better term. Throw in the way Morgan Freeman seems to rule with an iron fist, so to speak, and anyone would be scared to go to that part of the city. Good thing this is only a movie…or is Morgan Freeman a pimp for real? Hmmm…

What didn’t I like?

Keep your pimp hand strong. One of the reasons I even know about this film is the scene that I alluded to earlier where Morgan Freeman pimp slaps Kathy Baker after a party. It truly is something that you have to see to enjoy. Yes, I know that in today’s society that would never fly because it is offensive. Ignore the fact that a man just slapped the taste out of a woman’s mouth, the twitter mafia would get offended. You know that’s what would happen. Hell, I’m surprised no one has tried to cancel Freeman because of this film…yet.

Turn the music down. In the scene where Reeve is getting familiar, shall we say, with Kathy Baker in her room, the music is unusually loud, even though there is dialogue happening. I chalked this up to a mistake with the audio, but it happens a couple of other times in the film. Nothing wrong with putting Aretha Franklin and the other artists on the soundtrack on full blast, but turn it down when people are talking!

Lawyer up. The assistant DA in this film is a real piece of work, and not in a good way. He is obsessed with putting Freeman’s character away for murder, even though it was clearly self defense. Think of Peck from Ghostbusters II and turn him down to about a 7 (on a scale of 10) and you have this guy. Also, the judge judge…this guy just about lost it when he didn’t get the nonexistent notes and sentenced Christopher Reeve for contempt because “he wont have obstruction in his court”. There was also some stuff about it doesn’t matter if you appeal or not. I don’t know how judges work, but he seemed a bit too…high strung for something that isn’t as big of a deal as they are making it out to be. Now, if this was video evidence showing the murder, then I could understand. They both needed to calm down.

Final verdict:

What did I think of Street Smart? Well, it is a crime drama that isn’t as dark and serious as one would think. A couple of chuckles and light moments are to be had. Save for one scene in particular, I don’t recall any bloodshed. That doesn’t affect how this film turned out, but for those looking for a violent encounter, this will disappoint. For me, I found the film enjoyable, but a little on the slow side. Do I recommend it? I can’t really say yes or no. It depends on what your personal tastes are regarding pimps and hos.

3 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Concussion

PLOT:

Will Smith stars in Concussion, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

It had to be told. Each fall, we watch as high school, college, and professional athletes smash into each other at high speeds just to get an oblong piece of pigskin up and down the field for our entertainment. While I enjoy the game of football as much as the next guy, I am not oblivious to the bigger problem inherent to the game. Back in the 80s, there was an ad campaign using crash test dummies. There is a reason said dummies were used instead of human beings. Crashing into things at high speeds is not good for the brain. Will Smith’s character explains it best fairly early on in the film. Human beings do not have a protective boundary around their brains the way some animals do, thus, human beings are not meant to play football. I won’t go so far as to say that, but the danger and lingering side effects of doing so is something that has been ignored and/or covered up for years. Watching this film, I found myself wondering what else has been swept under the rug. 

Fresh out of laughs. Will Smith has done serious roles before, but they usually involve him cracking a joke or at least a smile. In this role, he is very stoic. Even when is being cordial to colleagues, the serious, stern look is on display. Smith has long been criticized his whole career for acting a certain way, that is to say every role being a version of the Fresh Prince. Yes, even all these years after that show ended, people are still saying that, and when he doesn’t they flip out. The man can’t win. In this role, Smith silences his critics with a powerful performance (I have issues with a couple of factors that I will touch on later) that should have been at least nominated for an Oscar, but I guess he wasn’t a slave, cancer patient, or in some role where he had to lose most of his body weight. 

NFL monsters. Football fans enjoy the NFL. How many of us actually know what a monster of a corporation it is, though? I think I have ever since I’ve been watching games. The way they have the disembodied voice emphasize how the game is the property of the NFL and can’t be broadcast without their consent has always been a bit on the foreboding side of things. That’s a tiny thing, though, compared to some of the other atrocities they do to stay on top. Covering up injuries, abandoning players, cutting off healthcare/pensions for retirees, etc. This list could go on! There was a film that came out a couple of years before this, Spotlight, that exposed the Catholic church and what it was doing to little boys. This film’s main purpose is to put the spotlight on what happens to football players that have concussions, but it also exposes how the NFL (mis)handled them for years.

What didn’t I like?

Black Panther you ain’t. In Black Panther, the entire cast, save for those not from Wakanda, spoke with an African accent. While not the best accents to be heard, they were at least believable. Will Smith’s accent in this film…well, the best thing I can say about it is that it is slightly above Eddie Murphy’s in Coming to America. Making matters worse is that his costar, the beautiful Gugu Mbatha-Raw, has a South African father, so she knows a thing or two about African accents. Also, this is a small personal complaint, Will Smith looks nothing like his role, Dr. Bennet Omalu. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but couldn’t they have found someone that favors him a bit more? Or was Smith’s star power more important?

Football. With the Super Bowl in our rear view mirror, I chose to watch this as a way to transition out of football season. Usually in football films we see actual football. If that is what you are expecting to see with this, you will be disappointed. Having said that, it is my fault for not reading the synopsis that this about the concussion protocol and not some team/player who gets a concussion, only to miraculously recover for the big game. Still, I would have liked to have seen Smith attend a game or two, especially since the film is set in Pittsburgh (they go out of their way to show the Steelers’ stadium in almost every shot).

Goodell-will. Roger Goodell has done a decent job as commissioner of the NFL. When he steps down/retires he’ll be remembered for…uh…spygate? bountygate? pandemic football? His legacy is beside the point. He is being blitzed in Congress near the film’s end by a guy we see a couple of times earlier in the film, Luke Wilson. Turns out Wilson is portraying Goodell. I have nothing against Luke Wilson. I think he’s a fine actor, but never in a million years would I cast him as Roger Goodell. If anything, put some age makeup on him and let him play the former commissioner, Paul Tagliabue!

Final verdict:

What did I ultimately think of Concussion? I mention the Super Bowl earlier. In it, Patrick Mahomes did everything he could to win the game, but he’s only one man. One man who got concussed a few weeks earlier and was magically cleared before the conference championship game. As the talk of what happens to players after football and current players suffering effects went on, I got to thinking about and wondered about the Chiefs superstar. That is what this film is meant to do, though. Make the audience wonder and question how healthy their favorite player(s) is/was and what they may have been suffering through. This film has it’s issues, but it is the message that really matters. I was locked on to my screen the whole time watching. I highly recommend this for the football fans.

4  1/2 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Stranger than Fiction

 

PLOT:

Everybody knows that your life is a story. But what if a story was your life? Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is your average I.R.S. Agent: monotonous, boring, and repetitive. But one day this all changes when Harold begins to hear an author inside of his head narrating his life. The narrator it is extraordinarily accurate, and Harold recognizes the voice as an esteemed author he saw on television. But when the narration reveals that he is going to die, Harold must find the author of the story, and ultimately his life, to convince her to change the ending of the story before it is too late

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Will power. Will Ferrell is primarily known as a manchild, physical type comedian. It is a rare sight for him to do a more adult-type role, let alone a serious one. Yet, here we are watching him shine and wondering could he have a career outside of comedy, or was this just a one time thing. We may never know, but one thing is for certain, he shows he is more than just a comedic buffoon. Come to think of it, I don’t believe he even cracks a smile until the end. Who would of thought this was to come from Ferrell?

Narration. Emma Thompson’s deadpan, matter of fact delivery of the narration fits her arc in the story. Not to spoil anything, but she narrates as if she is writing a story and Ferrell is the main character. There is just something about a proper British person narrating that makes everything, no matter how dire, better. Then again, I wonder what this would have sounded like with Samuel L. Jackson doing the narration. Can you imagine the amount of time he would have said “mother f—er”? Actually, it does pose the question, who would narrate if we were in Ferrell’s shoes?

Connection. Raise your hand if you think Ferrell is a sexy leading man? No one? How about the image of him hooking up with Maggie Gyllenhaal? A little more believable, but still a longshot. Well, that is what happens, but it isn’t done right off the bat. As a matter of fact, she hates him for coming in and serving her with an audit (she’s one of those government is evil types, btw). As the movie progresses, she does soften up. While I could have done with more development of that angle, it isn’t the main plot, but their connection was done organically and should be appreciated.

What didn’t I like?

Queen. I have been seeing commercials for Queen Latifah starring a TV reboot of The Equalizer the past couple of weeks. Never watched the original show, so I’m curious how she’ll compare to Denzel. I don’t see her in that kind of role, if I’m being honest. Still, she may surprise. The same kind of thing can be said for her role as Emma Thompson’s assistant in this film. This is a role the Queen should have had when she was first trying to break into acting, but at this later point in her career (let’s not forget she was nominated for an Oscar a few years prior) why is she playing a role where she is barely on screen, let alone does anything memorable. For me, I just think they could have grabbed someone off the street to do the same thing (and probably paid them much less).

Relationship. I already talked about Ferrell’s relationship with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s character, but what about the other people in the film. For the most part, he is a loner and a creature of habit (such a wonderful life!!!), but he does seem to have the one friend, Dave, who seems to live in an apartment designed by the people who created The Jetsons, or at least that vision of the future. In his attempt to figure out what is with the voices in his head, he is referred to Dustin Hoffman’s character, I forget his name at the moment. I have a slight issue with this in that is seems as if they would go on to be friends, but in reality they just seem to be doctor/patient. Why is this an issue? Well, the fact that he is opening up to someone when he has so very few people in his life. Perhaps I am just reading too much into it, though.

What brought this on? Here is the big question. Why is Ferrell hearing the narration? Is there some magical totem that he stumbled upon when riding the bus? Did he steal some voodoo priestess’ seat? Is it just random dumb luck? This is something that was never explained but it is mention that Thompson’s character has done the same thing to, I believe the number was 16, others makes me question if people just randomly go about hearing voices in their head from her shortly before they die. It is a small compliant, but one I wish they would have given an explanation for, even if it was some cheesy revelation during the credits.

Final verdict:

What did I ultimately think of Stranger Than Fiction? This is a surprisingly competent movie, which something you don’t often say of films starring Will Ferrell. Again, Ferrell’s turn as a serious actor is the most impressive part of this film. The story keeps you hooked wondering what is going to happen next. Maggie Gyllenhaal makes for a cute love interest, but that whole subplot would not be missed if it was removed. All in all, this was a decent film and I highly recommend it for a viewing or two.

4 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

PLOT:

Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey. Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music. As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) – who has an eye for Ma’s girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry – spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives. Adapted from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom celebrates the transformative power of the blues and the artists who refuse to let society’s prejudices dictate their worth

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Am I blue? There are few movies about the blues out there and one can argue whether this is among the best, worst, or just mediocre. What is important is that it even bothers to touch the genre. It seems like most musician biopics we get nowadays are icons that in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or independent films about jazz musicians. I can’t remember the last one that was about a blues musician, offhand, and that it why it is important that someone gave us something from the genre. We need more biopics from every musical genre, jazz, rock, funk, country, classical, reggae, etc.

One last time. Earlier this year, we lost a great actor in Chadwick Boseman. I posted about it a while back. Go over and read it here. Unless I am mistaken, this is his last role (not counting some voice work on the upcoming Disney+ show, What if?) As time has gone by, I have seem questions about how good of an actor Boseman really was and why people were so sad about his passing. Well, from the performances I’ve seen, this is at or near the top. There is a fire, a passion, and a drive that he brings to this young, upstart trumpet player, Levee, as well as the stereotypical trumpet ego. Couple that with the banter he has with the other members of the band and Ma Rainey and it is a tragic joy to watch, making the audience realize he was just getting started before he was struck down with that horrible disease. I won’t mention his horrible attempt at faking playing a cornet, though.

For the culture. Speaking of the band, these are some older African American gentlemen. Boseman’s character is the young whipper-snapper of the group, if you will. As such, even though he is an immensely talented musician, he is not immune from the constant ribbing from his band mates. He can dish it out, as well, particular when it comes to his new shoes. The culture of musicians at this time, and to a certain extent sill goes on today, was to always look your finest. To the average viewer, the shoes were just a small subplot to get us through some exposition, but they actually represent something much bigger, and play a role in an event that happens at film’s end. I don’t wan to say this is limited to African American musicians, because white bands were just as vain, but it was more prevalent in the black community.

What didn’t I like?

Music, please. So, we have a movie about blues singer Ma Rainey. Great! You can expect to hear lots of hard hitting, make you sweat out of your clothes blues tunes, right? Wrong! There is very little music in this film. Making it worse, is the fact that the entirety of it takes place at a recording session. Don’t get me wrong. This need not be a musical, but not every knows who Ma Rainey is. Viola Davis, who is nigh unrecognizable, knocks the role out of the park. We get some pics of the real Ma and her band during the credits, but that’s it. With no mention of her legacy to the music world and the lack of music in the picture, they could have just made up a blues singer and have her come in for the few scenes for which they used Ma. It would have been better than the constant talking that goes on with this film as is.

The play’s the thing. Much like many that first saw the trailer/advertisements for this, I had no idea who Ma Rainey was (still don’t for the most part). I also didn’t know this was based on a play. As I mentioned earlier, there are scenes in which you can tell this comes from a play. The dialogue just feels more like it belongs on stage than screen. While there is nothing wrong with that, per se, this is a film adaptation, not a Broadway revival. As such, things need to change so that it can adapt to the medium. The long scenes that feel like they came straight from the play are great, but I felt that they were too elongated for a movie. Maybe that is just my ADD kicking in, though.

When the levee breaks. 1927 Chicago. No, there is nothing about prohibition, Al Capone, or even the forthcoming Great Depression. What is on display is a lot of racial issues. Now, I am not a fan of bringing race stuff into these movies unless it specifically needs it (12 years a Slave, Django Unchained, The Help, etc). With that said, “those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” The whole film we hear Ma and the band talk about how the white man like their music, but not them, how they wouldn’t do a thing for them if not for the records they sell, etc. To some this will fall on deaf ears….and then we get the scene where Levee gives us a little backstory (how is it we get backstory on a fictional character, but not Ma?) How it was a gang of white men who jumped his mother and caused his father to seriously injure him. This story gives us some insight into what drives Levee and we understand his plight, even feel sympathetic. Then, it happens….as the film comes to a close, we remember that Levee had talked about recording his songs with his own band. Yes, they are recorded, but by an all white band. A lot of people say this is something that should have been covered more in this film, not just for Levee, but also with Ma. It is was something happened on the regular (Elvis, Lynard Skynrd, the Beach Boys, Michael Bolton, etc) and kept happening for decades. Yet, all we saw about this important topic was a quick scene of a song that we never heard, but can assume it was Levee’s.

Final verdict:

What did I think of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom? First, Chadwick Boseman goes out with perhaps his greatest role, there is no question that even though this is supposed to be about Ma Rainey, he is the star of the film. Second, the film is great, but there are so many things that could/should have been touched on that weren’t. For me, I would have liked more music. It’s a movie about a blues singer. How dare we have music? *GASP* All that said, it may seem like I’m coming down hard on this film or that I didn’t like it, which is quite the opposite. I truly enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it. This is one of those films everyone needs to see and learn something from (or at least look at Viola Davis’ unavoidable cleavage!!!)

4 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Black Mass

PLOT:

Based on a true story of James “Whitey” Bulger, an Irish Mob godfather and a FBI informant who had a “secret trading” deal with his brother, William “Billy” Bulger, a state senator and a Boston public figure, and John Connolly, an FBI agent. They planned to take down the Italian mob and mafia in Boston, which went awry and things turned massively violent. When the credence for each other began fading out, drug dealing, murders, and extortion started to rise, and forced the FBI’s Boston office to confirm that Whitey Bulger was one of the most notorious criminals in US history and also one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List criminals.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Oh Johnny. Johnny Depp has been in the headlines recently, and not for his acting. When a friend recommended this to me, she said to forget all the costumed Depp roles he’s mostly done for the better part of the 2000s, but focus on the true actor he is. She was not kidding! I was completely blown away by how convincing Depp is as Whitey Bulger. Sure, he’s under a ton of makeup to make him closer resemble Bulger, but he owns this role. There are a couple of scenes before the end where he threatens a couple of individuals and it is far scarier than any horror movie that has been released in quite some time. I can’t go into details because the characters have a bearing on the end of the film, but I can saw…wow…just…wow!

Mob life. Many of the reviews on this film have compared its portrayal of mob life to Goodfellas. I must be missing something, because I didn’t see what they saw. However, I will praise this flick for not making the mobsters look like they were living the high life. For the most part, they live normal lives. In so many other gangster films, criminals get a little money and suddenly they’re living large. The only person that does that in this is the FBI agent.

Learn a little something. There is a fascination with mobsters, almost to the point that they are heroes, in some respects. Depp himself proved this with the marketing for Public Enemies, where he played another gang leader, John Dillinger. In both the marketing and the film, it was played up as if he was the hero and the Feds were the villains. Bonnie & Clyde have the same kind of, shall we say PR? I don’t believe Whitey Bulger falls into that category, but until I watched this film, I only knew his name. Biopics may be sensationalized accounts of history, but there are some facts presented (after i post this, I am off to do some research and learn more about Bulger)

What didn’t I like?

Biopic formula. There seems to be a formula when it comes to biopics. Start in the present day (or after the subject has passed, gone to jail, etc), then flashback to their life with interviews/narration cutting in and out, end with the tragic moment in the subjects life, followed by updates on all the major players appearing on the screen right before the credits roll. This is not a bad formula, but at some point someone needs to do something else with these biopics. Maybe instead of updating us at the end, just show what happens? In this case, Bulger gets arrested after being on the run for 12 yrs. Maybe we could have seen some of the run (we see the arrest as the summaries start).

Pacing. For a drama, the pacing is pretty standard. As a gangster/crime film, it is a little slow. Much of this comes from spending too much time with the FBI. Honestly, of the 4 agents, we only need to know one and become fairly acquainted with another. The other two can make a couple of cameo appearances and be gone. There are some other slow sections that kill the film’s momentum, but the FBI stuff is what stuck out the most to me.

Violence…or lack thereof. From all accounts, White Bulger was a violent man. With this in mind, one would expect this to be a violent film. Yes, there are some scenes of violence, I think we could have had more. Maybe I’m just having a bit of a bloodlust, but this was a little tame. Most of the killings happened off screen, or we just see Bulger (or whoever he tells to do the deed) shooting a gun. We do get to watch as he chokes a couple of individuals later in the film, but this isn’t as satisfying as watching one get gunned down in broad daylight.

Final verdict:

What did I think of Black Mass? Well, as I mentioned before, this is Johnny Depp showing us he can actually act. The fact that he is in heavy make-up is just a bonus for him. This is an extremely competent film that probably should have received more attention come awards season, particularly for Depp. It isn’t without flaws, though. The film trudges along and seems as if it is longer than 2 hrs. Still, I would recommend watching this if you get the chance.

4 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: The Karate Kid

PLOT:

Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to California. She has a wonderful new job, but Daniel quickly discovers that a dark haired Italian boy with a Jersey accent doesn’t fit into the blond surfer crowd. Daniel manages to talk his way out of some fights, but he is finally cornered by several who belong to the same karate school. As Daniel is passing out from the beating he sees Miyagi, the elderly gardener leaps into the fray and save him by outfighting half a dozen teenagers. Miyagi and Daniel soon find out the real motivator behind the boys’ violent attitude in the form of their karate teacher. Miyagi promises to teach Daniel karate and arranges a fight at the all-valley tournament some months off. When his training begins, Daniel doesn’t understand what he is being shown. Miyagi seems more interested in having Daniel paint fences and wax cars than teaching him Karate.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Relatable. In school, I wasn’t the popular kid, nor was I the nerd. However, because I was the perpetual new kid, I was a target for bullies, particularly in junior high. For this reason, I feel a connection to Daniel. Both of us being the new kid, just trying to meet some new people to hang out with, and then being picked on for no good reason. I did eventually take karate, as well. No tournament victories/entries, though.

Puppy love. In movies such as this, particular those made and/or set in the 80s, there seems to be a love story thrown in for good measure. Nine times out of 10, though, these are highly unbelievable. No chemistry at all between the two people. Not the case with Daniel and Ali (Ralph Macchio and Elisabeth Shue). There seems to be some real sparks there. I don’t believe they were together off-screen, but one has to wonder. Seeing these two kids together, particularly on their first date is sure to put a smile on your even the most hardened curmudgeon.

Non-montage montage. Movies from the 80s are well known for their montages. As a matter of fact, this film has a couple. However, Daniel’s training is done mostly day by day. The filmmakers could have easily montaged their way through this and developed something else or included another part of the story, but they wisely chose to show Daniel learning the craft through muscle memory as well as developing a relationship with Mr. Miyagi. It works better than it sounded on paper, I’m sure.

What didn’t I like?

Vicious. There is a scene about 30 min or so into the film where Daniel and Mr. Miyagi walk in the Cobra Kai dojo and we see that it is run like a machine. Karate is all about discipline and precision, but this was militaristic. It was as if they were taught to do nothing but eat, sleep, and breath karate and the mantra their sensei has taught them, “no mercy”. This goes even further when in the tournament, all the students seem to be going for the kill, so to speak…save for one who seemed to have remorse for doing what his teacher told him. Hell, even Johnny was reluctant to fight an injured Daniel, let alone “sweep the leg”. People like Martin Kove’s character are despicable excuses for human beings. Unhappy creatures that want to pass their pain and misery down to others, as can been in Cobra Kai. While he makes for a good villain, looking at him with today’s filter (something I couldn’t help but do) makes the events of this film regarding Johnny and his “gang” even worse.

Who’s Johnny?.That brings me to the next point. Who is Johnny? Sure, he’s the typical blonde bully of most films of this era. He’s the de facto #1 student of the Cobra Kai dojo and the defending champion of the All-City karate tournament, but what else do we know about him? We know Ali is from a well to do family. Daniel just moved out to California with his mom. Johnny…well, we don’t know anything about him until the Cobra Kai series fleshes him out. I’m not saying we needed all that in this film, but just something so that he’s more than just a snarling villain.

You call those friends?. I wasn’t going to comment on this, but they just on my nerves. Ali has these two friends, you know the usual types that sabotage their friends relationship if they don’t like the guy or think they can do better, regardless of how she feels. Well, in the few scenes they are in, they get progressively more bitchy towards Daniel. It really makes me wonder how is she friends with them? On a plus note, one of them does give some information to Daniel that helps him save his relationship with Ali, but that wasn’t enough to save me opinion of them.

Final verdict:

As a child of the 80s, The Karate Kid was one of the must see films. Has it withstood the test of time? There some things that are a little dates, mostly pop culture things, but the story works no matter what era you put it in and that is why this film is still popular today, despite that crappy remake. With Cobra Kai coming to Netflix today, I decided to go back and watch the films and refresh my memory a bit (and remember how big of a crush I had on Elizabeth Shue). Do I recommend this picture? Yes, I do. Watch out for the scene where Mr. Miyagi gets drunk. It will break your heart…those that have one.

5 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Miles Ahead

PLOT:

Don Cheadle co-wrote, directed, and stars in this biopic of legendary jazz musician Miles Davis, which takes a free-form approach to its subject’s life that mirrors his playing style. As the story skips around in time, it depicts Davis’ attempts to get his career back on track following a period of listlessness and drug addiction in the ’70s, his relationship with a journalist (Ewan McGregor) who wants to profile him, and his troubled marriage to a former dancer (Emayatzy Corinealdi).

REVIEW:

What did I like?

All about the music. Chances are you are in one of two camps if you’re checking this film out, maybe a third, if you know about it. Either you’re a fan of Miles Davis and/or jazz in general, a fan of Don Cheadle, or you dig on Ewan McGregor (not many people know he’s actually in this).Having said that, you would expect their to be a fair amount of Davis’ music to be played or featured. For the most part, you won’t be disappointed. The film uses a variety of flashbacks to show Davis playing in 50s (the main part of the film takes place in the 70s). You can also hear many of his compositions being played on records and in the score. Be warned, though, while this is a biopic about the jazz master Miles Davis, the music isn’t as bountiful as one would imagine.

Let’s have some fun. Most biopics show the depressing life that iconic subject leads. Very rarely do we get one that is fun, especially these days. The last one I can think of that was any fun to watch was Get on Up starring Chadwick Boseman, and even that had its set of issues. Director Don Cheadle has taken a period of Miles Davis’ life that isn’t as well known and embellished it a little. That is to say, he took the facts and made them more “movie friendly”. In the film, we get sort of a gangster vibe, but in real life none of this ever happened, other than the studio threatening Davis for the tape he owed them. Having that extra element in there does make for a better movie, though I think there are those that could have made it work as is.

The voice. Cartoons, movies, and other media have given us the stereotype of the husky voiced jazz musician who smoked 5 packs of cigarettes a day and drinks like a fish. Many of these elements come from Miles Davis, most notably the voice. Cheadle has the voice down so well, you almost think he spliced in recordings of the man speaking. A little history, Davis had some kind of throat surgery and doctors told him not to speak for a month. Someone pissed him off and caused him to yell which permanently damages his vocal chords, resulting in the voice. I have to back and see when the flashbacks take place, now that I think about it. Cheadle was using that voice for the whole film, when Davis had a normal voice until he had to have said surgery. All that said, if Cheadle had not have gotten the voice right, this film may not have worked.

What didn’t I like?

Caricature and the attack. There are two things that that I wasn’t a fan of with this film. The first is how much Davis was portrayed as a caricature and not a person. Cheadle emphasized the eccentricity of Davis, rather than the person, which is a detriment to the film and his filmmaking. Sure, Cheadle resembles Davis, especially when he puts on the shades, but there is still something missing. The second, and this may be more because of the current climate, is the scene where Miles was beat outside of the club by the cops. From everything I know about Davis, this is a huge turning point in his life. It isn’t skipped over in the film, but they don’t make it as big of a deal as it should be. I mean, the man was beaten by cops when all he was doing was escorting a woman to her car and then standing outside smoking a cigarette before going back in. Such a shame this kind of thing can and probably still does happen today. I guess that’s why I wish more time would have been spent on it, rather than rushing through that sequence.

Blow the horn. AAARRRGGHHH!!!! I can’t tell you how frustrated it makes me, as someone who played trumpet all the way through college, to watch actors attempt to fake their way through playing. Admittedly, some are better than others. I read somewhere that Cheadle learned to play trumpet (he played sax in school) before taking on this role, but Davis’ actual recordings were used in the final cut. Kudos to him for doing so, but the scenes that made it into the film are obviously his attempt to look like he was playing, except may the final scene where modern day Miles picks up the horn after not playing for years.

Skin I’m in. Miles Davis had a string of women throughout his lifetime, but the one that meant the most to him was obviously Frances Taylor (she is featured prominently on many of his albums). Why do I bring her up? Well, she is in the film, portrayed by Emayatzy Corinealdi. Frances was a supremely talented dancer. From my understanding, she was the 1st African American dancer to perform with the Paris ballet. Alot of important info about her is skipped over, including her marriage before Miles, but that was most likely for time. The fact that she was his muse is important and the film makes sure to not let us forget that. I have a small qualm with the casting of Corinealdi. No, there isn’t anything wrong with her acting but rather her look. She is a gorgeous dark skinned woman, but Frances Taylor was a light skinned lady. Maybe I’m just being too judgemental on this, but it took me aback to see her in the role (they do have similar facial features).

Final verdict:

Miles Ahead was a surprisingly good time! Not often do you hear someone say that after watching a biopic. Cheadle’s first outing as director was ambitious, especially with him also starring and funding this film, but it works. Just like a jazz composition, the film bounces around with a few ideas before combining everything for a satisfying finish. I can’t help but wonder if that was done on purpose. Do I recommend this? Yes, very highly!

4 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Purple Rain

PLOT:

A young man with a talent for music has begun a career with much promise. He meets an aspiring singer, Apollonia, and finds that talent alone isn’t all that he needs. A complicated tale of his repeating his father’s self destructive behavior, losing Apollonia to another singer (Morris Day), and his coming to grips with his own connection to other people ensues.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

My name is Prince. Everyone knows that Prince is one of the greatest talents to ever put on the color purple, but who knew the man could have been a movie star? Well, let me not say that. His performance was competent enough that he was believable, almost as if this material was personal.

Music. Let’s face it, though. Unless you’re into the eye candy that is Apollonia or Prince, depending on your preference, chances are you aren’t watching this film for the story, but rather the music. I don’t blame you at all. These are some of Prince’s best known charts and, 36 yrs later, they are still some of the best pop/rock songs to ever be composed. Should you have to take a bathroom break and leave the movie playing, no worries, you’ll catch them again in the closing credits. That said, make sure to catch the performance of “Darling Nikki” and of course the titular track “Purple Rain”. The emotion in these songs is off the chart!

Rivalry. While it may not have been this way in real life, I believe Morris Day and Prince were actually childhood friends at one time, the rivalry between Prince and the Revolution and Morris Day and the Time was an element this film needed. Here we have one band that is down to earth, working their butts off, coming from humble beginning to the brink of stardom. On the other hand, there is the band that has all the backing and money in the world, with a lead singer dressed in furs and covered in hot women all the time. Opposites attract, but more often than not, they make for the perfect adversaries. Think back to the cartoons and/or video games you grew up with or, more recently, the MCU or the Harry Potter franchises. In the latter’s case, you have a boy with dark hair, no parents, glasses, and not much money (save for the fortune his parents left him). On the other hand, there;s Malfoy, who was all but made of money, had blonde hair, a bad attitude, and was insufferably entitled. The perfect antagonist for Harry. Morris is the same to Prince’s The Kid.

What didn’t I like?

Acting classes.With the exception of The Kid’s (Prince) dad, the cast is made up of Prince’s entourage and friends. Wait, I think the mother may have also been an actress of some kind, as well. At any rate, these are not trained actors and it shows. There was one scene in particular that I picked up on where Morris is talking to someone and you can see his eyes darting over to read the cue cards. Don’t get me started on how stale the performances are. It was almost as if they were just doing a table read for the first time with no direction in some places. Surely they could have been given some direction?

Abuse. Both of the Kid’s parents are abusive, but the film focuses more on the abuse his dad gives him mom and, to a lesser extent, him. The thing about that, though, is that is doesn’t really go anywhere. That is to say, there don’t seem to be any repercussions for the father. The police are never called, until he shoots himself. The mother is still there by his side in the end. Nothing ever seems to happen to the guy. I get if she’s in love with him till death do they part and all that jazz, but what he did is abuse and it seems to not be a secret in town, either. This isn’t a major part of the plot, so that could be why it was almost merely glanced over, but it just seems as if there should have been more to this part of the film.

Performance time. At 10 minutes shy of an even 2 hr runtime, it is interesting to note that more than a chunk of this film is performances.Much like watching today’s awards shows, the focus seems to be on the performances, rather than the film. The difference between those things and the film is that this if good music and you barely notice that they take up so much of the runtime because of how enjoyable they are to watch and listen to. However, it does still feel like filler, especially when out of nowhere we’re back in the club watching them perform when in the previous scene the band was having strife, the Kid was watching his dad beat on his mom, Morris was trying to steal the beautiful Apollonia away, etc.

Final verdict:

It was 4 years ago on Tuesday that Prince passed away. I swear everyday since then, I have heard one of his songs, usually “Purple Rain” or “When Doves Cry”, maybe “1999”. Everytime the subject of Prince comes up, it makes me realize that while I loved his music, I had never seen his movies. So this brings me to Purple Rain. What did I ultimately think of it? As far as movies featuring mainly musicians, models, and other non actors, it is really good, but if you didn’t know that this who those people were, you would wonder how this got made. The heavy lifting is done by Prince’s acting and especially his music. Given that this is his project, that’s fine, though. Personally, I think a few of the performances could have been dialed back for some character development, but that’s just me. Do I recommend this? Yes, especially if you’re a fan of Prince and his music

4 out of 5 stars