Sleeping with the Enemy

Movie Name: Sleeping with the Enemy
Year of Release: 1991
Director: Joseph Ruben
Starring: Julia Roberts, Patrick Bergin, Kevin Anderson, Elizabeth Lawrence, Kyle Secor, Claudette Nevins, Tony Abatemarco, Marita Geraghty, Harley Venton
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

Actress Julia Roberts was riding a gigantic wave of success when "Sleeping with the Enemy" premiered, further cementing her name as the 90s box office queen (1990 had seen the premiere of Gary Marshall's "Pretty Woman" and Joel Schumacher's "Flatliners", both of which did well at the box office). Directed by Joseph Ruben, well known at the time for "True Believer" and "The Stepfather", "Sleeping with the Enemy" is the story of Laura Burney, a young woman married to an abusive man. In order to escape her hellish situation, she devises a carefully orchestrated plan, and fakes her own death. She moves to a small town, where she rebuilds her life, catching the attention of a young man by the name of Ben, who is smitten with her. While her life slowly gets settled, her husband uncovers, by an unexpected coincidence and a few forgotten details, that Laura may be still alive after all. And he's intent on getting her back.
"Sleeping with the Enemy" is what in the 1940s and 50s would be called an actress "vehicle": a project tailored for a star, capitalizing on her top qualities as a performer. The film is impeccably manufactured, with credit due to Joseph Ruben, who became well known as a director of solid suspense films (even if slightly devoid of a point of view). This is a good example of good craftsmanship: the story is well told, the editing, cinematography, score are all competent. The issue with a film such as this, is the lack of a stronger point of view, something that will make this more viscerally compelling and watchable. As is, it's mostly an opportunity to witness a young actress further cementing her clout and skills, even if the film never quite capitalizes on her acting capabilities. It's a competent thriller, even if slightly forgettable (where even the villain, played by the under-used Patrick Bergin, never gets much to do).

The Silence of the Lambs

Movie Name: The Silence of the Lambs
Year of Release: 1991
Director: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Brooke Smith, Anthony Heald, Frankie Faison, Stuart Rudin, Kasi Lemmons, Tracey Walter, Paul Lazar, Dan Butler, Kenneth Utt, Diane Baker, Ron Vawter, Charles Napier, Brent Hinkley, Alex Coleman, Chris Isaak, Daniel Von Bargen
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Director Jonathan Demme was riding a wave of good reviews and solid box office performances of his previous films, "Something Wild" and "Married to the Mob", when he took an inflection in his career, and tackled the adaptation of "The Silence of the Lambs", a thriller based on the book by Thomas Harris (and the second in a series to feature the character Hannibal Lecter). The film follows the story of a young FBI agent, by the name of Clarice Starling. She's still a student in Quantico, and she is tasked with investigating Hannibal Lecter, a well known serial killer in custody. There's hopes she'll get some information which will enable the bureau with a better chance to devise an effective profile on a killer who has been killing women around the Ohio area. Lecter is fascinated by Clarice, and devises a quid-pro-quo type of game, all with the intent of knowing more about her, while she collects insights on the mind of a serial killer. Buffalo Bill however, captures a new victim, and the clock starts ticking in order to save that woman.
"The Silence of the Lambs" is of course a classic, and it was justifiably so upon its release a big success (critically and commercially). It's a film that is impeccably constructed, providing enough depth to the central characters, to make them compelling throughout the events that occur. Clarice Starling in particular, is the character with the most interesting arc, since we get to understand who and why she is the woman she is. Her infancy, her fears, her path and focus, are all carefully showcased, and brilliantly performed by Jodie Foster. She's a fully realized character, and while her supporting actors don't have as much time, Anthony Hopkins for instance, manages to create a menacing killer, one that operates on multiple levels: intellectual, methodic and ruthless. It's a film where everything gels perfectly, with the cinematography from Tak Fujimoto, capturing perfectly the rural aspect of certain parts of Ohio and also the grim details of where Clarice ends up going. The score from Howard Shore is haunting, as is this wonderful film, which set a new standard for thrillers, and went on to influence much of what was released during the 90s and everything on this topic since. A classic always worth revisiting.

The Two Popes

Movie Name: The Two Popes
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujin, Cristina Banegas, Maria Ucedo, Renato Scarpa, Sidney Cole, Federico Torre, German de Silva
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Fernando Meirelles has had a somewhat discrete career since his last feature length directorial effort, "360", which also featured Anthony Hopkins, but which was met with poor reviews (it came out in 2011). Since then his work has been primarily in television, until this recent project, which has once again placed him on Awards contention. The film follows the story of how Cardinal Ratzinger is elected the new Pope, following the death of Pope John Paul II. The story also focuses on Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, and how he was originally in contention for the title, alongside Ratzinger, and how following Pope Benedict's abdication, he is then chosen to continue the Papal duties. The story also focuses on Bergoglio's path to Church (how he became a Jesuit), and how the political instability and tyranny of the Argentinian government, had a profound effect on his conduct and his view of the world. 
"The Two Popes" functions as a great showcase for the work of two wonderful actors, Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. The film bears the aesthetic that has become somewhat a trademark with Fernando Meirelles's best work: the editing and interesting camera angles, married with a documentary approach/perspective, which once again produces some rewarding results. The results are a mix bag, with the largely positive ones being the insight that is given to the relationship between these two men with very different backgrounds, while the less positive ones being the somewhat formulaic views of the background of Cardinal Bergoglio, specifically his role while the dictatorial regime was in Argentina in the 70s. The film also fails on really providing some insight into what these men consider faith - it's not really the core focus of the film, and unlike Lars Von Trier's "Breaking the Waves", it never convincingly captures what is that these two men have as core beliefs. For a film that is centered around two heads of a major Religion, it fails to humanize them aside from some clichés, and from depicting some mundane habits they have. It's not sufficiently heartfelt to dive into what faith is about, and it's not sufficiently engaging to actually create some interest into the process of how a Pope becomes one (career wise and even the process by which they are chosen). It's a good showcase for two actors, for a great score from Bryce Dessner and the always great cinematography from César Charlone. Fernando Meirelles is immensely talented, he just needs to find material that marries his strong point of view and interests. This simply isn't it. 

Music with an Impact - 2019

I listened to a lot of music in 2019. Between old albums I captured from my lengthy CD collection, and the ones I purchased, it was an excellent year to discover new artists, and continue to enjoy some favorites. My listing below is from the albums released in 2019, with the exception of the excellent "Dissolvi" from Steve Hauschildt, which came out in 2018, but I only discovered this year (though he did release the excellent "Nonlin" this year, also on the list). After these first 10, I listed a smaller batch of albums from different years, which I also loved and have listened for the first time in 2019, and are equally remarkable.
Below are my favorites of 2019.

Telefon Tel Aviv - Dreams Are Not Enough
Mikron - Severance
Tourist - Wild & Everyday
Fennesz - Agora
Donato Dozzy - 12H
Clark - Kiri Variations
Leif - Loom Dream
Thom Yorke - Anima
Steve Hauschildt - Dissolvi (& Nonlin)

Eluvium - False Readings On
The Haxan Cloak - Excavation
Julianna Barwick - Will
Ben Frost - Steel Wound
Barker - Utility
Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Andy Stott - It Should Be Us

High Life

Movie Name: High Life
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Claire Denis
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Mia Goth, Andre Benjamin, Agata Buzek, Lars Eidinger, Claire Tran, Jessie Ross, Ewan Mitchell, Scarlett Lindsey
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

Celebrated director Claire Denis, follows her successful and well received "Let the Sunshine In/Un Beau Soleil Intérieur", with a different challenge, and a tilt in direction. "High Life" follows the story of Monte, a young man who is part of a space exploration. The group he's with is comprised of criminals, and they've all been sent to space in order to attempt to extract energy from a black hole. Along for the ride is Dr. Dibs, who is attempting to create a child through artificial insemination, since all sexual activity between prisoners is forbidden. As the relationships between the crew members varies and produces unexpected outcomes, the film moves back and forth between the present, where Monte is taking care of a baby, by the name of Willow, and the events which took place in the past, where Dibs, Boyse, Nansen, and all the crew members met different fates.
Though "High Life" is a space driven venture, the film in itself functions as a reflection on the state of humanity and relationships, as a group of people find themselves isolated, and having to co-exist in a tightly defined and closed off ecosystem. The strain and pressure, produced by Juliette Binoche's character, of wanting to generate life in such a volatile environment, is a catalyst which brings out some grotesque and monstrous behaviors from some team members. It's an interesting illustration of how life unravels within a bubble in the middle of the Universe, with nowhere to hide or go. It's also a film that doesn't really provide much in terms of dimension to who these characters are, which is where it also falters the most. For all its seemingly provocative insights into sexual dynamics, isolation and even, alienation, it's a film that is surprisingly light on character definition. Juliette Binoche manages to create an interesting, enigmatic character, but other than her, everyone else is somewhat of a blank canvas, without much depth to them (they are in essence, sketches). The cinematography from Yorick Le Saux and Tomasz Naumiuk is beautiful, as is the score from Stuart Staples. An interesting film, worth watching.

Bombshell

Movie Name: Bombshell
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Allison Janey, Rob Delaney, Mark Duplass, Malcolm McDowell, Liv Hewson, Stephen Root, Robin Weigert, Amy Landecker, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Mark Moses, Ben Lawson, Alanna Ubach, Josh Lawson, Andy Buckley, Brooke Smith, Ashley Greene, Jennifer Morrison, Bree Condon, Richard Kind, Anne Ramsay, Alice Eve, Tricia Helfer, Madeline Zima, Eric Zuckerman
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

"Bombshell" which had a somewhat convoluted path to the screen, is a fascinating view into the world of corporate malfeasance, permissive and untapped harassment, and ultimately how women's roles are marginalized and nearly crushed when going against the establishment. Director Jay Roach who started his career with some very successful comedies (including "Austin Powers" and "Meet the Parents"), has since then shifted his career into features with a decidedly stronger political viewpoint. "Bombshell" follows the story of a trio of women, reporters Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson and a young professional by the name of Kayla Pospisil, all of whom work for Fox News in 2016, when the story takes place. The newsroom is dominated by the figure of Roger Ailes, who started Fox News back in 1996, after being hired by Rupert Murdoch, and a lengthy career in Political Consulting and TV. The story drops us in the midst of a whirlwind of events, with Megyn Kelly weathering the vicious comments of a Presidential contender, Gretchen Carlson dealing with Roger's cold shoulder, therefore being snubbed from high visibility shows, for a less desirable time slot on the channel, and Kayla, the rookie, with all her ambition, wanting to be in front of the cameras, while simultaneously yearning to grab Roger's attention. When Gretchen is fired, she starts a revolution by revealing she had been harassed by Roger, prompting a lot more women to slowly come out of hiding and reveal their own stories.
"Bombshell" is a smartly written film, from the penmanship of Charles Randolph, who also wrote Adam McKay's "The Big Short" and Sydney Pollack's "The Interpreter", to name but a few. The film manages to deftly mix facts and fiction, to create a compelling narrative of unbridled malfeasance within an organization, which for all intents, was being run without control, all at the mercy of someone who took advantage of a position of power, to undermine and gain sexual favors over others. It's a dramatic view at how the lack of education, scruples and maturity, when running amok, allows for individuals in positions of power, to prey on others, who simply want to continue climbing their career path and fulfill their ambitions. It's also a testament to the resilience of women, the disturbing scenarios and their ramifications, that emerge from these harassment cases. The shame, the secrecy, the pain that is carried within, all the while, being professional in a world that simply ignores their voices. While the film doesn't necessarily portray the leading characters in all their colorful aspects, it's nonetheless a powerful depiction of some truly grotesque behaviors. Charlize Theron is once again fantastic, the same going for Nicole Kidman, John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon and the remainder of the cast. Worth watching. 

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

Movie Name: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
Year of Release: 2019
Director: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyongo, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Billy Dee Williams, Kelly Marie Tran, Billie Lourd, Ian McDiarmid, Shirley Henderson, Greg Grunberg, Dominic Monaghan, Alison Rose, Amanda Lawrence, Tanya Moodie
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

Prolific Writer/Producer and occasional director, J.J. Abrams is back to the "Star Wars" universe, following Colin Trevorrow's exit from the job. The film picks up after the events of the previous installment - the rebels are still dealing with the menacing empire, while Rey is coming to terms with her training under the tutelage of General Leia Organa. Kylo Ren in the meantime, uncovers that the root of the Sith power, actually lies with the long thought dead, Emperor Palpatine. The emperor, suspected gone since the events from "Return of the Jedi", is very much still alive, and has managed to create an army that threatens to destroy all opposition to the ambition of what he calls "The First Order". The only person standing in his path, is Rey, who carries with her the enigma of her past, which may itself be the solution to defeat the Emperor's plans. With the help of Poe and Finn, and their faithful droid companions, they set out to uncover the lair of the menacing Emperor, and put an end to his plans, before the deployment of the menacing squadron of ships.
"The Rise of Skywalker" is being hailed by the producing partners of this feature, and the studio where it hails from, Disney, as the final installment to the odyssey which started in 1977, with George Lucas's "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope". Specifically, the closing of the chapter surrounding the plot lines with Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo and the mythology built around those characters. The film, once again, proves that J.J. Abrams is a competent storyteller, if not an overly ambitious one. The film successfully ties the plot that started with "The Force Awakens", which in itself wasn't particularly engrossing and imaginative, but manages to close the arc on the narrative of the character Rey, who emerges as the final Jedi. It's a film that unlike the original trilogy, never manages to create a compelling foe to our trio of central heroes, who nonetheless travel, hop and meet all sorts of colorful (and discardable) characters on their quests. It's also a film where the lead characters are poorly defined in terms of motivations. The relationship between them is never truly clear, particularly the character of Finn, who started well enough in "The Force Awakens", only to be relegated to a footnote in the subsequent series (the writers never really understood what to do with him). The cast is competent, though uncharismatic, while the visual effects are stunning. Entertaining even if somewhat forgettable.

Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story

Movie Name: Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Troy Miller
Starring: Kathy Griffin
Genre: Documentary, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Director Troy Miller has a lengthy career directing TV Specials, Awards shows, Comedy series, since the 90s. "Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story" details the aftermath of the event which took place when comedian Kathy Griffin, well known for her career as a Stand Up comic, TV Actress ("Suddenly Susan"), reality TV Star (her own show "My Life on the D-List"), decided to release a photo on social media, which many deemed controversial, causing the ire across the political spectrum, but also wrapping her life in a downward dramatic spiral she did not expect to occur. The documentary, self financed and self distributed by Griffin, captures how her life was impacted by the release of that controversial photo, and how the ripple effects of that same action have harassed and persecuted her ever since. The film also details some personal dramatic family moments, and how she tackled the challenges head on, starting with a worldwide tour where she performed for a variety of sold out arenas/auditoriums. The documentary then shifts, and showcases part of what her show/stand up is about. This documentary is a powerful statement, since it demonstrates how artists can be misunderstood, and even made destitute for standing by something (typically their point of view, on topics which can range from Politics, Religion and Sex). It could have benefited from having other participants providing their input, and even function as a larger reflection of how art can be controversial (it's easy to forget, but Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" was also met with a ton of controversy and noise generated by religious groups, the same going for instance for Robert Mapplethorpe's work, again with controversy brought forth by religious groups, and more recently, Madonna's "Sex" book and album, "Erotica", though this one eventually got more sanitized). This documentary is a statement on how different points of view can be polarizing, including farce/satire/comedy, but that in itself, shouldn't justify the actions the film depicts. Worth watching.

J'ai Perdu Mon Corps/I Lost My Body

Movie Name: J'ai Perdu Mon Corps/I Lost My Body
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jeremy Clapin
Starring: Hakim Faris, Victoire Du Bois, Patrick d'Assumçao, Alfonso Arfi, Hichem Mesbah, Myriam Loucif, Bellamine Abdelmalek
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review:

After a few short features, "J'ai Perdu Mon Corps/I Lost My Body", is director Jeremy Clapin's feature length directorial debut. The film focuses on the story of Naoufel, a young man who works as a pizza delivery boy. He lost his parents in a tragic accident when he was a child, and makes ends meet with that paltry job, co-sharing a room in a small apartment. After suffering an accident in one of his deliveries, Naoufel still goes to the client's address to deliver the pizza, and becomes enamored by the woman he hears talking through the speaker of the building. He quickly learns she works in a library, and after tracking her down, volunteers to become an apprentice to her uncle, a somewhat older, and lonely carpenter, all in the hopes of knowing her better. All the while the film also tracks the fate of a lonely, severed hand, who escapes a medical facility, and moves across the city to get to its destination. 
"J'ai Perdu Mon Corps/I Lost My Body" is a film made of memories, sounds and connections. The central character who lost his parents in a tragic accident, revisits his memories through tapes of sounds he recorded when he was a child. It brings him closer to the sweet and painful memories that inhabit his daily existence. His fear of connections somehow is shattered when he hears Gabrielle, and somehow her voice, her defiant and caring voice spark something in him. Parallel to Naoufel's journey, the director captures the odyssey of the severed hand, trying to reunite with its body. It's a convoluted journey, filled with perils, something that doesn't faze that fragile and resilient hand. It's a nice balance to the journey that the hero is going through - he's opening up to someone in the hopes of being complete, while the hand is returning to its body in the hopes of being completed. It's a beautifully told film, with a great animation and aesthetic. The score from Dan Levy is equally impeccable, while the voice talent is solidly cast. Worth watching.

6 Underground

Movie Name: 6 Underground
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Melanie Laurent, Manuel-Garcia Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco, Corey Hawkins, Lior Raz, Kim Kold, Lidia Franco, James Murray
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 0
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Synopsis and Review:

After the last installment of the "Transformers" franchise, director Michael Bay has reunited with Netflix and writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese (responsible for "Zombieland" and the "Deadpool" films, to name but a few), to bring to the screens his take on a type of "Mission: Impossible" films. The film follows the story of a group of men and women, all of whom have been declared dead, and who collectively and under the tutelage of their leader, a retired billionaire, go about correcting injustices and wrongdoings in the world. Their first big assignment is deposing a tyrannical leader, and reinstating his arrested, and benevolent brother to power.
With all the noise, explosions and cacophony of bad stunts/driving taking place in this film, you'd think the narrative/plot-line would be a far better one, but this threadbare screenplay and the film that resulted from it, is quite possibly the worst big budget film I've seen thus far in my life. Michael Bay, as many and better reviewers have stated in their appreciation of his films, is a glorified Second-Unit film director, with a commercials-driven sense of aesthetic, for whom characters and their substance, are merely suggestions and not something to pay attention to. As a result of this trademark of his, this is once again a film where tons of cars get destroyed, a variety of bodies get mangled, lots of gratuitous touristy shots of "exotic" locales around the world are displayed, and where "impossible" stunts are played out, in an attempt to elicit awe and admiration. Both the director and writers, have managed to look at everything that Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie have been doing with the "Mission: Impossible" and in an attempt to do it better, have simply proven how good that team has been doing it all along (and in the process, have actually managed to offend the legacy of director Tony Scott, which this film also emulates). For all its shiny surfaces, explosions, dummies, objectification of women, this is a film that states absolutely nothing, has no redeemable aspect to it and it's a crude waste of money all around. Ryan Reynolds, typically an interesting actor to watch, has effectively found a new low. Avoid at all costs.

Long Shot

Movie Name: Long Shot
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen, June Diane Raphael, Alexander Skarsgard, Bob Odenkirk, Andy Serkis, Randall Park, Ravi Patel, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Tristan D. Lalla, Aladeen Tawfeek
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

Following the Amy Schumer vehicle, "Snatched", director Jonathan Levine is back, re-teaming with his lead actor from "50/50", actor/producer Seth Rogen. The film focuses on the story of Fred Flarsky, a journalist who resigns when faced with a situation where the publication he's working for, gets bought by a large conglomerate that goes against everything he stands for. While on a party, he is accidentally reunited with Charlotte Field, who was his nanny growing up, and is now Secretary of State. She's planning her move to announce her candidacy to the Presidency, but needs someone to write speeches. These speeches should be more in tune with the average voter, and also give a more approachable side to her persona, something she believes Fred can do. He reluctantly accepts the job, and embarks on a tour with Charlotte across the globe, since she's sponsoring a global Pro-Environment Program, which she hopes to get sponsors across the world. During this tour the two get closer, though they have very distinct personalities, something Charlotte's Press secretary/assistant brings to her attention, constantly.
"Long Shot" is a typical romantic comedy, without much novelty to it, filled with some physical pratfalls (inducing shock and simultaneously calling out how much that character is prone to accidents, therefore stating that the character is both funny and clownish), and the Yin and Yang type of personalities, who eventually fall in love. These character journeys are of course, immediately identifiable, particularly since the more "adult" and uptight character, again learns to mellow out due to the presence of the love interest, who is more in touch with "reality" and "spontaneity". The typical lead roles of the romantic comedy are somewhat reversed, but in essence the film is very formulaic and sticks to the proceedings. Where this film manages to create something quite different, is in the casting of Charlize Theron, who simultaneously conveys ambition, but also a beating heart and eventually the development of a stronger ethical political conscience. She's the true differentiator for a film that otherwise, is rather forgettable, though it inserts a series of topical hot buttons trending in society right now, such as environment awareness and female rights/discrimination. Aside from some moments, this is a forgettable endeavor.

Katie Says Goodbye

Movie Name: Katie Says Goodbye
Year of Release: 2016
Director: Wayne Roberts
Starring: Olivia Cooke, Mireille Enos, Christopher Abbott, Jim Belushi, Mary Steenburgen, Chris Lowell, Nate Corddry, Keir Gilchrist, Natasha Bassett, Morse Bicknell, Gene Jones
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

"Katie Says Goodbye" is Wayne Roberts feature directorial debut, and follows the story of young Katie, who lives in Arizona with her mother. They're quite poor, and in order to make a living, Katie works as a waitress while also turning to prostitution in order to save further money. Katie ambitions to move to San Francisco, lead a better life and become a cosmetologist/beautician. While walking home, Katie notices a newcomer in a local garage, a man by the name of Bruno, whom she becomes enamored with. She pursues him and they eventually start a relationship, though he's a bit distant, due to having been released from prison fairly recently. Sadly as Katie is trying to establish her life and leave with Bruno to pursue her dreams, a dramatic event occurs, threatening her entire future.
"Katie Says Goodbye" is a small scale film, focused on a character study of this hopeful young woman, who is possessed of a kind heart, and wants to follow her dream of moving on to a bigger city and leave everything behind. It's a film that manages to showcase Katie's tribulations as they get progressively bleaker and more desperate, and how her attitude filled with gratitude, hopefulness and kindness still balances it out. Though the supporting characters never get as much of a backdrop and development as Katie, they still make for an interesting menagerie of characters, particularly her mother, played by Mireille Enos and her boyfriend, played with quiet intensity by Christopher Abbott. The film however manages to get its strongest point with the casting of Olivia Cooke, who makes Katie a luminous and immense source of kindness and honesty. Her performance alone carries the film, and makes it worth watching.   

The Souvenir

Movie Name: The Souvenir
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Joanna Hogg
Starring: Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, Tilda Swinton, Richard Ayoade, Lydia Fox, Jaygann Ayeh, Janet Etuk, Frankie Wilson, Jack McMullen, Alice McMillan 
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

The newest film by director Joanna Hogg premiered at the Sundance Film Festival of 2019, where it received critical praise, something that occurred once again at the Berlin Film Festival. The film follows the story of Julie, a well off young student of cinema, who lives in a nice apartment with a roommate in the early 80s. She meets a man by the name of Anthony, whom she quickly gets infatuated with, and once her roommate leaves, Anthony quickly moves in. As the relationship evolves, Julie realizes Anthony is a drug addict, constantly asking her for money, which in turn forces Julie to reach out to her parents for financial support. The relationship consumes much of her time and attention, impacting her progress at school and in the shooting of her project. The relationship continues with a constant tug of back and forth, until Julie forces Anthony out, though they eventually reunite. Much to her dismay she realizes nothing much has changed, till a dramatic event forces Julie to come to terms with reality.
"The Souvenir" is a film that has a distinct stylistic approach, and that in itself, is the most memorable thing about this feature. It's a film that personally puzzles me, when it comes to the reviews that it has received. The narrative of a young woman who is coming to terms with a destructive relationship, while also pursuing her academic artistic achievements, in the lap of luxury, never really provides a sense of angst, pain, urgency or for that matter, depicts real tribulations/challenges that these situations force upon people. It's a somewhat stylized, from a privileged perspective, of what constitutes living with a drug addicted partner (definitely unliked Gus Van Sant's "Drugstore Cowboy" for instance). Much like the painting that gives its name, it's a film that looks impeccably shot, which in itself, is admirable, but where the narrative and the impact of the characters actions is never truly felt or depicted. The central character, for all the time the film focuses on her activities, is as impenetrable by the end of the narrative, as she was at the beginning (what prompts her artistic endeavors, her life quest, what are her interests, sense of style, humor). As a character study it fails to entice and provide enough depth, and as an observation of a damaged relationship, it lacks grittiness and edge (it's definitely not a film in the vein of what director Michael Haneke for instance captured in "La Pianiste"). Tilda Swinton is luminous as usual, and manages to elevate the film whenever she briefly appears. The cinematography from David Raedeker is beautiful, but this is a film that is quickly forgotten. 

Marriage Story

Movie Name: Marriage Story
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Noah Baumbach
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Merritt Wever, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, Alan Alda, Wallace Shawn, Kyle Bornheimer, Matthew Maher, Mickey Sumner, Azhy Robertson, Mark O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Brooke Bloom, Martha Kelly, Roslyn Ruff
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Following the well received "The Meyerowitz Stories", on which director Noah Baumbach partnered with Netflix, his newest endeavor is a continuation of that alliance. The film has already received unanimous praise, across all the Film Festivals where it premiered (including Venice, Toronto, Telluride, among many others). The film follows the story of a couple, comprised of Natalie and Charlie, who live in New York and work in the theater. Natalie who started a well known acting career in California, moved to NY when she fell in love with Charlie, and since then had a child and has devoted herself solely to theater work (in Charlie's group). Charlie in the interim has become a well respected theater director, with bigger and bigger visibility. This mutually supportive couple finds themselves going through a separation, with an intent on divorce. Natalie is dropping from the theater scene in NY and is aiming to go to Los Angeles to shoot a pilot for a TV show. That's also where her mother (a former actress herself) and her sister, both live. While in LA, Natalie retains the services of Nora, a ruthless divorce attorney, precipitating a series of events that catch Charlie by surprise, sparking reactions and behaviors that none of them knew or expected from each other. 
"Marriage Story" is an analysis of the dissolution of a marriage, which gets convoluted due to the existence of a child, and the geographical distance that both parents are suddenly confronted with, when tackling the education and raising of that child. The film merges references from Robert Benton's "Kramer vs. Kramer" and even Wood Allen's "Husbands and Wives", but where the film finds its potent footing, comes towards the final act, when the central couple try to discuss the situation in which they find themselves in. In an attempt to find solutions that are not quite as draining to their financial stability, darker feelings and resentments to come to the surface, threatening whatever civility was left between them. It's a film that for some time, tries to give insight, depth, to both parties involved in this dramatic situation, eventually shifting the focus to the father figure, who in essence is the displaced one in the narrative (both literally and figuratively). If anything, this shift is also where the narrative loses some of its momentum, as if having figured Natalie's broadly conveyed motivations for the move and breakup, the film suddenly forgets that she exists, and largely focuses on Charlie's attempts to reconcile his life on both coasts. It's a film that is nonetheless incisive, brutal at times, and extremely well acted, featuring wonderful performances from Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Julie Hagerty, Alan Alda and Ray Liotta. The cinematography from Robbie Ryan is beautiful (though I can't escape having a sense of déjà vu the way California is captured by filmmakers from NY, again very reminiscent of how Woody Allen captured it in "Annie Hall" with Gordon Willis as a cinematographer, for instance). Worth watching.

The Irishman

Movie Name: The Irishman
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Stephen Graham, Jack Huston, Gary Basaraba, Jesse Plemons, Anna Paquin, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Domenick Lombardozzi, Paul Herman, Kathrine Narducci, Jim Norton, Daniel Jenkins, Kevin O'Rourke, Paul Ben-Victor, Patrick Gallo, Jake Hoffman, Barry Primus, Jonathan Morris
Genre: Drama, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Martin Scorsese is back, following the wonderful "Silence", which was another one of his long gestating projects (much like his "The Last Temptation of Christ"). "The Irishman" which he opted in 2004, had an equally long process of getting to the screens, with Netflix finally producing and releasing the big budget feature. The film is based on the novel by Charles Brandt, and follows the story of Frank Sheeran, a war veteran who gets ingratiated into the ranks of organized crime in the 50s, and soon becomes a protege of Russell Bufalino, whom everyone reveres and abides to. As their collaborations unfold throughout the years, Frank is placed as second in command to Union leader Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa, with his large polarizing personality, also uses Frank to get his agenda ahead (or unblocking possible friction points). When Jimmy becomes the target of a Federal investigation, and is eventually arrested/incarcerated, for tampering with the trial/jury of his case, his downward trajectory begins, something Frank witnesses and tries to diplomatically avoid from happening. Jimmy's colorful personality however rubs multiple people the wrong way, forcing Frank to make some hard decisions, which impact his friendship with Jimmy himself, but also his family life altogether.
Much has been written on the topic of "The Irishman", particularly on such items as being the longest film directed by Martin Scorsese to date (it's 209 minutes), and also because it's the first reunion with one of his muses, Robert De Niro, since they last worked together in 1995's "Casino". "The Irishman" is in a way, a recap/digest of the world that Scorsese brought forth in his seminal "Goodfellas" from 1990. The film tracks the lives of Frank Sheeran, and those in his periphery, which included the iconic Russell Bufalino and the maligned Jimmy Hoffa. Unlike "Goodfellas" and Francis Coppola's "The Godfather" series, "The Irishman" focuses almost exclusively on the dealings these characters have with each other, and how society around them changes as a result of their dealings, without these individuals themselves, not changing that much. It doesn't particularly dwell that much on their family lives, giving very little insight into the women that populate this world. It's a film that feels very much as a direct descendant from the features of the 70s, in style (particularly evident in the impeccable production design and costumes), rhythm, but it does provide a third arc where most of these characters come to terms with their own mortality and what happens as you age and fade from memory. It's the particular part of the film that makes it the more memorable, the indication that everyone has to live with the consequences of their actions, that everyone is deeply human, flawed, no matter what life you led. It's also a film that isn't as immediately polished as some of the director's previous features, with some scenes with Robert De Niro failing to convince particularly when he has to be more physical, whereas the lack of any depth to any female character is also a dramatic flaw in this universe ("Casino" had the memorable Ginger, played by Sharon Stone, and "Goodfellas" had Karen Hill, played by Lorraine Bracco, bringing at least a somewhat different point of view to a male centric storyline). The central performances are wonderful, with a complicity between the three central actors which is wonderful to witness. For all its resources and powerful storytelling, this is a somewhat unbalanced feature in a career from a tremendously gifted storyteller. 

The Report

Movie Name: The Report
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Scott Z. Burns
Starring: Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Michael C. Hall, Ted Levine, Maura Tierney, Corey Stoll, Linda Powell, John Rothman, Dominic Fumusa, Douglas Hodge, T. Ryder Smith, Tim Blake Nelson, Ben McKenzie, Scott Shepherd, Matthew Rhys, Jennifer Morrison, Kate Beahan, Lucas Dixon
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Celebrated screenwriter (and frequent collaborator of the fantastic Steven Soderbergh), Scott Z. Burns makes his feature directorial debut with the impeccable "The Report". The film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and then followed suit by going through a slew of Film festivals in the fall, details the investigation which surrounded the CIA's post 9/11 Detention and Interrogation Program. The film focuses specifically on the work handled by Daniel J. Jones, who is tasked by Senator Dianne Feinstein, with leading a small team of researches and  investigate the practices of Detention and Interrogation conducted by the CIA, which occurred following the events of 9/11. The investigation lasts for 5 years, across a multitude of documents and sources, finally producing a report of over 6000 pages. When that report becomes known to different parties, a power play of different stakeholders begins, all with the intent of keeping some information buried. Some of these forces stop at nothing, including accusing Jones from being a hacker and gathering information improperly. All these setbacks force everyone to question their standing, and what they ultimately want to move through.
"The Report" is a film that inherits the spirit of the late Alan J. Pakula's "All the President's Men" and to a more recent extent, James Vanderbilt's "Truth". It traces and details a thorough research process, into a topic that is controversial and brutal, something that was alluded to in Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty", torture of prisoners. It's a film that is less concerned with character development, and more with the process of uncovering the truth, the hurdles that exist in making sure that same truth is unearthed and showcased to the public. The director manages to create a film that is engrossing, detailed, portraying the near endless journey experienced by Daniel J. Jones, uncovering everything pertaining to that program. It's a film that smartly showcases different points of view, different perspectives of the narrative, allowing for a better understanding of what was actually at stake. The film is obviously not a documentary, but there's a layer of didacticism, that is relevant and quite well staged. The cast is superb, with great performances by Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Maura Tierney, Ted Levine, while Adam Driver in the central role, creates a character that has integrity and intensity,  but is otherwise a solid and discrete professional. A very good film from a great writer. 

Little Monsters

Movie Name: Little Monsters
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Abe Forsythe
Starring: Lupita Nyongo, Alexander England, Josh Gad, Kat Stewart, Diesel La Torraca, Nadia Townsend, Marshall Napier, Glenn Hazeldine, Charlie Whitley, Mason Mansour, Ava Caryofyllis
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

Actor, Writer and Director, Abe Forsythe has followed his directorial debut, "Down Under", with a different take on the zombie genre. The film follows the story of perpetual man-child Dave, who after a fallout with his girlfriend, moves in with his sister and young nephew. Dave is selfish, self-centered, and unable to help in any productive manner. He maintains the dream he's a professional musician, though his band dissolved a while back, and he basically now lives from playing on the streets (just barely). After an ultimatum from his sister, Dave is forced to wise up, and start helping around the house. When he drops off his nephew at school, he meets the elementary school teacher, Ms. Caroline, who is professional, kind, and devoted to her students. He's immediately infatuated with her, and in order to ingratiate himself with her, goes on a field trip with her and the students. The trip however goes awry when the camp they're visiting is suddenly invaded by zombies who escaped from a nearby military base. Caroline and Dave have to unite their efforts to battle the ever growing horde, and save the children. 
"Little Monsters" is in essence, the rite of passage of Dave, the man-child protagonist of the film, into fully adulthood, while in the context of a zombie/comedy mix. For a large part of the film, Dave is presented and embodied as a heartless loser, only focused on himself, and as the events dramatically shift, and as his focus of attention move to Caroline and his nephew, we witness a process of maturing under duress. It's a rather speedy maturing process, since the events take place in a two day interval, during which all the characters battle a zombie outbreak, find inner strength, and have a few epiphanies about the true meaning of life and love. It's a somewhat thinly layered film, without much nuance to it, featuring some comedic moments, and largely wasting a deeply committed performance from Lupita Nyongo, who at times demonstrates a ferocity and intensity that this film could have leveraged far more. As is, this is a quickly forgettable endeavor, largely anemic in style and energy, save for the always fantastic Nyongo. 

Knives Out

Movie Name: Knives Out
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Lakeith Stanfield, Christopher Plummer, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Riki Lindhome, Edi Patterson, Frank Oz, K Callan
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

The wonderfully talented Rian Johnson is back, after his experience with the "Star Wars" industry/universe, tackling a decidedly smaller feature in scope, but nonetheless an entertaining endeavor. The film follows the story of the family Thrombey, who is largely dominated by the figure of the patriarch, the well known crime/thriller author Harlan Thrombey. After celebrating his 85th birthday with a lavish party, he suddenly appears dead. The family comes together to mourn him, but also to learn of the inheritance and division of assets. Among the mourners are his children, grand-children and also, his caring and loving nurse Marta. However, on top of all of this, the Police is also involved, since even though the death has initially been ruled as a suicide, there's the need to eliminate any possible suspicion of fowl play. The Police comes to the mansion, aided by the well known detective Benoit Blanc, in order to uncover if there was indeed some hidden motif behind Harlan's demise. As they question each of the family members, some secrets, resentments and frustrations emerge, clearly establishing multiple motivations for the offing of the patriarch. 
"Knives Out" is a well done whodunit type of feature, calling to mind some of the adaptations of author Agatha Christie, with sprawling casts and lavish production values, such as Sidney Lumet's "Murder On the Orient Express". Rian Johnson smartly introduces the cast of characters, with just enough insight in order to deftly and with a few broad strokes, showcase their motivations, quirks and possible secrets. In other hands the film could possibly fall into Poirot territory, which in itself wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but the director manages to provide enough twists, and embed the film with enough humor, in order to make it distinct and with a personality of its own. The film really manages to elevate itself, thanks to an impeccable cast, particularly Toni Collette, Michael Shannon and Chris Evans, all of whom really steal the show, while on the opposite side of the spectrum, there's a seriously miscast Daniel Craig, as the central detective, whose southern accent seems to come and go at times (it would be fantastic to see someone like Ralph Fiennes tackle a role such as this). The cinematography from Steve Yedlin is impeccable, as is the score from Nathan Johnson. An entertaining suspense film worth watching.

A Simple Favor

Movie Name: A Simple Favor
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Paul Feig
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Linda Cardellini, Dustin Milligan, Andrew Rannells, Jean Smart, Rupert Friend, Sarah Baker, Roger Dunn, Bashir Salahuddin, Lauren Peters, Nicole Peters, Ian ho, Joshua Satine, Eric Johnson
Genre: Crime, Drama, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Paul Feig followed his version of "Ghostbusters" with a tonal difference in genre, with the adaptation of the book by Darcey Bell, which favors more of a thriller than the previous (and successful) comedic endeavors of his career. The film follows the story of a young widowed mother, Stephanie, who lives in Connecticut, living off from the insurance money her late husband left for her and their son. While picking her son from school, she meets Emily, a beautiful and sophisticated woman, mother to a friend of her son's, who works in the city, lives in a stunning house, and whose husband is a professor at a nearby college. Emily quickly creates a friendship with the eager and helpful Stephanie, and the relationship sails on, until Emily suddenly disappears. Her disappearance forces Stephanie to start poking around, but events take a darker turn when Emily's body is found in the bottom of a lake. While mourning her passing, Stephanie and Sean, the widower, become intimate and a relationship blossoms. However much to Stephanie's surprise, events start occurring that suggest that Emily may not be dead after all.
She embarks on a journey to find out who Emily actually was and what actually happened to her.
"A Simple Favor" marks a tonal shift in direction for Paul Feig. Whereas "Spy" and "Ghostbusters" were markedly solid comedies, this feature goes for a thriller type of approach. It has a bit of Hitchcock in it, though the result reminds at times what Damian Harris did with "Deceived" (a Goldie Hawn vehicle from 1991), some of Joseph Ruben's efforts from the early 90s (for instance, "Sleeping with the Enemy") and even Yves Simoneau's "Mother's Boys" (a vehicle for Jamie Lee Curtis which premiered in 1993). That is to say, this film has a bit of a saucy thriller aspect to it, showcasing these different women, with interesting pasts, coming together, and how eventually one of them weaves a web of deception in order to get ahead (a la Bob Rafelson's "Black Widow"). This relationship, filled with complicity, but also seduction, is what makes the film have some extra interest. Sadly that is quickly discarded in detriment of the pulpier side of the narrative, with the unveiling of the dark secrets that were held by the fascinating and captivating Emily (though the whole wearing a suit and a cane prop for that character, is a bit too on the nose). Anna Kendrick is wonderful as the wholesome mother who has been by herself and who is dazzled by this new friend, whereas Blake Lively while lovely to look at, barely registers as someone with a personality. It's a film that tries to inject some comedy moments into some predictable thriller archetypes, but it's a film that needed a slightly different point of view, with further edge. Forgettable.

Brittany Runs a Marathon

Movie Name: Brittany Runs a Marathon
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Paul Downs Colaizo
Starring: Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Micah Stock, Alice Lee, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rel Howery, Kate Arrington, Esteban Benito, Dan Bittner, Patch Darragh, Jennifer Dundas, Gina Costigan 
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

"Brittany Runs a Marathon" is the debut feature from Paul Downs Colaizo, and made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and quickly got bought for distribution by Amazon. The film follows the story of Brittany, a 28 year old young woman, originally from Philadelphia, currently living in Queens and barely making a living with her job in Manhattan. Brittany parties frequently, has lost most of her ambition, and in the pursuit of some extra party enhancers, visits a doctor, who warns her she has the potential to have some serious health problems. Brittany decides to change her life, lose 50 pounds and train for the New York marathon. Along the way she inspires and becomes acquainted with a few running friends who become a good support system for her. As her life choices change, some of her friends are less impressed by her newfound self esteem, and though Brittany has issues of her own with relationships and even friendships, she eventually comes to terms with opening up to others. 
"Brittany Runs a Marathon" is a romantic comedy, where our heroine goes through a journey of self discovery, which includes of course, hitting rock bottom, only to come to terms with loving herself, and embarking on a journey to reinvigorate herself and her life. The film, and its formula, aren't profoundly different from everything else that has been done or seen in this genre, however, the film has a charm mostly derived from the eclectic cast that the director has assembled, alongside the fact that it doesn't attempt to overly glamorize life in a big metropolis. Whereas Todd Strauss-Schulson's "Isn't It Romantic" attempted to deconstruct the clichés of romantic comedies, this one paints them with just enough of a broad stroke to make the film balance the feel of romance with a dash of reality, namely of the difficulties (and costs) of living in a big city. Jillian Bell plays Brittany perfectly, with enough humor, but also defensiveness, due to her past, her own insecurities, giving the character an arc where Brittany learns to accept herself and others in her life. It's a sweet film, that while not profoundly original, is still entertaining and well acted. Worth watching.