THE DARKEST HOUR, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, THE PARIS OPERA, MOLLY'S GAME, PHANTOM THREAD, PETER RABBIT, THE FLORIDA PROJECT, THE POST, THE SHAPE OF WATER, TOM OF FINLAND

Just about caught up on the Oscar nominees except for the shorts, documentaries and a few that aren't playing currently (I missed Denzel Washington's turn in his nominated ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. role from earlier this year, and so far it has not come back into town.  In the mean time, here's what I've seen this new year so far.

Here's a film that I didn't want to end:  the excellently produced and directed and acted historical drama THE DARKEST HOUR with a remarkable Gary Oldman giving the performance of his life as Winston Churchill, and numerous others in fine support including Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane and others.  Stylishly directed by Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 2005,  ATONEMENT 2007, ANNA KARENINA 2012--and these three all starred the compelling Keira Knightley), this film builds much tension out of history that many might know already, but keeps it compelling and new.  The film ends with the go ahead to send small private boats to pick up stranded British military troops from the beaches of Dunkirk.  THE DARKEST HOUR would make an outstanding double bill with this summer's fine film which continues the story called DUNKIRK.  Oscar nominations for picture, actor, cinematography, production design, make up. DUNKIRK recieved Oscar nominations for picture, director and many technical categories.                      GRADE-------------------A

I saw THE PARIS OPERA at SIFF this past spring, and it had a brief run in Seattle recently, and it is a wonderful impressionistic view of what it takes to run the many facets of THE PARIS OPERA.  Some amazing sequences include the surprised young Russian opera singer winning a coveted lead in a new opera--and he doesn't know any English or French!  Another production must include a  dangerously frisky bull brought onto the stage with a live audience, and still another sequence tries to whip a group of young child musicians into their first live experience.  All the while, the heads of the various Opera departments argue and maneuver through the politics of money vs art.  This is a documentary, with no logical stream of plot, put rather it puts you squarely into the milieu.  This is a must for any one interested in Paris, music, opera or art.   BRAVO!              GRADE----------------------A

After nearly a dozen STAR WARS films, what more can one say about them--either you're a fan or not.  STAR WARS : THE LAST JEDI  is as good an episode as any I've seen--and certainly better than the last two by a few hairs.  There were laughs, thrills, fights, tears, tensions, betrayals, philosophical discussions, close calls--you name it, there is was.   And I got to spend $15 per person to have (loud ear splitting) Dolby sound and a neck wrenching gigantic screen that felt too big even though we were sitting near the back of the auditorium.  But the important thing was that I enjoyed myself immensely.        GRADE------------------A-

Whether the film is good or bad or dull or distasteful, if Jessica Chastain is in it, she will probably be the best thing about it.  When I first saw her in her first film, JOLENE 2008 I was thunderstruck.  With her vivid red hair and the closeups of her pale freckled skin, she fascinated me-- a someone to watch. even though the film was rather lurid.  Since then she's appeared in nearly 20 films, and is often the most watchable.  Here in MOLLY'S GAME she is helped by a sharp, tasty (adapted) script by TV writer Aaron Sorkin (an Oscar nominee) who also directed her fireball turn as a self made poker game "madame" trying to stay out of jail.  (Just two years ago she starred, grippingly, as a lawyer trying to take on the NRA in MISS SLOANE, and very nearly succeeding.  As an abused white trash character in THE HELP, she received an Oscar nomination.)  For first class writing and acting, MOLLY'S GAME can't be beat.                 GRADE------------A- 

I loved the natural mixture of animation and live action in the new film based on the children's story of PETER RABBIT.  The film reminded me of BABE where animal and human interact, and the characters are given clever, witty dialogue, and it helps that  PETER RABBIT is voiced by James Corden, who gives a sarcastic, self righteous inflection to his reading as the naughty bunny who causes a lot of trouble to himself and his siblings.  The film has been "updated" with some pop music, and there is a distinct violent theme with different characters smacking into each other, electrocutions, traps catching different body parts and explosions, but I laughed myself silly at most of them, although some have objected to the exploiting of an allergy to impose pain on a main character.  Well, times have certainly changed, and I felt that the film becomes more sophisticated and accessible with these changes.  Here's a film that adults can enjoy as much as older children.                   GRADE---------B+

An elegant looking film, PHANTOM THREAD features  classy performances by Daniel Day-Lewis, who claims this will be his last, and Lesley Manville, a fine British actor who has appeared in a number of Mike Leigh films.  They play siblings who run a posh designer clothing company that deals with important women (actresses, government wives, etc).   He falls in love with one of his models, and a strange relationship ensues.  The film has moments of romantic Hitchcock like NOTORIOUS or REBECCA, and portends to be a romance tale, but there are also moments of GASLIGHT, and there is rarely any humor.  The siblings are both so humorless, in fact, and dry that it becomes hard to feel much for them at all, and the film, although lovely to watch, becomes rather unsatisfying.  The film has received Oscar nominations for the two leads, best director Paul Thomas Anderson, picture, music and costumes.              GRADE--------------B

The low budget film, made near Disney World, called THE FLORIDA PROJECT depicts a sad world of mostly unaccompanied children who run around a lower class hotel (there are many near Disney World) entertaining themselves as best they can, and causing trouble for the kind hearted manager (Willem Dafoe) who looks after them, trying to keep danger away.  One young girl lives with her loving but drugged out mother, who sells stolen perfume and gifts for profits, and turns tricks for extra money.  The most loving relationships for the children come from the manager, and each other.  When one of the kids has a horrible break down, another takes her to the "happiest place on earth."  The film has a shocking, but moving finale, hopeful but depressing nonetheless.  The film has received an Oscar nomination for Dafoe in the supporting actor category.              GRADE----------------B

Any film featuring Meryl Streep is a worthy watch, and in THE POST add to that project co star Tom Hanks, director Steven Spielberg and the political thriller of the Pentagon papers that Nixon was trying to keep secret during the 1970's.  The film is paced fast, the dialogue is quick and sharp, and because there are a lot of characters, it is important to listen carefully to completely follow the action.  Still, if you know nothing about that scandal, you know that a great deal is at stake simply by watching the agony and concern that Streep must be going through--she is the new owner after her husband's death of the Washington Post, and when the New York Times is prohibited from printing the truth about the Vietnam War and it's unwinability, she must put her paper on the line to continue to defy Nixon.  She is nominated for her thoughtful performance.                   GRADE----------B

This perfectly charming remake of dozens of science fiction thrillers from the 1950s-1960, THE SHAPE OF WATER suffers mostly from  being a too familiar redo of the creature features from that time.   Smart sea monster is captured by government agents who want to study/kill it.  Lovesick woman falls for monster and tries to save it.  Guns are drawn, friends are threatened, people are killed.  This old chestnut of a plot has holes that trucks can drive through.  That's not to say that there are some nice, charming moments.  Sally Hawkins is more emotive than many other lead actresses even portraying a non speaking mute, and the supporting cast is very game.  The set design is evocative of the mid century period, and there is a mysterious feel to the film as a whole.  But best picture???  The film has 13 Oscar nominations in total including best actress, director, script, supporting actors (2), music, and several other technical nods.
GRADE--------------B-

Here's a Finnish biographical film about a gay artist who felt very oppressed after returning from action in WWII, and begins to sketch and paint portraits of hyper sexualized muscle men, selling them "under the table"--and ultimately becoming quite successful.  In later years he becomes symbolically the father of the modern gay liberation movement.  His professional name becomes TOM OF FINLAND, but the film, while handsomely made, becomes, ironically, dull because of the restraint shown by the film makers.  For a film about sexual liberation, this film has no passion or titillation, and becomes a drag--no pun intended.               GRADE----------C+




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Movies viewed on TV/DVD



THE PRODUCERS 1967--A masterwork of comic characterization (Zero Mostel and a young Gene Wilder are priceless), witty dialogue and tasteless lines, pratfalls and slapstick, touching friendships and Springtime for Hitler!, anyone!  The film received mixed reviews at the time but actually won the best original script Oscar to Mel Brooks, and has since become one of the top laugh out loud comedies of all time.  I laugh loudly every time I see it.        GRADE--------A 

UNDER CAPRICORN 1949--Here's one of a small handful of Alfred Hitchcock films that I'd never seen--there are very few of his films that are not widely available on DVD, and this has been one.  The costume/drama film is in color, but it would be nice to see a superior reproduction of it.  This is not Hitchcock's best film by any means, but the strong cast including Joseph Cotton, an ex con from Ireland, who has married a lady Ingrid Bergman. She's become an alcoholic and seems on the brink of madness, and into their new lives in Australia in the 1830's comes an old friend from Ireland, keen on rekindling his friendship of Bergman, played by Michael Wilding.  There is obviously some romantic tension, and a possessive house matron (Margaret Leighton) reminds us of Mrs. Danvers from REBECCA, and there are some twists in the plot.  Bergman is spectacular at times in a very difficult role.  Hitchcock's direction is smooth and visually effective, and I look forward to viewing it again in a few months, since even modest Hitchcock is better than much of the drivel out there these days.             GRADE---------B 

3 DAYS OF THE CONDOR 1975--Smart, paranoid thriller where Robert Redford finds all his fellow office CIA workers murdered when he returns from a lunch run one day, and soon discovers that they wanted to get him too.  He soon realizes he has no one to trust.  Max Van Sydow is effective as an assassin, and Faye Dunaway is good as a woman forced to help him.       GRADE------B

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: THE MOVIE 2016--Based on a British series that I've never seen before, I found myself laughing at the silly, slapstick situations that these vain women get them selves involved in.  Major guilty pleasure.            GRADE----------B-

APRIL FOOLS 1969--The likeable Jack Lemmon and gorgeous  Catherine Deneuve are the leads in this light comedy romance.  Two strangers, both in loveless marriages, discover they want to leave their spouses in one night and move to Paris.  Myrna Loy and Charles Boyer lend some amusing support, and character actor Jack Weston has one of his funniest roles as a drunken neighbor to Lemmon.  Pleasant but very minor.         GRADE---------C+



COMING END OF FEBRUARY-----TOP FILMS OF 2017---and Oscar countdown.   Of the OSCAR nominated films, here are some of my favorites:

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD
COCO
DARKEST HOUR
DUNKIRK
MOLLY'S GAME
STAR WARS: LAST JEDI
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI 
plus a dozen more......