What a week for royalty it’s been. First, Queen Elizabeth II was put to rest with the all the impressive pomp and circumstance the Brits can somehow still summon when needed.
Tag: Eleanor Ringel Cater
‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’ – George Miller’s slightly-flawed genie movie
For George Miller, the filmmaker who’s had a hand in such fantastical beasts as Babe, the sheepherding pig, and Imperator Furiosa (aka, Charlize Theron), the one-armed warrior, the tale of an academic and the djinn she accidentally releases while at a conference in Istanbul, is almost business as usual.
‘Where the Crawdads Sing” – Movie version of bestseller ‘lacks emotional heft’
I still don’t know what a crawdad is or, for that matter, if it indeed sings. But that matters less to me than how surprisingly wispy “Where the Crawdads Sing” is. Delia Owens’s debut novel was a phenomenon that, as of last winter, spent 150 weeks on the New York Time best seller list.
‘Nope” – Jordan Peele’s sci-fi about movie-making falls short of ‘Get Out’
One hates to evoke Nancy Reagan while simultaneously sliming Jordan Peele, but here goes.mJust say no to “Nope.”
“Vengeance” – a smart, funny ‘fish out of water’ movie
Never mind Austin (or Portland). Keep B.J. Novak weird. Or at least as weird as he is in “Vengeance,” a culture-clash comedy-thriller he wrote, directed and stars in.
“Elvis” – movie portrayal of the ‘King’ falls short, but Austin Butler’s Elvis deserves praise
In Baz Luhrmann’s movies, everything happens everywhere all at once. Think of “Moulin Rouge” or his take on “The Great Gatsby.”
‘Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris’ – Dior dresses don’t cover up out-of-date tale
“Every day’s my lucky day!” chirps Mrs. Harris, the nauseatingly cheerful ‘50s charwoman who is the protagonist of “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” a nauseatingly time-warped film about how the right fancy dress can change your life.
“Benediction” – Terence Davies’ movie about poet Siegfried Sassoon
I was so looking forward to “Benediction,” a film about the British World War I poet Siegfried Sassoon. Then I saw it was written and directed by Terence Davies.
‘The Last Movie Stars’ – Ethan Hawke’s tender take of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
“The Last Movie Stars,” Ethan Hawke’s six-part series on Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, is a pandemic epic, a spectacular amalgamation of clips and interviews and Ken Burns-style voice-overs by famous actors that takes its form from the Zoom culture COVID has forced on us for the last several years.
‘The Phantom of the Open’ – a crowd pleaser starring Mark Rylance
You don’t need to know Jack Nicklaus from Jack Nicholson to enjoy ”The Phantom of the Open,” a quirky British underdog comedy in the tradition of mid-century Ealing movies.
‘Bitterbrush’ – a documentary on two cowgirls riding the range in Idaho
Tom Robbins had the right idea. Even cowgirls get the blues in the understated yet oddly mesmerizing documentary – “Bitterbrush.”
Reflecting on movies that tackle difficult abortion issues
Abortion has always been an inflammatory issue. More now than ever in these days of a conservative Supreme Court and their recent vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.
‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ – second movie of PBS series ‘coos with tea-cozy charm’
The second feature film generated by the mega-successful PBS series, “A New Era” turns tea and crumpets into comfort food.
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ – saved by a superb cast
“This is crazy,” says Evelyn (Michelle Yuen), a seemingly ordinary housewife beleaguered by laundry and taxes.
‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ – a hot mess
In the real world, J.K. Rowling is having her problems. Alas, in the Wizarding World she first created with her Harry Potter books, all is not exactly well either.
Actor Ray Liotta (1954-2022) played it all – from psychopaths to decent guys
The glittering junk-jewelry eyes. That’s what I remember the most about Ray Liotta who died in his sleep last week, age 67, while making a movie in the Dominican Republic.
‘Operation Mincemeat’ – a well-acted WWII thriller in need of more suspense
“Weekend at Bernie’s” meets “The Imitation Game” in “Operation Mincemeat,” a movie with one of the most unfortunate titles in recent memory.
‘The Lost City’ – Bullock, Tatum and Pitt deliver a ‘small pleasure’
Formula done right is one reason the lightweight romantic romp, “The Lost City,” works. Another is the unassuming, easy-going chemistry between its two leads, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.
‘Like a Rolling Stone: the Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres’
When we think of the baby-boomer bible, Rolling Stone, we tend to think of Jann Wenner and Annie Leibovitz and even Cameron Crowe (“Almost Famous”).
‘Jockey’ – a movie about a ‘life in the backstretch’ of horseracing
The Derby is the oldest continuously held sporting event in America, and its 148thincarnation is this Saturday. So, the timing couldn’t be better to catch “Jockey,” a 2021 film currently streaming on home video.