THIS FILM CONTAINS A NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS that make a film work for me. I can’t promise they will work for you with this movie, but here goes: It has a director with a solid track record It’s British–I tend to think the Brits often make great films because the director has more artistic license; the arts get some public funding so you don’t get movies managed largely for profit or by “a committee” There are members of the cast I enjoy: one or two good performances can save or make a movie The plot and the cinematography are compelling enough to enjoy without having to suspend disbelief unreasonably much or often Guy Ritchie has made some very good films in this genre–which is usually

  THIS SERIES HAS A GOOD CAST (though the best performances might not come from the ones you expect) and offers new and sometimes sordidly funny insights into the events leading up to the Nixon re-election campaign, the Watergate break-in(s), and the onset of scandal. The two best performances came from Justin Theroux as Gordon Liddy, and Lena Headey as Dorothy Hunt. I have enjoyed Woody Harrelson in many past efforts, but in this role as Howard Hunt,  I quickly tired of his habit of thrusting his jaw forward to indicate some inner conflict. Theroux as Liddy was superb and may get nominated for it. Lena Headey was fantastic as the spouse of Howard Hunt. The cast contained other familiar faces amid solid performances. I 

THIS MOVIE HAS the distinction of being completely unpredictable almost from the very beginning. Because the theme is metaphysical or “multi-versal,” it draws from the infinite to introduce many zany, funny, curious or compelling alternate worlds in a two hour timeframe. There is martial arts fighting; it never seemed gratuitous, however, and at times it provided some fun. The film features a number of veteran Asian actors who now, finally, get the recognition they have deserved and been denied: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and James Hong, have acted for decades each. Hong, for example, is 94 and acted with Clark Gable. At least two members of the cast have already won awards for best actor or best supporting actor, Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan.

  THIS MOVIE is directed by Sarah Polley, produced by Frances McDormand, and featuring a cast of acclaimed and powerful actors, predominately women. It is based on the 2018 novel by Miriam Toews which was set in a Mennonite colony in Bolivia that did (does) exist. The movie, however, is in English, and there are no references to location or country–there don’t need to be. As for the temporal (and just as with Banshees of Inisherin) it could have taken place a century ago though the year is 2010.My first reaction, because the movie does focus on intense debate among a group of women trying to reach a life-changing consensus (in part regarding justice), was that the style reminded me of the female version of

THIS IS A FUN SHOW. Natasha Lyonne’s character Charlie captivates the action with a virtuous brand of “superperception”—she can tell when others are lying. And so, as the series’ title suggests, this can have advantages in poker: no one can bluff you. But upon attracting the scrutiny of a Nevada casino mogul, her brand of talent leads to a prolonged road trip and sets the stage for forthcoming episodes. You see, in addition to the advantage it gave her in poker, her perceptive power often reveals clues to crimes, and her merely refined powers of observation and logic create no less than a charming nomadic “Columbo” with reddish blonde hair, a slightly raspy voice, and a sense of justice that won’t leave her at peace

[Note: I apologize for the late post as I watched the film two days before the Golden Globe Awards show. My only confident notion, having seen few of the nominated films, was that Colin Farrell would win Best Actor.] THIS DRAMA IS HARD TO DESCRIBE; it’s been referred to as comedy, tragedy, dark, dark tragi-comedy; labels are risky: you might miss the film for the wrong reasons (you might also see it for the wrong reasons). But the greater risk is to miss the movie. It takes place in a tiny village on an island off the coast of Ireland. The setting is probably 40 years ago, though without references within the film to hint at the era, it could have just as easily have

WHEN I SEE Christian Bale and Margot Robbie as leads in the cast, I am already smelling the popcorn, There are other  big names involved, including De Niro. It’s set after WWI, and in part based on real events. It’s light, funny at times, yet there’s an intrigue that builds; it takes a while to show up, but the action holds ones interest until it does. The director, David O. Russell (American Hustle, The Fighter, Sliver Linings Playbook), has a solid resume. Bale is the usual joy to watch, Margot Robbie keeps getting better (hard to imagine), and then you have John David Washington (Black Klansman), Rami Malek, Anya Tayler, and list of celeb cameos from, for one example, Taylor Swift. There’s not much else

The French Dispatch is another of Wes Anderson’s superb films.Before any consideration of the story, the film has to be considered an exceptional viewing experience for the unpredictability (that he always brings), the richness of characters, and the uber-esoteric settings—mostly amid a Sahara of dry humor. Not to mention that the cast consists of a blend of top comedic and dramatic talent (while I am sure the actors view it as work in High Art, they seem to be having the perfect mix of challenge and fun). Some new (to his films) “star” faces are evidence of the allure of this filmmaker. The structure is a little unusual because it’s broken into segments, but it all conforms within the context of a newspaper founded and operated

The film is a remake of the noir drama of the same name made almost in 1947. Bradley Cooper stars with Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, David Strathairn, and Cate Blanchett. All turn in strong performances.One of the selling points of the film for me was the rich setting of a traveling carnival 80 years ago.  In the bosom of that troupe of performers, outcasts and small-time hustlers, the protagonist develops a rare ability—or the pretense of it—and is drawn to new venues where he plies his trade on more discerning and concerning types. The film (based on the novel of the same name) draws its title from a dark secret of the carnival trade of that time. The “geek,” a nearly naked and wretched creature

This film brings to mind any number of films (e.g. the award-winning Roma by A. Cuaron and perhaps the newly released Licorice Pizza by P. T. Anderson) where the writer/directors looked back to  the people and places and of their upbringing and told a story in a labor of love.Though Kenneth Branagh altered some of the details, he grew up in a Protestant family living in a Catholic neighborhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1969 during the “Troubles.” Shot in black and white, and with the balance of focus falling more on the people than the politics, the tone of the story leans toward perseverance and tenderness rather than resentment or bitterness.There are several name actors, including an excellent Ciaran Hinds, but Judi Dench, despite