By way of a re-introduction, I’m back after an absence of many years, to once again review films for The Malibu Times. I am, it is hoped, wiser than before, because I’m certainly older. “Seasoned” is what a fellow reviewer said, and I’m going with that. Twice a month I’ll share opinions, critiques and observations about recent films, some interesting TV shows and even some YouTube offerings with the readers of this newspaper. My hope is that these columns please, instruct or begin a dialog, because opinions always depend on one person’s subjectivity, and must never be taken as The Truth.
For this first column, I’ll write about the films I’ve seen in the past month. I can highly recommend two of them.
LITTLE MEN
“Little Men,” a small, quiet, independent gem that may have already left the theaters (soon to be streaming, it is hoped) is my favorite. It’s not just about the friendship between two boys from different backgrounds and their coming-of-age experiences; it’s also about families and trying to do the right thing, even though one person’s right thing is another person’s nightmare. In other words, it’s about real life, as it is lived by us all. Performance gems abound. I’ve never seen Greg Kinnear so real and vulnerable. Young Theo Taplitz creates a vivid impression as his son. We don’t know what to make of Paulina Garcia’s mysterious character until, finally, we get her and why she is who she is. Bravo, Ira Sachs, for the fine direction and co-writing.
SULLY
“Sully” is the movie for the moment because don’t we all need a hero? Here’s a humble man just doing his job and accidentally performing a miracle? Today’s world is so filled with bitterness, anger and lies; there are no clean lines of demarcation, either morally or legally, in hardly any aspect of our lives. So along comes this this meticulously acted, directed and written film that is so uplifting I was high for quite a while afterward. Tom Hanks is, of course, a national treasure and every part, down to the smallest one, is perfectly cast. Yes, some dramatic license has been taken to create a conflict where perhaps there was none, and even though that kind of story mechanism often irritates me, in this case dramatic license was forgivable. Thank you, Clint Eastwood, for giving us this gift.
Hits and misses
“The Light Between Oceans” is one half of a beautiful and dreamy film. The interplay between Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander is mesmerizing, and even though their individual characters are so very different, for a while, they are in sync. But the story takes a turn halfway through that might be true to the book (I haven’t read it) but shifts gears out of the sensual treat we’ve been experiencing into sheer melodrama, utilizing a set of coincidences that feel downright corny. I was sorry it went there but alas, it did.
“Bridget Jones’s Baby” has some really funny moments and Renee Zellweger and — especially — Colin Firth outshine the material, but, for me, it isn’t the fun escapist kind of film it wants to be. And even though there’s no real story to speak of, I enjoyed “Florence Foster Jenkins” because it has gorgeous period costumes and wonderful performances. Once again, our other national treasure, Meryl Streep, loses herself totally in the character of a woman who has no idea how very bad her singing voice is, but for me it is Hugh Grant’s portrayal of a conflicted, somewhat shady-yet-noble husband that moved me the most.
See you next time!