Saw The Shape of Water today with my 21 year old daughter home on Christmas break. The acting was superb. We saw it at the Tampa Theater, a remodeled (close to original) venue built in 1926. It was a fabulous place to see this movie. We agreed that the movie wouldn’t have been as good if we had seen it at our local AMC. And the popcorn was fantastic!
Thanks for your endorsement and comment on my Star Wars post: The theory that Mark Hamill and his role slowed the first half down of SW may be right on the money.
We found the disappearance at the end weird too. If he was going to do that anyway, why bother sending an enigmatic substitute? Makes no sense.
–I think I worded that obtusely enough not to be a giveaway.
Saw Darkest Hour because my constituency enjoy history and know British history well.
We thought Dunkirk was great, and DH was not totally diminished by the precedent. In close detail laid out, we felt the increasing pressure and perilousness as days on the calendar passed. (Sound like corny film convention, but there really was a calendar on screen to order events.)
Oldman has always been a great actor who disappears into roles. He was totally believable as Churchill. The English language plays a starring role, and we looked up at least one source.
However the young secretary’s role was conventional, and the few cameos by persons of color highlighted–once again–the weakness of the “great men’s events” approach to history. The scene on the underground tries to make up for it, but simply drew attention to that problem.
A more multi-vocal story needs to be told. Certainly Dunkirk did better at getting to the working class sacrifice of war.
@IvyGrad09, very interested in your reaction to Dunkirk. I so looked forward to the movie, but had to opt out halfway through my viewing on an overseas flight. Just too much reality for my trans-Pacific flight. Dunkirk inflamed my interests almost 50 years ago when I was a high schooler with a terrific history teacher. Thanks for the review, I may try again on Netflix when I’m home and a bit more relaxed.
Dunkirk isn’t made to watch on a plane. The tiny screen and poor sound does not do the movie justice AT ALL. I think it is a fantastic, well crafted film. It needs to be watched on a big screen, the bigger the better, and with an excellent sound system.
I,enjoyed the Darkest Hour. Loved the subway ride scene. Wish they had spoken more of Dunkirk. The wife’s part was wonderful.
We saw Darkest Hour on Saturday night and thought it was good. Gary Oldman was outstanding. i enjoyed the perspective on Dunkirk and how it came to be, especially after seeing that movie earlier this year. Good history lesson about Neville Chamberlain and Lord Halifax… don’t recall knowing much about the opposition to Churchill or that he did enjoy the support of the king in his point of view.
Oh yes, King “Berty” was quite good and believable.
Just saw Star Wars. Throw everything from 1977 into a pot, add some new tech, mix, and throw out onto the screen. Kinda like a Jackson Pollock painting, except for the humor, what a snooze. Tired story lines, boring one dimensional characters, except maybe the lead. Was thrilled when Laura Dern turned around her cruiser. The 25 minutes of previews didn’t help.
Loved Lady Bird! Funny, poignant, genuine. Thought the dialogue was fabulous.
Has anyone seen Call me by your name?
The young man in the lead role is supposed to be excellent, and he had a part in Lady Bird as well.
The kids and I saw Jumanji last night. We thought it was better than Star Wars. Very funny. Jack Black was hilarious playing a teenage girl in a middle-aged man’s body. They even pulled in references to the original story. This was a completely new storyline, not a reboot. I’d give it 3.5 stars out of 5.
Saw (and loved!) Lady Bird today! So good!
@wisteria – just googled Call me by your name – looks interesting! Did you see it yet?
Joining in on Lady Bird comments – I appreciated it and thought the dialogue was great and the characters all really well done. As stated earlier, not rooting for Lady Bird 100% of the time which was my way of saying both characters (mom and daughter) were at times equally unlikable, but very realistic. DD saw it separately and didn’t like it. Didn’t get a chance to ask why.
This must be the year of Lucas Hedges. First, Manchester by the Sea, then Three Billboards, now Lady Bird.
My kids went to see Downsizing last night. I didn’t want to go – the previews I thought gave it away and the premise was disturbing. I really hope it was an elaborate thought provoking extended dream sequence. Yes I now worry about accidentally stepping on someone who’s 5 inches tall. And seeing Matt Damon small and bald has destroyed his sex appeal for me lol.
We saw Molly’s Game yesterday and really enjoyed it.
Has anyone noticed how closely Star Wars resembles the world as seen by Al Qaeda or Daesh? A small but dedicated band of believers trying to wield the mystical force of the universe to oppose a spiritually dead empire interested in nothing but domination, power, and wealth? With suicide bombing – increasingly by women – as a key technique for overcoming the material superiority of the oppressor? Secret “sleeper” supporters in all sorts of places who need to be contacted and inspired?
(We saw it this weekend. Hardly a total loss, because there were plenty of beautiful and exciting moments, but overall a cliche-filled snooze. It endlessly recycled ideas from 40 years ago, which were already recycled from 20 years before that.)
We also saw Lady Bird, and agree with the mainstream opinion here: Small movie, wonderful script, wonderful acting, especially Laurie Metcalf, and the college was Barnard (based in Gerwig’s biography, the subway stop from which the character emerged when she got to college, and the utter unlikelihood that NYU would have given her sufficient financial aid). Also, in Mistress America, which was also pretty clearly based in Gerwig’s personal experience, the college was very specifically Barnard.
I liked – but did not love – The Last Jedi. It’s a little busy, and I’m not crazy about Poe Dameron, who is a lot more conspicuous this time.
I’m also curious about what motivated them to take Leia out of the story during the middle part of the movie. That seemed kind of forced. But I thought Mark Hamill did a great job. I didn’t think he had it in him after a career that has consisted mostly of voice acting, which requires a different set of skills than what he was called upon to display here. I’m glad I was wrong.
Update re: Downsizing – I asked DD how it was; she said “bad”.
Hey I liked Downsizing. Of the four who saw it two were yay and two were nay.
Saw Molly’s Game last night. Very good! Jessica Chastain is fabulous.
“and the utter unlikelihood that NYU would have given her sufficient financial aid”
Haha! I had the same thought. No surprise we spend too much time on CC. 