Red Rocket

 If you have enjoyed films like The Florida Project, American Honey, or Honey Boy, then you are going love Red Rocket. What's it all about? Mikey has returned home to his ex-wife's Texas home (although they are still technically married) broke and bruised and looking desperately for a place to crash. Mikey sweet-talks his way back inside, after all, Mikey is a charmer. He has spent the last decade or so working as an adult film star out in California. That's correct, a male porn star, out of work and out of money. He resumes his former Texas hustle of selling weed out of the local doughnut shop where he meets seventeen year old, Strawberry working behind the counter. Mikey sets his charm-o-metre to high and goes about courting this young lady into not only being his girlfriend, but his cream-filled, chocolate glazed opportunity to get back into porn. Mickey is played by Simon Rex and he has given us a truly balls-out performance. Everyone in the cast is fantastic. This white trash fairly tale is a banger. Catch it on streaming services. 

Spencer

 This is a portrait of pain. Kirsten Stewart has delivered us a heart wrenching performance as Lady Di, a woman tormented by her status, her marriage, and the overbearing staff of her mother-in-law. Diana is portrayed as someone who would like to jump out of her own skin and run away. Stewart does a remarkable job not only imitating Diana's walk and talk, but the way she tilts her head, she conveys a sense of dread, like she was recoiling from the world, a cornered animal behind the lacy veil of a fancy ornamental hat. Stewart grimaces like her pearls were actually strangling her, like they were a shock collar tightly affixed to a bad dog. She tries, as best she can, to shield her children from the royal world of ridiculous traditions and cruelty but we know how the story ends. It's a gorgeous film, cold, cruel. Stewart is deserving of her Globe nomination and I hope she wins. Catch it on streaming services. 

Don't Look Up

 Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence play scientists who have discovered a giant comet hurtling towards earth; a comet which will wipe out the entire planet. Meryl Streep plays the president of the United States as a kind of blonde Sarah Palin type figure. Jonah Hill plays her son. When this information is brought to the president, no action is taken until the comet plays well with voters. They hatch a plan to send Ron Perlman into space to destroy the comet like Bruce Willis in Armageddon. At the last moment the mission is aborted because it is discovered the comet contains valuable minerals used in the production of cell phones. A Jeff Bezos character (Mark Rylance) hatches a new plan to break the comet up into little pieces and let it hit the earth. It’s a crazy but believable story which makes it incredibly funny and incredibly sad at the same time. The film could be taken as an analogy for either Covid or the climate crisis. It is an astute observation of this social media world in which we live and it's one of the smartest films you will see this year. It's also one of the funniest. Catch Don't Look Up on Netflix. 

The Novice

The Novice is a portrait of obsession, grit, and raw determination. Isabelle Fuhrman plays Alex, a freshman who joins the rowing team in her junior year at university. Nothing will stop her becoming the best rower on the team. Through, blood, sweat, and tears, Alex pushes herself to new limits. Isabelle Fuhrman has given us one of the most brilliant and powerful performances of 2021. Already overlooked by the Golden Globes - Oscars, get your head out of your golden ass and pay attention. Isabelle Fuhrman is a powerhouse. The Novice is the feature directorial debut from Lauren Hadaway; she has given us a stunningly good looking film. It's beautiful like a boat of rowers in perfect unison; this movie glides gorgeously along. And it subverts expectations - there are a few twists I didn't see coming. Catch a ride with The Novice on streaming services. 

The Power of the Dog

 This is a Jane Campion film. She has been busy with her series Top of the Lake for many years. This is her first feature in over a decade; it's a good good one. What's is all about? Benedict Cumberbatch plays hyper-masculine cow-wrangler, Phil and Jesse Plemons plays his softer bother, George. George marries Rose (Kirsten Dunst) and she has a teenager son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is artistic, sensitive and likely gay. Well it turns out that Phil, behind all that testosterone and cruelty, he's a repressed Brokeback Mountain cowboy himself. Phil is pretty nasty to Rose throughout the film and Peter, he doesn't like anyone being mean to his momma. You have to watch out for those quiet types. The movie may be slow but it's gripping. The ending may leave you surprised and confused, so pay attention, this is an astute tale of revenge. It's also one of the best looking films of the year and it has given us some of the best performances too. This one is already nominated for a Golden Globe best picture. It will be surely be nominated for an Oscar too. Catch it now on Netflix.   

C'mon C'mon

 

With the charm and black and white cinematic sensibility of a Woody Allen or a Jim Jarmusch film, C'mon C'mon offers us one of the most delightful films of the year. Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny, a radio journalist making an audio documentary about kids and what they think the future will hold for them. His sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann) recruits Johnny to look after her son Jesse (Woody Norman) while she deals with her mentally ill musician husband. The film is essentially the relationship between Jesse and Johnny. Johnny, even though his is making a radio piece about what kids think,  has no understanding of his own nephew. Johnny is a fish out of water when it comes to parenting and quickly learns all the highs and lows which come with the job - turn your back for a second and they are gone. Woody Norman who plays the kid is really a charming little guy and full of talent for improv. The film is full of authentic moments of both charm and melancholy. This one will be be making my list of the best films of 2021. Catch it on streaming services when available. 

The Feast

 This is the first feature for director Lee Haven Jones and it's something to behold. It's a horror film that Cronenberg would have been proud to have made - it's slow, aesthetically extremely cold, and creepy as fuck. If this doesn't sound like your bag, the The Feast is not for you. Also it's in the Welsh language, so subtitles to boot. For me, this is all good stuff. What's it all about? A wealthy family is throwing a dinner party and they hire Cadi (Annes Elwy) to help prepare the meal. Cadi, well she is one creepy freak for sure but the whole family is odd and everyone seem to have a strange fetish. Lots of kinking voyeuristic action takes place in The Feast, including the audience - the act of watching others in their private moments is both unsettling as an invasion of privacy but also perversely alluring to see what is really going on. Isn't that what film and books are though, keyholes into the lives of others? This little film looks great and it offers up a three course horror show. If you like your horror movies strange, mythical, and gross, then dig into The Feast on streaming services. 

Boiling Point

Like 1917 or Birdman, Boiling Point is a one shot movie, no edits or cuts; it's just one take (or at least that's what it's supposed to feel like). Anyway, for me, the gimmick usually gets old, but not in the case; for Boiling Point it just ramps up the tension. If you have every worked in a restaurant, then Boiling Point is must viewing - they have achieved a great feeling of authenticity; people have obviously put themselves through film school washing dishes and/or waiting tables - this stuff is spot on. The story revolves mostly around head chef Andy (Stephen Graham) and all he and his restaurant have going on. There is a lot on his plate (order up restaurant puns!) - from cranky health inspectors, a surprise food critic and a celebrity chef drop in, nut allergies, rude guests, bickering staff, lazy dishwashers, and the pressure of a full house, Boiling Point cooks right along. There was even a small moment between two pastry chefs in the back kitchen which had me of the cusp of tears. The movie is technically brilliant but also truly engaging. The entire cast is really fabulous - Vinette Robinson as Carly was a stand out. Make a reservation to watch Boiling Point when the opportunity arrives. It's a five star. 

King Richard

 Welcome to the next movie which will be nominated for Oscar's Best Picture. Based of the true story of Venus and Serina Williams and how their father helps turn them into international tennis stars. The story really is a remarkable one, Richard Williams (played by Will Smith - will he be nominated for this?) had five kids from his first marriage, two with his second and his second wife had three from a previous marriage. Richard's second marriage is what the film focuses in on, raising these five girls, Venus and Serina being his biological kids. He wrote out a plan, an 85 page plan, to turn them into tennis pros. The film portrays Richard poor, working as a security guard in the evening and training his daughters in the day in a scroungy ghetto of L.A., They practice tennis on a crappy court surrounded by bad-ass gangsters who like to talk smack. The whole movie follows the playbook of the underdog sports movie; so yes, it's a bit cliched at times but King Richard, well it delivers an ace down the center line. And I love to root for the underdog. Catch this on in the theatres or on streaming services. 

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

 

1969, a lot of crazy stuff happened in America that year. A lot of culture changes were afoot. The Woodstock music festival has a historic place in the consciousness of North American society, especially white society; largely due to the fact that the documentary Woodstock won the Oscar for best documentary in 1970. Everyone has seen it (if you haven't, more film homework for you). What I didn't know, what the world didn't know was100 miles away in Harlem, in New York City there was an almost all-black music festival known as the Harlem Cultural Festival - a festival that spanned over six weekends at fifty thousand people at a time. That's 300,000 people, a mostly all black audience, listening to some of the greatest black artists of the time (except for Jimi, he was at Woodstock) and nobody knows anything about it; well that is, until now. Summer of Soul is the documentary about this festival, it's place of relevance to the people who lived in Harlem, for those who attended, and those who performed. It's as culturally significant as Woodstock, both for the music and the fact that it was ignored. Ignored nor more. Summer of Soul is much watch viewing for both its importance in the place of history but also for the great music of  Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension, and Gladys Knight (to name some of the highlights). We get to see Stevie Wonder playing drums! Amazing! Catch this wonderful time capsule on Disney+ or in theatres if you can. 

VAL

If you don't like Val Kilmer, then this isn't for you. I've liked him since I watched Top Secret!. I thought he was genius as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors. I loved him in Michael Mann's Heat and later in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Robert Downey Jr. If you haven't seen the movie Felon, check it out. But I think my favourite Val role was as Doc Holiday in one of my favourite Westerns, Tombstone.

I was having lunch this summer on a patio and the subject of Val Kilmer came up. Somebody told me, you know he has throat cancer, can't speak anymore, don't you? I didn't know. Which explained why I hadn't been seeing him in any recent films. Shortly after, maybe a week later, I noticed, VAL, on Amazon - a documentary about Val Kilmer by Val Kilmer. So I watched. When Val begins to narrate his own story, I was baffled; I thought he couldn't speak, or speak well? Val's son Jack, who sounds exactly like Val, narrates this poignant, warts-and-all biography of his star father. Val has had a very interesting life, not all of it easy. He may continue to do some acting, but he will never be able to do the the same kind of work which I so admired him for. That's okay, because this is a portrait of a grateful man, lucky enough to have gifted us some tremendous performances, performances which are continued to be loved by fans wherever he goes. If you want to have some intimate personal time with the star, check out VAL on Amazon. 

The Last Duel

The Last Duel is, so far, my favourite picture of 2021. If that's not a good enough reason to go see it then let me tell you you it was directed by Ridley Scott, who is one of my favourite directors (Blade Runner being the greatest film of all time). If this were not enough reason to go out and see The Last Duel, then how about the fact that it was written by Oscar winners, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (and Nicole Holofcener this time too). Ben and Matt didn't win for acting, they won for writing. Good Will Hunting is one of the reasons I became a writer - I thought if these guys can win an Oscar for writing, why can't I? (Hey! I'm still working on it. I will get there - sit tight). Anyway, what's it all about? Based on a true story, let's call it the #metoo of the 14th Century. It's a story told from three different perspectives in a similar way the TV show The Affair gave us different points of view. I’m not a huge fan of period pieces and I loved this. It's gripping, exciting, well written, well acted, and it looks impeccable. Go out and watch what is likely the best film of the year.   

The Rescue

If you remember the kids, the soccer team, that got got stuck in that cave in Thailand back in 2018, well this film, this National Geographic documentary is about that story; it's The Rescue. We get to  find out exactly who "they" are when people say, "They rescued them." If you think you know the story, you might not know all the harrowing details. Even knowing the outcome, The Rescue is truly gripping. It almost brought me to tears a few times. If you want to get into the mood, get a sense of who "they" are (recreational cave divers, people who go down into the dark depths for hours at a time in tight confining spaces, places if anything were to go wrong, well it's usually not good) then check out the documentary, Dave Not Coming Back on Netflix - another cave diving rescue mission of a different kind and from the title alone, not such a happy finish. It's good, but not nearly as captivating as The Rescue. This documentary will no doubt be nominated for an Oscar. Heck, it might even win. Catch it in theatres now. 

The Alpinist

Move over Alex Honnold, there is a crazy Canuck who is climbing, free soloing even bigger and more dangerous mountain faces than El Capitan and his name is Marc-André Leclerc. If you don't know who Alex Honnold is, then go watch Free Solo. I didn't think anyone in my lifetime would top Alex Honnold's climb of El Cap until I watched The Alpinist, the documentary about Marc-André Leclerc. Marc-André climbs rock faces like Alex but he also climbs ice walls and switching back and forth between ice and rock as he ascends a mountain. He does this without ropes or a safety net; just ice boots and two ice picks and up, up, up he goes. When I watched the Alpinist, my hands were literally perspiring - this is the most bananas thing I've ever seen. Every step up is potentially a deadly one; one slip and Marc-André is a goner. Marc-André seems like a kid hell bent on getting the next high, literally getting high by getting high. In drug terms they call that chasing the dragon, always trying to recreate the great first high by always having to go bigger. Mountain climbing, like drug use, never seems to end well for a lot of people. Those who are addicted, they just can't stop. Watch this one at your own risk. If you don't like heights, The Alpinist will have you gripping your chair. 

Coming Home in the Dark

This blog is about great film and TV shows I think you should check out. Part of my job, I feel, is to include those little films you might not have heard about, like Coming Home in the Dark. It's a low budget film out of New Zealand. I would describe it as the family-fun version of Deliverance - if that sounds grim, it is. If you haven't watched Deliverance, I have given you your next film homework assignment. Daniel Gillies play Mandrake, the main villain, the family's tormenter. But all is not quite what it seems when Mandrake starts to interrogate the father about his school teaching past. Good and bad become a little blurry. What remains good the entire film is Daniel Gillies - what a great performance! Is it great enough to be noticed by the Golden Globes? Unlikely but I have my fingers crossed. I thought the ending of the film was slightly weak, but the overall movie is strong enough to recommend here on the Marquee. Be a hostage on this ride and catch it in theatres if possible or on streaming services when available. 

Physical

 Apple+ keeps churning out some great stuff. All of Apple+ shows look great but not all of them are. Physical is one where the content is as good as the packaging. It is a dramatic-comedy series set in the early 1980s in San Diego. The main character is Sheila Rubin (fabulously played by Rose Byrne - you might know her the rich and annoying bridesmaid in the movie, Bridesmaids). Sheila has bulimia; her favourite thing to do is order a bunch of cheeseburgers and fries and head to a nearby motel, check in, get naked, binge, then vomit. Despite her body image issues, Sheila is smart and funny and very resourceful. Her hippy dippy husband Danny (Rory Scovel) decides to quit teaching Political Science and run for politics. Sheila has barfed most of their savings away and needs money. She comes across an 80s aerobics class and falls in love with it, ends up teaching it. There is a buffet of supporting characters to eat and love, including her cocaine-smoothie aerobics partner Bunny (Della Saba) and her beach bum boyfriend Tyler (Lou Taylor Pucci). There is a lot repression and denial going on in the show including a strange hair fetish. I loved it. Let yourself get physical with this great show on Apple+. 

The Card Counter

 

Don't let this one get lost in the deck of movie releases! The Card Counter isn't really a film like The Hustler or The Cincinnati Kid, both films referenced in The Card Counter by character William Tell (Oscar Isaac) aptly noting the Hustler was about pool, not cards. Like The Mauritanian or The Report this is a fictional story about the crimes committed by American soldiers in Abu Ghraib prisons. Horrific abuses occurred there for which William Tell went to an American prison and learned to count cards. He always plays it cool, knows when to get out and not bring unwanted attention to himself. This all changes when he runs into his old torture-master boss, Gordo (William Dafoe) at a hotel doing the security conference circuit. William meets Cirk (Tye Sheridan) who wants to kill Gordo as revenge on what he did to Cirk's father. William talks him out of that and the two go on the gambling road with a baker, La Linda (Tiffany Haddish) - she is the love interest. The movie is about revenge and redemption, PTSD, and finding love. It felt like a Michael Mann film (Heat, The Insider, Manhunter). It's produced by Martin Scorsese and directed by Paul Schrader. This movie is aces. Catch it in theatres if you can. 

Maid

Domestic abuse is the subject of this Netflix series. Margaret Qualley plays Alex, the mother of Maddy, who is running away from Sean (Nick Robinson) her controlling alcoholic husband who is mentally abusive, especially when he's had a few. Alex packs up Maddy in the middle of the night to escape their trailer home only to be swept up in a bureaucratic nightmare of social services. Alex has nothing, no job, no schooling, nothing. To qualify for housing, she needs a job and lands temporary employment as a maid - hence the title of the show. Alex's mother is Paula, played by Andie MacDowell (Margaret Qualley's actual mother). Paula is an artist also living in a trailer and she is bipolar. Alex's father is a born again Christian who is remarried with a new family, an alcoholic abuser himself. The show is packed with sad characters, a ton of mental illnesses and depressing situations all around - if that sounds grim, it is. Surprisingly I found the show rather uplifting - maybe uplifting isn't the term. I was happy to cheer for Alex, who remained, for the most part, positive and resilient enduring one terrible hardship after the next. Margaret Qualley is fabulous as is the entire cast. After you finish Squid Game, here is another great show about financial inequality (as well as domestic abuse, bureaucracy, mental illness, PTSD, and lots more fun). Ultimately though, the show is about the power of a mother's love (and the dream of becoming a writer) to overcome the toughest of obstacles. Catch this fabulous show on Netflix. 

Old Henry

I will watch anything Stephen Dorff participates in. If he feels like it's a worthy project, I'm in. Old Henry is a Western and Dorff plays the villain. Tim Blake Nelson plays the lead - a character actor who shines as Old Henry. He plays a farmer with a hidden past, a past which we suspect is going to come out when the bad guys show up. I won't write more plot wise. It's a simple story and we have seen it before. Imagine The Equalizer, but a Western. The film has  a great sense of dread which builds slowly throughout accompanied by the films score. It's a gorgeous looking picture, both in colour palette and composition. There are many long scenes in the tall grass that will grip you longer than you thought possible. It won't be nominated for best picture but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Tim Blake Nelson gets a nomination for lead actor - a Golden Globe or Oscar or maybe even both. Catch it on Streaming services or in the theatre if you get a chance.   

No Time to Die

 Ian Fleming died in 1964 at the age of 56. He didn't get to see the movie version of Goldfinger. No Time to Die marks the 27th James Bond movie. Fleming, I believe,  would be overwhelmed with pride and delighted to see how far his character has travelled- like any great Bond film, it's been international locales. This is Daniel Craig's fifth Bond film and it's said to be his last (although I think he said that two films ago) - Never Say Never. I would argue, with a ridiculous runtime of 2 hours and 45 minutes, it's his best and one of the best Bond films ever. For me, the almost 3 hours flew by, with all the bad guys in hot pursuit of course. No Time to Die has a great story, drama, bulletproof cars with machine gun lights, cool bad guys, martinis, and a new black woman double oh seven (I would have like to have seen more of her). What more could you want? Go catch this one in the theatres while you can - the bigger the screen, the better.  

Titane

Titane is a head trip. It's a cross between the 1977 film Demon Seed and David Cronenberg's Crash - I will translate my own film geek nomenclature for you - a woman gets impregnated by a car. Yes, that's correct, a car. Then she goes on a random killing spree and then changes her appearance to evade police and pretends to be a man's long lost son. If that sounds bizarre, it is. For those of you who like to be challenged, who like films that push boundaries, movies which leave you asking, "What was that?" Titane is the movie for 2021 to do the job.  How strange are we talking? Think Under the Skin, Santa Sangre, or Wild at Heart strange.  It is about sexuality, identity, toxic masculinity, violence, mutation - lots of moving parts and stunning visuals. It's violent, grotesque, and it will haunt you long after you have stopped watching. It is one of the most interesting films of 2021. Catch it in theatres or on streaming services. 

Malignant

I think one could argue Quentin Tarantino's whole body of work is a homage to films Tarantino loves, like B-Westerns, B-Kung-Fu movies, B action films,  Peckinpah films, De Palma's films, etc. James Wan, the Australian director who has brought us Saw, The Conjuring, Insidious, and many other great horror films has brought us what I consider to be his homage to 80s VHS B-Horror films, Tarantino style. Malignant is an extraordinary B-"Midnight-Madness"-horror movie. Taken in that context, it's a blast of fun. What's it all about? Annabelle Wallis plays Madison Mitchell, a woman who is haunted by The Eyes of Laura Mars type visions where she can see murders happening in real time. The source of these visions is so outlandish that you will howl with laughter - this is great B-horror movie stuff. With castle-sized hospitals with classic accompanying lighting and thunder, plus weird experiments being performed by people in white lab coats, we are in a B-horror happy place. To top it off, there is a Matrix style fight scene in a jail holding cell that will bring you joy. Catch this wonderful trash pick in the theatre or on streaming services.    

Squid Game

If you only have time for one series this year, then please let it be Squid Game. This South Korean Netflix show is a visceral, nail-biting, thrill ride. It's violent, disturbing, and you will not be able to stop watching. If you want a sense of what it's all about, it's kind of like if you crossed Parasite with The Hunger Games. What makes it so arresting to watch is the bold crayon colours used in the show, they are outlandish and cartoonish contrasted with the gruesome carnal violence which blood soaks every episode. It's a head trip for sure and one not for the faint of heart. Themes of financial inequity, financial injustice, and what we are willing to do for a buck (or a million) swirl around each episode like the money offered up in a giant plastic piggybank. Lots of questions and mysteries, both ethical, existential, and practical - what's really going on here? Squid Game will worm into your brain and hold on to you long after you have stopped watching. It has a huge budget and an outstanding cast. The lead, Jung-jae Lee, is just a marvel. Please give this man a Golden Globe nomination as well as most of the supporting cast. I can't say enough about Squid Game. Watch it now on Netflix. 

The Green Knight

 I don't like Lord of the Rings. There, I said it. I appreciate the level of detail, the costumes, the look of the films, and to some extent, some of the performances. And Gollum. Everyone likes Gollum. But no, I thought the whole thing was dreadfully dull. So, when I saw the trailer for The Green Knight, I thought, no, I don't think so. But it got really good reviews but audiences hated it. Then I was somewhat intrigued. I watched. I didn't realize until after the director is David Lowery, the gentleman who brought us Ghost Story (with Casey Affleck). Lowery is a director who plays with time. He shows us possibilities, sometime over decades or more, then rolls us back to the present so we may proceed again on a different path; time lapse trickery. Time, mortality, and honour are the themes of The Green Knight, a far more adult version of a knight's quest. And let me tell you, it's a beautiful film. I mean really gorgeous to look at. I was deeply surprised how much I like this film. Dev Patel (Lion) who plays the lead, is really excellent. Come for the aesthetics, stay for the meditation on mortality and have an adventure along the way. Catch it in the theatre if you can, otherwise on streaming services.   

Brand New Cherry Flavor

I binged it in two days. I LOVED IT. What's it all about? Rosa Salazar plays Lisa Nova, a young and enthusiastic film maker who has made a short film that Hollywood producer Lou Burke (Eric Lange) wants to turn into a feature length film. Lou is in need of a hit and Lisa, well she is just happy her dream of becoming a movie director is coming true. Except Lou, turns out he is an asshole, so Lisa Nova gets Boro (Catherine Keener) to put a hex on him. Set in L.A. of the 1990s, it feels like a cross between David Lynch and David Cronenberg, surrealism meets body-gross-out identity crisis, when both directors where doing some of their best work. The whole thing is a bit of an acid trip with a bag of mixed and sometime heavy emotional performances. Salazar's performance has been highly praised. She is really really good. But her supporting actor, Eric Lange as Lou Burke, is phenomenal. I hope when the Golden Globes comes around, they don't overlook him. Catch this freak show on Netflix.  

Mandibles

One of the delights of having the Bytowne Cinema back up in running in Ottawa is that the city gets exposed to European, Asian, Middle Eastern, etc. - films outside of the standard North American fare. Mandibles is a French Comedy about two losers, petty criminals, who are in need of some cash for basic existence. When Manu (Grégoire Ludig) gets offered a job to transport a briefcase from point A to point B, no questions asked, he jumps at the chance. He steals a car (because he doesn't have one or anything) and pulls in his good friend Jean-Gab (David Marsais) to share in the action. Think Harry and Marv from Home Alone, the wet bandits, and you get the idea. Well our two clowns discover a giant fly in the trunk of the stolen car. That's right, a fly the size of a mid sized dog, in the trunk of the car. Jean-Gab has the brilliant idea to train the fly to steal stuff for them, like food, and maybe even rob banks for them. It sounds ridiculous and it is! Goofy fun. Have a laugh, catch this one when you get a chance.

Nowhere Special

What's it all about? John (James Norton) is a window washer, a single dad of a three year old son, Michael (Daniel Lamont) and John is dying (presumably of some inoperable cancer). If it sounds grim, it is. John, with the help of social services is trying to find a new home for Michael when John finally succumbs. Bring a big box of tissues for this one, like a big one. Maybe some paper towels too. There will be tears. It's a subtle and thoughtful film about fatherhood, other people's values, and the fragility of everything. It's also a moving portrait of a father and son. If you are up for a deeply emotional ride, I highly recommend going to Nowhere Special. Catch it on streaming services.

I Care a Lot

How do you take your comedies? I take mine black. I Care a Lot is dark. It has a cruelty and goofiness which is reminiscent of a Coen brothers picture. What's it all about? Rosamund Pike plays Marla Grayson, a conniving, evil woman who dupes seniors; Marla has them fraudulently committed to old age homes or psychiatric care against their will, has a judge give her all the rights to manage their affairs, and then she goes about selling off all their material wealth so she can steal it all for herself. She's an evil piece of work. Things are moving along just fine until Marla happens to put the wrong old lady in a home (played by two time Oscar winner, Dianne Wiest). Wiest wasn't nominated for an Oscar or a Golden Globe, but she steals ever scene she is in. She is a joy to watch. Peter Dinklage plays her son Roman. He is just as evil as Marla. Let the games begin. This is a battle of wills between two monsters and it's a zany fun ride. Rosamund Pike was nominated and won the Golden Globe for best actress in a Musical or Comedy. Well deserved. Catch this on Amazon or Netflix depending on where you live. 

A Quiet Place Part II

It's rare for sequels to be better than their originals - The Empire Strikes Back, Godfather II, The Raid 2, to name a few. A Quiet Place Part II now ranks amongst them. I enjoyed the first but I loved the second. This is an origin story - what happened on day one. For those of you who didn't see the first one, we have monsters running around that have super hearing. If they hear you, they will find you and eat you. They have ruined the entire planet and have wiped out most of humanity. A Quiet Place Part II works so well because everyone is in jeopardy in parallel but in different places. You cut from one dramatic scene to the next, over and over; it's relentless and breathtaking. Let me tell you, you will be on the edge of your seat for the duration. John Krasinski has taken his talent to the next level. It's a hell of a fun ride. Catch it on Amazon.

Raging Fire

After having watched The Raid 2 and The Villainess, two of the best action films (out of Indonesia and Korea respectively) in the last decade, I thought I wouldn't see anything comparable for years. Wrong. Raging Fire stars martial artist Donnie Yen (of Ip Man fame or maybe you know him as the blind Jedi Monk from Rogue One). Donnie Yen is 58 years old. 58. He moves like a man in the prime of his twenties. He is rather remarkable. In Raging Fire he plays a cop (Bong). Bong's moral integrity has cost him promotions at work. It also sent six of his fellow officers to prison for beating a kidnapper to death. Bong could have lied and colleagues would have walked. But no, Bong's a moral man. So these cops, they served their time and now they are out and want revenge on Bong and the rest of the police department. That's about all the plot I need to explain. There is lots of shmaltzy melodrama mixed in, typical of many Asian action films - it's part of the charm if you ask me. So now onto the the action. Bananas! None stop gun fire, car chases, and hand to hand martial arts ass kicking! It's a blast. It will be hands down the best action film you see this year and maybe for the next several. Catch it where and when you can. 

Pig

Stage 3 of Ontario's reopening plan is now here and the first thing I did was go to the Mayfair Theatre to see "Pig" starring Nicolas Cage. I missed the Mayfair so much during the pandemic. It's one of my favourtie places on the planet. Anyway, back to Pig. For the last two decades, Cage has been churning out films like the machine at the exhibition churns out mini-doughnuts; sometimes yummy, mostly garbage. There have been rumours of financial problems, hence the overzealous output to pay off debts. Cage is actor know for his crazy, manic performances. Some of these B films he has made in recent years have been rather spectacular: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Color Out of Space, and my favourite of his most bananas roles, Mandy. The best thing I saw from Cage was Joe - this is  an excellent film and you should take the time find it and watch it. Most have been garbage films, mini doughnuts, fun to eat, not a meal to remember. And along came Pig. Pig is about Robin, living off the grid, deep in the woods, with his foraging truffle pig. I really don't want to tell you more because I don't want to spoil it for you. I suspect Cage will be nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar for this one. It's a beautifully shot film, gorgeous in subtle palate colours. Pig is a meal you will remember for a long time. Catch it in Theatres, and if you live in Ottawa, catch it this week at the Mayfair.

Army of the Dead

Full disclosure: I'm a sucker for Zombie films. I also dig a good heist film. Here we have have both. It's Ocean's Eleven meets Dawn of the Dead with a little Escape from New York thrown in. What's it all about? An army experiment/asset (a fast moving zombie) escapes during transport in the Nevada desert. The zombie beelines it for Las Vegas and quickly the whole city turns into Zombie Town. The entire city is walled off by box cars. The government's solution is to nuke the city of Vegas. So with 96 hours before the scheduled bombing, a rich Japanese billionaire (Hiroyuki Sanada) asks Scott Ward (decorated former mercenary) who is down on his luck and could use the money, to hand pick a team and go into Zombie Town and steal millions from a Vegas casino before the city is annihilated. Dave Bautista plays Scott. I like Dave Bautista, however this role could have been played by any of Hollywood's current A-list action stars (The Rock, Vin Diesel, etc.). I wish I had watched this in the theatre, post pandemic. It would have been the best move to see in the theatre because it's just so ridiculous. This is a big splashy zombie action film (lots of Zack Snyder slow-mo gun fire) with a runtime of 2.5 hours! Bananas! I loved it. It's by no means high art. It is the equivalent to spending a day a the fair grounds: candy floss, the haunted house ride, the rollercoaster, and the long line to the porta-potty (it's not all good). If you are looking for some dumb fun, bet it all on Zombie Elvis. Brains, baby, brains. Catch it on Netflix. 

Hacks

 If you finished Mare of Easttown and are having Jean Smart withdrawal, I got you covered: Hacks; also on HBOMAX. Jean plays Deborah Vance, an aging Las Vegas comedian. The character of Vance borrows heavily from real life comic Joan Rivers. Rivers wrote her own material, was a workaholic, had expensive and rather gaudy taste, would do infomercials, had every day packed with work, had a love for plastic surgery, and put her carrer above all else. Rivers was a groundbreaker for female comics. Personally I think that Rivers was a genius - if you haven't watched the documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, you should. What I just said about Rivers sums up the character of Vance and Jean Smart is brilliant in her portrayal - my prediction is she will be nominated for a Golden Globe for best supporting in the Mare of Easttown and she will be nominated for a lead in Hacks - she might just win both. Hacks is not just about Deborah Vance, it's also about Ava (played by Hannah Einbinder - she is also wonderful) a 25 year old millennial comedian/writer who is bitter and out of work. Her agent sets her up with Deborah to help her write some new material. A love-hate relationship (mostly hate) forms between the two as Ava tries to get Deborah to explore her past as part of her new material. The writing in this show is whip smart and the characters are well formed. Double down of the poignant and funny dramedy, it's simply aces. 

Mare of Easttown

 

If you haven't already watched Mare of Easttown, well I guess I have given you something to do. It's probably the best thing since "The Killing" or "True Detective." What's is all about? Kate Winslet plays a middle-aged grizzled detective (Mare) investigating missing girls and a homicide in a small Pennsylvania town. Mare has a lot going on in her life and well, so does everyone else in town, including her ex-husband who lives in the house behind hers. There are a ton of characters and most of them are well formed, for the most part. In fact there is so much going on, it borders on bananas ("Tell Me Your Secrets" like bananas). But I loved it. This is another well put together show. Every single actor in this is great. Particularly wonderful is Jean Smart who plays Mare's mother. Every time she is on the screen, she holds me mesmerized. Fabulous. What makes it special is each of these characters feels real, the way they speak, the way they eat their food, the way act when they get home from a hard day at work. The show also throws a bunch of refreshing plot twists surprises at you; keeps you on your toes. Go investigate this one on HBOMax. 

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

 We have come a long way from The Exorcist. The Exorcist is a slow burn with a big roller coaster barf finale. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is a contemporary roller coaster and we are blasted out of the gate like The Hulk ride at Universal Studio's. Warner Bros. Pictures made this, and it's a wild fast ride of horror. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are back in this third installment of the series, as real life paranormal ghost hunters, Ed and Lorraine Warren. These two have such great on screen chemistry, they are a big part of why I love these films. This is based on a "true story" of demon possession - if you believe in this sort of thing. I don't but that didn't stop me from having a whole lot of fun. If you are a fan of the first two films - I think The Conjuring (the first one) is a modern horror masterpiece and I loved it. The second one was good but not as good as the third, in my opinion. The third is stripped down and there is little time to catch your breath. What's it all about? Satanists are at work and people are getting possessed by the devil - there is black magic and black candles and the powers of darkness are at work. It's up to Ed and Lorraine to sort the possessions out, save Arne (Ruairi O'Connor) from spending a life in prison for stabbing a man 22 times to death - the devil made him do it!

Go get possessed with this horror thrill ride, now on streaming services. 

Ted Lasso

 Jason Sudeikis. I knew him from SNL. Goofy, funny. I liked him. Didn't' really have any strong feelings about him. Then I watched "Kodachrome" - something I had wanted to watch for a long time because I'm a huge Ed Harris fan but just hadn't gotten around to it. Sudeikis is great in this dramatic role. (catch it on Netflix). I was really impressed. So I thought, let me give Ted Lasso a try.

Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso; goofy, funny. I loved him. What's it all about? Imagine if Ned Flanders (Homer Simpson's nerdy neighbout) wasn't religious and instead coached American Football. The religious aspect replaced with the power of positive thinking (a taped sign that says "Believe" on the locker room wall), Same dorky moustache and nerdy coaching track suit and same "Okilly Dokilly" can-do attitude, and you there you have Ted Lasso. Then imagine if this American Football coach with the positive attitude were hired by a British Soccer Club owner to intentionally have her soccer club fail as revenge against her louse of cheating ex-husband. Except Ted doesn't know the club is supposed to fail. Ted is here to turn it around, not drive it into the ground. Nobody believes in Ted. But Ted (and maybe his co-coach) believes in himself. Believe. 

Ted Lasso is a fish out of water story and you can't help but be charmed by this Bad News Bears story, even if we have see it a dozen times
before. It's damn charming. Funny too. Jason Sudeikis, goofy, funny, and I loved Ted Lasso. The second season is coming soon. Score a goal and catch this highly likeable show streaming on Apple +. Believe. 

Dispatches From Elsewhere

This show is Jason Segel's existential crisis brought straight to the screen. It's part David Fincher's "The Game," tossed in the Dharma Initiative of TV's "LOST" and the breaking-the-fourth-wall of "The Holy Mountain" (but the fun of Ferris Bueller). What's it all about? There are four main characters played by Jason Segel (Peter), Sally Field (Janice), Eve Lindley (Simone), and André 3000 (Fredwynn). They each get wrapped up in a game that brings strangers together in a kind of surreal Amazing Race treasure hunt where the goal isn't known but it's all about the adventure, the journey. As a viewer, you get caught up in the fun and the magic of these characters and their escapades. The show is full art both actually and metaphorically. The whole thing gives you a feeling like you walked into a museum of the absurd, a circus show of freaks. It's also a show that embraces difference. The most important being Eve Lindley's Simone. Eve Lindley is a real Trans woman and she play a trans woman, Simone, in the show. Peter has a relationship with Simone and it's complex. Quite frankly I found it brave of Jason Segel to put this on screen. Brave and important. It shows Simone struggle as a Trans person but it also make strides for humanizing Trans people and not have them be the butt of transphobic jokes. For nothing else, Dispatches From Elsewhere should be hailed as important for Eve Lindley's portal - she really does a great job.

But Simone's story is just one piece (albeit large one) of a complex story with many moving parts. Hats off to Jason Segel to keep it all moving. Some people may be disappointed in the show's ending - you are shown the wizard behind the curtain. I loved it all. Go have an adventure and catch this amazing and important series on Amazon Prime.  

Servant

 Let me tell you about my new favourite thing on TV - Servant. From Producer M. Night Shyamalan - he directed the first episode of Season One. What's it about? It's a about a woman who is a daytime TV reporter and her Chef husband (Dorothy and Sean Turner) who have a new baby, Jericho. They have hired a nanny, Leanne. Leanne is strange. The Turners, well they have an issue with Jericho that I really don't want to explain. I want you to trust me, just watch this. Warning, it's disturbing, twisted, and dark - just my cup of tea. Dorothy's brother, Julian (Rupert Grint) shows up from time to time at their Philadelphia home to polish of some booze and to be the voice of reason - Rupert is fantastic. But even better is Leanne's Uncle George (Boris McGiver) - what a bananas performance; I loved it.

The show is a gorgeous thing to behold. The food that Mr. Turner cooks up is the stuff out of Hannibal - eels, squid, placenta, crickets, lobster ice-cream. And the lighting! The way this show is lit, it's amazing - it's a Renaissance painting; a colour palette of greys; browns and earthy tones. The use of textures and patterns - oh, my - the show is like a gothic flower arrangement. And the dolly camera shots are phenomenal! It simply is the most beautiful show on TV - and likely the most terrifying. 

Catch this horror show on Apple +

When They See Us

This four part Netflix miniseries came out in 2019, before George Floyd's murder, before the Black Lives Matter movement took hold in the way it has. This miniseries feels even more relevant now, just a mere two years later. It's powerful. It's a gut-punch. It's important. What's it all about? It's the dramatic telling of the true story of the Central Park Five, now known as the Exonerated Five - five kids, wrongfully convicted of raping and assaulting a jogger in Central Park in 1989. These kids did nothing and were convicted for the colour of their skin. Steve Lopez, 14. Antron McCray, 15. Kevin Richardson, 14. Yusef Salaam, 15. Raymond Santana, 14. Korey Wise, 16. Kids. Korey Wise had it by far the worst, being sent to adult prison. Jharrel Jerome is the only actor to play both the young man and the adult version of his character; his being, Korey Wise. He is remarkable. He won an Emmy for his performance. The miniseries brought to me to tears several times. Like I said, it's a gut punch. Powerful stuff. Important viewing. It is reminiscent of the miniseries "The Night Of" which is also excellent and has a similar story line. "The Night Of" is fantastic and I loved it, but it's fictional. "When They See Us" - it's true. This really happened to these boys. After you watch it, follow it up with  Oprah Winfrey's "When They See Us Now" - the interview with the Exonerated Five. Catch both on Netflix

News of the World

 I wouldn't call Tom Hanks an action star but if you consider films like Castaway and Captain Philips, News of the World would fall into this same wheelhouse of action. It's a travel Western about a man, Captain Kidd (Tom Hanks) who travels from town to town reading the news - newspapers and literacy both being scarce at this time in American history. Kidd ends up with a kid, Johanna (Helena Zengel - nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance here) and Kidd has agreed to take the kid across the country to her only living relatives after her parents are killed and Johanna was raised by the Kiowa tribe (indigenous people of the Great Plains). Johanna has forgotten how to speak English or German or whatever language she spoke before. Kidd is going on this road trip, because well, we wouldn't have a movie otherwise and it's Tom Hanks (big old softy). They have many adventures along the way and by the end of the film I found myself rather emotionally invested despite the simplicity of the story. Helena Zengel is bloody great in this. It's one of the better films to come out of 2020 so hitch your wagon to this one and giddy up. Catch it on streaming services.  

Judas and the Black Messiah

This year we have two films set in the same 1960s era, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and this one, Judas and the Black Messiah - you should watch them both. Daniel Kaluuya (the dude from Get Out) won the Golden Globe for best supporting actor for his role as Black Panther founder, Fred Hampton. He's nominated for best actor in a leading role for an Oscar. Why the Globes nominated him for best supporting when he should have been nominated for lead remains a mystery. Fred is the messiah and Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) is Judas - an undercover snitch for the FBI who infiltrated the Panthers as a way to weasel his way out of serving grand-theft -auto jail time. It's a true story and a crazy one at that. It makes for a great movie. And this is a great movie. The cast is phenomenal, the story is riveting, and the direction is spot on. It's reminiscent of such films as Goodfellas, Selma, and Donnie Brasco - I loved it; learned lots about the Panthers and Fred Hampton. It's one of the best films of 2021. Catch it on streaming services. 

Tell Me Your Secrets

 Bananas! Like totally bananas!! Ridiculous! What was that? Okay, I don't know if this is a recommendation (this is what my blog is supposed to be about) or a confession that I binged watched the whole thing. I don't even know where to start. It's an acid trip. Okay, this is my best shot. It's about a woman, Emma (played by Lily Rabe) who served time for her alleged involvement with a serial killer. Emma has some memory loss about a certain traumatic event and her therapist, Pete (Enrique Murciano) is trying to dislodge it. Pete works with the FBI and has gotten Emma released from jail and into witness protection. - relocated to swampy Saint James, Louisiana. One of the serial killer's victims' mother, Mary (Amy Brenneman) is convinced her daughter is alive (there was never a body found, just a photo of her and the serial killer at a gas station). Mary believes Emma knows the truth about her daughter and hires a serial rapist, John (Hamish Linklater) to find Emma. To complicate things there is a romance with a cop thrown in, a psychic, mysterious things happening at a group home, a dodgy motel, and a cat. I think it's the serial rapist, John who is the most compelling to watch - Hamish Linklater was so fabulous I wish I could give him some sort of award. Maybe I will make one up - McPherson's Movie Marquee for best actor in a TV series - Hamish Linklater. The whole show feels B. Like all the actors are B list actors, but don't let it fool you, the performances are A list quality. It's just the material at times is ridiculous. Not a lot of it makes sense, but that's okay! Tell Me Your Secrets I predict will become a cult series in the way Pumpkinhead or The Holy Mountain are cult movies. If you want to have some fun, like riding the Haunted House ride, the guy with tat sleeves who smells of weed double checking your safety bar and giving you a wink - then take a ride on Tell Me Your Secrets. Binge it on Amazon.  

Behind Her Eyes

If you were a fan of Channel Zero and are still lamenting its loss, well there have been a few things to fill its void. The Outsider - was one. Behind Her Eyes is the next. Now, before we go on, if you don't know what Channel Zero is/was, then take a minute and read my review of that. I loved Channel Zero. I loved The Outsider. Behind Her Eyes might seem ridiculous to some (fair enough) but if taken in the context this is just another season of Channel Zero without that moniker attached to it, then you may love it too. What's it all about? It about Louise (Simona Brown) who is about to start a new job. It turns out that her new boss is the man she met and kissed at the bar the night before - awkward! He is a psychiatrist and his wife, well she's nuts. They have a dysfunctional marriage and Louise, she gets right in the middle of things becoming a good friend to the wife while sleeping with the husband, her boss. On top of all this juicy drama, Louise is having nightmarish sleepwalking episodes. There is a dream sequence where Louise is slow-motion running in a yellow dress and it's a stunning visual - you could freeze frame it and hang it on a gallery wall. I was so impressed I realized, this may be low brow material but it's been elevated to high art. Yes it's ridiculous, but so are most things - get over yourself. If you want some fun, get right Behind Her Eyes. Catch it on Netflix. 

The White Tiger

 Full upfront confession, I didn't read the book. I believe there were at least two copies kicking around my house. Shame on me. However, I did watch the movie. And I loved it. What's it all about? It's about class relations in India. It's about a Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) who wants to escape the poverty of his small town life and does so by becoming the driver for a rich family. One night, when the lady of the house insists on driving home, when she is drunk, she manages to kill a kid. There are no witnesses and Balram insists they leave the scene. They do. Later, the husband gets Balram to sign a legal document to say he was the one behind the wheel, just in case this comes back on his employers, just in case they get caught. It's a dark film. The film's canvas is big and it explores the Indian caste system juxtaposed against the moral American superiority spewed by Pinky (Priyanka Chopra) - the wife. Textured in is the American dream - rising up from nothing with hard work and determination - Vs the moral bankruptcy of those in power when the shit gets real - kill a kid, get the poor schmuck to take the blame. Lots going on. Adarsh Gouray should be nominated for an Oscar in my opinion. All that and it's a beautifully shot movie. Catch it on Netflix.  

The Mauritanian

Like The Report, this film is about all the horrible shit America did at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It's based on the true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi. Mohamedou was taken from his home in Mauritania and ended up serving 14 years in Guantanamo - held without charges. He was tortured by the Americans until he confessed to terrorist actions he never did. So we know the story, this film makes it personal, makes you feel it more than The Report. Tahar Rahim plays Mohamedou and he really is the film, and the film is excellent. Jodie Foster plays his pro bono lawyer who stands by him, even when she may have had doubts to his innocence. I like Foster a lot and this is a great role for her - tough as nails and she plays like the pro she is. It one of the best films I've seen come out of 2020 and it's an important film. Catch it on streaming services. 

Ginny and Georgia

This new Netflix teen drama, which feels like part Desperate Housewives and part Dawson's Creek is the most important thing happening on TV. Taylor Swift apparently got pretty mad over a sexist joke made on this new series at her expense. Fair enough Taylor. However, the show is more important to let this one bad joke ruin what I think might be the most important show since Star Trek first came out. Now that's a BIG statement. But please hear me out. When I went to high school (mid to late 80s), it was a pretty white place to be. It was also the time when the Vietnamese boat people were coming in. These immigrant kids often and naturally hung out together/had their lockers together in a hallway we (the white prevailed kids) dubbed The Great Wall of China. I had one Chinese friend and his parents barely spoke English. I had one black friend who was adopted by Chinese parents. Many of the white kids I knew, their grandparents had immigrated to Canada as did mine (from Denmark) from usually white European countries. When John Hughes released "The Breakfast Club" it was a revelation for me. It felt like the first movie I had seen where the teenagers spoke and acted like real teenagers. I was represented on the screen. Think about that, a white kid thinking he is finally being represented with accuracy in a movie. Can you imagine all the Asian kids, all the black kids, who haven't seen themselves? I think it's vastly important to have depictions of yourself being reflected in the art around you. It means you are important, your life is valued. This is why Martin Luther King told actress Nichelle Nichols not to quit Star Trek, that the character of Lieutenant Uhura, a black woman working right alongside her white colleagues was so so important. Little black girls could see themselves on TV in a way like they had never before. And this is why I'm telling you Ginny and Georgia is doing the same thing and why that's so important. The dialogue feels as honest as anything John Hughes could have written and it's got so much going on in terms of representation - Ginny's best friend is an out of the closet lesbian looking for love, Georgia's co-worker is gay and seems to like to cross dressing on his nights off and he has gotten involved with a gay Asian private investigator who is looking into Georgia's past. The dad across the street is deaf (who is the dad of the lesbian best friend) so there is lots of signing going on. Ginny herself is half black/half white and she dates a half white/half Asian (Damian Romeo - who is Canadian by the way!). So representation is off the chart. And the show is just jammed with plot and mystery - I won't even bother to try. Go watch the best thing happening for teens, for representation of so many diverse groups of people on TV right now. Catch this on Netflix.

Greenland

 

Another end of the world disaster movie is exactly what Greenland is. Maybe this and a film like The Midnight Sky might not be everyone's cup of tea during the pandemic, but for me, I'm good with it. The premise: a comet known as Clarke (maybe a Superman nod) is going to strike Earth and kill us all. The government has selected important people, like structural engineers, to help rebuild society after everything is wiped out. I don't know if you every played that game with friends or maybe just in your own head, who would you need to rebuild society if you could only take a couple of hundred people to rebuild the planet? Gerard Butler would of course be on top of the list! You have seen all this before with films like Armageddon, San Andreas, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, etc. There are literally dozens of this type of movie. But Greenland is surprisingly good. And the special effects for Clarke - well done special effects people, well done. If you want to forget about the pandemic for a while and get into the death of the planet (mix it up people!) for some action and adventure, then take a trip to Greenland! Catch it on Amazon!

The Midnight Sky

 

To be honest, I didn't get around to watching this movie until just recently because the reviews were so awful. Reviewers! What do they know - ha! This is George Clooney's third mission to space (although in this movie his role is firmly on the ground); Steven Soderbergh's remake of Solaris being the first and Gravity being the second. The Midnight Sky is is by far my favourite of the three. George also directed this one - so to make better films than Alfonso Cuarón and Steven Soderbergh, good on you George. What's it all about? End of the world baby! Earth is in trouble (sound familiar?) and it's basically about to end from a ecological point of view - everyone on the planet is going to die. Luckily for us Earthlings, we already sent a reconnaissance mission to one of Jupitar's moons to see if we could all move there. So those folks are coming back - little do they know the earth is already cooked. George's character is Augustine, and he is the last man standing in the arctic. Well turns out there is a little girl who got left behind with him, Iris (played by Caoilinn Springall - this kid was pretty darn great). Iris and Augustine must race to another arctic station to warn our returning crew that the Earth is kaput. And in space, there is all kind of action happening as space debris smashes into their ship. I won't tell you any more. I found it all very exciting and surprisingly emotional - maybe the pandemic is getting to me. Catch this on Netflix.

Shithouse

Cooper Raiff wrote, directed, and starred in the remarkable film, Shithouse. It's about an overly sensitive and shy boy, Alex who is living away in residence for his first year of college. His roommate gets blackout drunk and Alex feels disconnected to his environment - he hasn't made any friends. Then he manages to sleep with the dorm supervisor, Maggie (Dylan Gelula - she is amazing). For Alex, this is world altering. Alex has fallen hard for Maggie hard and expects she is feeling the same way about him, except she isn't. This isn't a typical rom-com. It has a real authentic feel of emotions, dialogue, and pacing. Shithouse reminded me Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles. Raiff perfectly captures what it is to meet someone at Alex's age, what is it to form friendships at this time in your life. Alex is far from a perfect character; there are times I wanted to give him a smack for being an overly emotional baby. At the same time, everything Alex does seems so real and his action and reactions are wonderfully consistent to the character's nature. The is Cooper Raiff's first full length feature and it's rather remarkable. Catch it on streaming services.