Mother, Couch

Sigmund Freud would have loved it! Surreal, strange, the unconscious is working overtime here, or at least writer and director, Niclas Larsson is. What's it all about? Ewan McGregor plays David, a man who has found himself in a run down, bargain-bin, furniture warehouse, where large empty spaces are filled with boxes, lamps, and furniture is covered in plastic wrap. David's mother, played by the great Ellen Burstyn, has decided to take a seat on a couch on the second floor. She refuses to move. Why? It never becomes clear. Nothing here is clear. And yet, I found it compelling. David's marriage is on the fritz and he finds himself in all kinds of stressful situations. Maybe the film is a parlor trick? Compelled to watch arguably for characters and a story we don't really understand. But here is the thing, I don't feel duped. Just the opposite, delighted I was on the strange and compelling journey - maybe equally happy to see Ewan McGregor not doing dumb Disney Star Wars shit. F. Murray Abraham also stars in this. "Mother, Couch" - go check into therapy and catch this one at a rep theatre near you.   

The Substance

Bananas! This film is a sci-fi body-horror-comedy which gives nods to 80s horror films ("Dead Ringers," "The Thing," "Carrie," "From Beyond") and it's the wildest ride you will take this year, maybe this decade. What's it all about? Demi Moore plays an aging Hollywood star, Elisabeth Sparkle. We start with Ms. Sparkle doing a 20-Minute workout style class on TV, something out of Jane Fonda's playbook. The studio head, Harvey, played to perfection by Dennis Quaid, shitcans her. She's out. Then a mysterious opportunity arrives, a way to get her beautiful youthful body back. Her youthful self, who becomes known as Sue, is played by Margaret Qualley (who is also in the other strangest film this year, "Kinds of Kindness"). "The Substance" is a movie is about society's obsession with youth, and particularly Hollywood's obsession with it. Demi Moore, although she remains a beautiful woman, she is now 61 and for the last two decades has done mostly TV. Maybe it has to do with raising three kids. Or maybe it's because Hollywood has said she is too old? Watching Ms. Moore, it felt like she brought 20 years worth of fuck-you to the role - a powerhouse performance. A bold choice considering she had to do half the film nude. Remarkable. This is one of my favourite films this year. Catch this now in theatres. 

Footnote: This was directed by Coralie Fargeat, who directed one of my favourite films of 2018, "Revenge." It appeared in my very first movie blog post here: McPherson's Movie Marquee: Top Films of 2018 (mcphersonsmoviemarquee.blogspot.com)

His Three Daughters

Katie (Carrie Coon) and Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) have come to stay with their sister, Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) to be with their dying father who is living at home in hospice care. Rachel is an adult and has been living with their father in her shared New York apartment. Between smoking her daily weed, Rachel has been shouldering the heavy burden of looking after their dad, for the most part. The movie begins close to their father's end. Azazel Jacobs wrote and directed this smart and poignant film. Each character is given a full life. You know these people. The older A-type judgement sister, Katie, who pours and drinks red wine like she were stabbing someone. The peacemaker, Christine, the former deadhead, hoping everyone can just get along. And Rachel, the pot smoking piece of damaged goods who seems to have a chip on her shoulder. The actors here breathe full life into these characters and you feel them. These people are real. This is a meditation on family dynamics, identity, and death. "His Three Daughters" is one of the best movies of the year. Expect to see this one at all the award shows. Catch this now in theatres. Soon to be streaming on Netflix or wait and go rent it from Movies 'N Stuff here in Ottawa when it arrives on the shelf. 

Speak No Evil

If you have already seen the Danish original, then do you really need to see this American remake? This is the question I asked myself. Yes you do. They are very similar for sure, however James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis,  Scoot McNairy and the rest of the cast are so good in it and it's so much fun, it's must viewing in my opinion. What's it all about? Well, it's a remake of the Danish 2022 film of the same name. It's about a couple, Ben and Louise,  who meet another couple, Paddy and Ciara, on vacation and are subsequently invited by them later for a follow-up vacation at Paddy and Ciara's countryside home. Paddy and Ciara have a son who doesn't speak. Paddy, who purports to be a doctor, claims his son to have been born with an abnormally small tongue which prevents him from speaking. Everything is not as it seems at the farmhouse. Things go from odd to really strange quickly, and then move in the direction of terror. It's a fun and funny ride fingernail-marked with a white knuckling ending. "Speak No Evil" - shout loudly how much fun this one is! Catch it in theatres now.  

Rebel Ridge

Jeremy Saulnier. If you don't know who that is, he is the writer and director of "Blue Ruin," "Green Room," and now "Rebel Ridge." If you haven't see "Blue Ruin" it is must-viewing if you appreciate action crime dramas. All of his films have fallen, so far, into this category and Saulnier has proven himself to be a master of them. "Blue Ruin" is such a phenomenal film, make sure to go watch it. Almost as good, "Rebel Ridge." What's it all about? It's basically "First Blood" but repackaged. Instead of Stallone, we have Aaron Pierre (who is black, so we get some racism thrown into the mix with cops) who is just trying to get his brother out of jail on bail. Instead of Brian Dennehy, we have Don Johnson as the corrupt sheriff. It's a formula that has been well tread so to do it well, to make it interesting, it's almost a miracle. Hallelujah! Jeremy Saulnier has performed a miracle! "Rebel Ridge" is one of the best action crime dramas of the year and everyone in it does a great job, including co-star, AnnaSophia Robb. James Cromwell even has a role as a corrupt judge. Throw on you flack jacket and catch this blast of fun now streaming on Netflix. 

Coraline

It's a rare thing for me to watch animated films. I don't seek them out. "Coraline" came out in 2009 when my kids were three and five, so it was overlooked as something I might take them too. Fast forward to 2024 and my now eighteen year old son's girlfriend asks me, have you seen "Coraline?" To which my answer was a polite and simple, "No." I didn't bother to be snooty about it. In my head it was something like, "Little girl, I watch films, not cartoons." I kept my inner snob hidden. But then I was down at my local video store, Movies 'N Stuff, and the owner, Peter told me he had just gone to see "Coraline" in 3D. "Is it any good?" I asked. "What? You've never seen it? It's great." (I feel like this line has been used by me and every other film nerd a million times). Peter has movies for sale (and rent) at his store. There was a copy of "Coraline" for $5. I purchased. I watched. Now I blog about it because it was wonderful. What's it all about? This stop motion film is about a girl, Coraline who moves into a creepy old house with her writer parents who have no time for her. She discovers a hidden door to an alternate version of her world, where her parents are attentive to all her needs and cook her favourite foods. The only thing is they have black buttons for eyes. Then things get dark, so dark it's almost not for kids. But it is. This isn't Disney, so it isn't cutesy. The amination has this grungy DYI feel to it. It's so creative and interesting and thus felt surprisingly fresh. The closest thing I could compare it to is if you crossed Tim Burton with "Wallace and Gromit" and threw in a little Loony Toons. I loved the story and all the side characters. If you haven't see it ("What? You haven't seen it?) then this is something to watch during this Halloween season. Button up!

Mikey and Nicky

I have loved Peter Falk since I laid eyes on him in "Columbo" the TV series. And John Cassavetes, a good actor and an amazing director - if you have never seen a Cassavetes film, start with "A Woman Under the Influence" and "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie." This film, "Mikey and Nicky" has been on my to-watch list for some time. It was a banger. Directed by Elaine May (who is 92 years old as I type this) who made this wonderful film in 1976. She worked on "Tootsie," wrote "Heaven Can Wait," "Primary Colors," and wrote and directed "Ishtar." So what's this film all about? Cassavetes plays Nicky, a man wanted by the mob and there is a hit out on his life. He calls up his pal Mikey (Falk) for help, but Mikey really isn't his pal, he wants Nicky dead too. Ned Beatty plays the hitman who is always trying to catch up. There is crazed energy in this film and Cassavetes is manic. There was also a great joy for me in going back in time to the world of draft houses, pull-tab cans of beer, large cars, payphones, and non-stop smoking. This movie is a dance between Cassavetes and Falk, bringing them together on an inevitable death march - reminded me a little of "The Last Detail." M. Emmet Walsh shows up as a bus driver. I loved this movie. Go watch it on the Criterion Channel or rent it from Movies 'N' Stuff here in Ottawa.