I’m sure you have movies you can’t re-watch, even if you loved them the first time, mainly because they’re just too gut wrenchingly emotional. A few of mine are: Blu Valentine, Saving Private Ryan, Manchester By the Sea and Love & Mercy. The last two share involvement with director Bill Pohland who wrote and directed… Continue reading Dreamin’ Wild, Sleepy Tame
Category: family issues
Even The Quiet Girl Deserves the Big Screen
I love the movie theater experience and I do regret not seeing The Quiet Girl in such a setting. Watching it at home was meaningful, but as I’ve said over and over in these posts, size matters: the bigger screen the larger the emotions. But The Quiet Girl is still worth seeing, no matter your… Continue reading Even The Quiet Girl Deserves the Big Screen
The Eight Mountains: Rapturous Butte* (*2 syllables, long E)
Ok humor me on the title, since I just went down a rabbit hole searching for a clever mountain term. I now know the Alps are still getting taller and what a massif is…I digress… The Eight Mountains is a fabulous book written by Paolo Cognetti and was adapted to the screen by writer/director Felix… Continue reading The Eight Mountains: Rapturous Butte* (*2 syllables, long E)
You Hurt My Feelings: For Real Nicole Holofcener
I’ve liked all of Nicole Holofcener’s films, especially Can You Ever Forgive Me for which she was nominated for an Oscar. With You Hurt My Feelings, she hasn’t exactly upped the conflict ante, but she has portrayed genuine human beings navigating the rocky waves of real life. And she’s worked with Julia Louis-Dreyfus before (Enough… Continue reading You Hurt My Feelings: For Real Nicole Holofcener
The Way @CineBistro Siesta Key: Hope for the World
I’ve moaned before about the lack of participation at film events. Now I get to “praise the chef”. I’m not sure how the sold out crowd heard about The Way (2010, Emilio Estevez Director and Screenwriter), but man, am I happy I was there in a crowd! The Way is a gorgeous story about a… Continue reading The Way @CineBistro Siesta Key: Hope for the World
EveryBOGEY Loves Raymond: Somewhere in Queens
SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS (Directed and co-written by Ray Romano) was a feast of acting by Laurie Metcalf, Ray Romano, Jennifer Esposito and Sebastion Maniscalpo. Romano possesses a sad eyed handsome Bogart mystique and you can’t help but love him, hence EveryBOGEY Loves Raymond. My hope is for him to receive a few award nominations. He’s… Continue reading EveryBOGEY Loves Raymond: Somewhere in Queens
Other People’s Children: Sarasota Film Festival
Other People’s Children, written and directed by Rebecca Zlotowski is the second film I saw this week that starts out wobbly like a fresh born calf, but then finally gets in the groove enough to earn a favorable review. The first third of the film was akin to constant Ra-Ra Instagram posts, a look at… Continue reading Other People’s Children: Sarasota Film Festival
Close in Real Time
Close is written and directed by Lucas Dhont of which he co-wrote with Angelo Tijssens. As Belgium filmmakers, they made their first big splash with Girl in 2018. One of the most thrilling occurrences in life is when connections and coincidences happen, as in the recent Scott Galloway column in which he made the case… Continue reading Close in Real Time
The Whale Nudges its Way into My Top Ten
If you hated Whale, consider that real things happen to real people; not pretty actors, but real people. And consider that some folks are irrevocably broken, so does that mean their story is not worthy of being told? I wrestled with where to put The Whale in my Top Ten. I had fun trying to… Continue reading The Whale Nudges its Way into My Top Ten
Aftersun: Blinded By the Sights
Ok, I’m still trying to grasp the multiple awards for which Aftersun has won and been nominated. While story telling gurus advise writers to show don’t tell, Charlotte Wells may have taken this too far. I appreciate avant garde cinematography (Gregory Oke), but unless you give the audience a little more context, we’re more mystified… Continue reading Aftersun: Blinded By the Sights