Sicario (2016)

Maybe it’s the setting or the drug cartel topic but I just found this drama to be ho-hum.  Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro do give excellent performances that help keep the film from going off the rails but if it weren’t for Roger Deakins’ beautiful cinematography I’d probably would have dismissed this as just an average film.  Direct Denis Vileneuve is a fine director; I just wish he’d have had a plot worthy of his talent.  Grade: B

Brooklyn (2015)

Saoirse Ronan gives one of her best performances as an Irish Immigrant in Brooklyn in the 1950s.  Away from home she discovers herself in this new country and falls in love.  Yet will she return home when she is called back?  Adapted from the novel by Colm Toibin by Nick Hornby and directed by John Crowley, this is a winner in a big way.   It would be nominated for best picture and I’m sure will find favor with many looking for a coming-to-age story that really gets to the soul of becoming your own person.  This is a flawless film in many ways.  Grade: A

Spoilers:  Thank god Tony, played by Emory Cohen, didn’t turn out to be a jerk.  I was really worried that she’d fall for Domhnall Gleeson’s Jim.  But I could see why she would. That’s great drama and made what one would think was a mundane story really intense. 

Ugly Americans and Our New President

Oh America.  Today, I am not Proud to be an American.  Today I'm depressed and trying with all my fiber to find hope for the future.  But alas, this country I live in voted for a man so loathsome to be our next President I can't really understand it.  What happened America?  It seems you are as racist and sexist as you were thirty or forty years ago.  It seems nothing really has changed except all the deplorables went into hiding.  Trump hit jackpot with his campaign of fear and hate and lies.  I was really looking forward to have a female president.  I was so excited to look at my son and tell him, "See her, she's our new President."  Now I won't even be able to look my son in the eye without feeling ashamed for our country.   I guess I should write a wonderful rant about how this will not be the end and how we'll fight another day.  But who?  Those who would oppose Trump are as fractured as the Republican party.  The youth didn't come out and vote. Or if they did, they voted for a third party candidate.  I know what that feels like.  I was young once too.  I shouldn't be surprised (and part of me isn't).  I voted Nader 16 years ago because I didn't want to support the guy I didn't like.  I learned my lesson but sadly no one else did.   I'm not saying Hillary would have won if Jill Stein or Gary Johnson wasn't there but they didn't help that's for sure.  And Bernie!  I don't think you'd have defeated Trump either.  As I said, Trump hit an angry nerve.  They want their jobs back, they don't want to be forced to pay for health care, they don't want immigrants, they want our military to go kick butt around the world and protect them and they want the promise that if they make it rich they won't have to pay that much tax.  Talk about voting against your own self interest.  It'll be interesting to see what unfolds in the next four years.  All I know is that Trump is going to hear a lot of noise and he'll not like it.  But until then I'm going to pretend none of this happened and dream of good days gone by.

Finding Dory (2016)

Pixar creates a sequel for one of their most popular films and the result is the kind of continuation a fan of the original can celebrate.  Not surprisingly, it’s very clever and very funny with a lot of surprises along the way.  Dory, the forgetful fish, has a flash of memory about her parents.  Suddenly on a journey of her own, with Marlin and Nemo in tow, she tries to find them.  Many new characters surface (or sub-merge) that combines for a really enjoyable family experience.  The highlight for me and I’m sure for everyone was an octopus name Hank.  Grade: A-

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain

A sarcastic tale that’s like Flags of our Fathers about a platoon of US soldiers that were involved in a heroic Iraq battle that are invited to participate in the Super Bowl Halftime show to honor them.  Tagging along with them is a Hollywood agent, Albert, who is trying to secure funding for a film about their ordeal and in turn get them paid.  The main character is Billy Lynn and it’s through his point of view we see the world, a tour through American decadence and fake patriotism.  The writing from Fountain is very strong, with clever and insightful observations and metaphors.   I truly appreciated to read a book like this that’s pro-military while at the same time mocking military heroism and in doing so is very much anti-war.   Grade: A

Queen of Katwe (2016)

This is a feel-good film about the true story of Phiona Mutesi from Uganda who becomes a Chess Master and competes with the best of the world.  Directed by Mira Nair and staring Lupita Nyong’o as Phiona’s mother and David Oyelowo as her coach.   It follows the typical format these kind of autobiographical sports films do but what makes this one stand out is how connected you become to the characters.   I really fell in love with everyone in this movie and emotionally went through every up and down they go through.  It’s a highly enjoyable film.  Grade: A-

Moonlight (2016)

This is the best film of the year so far.  I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see it on the big screen where its visual scope and powerful and dramatic intimacy could pull me in.   Told in three acts, we experience the life of a young black man named Chiron from three different periods in his youth (using three different actors).  First we meet him as a boy having to deal with bullying and the isolation that he is different.  Second we meet him as a teenager coming to terms with his sexuality and his drug addict mother.  Lastly we meet him as a young adult and see how a criminal life has changed him.  There are so many fantastic performances in this film.  Naomie Harris who plays Chiron’s drug addict mother is scary good.  Mahershala Ali, with a relaxed approach, gives a deeply moving performance as a drug dealer that takes the little Chiron under his wing.   Both of these artists should get some awards buzz.  Director Barry Jenkins must be proud to have crafted such an amazing work of art.  If this film doesn’t at least get nominated for Best Picture than there really might be a white-only conspiracy at hand.   I personally think it should win.  But of course I haven’t seen all the movies yet so I might change my mind.  There is going to have to be something really good to topple this one though.  Remarkable.  Grade: A