Tag: Politics

#Oscars: “Triangle of Sadness” (2022) starring Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, & Woody Harrelson

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In Ruben Östlund’s wickedly funny Palme d’Or winner, social hierarchy is turned upside down, revealing the tawdry relationship between power and beauty. Celebrity model couple, Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean), are invited on a luxury cruise for the uber-rich, helmed by an unhinged boat captain (Woody Harrelson). What first appeared instagrammable ends catastrophically, leaving the survivors stranded on a desert island and fighting for survival. -Official Synopsis

Casting Juror: Can you relax your triangle of sadness? Like between your eyebrows here? A little bit more. OK. And open your mouth so you look a bit more available. OK, not that much, a little bit less.

The opening sequence w/ the casting of male models was inspired by writer/director Ruben Östlund’s wife (a fashion photographer). This is the Swedish director’s 1st film in English. This marks the 2nd time that Östlund has was awarded the Palme d’Or at Cannes; he previously won for The Square (2017). British actor Harris Dickinson (now 27 y.o.) won his role after 120 others had auditioned; he spent some time in the Royal Marines Cadets, so he’d have known exactly how to survive on a desert island (unlike Carl). This role is a far cry from Dickinson’s (villainous/macho) one in the disappointing movie Where the Crawdads Sing (2022). Charlbi Dean (a South African model-turned-actress) sadly died after the film’s release at age 32; no cause of death was released (though she had a lung infection, complicated by the fact that she’d lost her spleen years before in a car accident).

We [he and his wife] started talking about fashion and the strategy of marketing, and beauty as a currency. Beauty is attractive, but it’s also scary. Beauty is settling the hierarchy so much- that was really the starting point. -Ruben Ostlund

One critic commented that this (NO hold barred) dark comedy/satire is like 3 movies in one. Another said that “nothing is subtle about it’s delivery or message.” The 1st act (titled Part I) is about the relationship btwn two 20-ish models- Carl (Dickinson) and Yaya (Dean)- who are having relationship probs. Carl (though he posed for a fancy cologne ad a few yrs ago) now makes much less money than his gf, Yaya (who walks Paris runways). However, Yaya (who is also an influencer) is happy to let Carl pay for dinner (at a snooty/pricy) restaurant. (FYI: We learn that male models make about 1/3 of what the females in their field make.) Carl says: “I want us to be equals and is in love w/ Yaya. She nonchalantly admits that she’s waiting to become “a trophy wife.” Hmmm, we wonder IF they can make it (in the long-run)?

[Quoting From Noam Chomsky’s Book: How the World Works]

The Captain: ‘How people perceive themselves is nothing that interests me. There are very few that are gonna look in the mirror and say: The person I see is a savage monster. Instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do.’

Part II takes place on a luxury yacht (price: $250M) somewhere in the Mediterranean. The diverse crew is made up of Aussies, Greeks, Filipinos, etc. The guests are from all over the world, incl. England, Germany, and Russia. There are a motley crew of character actors which we meet; most are terrible people, though a few are NOT unsympathetic. The boat’s possibly alcoholic/Marxist captain is played by Woody Harrelson (which will come as a surprise to some viewers)! IF you’re a squeamish/sensitive viewer, this section has gross elements (as I noted re: Babylon). As for Part III, I’m NOT going to say much, but it’s quite unexpected! This is the most interesting part of the movie; earlier parts tended to drag on (and could’ve been edited down more). Why are movies SO long lately!?

“Harriet” (2019) starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr, & Janelle Monae

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The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. -Synopsis

Be free or die. -A tagline for the film

This is the 1st feature film to be made about the life of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman (birth name: Arabella Minto); you can watch it on HBO Max. Producer Debra Martin Chase chose Cynthia Erivo for the lead b/c of her impressive career so far: Tony, Grammy and Emmy for The Color Purple musical on Broadway. There was controversy in casting a British woman for such an iconic American role; director/co-writer Kasi Lemmons (a Black American woman/former actress) explained that the film represented African-Americans: writers, production designer, composer, and hair/makeup.

Harriet is shown more as a “superhero,” than a real woman; this was the choice of the filmmakers. This movie is sadly disappointing (given the V important subject), though Erivo does a fine job w/ what she as given. The dialogue doesn’t really pop and the delivery (at times) is heavy-handed. Yes, Harriet really did experience visions, as a result of a childhood head injury. Many historians claim that this is likely due to a head injury she received in her youth. It is nice to look at, though there was NOT a big budget. There is some tension/suspense in Tubman’s escape (from a plantation in Dorchester Co, MD) and various rescue missions. There is a narrow range of Tubman’s life shown and there are several jumps in years at a time. One astute viewer noted that “Tubman’s work on women’s suffrage was only a footnote and arguments around what actions the abolitionist movement should take were greatly reduced.” There is no mention of John Brown, BUT Fredrick Douglass has a brief cameo. For the sensitive viewers out there, this is a much less violent portrayal than seen in 12 Years a Slave.

Some actors are highlighted, though others (incl. veterans w/ gravitas) don’t get much screen time. I wanted to see more of Clarke Peters and Vanessa Bell Calloway; they play the Ross’ (Harriet’s parents). A few of Harriet’s family members were free, BUT most others are enslaved. Harriet’s 1st husband, John (Zachary Momo), was a free Black man. Vondie Curtis-Hall (also Lemmons’ husband) does a good job as Rev. Green. Leslie Odom Jr. is bright/charming as William Still, though I doubt this role was a challenge for him. Marie Buchanon (played by singer/actress Janelle Monae) was created for the movie; she is a sympathetic friend to Harrier, but quite modern. I don’t know how plausible it’d have been for a young/Black/unmarried woman to own a boarding house in Philly.

Harriet: [to Gideon, at gunpoint] You’ll die right here. On a frozen, blood-soaked battlefield, the moans of a generation of young men in your ears, dying in agony around you, for a lost cause. For a vile and wicked idea! For the sin of slavery! Can you hear them? God don’t mean people to own people, Gideon! Our time is near!

Unfortunately, we also see the in-over-his-head “actor” Joe Alwyn (also a Brit); I don’t know how he keeps getting roles! He plays Gideon Brodess, the slaveowner who grew up w/ (and maybe has a sort of obsession) w/ Harriet. Is it just about money (slaves were property), or is there something else going on? Perhaps worst of all (noted by several critics/casual viewers), is the cartoonish (Black) slavecatcher w/ the unfortunate name of Bigger Long (Omar Dorsey)- yikes!

[1] I attend a HBCU and have read, and studied, Harriet Tubman’s life. I don’t even know where to begin. There is no account of her ever standing with Union soldiers and pointing a gun. There are so many errors and what I saw on the screen was complete fiction.

[2] The scripting is insultingly lowbrow, almost patronizing. The acting talent has a good record in other productions, but in this film is unrealized due to the other problems. There are quite a few ahistoric, frankly false, events in this film which are not needed and make the film more a less than credible hagiography, as opposed to the plenty sufficient bravery, courage and strength of Tubman herself.

The film is not a total loss, but Tubman deserves better, much better, as do contemporary audiences.

[3] This is a standard biopic of anti-slavery heroine Harriet Tubman. It’s a serious take. The tone is singular which leaves the movie rather flat. I’m not calling for some broad jokes to inject silly humor or grotesque violence to horrify. The constant uninspired narrative can take a toll on the tension. The movie could push the intensity of the escapes. There are emotional power points, but they always seem a little melodramatic.

[4] If you want to see a REAL MOVIE on Harriet Tubman, look at the Cicely Tyson version: A Woman Called Moses.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

#Oscars: “Elvis” (2022) starring Austin Butler & Tom Hanks

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The life of American music icon Elvis Presley, from his childhood to becoming a rock and movie star in the 1950s while maintaining a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. -Synopsis

While Aussie director Baz Luhrmann was going over auditions, incl. Austin Butler’s audition for Elvis Presley, Denzel Washington called the director to recommend Butler. Washington and Butler had co-starred in the Broadway play The Iceman Cometh. Washington told Luhrmann (who he’d never met): “You’re in for a surprise when you see the work ethic of this young man.” Butler stated that one of the aspects about Elvis that stood out to him was that he lost his mother at a young age, too. Butler also lost his mother at age 23, just as Elvis had. Butler took tap dancing and swing dancing classes to perfect the dance moves. Though his hair was dyed dark brown, and he wore dark brown or jet black wigs in some scenes, Butler is a natural blonde. Elvis was also a natural blonde. Butler and Elvis are 16th cousins twice removed; Elvis’ father (Vernon) and Austin’s mother (Lori) share a common ancestry- wow! Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Harry Styles also auditioned and screen-tested for the lead. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rufus Sewell were cast as the parents before the production was shut down (due to COVID-19); 6 mos. later, both dropped out when productions resumed due to scheduling conflicts. This past SUN, Butler (who has an Oscar nom) won Leading Actor across the pond at BAFTA.

[sees an excited girl at Elvis’s first performance]

Col. Parker: [narrates] Now, I don’t know nothing about music. But I could see in that girl’s eyes, he was a taste of forbidden fruit. She could have eaten him alive!

Elvis ended up dethroning Top Gun: Maverick at the box office last Summer. This is the 1st big-screen (theatrical) biographical film about Elvis; it was made for $85M and shot (over a year) entirely in Queensland. Australia. The real “Colonel” Tom Parker was born on June 26, 1909, in The Netherlands as Andreas “Dries” van Kuijk. At age 19, he entered the US illegally. After a few mos, he enlisted in the Army and took the name Tom Parker; he thus forfeited his Dutch citizenship (becoming a stateless person). In reality, he spoke w/ a Southern American accent. At one point in the film, re: money issues, Parker comments that Elvis loved to spend on “hillbillies.” Elvis was generous to a fault (though it isn’t depicted here).

Elvis: If I can’t move, I can’t sing.

Elvis did NOT live up to it’s hype when I saw it recently (on HBOMax). Luhrmann’s direction failed to draw me in, though I’ve liked some of his previous movies. Butler does a fine job in ALL the musical numbers, BUT doesn’t seem to feel the weight of the heavier scenes. I think he has potential- he’s V young still. Parker is basically a caricature (w/ no redeeming qualities) here; IF you’re a big fan of Hanks, then you’ll be greatly disappointed. The opening 30-40 mins come across as messy/chaotic. Scenes somehow felt drawn out and fleeting at the same time. There is little time give to Priscilla, Elvis’ fellow musicians/peers, his friends, and other supporting characters. Some critics (incl. Black Americans) commented that race and civil rights issues were dealt w/ in a simplistic manner. We do see some up-and-coming/young actors: Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog), Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things), and Kevin Harrison, Jr. (who plays B.B. King). Luhrmann is (oddly) more interested in Parker than Elvis; the iconic pop star remains mostly a mystery. The dialogue is nothing special- perhaps most disappointing of all!

[1] While of course he is a central character in the Elvis Presley story, I felt telling the story through such an unsympathetic character was unnecessary, and I found Tom Hanks Dutch accent and his prosthetic nose a little irritating at times.

[2]. The film feels almost like a bad fever dream, arbitrarily switching from scene to scene with little to no connection. Too much attention is put in Parker/Hanks, when he’s not narrating he’s the focus of every scene he’s in.

[3] For the first two hours it felt like I was watching the longest music video of all time. It was all over the place and extremely rushed. And what was up with the soundtrack?

[4] Firstly Austin Butler was great, he could actually be Elvis as he looked so much like him and clearly worked hard to do Elvis justice, but I didn’t really enjoy the movie, but can’t put my finger on why. The main actors did a good job, but I couldn’t really get an emotional connection with them or the story line until the very end.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Two Films re: #MeToo: “The Assistant” (2019) & “She Said” (2022)

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The Assistant (2019) starring Julia Garner & Matthew Macfadyen

Follows one day in the life of Jane (Julia Garner), a recent college graduate/aspiring film producer, who recently landed her dream job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment mogul. Her day is much like any other assistant’s – making coffee, changing the paper in the copy machine, ordering lunch, arranging travel, taking phone messages, onboarding a new hire, etc. But as Jane follows her daily routine, she, and we, grow increasingly aware of the abuse that insidiously colors every aspect of her work day, an accumulation of degradations against which Jane decides to take a stand, only to discover the true depth of the system into which she has entered. -Synopsis (Bleecker Street)

We have a V toxic working environment here in this indie film- yikes! The boss (modelled on Harvey Weinstein) is a bully who can reduce Jane and his two male assistants (Jon Orsini; Noah Robbins) to shaking messes. The boss (unseen) barks on the phone at Jane, after she has had a perfectly reasonable phone convo w/ his wife. Jane is invisible to most of her coworkers; they don’t give her eye-contact (even when she’s talking to them). People barely register her presence when sharing the elevator, most notably an actor (Patrick Wilson); his real-life wife (Dagmara Domenczyk) plays a producer. If you are a sensitive viewer, don’t worry, as there is no violence depicted.

Some viewers called this “a horror movie,” BUT re: the horrors of everyday life. Jane seems to have no allies, so nowhere to turn when things get rough. She even missed her father’s recent birthday. One of the main themes is complacency, as writer/director Kitty Green noted; she is a young filmmaker who comes from the world depicted. Jane is blonde, slim, and pretty, though NOT in the obvious (Hollywood) fashion. A stream of wanna-be actresses arrive in the office. Sienna (model-turned-actress Kristine Froseth), a V young former waitress from Boise, suddenly arrives as a “new assistant.” She is put up in a fancy hotel room, which seems V problematic to Jane. After dropping this woman off, Jane goes to see the company’s HR manager, Mr. Wilcock (Matthew Macfadyen), who is no help at all!

[1] How can something appearing so mundane, everyday, lackluster be so powerful. Outstanding piece of work. Nothing happens but still so much happens. Subtlety reigns supreme.

[2] Here we have the toxic world of white men. Pointless jobs that keep the “machine” rolling, I don’t care if this job is about the movie industry or whatever; this girl’s job is reflected in a million offices around the globe in a million industries.

[3] An old Spielberg trick is to increase tension by keeping the “monster” hidden from view: cue the tanker driver from “Duel” and (for most of the film) the shark from “Jaws.” Here, the boss is felt only as a malevolent force and never seen on screen. It’s an approach that works brilliantly, focusing the emotion on the effect he has on those flamed.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

She Said (2022) starring Carey Mulligan & Zoe Kazan

Two-time Academy Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, An Education) and Emmy nominee Zoe Kazan (The Plot Against America, The Big Sick) star as New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who together broke one of the most important stories in a generation- a story that shattered decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault in Hollywood and impelled a shift in American culture that continues to this day. -Official Synopsis

The movie was shot in the New York Times (NYT) building and is the 1st movie ever to use the real offices. The leads, Mulligan and Kazan, had already been close friends for 14 yrs before being cast; Kazan was a bridesmaid at Mulligan’s 2012 wedding. I’ve been a fan of Mulligan for many years; she can play any type of role. I’ve seen Kazan only in a few light/comedic roles; she gets to show her serious side here (and does a fine job). Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Judith Godrèche (a French actress from The Man in the Iron Mask), who were important sources for Kantor and Twohey’s investigations into Harvey Weinstein, each play themselves in this film. Paltrow and Godrèche appear as off-camera voices on the phone, but Judd plays herself onscreen. Actress Rose McGowan also appears as an off-screen voice, but chose NOT to play herself (her voice is portrayed by Kelly McQuail). James Austin Johnson (voice of Donald Trump) was in 2021 hired into the cast of SNL mainly to play the role of Trump (after videos of his impersonation went viral).

So to our surprise, Gwyneth Paltrow had a really powerful story of sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein and of being threatened when her first really important roles were on the line. And early on in the investigation, when almost nobody in Hollywood would talk to us, she did. And she even tried to help us find other women. But she was very scared to go on the record. And it became clear, in the course of the investigation, that Harvey Weinstein was obsessed with the question of whether or not we were speaking to Paltrow. He showed up at a party at her house early. She called us from the bathroom completely panicked. -Twohey and Kantor (in interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, SEPT: 2019)

The German actress-turned-director, Maria Schrader, recently got acclaim for the streaming series Unorthodox (Netflix) and the movie I’m Your Man (2022). It’s difficult to make this subject matter cinematic (as critics on NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast noted). There are no assaults (physical violence) depicted here, though we do see the aftermath (emotional toll). If you’re interested in journalism and liked All the President’s Men and Spotlight, then this may be of interest to you. It’s still rare to see supportive men (husbands of Twohey and Kantor) who happily share domestic duties; many working moms appreciated seeing this aspect of the movie. We learn that Twohey was dealing w/ post-partum depression after having her 1st child.

There are two actresses (well-known to those of us who love Austen/British period series/movies) who steal this movie w/ their terrific/emotional performances. In London, we meet Zelda Perkins (Samantha Morton- a Brit), who describes how a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) kept her from taking action against Weinstein’s behavior or even talking about any aspect of it to family members, friends, or even doctors (incl. therapists). IRL Perkins co-founded an organization called Can’t Buy My Silence dedicated to reducing the use/abuse of NDAs. In the coast of England in a small town, we meet Laura Madden (Jennifer Ehle- an American who primarily works in England), a mother of four young kids bravely preparing to undergo a mastectomy.

“The Woman King” (2022) starring Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, & John Boyega

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The Woman King is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for. -Synopsis

This historical drama’s title comes from the fact that the people of Dahomey believed in a legend of two kings, a man and a woman who are equals; Nanisca (Viola Davis- at the top of her game) is expected to be crowned a Woman King by King Ghezo (John Boyega- a galaxy way from his Star Wars role). Producer Maria Bello (who acted w/ Davis in Prisoners) was visiting Benin (a West African nation) when she heard the story of the Agojie; she returned to the US, convinced she’d found a great movie pitch. The project stayed in “development hell” for 7 yrs, first at STX (which only offered a $5M budget), then at TriStar. Only after the huge success of Black Panther (2018) was this film greenlit (w/ a $50M budget). Davis and her husband also served as producers; they have a production company.

The actors trained for 4 mos. to get in shape for the action scenes; they’d lift weights for 90 mins, and then train for 3.5 hrs. w/ a stunt coordinator (on martial arts, the use of swords and spears, and did cardio). Most of the department heads are either women or people of color (POC): cinematography, production design, editing, makeup, hairstyling, costumes and visual effects. The screenplay is by Dana Stevens; her work includes: Fatherhood, the adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ novel Safe Haven, City of Angels, For Love of the Game, Blink, and Life or Something Like It. The movie (directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood) began shooting in South Africa (late 2021), but was interrupted by the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. Production had to shut down for a few weeks; the extra time was used to rehearse the big battle. Prince-Bythewood has said in (recent) interviews that she directs only those movies that she is passionate about.

Izogie: Rule number one: Always obey Izogie.

[she gives Nawi a strict look]

Izogie: I am Izogie!

Unlike Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which also centers on a strong/middle-aged leader and an ensemble of younger “warriors” (pilots), The Woman King is a balanced blend of action and character drama. How much do we know about Rooster (Miles Teller), Hangman (Glen Powell), Phoenix (Monica Barbero), Bob (Lewis Pullman), etc? They have little character development, as Maverick- and to a lesser extent- Penny (Jennifer Connelly)- is the obvious star. In this film, we get to know (and care about) 3 different warriors under Nanisca’s leadership: Nawi (Thuso Mbedu- a petite/20s South African actress in her 1st movie), Izogie (Lashana Lynch- a British actress recently in the Bond franchise), and Amenza (Sheila Atim- a British-Ugandan actress known for Shakespearean theater roles). Izogie brings in moments of (needed) humor, 19 y.o. Nawi is the newbie/audience surrogate, and Amenza is thoughtful/spiritual. Though Nanisca is their experienced, tough, and respected general, she has suffered trauma in the past. Each the women fights in her own unique way, specializing in different weapons.

Nanisca [to Nawi]: Your tears mean nothing. To be a warrior, you must kill your tears.

This a film focused on women, though there are supporting roles for a few men also. Boyega does a fine job (as expected), perhaps channeling Denzel Washington and Eddie Murphy (from his African prince role in Coming to America), as some viewers commented. He says “my love” in a different way when he addresses each wife. The (fictional) white/Portuguese-speaking slave trader, Santo (Hero Fiennes Tiffin- nephew of actors Ralph and Joseph Fiennes), is welcomed by King Ghezo, but fails to maintain in good relations w/ him. Yes, the main villain is named Hero- LOL! Santo was perhaps loosely inspired by Francisco Félix de Sousa, a Brazilian slave trader who helped King Ghezo gain power IRL; these events are portrayed in Werner Herzog’s Cobra Verde (1987). I don’t want to give too much away, but there is another male character who adds flavor to the story. I smiled, I cried (3x), and it stood up to re-watch! You can rent this movie (Amazon Prime).