The Princess Bride

Thanks to the TCM Big Screen Classics series I got to see The Princess Bride, one of my all-time favorite movies, on the big screen again yesterday.  What a treat!  It is being screened in select theaters in conjunction with its 30th anniversary and I loved every minute of it!  I actually had to stop myself from quoting every single line out loud!  The Princess Bride is a spoof of traditional fairy-tales that is full of romance, revenge, and swashbuckling adventure.  Buttercup (Robin Wright) falls in love with a farm boy (Cary Elwes) who goes away to seek his fortune but is presumed dead when the Dread Pirate Roberts attacks his ship.  Buttercup, in despair, agrees to marry the nefarious Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon).  Chaos ensues when Buttercup is kidnapped by Vezzini (Wallace Shawn), Fezzik (Andre the Giant), and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), who turn out to be agents of Prince Humperdinck, as a way to start a war with neighboring Guilder.  I love Christopher Guest as the six-fingered man, Billy Crystal as Miracle Max, and Peter Cook as the Impressive Clergyman.  In my opinion, this movie is practically perfect and I highly recommend that you see it on the big screen (go here for tickets).

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

Last night I saw Professor Marston and the Wonder Women and I thought it was fabulous!  It tells the fascinating true story of how the Wonder Woman comic strip came into existence.  William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans) is a Harvard professor of psychology whose area of expertise is dominance and submission in human relationships.  His wife Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) has also earned a PhD in psychology, although Harvard won't grant her the degree because she is a woman, and she works closely with her husband testing his theories.  Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) is a student who signs up to participate in their experiments and falls in love with both of the Marstons.  They begin a relationship and the two very different women inspire William to create the character of Wonder Woman.  What I loved most about this film is the clever way that every part of Wonder Woman's iconography comes into being.  Watching the film becomes a little bit like a scavenger hunt looking for clues, some of which are fairly obvious, such as the Marstons' creation of the lie detector test as the inspiration for the lasso of truth, but others are more subtle and are satisfying to notice (the timing of this film is particularly good coming so close after the release of the blockbuster Wonder Woman).  While the film does focus of the creation of the iconic character, to me it is more about the relationship between these three people and I think director Angela Robinson does a beautiful job in developing it tastefully and intelligently.  Yes, there are some really steamy scenes involving S&M role playing between the three characters but it is absolutely clear that they are all consenting adults and that they all love each other deeply.  All three of the lead actors give amazing and highly nuanced performances but I was especially impressed with Hall who is brilliant in this role.  It is a beautiful film on the screen with lovely cinematography, costumes, and production design.  This story is interesting but it is also very timely in its message about the right to love who you love.  I highly recommend it!

The Princess and the Frog

When The Princess and the Frog was first released in 2009, I took my nine-year-old niece to see it and it was absolutely magical for her to be able to look up at the screen and see a Disney princess who looked like her.  After seeing it on the big screen she watched the DVD over and over and sang every song.  She even had a Princess Tiana dress!  This movie may have a few flaws (I still think the voodoo scenes are a little weird, especially for a film marketed to children) but Tiana was definitely important to my niece and I can't think of a better role model for her to emulate.  The Princess and the Frog is being screened again at AMC Theatres as part of the Dream Big, Princesses film festival so I invited Tashena, who is now almost seventeen, to see it with me again last night.  We had so much fun!  She says she doesn't really remember when I took her to see it the first time but she certainly remembers the words to all of the songs because she sang them all at the top of her lungs (we were the only ones in the theater).   Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) is a young girl determined to succeed and open the restaurant she has always dreamed of owning.  Prince Naveen (voiced by Bruno Campos) is a ne'er-do-well who has been cut off financially by his parents.  Naveen turns to voodoo to make his dreams come true but he is inadvertently turned into a frog.  Thinking that Tiana is a princess because of a costume she is wearing, Naveen asks her to kiss him to break the spell, promising her the money she needs to start her restaurant, but when she does she is also turned into a frog.  Naveen and Tiana must discover what they need, rather than what they want, in order to break the curse with the help of a jazz playing crocodile, a Cajun lightening bug, and blind voodoo priestess (some really fun characters).  I really loved all of the scenes in the bayou, especially when all of the lightening bugs guide Tiana and Naveen to Mama Odie because it looks so magical (it reminded me of the lantern scene in Tangled).  I had forgotten how great the hand-drawn animation is in this film.  It was such a fun night and I'm glad that, for a little while, I got to spend some time with the little girl who wanted to be just like Princess Tiana!  The Princess and the Frog will be screened at AMC Theatres until Oct. 12.

Victoria & Abdul

Sunday afternoon I decided to see Victoria & Abdul.  I was initially very lukewarm about this film because, frankly, I felt that this story had already been told much better in Mrs. Brown (which also stars Judi Dench).  While it does have a similar plot to the previous film, I found Victoria & Abdul to be absolutely charming.  Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) is old and barely able to get out of bed for an endless round of ceremonial duties which hold little interest for her.  Abdul (Ali Fazal) is randomly selected to present Victoria with a ceremonial coin from India as part of the Golden Jubilee.  Victoria takes a liking to Abdul and spends most of her time with him, much to the dismay of the Prince of Wales (Eddie Izzard), the Prime Minister (Michael Gambon) and her household staff.  I'm sure that there were a lot of liberties taken with the historical accuracy of this film and there has been a lot of criticism about the portrayal of Britain's colonization of India, but I enjoyed it as a story about an unlikely friendship.  Dame Judi Dench is brilliant in this role, as ever, and there is an incredibly affecting scene where she laments the fact that everyone she loves has died while she goes on and on.  Ali Fazal is very endearing as Abdul and it is easy to see why Victoria would be so enamored of him.  The other characters are pretty one-dimensional but the two strong central performances make up for that.  The film is gorgeously shot, especially the scenes in Scotland, and the costumes and interiors are  everything that you could want from a British period-piece.  In short, it is a lovely little film that I enjoyed much more than I thought I would!

Battle of the Sexes

While Battle of the Sexes is a crowd-pleasing biopic about about the iconic tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973, it is also a powerful statement about equality between the sexes and the right to be who you are and love who you want.  That is what had me cheering!  I was a child in the 1970s so I never had to experience the chauvinism and condescension that so many women faced back then (there are a few scenes in this movie that were incredulous to me, especially when Bill Pullman's character spoke, because I can't imagine men actually speaking to women that way).  For that I am profoundly grateful to pioneers like Billie Jean King who advocated for women's rights.  King (Emma Stone), wanting to bring attention to the disparity between male and female tennis players, agrees to an exhibition match against a former champion player, Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell).  In addition, each of them are fighting other battles off the court.  King is conducting a passionate affair with her hairdresser (Andrea Riseborough) which she feels the need to hide and Riggs is a man past his prime fighting for relevance with a controlling wife (Elisabeth Shue).  Really, this film is not about a tennis match but rather the journey that each athlete takes to get there.  The script is much more emotional than I was expecting and I think King's sexuality is handled with intelligence and sensitivity (although a few people walked out of my screening after a sex scene).  Stone gives another wonderful performance, almost disappearing into the role.  Carell is perfect as the goofy and frenetic Riggs and I found him to be a sympathetic character rather than the villain portrayed in the trailers.  I also, rather surprisingly, really enjoyed Sarah Silverman's brassy portrayal of a tennis promoter but I thought Alan Cummings was a bit wasted as a designer of tennis dresses (did he really have to accompany the women on tour to dress them?) and only exists to give a moving speech at the end of the movie about LGBTQ rights.  Finally, I enjoyed the 1970s verisimilitude in this movie and I laughed out loud when I heard "Crimson and Clover" playing in a bar scene!  I recommend this movie, not just as a feel-good sports story, but for its powerful message. 

Blade Runner Double Feature

I have been looking forward to the release of Blade Runner 2049 for months so when I found out that a local theater was going to screen the original along with the sequel I bought a ticket immediately!  Double features are so much fun because I feel like you bond with your fellow audience members!  I love the original Blade Runner so much!  I remember watching it over and over again late at night on HBO when I was 15 or 16 so it was a thrill to be able to watch it again on the big screen!  In Los Angeles in the year 2019 a police officer, or blade runner, named Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is tasked with hunting down four replicants, or synthetic beings engineered to be used as slaves in the off-world colonies, who have returned to Earth to extend their lives.  He also falls in love with Rachael (Sean Young), a replicant who has been implanted with false memories to make it harder to detect her.  In my opinion it is a brilliant commentary on the nature of humanity that definitely stands the test of time and its influence can be seen today in so many movies.  By the time it was over I was so excited for Blade Runner 2049 that I could hardly contain myself!  Let me just say right now that it is brilliant and it might even be better than the original because it explores the themes of what it means to be human on a deeper level.  Thirty years later the newest replicants have been integrated into society.  Ryan Gosling plays one who works as a blade runner hunting down older replicants who have gone rogue.  He discovers a secret which leads him to hunt down Deckard (Harrison Ford, reprising his role) to learn the truth.  There are many twists and turns as the truth is slowly revealed (although I still have a major question!) and there were a couple of times when I figured something out an instant before it was revealed!  Like the original, it is visually stunning and you literally cannot take your eyes off the screen.  Denis Villaneuve continues Ridley Scott's world-building to its logical progression with dark and gritty scenes of claustrophobia on the streets of L.A. and orange-infused shots of a decimated Las Vegas.  Gosling is outstanding in the role because he is somehow able to show absolutely no emotion until a key scene which left me absolutely gutted.  It was also so much fun to see Ford play yet another iconic character once again.  I think my favorite aspect of the of the film is the score because it mimics the original in that it creates almost unbearable tension which doesn't let up until the final scenes.  I really loved Blade Runner 2049 and, unbelievably, it lived up to all of my expectations!  I highly recommend that you see it on the biggest screen possible.

American Made

I saw American Made last night and I have to say that I really liked it.  I am not a big fan of Tom Cruise but Barry Seal is the kind of role that he excels at playing and he gives an outstanding performance, one of his best in years.  After a while I stopped wondering how much of the story was actually true and I stopped thinking about the consequences of Seal's actions and just enjoyed the wild ride!  The film tells the true story of TWA pilot Barry Seal (Cruise) after he is recruited by a CIA operative (Domhnall Gleeson) to take aerial photographs of Sandinista bases in Central America.  Seal is so good at getting into and out of Central America he eventually becomes the bag man for General Noriega and begins running guns to the Contras for the CIA while smuggling cocaine for the Medellin cartel on the side.  Seal makes so much money he can't launder it fast enough in some highly amusing scenes.  However, the CIA eventually disavows him and he is cornered by local and state law enforcement, the DEA, and the FBI in another highly amusing scene.  He eludes prosecution by becoming an informant against the Medellin cartel for the White House in its war on drugs (with some great footage of Nancy Reagan) which leads to the inevitable conclusion.  Through it all Cruise gives his high-wattage smile and struts across one airport tarmac after another.  Director Doug Limon uses actual footage from the 80s, close-up shots, and hand-held camera work to create a gritty documentary-style film that feels very nostalgic and the 80s music keeps the adrenaline pumping (I loved "Wah-Wah" by George Harrison in the credits).  To be sure, there are flaws in this movie (don't get me started on how Seal's wife Lucy, played by Sarah Wright, is portrayed) but it is just so entertaining that I would definitely recommend it!

Tangled

AMC Theatres are sponsoring a film festival entitled Dream Big, Princesses which include screenings of the following Disney (and Pixar) classics:  Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and Brave.  (Go here for more information).  I am rather late to the party because I've been so busy and missed Beauty and the Beast and Mulan but I made sure to make time to see Tangled last night because I absolutely love it.  It is one of my very favorite Disney animated movies (along with The Lion King and Moana).  It was so much fun for me to see it again on the big screen and I think I liked it even more than I did the first time I saw it!  Tangled tells the story of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and how she leaves her tower to discover her true identity with the help of Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi).  Both Rapunzel and Flynn are fantastic characters, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) is one of the best Disney villains ever, and Pascal just makes me smile!  I love all of the songs, especially "I See the Light."  It is visually stunning and I get goosebumps during the lantern scene every time.  I love practically everything about this movie and I loved having a chance to see it again on the big screen (I watch it all of the time at home because it makes me so happy but it isn't the same).  I highly recommend revisiting Tangled which will be screened at AMC Theatres until Oct. 5.

Note:  I have so many fun memories of seeing Tangled for the first time in the theater.  We were staying in St. George in the motor home over Thanksgiving break.  My sister, a family friend, and I decided to see it Thanksgiving night and the tiny theater in St. George couldn't handle the massive crowd.  It was kill or be killed to get a seat and someone spilled their drink on my sister trying to climb over us but we had so much fun!

Stronger

Last night I went to see Stronger, the incredible true story of Jeff Bauman's triumph over adversity after losing both legs in the Boston Marathon bombing.  This movie is so inspiring with outstanding performances by Jake Gyllenhaal (who is very hit or miss with me) and Tatiana Maslany.  Bauman (Gyllenhaal) is an average working-class guy who likes to drink with his buddies and watch the Boston Red Sox.  When he finds out that his on-again off-again girlfriend Erin (Maslany) is running in the Boston Marathon, he decides to wait at the finish line in an attempt to win her back.  After the explosion, both of his legs are amputated above the knee and he must adapt to his new physical limitations amidst the adulation he receives as the embodiment of "Boston Strong" all while dealing with PTSD from the explosion.  This film does not shy away from showing the reality of Bauman's situation and there are definitely some scenes that are difficult to watch such as when his dressings are changed for the first time, when he falls out of bed and breaks his nose, and when he passes out in the bathtub covered in his own feces.  Gyllenhaal does a great job at showing Bauman's free falling emotions, particularly at a Boston Bruins game where he is made the honorary captain and paraded out in front of the fans.  His family and friends practically force him to participate so they can get free VIP seats to the game but he has a panic attack out on the ice that is incredibly affecting.  I cried multiple times, especially when he is left to crawl across a parking lot in one gut-wrenching scene.  I really appreciated the fact that Erin is a fully realized character and Maslany does a good job at showing her tremendous guilt over the fact that he was at the race for her and showing the difficulties she faces in being a caregiver especially in light of her strained relationship with his mother (an excellent Miranda Richardson).  This movie contains quite a bit of gruesome violence, particularly when he begins remembering the events right after the bombing, and there is a lot of profanity so keep that in mind.  However, I would highly recommend this wonderful film.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

The next film in the Studio Ghibli Fest was Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.  Unfortunately, I had to see this film without my friend and I had to see the dubbed version rather than the subtitled version (which is my preference) because my life is so crazy and yesterday was the only day I could fit it in.  I'm glad I made the effort because I really enjoyed this film and I would have been sad to have missed it.  In a post-apocalyptic world, a toxic forest filled with seemingly hostile mutant insects, including giant armored insects called Ohms, threatens to destroy the remaining kingdoms on Earth.  Princess Nausicaa, who lives in the Valley of the Wind, explores the toxic forest trying to understand it and she seems to have a calming effect on the insects.  Two other kingdoms, Tolmekia and Pejite, both want to destroy the toxic forest but Nausicaa has learned that the forest is actually renewing the Earth and must try to stop them.  One of the things I really admired about this narrative is that the other kingdoms aren't motivated by power or greed but, rather, fear and survival.  Nausicaa doesn't want to punish or hurt them but convince them of the truth.  I loved the message that understanding can overcome fear and I definitely think that we can use a little bit more understanding in the world today.  Once again, Hayao Miyazaki has created a young female character that is incredibly courageous and kind and I loved her, especially when she faces a terrifying group of attacking Ohms by herself (it is absolutely brilliant when their eyes gradually turn from red to blue through her calming influence).  I've noticed that Miyazaki seems to be obsessed with flight and I really enjoyed the scenes with Nausicaa on her glider.   As with all of the Studio Ghibli films I've seen so far, I really enjoyed the animation because the images are so beautiful, almost like watercolor paintings.  Definitely watch this film if you have the opportunity, preferably on the big screen.

Note:  The dubbed version was actually pretty good.  I especially enjoyed Patrick Stewart as a wise and revered swordsman.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

September has been Spielberg month for me!  Earlier in the month I saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind for its 40th Anniversary, a few weeks ago I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark with the score played live by the Utah Symphony, and I got to see E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (celebrating its 35th Anniversary) yesterday thanks to the TCM Big Screen Classics series.  Seeing this wonderful movie on the big screen once again was such a delight and I loved every minute of it.  I remember two things very distinctly when I saw this movie for the first time.  The design of the alien was keep very secret until the movie was released and I was so excited to see what E.T. looked like.  I thought he was adorable!  I also remember that my sister threw up during the movie and we always reminded her of this every time we watched our VHS copy of it!  The story of the relationship between an alien accidentally left on Earth and a lonely boy dealing with his parents' separation is so lovely.  There are so many fun and iconic moments in the movie that made me cheer once again (there were many kids in the audience seeing it for the first time who squealed with delight at these same scenes): when Elliott uses Reese's Pieces to lure E.T. out of the woods, when Gertie dresses him up, when Elliott releases all of the frogs at school, when E.T. first says "E.T. phone home," when Elliott's bicycle is lifted in the air on the way to the mountain, and when E.T.'s heart lights up after it appears that he has died.  While E.T. needs Elliott to help him get back home I think Elliott needs E.T. just as much and their goodbye at the end of the movie made me tear up just a little bit!  Like Close Encounters, this movie was just as magical as it was the first time I saw it on the big screen and I'm glad I had the opportunity to do so again.

Mother!

I debated with myself back and forth about whether I should see the film mother!  Darren Aronofsky is very hit or miss with me (I liked Black Swan and couldn't stop thinking about it for days but I thought Requiem for a Dream was one of the worst films I've ever seen) and the polarizing reviews did little to help me make up my mind.  Ultimately, I decided to see it Saturday afternoon and, now that I have, I honestly don't know what to make of it.  I appreciate the message about destroying Mother Earth that Aronofsky is practically hitting the audience over the head with and the Biblical allegories about creation are quite brilliant but many of the images on the screen upset me deeply.  The first two-thirds of the film are about a writer (Javier Bardem) and his wife (Jennifer Lawrence) who live in a house, which they have rebuilt after a devastating fire, in a remote and isolated area.  A man (Ed Harris), thinking that their house is a bed and breakfast, arrives and is invited to stay by the writer despite his wife's objections.  Next, a woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrives and completely takes over the house, even trying to see a room which is forbidden and breaking a priceless artifact.  Soon, their sons arrive (Brian and Domhnall Gleeson) and, arguing over an inheritance, one kills the other.  More and more people come to the house and begin destroying it until the wife demands that the writer force everyone to leave.  The references to the Garden of Eden are obvious and, despite my extreme frustration at the wife's subservience and powerlessness, it worked for me as a taut and intense psychological thriller.  The close-up camera shots which track Lawrence's character from room to room as she becomes increasingly more desperate create a tension which just keeps building and building.  Pfeiffer gives one of her best performances to date, dominating each scene she appears in.  In my opinion, the film should have ended there but it doesn't.  The third act descends into a visceral, disturbing, and surreal mess which, at times, made me sick to my stomach.  The Biblical allegories continue but I didn't like the portrayal of God as vain and selfish and His followers as fanatical and destructive (It should be noted that this is my interpretation and others may view it differently).  I don't consider myself to be a very religious person but this just seemed very offensive to me.  I was also disturbed by the portrayal of the destruction of Mother Earth because the way Lawrence's character is treated was too much for me to watch.  There is one particular scene where she is literally thrown to the ground and beaten that had me sobbing and don't get me started on the scenes with her baby, which are horrific  Again, I appreciate the message but the images are so repulsive.  I guess you could say that I really liked mother! until the main character became a mother!

American Assassin

Last night I went to a Thursday preview of American Assassin, based on the novel of the same name by Vince Flynn, and, as a huge fan of the spy genre, I thought it was very standard.  Mitch Rapp (Dylan O'Brien) is the victim of a terrorist attack which claims the life of his fiancee.  Consumed by thoughts of revenge, he tries to infiltrate a terrorist cell in Libya which attracts the attention of the CIA Deputy Director (Sanaa Lathan) who then proceeds to recruit him as a black ops agent.  He is sent to train with veteran agent Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton) and the two of them are sent on a covert mission to various locations around the world with a mysterious Turkish agent (Shiva Negar) to retrieve some plutonium stolen by a rogue mercenary (Taylor Kitsch).  The story has a few interesting twists along the way but it is fairly predictable and more than a little far-fetched.  There are some great action sequences including a fantastic virtual reality training simulation, a car chase through the streets of Rome, a fistfight on a speeding boat, and an epic explosion at sea.  The low lighting and hand-held camera work give it a certain grittiness but I never really felt an edge-of-my-seat tension.  The characters are pretty one-dimensional but O'Brien does a good job as the brooding loner turned operative (I suspect that he will appeal to a certain demographic) and Keaton is an absolute hoot to watch in an over-the-top performance, especially in a scene where he is tortured by a former protege.  This movie is entertaining and fans of the genre will probably like it but it is ultimately forgettable.  There is nothing that we haven't seen a million times before done much better in movies like the Bourne series.

The Wrath of Khan

In honor of its 35th Anniversary (all of these anniversaries of films that I saw in the theater as a kid are making me feel old), I had the opportunity to see Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on the big screen last night and I absolutely loved it.  In my opinion it is the best of the original Star Trek movies.  When the starship Reliant surveys a barren planet for its suitability in the Genesis Project, the crew finds Khan (Ricardo Montalban), an old enemy who had been marooned there many years ago.  Seeking revenge against Admiral Kirk (William Shatner), Khan commandeers the Reliant to attack the Enterprise and tries to take Genesis for use as a weapon.  This forces an epic confrontation in which Spock (Leonard Nimoy) sacrifices his life to save the Enterprise (William Shatner, in the interview that preceded the movie, wondered if there was anyone who didn't know how the movie ends and if he was giving spoilers when he talked about Spock's death).  What I loved most about this movie, aside from the great story which continues a plot from the original series and Montalban as a fabulous villain, is the relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.  There are several great scenes between the three of them which really develop their characters on a deeper level.  Spock's death scene is one of the greatest scenes, ever.  I did find the special effects to be a bit dated but that hardly mattered because the story is so great.  It was so much fun watching this on the big screen with a fun and rowdy crowd, many of whom were in very elaborate costumes.  When Kirk shouted, "Khaaaaaaaaaan," the whole audience cheered!  If you are a fan of Star Trek, this is a must see on the big screen.  There is one more opportunity to see it on Wednesday (go here for more information) and I highly recommend it!

It

I have read Stephen King's best-selling novel It multiple times but the last time I read it was quite a while ago.  As I watched the new movie adaptation, I knew enough about the story and the characters to be completely invested very quickly but I couldn't remember enough to make comparisons between the script and the novel.  That was just the right mix for me because I thought the movie was fantastic (unlike the other Stephen King adaptation this summer).  There is something evil lurking in the sewers of Derry and it reappears, most often in the guise of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard), to haunt the town's inhabitants every 27 years.  After Georgie Denbrough (Jackson Robert Scott) goes missing, his brother Bill (Jaeden Martell) and his friends Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Beverly (Sophia Lillis), Richie (Finn Wolfhard), Stan (Wyatt Oleff), Mike (Chosen Jacobs), and Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) try to figure out what is causing so many of Derry's children to disappear.  Bill and the rest of the "Loser's Club" are all misfits in one way or another and Pennywise appears to each of them as what they fear the most.  They must band together in an epic confrontation with Pennywise in order to save Beverly.  The narrative ends with all seven of the kids making a blood pact to come back and face Pennywise again if it comes back, setting the stage for the next movie.  What I liked most about this movie is that it is an emotionally satisfying coming-of-age story about a group of kids who have to face their greatest fears.  By the end of the movie I cared deeply about each one of them and that is due, in large part, to the nuanced performances of the young actors, especially Lillis whose story arc is the most disturbing.  All seven of them are wonderful and I loved their interactions with each other because they seemed so natural and real with quite a few really funny moments to balance out the terror.  I've heard some criticism that it isn't scary enough but don't listen to it.  In my opinion, it is plenty scary (so please don't take your young children to see it). I jumped about a mile in a particularly tense scene.  Skarsgard plays Pennywise in a way that is completely different from Tim Curry's portrayal in the 1990 miniseries but it is no less frightening.  I definitely recommend this movie!

Note:  Now I am very eager for the sequel and, I have to admit, I already started casting the adult roles in my head before the movie even ended!  Amy Adams as Beverly?  Yes! 

Tulip Fever

I really love period dramas and, despite everything I had heard, I still thought I might like Tulip Fever so I went to see it last night.  It looked absolutely beautiful in the previews and it has a stellar cast so how bad could it be?  It is pretty bad.  Set in 17th Century Amsterdam, Sophia (Alicia Vikander) is an orphan essentially sold to Cornelis Sandvoort (Christoph Waltz), a wealthy merchant, because he is desperate for an heir.  She fails to produce said heir but he treats her kindly.  He hires Jan Van Loos (Dane DeHaan), a struggling artist, to paint their portrait and of course he falls in love with Sophia and they begin an affair.  In an attempt to be with Sophia, Jan begins speculating in the tulip market, where fortunes can be won and lost in an instant, with the help of the Mother Abbess (Judi Dench) who raised Sophia.  Maria (Holliday Grainger), Sophia's maid, is in love with a fishmonger named Willem (Jack O'Connell) who also speculates in the tulip market but when his fortune is stolen by an unscrupulous prostitute (Cara Delivigne) he is conscripted into the navy.  Sophia and Maria's stories converge in a ridiculous plot twist and the ending is anything but satisfying.  This movie is beautiful with gorgeous period costumes and lighting straight out of a Vermeer painting.  However, there are so many things wrong.  The story is convoluted but, even worse, it is also totally implausible, especially one plot element that defies common sense.  I didn't understand any of the characters' motivations.  Christoph Waltz usually plays such a good villain but in this movie his character is almost benign so I didn't understand Sophia's desperation to escape from Cornelis.  Sophia and Jan barely speak five words to each other before they are in bed together so I didn't really buy their relationship.  I also didn't understand Sophia's choice at the end of the movie.  What a letdown after everything the characters have been through!  The tone of this movie is also quite strange.  It is supposed to be a tense and compelling drama but there are some odd comedic elements, especially regarding a "little soldier" in some of the strangest sex scenes I've ever seen.  I also found the scenes where the tulips are bought and sold, which should be fraught with tension because of the consequences for the characters, to be incredibly boring.  It was a bit disappointing and I recommend giving it a miss.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

I will be honest and say that last week was really rough.  After a great first week things deteriorated rapidly with lots of schedule changes, an incredibly disorganized picture schedule (which always involves the English teachers), and spotty internet connectivity throughout the whole district.  The only thing that got me through was knowing that I had a screening of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (it is being screened for a limited engagement in honor of its 40th Anniversary) to look forward to on Friday night!  I vividly remember watching this movie in the theater when I was a kid (in fact, I remember being fairly obsessed with it) so it was an absolute thrill to be able to see it again on the big screen.   I'm sure that nostalgia played a big part in my reaction but I loved this movie about a group of people who have an encounter with a UFO and the government's attempts to cover it up just as much as I did when I was an impressionable nine year old.  Most of the narrative involves a select group of people, including Roy (Richard Dreyfuss) and Jillian (Melinda Dillon) among others, who are inexplicably drawn to Devil's Tower in Wyoming after their encounter.  It turns out that Devil's Tower is a coordinate broadcast by aliens to a group of scientists, including Claude Lacombe (Francois Truffaut), after they communicate with them through musical tones (those five iconic notes).  The final encounter with the UFO at Devil's Tower is just as epic as I remember it and, in my opinion, the special effects hold up very well after 40 years.  Even after seeing so many other alien movies, I was still absolutely spellbound.  What I like best about this encounter is that almost everyone reacts with awe rather than fear.  It is just so magical!   Once again, I was fascinated by Truffaut's portrayal of Lacombe and I can't really explain why other than to say that this movie was my first introduction to him (my Dad had to tell me that he was a famous director) and I also absolutely loved Barry's (Cary Guffey) wide-eyed wonder when he looks at the UFOs.  It is an amazing movie and I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen!

Note:  I was so obsessed with this movie I actually requested that my parents take me on a road trip to Devil's Tower when I was in high school.  It is a seriously cool place!

Castle in the Sky

Last night I met my friend to see Castle in the Sky, the next film in the Studio Ghibli Fest, and it is absolutely amazing.  It is very different from the other films I've seen in this series because it is an epic adventure filled with imagination and emotion and I will probably be thinking about it for a long time to come.  It involves a quest for a mysterious and powerful floating island called Laputa (there is also a flying island named Laputa in Gulliver's Travels) by pirates who seek it for treasure, by a Colonel and his army who want to use its power to control the world, and by a young girl who has a glowing pendant, passed down through the generations of her family, that seems to lead to Laputa.  She is aided by a young miner who rescues her and together they must decide the fate of Laputa.  The characters go from one adventure to the next and I was simply blown away by the imaginative world-building.  It is all so fantastical and I was captivated by the storytelling.  I loved the two main characters of Sheeta and Pazu because they are very determined and resourceful and their relationship with each other is so pure.  But more than that, the two of them are so brave, especially in a powerful and emotional scene where they make a decision about Laputa.  I was quite fascinated by the unusual technology, especially all of the flying machines and the machines used in the mine.  I'll say it again.  Hayao Miyazaki has an impressive imagination.  The music used in the film is fantastic, ranging from choral pieces, to beautiful and atmospheric melodies (I loved the harp), to pulse-pounding beats to heighten the tension.  Finally, I think my very favorite aspect of this film is the color palette.  I loved the use of blue, turquoise, green, and purple to represent the power of the pendant.  I cannot recommend this film enough!  I am starting to understand why people are such fans of anime.  I never knew that cartoons could be so powerful!

The Only Living Boy in New York

I was mildly intrigued by the trailer for The Only Living Boy in New York and, since I had already seen everything else on my list, I decided that it would be the cure for a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Thomas Webb (Callum Turner) is a young man at loose ends who aspires to be a writer.  His father Ethan (Pierce Brosnan), with whom he has a distant relationship (there is a reason for this which is revealed later), is a hot-shot New York publisher who gives him little encouragement, calling his work "serviceable."  He is incredibly protective of his mother Judith (Cynthia Nixon), an emotional mess (there is a reason for this which is revealed later) who throws pretentious dinner parties as a way of dealing with her unhappiness.  He pines over Mimi (Kiersey Clemons), a girl with whom he has been in love forever but only wants to be friends with him.  One night while at a club with Mimi he sees his father out with another woman (Kate Beckinsale).  He begins following her with the intention of telling her to stop seeing his father but eventually begins an affair with her.  Thomas begins discussing all of the above with his new neighbor, the writer W.F. Gerald (Jeff Bridges), who has aggressively wormed his way into Thomas's life (there is a reason for this which is revealed later).  W.F. eventually turns these conversations into a novel about Thomas titled The Only Living Boy in New York.  The problem with this movie is that it thinks it is an edgy treatise about New York City when it is really just an run-of-the-mill family drama.  There are tons of mind-numbing speeches about how New York has lost its soul, including one by a character who exists only to give a speech at a wedding, which do nothing to advance the plot.  I was so bored that I checked my phone multiple times (the only other person in the theater with me left mid-way through).  By the time the big plot twist, which explains everyone's motivations, is revealed I didn't really care because I just wasn't that interested in any of the characters.  Turner is very handsome and appealing to watch but I didn't really buy his alienation and I thought his response to the big plot twist was way too accepting.  Brosnan is just playing another version of the judgmental father he played in Remember Me.  Bridges speaks as if he has just had major dental work done.  Everyone else is fine but largely unmemorable.  I did like the music but after listening to moody songs from Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, and Procol Harum, it was a little jarring to hear a peppy song by The Head and the Heart in the final credits.  It is an entirely forgettable movie that should only be viewed on Netflix when you can't sleep.

Ingrid Goes West

Ingrid Goes West is another gem from Sundance that friends of mine have been talking about lately so I put it on my list.  Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza) is sad, lonely, and desperate for a connection with someone.  When she comes into some money after her mother's death, she decides to move to California in order to befriend Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen), a social media celebrity who seemingly has the perfect life.  In her pursuit of Taylor, she ironically sabotages the only real and authentic relationship she has with someone (O'Shea Jackson, Jr.) who genuinely cares about her for the sake of a fake one.  As Ingrid gets close to Taylor, she ultimately realizes that Taylor's life is just as empty and meaningless as her own.  It is a fascinating commentary on social media and I have to admit that it hit a little bit too close to home (right before the movie I checked my phone and noticed that I had two new followers on Instagram).  It is really easy to compare yourself to the people you follow on Instagram or Facebook and judge your life to be lacking and it can take up all of your time and energy creating a fake persona to make your life as exciting as everyone else's seems.  It can be really easy to determine your self-worth by the number of followers you have or likes you get on a post.  I find it incredibly ironic that Ingrid finds the notoriety that she has been craving for so long after the only real and vulnerable moment she has on social media.  Even though this movie is a cautionary tale I found it to be quite funny (probably because I recognized myself in the characters), especially in a scene where Ingrid tries to decide whether to post "ha ha ha" or "he he he."  I really liked the production design.  I read that the filmmakers used popular Instagram feeds to inform how they decorated Taylor's house and her costumes!  Too funny!  Plaza does a good job at making Ingrid into a sympathetic character, even when she makes one bad decision after another, and Olsen's portrayal of a woman obsessed with her "brand" feels very spot-on.  If you have ever taken a picture of your avocado toast to post to Instagram before eating it, you will probably enjoy this movie (or squirm in your seat).