James' World 2

At Eternity’s Gate is a biographical drama about the final years of painter, Vincent van Gogh’s life. The film is directed by Julian Schnabel, from a screenplay by Schnabel, Louise Kugelberg and Jean-Claude Carrière. Last year an animated, fully hand oil painted version of the last years of Vincent Van Gogh, was nominated for Best Animated Feature and told a very similar story – This movie, made with true life actors, was brilliantly done and I find the film indescribably touching. I’ve decided to deal more with Willem Dafoe’s performance and feelings about the movie, via a series of quotes taken from various places and the direction taken by Schnabel rather than the story content, which is already pretty well known.

At Eternity’s Gate focuses on Vincent van Gogh’s (Willem Dafoe) final years, which were spent in the South of France. The opening scene shows van Gogh chanting, “I…

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a computer-animated superhero film, based on the Marvel Comics character Miles Morales, aka Spider-Man.  Morales  becomes one of many Spider-Men as they team up to save New York City from Kingpin.  The film is produced by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation in association with Marvel, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing.  Into the Spider-Verse  is the first animated feature film in the Spider-Man franchise, and is set in a shared multiverse called the “Spider-Verse”, which has alternate universes. The film was directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman from a screenplay by Phil Lord and Rothman.  I had never heard of the Spider-Verse but for good reason, this is the first of the Spider-Verse series.  Judging by the weekend box office of 2/3, $175,424,664 and over $347M worldwide, we will see more.  Actually, I liked this film and am having trouble…

Ralph Breaks the Internet (originally titled as Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2) is a 3D computer-animated comedy produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the sequel to the 2012 film, Wreck-It Ralph, making it Disney’s 57th feature-length animated film. It is directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston (who wrote the screenplay with Pamela Ribon), and executive-produced by John Lasseter, Chris Williams, and Jennifer Lee. As far as children’s animated films go, this one was quite busy, loud and fun.  I do know Ralph Breaks the Internet has received mostly positive reviews from critics, who called it a “worthy successor” and praised the animation, humor, characters, and plot, as well as the vocal performances. I’m not a big fan but I do agree the film teaches (in it’s own way) a few lessons about how the hi-tech world operates.

Six…

Mary Poppins Returns is a musical fantasy directed by Rob Marshall, screenplay written by David Magee and story by Magee Marshall, and John DeLuca. Mary Poppins Returns is based on the book series, Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers.  The film is a sequel to the 1964 original film, Mary Poppins and was released in the United States on December 19, 2018, making it one of the longest gaps between film sequels in cinematic history at 54 years.  While I always got Nanny McPhee mixed up with Mary Poppins, I now know the absolute difference, thanks to the sequel.  I didn’t particularly want to see MPR but I’m glad I did — it’s truly a fun, feel good movie.

Mary Poppins Returns, (MPR) is set in the 1930s London, twenty-five years after the original film. Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), the former nanny of Jane and Michael Banks, returns to…

Isle of Dogs (Japanese: 犬ヶ島 Hepburn: Inugashima) is a stop-motion-animated science-fiction comedy-drama written, produced and directed by Wes Anderson. Isle of Dogs was produced by Indian Paintbrush and Anderson’s own production company, American Empirical Pictures, in association with Studio Babelsberg. Set in a dystopian near-future Japan, the story follows a young boy searching for his dog after the species is banished to an island following the outbreak of a canine flu. I thought Isle of Dogs was well done with a very entertaining plot.

Isle of Dogs opens in the Japanese archipelago, where 20 years into the future, an outbreak of canine influenza spreads throughout the city of Megasaki.  There’s a risk the canine flu could cross over to humans. The city’s 6-term authoritarian mayor, Kenji Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura), signs a decree banishing all dogs to Trash Island, despite a scientist named Professor Watanabe (Akira Ito) insisting…

First Reformed is a drama written and directed by Paul Schrader. It follows a Protestant minister faced with questions of faith and morality while serving as pastor of a dwindling historical church. While screened in August of 2017 at the 74th Venice International Film Festival it was theatrically released in the United States in May of 2018, which enabled the film to be considered for an Oscar in 2019.  I liked First Reformed and was glad I decided to see it, as it is a decent story.

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Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) of the First Reformed Church in Snowbridge, New York has been writing his thoughts in a journal for a year, that he intends to destroy. First Reformed is a 250-year-old Dutch Reformed Church that is facing dwindling attendance under Reverend Toller’s leadership. His teachings has taken the church in a new direction and away…

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a biographical film directed by Marielle Heller.  The screenplay is by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, based on Lee Israel’s 2008 memoir of the same name. Can You Ever Forgive Me? tells the true story of a writer who has fallen on hard times and turns to illegal methods of making ends meet.   This movie has flown way under the radar, as it appears to have been looked on as the book Lee Israel wrote in the movie.  I’m so glad I got to see Can You Ever Forgive Me? it’s truly a block buster in it’s own right.

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Following the critical and commercial failure of her biography of Estée Lauder, author Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) is struggling with financial troubles, writer’s block and alcoholism. Because her agent Marjorie (Jane Curtain), is unable to secure Lee with an advance…

Roma is a drama written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who also produced, co-edited and shot the film. Roma is also a co-production of Mexico and the United States. Set in 1970 and 1971, the film is a semi-autobiographical take on Cuarón’s upbringing in Mexico City, and follows the life of a live-in housekeeper to a middle-class family. The title refers to Colonia Roma, a neighborhood in the city. Roma also won two Golden Globes for Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, and four Critics’ Choice Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture at the 24th Critics’ Choice Awards; it also received seven nominations at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards.  There’s has been lots of hoopla regarding Roma.  I decided to see it based on it’s nominations and potential to be Oscar nodded.  Good story but extremely slow and not for everyone.

The Favourite is a period piece and a comedy-drama directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. It is a co-production by producers in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Set in the early 18th century, the story examines the relationship between two cousins vying to be court favourites of Queen Anne. The American Film Institute selected The Favourite as one of its top 10 films of 2018. Among other accolades, the film received five Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. My favorite category (no pun intended) of motion pictures to watch is a period piece. I’m more than glad I got to see The Favourite — It was brilliant.

In 1708, Britain is at war with France and a somewhat weakened Queen Anne (Olivia Coleman) is on the throne. Having been ill for some time, Queen Anne…

If Beale Street Could Talk is a romantic drama directed and written by Barry Jenkins, based on James Baldwin’s 1969 novel of the same name. It follows a young African-American woman who, with her family’s support, seeks to clear the name of her wrongly charged lover and prove his innocence before the birth of their child. There’s been lots of marketing of this movie, beware of over zealous advertising!  Still, I liked the film.

Clementine “Tish” Rivers (KiKi Layne) and Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt (Stephan James) have been friends their entire lives. As children, they did everything together, from taking baths to playing in the streets.  As adults, they enter a romantic relationship together and hold a bond between them that can’t be broken. After deciding to get married, they struggle to find a place to live as most landlords refuse to rent apartments to black people. Eventually they found a…