Movies: Downsizing, Molly’s Game, I Tonya

We are back from Wisconsin and the holidays with family.  It was great fun except for the 2 weeks of sub-zero temperatures.  The 60+ temps at home seem balmy by comparison.

After falling behind on several new releases we are playing a bit of catch up.  Can you believe the Golden Globe awards are this Sunday?!  Enjoy.

J&J

Downsizing

The world is overpopulated.  Living costs are sky high.  Science has discovered a way to shrink humans to 5 inches tall and create a part of the world on the same scale with the cost of living on a comparable level.

Once you get your brain around it, it is a stimulating idea.  However, the parallel world is not all it would seem.  The underbelly of this new world is just as bad as the full size world.

The acting is good overall.  Matt Damon is superb as a workplace physical therapist.  Kristen Wiig has a bit part as his wife.  Christoph Waltz is off the charts as a Playboy/Con man.  Hong Chau as the housekeeper brings substance to the plot with her exceptional performance.

Critics and audiences are all over the board on this film.  Rightfully so, as the story morphs into too many Utopian corners.

It is rated R for language including sexual references, graphic nudity and drug use.  (Much of it unnecessary.)  The genre is noted as Comedy/Drama.  It runs a long two hours, 15 minutes.  It’s a near miss, just short of its grand concept.

Rating 

Molly’s Game

Just in time for Oscar consideration, this film is based on true events and the novel by Molly Bloom.  The story behind the story is one of the lead character gamblers, played by Michael Cera, was/is actually Tobey Maguire, hence the “real events”.

Screenplay and Directed by Aaron Sorkin.  The incredible Jessica Chastain plays a perfect Molly.  The equally skilled English actor Idris Elba the defense attorney.  Kevin Costner plays Molly’s father.  A dozen other actors contribute to a very fine cast.

It is rated R for language, drug content and some violence.  It is absolutely NOT appropriate for children.  The genre is noted as Drama/Crime with a whopping run time of two hours, 20 minutes.

This film has already been nominated for Golden Globes in the acting category and appears to be favored for Oscar consideration.  It is fast paced, intelligent, and often intense.

Rating 

I, Tonya

When this film was first announced, I thought ‘why on earth would they do a movie about Tonya Harding?’  Well, we finally saw it and were quite surprised with the production.

The film re-enacts the true events of U.S. figure skating scandals in the early 90s.  Ultimately, the story is sad, intense, clever and surprisingly captivating.  The acting makes the film jump off the screen.  Margot Robbie morphs into Tonya.  Allison Janney is stellar as her mother, LaVona Harding.  Romanian-American Sebastian Stan shines as Tonya’s husband.

The movie is rated R for pervasive language, violence and some sexual content/nudity.  It is not recommended for young children.  Its genre is noted as a Sport/Drama and runs 2 hours, 1 minute.

Rating  

One thought on “Movies: Downsizing, Molly’s Game, I Tonya”

  1. Welcome home…if I haven’t already said it. I’ve been preoccupied with frigid temps and no heat…or very little, in my house! It was finally sort-of-fixed yesterday, and I’m sweating in balmy 65 degrees. I’m afraid to turn the thermostat lower because some friends are coming this afternoon for a gathering, and I don’t want them to sit around in long down coats to survive. That happened here on New Year’s Eve. I don’t know what damage has really been done during these 2 1/2 weeks of untoward icyness. Warmer temps and a thaw will make those problems very clear. XOXOXO

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