We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas/Holiday Season. It has been an incredible year of incredible travel. We are especially grateful for our friends and family throughout the States and around the world. Each of you have a special place in our hearts. Thank you for the love and friendship. J&J
It’s bonus week. We plan to squeeze in as many films as possible before New Year’s along with reviews so we can feel comfortable before our New Year’s visit to London.
Capernaum
Here is another “just released” film, this one about the slums of Beirut, Lebanon. This is a gut wrenching story about a 12 year old boy who runs away from his abusive parents only to find himself caring for a two year old Ethiopian child abandoned by his mother.
Be warned, this film is extremely difficult to watch. The scenes of human trafficking, injustice, child abuse, hunger and suffering are quite difficult to view. So why pay to see such a film? Because this is as real as it gets. The film is more documentary than drama.
The film is rated R for language and some drug material. Its genre is noted as a drama. It is written and directed by Nadine Labaki. It is nominated for Cannes awards in five categories and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. The run time is 2 hours, 30 minutes. Arabic and Ethiopian with English subtitles.
Footnote: Capernaum in French means chaos, hell, disorder.
Rating 
Aquaman
Who knew?! This weekend’s box office take debuted at #1 with over $72 million ($500 million world wide). That’s good news for the most recent release of DC Comic’s Aquaman.
First the setting: (It gets complicated so bear with us…) First, the City/State of Atlantis still exists. Their rulers have had enough of the surface dwellers, (that would be us) and decided to conquer the surface world to reclaim control of earth. (Is the stewardship of Mother Earth being heard here?!…).
It’s a great cast: Jason Momoa is perfect as Aquaman and heir to Atlantis. Amber Heard is equally great as Mera. Patrick Wilson is also excellent as Ocean Master. Nicole Kidman is very good as the key character Atlanna. Other notable performances include Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the Black Manta, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, along with another dozen actors like Julie Andews and real-life Aquaman Hawaiian actor Kekoa Kekumano.
Overall, it is hard to ignore the social and environmental overtones. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action and some language. The genre is noted as Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy and a run time of 143 minutes.
Honestly…overall we were disappointed. That said, the film deserves merit for family, environmental subtopics and fantastic visual affects.
Rating: 
Bumblebee
Finally a Transformers movie with a heart warming theme, nice special effects, just the right mix of humor and action. This is sure to gain favor with families even with its production flaws. Some of the military scenes might have been recycled from the cutting room floor.
There is a massive cast of well over 50 actors. We are not sure why the focus was mostly on Hailee Steinfeld as Tomboy Charlie, Jorge Le Lendeborg Jr. as Memo, John Cena as Agent Burns and Jason Drucker as Otis.
The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of Sci-fi action and violence. It’s listed as an Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy. The run time is 114 minutes.
We found it a fun diversion from real world issues if only for an hour or two. That said, we cannot figure out the reason for the Christmas release.
Rating: 
The saddest one is of most interest. Perhaps it will come here.
Having said that, I haven’t had time to go to the flicks in months. I also haven’t been around much.
Have a great time in London. Perhaps you’ll switch to theater as the New Year enters. Remember, I’ll be toasting you amid the crowds and the fireworks in front of the Duomo on New Year’s Eve.
Xoxox