Author: James Hathaway

The Highwaymen

This is an updated rendition of the original from Arthur Penn’s 1967 film where the focus is more on Texas Rangers, Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson, who hunt down Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow under the authority of then Governor of Texas played by Kathy Bates.

It’s a much more intense, brutal version from the original film.  The critic’s comments vary significantly on this version of the story.

The cast makes this edition much different from the first release.  The focus is more on the lawmen that made history than it is about Bonnie and Clyde.  In addition to Costner and Harrelson are Kim Dickens as Gladys Hamer, Emily Brobst as Bonnie Parker, Edward Bossert as Clyde Barrow.  Kathy Bates gives a cameo role as Texas Governer Ma Furguson.  Another 60+ actors round out the cast.

The film is rated R for strong violence and bloody images.  It is listed as Drama, Mystery & Suspense with a run time of 132 minutes.  We do not think this film is appropriate for viewing by children.  It’s just too violent.  This film is also available on Netflix.

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Five Feet Apart

This intriguing film title speaks to the leading characters who suffer from cystic fibrosis.  CF (cystic fibrosis) is a genetic terminal illness with no cure.  It affects about 30,000 people a year in the US alone.  The “six feet apart” rule applies to the distance CF patients must distance themselves from each other or risk contracting the other’s infections.  The story gets pretty serious and intense at one point.

The cast is filled with young folks.  Haley Lu Richardson shines as Stella.  Cole Sprouse is exceptional as Will.  Moises Arias is touching as Poe.  Swedish actress Emily Baldoni is Julie.  British actress Claire Folani plays Meredith.  Another British actress Parminder Nagra plays Dr. Hamid.  Kimberly Hebert Gregory is brilliant as Nurse Barb.

This movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and suggestive materials.  It’s listed as a Drama, Romance but is probably not suitable for younger children.  The run time is 120 minutes.

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Us

From the Director of Get Out, Jordan Peele’s second thriller is attracting large audiences.  Only this edition is much more ambiguous with many more nuances and symbolism.

The Oscar winning Screenplay writer has come up with a film that is creepy, terrifying and inventive that might well haunt your thoughts for a while.  Ironically enough the film is set on the coast of Northern California where Lupita Nyong’o plays the wife and mother at her beach side childhood vacation home.  Winston Duke plays her husband and father to their two children (Shahadi Wright Joseph plays their son and Evan Alex is their daughter).

There have been some mixed reviews but overall we enjoyed the film.  That said it may be too intense for children.  It is rated R for violence, terror and language (and much more to be fair).  It is listed as Horror, Mystery, Thriller and Suspense with a run time of  2 hours, 1 minute.

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Sorry Angel

This film is set in 1993 Brittany and Paris, France.  It was a period of shock and horror when the AIDS disease was spreading rapidly outpacing medical, technical and technological services at the time.

It is also the story of the relationship that develops between two men who come together at two different points in their lives.  Ultimately, it’s a heartbreaking story about life, love, friendship, mortality and finally AIDS.

The film is beautifully filmed with an excellent core cast of a dozen French actors.  It was sometimes difficult to watch and a reminder of the horror the AIDS epidemic caused in the 1990’s.

The talented young French cast includes: Pierre Deladonchamps, Vincent Lacoste, Adele Wismes, Quentin Thebault, Denis Podalydes, Clement Metayer, Tristan Farge and Tomas Gonzales.

The film is not rated.  Its language is French with English subtitles with a run time of 2 hours, 12 minutes.  It is not suitable for children.

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Ash is Purist White

This is a most intriguing film.  It spans almost two decades in multiple locations.  It starts in 2001 and ends in Shanxi, a province in Northern China in 2018.

It is a rare look into local turf wars and brutal street fights.  There is a sobering look at the prison system and deep rooted cultural conflicts that span generations.  It’s also a fascinating look at China’s evolution over the last 20 years.

The film is a peek into a China most of the world rarely sees.  Gangsters, gamblers, hustlers, psychopaths, street gangs and con artists.  The tone of the film becomes neither nostalgic nor optimistic.

The film was written and directed by long time director Zhangke Jia.  It stars an all Chinese cast with Tao Zhao, Fan Liao, Yi’nan Diao, Xiaogang Feng and Casper Liang.  It is listed as a Drama, Romance with a run time of 2 hours, 16 minutes.  It is not suitable for children.  Mandarin with English subtitles.

If you are looking for something different, this film is well worth a watch.

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Yardie

First released at Sundance 2018, this film was directed by Idris Elba based on the novel by the same name.  It begins in Jamaica when the lead character “D” was just a boy and witnessed his brother being shot in a drug deal.

In time D is hired to make a cocaine delivery to a British gangster boss in London.  Soon the film becomes about revenge for his brother’s death and his commitment as a drug dealer.

The cast includes Aml Ameen as D, Stephen Graham as the Boss, Naomi Ackie as Mona, Calvin Demba as Sticks, Shantol Jackson as Yvonne, Akin Gazi as Arif, Marks Smith as Raggz, Fraser James as Piper, Philips Nortey as Nico and Rayon McLean as Skeets.

It’s first set in 1970’s Kingston, Jamaica and later in 1980’s Hackney London.  The acting is believable with great visuals and plenty of reggae sound tracks.

This film is not rated.  The genre is listed as Drama/Crime with a run time of 1 hour 42 minutes.  We do not feel this film is appropriate for children.  Jamaican English with English subtitles.

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Apollo 11

It is a bit of a surprise this film wasn’t made sooner.  This stunning film about the Apollo 11 lunar landing in 1969 is spectacular all these years later.  It is being released in both IMAX and conventional format.  We chose the later and left completely satisfied with the visuals.

Neil Armstrong was the Commander, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins were the pilots.  The film was released at Sundance in January.  Later this year Apollo 11 will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The film has been listed as a Documentary, History.  It’s rated G for General audiences.  The run time is 1 hour, 33 minutes.  Don’t miss this film.  It is well crafted and worth while, especially for younger audiences who have no real knowledge or insight about how this exceptional event changed the world.

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Gloria Bell

This is an interesting remake of a Chilean film titled Gloria by the same Director Sebastian Lelio.  It’s just different enough to suit the American lifestyle (and audiences) rather than the Latin version.

The cast is compact.  Julianne Moore plays a 50+ Gloria.  John Turturro is the ex-Marine love interest Arnold.  Michael Cara plays Gloria’s son, Brad Garrett plays the ex-husband.  Rita Wilson plays Gloria’s girlfriend.  Sean Astin and Jeanne Tripplehorn round out the leading characters.

Gloria is at a tipping point in her life and career, young at heart, intelligent, attractive, energetic, engaging.  Her life is full but complicated, missing that special something.  Ultimately heartwarming, this is the story adults of a certain age can relate to.

It’s rated R for sexuality, nudity, language and some drug use.  We do not recommend viewing for children.  It’s listed as a Comedy, Romance with a run time of 102 minutes.

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Captive State

It’s set in the not too distant future when the planet is controlled by a powerful alien culture far superior to humans.  It’s set in Chicago.  (Let’s think about that.  I’m a superior species in every way with dominion over Earth…where do you set up your HQ…duh… Chicago?)

There are pockets of resistance but the aliens don’t seem too concerned about the humans.  In fact, the aliens don’t seem too concerned about much of anything.  The audience learns nothing about the interlopers, their powers or weaknesses.  In general, most humans seem to accept the aliens as a given and find ways to eek out a life nonetheless.

The cast is a mixed bag.  Machine Gun Kelly plays Jurgis.  Madeline Brewer plays Daniel.  John Goodman is the headliner human in charge.  Ashton Sanders, Vera Farmiga, Kiki Layne and Jonathan Majors round out the strongest characters.

The film is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action, some sexual content, brief language and drug material.  We do not feel this film should be viewed by children.  It’s listed as a Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy with a run time of 1 hour, 50 minutes.  Save your time and money and skip this one.

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Mapplethorpe

This film is a chronicle of the career of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe from the 1970’s to his death from AIDS in 1989 at the age of 42.

His body of work was expansive, from self portraits to celebrities, to his obsession with sex, race, anything provocative, sensual or counterculture.  His work was both embraced and shunned, sometimes at the same time.

The cast of Mapplethorpe is pretty expansive.  Matt Smith plays Mapplethorpe.  Hari Nef plays Tinkerbell.  Marianne Rendon plays Patti Smith.  McKinley Belcher III plays Milton Moore.  Brandon Sklenar plays Mapplethorpe’s younger brother Edward.  Another dozen actors fill in the rest of the cast.

Surprisingly this film is not rated.  Audiences should be advised there is extensive frontal and rear male nudity, gay subject matter, racism, AIDS and sexual related issues, drug abuse and death scenes throughout the film.  Needless to say, children should not see this film.  Let us be quite clear, there are several scenes that are excessively sexual and extreme and in our opinion simply inappropriate and not welcomed.

This film is listed as a Drama, Biography with a run time of 102 minutes.

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The Kid

With a huge cast of 60 actors, The Kid is a look at history in the American Southwest in 1879.  Young Rio and his sister run away from their abusive uncle only to become embroiled with Billy the Kid and lawman Pat Garrett.

The expansive cast includes Chris Pratt as Grant Cutler.  Vincent D’Onofrio is the Sheriff (and the films director).  Leila George is the sister and Ethan Hawke plays Pat Garrett.  Dane DeHaan plays Billy.  Jake Schur plays the little brother.

The good news is the production is well done.  Most of the acting is believable, the sets feel authentic.  The plot ranges from intense to bewildering.  On the downside, the story is disturbing with lots of unpleasant events.  It’s a grim reminder of how challenging the ‘Wild West’ really was.

Critics have been tepid toward this film.  As a viewer, it was often painful to watch.  The images were often brutal, gritty and violent.  The film is noted as a Biography, Drama, Western.  It is rated R for violence and language with a run time of 99 minutes.

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Woman At War

Finally…an intelligent film that takes a serious look at Global Warming and much more.  It’s Icelandic Director Benedikt Erlingsson’s latest film about global environmental issues.  It brilliantly captures the current issues our planet faces.

It is laser focused on the activities of Halla, a 49 year old Icelandic choir director and community activist (who is the one woman crusader against heavy industry).  Concurrently, a three piece music trio that mysteriously appear in numerous scenes as balance to the other subject matters.  It is a welcomed element of light hearted humor that softens the otherwise bleak/serious topics.

The cast consists of 19 brilliant Icelandic actors.  Their performances are intelligent and world class.  The script is delivered in Icelandic, Spanish and English.  We did not expect this film to be so thought provoking, occasionally lighthearted and completely satisfying.

This film is not rated.  It is listed as Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense.  It is subtitled in English with a run time of 101 minutes.

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Who Will Write Our History

This film tells the story of Emanuel Ringelblum and the Oyneg Shabes Archive in the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland during WWII.  Over 15 metal boxes buried in basements and floors contained over 30,000 pages of writings, photos, posters and other items including eyewitness accounts from the Holocaust.

The film is narrated by Joan Allen and Adrian Brody.  While the content is historically recreated, the archival footage is nonetheless painfully difficult to watch.  That said, it is essential these stories are shared with the public and future generations.

The film is not rated.  It is listed as a Documentary with a run time 95 minutes.

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Captain Marvel

This film is set in the 1990s.  A galactic war reaches Earth when Carol Danvers becomes the most powerful super hero in the Universe, Captain Marvel.  Of course, this would not be possible were it not for Disney Movies and Marvel Studios.

The leading actors are Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, Djimon Hounsoi as Korath, Lee Pace as Ronan, Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau.  Also appearing are Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva, Rune Tempte as Bron-Char, Algenis Perez Soto as Att-Lass, Akira Akbar as Monica Rambeau, Annette Benning as Supreme Intelligence, Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson and finally, Jude Law as Yon-Rogg.

The story includes Captain Marvel as a Kree warrior caught in an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls.  Captain Marvel struggles to discover and harness her superpowers to end the war.

It’s intended to lead the way to a new era of Marvel Superheros.  The films opening “shattered expectations with a huge global opening.”  We are pleased to share our viewing was in the largest local theater and it was packed on both the main floor and the expansive balcony.  We haven’t seen that in a very long time.

The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language. This film is absolutely suitable for children.  Its genre is Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy with a run time of 128 minutes.

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The Wedding Guest

Jay, played by Dev Patel, who travels from Britain to Pakistan to attend a wedding suddenly spins out of control when the bride becomes a hostage and the groom disappears.

Other cast members include Radhika Apte who plays the bride.  Jim Sarbh plays the groom.  Nish Nathwani, Harish Khanna, Meherbaan Singh, and Sidu Manpreet round out the primary cast.

The plot seems to drift all over the board with lots of twists and turns that appear to wander everywhere.  Fortunately the Dev Patel and Radhika Apte characters manage to develop enough chemistry to save the production.

It’s rated R for language, violence and brief nudity.  It’s listed as a drama with a run time of 97 minutes.  We do not think the film is appropriate for children.

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

This Netflix film was released in theaters before its originally announced date.  We assumed it was to fill the current void in the marketplace.  It is a unique story about a 13 year old boy, William, played by Maxwell Simba, in a lead performance from Malawi, who is forced out of school because his parents could not pay the fees to keep him enrolled.  He manages to barter his access to the library where he learns how to harness the wind.

It is an inspiring true story based on a book by William Kamkwanba.  It’s set in 2001 Malawi.  It’s also the directorial debut for Chiwetel Ejiofor, a star from Twelve Years A Slave.

The actors toggle between the native Chichewa language, with English subtitles, and English.  It’s also a peek into the politics of Malawi’s food crisis of the early 2000’s.

This film is not rated.  While it’s sometimes difficult to watch, this film is suitable for older children.  It’s listed as Art House & International, Drama with a run time of 113 minutes.

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Climax

OMG!!  It apparently is based on “true events” from 1996 when a group of talented multicultural dancers from France gather at a community center before their American Tour.  The cast is made up of talented and diverse group of “club kids” from France.

The opening dance scene is mesmerizing, executed by an exceptional series of performances.  Every individual performance is unique, fresh, inventive and impeccable.  Then everything changes, and not for the better.

Get ready…as the group takes a pause to celebrate their collective performances, it’s time to relax and unwind as a group.  And then someone puts LSD in the sangria bowl.  Slowly and imperceptibly civility denigrates scene by scene.  First is the script, next the visuals and ultimately the horrors that dominate the last third of the film.  The soundtrack alone was enough to make us want to leave the theater.

The cast consists of over 2 dozen young dancer/actors from around Europe and the world.  The film is rated R for disturbing content involving drug use, violence, language, strong sexuality and some graphic nudity.  This film is NOT appropriate for children!  It’s listed as a Drama, Art House & International, Horror, Musical & Performing Arts.  The run time is a very long 96 minutes.  This may be difficult to find but that might be OK because it is intense and difficult to watch.  French with English subtitles.

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Ruben Brandt Collector

This film is quite unique.  It’s fully animated.  It’s the story about a famous psychotherapist who is forced to steal 13 famous paintings from museums and private collections around the world.  All this to prevent terrible nightmares.

Four of his patients join him as they plot and rob paintings from the Louvre, Tate, Uffizi, Hermitage and the New York Museum of Modern Art.  Soon Brandt is the most wanted man in the world.  He is being hunted by gangsters and headhunters who want to collect the $100 million reward.

Watching this film is a visual feast along with an exceptional soundtrack.  It’s unique, often stunning, sometimes funny, sometimes bewildering.  The cast is quite small with all Hungarian voice actors except one Canadian.  Ivan Kamaras plays Ruben Brandt and Gabriella Hamori plays Mimi.  Zalan Makranczi plays Mike Kowalski and Matt Devere plays Bye-Bye Joe.  Four more actors round out the cast.

Reviews have been all over the map.  Some reviews rave, others called it ‘overplotted’ and ‘weird’.  We found it intriguing, thought provoking and inventive.  It should have been released earlier for Oscar consideration.

It’s rated R for nude images and some violence.  It might be suitable for mature children.  It is listed as Animation, Art House & International, Mystery/Thriller with a run time of 96 minutes.

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Greetings all!

It’s that odd time of year when the film industry fumbles around like a sleeping giant with a bad hangover.  Fortunately, there have been some new releases (ahead of schedule) worthy of our attention and admission tickets.  Here are three from this week.

J&J

Saint Judy

This is a movie about real people and real events that challenged the norms and changed immigration law for legions of asylum seekers.  It’s the story about Judy Wood, now 72 years young , still practicing immigration law in downtown Los Angeles.

Not surprising, Ms. Woods was the author of the screenplay about a 39 year old teacher from Afghanistan, imprisoned by the Taliban, kidnapped, beaten, and tortured before finally reaching asylum in the US.  It’s set in 1980’s Los Angeles.

The acting is essential to the story.  Michelle Monaghan is perfect playing attorney Judy Wood.  Leem Lubany, an Arab-Israeli actress of Palestinian descent, is brilliant as Asefa.  American rapper Common played the ICE lawyer.  Alfre Woodard is perfect as Judge Benton.  Another dozen actors fill the rest of the cast.

The film is rated PG-13 for thematic material and language.  Its genre is drama.  It’s sometimes difficult to watch but it is such a powerful film about the real world, it should not be missed.

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Greta

This film is one part throw back to the B movies of yesteryear, BUT, it does it so well, it’s hard not to get drawn into its madness.  One critic called it ‘bonkers’, another critic called it ‘vacuous and unpleasant’.  (How often do you get to use ‘vacuous’ in a sentence?!)

Written and Directed by Neil Jordan and starring Isabelle Huppert in a great role as a psychopath spinster, Chloe Grace Moretz who recently lost her mom and Maika Monroe as her best friend and roommate round out the key cast.

This film defaults to a psychological warfare between the characters that is both intriguing and creepy at the same time.  It is sure to become a cult classic.

It’s rated R for violence and disturbing images.  It is absolutely not appropriate for children (unless you want to damage them for life).  The run time is 98 minutes.

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Birds of Passage

Arguably the most intriguing and visually stunning film release in a while.  Set in Northern Columbia between 1960 to 1980 the film is divided into “5 songs” (cantos).  The director Ciro Guerra and co-director Cristina Gallego characterize this film as part ethnographic documentary, part Godfather.  It’s also a look into the life and culture of the native Wayuu people of Northern Columbia and Venezuela.

The result is a fascinating peek at a people and their way of life unknown to most of us.  This makes it challenging for the viewer.  The “what just happened?” moments are plentiful.  The cinematography is stunning.  The story is sometimes confusing but ultimately comes together.

This film is not rated, nonetheless, we do not feel this film is appropriate for children.  Only a dozen actors are credited but no bios were noted.  The film is not rated but is listed as a Drama running 125 minutes.  Wayuu and Spanish with English subtitles.

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Happy Death Day 2U

Yup!  The movie pickin’s are pretty slim…  With the AMC 14 Theaters three blocks from our house shuttered and the lack of any new releases few and far between, it feels like the dark days of the Depression as far as movie releases go…

That would explain the new movie release above.  It’s the second in its ‘want to be franchise’ but time will tell…

It’s an interesting concept. College student Tree Gelbman wakes up terrified when she realizes she is stuck in a parallel universe.  Her boyfriend is now someone else’s boyfriend.  Her friends are all different students.  The only thing the same is the masked killer who is stalking her.  It’s just goofy enough and different enough to hold your attention, if only for a few moments.

It’s rated PG-13 for violence, language, sexual material and thematic elements.  It’s listed as a Horror film.  We do not feel it is appropriate at all for children.  The run time is (a very long) 120 minutes.

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Swimming With Men

We wanted to see this movie at the Mostly British Film Festival but ran out of time so we were glad to find it still showing.  It’s a lighthearted story about a man in a mid-life crisis who finds a new perspective after joining an all-male synchronized swimming team.

A dozen actors make up the cast.  Charlotte Riley is the team coach.  Rob Brydon plays a burnt out businessman.  Jane Horrocks plays his wife.  Fellow swimmers include Jim Carter, Thomas Turgoose, Nathaniel Parker, Daniel Mays, Adeel Akhtar, Robert Daws, Spike White, and Christian Rubeck.

It was filmed mostly in central London with shoots in the Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Croydon neighborhoods.

What makes this film work is it doesn’t take itself too seriously.  It is sometimes goofy, sometimes a bit serious, sometimes in angst but mostly funny and ultimately satisfying.

This film is not rated.  Its genre is listed as Art House & International, Comedy, Drama, Romance.  The run time is 97 minutes.

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Fighting With My Family

We are still in the weird zone when new movie releases are scarce.  So we were surprised when this film was released ahead of its national opening scheduled for March 1.

A tight-knit British family are huge wrestling fans when a rare opportunity to join the WWE presents itself to the eldest daughter.  The sports comedy-drama is based on a 2012 documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family.

The mostly British cast includes Dwayne Johnson “The Rock”, Stephen Merchant, Florence Pugh, Zelina Vega, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Jack Lowden, Kim Matula, Aquaala Zoll, Vince Vaughn, Jame Burrows, Hannah Rae and Julia Davis.

It’s not a perfect film but it is mostly an interesting and charming look at one family obsessed with professional wrestling and the twists and turns it causes in their lives.

It’s rated PG-13 for crude and sexual material, language throughout, some violence and drug content.  We do not think it is appropriate for young children.  Its genre is Comedy with a run time of 107 minutes.

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Everybody Knows

Carolina, a Spanish woman from Buenos Aires returns to her home town near Madrid with her Argentinian husband and family to attend a family wedding when unexpected events create chaos for everyone.  During the celebration events Carolina’s daughter mysteriously disappears sending a shockwave through the family and the community.

Oscar winners Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem headline the cast along with a dozen actors as friends, relatives and community.

Iranian Writer/Director Asghar Farhadi almost loses control of  Todos lo Saben (title in Spanish).  The critics feedback was tepid, questioning if the Director has spread himself too thin.

From our point of view, the production was engaging, the flow was appropriate for the story.  The plot was well constructed with lots of intrigue and surprises.

The film is rated R for some language.  It might be appropriate for mature children.  Its genre is noted as Art House & International, Drama.  The run time is 132 minutes.  Spanish with English subtitles.

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Isn’t It Romantic

OK.  Let’s take a look at this romantic comedy…first very little is realistic, the way people interact at work, nope; the way people act or engage socially, nada; the way people live in 99% of the world let alone New York City, ain’t gonna happen.

That said, this film does have its bright spots: it’s cleaver, unique, mostly funny, occasionally hilarious, sometimes totally unrealistic and borderline raunchy.

That also said, the acting is fair to middling.  Priyanka Chopra plays the model.  Rebel Wilson is the headliner as an architect in New York City.  Liam Hemsworth is a hoot as an Australian businessman.  Adam Devine is a coworker along with Tom Ellia, Betty Gilpin, Jennifer Saunders and a dozen other bit parts.

There are several scenes that deliver some soft worthwhile messages.  There is a song and dance scene that is well done and quite enjoyable.

The film is rated PG-13.  That’s a bit of a surprise given some scenes imply sex, and sexual behavior, cleavage, bare abdomens and so on.  We do not recommend this film for young children.

It is listed as a Fantasy/Romance/Comedy with a run time of 1 hour, 29 minutes.

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How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

This is an amazing finale to the DreamWorks animation franchise trilogy of How To Train Your Dragon.  There is something old, something new and a surprise just in case you weren’t paying attention.  Most of the old and beloved characters are in force, Night Fury dragon is the headliner when suddenly Light Fury appears.  Night Fury cannot resist the attraction to Light Fury (see where this is going?!)

More than two dozen actors are the voice overs for this animation feature including:  Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, America Ferrera as Astrid, Cate Blanchett as Valka, Gerard Butler as Stoick, F. Murray Abraham as Grimmel, Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut, Jonah Hill as Snotlout, and several more.

The ending is quite a surprise and we will not give it away now because the film was just released.  Let’s just say it’s heartwarming and welcomed (though the film is not definitive).  Let us know your thoughts if you see this film.

It’s rated PG for adventure action and some mild rude humor.  It’s listed as Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family.  The run time is 110 minutes.  It’s a good film for both adults and children.  The animation is excellent.

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Mostly British Film Festival

In retirement, we have discovered so many new adventures and opportunities are available to us.  It helps living in a world class city with lots of diversity and activities of all kinds.  It’s a huge bonus to enjoy the only Mediterranean climate in the US.

San Francisco is blessed with almost countless film festivals.  You name a genre or affinity, there is probably an annual film festival in San Francisco or the Bay Area.

With almost nothing new released until after the Oscars this Sunday, we decided to check out the Mostly British Film Festival showing 33 films, some old, some new during one week in February.

We selected a few that captured our interest and share them now with you.  Some are available on pay per view from time to time.  Others are available occasionally from streaming sources.

We hope you enjoy the few reviewed below.

J&J

Moon Dogs

This story is set mostly in the Shetland Islands, Scotland where two stepbrothers find themselves competing for the affections of a worldly Irish singer while on the road to Glasgow.

What struck us the most was the fearless honesty, the brash humor, the raw drama and the beautiful charisma these young actors generate.  It’s beautifully filmed and the first film by Welsh writer/director/punk musician Philip John.  If you want a reminder what it felt like to be young again, this is your opportunity.

The acting is excellent.  Irish actress Tara Lee plays the primary love interest.  Christy O’Donnell plays a stepbrother.  Jack Parry Jones plays the other stepbrother.  Claire Cage plays the mom and Geoffrey Newland plays the dad.  Another dozen plus actors fill out the cast.

The film is not rated in the US.  It’s listed as Art House & International, Comedy, Drama.  The run time is 1 hour, 33 minutes.  It was the winner of the 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival.

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Elizabeth

Wow!  Talk about a reminder of great epic film making…this one debuted in 1998.  It announced Cate Blanchett as a star.  It was set in history when the United Kingdom struggled with being a Protestant country versus a Catholic country.

The film is both visually stunning, produced with extraordinary sets and exceptional costumes.  It’s a classic.  Our viewing was like watching it on day one.  Headliner performances in addition to Ms. Blanchett include Geoffrey Rush, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, Daniel Craig, Jamie Forman and an additional 40 actors.

Just for history sake:  It’s set in 1554.  Elizabeth is the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was imprisoned by her half sister Queen Mary when she was 16.  She was swept to the throne as Queen of England at the age of 23.

It was then rated R for violence and sexuality.  It’s listed as a Drama with a run time of 124 minutes.  It’s not really appropriate for youngsters.

Think about downloading this for a long flight or a reminder of some great film making not so long ago.

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Tell it to the Bees

This film is based on the 2009 novel by the same name.  It’s set in a 1950’s Scotland rural town.  It’s more than a bit heavy handed.  So much so the production is focused on the principle themes and metaphors from the novel.

It was pretty obvious the production wanted to cram as much “subject” material as possible.  Lesbian romance, bewildered children, outraged family members, and widespread community disapproval…  Just about everyone accept the neighborhood bees who seemed to unilaterally approve the conduct with vigor.

The excellent acting included Anna Paquin, Holliday Grainger, Emun Elliott, Steven Robertson, Lauren Lyle, Gregory Selkirk and Kate Dickie.

The film is not rated.  Be advised, there are several scenes including sex and nudity, mild profanity and some violence and gore.  We feel this film is not appropriate for children.

This film is noted as a Drama/Romance with a run time of 1 hour 46 minutes.

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