Author: James Hathaway

If you were unable to see these films don’t feel alone.  The good news is these films are drawing growing audiences every year.  The bad news is they are in such limited release, viewers only have between a few days and a few weeks to see these films, depending on the local and regional demographics.

We are not likely to see the Documentary Short Subject releases because of the extremely limited release or the shows here in SF are sold out in advance.  (No worries we will still offer our Oscar prediction by mining the industry chatter!)

Live Action Short Subject

The first three are based on actual events!

De Kalb Elementary (USA)

A disturbed male school shooter and a terrified but calm school administrator interact under the stress of a pending school shooting incident.   The tension is painful to watch.

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My Nephew Emmett (USA)

This is the story of the hours before the 1955 murder of a black teenager Emmett Till.  These performances are superb but gut wrenching to watch.

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Watu Wote/All of Us (Germany)

Set on the border of Kenya and Somalia where Muslim passengers on a bus shield a Christian traveler from terrorists seeking revenge on any Christians.  The tension is beyond description.

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The Silent Child (UK)

A five year old British girl is deaf and frustrated until a young student teaches her sign language.  The family decides signing is too difficult and the youngster is integrated, and isolated, into a public school.  It is touching and beautifully acted.

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The Eleven O’Clock (Austrailia)

This comedy brings a standoff between a psychiatrist and a delusional patient.  The question is who is who? The story is quick, thought provoking and sometimes funny.  It was also a bit annoying.

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Big Hello everyone!

Our want-to-be famous, or infamous, Oscar picks are in the works for 2018.  We’ll publish this years predictions within the next week!  Stay tuned…

On a different note, next week we are off to Europe for five weeks.  We will do our best to keep in touch and send some snapshots as time and technology allow.  Hopefully we will be able to squeeze in a new movie or two!

J&J

Winchester

We were quite surprised to see terrible reviews for this film.  This movie is “inspired by actual events” which were fairly accurate since the legendary Winchester House is in San Jose, California.  It is a famous and popular tourist attraction.  The critics were hateful toward this movie. We loved it!

The film is set in 1906 just before the catastrophic earthquake that leveled large parts of San Francisco and the Bay Area.  It is concurrently creepy, intense, suspenseful and dark.

The cast includes Helen Mirren as the widow Sarah Winchester (of the Winchester Gun empire), Jason Clarke is the doctor assessing her sanity, Sarah Snook as Winchester’s niece, and the young Finn Scicluna-O-Prey as the nephew.

The genre is noted as Biography, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, and Thriller.  It is rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, drug content, some sexual material and thematic elements.  We do not feel this film should be viewed by children.  Its running time is 1 hour, 39 minutes.

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Bilal: A New Breed of Hero

This is an interesting new animated release from Dubai based Director and co-writer Khurram Alavi.  Apparently based on true events, it is set in the 7th century.  The lead character’s first appearance is as a spirited African slave boy who grows into a heroic man who struggles with slavery and injustice until he is sold to a wealthy trader.  He is treated like a beloved family member who eventually frees himself from slavery.

This film was first released in 2015 in Arabic.  It was re-released today dubbed in English.  It now gently and carefully weaves into the screenplay the early history of Islam with the struggle for equality.

It is sometimes brutal, often confusing, sometimes inspiring and yet often gentle and vulnerable.  It is rated PG-13 with quite a bit of violence and sometimes brutal adult subject matter.  We strongly caution parents regarding viewing by children.  The genre is noted as Animation, Action, Adventure.  Run time is 1 hour, 45 minutes.

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15:17 to Paris

This film was directed by Clint Eastwood.  It tells the story of August 21, 2015 aboard the Thalys (train) #9364 from Amsterdam to Paris.  It is the true story where a terrorist attack was thwarted by three young American men.

It’s a great story played by the actual American men involved in the incident.  That would explain why the acting lags in an otherwise intriguing story.

The heros are Airman First Class Spencer Stone, Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, and college student Anthony Sadler.  There are a handful of other actors that play the role of the victims, parents and school chums but the focus is on the experience of the young Americans who intervened and potentially saved hundreds of lives.

It is rated PG-13 for bloody images, violence, suggestive material, drugs and language.  The genre is listed as Drama running 2 hours.

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Greetings to all!  We are back in sunny San Francisco.  Our typical warm snap in February came early this year.  Yesterday was 75 and clear.  It looks like we will enjoy this for another week at least.  Yippie!

On the movie front, this is that time of year when the Oscar nominated films get released, or re-released, to capture movie goers that didn’t make it to the oft short releases in December.  The only other new releases are the odd, unusual, or quirky films, domestic and foreign, seeking a last minute niche market.  Hence our reviews for this week…

Vazante

Have you ever wondered what life was like in remote Brazil in 1821?  This is the story about poor white settlers, the slave trade, sexual exploitation and racism.  It is filmed in black and white that seems to enhance the bleak setting and subject matter.

It is quite difficult to watch and even more difficult to understand as the pace on the screen and its subtitles are intermittently slow and fast.  It is unique, intriguing, confusing and…depressing.

The acting however is impressive.  The Brazilian cast delivers solid performances.  Adriano Carvalho plays the lead, along with an amazing Maria Helena Dias, Fabricio Boliveira, Luana Nastas, Sandra Corveloni, and Juliana Carnerio da Cunha.

This film is not rated.  We do not recommend it for young children.  The genre is: Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Drama.  The running time is 116 minutes. Portuguese and Banto with English subtitles.

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The Clapper

Oye Vey!  While this is not a bad film, well…yes it is, this want-to-be romance just doesn’t deliver on the story premise.  The characters aren’t likable.  The story is hookie.  The character stereotypes are offensive.  The romantic connection does not work.  Tedious is probably the best description.

The acting follows suit.  The characters for Amanda Seyfried, Ed Helms, Tracy Morgan, Adam Levine and Leah Remini were just not interesting or likable.  One notable exception was Brenda Vaccaro as the mother at the end of the film, she was a hoot.

It is rated R for language and some sexual references.  Children should not see this, or anyone else for that matter.  It runs 89 minutes.

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The Insult

Finally an International film worthy of an audience.  The Insult is a compelling and powerful story about social and political tensions, in this case Lebanon.

Toni, a mechanic, and Lebanese Christian is insulted by a Building Foreman who is a Palestinian refugee.  What could have been resolved by a simple apology erupts into a social explosion and contentious court case.

The cast of mostly Lebanese actors is impressive.  Rita Hayek is the wife of the mechanic.  Adel Karam is the mechanic.  Kamel El Basha is the Palestinian.  Camille Salameh plays the mechanic’s attorney and Diamond Bou Abboud plays the defense lawyer.

This film will be our pick for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.  See it while it is still in the theaters!  Arabic and French with English subtitles.  This film is rated R for language and violent images.  Genre is noted as Drama with a run time of 1 hour, 52 minutes.

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Greetings to all from the Big Island of Hawaii!

It has be a great week with our cousin Niki and her friends.  The movie scene is somewhat unique, a bit far flung to be sure but still enough first run releases for this post.  We will most likely be on a plane back to San Francisco as you read this.

Enjoy!  J&J

Acts of Violence

This film is listed as an Action/Thriller featuring  Bruce Willis in a soft role.  There are fair performances by Sophia Bush, Cole Hauser, Shawn Ashmore, Ashton Holmes, Mike Epps, Sean Bronson and Jenna Kelly.

All said, this movie just chugs along.  It wanders through a lost plot, almost insulting to audiences that deserve a better movie experience.  There is simply too much violence in this serious flawed plot about human trafficking.

It is rated R for violence, language, sexuality, nudity and drugs.  Children should not see this film.  Run time is 1 hour, 26 minutes.

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Den of Thieves

This is an unusual film where virtually none of the characters are very likable.  Both the LA Sheriffs and LA ex-military gang members square off over a robbery from the Federal Reserve Bank.

Both the actors and the screenplay are pretty intense. Gerard Butler, Christian Gudegast, Ryan Kavanaugh, Tucker Tooley and Mark Canton do a reasonably good job portraying their characters.  Though it seems to toggle between a heist film and a testosterone showdown.

The movie is rated R for violence, language and sexuality/nudity.  The genre is listed as Action and Adventure, Drama.  Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes.

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Maze Runner: The Death Cure

The latest dystopian film in the Maze Runner franchise is a big step up for the popular series.  This episode pulls out the stops and decides to break into the “Last City”, the tightly controlled capital in hope of finding a cure for the “flare virus”.

The cast is familiar with Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Rosa Salazar, Patricia Clarkson and several others from the previous editions.

Audience and critic reviews have been mixed.  We liked it and found it an intriguing chapter in the series.

It is rated PG-13 for intense sci-for violence, action language and some thematic elements.  It’s genre is listed as Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy.  The run time is 114 minutes.

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Hi everyone!  As we write this it is 20 minutes before the Screen Actors Guild awards.  We will consider all the talking heads and awards results as we consider the upcoming Oscar awards and our annual predictions.  Just a little hype before our…drum role…annual predictions.

J&J

The Final Year

This film is a chronicle of the last 12 months of the Obama administration’s foreign policy team and the events that occurred.  Interestingly, it opened at Film Festivals in Canada, the UK and Netherlands in September, October and November respectively.  It opened 1/19/2018 in the USA.

The focus is on the inner workings of the White House and Obama’s foreign policy team and the State Department as President Obama prepares to leave after 8 years in office.

The behind the scenes perspective is riveting.  The focus on climate change, the war in Syria, the United Nations and other global events was stunning.  The live footage clips of Laos, Central Africa, Hiroshima and Vietnam were eye opening.

It is listed as a Documentary.  It is not rated and runs 89 minutes.  The most significant clips include John Kerry, Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Susan Rice and Ben Rhodes.  If you have any interest in politics, you must see this film.

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12 Strong

We just managed to squeeze this movie into our schedule.  The reviews overall were tepid.  The release was delayed more than once.  That said, we were attracted by the true events the film is based on.  It is set in post 9/11 in Afghanistan where the Taliban and Al Qaeda factions are fighting for Afghan territory.

U.S. Army Special Forces are tasked with aligning with the local war lords to stop the advancement of the Taliban and Al Qaeda forces from seizing more territory.

The cast includes Australian Chris Hemsworth as the Captian.  Michael Shannon and Michael Pena give strong performances as team leaders.  Also notable are Iranian actor Navid Negahban as the Afghan General, Trevante Rhodes and Geoff Stults of the Special Forces Team.

The film is rated R for war violence and language throughout.  The authenticity of the subject matter is not suitable for children.  The run time is 2 hours, 10 minutes.  We think it is worth a watch.

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Small Town Crime

Small town America and its alcoholic ex-cop challenge killer bad guys in an intense ‘could be anywhere’ America setting.

This story unfolds slowly and succinctly.  It is a skillfully told story about dark characters.  That said, there are these constant glimmers of hope and decency.  No doubt, this is a unique film on several levels.

Acting leads include John Hawkes, Robert Forster, Anthony Anderson, and (not enough of) Octavia Spencer.  There are a least another dozen actors making the plot come together.

This film is in limited theater release and extensive pay per view.  It’s rated R for strong violence, language and some sexual references.  It is NOT recommended for children.  The genre is registered as Drama, Mystery & Suspense running 91 minutes.

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Good morning to everyone!

We are at that time in the movie world where new releases are hit and miss.  Studio films are spare during this time of year as audiences shrink and the afterglow of the holidays fade.  Independent and foreign films seem to fall into some industry vacuum or appear for only a few days, a week at the most.

On the bright side, the award season is in full bloom.  The Golden Globes and the Critic’s Choice are now behind us.  The Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy Awards are next.  The 90th Academy Awards will be held March 4th, 2018 in Los Angeles, 5:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Other good news!  Academy Award nominated Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Subject films will be released nationwide February 9th.  Do see these if they are showing in your area.  They are among our favorites every year.  These films typically are only released in a handful of major markets.  Enjoy!

J&J

In the Fade

This film just won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.  It’s another film that was released in LA and New York December 22, just in time to make the cut as an Oscar contender. It opened widely last Friday.  It is heartbreaking, riveting, revealing and enlightening.

Director Fatih Akin is a German of Turkish descent telling a story about a German family coming apart when the husband and father of a 6 year old son is killed by Neo-Nazis in Germany.

It is a fascinating look behind the cultural curtains of Germany, justice and revenge in today’s multicultural landscape.

American-German Diane Kruger deserves recognition with an exceptional performance in the leading roll.  German-Turkish actor Numan Acar delivers a powerful, if short, performance as husband/father.  Denis Moschitto, Samia Chancrin and Ulrich Brandhof all deliver superb performances.

It is rated R for disturbing images, drug use and language, including sexual references.  We do not encourage viewing by children.  The genre is posted as Art House & International, Drama.  Run time is 106 minutes.  German with English subtitles.

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Paddington 2

This sequel picks up where the last film left off.  Paddington is part of the Brown family.  One day he is shopping for the perfect gift for his Aunt’s 100th birthday.  He finds a pop up book only to have it stolen.

Somehow Paddington ends up in prison, befriends the inmates and organizes a jail break.  Not what one would expect but it all ends up warm and fuzzy in the end.

The theater was full of children and their adult escorts.  Kudos to all our audience for being well behaved.

The cast was equally talented for the occasion.  Hugh Grant plays Phoenix Buchanan, a sinister entertainer.  Ben Whishaw is the voice of Paddington.  Hugh Bonneville plays the family father and Sally Hawkins is the mom.  Brendan Gleeson is hilarious as “Knuckles” McGinty.  Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters share important but bit parts.

It is rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.  It is listed as Animation, Comedy, Kids & Family.  It is worthy of its franchise.  It runs 1 hour, 43 minutes.

Bonus!  Stick around after the first set of credits for a not-to-be-missed song and dance piece.

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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

This quasi sequel to the 1995 film follows the family friendly board game: Jumanji. The movie begins with the actors selecting who they want to play in the game before entering the game.  There is a gender bending twist, at first confusing, but soon becomes quite funny.

The cast really makes this film work.  Spencer, the gamer, becomes Dwayne Johnson.  Football Jock, Fridge, becomes Einstein, Kevin Hart.  Bethany becomes Professor Jack Black.  Wallflower Martha becomes warrior Karen Gillan.  Nick Jonas is Alex 20 years later.

It is rated PG-13 for adventure action, suggestive content and some language.  The genre is (pick one): Action & Adventure, Drama, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy.  It runs 1 minute short of 2 hours.

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The Commuter

This is a conspiracy based film about a business man’s commute home that becomes a living nightmare when people start being killed one by one during the commute.  It is creepy, scary, implausible, yet realistic enough to keep us spooked for a while.

Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern and Jonathan Banks are the headliners along with another dozen actors.

It is rated PG-13 for intense action/violence and language.  We strongly do not suggest this movie for children.  The genre is noted as a Drama, Mystery, Suspense.  Run time is 1 hour, 45 minutes.

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Phantom Thread

This barely marketed movie about a post war 1950’s British dress designer to the rich and famous of the day, Reynolds Woodcock and his sister, is not an attractive picture of creativity and talent as much as a peek behind the curtain of elitism and social intolerance.

It was briefly released in Los Angeles and New York to be eligible for Oscar consideration and only yesterday released in broader distribution.

The film is both mesmerizing and cringe worthy at the same time.  It has a great musical score.  It is visually stunning, often intense.  That said, few of the characters are likable.  In fact, most are borderline annoying.

All that said, Daniel Day-Lewis plays the legendary  designer Charles James.  Lesley Manville is chilly as his sister Cyril Woodcock.  Vicky Krieps is the beguiling Alma Elson.  As noted, none of the lead characters are particularly likable.  Perhaps that is why we came away more annoyed than impressed.

It is rated R for strong language.  It is listed as a Drama with a running time of 2 hours, 10 minutes.

Special note:  Daniel Day-Lewis has announced his retirement from acting with this film.  It is not the first time he has said this so time will tell.

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Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool

Odd title, yes.  This film was just released yesterday (except for a few theaters in LA and New York on December 22, 2017 in order to qualify for Oscar consideration).

This film is based on the Peter Turner memoir about Academy Award winning actress Gloria Grahame in 1978.  The actress, diagnosed with breast cancer, has an affair with a much younger British man that grows into a deep relationship.

Annette Bening is extraordinary as Ms. Grahame.  Jamie Bell is equally perfect as the young Peter Turner.  Julie Walters is sweet as Peter’s mom Bella, along with Stephen Graham as Peter’s dad.  Vanessa Redgrave has a cameo role as Gloria’s mother.

This is a powerful true story about the lust for life and love.  It is rated R for language, some sexual content and brief nudity.  Given the content of adult topics, we do not recommend viewing by children.

The genre is noted as Art House & International, Drama, Romance.  It runs 1 hour, 46 minutes.

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Big HELLO to all.  We were hoping to squeeze in one more movie and review before tonight’s festivities at the Golden Globes.  Unfortunately, we simply ran out of time.

The 75th Golden Globe Awards will be on NBC tonight, Sunday, 5 PM Pacific time/8 PM Eastern time.

Seth Meyer’s will host the event.  Oprah Winfrey will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award.  Expect both public and silent protests on a variety of topics.

We will be watching intently, sipping Champagne.  Our first toast will be to all of you!

J&J

The Post

Set in 1971.  Richard Nixon was President.  The Vietnam War still in its third decade.  Four Presidents had tried to suppress reports of the war to the press.  This film shows how the Washington Post defied the Executive Office and published the government’s cover up to the public known as the Pentagon Papers.

It was Directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks along with another 157 skilled actors.  It was not an accident this film was released this week.  Some see it as a parallel of current events and the political shenanigans about today’s press.

It is rated PG-13 for language and brief war violence.  Children may not find this to their liking, it’s really targeted for adult audiences.  The genre is listed as Drama, Mystery and Suspense.  It runs 1 hour, 55 minutes.  In our opinion one of the best films of the year.

Note:  This movie has been nominated for 6 Golden Globe nominations!

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Hostiles

Ah, the wild West.  It conjures up a nostalgic image of vast open land, an overwhelming sense of freedom, and of course, the near extermination of the indigenous peoples who occupied the lands for millennium.

Commentary aside, this is arguably the best Western movie out of the film industry in years.  It is visually stunning. It is not always easy to watch.  There are some pretty gritty scenes throughout.

It is set in 1892 as Native Americans settle into tribal lands and the wild West is beginning to evolve into vast expansion.

The cast is perfect.  Headliners include Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Ben Foster, Jesse Plemons, Wes Studi, Adam Beach and Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By My Name).  At least a dozen others round out the notable cast.

It is written and directed by Scott Cooper.  It is rated R for strong violence and language.  We do not recommend this for young children.  The genre is listed as Action, Adventure, Drama, Western.  It runs 135 minutes.

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