Movie 1: Eleanor the Great

A 94 year old woman moves from Florida back to Manhattan after the death of a close friend.  Looking to join a social group she accidently walks into a Holocaust Survivor group instead.  The acting, writing and humor are pitch perfect.  Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is a winner.  This is a very warm and realistic drama/comedy.

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Movie 2: Dead of Winter

This is a very well made thriller.  Set in the cold, dark and gloom of a Northern Minnesota winter (actually filmed in Finland) a widow gets lost in a blizzard and knocks on the cabin door of a kidnapper.  Emma Thompson and Judy Greer are perfect in their confrontational roles.  As a film reviewer said on RogerEbert.com, “Imagine a cross between Taken and Fargo.”  In theaters now but will also be on Discovery+ and Apple TV.

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Movie 3: One Battle After Another

This is an epic movie from the acclaimed film director Paul Thomas Anderson.  The movie follows years of protesting by the American group called French 75.  The acting, writing, direction are all Oscar worthy.  Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro are excellent.  This is a very timely and well told story in our current American adventure.  

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Movie 1: The History of Sound

This is an intentionally slow moving story, with beautifully muted colors and cinematography.  Two young men meet in a bar and discover they have a mutual love of music, and eventually a love of each other.  But as WWI is about to start, that is a love that cannot happen.  The gorgeous soundtrack is loud and fast moving, in direct contrast to what we are watching on screen.  The acting is perfect, as you would expect from two top notch actors.

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Movie 2: Him

Supposedly a movie about an up and coming football quarterback, at a private training camp, this horror film is anything but.  We aren’t sure how or why this movie is in theaters, but our advice is to stay far, far away.  An expensively made mess.

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Movie 3: Sunday Best

This is an absolute gem of a documentary.  It tells a story about Ed Sullivan we knew nothing about.  It’s an hour and a half of wonderful footage and powerful commentary.  And more than appropriate for these bleak times.  On Netflix.

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Movie 1: The Long Walk

This drama/thriller is based on a Stephen King short novel from the late 1970’s. Back then he wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Set in a desolate postwar America, one teenager from every state walks a long highway until only one person remains standing. If you stop for longer than ten seconds you are shot and killed after two warnings. At times the tension is palpable. Unlike most movies that are filmed out of sequence, this one is filmed from day one until the end. Adding realism to the exhaustion and horror of the walkers.

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Movie 2: The Conjuring: Last Rites

This is the 4th movie in The Conjuring franchise, and arguably one of the better ones.  At least me (John) kept my eyes closed half the time.  So I think I liked it.  The Warrens (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are back and casting out evil in a small Pennsylvania town.   Based on actual events (supposedly) there are the prerequisite daytime and nighttime horror and scary happenings but done in a (somewhat) believable and intelligent way.  If you are a fan of this genre or like jumping out of your seat, you will enjoy this movie.

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Movie 3: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

The cinematography is beautiful and the acting very good in this not very typical road trip.  The best part of this movie is the enduring chemistry between Margot Robie and Colin Ferrell.  They meet at a wedding and fall in love on the ride home. The movie draws the viewer in, but we aren’t exactly sure why.  Other than visually interesting it can be quite confusing.  And we walked out of the theatre asking ourselves what just happened? 

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Movie 1: Twinless

This is a very clever and inventive drama/comedy that has several twists and turns.  Two young men meet in an emotional support group for twins who have lost a sibling.  The acting is very good and James Sweeney does a superb job as actor, writer and director.  Grief and loneliness is portrayed in a realistic way, sometimes with humor and sometimes with alarming reality.   

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Movie 2: Splitsville

This is a very intelligent and realistic comedy about two couples who assume their spouses want an open marriage.  There are some very funny scenes.  And it explores different reasons why some couples want open relationships.  The acting and writing are well done.

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Movie 3: Downton Abby: The Grand Finale

This is a beautifully filmed, scripted and acting finale to the Downton Abbey franchise.  It ties up all loose ends.  The sets and costumes are glorious and deserve Oscar consideration.  If you are a Downton fan (or not particularly) you will enjoy this movie.

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Movie 1: The Roses

This is a remake of the 1989 movie The War of the Roses.  This is a dark comedy, watching a seemingly very good marriage disintegrate in front of us.  But there is a lot more going on here with this modern approach to the original.  The acting, directing, and especially the writing, are all Oscar caliber.  Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are perfect as the loving/waring couple.  Beautiful cinematography.  Set in Northern California, it is actually filmed in Devon, England. 

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Movie 2: Caught Stealing

This is an excellently acted, directed and scripted thriller, with lots of twists and turns.  A Brooklyn bar tender, and his girlfriend, get caught up in a Ukrainian/Jewish/Chinese mobster drug and money caper because of a British neighbor.  Director Darren Aronofsky is at the top of his game and Austin Butler continues to impress.  Fun and bloody at the same time.  We will see this one again.

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Movie 3: Relay

This is a fast paced, suspenseful thriller.  A little bit difficult to follow at first, a bribe broker (who knew such a thing existed) works with corrupt companies and corrupt people who try to blackmail them.  Lots of conflicts and deceit all around.  We found it a fascinating movie with really good acting.  Riz Ahmed is very good as the broker. 

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Movie 1: Together

This is a very solid and intriguing drama/horror film. A couple move to the countryside to try and rekindle their long term relationship. After falling into a cave, supernatural events quickly evolve. While not ground breaking, it is interesting and entertaining, especially since the onscreen couple, Dave Franco and Allison Brie, are married in real life.

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Movie 2: Eden

This is a Ron Howard directed drama based on a real life story.  In the 1930’s German immigrants migrate to an uninhabited island in the Galapagos to establish a human “utopia”.  This is a very ambitious drama, intentionally slow and at times tedious, but ultimately fascinating.  The star-studded cast is very, very good.

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Movie 3: Highest 2 Lowest

This Spike Lee directed crime thriller exceeds on multiple levels.  Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have collaborated on five films over four decades.  This one does not disappoint.  Washington plays a music mogul whose son is kidnapped.  Based on the 1963 Akira Kurosawa’s kidnapping classic High and Low.  The acting, writing, directing and cinematography all deserve Oscar nominations.  Limited release in theaters for two weeks, then streaming on Apple TV beginning September 5.

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Movie 1: Night Always Comes

This is a very well made and intense drama all set in a 24 hour period. A family in Portland is about to be evicted unless they can come up with down payment money. The acting is excellent, especially the raw, fierce intensity of Vanessa Kirby. On Netflix.

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Movie 2: Palmer

This is a 2021 movie we had not heard of.  Justin Timberlake plays a parolee who lives with his grandmother, the always wonderful June Squibb.  They then take in a young neighbor boy whose drug addicted mother abandons him.  This is a warm and tender story with many (current) social undertones.  On Apple+ and Prime Video.

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Movie 3: Nobody 2

This action/thriller/comedy is a sequel to the 2021 box office hit.  A seemingly normal dad goes to any extreme lengths to save his family from crime bosses and gangsters. It’s fun to see the usually comedic actor Bob Odenkirk play a tough guy.  And Sharon Stone makes a rare appearance playing the ultimate crime boss.  Lots of over the top action, none of it plausible, but entertaining.

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Movie 1: My Oxford Year

This is a really well done romantic drama that deals with several topics, including love, loss and grief.  It starts off light and at times funny, but soon becomes a serious drama.  Good acting and good cinematography.  Well worth watching.  On Netflix.

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Movie 2: Weapons

This is a very inventive, clever and intelligent horror film.  17 grade school kids from the same class walk out of their homes at the same moment and disappear.  This mystery has lots of twists and turns.  Really believable acting from a first-rate cast.  It’s very good seeing Amy Madigan again.

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Movie 3: Sketch

This is a wonderfully warm and simple story about a young girl’s sketch book that falls into a small lake and her characters come to life.  Lessons of love and the acceptance of grief and loss are beautifully discovered.  Knowing nothing about this film, we were pleasantly surprised how entertaining it was.

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Movie 1: My Mother’s Wedding

This British film is a warm, satisfying drama/comedy. Directed and cowritten by Kristin Scott Thomas, it parallels her life with a father and stepfather both killed in military accidents. She raises three successful daughters alone. Just the right amount of humor and drama without becoming sappy or corny.

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The Bad Guys 2

This is a family friendly animated sequel to the 2022 original hit.  We found the original movie well animated and funny.  This version seems a pale comparison to that one. We aren’t even sure what it’s about.  The humor, animation and storyline not quite up to the usual Dreamworks standards.  Most critics though gave this sequel good reviews and kids will enjoy it.  In theaters now and Netflix later this year. 

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The Naked Gun

OMG!  The latest Naked Gun in this very successful franchise is undoubtedly the dumbest movie of the year, if not the last several years.  Its only redeeming quality is that its run time is only 85 minutes.  But then again its 85 minutes we will never get back.. 

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Movie 1: The Fantastic Four: First Steps

This is the first movie in a new Marvel franchise. A quartet of super heroes are tasked with saving the planet. It has a really cool 1950’s, 60’s retro look and feel and the four main characters have good chemistry with each other. But other than that we found it confusing, rather disjointed and nothing new or special about it. It’s entertaining enough, and kids will love it. We should say that national film critics liked it much more than we did.

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Movie 2: Shoshana

This movie is set in 1930’s Palestine when the British controlled what is now Israel.  It’s a very intense, powerful thriller that doesn’t shy away from the truth and horror  of violence on all sides.  Excellent acting.   We found the story fascinating but very confusing.  But if in your area definitely worth watching.  English and Hebrew with English subtitles.

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Movie 3: Oh, Hi!

Let’s just say from the outset that this romantic comedy/drama is completely implausible. Yet somehow it’s a refreshing wanna be love story that goes wrong. After months of dating, a couple go on their first weekend getaway in upstate New York. She expecting a commitment and he just wanting a good time. Even with the wild premise, we are drawn into the movie in a very satisfying and entertaining way. Good acting, writing and humor without being slapstick or corny.

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