Adore

Australian Adventures in MILF-sitting. The jokes about someone’s “Outback” almost write themselves. One cannot help but note that this film very much stacks its deck. The scenario couldn’t possibly play out if the women in question were not of the order of leads Naomi watts and Robin Wright. (Fun fact: Watts is only 11 days older than your correspondent.) As it is, this tale is heavily informed as a narrative about wealthy, unbothered, Pretty Perfect PeopleTM, and thus it follows that the story seems to lack a certain amount of universality—that thing that is a hallmark of all truly great stories (if not all art). Given that perspective, I struggle to come to a conclusion about the value of this movie. The actions of the characters come across as somewhat natural, even if also reprehensible. Yes, there are consequences of the actions, but it is debatable—and the film implies this—whether or not those (rather late-arriving) negative consequences are true deal-breakers. Apart from critical analysis of the narrative, one cannot help but at least report that the performances are very good, particularly the female leads. Watching this 2013 film some 13 years later adds to the sense that these middle-aged women are even further out of bounds for the younger actors than they actually were at the time of filming. And, of course, one must recognize that there's a certain amount of female wish fulfillment under-girding this story. Also, the Australian settings—particularly the beach scenes—provide at least as much visual appeal as the famously good-looking actresses. It’s a tough call; if you’re really into stories about complex interpersonal dynamics, you may find this film right up your alley. If not, at least you get a glimpse of the lives of the other (substantially less than) half.

The Princess Bride

This may be the most superfluous review on this site. This film has long been a Best of All inductee; I simply wanted to add a review upon re-watching this classic. And in re-watching it, I approached it with as critical an eye as I could, looking to find the flaws instead of just rubber-stamping this flick's reputation. And guess what--there aren't any. This is as close to perfection as it's possible to get. Maybe one could quibble about the parts of the book that did not make it into the movie--but Goldman wrote both the novel and the screenplay, so those are his edits to his own work. Can't really complain about that. (And film is a different medium from books; some changes are absolutely necessary.) The re-watching was, all in all, an amazingly affirming experience: this movie is exactly as good, not just as you remember it, but as you dream it is. A monumental achievement, one of the best movies ever made, and worthy of its legendary status.

Blade Runner 2049

The dystopian future is approaching at breakneck speed, and apparently--paradoxically--it will be very languid. I don't especially mind a movie with a measured pace, particularly if the film is filled with interesting details, visuals, and information. I'm not sure that description applies here. There seems to be some biological/biomechanical dilemmas posed by this outing that don't really jibe with what has gone before it (both in the original Blade Runner and in android/replicant rules as understood in the Alien movies). Plus, on top of all that, if you view the universe from a common aboriginal point of view--that all things in nature, even rocks and trees and whatnot, have souls--then a lot of the philosophical undercurrents of these films kind of goes down the drain, or at least gets muted somewhat. I can't say I ever really got bored with it, but I just suspect this movie could have been a lot better.

Wonder Woman

Some kind of wonder, indeed. This film relies heavily upon the newfound star power of Gal Gadot, who makes for an impressive screen presence and very much carries the proceedings on her well-toned shoulders. She really is impressive to behold, so much so that the viewer will likely forgive a lot of weaknesses in the surrounding staging: the supporting cast is largely forgettable (minus Chris Pine, who holds up well despite being outshone by Gadot), the story indulges in clichéd triteness at the climax, and, as far as the "cinematic universe" world-building goes, the whole thing doesn't particularly advance anything much. But when you look at the star's lovely visage and bask in her charisma, you wind up not minding so much. At the very least, you can be assured that this side of the superhero street got one casting move correct.

Moneyball

This is a really great movie--if you know nothing about baseball. If you do know a thing or two about baseball, it's still good, but there's a real mountain to climb in trying to separate the fact from the fiction, to ignore all the stuff that the movie ignores and take it for what it is--which is a highly fictionalized, very narrowly focused version of what happened with the 2002 Athletics. It is, perhaps, a tribute to the skill of the filmmakers that even a very involved fan can see beyond those limitations and still find a very enjoyable movie. Your personal history will decide how you perceive these two-plus hours of cinema. For this viewer, it was like a double play turn at second: the second baseman may have been off the bag, but the "neighborhood play" gets him the call. Posted .

Unbreakable

Something of a stealth movie--its quality sneaks up on you, and you realize how good it is when thinking about it later, after you've finished watching it. And I really dig director Shyamalan's willingness to hold a shot; it's a refreshing change from today's dominant 'quick-edit' style.