Nobody should be sad to see this pandemic infested year pass. Before it is gone, here is another list, with some award nominees and winners continuing to straggle in from the library and TV. Between the pandemic and the election, one might have thought diversion to entertainment would be in order, but the stakes in the real world are so high that most all attention is concentrated there.
1917 – 2019 (3.0). Phenomenal cinematography literally follows the two heroes of this WWI picture as they run through the trenches and over the no man's land on a mission to warn British troops that they are heading into an ambush. The production values and special effects are fantastic. The only limitation is that the script is so focused on the action of the mission that there is no time for any character development. At the end of the movie however we do learn that one of the heroes shares his name with the writer of this movie blog.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2020 – 2020 (3.0). With a theme based on yet to be fulfilled aspirations of the characters, this special touches on hopes of some regular characters, but we also again meet new characters, expectant mothers whose stories provide emotional impact on the regulars and on the audience. We are also teased that instead of closing their practice, the midwives may in fact be expanding in the coming season.
Jojo Rabbit – 2019 (2.9). A 10 year old German boy is part of the Hitler Youth and so enamored of the Fuhrer that he has him for an imaginary friend. He does not realize his mother is involved in the underground, but he does discover the Jewish teenage girl his mother is hiding in the attic. Seen through the eyes of a 10 year old, the Reich appears as ridiculous as it actually was, but the horror is real. Roman Griffin Davis ably carries the load as the boy and Thomasin McKenzie as the girl once again impresses with her screen charisma.
The Way I See It - 2020 (2.9). Pete Souza was White House Photographer for Obama. He previously was on the White House photography team for Reagan. This documentary gives some of his biography including a little about his Reagan years, but primarily focuses on his eight years covering Obama with whom he bonded as a friend. Post Obama, we see Souza on the speaker circuit and learn that he has moved from his non-partisan stance to be a vocal opponent of Trump as a disgrace to the White House.
Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles – 2019 (2.8). Multiple interviews (perhaps too many) with people involved in the original production of the musical Fiddler om the Roof and with performers who have acted in various stagings through the years are interspersed with archival footage of rehearsals and performances to create this documentary homage. The universal appeal of the themes of the story across cultures and generations is pointed out effectively. And ultimately the songs and dances are quite memorable.
Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn - 2017 (2.8). This filmed stage performance is not the greatest rendition of the 1942 classic movie musical, but the songs are welcome favorites and the dancing in particular is vigorously joyful.
Knives Out – 2019 (2.8). The script for this original whodunit was nominated for an Oscar which means it holds interest for viewers not enamored with the genre. Acting, direction and such are not distracting. Tepid praise but worth a watch when there is nothing better.
River – 2015 (2.8). This Brit detective miniseries set in modern London has the expected fine acing and production values and the story starts out with some unusual surprises as we learn it is as much about the interior life of the main detectives as about the crimes they are investigating. Twists and turns and developments ensue over six episodes which hold interest but by the end are starting to wear a little more thin as the solving of crimes accelerates to a conclusion.
Vernon Jordan: Make it Plain – 2020 (2.8). This documentary about the civil rights attorney who became adviser to powerful politicians and corporate executives is just short of one hour but unfortunately also short on personal information about the life of this fascinating man. We follow him on his rounds as a celebrated and influential racial pioneer and we hear from powerful people who laud and than him, we are treated to his plain but powerful words of wisdom, but we learn very little about his personal adult life. Perhaps someday that documentary will be made.
Welcome to Chechnya – 2020 (2.8). The Russian Muslim enclave is criminally hostile to LGBTQ individuals and this documentary follows some of the victims and their families and activists for rescue groups seeking to et the victims oout of Chechnya and if possible out of Russia as refugees.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – 2019 (2.7). The skeptical journalist assigned to write a few paragraphs about Fred Rogers gets legitimately hooked in the first half of this drama about the icon of shows teaching children how to deal with their feelings. But the script in the second half does not ring as true as Mr. Rogers lands his catch. The documentary “Won't You Be My Neighbor” is must watching for anyone who wants to know about Mr. Rogers.
Black Narcissus – 2020 (2.7). An over 70 year old novel about Christian nuns setting up a school mission in a former harem building on a Tibetan mountaintop does not seem like a top prospect for treatment as a TV miniseries, but the BBC gave it this try. As expected, production values and acting are tops. The script is the weak link, indulging too much in flashbacks of the doomed princes who haunts the place and the young lover experience of the sister who became the young nun leading the mission. The vibrant dynamic between the nun and the embittered Western man who is resident troubleshooter for the Tibetan royalty and the exploration of the differences between the Eastern and Western cultures and religions are unfortunately underdeveloped.
Toy Story 4 – 2019 (2.7). The franchise rolls on with the same great animation and another script about connections between toys and children. One wonders if young children actually understand the script all that well and it does seem much of the content is intended to keep adults entertained enough to finance the endeavor. There is a surprisingly evocative scene near the end of the movie where a very young girl is despondently separated from her parents, which I think plays into the feelings any empathetic person should have about refugee children separated from their parents.
Schitt's Creek (Season One) – 2015 (2.6). This comedy series apparently really caught on after the first three years, once Netflix took it over. Sort of a Beverly Hillbillies in reverse, the premise here is that a wealthy family loses it all and is forced to move to a small town the father had bought as a joke. They live in a motel and awkwardly try to relate to the locals. The father and son are played by series creators and the real life father son Levy team. The mother is supposed to be a one time soap opera star. The young adult daughter and son as expected are spoiled snobs, she a loose vamp and he a sexually confusing fashionista. After a few episodes the excessive obscenities are reduced and the over the top characters start to get a bit more relatable, but watching multiple seasons would seem to require a unique type of taste.
Joker – 2019 (2.2). A muddled meaningless mess provides a vehicle for an actor once again to play a real wacko and win prizes. What nonsense.
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