If you have followed my content for a while you know I am a big fan of documentaries. Whether it be 30 for 30 and other sports documentaries, historical documentaries like Ken Burns makes or more issue focused documentaries I really enjoy the genre. Today I got the chance to watch a new documentary called Unprescribed which makes a compelling case for medical marijuana that everyone should watch.
These kind of topic-specific documentaries can feel like propaganda so they should be taken with a grain of salt but we can still learn the arguments for one side of the story. such is the case here in Unprescribed. They are not trying to paint a fair argument on both sides of the cannabis debate, merely present one side of the story as compellingly as they can.
The main perspective of Unprescribed comes from our brave military men and women. Director Steve Ellmore dives into the epidemic of veteran suicide and how the cocktail of drugs they give our returning soldiers is not effective in dealing with their problems. I know from people in my life the damage opiods can have especially on someone with an emotionally damaged psyche as these soldiers have with PTSD. Putting them on opiods is the absolute worst thing we can do for them.
Given the horrible effects of the drugs they give veterans for PTSD it doesn’t make much sense to prohibit them from taking marijuana, a drug with very minimal side effects. Surely nobody can argue that the side effects are worse than the opiods we are giving them!
Unprescribed does not have the flashy celebrity interviews or narration you might see in other topic-specific documentaries (think Michael Moore…). However, I appreciate that it told normal human stories and gives a face to the unfairly demonized pro medical marijuana community. If you are interested in this topic give it a watch. It’s not very long and will help make the case for one side of a very heated national debate.
I recently saw an interview with actors Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves where they talked about the great affection they have for their popular characters Bill and Ted from the franchise that bears their names. The first film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure came out in 1989 and was a surprise hit. Then the quite possibly funnier sequel Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey was released in 1991. Like Winter and Reeves, a generation has grown up with a fondness and affection for these two silly boneheads and have asked for a sequel to follow up on them in the new millennium.
Now after nearly 20 years we finally have it in Bill & Ted Face the Music which is available on VOD and in theaters starting today. Unfortunately while all involved clearly have the best of intentions with this sequel, it sadly falls prey to the problems of most long-awaited comedy sequels. Almost everything the screenplay puts our heroes through falls flat leaving little laughs and not much else to enjoy.
In Face the Music Bill and Ted are told by The Great Leader (Holland Taylor) they must create a song, which will save the world. This causes our heroes to go back and forward through time mostly meeting up with various versions of themselves. They also go to therapy with their wives with a few laughs from Jillian Bell as their exasperated marriage counselor.
The problem with Face the Music is it is simply not funny. There are a lot of winks to the former films. Those pretty much all fall flat. The dude dialogue of the duo can be amusing but it’s hard to believe they couldn’t come up with more for them to do than running into versions of themselves.
Brigette Lundy-Paine and Samara Weaving play their daughters and I kind of wish the movie was about them instead of their Dads. They are going around time collecting famous musicians, which was a nice homage to the plot of the first film. (It’s a wink to the original without it being a pointless unfunny cameo).
I did enjoy the music in Bill & Ted Face the Music and the message at the end is nice. Unfortunately by then I was bored and ready for it to be done. I have friends who are anxiously awaiting this film, and I sincerely hope they enjoy it more than I did. We all can certainly use some laughs but I honestly laughed more at The Personal History of David Copperfieldwhich I saw on the same night. However, if you see Bill & Ted Face the Music and find it funny let me know. I would love to hear your experience in the comments.
If you have followed my reviews for any amount of time you know I love my period pieces. Whether it is Austen, Dickens, Gaskell I like going back to the times of manners and rules and getting swept away in the journey (and usually romance) of it all. Even this year my favorite movie so far is the latest version of Emma.
While admitting this taste for the past, even I must admit that sometimes these films can be a little bit stuffy, and I can see why they do not appeal to everyone. However, one thing I’ve noticed since Yorgos Lanthimos’ film The Favouritewe’ve been getting period films with more of an edge to them. Indeed even the aforementioned Emma made some creative choices like having a memorable nose bleed where a kiss would normally come.
Now we have the latest edgy take on the past with a new adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic novel The Personal History of David Copperfield. This version is directed by Armando Lannucci and at times it felt like a cross between Lanthimos and director Wes Anderson. It had the sarcasm of the former with the whimsy of the latter. It definitely won’t be for everyone but I really enjoyed it.
The outside the box thinking in this David Copperfield starts with the eclectic colorblind casting. This works because it is not trying to be a realistic version. At one point a character sticks his hand through a house so we are asked to go with the flow and not care. It also doesn’t hurt that Dev Patel plays David who I have loved ever since Slumdog Millionaireand recently in the Oscar nominated film Lion. He is not only extremely handsome and talented as an actor but he has a warmth to him that makes him easy to root for and he brings all that likability to the table playing the often down-on-his-luck David.
I also loved the production design and costumes in this David Copperfield. It’s probably the best in either of those categories I’ve seen this year. I particularly adored a little house made out of a boat that seems to come from David’s imagination but also his own life. All the hats are stunning and the dresses full of flare. It’s so much fun to watch.
My favorite part of this David Copperfield is it feels fresh. It’s not only quite funny but it’s also unpredictable and surprising. Granted I am not very familiar with this particular novel like I am with something like A Christmas Carolor even Great Expectations so it is easier to surprise me but so many of the choices were unexpected and new. Even the transitions between scenes were cleverly done with wipes and techniques I haven’t seen before in a movie like this.
The only downside to this film is at times it can be too random to the extent it is hard to follow. I was honestly glad to be able to watch this at home so I could read the plot summary as I went, which helped make things clearer. Other people more familiar with the novel may not have that problem but nevertheless the film can sometimes be a bit all over the place.
In addition to Patel, the cast is wonderful (and hilarious) with such talents as Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi and Ben Whishaw. Their skills and the fresh take on the material make The Personal History of David Copperfield definitely worth a watch whether it is in the theater or at home. Enjoy and let me know what you think especially if you are more familiar with the book.
Hey everyone! I hope you are doing well and getting through these tough times as smoothly as possible. I know it is impossible for some people to go to an indoor theater and I know some of you think I am crazy for doing so but we are basically open for new movies here in Utah and I’m here for it! (I fully support anyone who has chosen to not attend a movie theater btw). I have insured I have my mask on during the entire screening, have the back row so nobody is behind me, sit on the aisle so nobody is to the left of me and have typically had almost the whole theater to myself. I understand this is not enough safety with santization and cleanliness but it is for me.
All that said, I was able to go to a new movie with my friend Jen, who is my #1 movie buddy. This is our second time to the theater since quarantine and the first time we got to have one of our big epic chats at the end of it. I missed those sooooo much! It was so good for the soul.
The film that brought us back to the theaters is the coming of age story Words on Bathroom Walls (yes, the name is stupid).
Before I write this review I want to make it clear that my knowledge of schizophrenia is limited and I tried to find some reviews of this movie (or even the book) from the perspecitve of a person with schizophrenia and I was unsuccessful. My perspective is purely an outsider pov and how I think the movie encouraged a discussion on the topic.
Words on Bathroom Walls is based on a novel by Julia Walton and it tells the story of a teen named Adam who starts to hear voices and see personalities around him. There’s a chill New Age girl, an angry bodyguard and a slick cool guy. All these voices fight for his attention along with his love interest Maya (Taylor Russell) and single Mom (Molly Parker) and step-Dad Paul (Walton Goggins). Andy Garcia also appears as the priest at the new Catholic school Adam begins attending after he faces with some bullying at his public school.
The first thing that really works in Words in Bathroom Walls is Charlie Plummer’s performance. He is without a doubt one of the best young actors we have today and if you need proof of that watch him in the criminally overlooked Lean on Pete, which was one of my favorite movies of 2018. He was great as Pete but he’s also great as Adam, showing the anger, frustration and sweet sides of his personality making you invested in his character and anxious for him to get the help he needs.
That’s the other positive trait of this movie- it gets viewers especially teens talking about mental illness and working to END THE STIGMA. In the film Adam asks his shrink why when someone gets a disease like cancer everyone is kind and understanding but if someone gets a mental illness like schizophrenia they back away in fear? This is wrong and we needrt to tell the stories of those with all kinds of mental illness especially when it comes to teens who can be so lonely and confused. It needs to stop and we need to provide better health care in this country for those that are dealing with a chronic or crisis mental health condition.
Where Words on Bathroom Walls is a weaker is the last act that feels uncomfortable in ending with any kind of uncertainty. All the characters have to be made nice (although one moment had me crying on my mask but I won’t spoil it for you). All the challenges have to be overcome and that definitely feels a little too tidy for the realism of the rest of the movie. On the other hand, it’s hard to overly fault a movie for being too hopeful and trying to inspire its audience too much, so I’m inclined to be forgiving.
It also felt like some of the depictions of the schizophrenia in the film are a little sensationalized for dramatic effect. Again, I don’t know this for a fact but I remember when A Beautiful Mind came out some people with schizophrenia said that movie didn’t capture the experience very well and I have a feeling they’d have the same complaints here but if anyone can provide further insight in that regard I would love to learn more.
All that said, if you have teenagers I recommend watching Words on Bathroom Walls and having a discussion about Adam and his struggles. What can we do to end the stigma and make things better for those with a mental illness? As someone who has faced panic attacks this is extremely important to me so this movie really hit a chord with me even with its flaws. If you get a chance to see it I recommend it.
7 out of 10
Smile Worthy
By the way if you want to get a smile worthy mask like I am wearing in the photo check out the merch store
Reader Zach reached out to me and we talked about schizophrenia and how it was portrayed in this film
Writing a review for the new thriller Unhinged challenges my skills as a critic. On one hand I can’t deny the film does its job as a thriller in building tension and suspense. On the other hand, I hated the experience of watching it and found the film to be an extremely cynical and mean-spirited exercise. I am also left baffled at why on earth the studio fought to have this of all movies as the first large film to be released after quarantine. Is it supposed to be a cautionary tale? Good grief!
Unhinged stars Caren Pistorius as a woman named Rachel (maybe too close to home with that name!) who gets involved in a road rage incident with a man in a truck played by Russell Crowe. He then decides to make this the worst day of her life and stalks and attacks her. This even includes preying on her family and friends.
The problem with Unhinged is the film isn’t content to just be a thriller with an innocent being preyed upon by a deranged man. From the opening credits it wants to say something about technology and modern empty consumerism. It honestly tries to justify the actions of Crowe’s character as if he has simply taken a truthful response one step too far. No spoilers but in the end Rachel even learns the lesson he was trying to teach her from the beginning- as if that in any way justifies all that he has done.
The whole process is incredibly cynical and assumes the worst of human nature. That we all can only be pushed so far until we turn into The Man (Crowe’s character has no name). Some may find this thrilling. Some may even believe it to be true. I do not and did not.
The other problem with Unhinged is they don’t go all the way with the gritty realism/social commentary. There are scenes where people are not behaving in logical ways or making much sense. Particularly a scene in a diner felt ridiculous and extremely unlikely. I guess this is a movie where you are supposed to ‘turn off your brain’ ? The problem is it tries to be a deep metaphor so you can’t just have ‘dumb fun’ with it!
There are also some moments of sloppy filmmaking. In particular there’s a scene with terrible ADR that for the budget and time they had to work on it is unforgivable. You think with all the delays they could have at least gotten that right?
Like I said, some people will enjoy Unhinged because it does build up tension well but it’s not satisfied to be just a simple thriller (think last year’s Crawl as a good movie that was happy to be a silly fun thriller). Unhinged has to try and be more and teach both the character and all of us watching something. It is in that cynical and frankly repulsive message that the film loses me. Sure we live in a society that can be lost in technology and forget the humanity of others, but we also have goodness and compassion demonstrated every day in a thousand different ways (sometimes even on that very technology). No thank you Unhinged and your supposed cautionary tale. No thank you at all!
Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well. It’s time to get caught up on a few movies I’ve been watching that I haven’t had the time to write up a complete review. In the next few weeks things are going to be very busy for me with new movies coming to theaters and VOD so reviews should be coming. Make sure you are subscribed to my youtube channel and my podacasts (here and here) to get all of my content!
SPUTNIK
I’m not the biggest horror fan but I do enjoy a good alien story and a well done creature scares movie. It is with these tastes I was hoping I would enjoy the new alien horror film out of Russia called Sputnik. Indeed, the film looks great and the scenes with the creature are chilling and quite gory. Unfortunately when they leave the aliens and focus on the humans it becomes a bit of a slog. This is a film I’d actually be interested in seeing a remake where they can have a bigger budget allowing for longer visual effects sequences. As it is, it’s too uneven to recommend; although I am definitely interested to see what the director Egor Abramenko does next in his career.
Sputnik is available to stream on VOD and in theaters.
4 out of 10
Frown Worthy
HOWARD
I love me a fascinating person documentary, and I love the Disney Renaissance films so I was primed to love the new film about Disney Legend lyricist Howard Ashman. He was taken far too soon from the AIDS epidemic, but it is amazing to watch the impact he did have in the time he was given (it’s bittersweet to think of all he could have done in the many years following his passing. Tragic). The documentary doesn’t break the celebrity bio-doc mold but it’s a must-watch for any Disney fan. Especially the time spent on The Little Mermaid and behind the scenes on Beauty and the Beast is wonderful to watch.
Howard didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know about Howard Ashman but it was still fun to see his talent. I particularly loved seeing him work with Jodi Benson and his performances of Poor Unfortunate Souls had such vibrato and energy. No wonder he got story credit on the The Little Mermaid! He invested his all into the film. It also all has special meaning now as we are going through this pandemic. I wonder what documentaries are going to be made of those lost too soon to COVID19? Howard is available on Disney Plus and I highly recommend it!
7 out of 10
THE WEIGHT OF GOLD
As a huge life-long Olympian fan this documentary The Weight of Gold is tough but important watch. Narrated by star swimmer Michael Phelps it profiles the challenges Olympic athletes face obtaining the proper mental health care they need to deal with the intense pressure of competition. The athletes interviewed include a wide variety of disciplines from both the summer and winter Olympics including Apollo Anton-Ohno, Lolo Jones, Bodie Miller and Shaun White. I have dealt with my own mental health crisis in my life so it’s a subject that means a lot to me.
This stigma against mental health care needs to stop and it doesn’t matter if you are an athlete or have any other type of job we need proper care. Help needs to be easily accessible and encouraged. We’ve lost too many to suicide and despair. Enough is enough! The Weight of Gold is available to stream on HBO Max
9 out of 10
Smile Worthy
MAGIC CAMP
I love live action family comedies and dramas but lately they have been few and far between. Aside from Disney Channel movies Disney has been happy to stick to live action remakes and sequels rather than the small family features they used to be known for. However, with Disney Plus they have been doing more of these films with Togo, Timmy Failure, Noelle and more, which I am very excited about. Now we get their latest film, the long in development Magic Camp starring Adam Devine and Gillian Jacobs.
Magic Camp has a nice message with a simple story of the misfit kids learning to be believe in themselves we’ve seen a lot. Devine is fun and has chemistry with Jacobs, and they both try to make the movie work. Where I fault Magic Camp is, I hate to say it, the kid casting. They are a very bland group of ,kid actors that I struggled to stay engaged with. This is especially true if you compare them to the kids in something like The Sandlot or even The Mighty Ducks. There is no comparison. It makes the movie drag and it’s never funny enough to work as an outright comedy. I’d say skip this one on Disney Plus watch and just watch Timmy Failure again.
4 out of 10
Frown Worthy
So there you have it! Have you seen any of these films? What did you think and are you going to be going to the movie theaters to see upcoming films like New Mutants or Tenet? Let me know in the comments sections!
With the closure of theaters from the COVID19 virus many of us have turned to Netflix and other streaming services for new films in 2020. This has brought movies like Extraction, Bad Education, and Palm Springs to the world’s attention. However, one aspect of Netflix’s lineup not given enough credit is their incredible anime selection. Whether series or films they have a large selection of original and curated anime films ready for the viewer to enjoy.
One new offering is from directors Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama called Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu or in English A Whisker Away. This is a shame because Whisker is an adorable film the entire family will enjoy.
A Whisker Away tells the story of Miyo an unhappy young girl who struggles to fit in with her peers and doesn’t get along with her family well especially her stepmother. She does, however, love to daydream about her crush fellow schoolmate Hinode. One day she finds a mask that turns her into a cat and as a cat she’s able to spend more time with her crush but of course blissful cat-dom can’t last forever and things get complicated.
First of all, Miyo as the cat Taro is so cute. Her bright blue eyes and white fur will charm even the most hardened of cat haters! Miyo is also a character we can all relate to with her insecurities and a fear of rejection we all face especially as teenagers. The longer she stays a cat the harder it is for her to become human again and the decision is harder for her than you might think.
I also enjoyed the world building and magic of A Whisker Away. The script is difficult to predict what is going to happen and the magic is both delightful and scary at the same time. It is definitely reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returnsso if you like that film you will definitely like this.
The writer Mari Okada also wrote Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, which I found to be very underrated from 2018. She is great at capturing emotion in her writing and helping you connect with the characters. She directed Maquia and has another film Her Blue Sky that she wrote which I hope gets a US release because I love her writing.
As far as criticisms of A Whisker Away sometimes the villain Kinako was a little much and distracted from the more interesting coming of age elements with Miyo deciding what she wants out of her life.
Still if you are looking for a hidden gem on Netflix A Whisker Away is a good one!
Watching the latest version of The Secret Garden it is easy to wonder ‘is this really necessary?’. Like Little Women from last year The Secret Garden is one of those oft-told stories that seems to come to the cinema every few years. This is probably because the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett is so commonly read in schools and is a favorite by many (including myself). Now we have the latest version by director Marc Munden, and while not as strong as the luminous 1993 retelling, it has enough magic to be a worthy journey back to the garden.
This version stars Dixie Egerickx as the young Mary Lennox and she does a good job bringing an independent spirit to the classic role. The narrative begins with Mary left alone in India when her parents die of cholera. This grounding in India reminded me of Alfonso Cuarón’s version of A Little Princess(which I adore). It’s not as magical nor as strong as that film but it definitely tries to have the same impact.
When she is sent to live in her Uncle Archibald’s estate Mary is essentially given free reign over the house and grounds without a governess or any other oversight. At first she is shocked by this as she is used to being dressed and groomed by servants, but she embraces the freedom and grows to become as attached to the outdoors as her puppy Jemima and friend Dickon (Amir Wilson).
She then, of course, discovers the titular secret garden and begins to process her grief for the first time. The garden is stunning and more overgrown and full of actual magic in comparison to other versions. The plants and flowers almost reminded me of the garden in Nausicaa the Valley of the Wind with the big oversized leaves and jungle-like quality to it.
This The Secret Garden is at its best when it is focusing on Mary and her imagination and growth as a character. Some of the other elements of the book are not as successful. There’s always a bit of an ableist element to the story of young Colin who if he just believes enough will be able to get out of his wheelchair and walk. I don’t know how you avoid that in this story but maybe make him just sick instead of physically handicapped? I’m not sure but surely there is a way to show Colin’s growth without him suddenly being able to walk again when he previously couldn’t?
I also wonder if they only had Colin Firth for a few days of shooting because he’s not in the movie very much. This makes his role as Archibald feel a little undercooked and unsatisfying. Julie Walters is also not in the movie very much as the housekeeper Mrs Medlock. I would love to have gotten more of her because she’s one of my favorite actors.
Other than that I enjoyed this new version of The Secret Garden. Some may fault its pacing but I found it to be typical of this type of period film. If they usually aren’t your thing than it won’t win you over but if you like them and like The Secret Garden story than you will probably enjoy this film. It also seems like the perfect film to watch in quarantine when we can’t explore the world as much as we’d like. At least we can live through the movies!
What about you? Are you a fan of The Secret Garden? What’s your favorite version?
There are some films that watching them are like wrapping up in a cozy blanket and the new film Made in Italy is that kind of movie. Everything from the subject matter, to the casting, to the setting in Tuscany make you want to pull out the tissues and call your Mother. I love when a film can give me such feels and Made in Italy did not disappoint.
Let’s start with the casting. Made in Italy stars Liam Neeson and his real life son Micheál Richardson. They of course play father and son in the film, and they are brought together to restore a house in Tuscany once owned by their departed mother/wife. This of course has emotional resonance as their real life mother/wife Natasha Richardson died tragically in a skiing accident in 2009.
While not autobiographical the knowledge of the real-life events the actors have suffered can’t help but impact their performances and bring a special dose of emotion to the film. Indeed, when Neeson is looking through old albums at photos of his wife we get the feeling this activity isn’t foreign to him at all and the tears come!
Both father and son have excellent chemistry as you might expect and young Richardson holds his own in the more dramatic sequences along with his more seasoned father. We even get a little bit of romance for him with a local chef named Rafaella (Helena Antonio).
Made in Italy also has the novelty of watching a home renovation in a place as beautiful as Tuscany. Don’t we all need that right now? With no chance of traveling to Europe any time soon I relished in a chance to vacate there vicariously through film. Even when things are difficult and they can’t decide what paint to use or when to paint over his angry art it’s all more charming and delightful because it’s in Italy.
If you love movies likeReturn to Me or Under the Tuscan Sun you will love Made in Italy. It’s heartfelt, well put together, escapist fare that I thoroughly enjoyed. There’s even a scene where they gratuitously eat spaghetti bolognese, and I was there for it! Yum! (I’ve actually been to Tuscany when I was 17 and this sure brought back tons of memories. I told my Mother when this nightmare is all over we need to go!)
I am not sure if Made in Italy will get into open theaters/drive-in but it is going to be on VOD Aug 7th and I highly recommend it. I finished it and even though I had cried I felt happy and hopeful. We can all use more of that these days.
8.5 out of 10
This review does contain affiliate links to Amazon products. If you purchase the product using the links it helps to support this site and my dreams as a critic
This review does contain affiliate links to Amazon products. If you purchase the product using the links it helps to support this site and my dreams as a critic