Current Mini Reviews (Challengers, Hard Miles, My Divorce Party)

April 27, 2024April 28, 2024 | Rachel's Reviews

It’s always nice in months like April when releases slow down a bit and us critics can catch up on some smaller films and indies that we might miss in the busyness of the summer season. Today I have 3 recent films to report on and will let you know how they succeed in telling their unique stories.

Challengers

Challengers is the new film from Luca Guadagnino and it’s one of those movies that’s hard for me to write about because I think it is just ok. I liked it as a sports movie and competitive rivalry narrative than I did as an erotic thriller. In fact, it was not the spicy movie the trailers had led me to expect. Most of the sensuality in the film stays squarely on a pg13 level with the R rated elements coming from a locker-room scene and language more than the sensuality. Of course, this is fine but I just felt the trailers had led me to expect an escapist romance and that’s not really what you get.

That said the 3 actors Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist have terrific chemistry and the competitive side of it is compelling- how each member of their friendship group tries to one up each other and it’s hard to determine who is in control over the course of the movie.

The movie would be much better if it was trimmed down from 131 minutes to 90 minutes. It screams of a tighter edit as many scenes are repetitive and we start to care less about the characters. The score is memorable by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, however, it can be overwhelming at times. I don’t know anything about tennis but the games all looked convincing to me and I was drawn into the matches. It’s just the tit-for-tat of the romance that could have been more exciting. It’s probably one you could wait and rent if it sounds interesting to you.

5 out of 10

Frown Worthy

Hard Miles

Hard Miles is another athlete movie coming out this week which is worth checking out. I’m a sucker for an inspirational true sports story and there is a nice one at the core of this film. I wish it was a little sweeter and cuddlier but that’s not the kind of movie they were trying to make.

Matthew Modine plays Greg Townsend a social worker at a juvenile detention center who decides to take some of his teens on a bike ride from Denver to the Grand Canyon. This helps them believe in themselves and come together as a group.

The adult cast is very strong in Hard Miles with Modine capturing a flawed but determined leader. Sean Astin and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams are fine supporting players. By the end we want these boys to succeed and make something of their lives and its gratifying to see them climb every mountain on those bikes.

The only downside to the movie is that it feels too long and in particular takes forever for the cycling to start. Some of the acting from the boys wasn’t on the level of the older actors. However, it’s definitely worth seeing for the performances and gritty true story.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

My Divorce Party

The last few years we’ve gotten a number of films about female friendship and for the most part I’ve enjoyed them. Last year I particularly enjoyed Joy Ride which I found surprisingly sweet along with the raunchy humor. Even this year we already have the disappointing Drive-Away Dolls which was all about female friendship.

The latest entry is My Divorce Party which is written and directed by Heidi Weitzer and stars Desiree Staples in the lead role. Staples plays Xan a woman who is sick of her marriage and decides she wants to burn all her assets in a divorce party with her friends so that her ex-husband will not have access to it. Her friends gather with her over the weekend for the Divorce Party and talk her off the ledge, convincing her there is life after divorce.

A movie like this depends so much on the cast and this one is strong with the likes of Rumer Willis and Laith Ashley. It’s also filmed with energy and color that makes it pleasing to watch. Obviously a film like this is on a small budget but I had a good time with it. Not every joke lands but enough do that it works as a comedy. Most importantly the friends group felt real and authentic. There is a particularly funny gag about an eagle statue I won’t spoil but trust me- it works.

My Divorce Party would be a great movie to watch with your girlfriends and reminisce about the good and bad times that you’ve been through together. It’s worth checking out.

7 out of 10

Smile worthy

(I interviewed Desire and Heidi for Hallmarkies Podcast and it was super fun. Look for it coming out next week here)

So there you have it. 3 new movies to check out. Let me know what you think if you get to see any of them.

If you enjoy my writing please support me on patreon and you will get some great perks along the way! I cannot do it all on my own. Please take a look at the patreon here.

Current Mini Reviews (The Phantom of the Open, Mr Malcolm’s List, Father of the Bride)

June 21, 2022June 23, 2022 | Rachel's Reviews

Hey everyone! I hope you are doing well. I have been a very busy this week but I hope you enjoyed my review of Elvis. I have a few more movies to catch you up on, mostly smaller releases that are hopefully finding their way into your theaters and streaming services in the next week or so. So here goes!

Mr Malcolm’s List

You all know I love me a good period piece romance so I was expecting to love Mr Malcolm’s List but must confess I did not. It probably should have been a clue when I did not enjoy the book so perhaps this story just isn’t for me but alas I was still hopeful I’d like the movie because of the great cast but it didn’t work for me.

The conflict resides around the entitled Mr Malcolm (Sope Dirisu) who has a list for what he wants in a wife. When Zawe Ashton’s Julia is found wanting of the list she starts a plan with her cousin Selina (Freida Pinto) to expose the list by crafting the perfect woman matching his list.

I’m not the biggest fan of the ‘liar reveal’ trope where 2 people have gotten to know each other but there is a lie happening and when it is exposed the lied to partner huffs and puffs about ‘how dare she lie to me.” Any sensible person can see she wasn’t lying about everything and a good chat could usually settle things.

This, however, could be ignored if I thought the couples involved had any chemistry, which they dont. In fact, the entire project felt belabored with the acting strained and artificial. I tried but just couldn’t get invested in any of the characters or the story. The costumes and hair are impressive but I need more than that in my period piece romances. Unfortunately an item on Mr Malcolm’s List is disappointment for this critic…

The trailer also makes it seem like Ashley Park has a large role when she’s barely in it making for another disappointment.

4 out of 10

Frown Worthy

The Phantom of the Open

If you follow me on social media you know I’m not the biggest sports person; however, I do like the occasional sports related film- especially if it is about an underdog. I love a movie that makes me want to cheer by the end for the unlikely hero. The Phantom of Open is such a film. It’s a charming movie about the world’s worst golfer and one the entire family will enjoy (it’s rated pg13 but I think it’s fine for younger kids personally).

Phantom tells the story of Maurice Flitcroft played by a delightful Mark Rylance, who manages to gain entry into the British Open for golf in 1976. He then shoots the worst round in Open history and became a bit of folk hero as a result. Think of him as the Tommy Wiseau of golf.

But really the golf is only the window-dressing for the actual story of Flitcroft and his family. His loving wife Jean is played by Sally Hawkins, who’s wonderful as usual. Then his disco dancing sons Gene and James are played by Jonah and Christian Lees with his more conflicted adopted son Michael (Jean’s son from a previous relationship whom he adopts) is played by Jake Davies. Everyone is great and it feels like a real family we are rooting for.

I am sure there will be someone who dislikes The Phantom of the Open and finds it too saccharine but not this critic. Writer Simon Farnaby has taken his Paddington 2 magic and made another heartwarming crowd-pleaser that I thoroughly enjoyed.

8.5 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Father of the Bride

Some stories and tropes just work- no matter the era or actors attempting the project. Father of the Bride is one of those franchises. I love the films from the 50s and the 90s and to my delight I really enjoyed this new version from 2022. I was worried with it going to HBO Max it wouldn’t be well done but it executes all the elements I love about the previous films and adds its own flair and spark to the story. A real hidden gem.

This time around we have Andy Garcia as the titular father and the bride is Adria Arjona who comes home from working abroad engaged and ready to plan a quick wedding to her fiancé (who she proposed to!) Adam (Diego Boneta).

We then get all the madness of a hasty wedding with Chloe Fineman camping it up as the wedding planner. Of course things get over-the-top but that’s part of the fun of this franchise (I mean last time we had swans and a caterer named Honk). In between all the madness, however, they make the proceedings unique with Garcia and his wife Ingrid played by the great Gloria Estefan going through a divorce (such a better conflict than the fiancé buying a blender LOL).

The script also has some nuance in the family being Cuban but Sofia wanting to work for a non-profit in Mexico and her fiancé’s family being Mexican.

It maybe gets a little too silly with natural disasters and bridge collapses coming into play but by then I was invested enough in the people to enjoy myself. I think fans of romcoms and this series will enjoy this Father of the Bride. It’s sweet and endearing lark about family, love, and the madness of wedding planning. Who can’t relate to that?

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

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[REVIEW] ‘THE LOST CITY’ or Welcome Back Sandy B and the Adventure Romance

March 23, 2022March 23, 2022 | Rachel's Reviews

All of my regular readers know I love a good romance. This is true with all kinds of romances- comedies, adventure, tragedy etc. Unfortunately for me and other fans of the genre Hollywood hasn’t given us much to enjoy in the last few decades. This is what has led romance fans like myself to turn to Hallmark and Netflix to get our romance fix. The adventure romance is a particularly fun genre that plays on tropes of rescue, opposites attract and escapism. My friend Alysa Lucas and I just did a whole episode of Hallmarkies Podcast talking about 4 fun adventure romances:

It was with all this in mind I was extremely excited for the new film The Lost City starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. I’ve been on a bit of a rough streak lately so I was ready for a movie I loved and as I’m a huge fan of this genre it seemed aimed to please.

And it did…

I don’t know how others will feel but this film did everything I needed it to do. It lets its 2 stars shine with terrific chemistry, the adventure sizzles and most importantly it’s laugh out loud funny. I particularly liked the way it pokes fun at erotica and romance novels without demonizing them or the joy they give many women.

And it’s not just Tatum and Bullock that shine in the film. Brad Pitt is extremely funny in an extended cameo (more Pitt in the inevitable sequel please!). I also enjoyed Daniel Radcliffe as the antagonist Abigail Fairfax (yes the name is a funny joke). Oscar Nuñez pops in for a few funny scenes. Patti Harrison (who I loved in Together Together last year) gets a few laughs and Da’Vine Joy Randolph does a good job as Bullocks exasperated publicist (although they probably do spend too much time on her subplot).

There is a long scene where we get to see Tatum’s tooshie, which I thought was hilarious, but more traditional romance viewers might take issue with. It’s also very silly and over-the-top so anyone expecting a realistic jungle story might be disappointed (but then why are you watching this movie?).

As I said, some of the subplots go on a bit too long but I didn’t care because I was laughing. It also wasn’t as much of a Romancing the Stone rip-off as I thought it would be. Pitt’s character is a riff on the Jack T Colton character from that film but Bullock’s character is more confident than Joan Wilder played by Kathleen Turner. Yes both films are about neurotic romance writers but they are executed quite differently. Plus, Tatum’s character Alan is actually quite shy and awkward, which I wasn’t expecting.

If you are like me and love adventure romances you will love The Lost City. It’s a great time at the movies I’ve missed! I’m also so glad to see Bullock back in rom-coms. She’s so good at them and it’s been a long time (since The Proposal in 2009!).

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

[REVIEW] The Batman or The Bat-Meh? (Spoiler Free)

February 28, 2022February 28, 2022 | Rachel's Reviews

Coming out of the new film from DC and Warner Bros, The Batman, those around me were full of strong opinions. Some were very vocal about their dislike of the film, saying they hated it, and others seemed to really enjoy it. Then there is me with the hardest opinion of all, decidedly mixed…

Let’s talk about the positives. To begin with, director Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser have made a good-looking film that leans into the crime noir aspects of the Batman mythology. This is a gritty, brooding, Batman that is actually putting clues together as he spies on the lowlifes of Gotham.

The cast is also impressive, as is the makeup and costuming. Colin Farrell is practically unrecognizable as a mafia kingpin version of The Penguin. Paul Dano is chilling as a serial killer version of The Riddler, and Jeffrey Wright is a terrific James Gordon.

As for our Dark Knight, Robert Pattinson does a good job with what he is given. This is a brooding, quiet, outcast, reclusive version of Bruce Wayne and who’s father seems to have had all the people-pleasing skills of the family.

This is, however, where we get into our problems. The way they have written Bruce in the story doesn’t give Pattinson much to work with. The character is stagnant and does more meaningful staring than actual growth. It’s almost episodic in feel despite it being nearly 3 hours. He starts out as Batman, and he works on solving the case of the Riddler, and that’s it.

And that’s the main issue with this film, the script. The story is extremely one note and doesn’t develop characters we care about or become emotionally invested in. They put the pieces together for the case, but that’s fairly predictable and bland. If this was just a generic detective movie without the iconic IP, I don’t think there would be much interest in the story or characters.

The last 30 minutes do put together some impressive set pieces and like I said Dano makes for a chilling villain, but I wish they had taken the time to develop Bruce as a real person with feelings and emotions. Even in a dark and brooding film noir, there still should be moments where the characters breathe and connect.

The closest we get to any of that is the relationship between Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle (Catwoman) and Bruce, but even that is mostly putting the pieces together on the case and not a real romance.

Perhaps I am coming across like I hated The Batman, which again, I did not. It has too many impressive pieces to hate, but I think it could have been much better with a more nuanced and engaging script. If you love it, I understand why. If you hate it, I understand why. For me, I’m very meh on it.
But I have to pick a side…
5 out of 10
Frown Worthy

Blind Spot 74: About Time

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022 | Rachel's Reviews

When I announced this year’s Blind Spot picks probably the biggest surprise was my February pick of About Time. Being somewhat of a rom-com expert people are always caught off guard when I admit to some favorites I haven’t seen. A lot of times they are R rated films, which for a long time I didn’t watch. Such is the case with About Time. It’s an R rated film for sensuality and language, which I didn’t see when it came out and I just never got around to seeing it until now (the gift of this Blind Spot series!).

Well, now I’ve seen About Time and…

I loved it! It totally lived up to the hype! But now that I’ve seen it I wouldn’t describe it as a romantic comedy. It’s more of a family movie than anything else.

About Time tells the story of a young man named Tim played by Domhnall Gleeson who discovers on his 21st birthday that all the men in his family can travel back in time to moments they have lived before. This allows them to make tweaks in the timeline that can help their lives without causing too much of a space time continuum disruption.

The main romance of the film is when Tim meets Mary (Rachel McAdams) and falls hard for her. He then uses his time travel to help ensure he is in the right place at the right time to win Mary over. This could have been creepy (especially when Margot Robbie’s Charlotte enters the scene) but it’s played with just enough heart to be endearing.

Like I said, most of the film is about family more than romance. This is true for Tim’s family with Mary and his birth family. I loved Bill Nighy as his Dad (he is always the best). I also loved Tim’s relationship with his sister Kit Kat. The bond between a brother and sister is rarely explored in film, so I appreciated the tender scenes between them and how he tries to help her in any way he can.

About Time is one of those films which will tug on all the emotions. It’s very funny, sweet and a real tear jerker. It has a little bit of whimsy but then also feels grounded and easy to relate with. It will make you wonder what you would change if you could tweak a few little things in your own life?

I really enjoyed this one. What about you? Is About Time a favorite of yours? Let me know in the comments section

9 out of 10

Smile Worthy

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[REVIEW] ‘American Underdog’ or How to Inspire Right

December 22, 2021December 22, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

One of the toughest genres to make a quality film in is the faith-based film. It is very difficult to portray conversion and a spiritual life in a way that doesn’t feel forced and cloying. However, the Erwin Bros, Andrew and Jon, are doing it about as well as can be done. I first noticed them in 2018 with I Can Only Imagine, which made a non-religious friend of mine weep, it was so good. And then I Still Believe released just before the pandemic that was another solid inspirational true story about musician Jeremy Camp. Now with their latest film American Underdog they are moving to sports to tell the story of come-from-behind football star Kurt Warner and they have another win!

There are a couple key aspects that make American Underdog work. First, the story is compelling and doesn’t try to start a ministry. What Kurt Warner accomplished coming from an undrafted status to winning Super Bowls as a quarterback is remarkable. He literally did go from stocking shelves at the supermarket to an MVP in the NFL. That kind of story doesn’t happen every day and is exciting.

Second, the Erwin’s got quality actors for the film. We all know Zachary Levi is charismatic and likable but so is Anna Paquin who plays Warner’s girlfriend/wife. Dennis Quaid does strong work as coach Dick Vermeil in a small role and little Hayden Zaller is wonderful as Warner’s step-son Zack. The whole cast makes for a story that’s easy to find inspiring because we like the characters and we want to cheer for them.

Finally, for this kind of movie the script is relatively gritty and honest. For example, Kurt and Brenda live together for a long time before getting married. They also meet in a bar and characters get intoxicated on occasion. It’s not like you need these elements to make a story work but it’s also nice the filmmakers didn’t shy away from them to appease their Christian audience either. It makes the victory in the end all the more enjoyable when you see where they come from and what they have overcome.

This holiday season if you are looking for something that will make you stand up and cheer check out American Underdog. It’s a rousing crowd pleaser for the whole family!

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

My Thoughts on 3 Oscar Hopefuls (Belfast, King Richard, Spencer)

November 10, 2021November 11, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

Hey everyone! I hope you are doing well. I have been so busy the last few weeks with the start of the holiday movie season and our coverage at Hallmarkies Podcast. Make sure you are following the podcast to get all the latest recaps, reviews and interviews for all things Christmas!

With all the madness I have also gotten a bit behind in my reviews- particularly for some of the Oscar hopefuls I’ve been privileged to see at critics screenings. I thought it would be fun to cover the last 3 I’ve seen together so we can compare and contrast and hopefully give you an idea if you will enjoy the film.

Here goes!

Spencer

Let’s get my unpopular opinion out of the way first. Spencer is the latest film from Chilean director Pablo Larraín. In 2016 he made a film called Jackie which was highly praised but fell flat for me and I’m afraid that’s the same here. I did like Spencer better than Jackie but both movies waste strong performances with a showy director more interested in gimmicks than good storytelling.

Spencer tells the loosely based on true events story of the Christmas holiday where Princess Diana decides to leave Prince Charles in 1991. I enjoyed the Christmas themes and Kristen Stewart is excellent in the role.

The problem with the movie is Larraín seems more concerned with standing out as an auteur director than telling a good story. The way the camera is always moving, the heavy-handed strange music choices, the weird flights of fancy all take me out of the story instead of adding to the experience.

I didn’t feel like Spencer told me anything new about Diana or the royal family. The production values are all strong and Stewart is good so I didn’t hate it but the whole thing left me cold and feels like a missed opportunity.

5 out of 10

Frown Worthy

King Richard

Next up we have another biopic this time from the world of sports. It is King Richard and it tells the story of Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams.

I honestly don’t have a ton to say about this movie. It’s fine. There are inspirational moments and Will Smith will probably win an Oscar for this role. We also have nice work from Tony Goldwyn and Jon Bernthal who are the tennis pros who have to put up with Richard’s antics.

The problem I had with the movie is I didn’t find Richard to be a very interesting character. I know it is based on his book, but I wish we could have heard more from the girls. There are some scenes but it is unclear whether they even like playing tennis. Do they agree with this plan of their fathers? Do they want to do something else and were stuck? Maybe they didn’t but I would have liked to have spent more time with them as opposed to their Dad. Richard sticking to his guns and not letting the girls compete in Juniors and other such conflict with the coaches also got a little repetitive and dull.

Nevertheless, this is worth watching for the acting and the chance to cheer on a family that together never gave up on their dreams.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Belfast

Now we end with my definite favorite of the 3 hopefuls I’m reviewing today: Belfast. In this semi-autobiographical tale director Kenneth Branagh bounces back from the failure of Artemis Fowl with perhaps his most personal and intimate film of his career. It reminded me a lot of Cinema Paradiso and captures the magic of childhood and how movies often narrate the key moments of our lives.

Jude Hill plays the lead little boy Buddy and he is growing up in the 1960s in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He loves going to the movies and spending time with his Granny (Judi Dench) and Pop (Ciarán Hinds). His father (a great Jamie Dornan) is often away and his Mother (Caitríona Balfe who I loved in Ford v Ferrari and she’s great here too) bears the weight of trying to raise her son in a dangerous neighborhood full of rebellion and mob violence.

I do have a few issues with Belfast that keep it from being one of my favorites of the year. Some of the artistic choices, particularly when we transition from black and white to colored didn’t make much sense and were more puzzling than uplifting. Also the music by Van Morrision, while pleasant, didn’t seem to fit the place, time or tone of the scenes. I didn’t get it.

Other than that I enjoyed Belfast. It will probably win best picture and I won’t be mad about that. It’s a lovely little movie about family, childhood and the magic of the movies.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Current Mini Reviews (Blue Bayou, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Silent Night)

September 18, 2021September 18, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

Hi everyone! I have officially finished with TIFF and it’s been a great experience. This morning I watched my last movie for the festival, Silent Night and that makes 23 movies watched and reviewed. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on these artistic and ambitious films. Even with 9 I did not recommend I still appreciate the experience of attending a festival and watching a large number of films in a short period of time. It gives you a whole different perspective than a typical ordinary trip to the cinemas.

Anyway I have 3 movies to report on today. One I saw at TIFF and the rest were at screenings. Here we go!

Silent Night

I must admit I haven’t seen many apocalyptic or end of the world movies. I’m naturally more of an optimistic person so such dour films don’t appeal to me. Now with director Camille Griffin’s Silent Night we not only get the end of the world but it is combined with Christmas, making for a very weird combination.

In this film a family and friends are gathering to celebrate Christmas knowing the end of the world is coming the next day. A tornado of toxic gasses is going to pass over and they can either take a suicide pill first or wait to die.

The cast for this strange film is fantastic. Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode have great chemistry as the hosts of the party. Rufus Jones, Annabelle Wallis, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and more play their friends and Roman Griffin Davis and his twin brothers play their children.

Unfortunately the script doesn’t do much to flesh out the characters outside of the fact they are all going to die, which obviously makes the movie very depressing. Some people may like the depressing version of a Christmas movie but it is definitely not for me and I didn’t take away anything profound that would make all the sadness worth it. My advice is watch Anna and the Apocalypse instead. It’s zombies end of the world and is much more entertaining.

4 out of 10

Frown Worthy

Everybody’s Talking About Jaime

You all know I love musicals and 2021 has proven to be an amazing year for the genre with films like In the Heights, Vivo, Dear Evan Hansen and more. Now we have Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and it’s another win!

This film is based on the stage production of the same name and it tells the story of high school student Jamie New who’s dream is to become a drag queen performer. Jamie is played by newcomer Max Harwood with energy and charisma.

My favorite part of this movie is how positive and life affirming it is. For the most part everyone is kind and encouraging to Jamie. I particularly loved his mother Margaret played by Sarah Lancashire. Her song ‘He’s My Boy’ is the highlight of the film. She sang it like a Broadway pro.

There is of course opposition for Jamie including a bully at school and his Father’s disapproval but it still overall feels positive and uplifting. Richard E Grant could get a supporting Oscar nom for his wonderful performance as a mentor for Jamie.

The songs aren’t especially memorable, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this big-hearted film.

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Blue Bayou

There are certain movies I’m glad I have seen but never want to watch again. The new film Blue Bayou is one of those films. It’s a devastating film that profiles an important issue I didn’t know was a problem. It tells the story of the LeBlanc family that lives on the Louisiana Bayou. Wife Kathy (Alicia Vikander) is pregnant and father Antonio (Justin Chon- who also directs) is trying to make it as a tattoo artist. He was adopted as a child from Korea but things get complicated as the government tries to deport him.

The success of this film will depend a lot on if it emotionally gets you or not? It got me. I was crying especially a very brutal end. I am sure some will think it is too much and it might be but it worked for me. Chon and Vikander have good chemistry and little Sydney Kowalske is great as Kathy’s little girl Jessie. They feel like a believable family to me.

The weaker part of the film comes in a side plot with Linh Dan Pham who is a Vietnamese immigrant who befriends Antonio despite her having cancer. I didn’t see the point of her character. She didn’t add anything to the main conflict and her entire presence could be cut without changing a thing.

Blue Bayou is also a beautiful film that captures the magic of the Louisiana swamps well. It’s devastating but a film you won’t soon forget.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy

There you have it. Let me know if you get to see any of these films what you think. Thanks!

TIFF Day 5 Log: Jagged, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

September 14, 2021September 14, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

Hi friends! I hope you are all doing well. For Day 5 of TIFF I only saw 2 movies at the festival because I spent most of my day at a critics double screening of Blue Bayou and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Reviews of both of those films are to come, but the 2 films I did see at TIFF were very enjoyable and particularly in terms of documentaries the selections have been outstanding this year.

So here are my thoughts on today’s movies:

Jagged

If you were in high school in 1995 like I was there was no escaping the album Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette, It was everywhere and rightfully so as it is a well written, raw, honest album with tons of great songs. The documentary Jagged explores the making of that album and Morissette’s career.

I must own I had no idea she was a child singer and had her first album at 11. Then at 14-16 she was a pop singer similar to Tiffany or Debbie Gibson. When MCA dropped her she retooled and at 19 put out Jagged Little Pill. There are some upsetting revelations in the documentary about Morissette time as a teen star including allegations of abuse that may be triggering for some viewers.

What I liked most about Jagged is its narrow scope. It went through each notable song on the album and explained what it meant to Morissette and the influence it had on fans and the music scene of that time. It’s definitely a talking heads piece but everyone had something interesting to say and Morissette makes a terrific interviewee in her segment. She’s likeable and funny, which makes you more invested in her story.

Jagged doesn’t break the bio-doc music mold but as a fan of the album and her music I had a great time watching it.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Addendum- Alanis has come out saying this isn’t the story she wanted to tell. I find this confusing as it was predominantly her words so I’m not sure what story she wanted told instead? Either way it puts a shade on the documentary and I suppose it should all be taken with a grain of salt. It all seemed quite worshipful in tone to me so this is all very perplexing and surprising

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

Cats often have a rough time in the movies. For every millionth positive dog movies there is 1 cat movie. Usually they are the villains in most stories (think Babe or Fievel Goes West). Well, now cat lovers rejoice because you have your movie! The Electrical Life of Louis Wain tells the story of the patron saint of cats, artist Louis Wain.

If you didn’t know Louis Wain was a painter who came from a high brow family and became famous with his whimsical paintings of cats. Before his influence cats weren’t domesticated like they are now. You could say his paintings were the catalyst for people keeping cats as pets, which is kind of amazing (I had no idea).

Benedict Cumberbatch is strong, as he always is, playing Louis throughout the highs and lows of his life. The film tackles a lot including art, commerce, mental health, marriage and more and for the most part it does it all well. I also really liked Claire Foy as Louis’ wife and Andrea Riseborough as his feisty sister Caroline. The production values are also impressive showing they did a lot on a small budget.

My only complaint is I don’t think the movie needed to cover all of Wain’s life. It drags at times and certain time periods could have been skipped.

Other than that I think The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is a charming film about an eclectic and unusual man who happened to love cats!

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy