Monday Moments - Musical Movie Drama - Tar

 Dramatic, artsy, a bit long  but compelling - TAR starring Cate Blanchett is a film I had dismissed until I read rave reviews. 

The story isn't necessarily original. A maestro with a huge resume is about to complete the full Mahler symphonies with a live recording  of the number 5, considered a tour de  force assignment. The movie follows the conductor and all of the backstage life drama, backstabbing, machinations, loves, histrionics, and breakdowns. 

The key is the conductor - Lydia Tar played by Cate Blanchett. This is an Academy Award performance and I will be shocked if she is not nominated in 2023. She is on screen one hundred percent of the time, and she is remarkable. She is canny, imperious, brilliant, scathing, and superb. Her face - the eyes, the smile,  the cheekbones - all on  subtle display. She delivers her lines smoothly with undertones of the madness within. 

Bravo, maestro! 

Movie Review Madness - Ocean's Eight

Ocean’s 8 is a glossy fun goof filled with a great cast, fantastic jewels, nice clothes, a spiffy NYC, the fabulous of the Met, and an awesome larceny.  Sandra Bullock, Debbie Ocean, is out of jail but her life is crime and she had plenty of years to perfect the best heist possible. The Met Gala, a Cartier necklace, starlet Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway), and an awesome crew = hi-jinks and a slick plan.

Lou (Cate Blanchett), Rose (Helena Bonham-Carter), Nine-Ball (Rihanna), Constance (Awkwafina), Amita (Mindy Kaling), and Tammy (Sarah Paulson) all bring a skill set – petty crimes, tech guru hacker, street hustling tech support, diamond expert, design, and a swindler. No guys allowed. Well, maybe for part of the fall.

We get some back story. We see the plan pull together. We see a few chances of hiccups, but these ladies are quick on the fix. There’s snappy dialogue, eye popping settings, friendship, and female dynamics. Ocean’s 8 is crooked, breezy, and it’s a joy to watch Sandra Bullock lead a film. They are all good, and Anne Hathaway’s Daphne is annoyingly awesome. You can tell Hathaway had a blast playing her. Summer movie time deserves a chance for the ladies to stretch their legs and pull off a killer heist – no guns needed. No blasting, no death, no destruction. All you need is a blind spot or two – anything is possible.

Movie Review Madness - Thor - Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok is a Marvel romp. This movie has star power and humor. So many of these super hero flicks get so serious with world mayhem and destruction. Oh, Thor: Ragnarok has plenty of battles, but it also has a stunning Chris Hemsworth – his locks are shorn, but his snark factor grew. He has great comedic timing and it’s put to plenty of good use. The dialogue is whip smart whether he’s talking to Loki (I love Tom Hiddleston), or teasing the Hulk (a rueful Mark Ruffalo), or bantering with his evil sister Hela (a fabulous Cate Blanchett).

I won’t go into plot line. Needless to say there are plenty of Marvel character appearances, plenty of power grabs, and  Hela stirring up fiendish trouble. When she dons her crazy black reindeer antler crown, you need to brace yourself for some serious action. She’s crazy good. And then there’s Jeff Goldblum. He takes wacky to a whole other level and is perfect for this role.

This movie is huge tub of popcorn worthy. Stay through the two bonus scenes during the credits, and enjoy the glory of Thor-Ragnarok on the big screen.

Movie Review - Carol

Carol directed by Todd Haynes is a lush period piece set in the 1950s.  The cars are vintage. The sets are stylish. New York City absolutely shines. The stars are stunning.

Cate Blanchett won her Oscar for Blue Jasmine because she dominated the screen.  In Carol she has to share it with Rooney Mara and it’s worth it.  This is a low key artsy flick about forbidden love.

It’s very modest, unassuming, and totally hot.

Carol (Cate Blanchett) is rich, married, a mother, and yet very much on the prowl.  Therese (Rooney Mara) is young and working a Macy’s counter in the 1950s. Cate leaves her gloves. The rest is magic.

This is a complicated tale of a growing fascination and love.  Therese is almost engaged to a young man. Carol is married to the very rich and powerfully conceited Kyle Chandler. How could she resist?  And yet, her college friend (Sarah Paulson) provided complications in the marriage. Now Therese is bait. There’s a road trip where the women bond. It’s all done tastefully and discreetly and yet there’s Carol’s child involved.  Mental health issues. It’s a tough judging world in 1950s and Therese is collateral damage in the fight for love.

Rooney Mara is a gamine Audrey Hepburn. She’s young, beautiful, with huge soulful eyes and a soft manner. Cate Blanchett exudes style and rich knowledge. She’s dangerous and magnetic. What shall win out??  This is a very classically made film with good pacing, beautiful sets, and excellent acting. Nothing blows up, except a few hearts. Both performances are Oscar worthy but shall probably cancel each other out. Carol is just a really nice film, absolutely worth your time and effort. 

Movie Review Madness: Cinderella

No animation, no singing bluebirds or mice. However, the new live action Disney Cinderella is truly a magical feast for the eyes. I shall mention Dante Ferretti, the production designer because he deserves high praise for the richness of the castle, ballroom, and the lushness we see on screen. Lily James is a gorgeous Ella – beautiful within and out. Richard Madden is a handsome Prince Charming. Helena Bonham Carter is a wifty fairy godmother. But it is Cate Blanchett as the Evil Stepmother who amps this movie. She just oozes selfishness and nastiness abounds as she turns poor Ella into the house servant when Ella’s father dies.  

They stick with the familiar Cinderella story. Raised by two loving parents, Ella wants for nothing. Sadly her mother dies but not without the words, “Have courage and be kind.” That motto shall sustain Ella. The father remarries thinking this will be good, bringing the Lady and her two horrific daughters into the home. But he dies, and Ella becomes Cinderella, sleeping at the hearth for warmth and cooking and cleaning. A chance meeting in the woods, and the Prince now seeks the commoner for marriage. But his father has other ideas. So a huge ball brings in royalty and the public. The Evil Stepmother schemes to have her daughters marry the prince. But Cinderella, thanks to the magic of the fairy godmother, appears at the ball and wins the Prince’s heart once again. The transformation scene is splendid – pumpkin to carriage, mice to horses, lizards to footmen, etc.  

At the stroke of midnight, Cinderella must flee the ball, leaving a glass slipper behind. The search is on for the girl’s foot to fit the slipper and become the Queen. Who shall it be? Will the ending be happily ever after? This is an excellent popcorn movie for the family. There were plenty of little girls in the audience wearing their princess outfits. And frankly, the motto “Have courage and be kind” is a good lesson for young and old. Cinderella is a classic and this movie upholds the tradition and more.  

Movie Review Madness: The Monuments Men

The Monuments Men is a fabulous story brought to life on screen with an okay movie. Basically near the end of World War II, a motley collection of American art specialists were given the task of finding and saving tens of thousands of art pieces.  These were priceless items the Nazis had stolen from Jewish families, museums, churches, etc throughout France, Belgium, and Italy. Thanks to a lucky break, this group of men made a connection with a woman (played by Cate Blanchett) who worked for the Nazis (not happily) and kept meticulous records of the art work acquired. All in all, the Monuments Men’s goal was to save and preserve history and a part of humanity. Sadly it took the loss of some lives to do it, and yet the men sacrificed themselves for the sake of art.  

So, that is an incredible and inspiring story. The film is a Hollywood version that glosses over the difficulties. We get a smattering of war and danger, but it’s more about the chase. The movie itself has an all-star cast – George Clooney, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, and more. It’s fun and glib, with snappy dialogue, jokes about Damon’s character and his horrible French, and the group putting together pieces of the puzzle to find the art. They do discover that the Nazis hid huge amounts in salt mines. They seek the famous Ghent altarpiece and basically rush to save it before the Russians hit the town at the end of the war.

 

The Monuments Men is entertaining, but my guess it’s better to read the book written by Robert Edsel to gain a full appreciation of what transpired. George Clooney looks great in uniform and he gives some inspiring speeches. The pictures at the end of the film of the actual art finds gives one chills.

Movie Review Madness: Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine is Cate Blanchett's ticket for an Oscar nomination. She is Jasmine and she's a blue, depressed fascinating mess. Woody Allen wrote and directed this film and like Midnight in Paris, he's on top of his game. He can write funny angst and elicits superb performances from his cast.

Jasmine is forced to move into her sister's apartment, since her husband (Alec Baldwin) committed financial fraud. In flashback we see the glorious life she had - fancy homes, the Hamptons, jewels, charity work. She was in New York society, and certainly had no time for her sister (Sally Hawkins). Now Jasmine is popping pills and still can't face reality. She finds her sister's current boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Canavale), appalling and she thought the ex - Augie (Andrew Dice Clay) was a loser too. Unfortunately, as seen on the screen, the real loser was Alec Baldwin - a shyster, schemer, cheater.

The sister is in love, is happy, supports her boys, and is fine with her life until she starts looking at it through Jasmine's eyes. For a brief period, she questions her decisions, but fortunately has enough common sense to appreciate what she has. Meanwhile, Jasmine has no clue about real work, real dating, and she's haunted by her past - thus often found talking to herself in public.

This is a character study and Cate Blanchett gives a tour de force performance. The ups and downs are cringeworthy. Great lines and great acting from all concerned. Woody Allen creates slice of life and exposes the good and the bad in human beings. And it's sad. And it's funny. Blue Jasmine is a great early kick-off for fall movie season. Get your ticket and run with it.