Monday Movie Review - Where the Crawdads Sing

 We read the book. We looked forward  to the movie. We were happy with the movie - Linda, Julie, and I. 

I know there have been yucky ratings, etc. However, we felt fine with how the movie followed the book. We were good with the casting - Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya (exotic enough as the Marsh girl), Taylor John Smith as Tate (such a good sweet man), Harris Dickinson as Chase (boo hiss, good looking creep jerk), and David Strathairn as the lawyer Tom (always perfect folksy likeable). 

A man is found dead in the marshlands of North Carolina. Who else could be the killer but that crazy girl who's lived  out there? And the movie rolls from there. We go to her past and troubled family. We watch her raise herself, become an accomplished naturalist/artist. We watch her grow from a lovely little girl to an exotic young woman. We  see the men sniff around looking for some trouble. She's a bit of an innocent lacking some guidance. But she knows the marshes and she's smart. 

The book is better, I think, due to the writing. I thought the descriptions were extraordinary and I hated to see the book end.  The movie was faithful, the plot moved along, the acting was fine, and the conclusion still had a punch.  

Summer success for a movie with the ladies. Plus lunch afterwards.  Sweet!

Movie Review Madness - Nomadland

 Showing on Hulu - Nomadland is excellent.  Frances McDormand is a treasure of an actress. Her face is like a Georgia O'Keefe photo.  Strong, intelligent, every emotion passes through her hooded eyes, every wrinkle's been earned.  She's truly fearless, honest, and brave. 

Circa 2011 - Empire Gypsum in Nevada has gone belly up and a whole town/zip code disappears. Fern and husband Beau hung in there as company folk. Beau passes from cancer, and she packs everything into a van and hits the road. She becomes a nomad. 

In different camps, she meets folks/ makes some friends (Linda, Skankie, Dave, and more - very character actors). It's a tough life. Word of mouth tells where jobs are (she does seasonal work at Amazon to make some bigger bucks at Christmas time). Arizona and the desert have a strong RV camp base. Fern stays on the move. Can't commit - she's chasing something.  Visits her sister for a bit, but has to move on. 

This movie captures a life that's certainly for strong individuals. It has moments of sadness, poignancy, hope, and it's filled with American spirit and ingenuity. Frances McDormand gives an Oscar winning performance, in my opinion. 

Wow and whoa. 

Movie Review Madness: Godzilla

Godzilla has been and will always be cheesy. This 2014 version brings really neat effects, plenty of roaring sound, and a blank canvas of humanity. Do not get attached to the humans. Buildings are crushed, they are killed, and perhaps the folks left should be trampled for bad acting. Don’t get me wrong – I was actually amused by Godzilla and I got my $4.25 worth when he roared flames. I went with low expectations and they were met. I’ve heard outcry about how bad this movie is and I think “Really, you expected more?  It’s Godzilla, for goodness sake.” 

This is a creature fueled by radiation. ‘Nuff said. Bryan Cranston who shall forever be Walter White from Breaking Bad is trying to make the foray back into film. Make better choices, Bryan. He’s okay – he’s the mad scientist who’s been predicting disaster ever since a nuclear plant disaster in Japan killed his wife (a wise Juliette Binoche. She escaped this film early).  Now he’s trying to tell his son and others that “there’s something amiss.” The son has the blankest expression I’ve seen on a young good looking “actor”.  Ken Watanabe, normally decent, acts with his mouth open in dismay.  

The plot is stupid as MUTO creatures that look like alien praying mantis are seeking each other and a nest in San Francisco to raise new mutants. Godzilla’s job is to thwart them in a monster showdown. And David Straithairn as The Admiral keeps saying, “Millions of lives are at stake.”

 

Godzilla is so bad it’s almost good. Do not spend a fortune to see this movie. Go with low expectations. If you are tired of spring yard work, here’s a chance to sit and laugh. Enjoy the cheese.