Friday Fun - Elvis

 Catching up on movies. Ray opted out of Elvis.  I was not in the mood for our 90 degree pool last Sunday afternoon, so I headed to the movies. Baz Luhrmann is always an interesting, showy director. Who better  to tell a story we already know? 

Too long!!!!!  That's my big problem with this film.  Edit, edit, edit. 

Yet, I still give it  a summer crazy from the heat rating  of B-/C+         The kid playing  Elvis, Austin  Butler, did  a credible job. Tough to  do  someone SO famous and unique. He  pulled  it off okay. 

Tom Hanks was suitably  creepy as Colonel Tom Parker. 

Elvis was Elvis was Elvis - the glittery jumpsuits, the pills, the  bigger than  life persona.  It's a sad story with a great soundtrack. 

Book Review - Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

Actor, screenwriter, director, Covid-19 survivor Tom Hanks - now author of Uncommon Type.
What can't this man do?

Well, he does write some truly pleasant stories, as one would suspect.

cover blurb :  A hectic, funny sexual affair between two best friends. A WWII veteran dealing with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. A small town newspaper columnist with old fashioned views of the modern world. A woman adjusting to life in a new neighborhood after her divorce. A teenage surfer stumbling into his father's secret life.

Uncommon Type presents life with humor, affection, and a general knowledge of people's quirks. There is a link - a typewriter - in every tale. This book of stories is a delight, and Tom Hanks can add author to his resume. What can't he do?

December Movie Review Madness - Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

“We can all use a little kindness”.  This is the lead on the movie poster for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and it’s very appropriate for our world today.  Last year’s documentary on Fred Rogers was superb and truly gave us a lot of insight into the man who created Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. What more needs  to be said? This new movie is based on a true story and is an added bonus salute to the man, the myth, the down to earth hero.

We actually see more of Lloyd (played by a very sincere troubled Matthew Rhys). He’s a journalist who’s known for unearthing the dirt, the real scoop on folks who seem too good to be true. He’s assigned a small (400 word) Esquire Magazine puff piece on Fred Rogers. Lloyd has anger issues from his past and he’s currently a new father, on a new path with his wife (the very intensely good Susan Kelechi Watson). He’s loaded for bear, ready to find the chinks in the Mr. Rogers armor. Instead he’s disarmed by this sweet sincere man (played by our American acting saint Tom Hanks) who seems genuinely interested to know Lloyd. He can’t believe what he’s experiencing. It’s as if he’s on the interview block. Fred Rogers manages to get under his skin, make him question himself, make him face himself.

Mr. Fred Rogers,  as embodied by Tom Hanks is the real deal. He’s no saint. He’s a man. But he’s someone in the moment. He’s someone who genuinely likes people, is interested, and takes the time to truly listen, to truly think, and to truly care – for young and old alike. As we learned from the documentary and we see in this portrayal – he respected children and knew kids deal with very grownup type issues, but in their own way. He guides. He’s there. He pulls you in and you are his neighbor and friend – a word he does not take lightly.

Bring tissues. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is sniffle worthy in a good way. We do need some kindness these days. This is a good family movie for our holiday season.

Movie Review Madness - Toy Story 4

The Toy Story trilogy now has a bonus episode 4 and it's just fun to go to infinity and beyond with this crew.

Woody (Tom Hanks) is a solid old school toy. He cares about his owners - first Andy, now Bonnie and it's their well being that's his world. Fearing for Bonnie on her kindergarten preview, Woody rides in her backpack, guides her quietly, and is pleased when she creates Forky (Tony Hale).

Her favorite new toy, Forky is not convinced and seeks the trash bin whenever he can. The animation, voicing, etc is hilarious, and Woody works to keep everyone on suicide alert for their newest friend.

Summer road trip with Bonnie's family adds to the chaos. And who pops up but a long lost love - Bo-Peep (Annie Potts) who's escaped an antique store and is quite the modern woman. Toys need rescuing. Who knew Charlie McCarthy dolls could be so creepy and villainous?  And what will Woody give up for the sake of another toy?

Toy Story 4 is poignant, raucous, funny, and all about family - the need to be loved. The voice characterizations are great (listen for Key and Peele - oh the riffs!), and of course Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is a solid helper for Woody.  Ray and I enjoyed this "kid movie" a lot. It's fizzy fluff for the summer movie season.

Movie Review Madness - The Post

I admit I am a sucker for movies about journalism. Old fashioned nose for news, knock on doors, make phone calls, and then clack in some letter type and let those presses roll…..hum and rumble and watch old fashioned newspapers roll off the presses. Oh my. I can smell the ink.

That’s what The Post, Stephen Spielberg’s latest time capsule, is all about.  From Time Magazine 1/15/18 -  This historical drama about the 1970s publication of the top-secret Pentagon Papers is swooningly  in love with journalism.

Basically the Papers detailed the scope of the Vietnam War in vast detail – the US was mired in a mess and the top brass knew it, but did not reveal the problems, and dug deeper into war. This was a grave mistake for the public.  The NY Times broke the story, got stymied by courts, and the Washington Post took the ball and ran with it.  This was a huge decision by Katherine Graham, the owner of The Post, who was trying to take the company public. Lots of conflicts. The movie explores internal back story, while the news is breaking.  The pace of the movie is intense.

Meryl Streep, as Katherine Graham, is amazing as an actress. You can see her thinking, weighing options, affected by her Washington connections (i.e. the Defense Secretary, etc), and then choosing publication come hell or high water.  Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) is the salty chief who is for publication all the way.  The movie has many a conversation and argument in regards to publish or perish. This movie is a bit old school, but in a good way. Spielberg knows his audience

I loved a quote near the end of the movie. Katherine says that her late husband stated, “The press is the first draft of history.”  Think about that as it pertained to the early 1970s, the upcoming Watergate era, and now the press today and all the talk of “fake” news.  No matter what – we need the fourth estate to report and keep us in the loop. The Post is a cinematic take on history and also a commentary on today.

Go watch…and think!

Book Review - Origin by Dan Brown

It’s tough to read a Dan Brown book featuring his Professor Robert Langdon, and not imagine actor Tom Hanks running around exotic locales figuring  out the mystery. The movie is already on the pages. Origin is no different.  Edmond Kirsch is a genius billionaire and futurist who is about to make a bold announcement that will stun scientists and the world. He was a student of Langdon, and claims his breakthrough will “answer a fundamental question of human existence”.

In a huge presentation, guests are immersed in a multi-media event. But chaos erupts, there’s a murder, and the “discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever.” (cover blurb). Robert Langdon must escape the Bilbao museum with Ambra Vidal, the museum director and fiancée to the prince of Spain, heir to the throne.  Ambra was a good friend to Edmond and now worried about a conspiracy. Key religious figures are disappearing, and perhaps the Cardinal is to blame. “Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon must evade a tormented enemy.” Modern art, symbols, and the usual mumbo-jumbo lead Robert Langdon to clues to uncover answers.

Origin by Dan Brown is an amusing read. It’s breezy and skimmable, a fluff thriller that throws in a lot of blather to make it sound edgy. And it should be another chance for Tom Hanks to run around exotic locales. Thank goodness, he has job security.

Movie Review Madness - Inferno

Tom Hanks is back as Robert Langdon in Inferno.  Tom is good, Inferno is so-so, but I’ll still give it a C  rating due to the running around Italy part.  Such an awesome backdrop.  I can forgive huge plot holes, the Dan Brown book, and even more plot holes.  Italy and Florence in particular are just freaking awesome.  I paid $5 for this movie, so you I can  forgive me.  You, my readers, can wait for streaming. You don’t have to fork out money. But this movie is harmless and entertaining in a ‘I’m sorta half asleep kinda way”.  Nothing wrong with that. No need to think folks – the art, symbolism mumbo jumbo is just that – all crazy talk.

I go to the movies to be entertained and this sufficed for the afternoon I wanted to enjoy. I like Tom Hanks and he was fine enough – he’s sincere and can project concern over a virus that could kill the world. Only he must solve the crazy puzzle to save us all. What better hands to be in than Tom Hanks? Seriously.   I’m not going to discuss the plot or the reason to run around Italy. Just go with it.

Felicity Jones is pretty, a good actress, and had me convinced until a plot twist. Apparently, the box office disagrees.  Where the Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s first big book to movie succeeded, Inferno has totally tanked.  Hey, life moves on. 

Movie Review Madness - Sully

He did his job. That’s how Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger explained his actions when he landed US Airways 1594 in the Hudson on a  January 15^th. Tom Hanks is the perfect actor to play Sully – just a straight arrow hard working man with a superb reputation after forty years of flying planes. Sully, the movie, brings his story to the big screen and while you think you know what happened, you’ll still hold on tight as he says “This is your captain. Prepare for impact.”

It was a clear cold day in New York. Snow on the ground, but blue skies for a routine flight to Charlotte. Sully and his second in command (played by the stalwart Aaron Eckhart) board the plane, do the usual checklist, and take off. Then “Birds!” – a whole flock appear and strike the engines. Suddenly it’s not a routine day. Engines are out, power is out and the two experienced pilots remain calm and go into save mode. The flight attendants reassure passengers as they too wonder what’s happening. Keep your seat belts fastened and ultimately brace for impact. Sully turns on auxiliary power. He contacts the tower with a Mayday and considers his options – return to La Guardia? Aim for Newark? Go to Teetleboro NJ?  Swift decisions and calculations make those impossible. Sully is headed to the Hudson for a water landing. And he lands and New York water taxis, police responders, etc all converge to rescue 155 souls. No one dies, no one is lost. They are cold, wet, scared, and grateful for a coolheaded captain.  Wow

The movie goes back and forth between what occurred and the investigation into the landing. Simulations show he should have gone to the airports. But….what about the human calculation? All the engineers and algorithms in the world cannot account for the human factor. Sully, in his 208 seconds, made the right decision. He did his job. And Clint Eastwood does his job as a director to bring this amazing story to life. The acting is superb, the film is tight, and you’ll want to applaud at the end. Sully – a captain to salute.

Movie Review - Bridge of Spies

Bridge of Spies is an excellent film. It's a winning combination - director Stephen Spielberg and actor Tom Hanks. Both are at the top of their game in this Cold War telling of a story based on true events. It's 1957 and both the US and the Soviet Union have spies on both sides of the ocean. One man, Rudolph Abel, is caught in Brooklyn and tried for espionage. Tom Hanks, an insurance lawyer, is called upon to defend him. Ultimately, Hanks as Jim Donovan, seeks a fair trial for this man who's being railroaded toward the death penalty. The judge already has him convicted, as do American citizens.

Abel neither confirms nor denies his innocence or guilt. Acted with subtle grace by Mark Rylance, he appears to accept his fate and trusts Donovan. The two grow to respect each other. One point Donovan makes to the judge is that Abel could be used as a pawn if the Soviets catch an American spy. We'd have trade material.

Hmm. Meanwhile, we watch as Gary Powers and other pilots are trained for top secret flight missions over Russia to photograph locations. What happens to Gary's U2 spy plane? Is he broken in regards to giving US intel? Does Rudolph Abel ever break? Are they high stakes swap material? And is a poor US student caught up in the mess in Berlin as the Wall is erected.

Oh it's spy vs spy and cat and mouse game with deft negotiations by Donovan. Tension mounts and Bridge of Spies proves to be a thrilling political action film. Well filmed and acted, this is just the start of the fall movie season. Salute the standing man, and ask, "Do I need to be worried?"

Don't duck and cover - open your eyes and enjoy this film.

Movie Review Madness: Saving Mr. Banks

Saving Mr. Banks is a PG-13 Disney film. Do not take young kids. P.L. Travers wrote Mary Poppins, a book beloved by children and parents alike. This was her baby and she refused Walt Disney's request for rights for 20 years. However in 1961, she needed money to maintain her life. Thus Mrs. Travers (played by the impeccable Emma Thompson) crosses the Atlantic to discuss the Mary Poppins movie. She insists on no animation, no cavorting penguins, no songs, etc. Let's just say the meetings don't go well.  

Slowly Walt (Tom Hanks) has to figure out her angle. What's the real scoop behind Mary Poppins, the flying nanny? In a series of flashbacks, we see the child, Helen, interact with her charming but alcoholic father (Colin Farrell). Ultimately who arrives to save him, the kids, the mother, and the father? In peeking behind the scenes, we see Mrs. Travers' vulnerability. As she stiffens her lip and refuses to sign over rights, Mr.Disney works harder to penetrate her emotions.  

Hanks and Thompson are actors beyond peer. The give and take banter is superb, and ultimately the Sherman brothers' song "Let's Go Fly a Kite" melts her heart. For all of us who know the beloved Mary Poppins movie - this Saving Mr. Banks is a gem. For anyone who appreciates writing, this movie shows the depth of love for a created character.  

Stay through the credits and you will hear actual taped conversation of P.L. Travers at the Mary Poppins meeting. It is uncanny. Emma Thompson absolutely nailed the character. This is an example of the power of film and storytelling.  Huge thumbs up for adults who love Disney. Get a babysitter for your kids.  

Movie Review Madness: Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips is based on a true story that was even more brutal than the film depicts. All I know is, I was on the edge of my seat and holding my breath at the end. Even knowing the outcome, I was truly vested in these people and feared for lives. As Rich Phillips, Tom Hanks, is an appealing all-American hero - quiet, stalwart, dedicated, and practical - a competent Yankee seafarer. He reassures his wife as he leaves - yes the world has changed and sailing around the Cape Horn of Africa is dangerous. However, that's his job and he's going to achieve the goal of getting the Maersk Alabama from Point A to Point B, even though he sails past the coast of Somalia.

Meanwhile, Somali desperado/fishermen are told they need to get back out on the water and earn some money. The lead Somali - Barkhad Abdi -(nicknamed Skinny) is not a trained actor, but his fierce charisma holds the screen. Sure enough, they are tech savvy and their gear plots the course of the Alabama. They approach quickly, circumvent the water hose blasts, and manage to get aboard. Captain Phillips had feared for this very incident. He had his crew doing practice drills, and then had to announce, "This is real world. Hide in the engine room." It became an outwit, outplay, outlive the terrorists real-life game.

Ultimately, the Somalis take Phillips as hostage in the small life boat. As they pilot it toward their port, a bigger brinksmanship occurs. US Naval power and Navy Seal expertise work to defuse the situation. Skinny seeks dominance over the situation. He truly believes he will get ransom money, survive, and his goal is to go live in America. Captain Phillips has faith in the Navy, and he quietly tries to create tension amongst the pirates. This earns him some beatings. The movie does not go overly political and yet there are some lines showing the level of desperation involved in Somali life for these young men.

Director Paul Greengrass excels at directing the actors and action. He ratchets tension - we feel the lack of air in the lifeboat, the thirst building, fear, and lack of control. Captain Phillips is a great modern seafaring adventure that demonstrates America's reach and power. It's also about men and a will to win and live. Climb aboard, mate, and prepare for an ocean of entertainment.