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Thursday, April 23, 2020
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Uncut Gems
UncutGemsstartedoffat60milesperhournandneverletit'sfootoffthegas!
For a short time in my life I made a weekly bet or two [ahem] during football season. Even though my wagers were small-ish, the fact money was involved changed how I experienced the game.
Each week I cared less about the on-field athleticism and more about how the spread was moving. I bet big on the single game Thursday night so I knew going into multi-game-day Sunday if I could go big or should stay small. A win by my favorite team became less important than if I beat the spread.
Each week I cared less about the on-field athleticism and more about how the spread was moving. I bet big on the single game Thursday night so I knew going into multi-game-day Sunday if I could go big or should stay small. A win by my favorite team became less important than if I beat the spread.
So I stopped. Cold turkey.
I felt those old feelings while watching Uncut Gems. The desperation -- not to win, but to continue the thrill -- was evident from the first scene you see a conscious Howard Ratner (the first time you see him he's not conscious). It was suffocating, and the feeling drained me emotionally.
My hand to God: when the movie ended Mrs. Film Geek said: "Can we watch something happy now so I don't have to go to bed feeling this way?"
My hand to God: when the movie ended Mrs. Film Geek said: "Can we watch something happy now so I don't have to go to bed feeling this way?"
Sandler's got legit drama-movie game. And Julia Fox -- in her debut role, even -- is excellent. Uncut Gems isn't for everyone due to emotional intensity. But simply as a story, this flick is excellent.
Monday, April 20, 2020
The Gentlemen
"Whatcha wanna watch on Prime tonight,?" she asked.
"You choose." I didn't care. I've been cooped up due to the coronavirus for so long that I welcomed any entertainment short of watching a White House COVID-19 briefing.
She sorted through the Amazon options, paused to read the summary for a couple of horror flicks, then landed in the drama section.
"How about The Gentlemen?"
In my head I screamed: "Nooooooooooo!" But out loud I said "Sure, fine with me."
Damn it. Guy Ritchie again.
I tend to shy away from Ritchie flicks for several reasons: they tend to be stylized in a way that just looks too obvious to me, sorta like an understated Wes Anderson film. Ritchie film plots are often a little too fast moving for me. He's a terrific teller of stories, but he requires the audience to be in lock-step with his pace and I always feel a full step behind. Then there's the fact that I can never understand his dialogue.
Ever! I mean, have you tried watching Snatch without closed captioning?
There's still a lot of all that in The Gentlemen. But there's a lot I enjoyed, too. Most of what I enjoyed comes from the effort of Hugh Grant. It's through the eyes of Fletcher, his character, that we experience most of this story. And while I wouldn't hang out socially with Fletcher, he's a fun guy to observe from afar.
Matthew McConaeghey is good as the protagonist, and Charlie Hunnam is excellent as Raymond. The plot is complicated, but it's told in a way that unfolds for the audience and is easy to understand.
I left the closed captioning on, though. Just in case.
"You choose." I didn't care. I've been cooped up due to the coronavirus for so long that I welcomed any entertainment short of watching a White House COVID-19 briefing.
She sorted through the Amazon options, paused to read the summary for a couple of horror flicks, then landed in the drama section.
"How about The Gentlemen?"
In my head I screamed: "Nooooooooooo!" But out loud I said "Sure, fine with me."
Damn it. Guy Ritchie again.
I tend to shy away from Ritchie flicks for several reasons: they tend to be stylized in a way that just looks too obvious to me, sorta like an understated Wes Anderson film. Ritchie film plots are often a little too fast moving for me. He's a terrific teller of stories, but he requires the audience to be in lock-step with his pace and I always feel a full step behind. Then there's the fact that I can never understand his dialogue.
Ever! I mean, have you tried watching Snatch without closed captioning?
There's still a lot of all that in The Gentlemen. But there's a lot I enjoyed, too. Most of what I enjoyed comes from the effort of Hugh Grant. It's through the eyes of Fletcher, his character, that we experience most of this story. And while I wouldn't hang out socially with Fletcher, he's a fun guy to observe from afar.
Matthew McConaeghey is good as the protagonist, and Charlie Hunnam is excellent as Raymond. The plot is complicated, but it's told in a way that unfolds for the audience and is easy to understand.
I left the closed captioning on, though. Just in case.
Sunday, April 05, 2020
Fast & Furious Present: Hobbs & Shaw
It's impossible to watch the plot of this flick unfold and not think: Why hasn't President Donald J. Trump called in Hobbs and Shaw to solve the COVID-19 pandemic?
Because, I'm pretty sure they could.
Saturday, April 04, 2020
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
The COVID-19 pandemic has me scrambling for entertainment to ease distress and anxiety. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! made home isolation bearable this week for nearly 90 minutes.
Released in 1988, The Naked Gun is dense with sight gag and slapstick humor. But it's how Leslie Nielsen's delivers the goods that makes me laugh the hardest. Lines like:
Frank [as he cleans out his file cabinet drawer]: "Hey! Look at that. The missing evidence in the Kelner case. My god! He was innocent!"
Ed: "He went to the electric chair two years ago, Frank."
Frank: "Well, what's the use ?"
And:
Jane [as the couple end their day together in front of her home]: "Nightcap?"
Frank: "No, I don't wear one."
But most important, the iconic:
Frank: "Nice beaver!"
Released in 1988, The Naked Gun is dense with sight gag and slapstick humor. But it's how Leslie Nielsen's delivers the goods that makes me laugh the hardest. Lines like:
Frank [as he cleans out his file cabinet drawer]: "Hey! Look at that. The missing evidence in the Kelner case. My god! He was innocent!"
Ed: "He went to the electric chair two years ago, Frank."
Frank: "Well, what's the use ?"
And:
Jane [as the couple end their day together in front of her home]: "Nightcap?"
Frank: "No, I don't wear one."
But most important, the iconic:
Frank: "Nice beaver!"
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