Round-up - Movie Reviews

 I have watched these movies in the past month or two and just wanted to put some thoughts down on them. Not a full review, but a quick round-up of thoughts. Do with them what you will.

Joyful Noise (2012). The cast - Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, and Jeremy Jordan. I don't really know Keke Palmer but I really like Dolly Parton, I enjoy Queen Latifah, and I think Jeremy Jordan is super adorable with a great voice. The premise of the film is a Southern Church choir who competes in Joyful Noise Gospel Choir competition - and the choir is co-lead by Queen Latifah, and Dolly Parton. Latifah wants to stick to traditional gospel, while Parton wants to mix things up. Add to that Latifah's daughter (Palmer) starts to have feeling for bad boy Jordan (who happens to be Parton's nephew, or grandson). Either way, it is a relaxed and fun film, perfect for the whole family. I think that Jordan could have sung more, and personally, could have been shirtless more. BUT that may just be me.

Peter's Friends (1992). Kenneth Branagh, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Phyllida Law, Rita Rudner, Imelda Staunton, and Emma Thompson. Come on!! It really is an amazing cast, and I'm sure at the time it was a really great film. I say that because (spoiler alert) part of the film deals with recognizing personal sexuality, and HIV status. The performances are fantastic - how could they not be with this cast. I feel like the story is an UK take on The Big Chill. To be fair, I have not seen The Big Chill, or I have seen it but it certainly didn't stick with me cause I only know of it being about a group of friends getting back together after years, and catching up. That is the basic premise of this film as well, but in a very English way. If you like the cast, you will enjoy the film. It may not be one that will last with you, but it is good to see these actors at their younger age, still new-ish to film. 

Wild Palms (1993). James Belushi, Dana Delany, Robert Loggia, Kim Catrall, Angie Dickinson, Ben Savage, Executive Producer Oliver Stone, Score by Sakamoto Ryuichi. This TV mini-series was based on a very interesting and surreal comic strip that used to show up at the very end of the Details Men's magazine (if I remember correctly). I watched it when it was first on and thought it was really good. Rewatching it was difficult, to the point that I got one episode in and called it quits. There is a LOT going on, many storylines, all intertwining around the character of Harry Wyckoff (Belushi), and none of it interested me on the rewatch. If you like Oliver Stone, or Sci-fi set in the past (because a lot of it deals with virtual reality), this may be the film for you. I found there to be some aspects of it that just didn't sit well with me. The score however, is amazing.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011). If you saw and enjoyed the first Sherlock Holmes film with Robert Downey as Holmes, and Jude Law as Watson - then you will enjoy this one as well. I know I did. The chemistry between them is great, the visuals and story are very interesting and kept me engaged. The visual effects are fantastic. Are there better Holmes out there? I'm sure it depends on who you ask. But if you are looking for a fun romp - this is the film for you.

Ready to Wear (1994). The Player in 1992, Short Cuts in 1993, Ready to Wear in 1994 - Altman was clearly on a roll. Movies with large casts, multiple story lines, and at the time, most enjoyable to watch. I loved this movie because I do like fashion shows, fashion, fashion icons, etc. I find that whole word to be fascinating, and some of the creations really are amazing. The cast of this film is stunning: Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Julia Roberts, Tim Robbins, Kim Basinger, Stephan Rea, Lauren Bacall, Anouk Aimee, Lili Taylor, Sally Kellerman, Tracey Ulman, Linda Hunt, Rupert Everett, Forest Whitaker, Richard E. Grant, Danny Aiello, Teri Garr, and Lyle Lovett...to name a few. One of my favorite singers Ute Lemper is also in this movie and has a stunning moment - one of my favorite moments in this movie. Beyond all the clothes, there are a lot of problems with this film. Gay stereotypes and non-consensual activity to start with. Back in 1994 some of the LGBTQIA+ community (myself included) were just happy to have gay characters on the big screen. Looking back at it now, I'm glad we have grown since then. If you can watch it for the amazing characters, and performers, and fashion - if is great. If you are looking for a story...you may find one of the many interesting to follow. However I felt it didn't really age that well.

Ben-Hur (1959). Where to start. I remember seeing this film a few times growing up. Not all 212 minutes (which excludes the Overture, Intermission, and Entre-act portions), but a standard 90 min or two hour cut of it. Sidebar: I typically LOVE a film that has an Overture, and an Intermission. I think that is so cool and classic. So while I remember a lot of the basic story as it related to Jesus Christ, there was a lot of it I did not know or remember. Considering it won 11 Academy Awards, it is totally worth watching once. The direction, the acting (and the actors), the visuals... so impressive, especially knowing there were very few camera tricks for special effects. It was all classic special effects - not CGI. That is pretty amazing. At the same time, I watch some of these films and am concerned about the animals that were in them. All the horses in the chariot race - were they being harmed? actually whipped to make them go faster? Some of the imagery could be troubling so take that into consideration if you watch this classic.

Finally, speaking of classics:

Knickerbocker Holiday (1944). I was really looking forward to this musical with music by Kurt Weill, Lyrics by Maxwell Anderson...only to find out that most of the songs from the stage production were cut, and new songs added by other writers. If you are a Nelson Eddy fan, you might want to take a gander. However there are issues - as with a lot of 1944 films - mainly racial. That is all I'm going to say about this film. I'm glad I took a chance and watched it, but I wish I could see the stage show and hear all the great Weill music.