Malcolm X (1992)

While Denzel Washington is brilliant, fully embodying the role of Malcolm X, I felt that the film was overly long and still managed to not fully get under the skin of the controversial, colorful man.

The first hour portrays Malcolm as a hustler and drug addict, sleeping with a white woman but he is caught leading a small thieving ring and gets tossed in prison. Here, he meets Baines (Albert Hall) who teaches him the Muslim religion and while he's skeptical at first, he eventually jumps into that religion, feet first. After being released, he becomes a minister and works full-time for the church, falling in love, chastely with Betty Sanders (Angela Bassett), a nurse whom he marries and starts a family with her in rapid succession. Though they are clearly attached, he travels a lot, fighting for the rights of Muslims and black people living in America. However, as he gets more and more press, the Islam Nation starts to grow wary of him and starts to distance them from him, until he finally separates from the Nation and starts his own branch, goes on a pilgrimage and finally lightens up his stance of complete separation and white people needing to stay completely away from them. 

But he's murdered anyway, in a public setting and with multiple gunmen, it was orchestrated by either the US Government or the Islam Nation which is just disgusting. The film wraps with how Malcolm's influence has impacted the world even decades after his death.

Now, while the film is lengthy, you still only get a taste of how and why Malcolm's views change, not to mention, we barely get any scenes of his marriage to Betty as though she's a mere afterthought. We get a much better glimpse of Malcolm's views in One Night in Miami, at least in my opinion. And considering Malcolm was supposed to be a teenager in those early scenes, Washington was far too old to pull that off, he does much better with Malcolm's later years. Still, the editing is brilliant as well as cinematography, the dance scene alone at the beginning of the film is a must-watch. I just wish this film was better than it was. Grade: B

Side Notes: 

-Pay attention for cameos from Christopher Plummer, Wendell Pierce, Peter Boyle and Giancarlo Esposito.

-Spike Lee, the brilliant director behind this film, has a larger supporting role as Shorty, Malcolm's partner in crime.

-Though Betty was pregnant at the time of Malcolm's death, nothing is mentioned in that regard.

-That scene in the beginning where Malcolm does Russian roulette with the handgun is just ridiculous and totally unnecessary and, I pray, of fabrication of what actually occurred. 

-Bassett is great, though her role should have been larger, her cries at the end, when she cradles Malcolm's head will forever haunt me. 

-Nelson Mandela ends the film, echoing Malcolm's words. 

The United States vs. Billie Holiday

 First of all, I'm ashamed to admit that I've never heard of Billie Holiday's anthem Strange Fruit and that is unacceptable as it describes a lynching in a way that is both chilling and electrifying. And as I've never heard of it until tonight, my public school education which included music classes through the eighth grade (plus I played two instruments) failed.

Andra Day is brilliant as Billie Holiday who had a wretched childhood and now that she's an adult, she finds comfort in drugs which has caught the attention of the US Government who stalks her for more than a decade and while she is a drug user, it is because she's a threat with that song of hers, keeping lynching in the forefront of American minds, which is a big no-no for the government. 

In addition to battling a drug addiction, Billie is constantly betrayed by the men in her life, both husbands try to get her to confess to the feds and her one lover plants heroin on her which is just low. The biggest surprise is Jimmy Fletcher (Trevonte Rhodes) is a fed, but does grow to her genuinely love her even though she can't bring herself to feel the same way, even ditching her band in the nowhere just to escape from everything. 

Now, while the film is titled the US versus Billie Holiday and there is plenty of that, it is also about Billie Holiday versus herself as she is brilliant, talented but also troubled and bitchy, depending on the situation. And Day is superb, demonstrating wide range. Rhodes is solid as well as is the rest of the cast. The costumes, scenery and soundtrack are also excellent, adding to the realism of the film, save that one scene straight out of La Vie en Rose, edited through an iPod shuffle but brilliant nonetheless. While the frame narrative breaks down toward the end, which did need to happen but also needed to tie that  up better as the ending feels unresolved with that major point missing. And there were a lot of moving players in Billie's life so entrances and exits are not fully explained, which is also a shame. Still, this is a solid film and a must watch. Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-Shockingly, lynching still isn't illegal in this country which is unacceptable as it is murder. America, you need to get your crap together.

-Pay attention for good turns in smaller roles from Natasha Lyonne, Tone Bell, Tyler James Williams, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Rob Morgan, Leslie Jordan and Evan Ross, whose mother also portrayed Billie Holiday in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues, which I still haven't seen. 

-Billie utterly adores her dogs, they are her babies and when one dies, she even throws a funeral for the little dog. 

Random Harvest (1942)

 This was such a great title for a film, but the film failed to live up to its excellent Title.

Having lost his memory in the war, John Smith (Ronald Colman) is grateful when Paula Ridgeway (Greer Garson) stumbles upon him, finally giving him a purpose. Together, they carve a simple life in the country but tragedy strikes again. While interviewing for a job. Smithy (as Paula fondly calls him) runs out in to the street and is hit by a car, just a week after their young son was born. But he doesn't die, instead, he remembers who he was before his memory fled. He's actually Charles Ranier, the wealthy son of a business owner who has lost three years of his life.

Abandoning his wife and baby and dream of writing, he takes over the family business and it flourishes and his step-niece, Kitty (the great Susan Peters) falls in love with him and they very nearly marry, until Kitty realizes that he doesn't love her, which is accurate. 

Instead, he climbs up the political field and marries his secretary, Margaret, who just happens to be his wife, in disguise as he can't even recognize her so they wed, in name only, separate bedrooms and everything. 

It isn't until he returns to a small town to negotiate an ending to a strike and retraces his steps, including just letting himself into his old cottage that he remembers just exactly Margaret is, they embrace and all is right with the world, never mind that a second world war is just on the horizon.

To be fair, this whole idea is just odd, though it would be done in The Vow (which, despite the charming leads is pure utter garbage) but while I found this film could have also had tons of suspense, it was too watered down and I felt like the romance was also watered down as I needed tons more scenes of Margaret and Charles together and a lot more sexual tension but this was 1942 and the Hays Code was still very much in effect but I found such tension lacking and it was present in other films (such as the far superior Casablanca). That being said, the acting was decent though Peters gave the most memorable performance and the concept was good, I just wished it was executed better. Grade: B

Side Notes:

-There are also two minor inconsistencies which annoy me. First, when Kitty and Charles are having lunch, he opens the cigarette case, passes out the cigarettes and then they are immediately smoking, without the lighting being shown. Second, while trying to uncover his identity, his suitcase is still there after twelve years (which is prosperous in its own right), it is shut and then immediately open after the next edit. 

-As for the young baby, he dies before his first birthday from mystery illness and while Paula grieves him, she just wants her husband back.

-Charles might be a great businessman, but he's classist. 

-Pay attention for Henry Travers cameo as it is exactly that, a cameo.

-I'll say it, even though Kitty is Charles's sister's stepdaughter, it is still disgusting and inappropriate, that relationship. 

Nomadland (2021)

 This film tells a story of those who have been forgotten. Frances McDormand portrays Fern who travels around the west coast area of the country, working four different jobs in the year, seasonal jobs as her town has completely shut down. She's lost her husband and has no issue with being a nomad, living in her van, without attachments. There are plenty of disadvantages to this lifestyle. When her van breaks down, she was to grovel to her sister for money just so she has a place to live. And she's in the middle of nowhere, and doesn't have a spare tire? That was a foolish mistake on her part. And she has to constantly go to the laundry mat to wash her clothes (but doesn't have the same kind of luck that I did) but the worst part, no running water or flushing toilets. Still, the sights she sees and everything she experiences is not something to be found if you never leave your hometown. 

Filmed in a near documentary style, with most of the characters playing themselves, McDormand is utterly brilliant, realistic as a woman who's known loss but doesn't want the pity of others, turning down several opportunities to live in a house again. She's also forever mourning her late husband, but now her van (Vanguard) is the most important item to her. And the van is nearly a character itself, with tons of nooks and crannies to make it livable. 

With a real feel, this film, despite the purposefully meandering plot, is a must watch and it may just win McDormand her third Best Actress Oscar and she truly inhibits this role, certainly one of the most underrated actresses of her generation. Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-Pay attention to David Strathairn give a great supporting performance as Dave, who enjoys the nomad lifestyle until he becomes a grandfather and decides to settle down. 

-Chloe Zhao is a true force to be reckoned with. She wrote, directed and edited this film. She's the actual triple threat. 

-I cannot take a dump in a bucket, I just can't. 

-I'm surprised this film wasn't released on Prime given that Fern speaks highly of her time working for Amazon.

-This film did show brand names including Progressive (the insurance company) and Campbell's, among others. 

Moulin Rouge (2001)

 So, it's Valentine's Day and you know that means I have to watch a depressing film because love is dead, and I've been unlucky in love (not my fault, they know who they are) and this one, while not as depressing as last year's selection, certainly fit the bill.

Bizarre and ridiculous and yet still deliciously good, you kind of just have to go with this film. Christian (Ewan McGregor, is there anything he can't do?) is a young, up and coming writer who gets his first big break because of a case of mistaken identity and manages to instantly captures the heart of celebrated and talented courtesan, Satine (Nicole Kidman). But Satine is supposed to be in love with the Duke (Richard Roxburgh), but he's not the Duke of Hastings, so therefore he doesn't matter. And he's insanely jealous and once he realizes that she's not in love with him, he arranges to have Christian killed. 

But there's more. Satine is dying. From tuberculous and the MC of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent, who apparently can also sing) wishes to protect his protégé. So, Satine pushes Christian away to protect him, but their love is too strong for him to stay away and while he is nearly shot, it is Satine who succumbs to her illness, leaving Christian heart-broken but alive to tell their love of how the greatest gift is to love and be loved in return. 

Now, while the film is all over place and the songs are both epic, heart-wrenching or hilariously bizarre, the performances, at least from McGregor, Broadbent and Kidman are completely solid. The mixing of the songs (various pop songs strung together) is utterly brilliant. The script is clever, filled with plenty of implied meanings and the editing is great, so the film is a must watch for any film or music lover. Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-The dancing is also incredible and there is some ingenious choreography.

-Unfortunately, despite the excellent music, as none of the songs were truly original, it was denied a nomination for best original song at the Oscars.

-This is one of three films that Jim Broadbent appeared in in 2001 that earned his leading lady an Oscar nomination. None of them would win, however, proving that his wasn't a good luck charm. 

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

 This is a good companion film to Trial of the Chicago Seven but despite taking place during the same time period, Bobby Seale is not a character in this film nor is the trial mentioned, for whatever reason.

Here, Bill O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) chooses to become an informant for the FBI, rather than go to prison, infiltrating the Black Panthers organization and befriending the Chairman, the young Fred Hampton (the excellent Daniel Kaluuya) all the while informing his handler, the sneakily racist  Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) the secrets on how the organization runs and how Fred gets so many minority groups to band together against the incredibly trigger happy, ultra-violent cops of the city. And there is plenty of violence in this film, most of it completely unnecessary and unacceptable as it was unprovoked. 

But despite Bill looking out for himself in the beginning he eventually does truly appreciate and respect the Panthers and is reluctant to continue, though he does, because he doesn't want to go to jail and while other members in different branches uncover 'rats' ironically enough no one suspects Bill to be a rat. Which I don't understand, I mean, he left during the middle of a raid but redeems himself by rebuilding the headquarters, with help from the community. 

While the ending packs a powerful emotional punch, the script is a bit crazy, never figuring out if the lead is Fred or Bill which is problematic. Still, the performances are superb, with creative editing and excellent score so the film is still a must-see. Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-Dominique Fishback is great in her smaller role of Fred's girlfriend and mother of his child. She survives at the end, thank goodness.

-Pay attention for good actors Ashton Sanders and Algee Smith in smaller roles of Black Panthers, who kill cops and get killed in return.

-Fred decides to avoid fleeing the country and urges the money raised to go to a hospital to help save people. How terribly mature for the young man. 

-I don't understand how the murder of Fred Hampton was deemed justified. He was asleep in his bed, drugged to the point of being unable to wake up. His only crime was wishing for equally for years. Breonna Taylor's was the same. 

Roman Holiday (1953)

 Despite the glamorous stars of Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn's star making role, this film feels like every Hallmark movie ever. In fact, one Hallmark film did involve a fake remake of this very film.

Sure, Hepburn does her regal best as Princess Ann, sick of the grueling schedule, wishing to enjoy Rome as a normal person and Peck is great as the American journalist, Joe Bradley, deep in debt, stumbles upon a drugged and sleepy Princess Ann who manages to wander out of her palace where she's staying, talk about some crappy security, but doesn't even recognize her at first. I mean, is he living under a rock? I digress, once he learns her true identity, he basically stalks her so he can attempt to get an exclusive story, for the money, of course, what else? 

Of course, the two fall in love but in the end, Joe doesn't ask her to stay and she doesn't beg him to save her from a lifelong commitment, because, in the end, duty calls for both of them so they reluctantly go their separate ways. 

Sure, the performances are great and the chemistry is decent as well as the brilliant atmosphere of actually filming in Rome but I found the screenplay ridiculous and unrealistic as how were they supposed to do everything she wanted to do in a mere afternoon. It's a shame as these two stars deserved a film that aged better as this just seems hokey. Grade: B

Side Notes:

-Joe Bradley is a stalker, period, end of discussion. 

-I guess Princess Ann folds up the sleeves to her long-sleeved shirt as she appears in short-sleeves the majority of the time. Little inconsistencies like that bother me.

-Princess Ann would have been recognized more than she was as her picture appeared in all the papers.

-Eddie Albert earned an Oscar nomination for his role as the photographer who, like Joe, has a change of heart.

-I feel Audrey Hepburn was far better in 1959's The Nun's Story, that film should have won her her Oscar. 

-Princess Ann is upset when Joe's apartment doesn't have a kitchen as she heavily implies that she would make the perfect housewife, such a typical 1950s answer and plea. 

-She does at least grow a backbone by the end of the film, refusing her nightly milk and crackers, which is just disgusting. 

Malcolm and Marie (2021)

 It is amazing that they were able to make a film during this wretched pandemic, and I give them credit for that. That being said, this film left no impression on me whatsoever.

Malcolm and Marie (John David Washington and Zendaya) arrive home from a premiere of his directorial debut, just smarting for a fight. And the film goes round and round, they both love and hate each other, and neither give the other one credit where credit is due. Marie is far more than the former drug addict and Malcolm is more than the director who channels actual events into his films. And just when you think they have worked through the fight, one of them brings up something else and the whole argument starts over again at the beginning and it never ends.

Just when you think that there is going to be a stellar open-ended ending, the film adds a ridiculous epilogue of sorts, losing any chance of this film being something different or special. 

While the performances are brilliant and the film is done well, filming in near real time, there is one line that stuck out, a film needs both heart and electricity to work and though this film had tons of electricity I found the heart in this film to be lacking. And that is never good. I just wish that this had been a play first, as then the plot would have gone better as this crescendos time and time again instead of slowing building to the climax which is just unfortunate as these two actors deserve far better than what they got. Grade: B-

Side Notes:

-It is never a good idea to bring up all of your ex-girlfriends at once and boy, does he have plenty of them.

-Marie enjoys the 'what ifs' of a relationship and a little mystery is often a good thing.

-Macaroni and cheese usually takes longer to make, just for the record.