Maestro (2023)

 Pros: Fabulous performances from Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper ground this film which covers the vast majority of Leonard Bernstein's celebrated career though he often expressed longing to compose more scores. His wife, Felicia (Mulligan) also had her own career as she was a stage and television actress in attention to juggling their three children and Leonard's (Cooper's) various affairs, usually with men, often a sticking point in their marriage, though she knew about that going in. Still, Leonard adored his wife and mourned her death until his own more than a decade later. The story is also told in an unconventional way, going from scene to scene almost like a stage play at times. The film is solid from top to bottom and the score is especially good considering Bernstein's one of the best composers of the twenty-first century.

Cons: Unsure as I was sick when I watched this, so I'm not sure if there really is a solid con, though the ending was rather abrupt. 

Recommend: Yes

Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-The solid supporting cast includes Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie (as Jerry Robbins) and Miriam Shor. 

-Out of all the children, only Jamie, the eldest, has a solid role, the other two are background dressing.

-Though both are chain smokers, Felicia actually dies of breast cancer, in a very realistic portrayal of the wretched disease. 

-In addition, Leonard does other sorts of drugs. 

-Still, his talent shines through all of his risky behaviors. 

The Iron Claw (2023)

 Pros: Finally, Zac Efron is in a good film with a leading role worthy of showcasing his acting chops. He portrays the only surviving Von Erich brother, in a large wrestling family headed by a father, Jack (Holt McCallany) whose methods are unconventional at best and cruel and abusive at worst. The film deals with a lot of years and the rises and falls of the various brothers and how Kevin overcomes the curse that haunts the family and it certainly haunts them. I don't believe in curses, instead, you have controlling and unsympathetic father who informs his surviving sons not to cry at David's (Harris Dickinson's) funeral as men don't cry. There is also the lovely romance between Kevin and his eventual wife, Pam (Lily James, who again transforms into an utterly realistic character).

Cons: You don't know how Jack comes to be involved in marketing and getting wrestling matches on TV and then you learn much too late in the film at how he's cooking the books when Kevin's money issues come into light. His father threatens to disown him if he sells the business but you don't know if he follows through on that threat, though he probably did, knowing him. The epilogue doesn't mention that the parents, Jack and Doris (Maura Tierney) do eventually get divorced and I feel that you needed that.

Recommend: Probably

Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-In reality, there were six Von Erich boys, the film eliminates one of them, who ended up also dying by suicide. 

-Three of the Von Erich boys would die from suicide, though Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) had a foot amputated due to a nasty motorcycle accident and then, Michael (Stanley Simons) suffers a shoulder injury and nearly dies during surgery only to recover with a permanent brain injury. David dies of natural causes undoubtedly caused by constantly being beaten up in the rink. He has a ruptured intestine, which has got to be a dreadful way to go.

-In reality, Kevin and Pam have two daughters first and then their boys though the film indicates the opposite. David's daughter died of SIDS but Kerry had two daughters, one of whom would follow in her father's footsteps into the ring. 

-Pam states that she wants to become a vet and it appears that does happen, based on her scrubs and the amount of dogs crammed into that tiny apartment. 

-It is shocking that Jack would have ever touched the clarinet much less coming close to getting a scholarship to college for music but he gave that up, obviously and doesn't like when his wife brings up that he was ever soft. 

Saltburn (2023)

 Pros: Barry Keoghan gives the performance of his life (so far) as the extremely intelligent Oliver Quick who develops an infatuation with the hot and wealthy Felix (Jacob Elordi) and he eventually worms his way into Felix's family, the vain and shallow Elspeth (Rosamund Pike) and the foolish James (Richard E. Grant) and then there's sister, Venetia (Alison Oliver) who is probably the only decent character in the film. The film is slow moving and semi-unpredictable, though also incredibly bizarre and then comes the last roughly five minutes of the film which confirms (or at least confirmed mine) your suspicions and leaves you wondering if you should watch the film again. 

Cons: Though Promising Young Woman is a revelation, a brilliant piece from Emerald Fennell, this one falls short at packing the same relevant, emotional punch even though it does contain the same sort of twisty ending. Justice is not served in this film and it leaves you hollow.

Recommend: Maybe

Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-The set is opulent and over the top.

-The scene and reaction after Felix's body is found is especially disturbing. 

-While eventually the Catton dies off, one by one, the family friend, Farleigh (Archie Madekwe), his fate remains unknown.

-It is never explained how Felix gets away with murdering the whole family, sans James, especially since he tears tubes out of Elspeth's throat.

-The ending is rather rushed. 

-It is also unclear why Oliver lies about his family, other than to gain sympathy but that turns into a disaster. 

-There is also an especially bizarre scene involving Venetia's period blood.

Theater Camp (2023)

 Pros: Filled with quirky, bordering on unrealistic characters, this film's message might have been countless times before, but it remains as effective as ever. Packed with great performances, this film details a dying summer theater camp for those hopeful to make it big time though most just want to feel like they have a place to belong. However, this year, the camp is in danger of folding as the owner, Joan (Amy Sedaris) remains in a coma following a seizure and her son, aspiring business mogul, Troy (Jimmy Tatro) takes over. Troy has no clue about theater or why it matters but his transformation as he watches a show portraying his mother's life, his whole perspective changes and it's wonderful to see. 

Cons: While there are tons of characters with decent arcs and great acting, there are just too many of them, especially the children for them to be truly fleshed out and it also plays it safe, with only minimal drama between the campers. And when Joan wakes up from her coma, she's wide awake instantly, which is beyond unrealistic. Still, overall, the film was incredibly enjoyable.

Grade: B

Side Notes:

-The cast is amazing and most of the main characters also wrote and directed the film: Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Caroline Aaron, Patti Harrison, Nathan Lee Graham and Ayo Edebiri.

-Edebiri's character turns out to be a talent agent in a failed attempt at a funny plot twist.

-The original show on Joan's life comes together quickly but perfectly.

-Pay attention to the airbnb guest.

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

 Pros: I loved this book when I was younger, now over two decades ago and Kelly Fremon Craig delivers a great adaptation, though yes, liberties are taken, scenes and dialogue cut and the mother's (Rachel McAdam's) role expanded but the result is still great and so many of the themes and scenes are timeless and Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret is a true star. The set and acting is flawless.

Cons: Despite some of the scenes being verbatim, plenty remains left out though it does seem to remain insignificant at the end of the day, though I do think a vital scene formally ending things with Nancy (Elle Graham) and Margaret might have been needed. And there is the inconsistency of Herb's (Benny Safdie's) bandaged hand which seems to heal so quickly.

Recommend: Yes

Grade: B+

Side Notes:

-All the young actors are great and kudos for the realistic diversity.

-This film deals with puberty realistically but doesn't stray from the religious aspect, so important throughout the novel and something that is rarely dealt with so effectively today. 

-Kathy Bates is great as the devoted grandmother who stuck by her son's side.

-Now, most don't put such emphasis on religion, I mean, disowning your child because she married a Jew, that's just ridiculous. 

-Periods suck, I mean, it is great to get yours, at first, but that feeling doesn't last long at all. They're a huge pain. 

May December (2023)

 Pros: This film delivers three of the best performances I've seen in recent memory. Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) is an actress who arrives in the picturesque Savannah, Georgia to meet with and study Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) who is clearly and blatantly based on Mary Kay Letoureau, who had an affair with a teenager while she was in her thirties. Yet, Joe (Charlie Melton) claims that he's not the victim for the vast majority of the film. However, Elizabeth's presence disrupts the delicate family dynamic who may seem happy, but that's only on the surface. The film gently peels the complex layers of this film and Portman delivers one of the best monologues of the year as Gracie. Melton is also a revelation and Moore continues to deliver great performance after great performance.

Cons: While there aren't any true cons, the opening credits are a bit odd and the music is a bit jarring at times, and the nuanced screenplay is just so meta, it's honestly annoying, but with that powerhouse, yet subtle ending, this film will force you to think for hours on end.

Recommend: Yes

Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-The couple's oldest daughter, born behind bars, is ironically named Honor (Piper Curda).

-You have to wonder how Gracie's first husband, Tom (D.W. Moffett) feels that her children with her second husband share his last name. The kids have the hyphenated Atherton-Yoo as their last name.

-The couple clearly had to sell their wedding pictures to pay for that giant house when she's a baker and he's an x-ray technician.

-Also ironically, Gracie has her twins graduating from high school the same year as her eldest grandson. Yeah, that's got to be weird.

-Gracie claims throughout the course of this film that she's both naïve (obviously) but also quite secure. You can't be both. And she's not secure as she comments how brave daughter Mary (Elizabeth Yu) is at wearing a dress that shows her bare arms. She also passes down the tradition of buying her daughters a scale when they graduate from high school, just as her mother did for her. 

-One of Gracies's sons from her first marriage, Georgie (Cory Michael Smith) claims that her brothers sexually molested her when she was a tween, but Gracie adamantly disputes that. Personally, I think that that's very possible, given how she saw nothing wrong with having sex with a thirteen-year-old.

-Another claim of dubious origin is that Joe slept with two other women before her. I can't believe that to be true.

-It is never discussed who raised the children while Gracie was still behind bars and how Joe dealt with fatherhood at such a young age.

-The ending leaves you wondering as Elizabeth insists on filming that crappy seduction scene again as it's starting to feel real. I wonder if this is setting her up to having an affair with the young man portraying Joe in the film, I hope not, because it appears that Elizabeth does actually know right from wrong but she's such a good actress, she's now inhibiting Gracie.