Movies – Full Listing
Blindspotting
BLINDSPOTTING Blindspotting is a 2018 comedy-drama buddy film – heavier on the drama – set in the gentrifying parts of Oakland, California. Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Snowpiercer TV series) and Rafael Casal (Good Lord Bird) wrote, produced, and starred in Blindspotting, their first film taking ten years to write. This 2018 film is more relevant today…
SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival)
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2021 – SIFF Movies seen and commented on this year at SIFF. Beans – 5 Stars BUB – At least it runs only 10 minutes East of the Mountains – 4 Stars Sing Along If You Know The Words – 2.5 Stars All Sorts – 3 Stars The Other Morgan –…
- 2025
- Feature & Short Films
Godzilla vs. Kong
GODZILLA VS. KONG In the monster film Godzilla vs. Kong, two apex titans, Godzilla and King Kong battle, at times, for the sake of fighting. This is the fourth Godzilla film produced entirely by a Hollywood studio. Do you believe there are thirty-six films in the Godzilla franchise over the past 68 years – since…
- 2021
- Action, Science Fiction
News of the World
NEWS OF THE WORLD The Western drama News of the Day is sometimes slow, and sometimes an intense story about discovery and survival. However, it includes the warmest and happiest ending I have seen this year. Tom Hanks (Greyhound, Sleepless in Seattle) is superb as Captain Jefferson Lyle Kidd traveling through 1870 Texas reading the…
Mank
MANK You open the Netflix app, and most movies are not made for someone like me, a fully developed and functioning, cynical adult who watches films. Netflix caters to teenagers through thirty-somethings. Content contains loads of coming-of-age, young romance, teenage angst, and British films. I watch a lot of it, enjoy it, but it doesn’t…
Black Art: In the Absence of Light
BLACK ART: IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT The Black artists and museum curators made it evident in the documentary Black Art: In the Absence of Light – white museum curators cannot correctly put on a valid showing of black art. Also made evident in the film – white critics should not review black art. Whites…
- 2021
- Documentary
I Care a Lot
I CARE A LOT Do not worry seniors, this could never happen to you … although … with a weak Judge, unethical Doctor, compliant nursing home, and a sociopath, you may be in trouble at this very moment. The dark comedy I Care a Lot (a very dark comedy if you are a senior) is…
Finding Ohana
FINDING OHANA Finding Ohana is an entertaining feel-good family adventure film set in Hawaii. Although everyone can enjoy this film, girls up to about 15 years old would especially love the free-spirited Pili (first timer Kea Peahu), the treasure hunting heroine. The story begins in Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York, with Pili excelling…
Pieces of a Woman
PIECES OF A WOMAN Denial – Anger – Bargaining – Depression – Acceptance are the Stages of Grief developed by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and published in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying. Through the 80s, one would hear references about these grief stages in popular literature; not so much lately. Pieces of a Woman is…
- 2020
- Drama
Martha Marcy May Marlene
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE Martha Marcy May Marlene is an unsatisfying and frustrating 2011 thriller by a first-time writer and director, Sean Durkin. The lead character is Elizabeth Olsen (MCU’s Scarlet Witch, WandaVision), and this film is her first starring role. The presence of Elizabeth Olsen is probably the only reason this film is still…
Herself
HERSELF Herself, an Irish drama, is a rollercoaster of emotions that does an excellent job examining domestic abuse—released on Prime Video January 8, 2021. Sandra (Clare Dunne), a wonderful Mother of two girls, finally leaves her abusive husband. She goes on public assistance, however it takes years to get into a house. So, Sandra decides to…
- 2020
- Drama
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM If you are unaware of the playwright August Wilson’s work, and you click on Netflix’s drama Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom thinking you will learn about Ma Rainy and hear a bunch of Blues’ music, you will probably be unsatisfied. You will hear some music and learn a little about Ma Rainy…
The Prom
THE PROM Lighten up, people. 2020 is almost over. Vaccine is shipping worldwide, and a new non-divisive, non-narcissistic Administration will soon run the USA. The Prom, a glitzy, bright musical comedy on Netflix, is what is needed right now. A movie about taking a stand (even if not for the right reason) and making things…
The Dark Divide
THE DARK DIVIDE At first, I was distracted by the amateur backpacking and the bad science, but after I got over that, the drama, The Dark Divide, is a relatively satisfying story of self-discovery and moving on in life. Sasquatch (Bigfoot) discussions and sightings add a little mysticism and wonder to the film. The Dark…
Hillbilly Elegy
HILLBILLY ELEGY I read the book Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance in 2016, the year it was released. The book examined the Rust Belt area in Ohio and the Appalachian region in Kentucky through J.D. Vance’s family history. Advertising for the book in 2016 said it would throw light on one of the reasons Hillary…
- 2020
- Drama