Quick takes on 5 films

I have mixed feelings on The Disaster Artist. About the making of The Room, distinctly regarded as “the worst movie ever made,” this film is entertaining enough, but leaves too many unanswered questions for myself. I like my movies clean and tidy. It follows Greg Sestero, the author of the book it is based on. Greg is a young adult who dreams of being a famous actor. In his local acting class, he meets Tommy Wisseau, an enigmatic and seemingly independently wealthy man who lies as much as he tells the truth. Greg is insecure and lacks courage, but Tommy is brazen and urges along Greg, and for once Greg feels like he really can move to Los Angeles and make his dreams come true. The two go to LA, where, after much rejection at auditions, Tommy decides to make his own movie. The Room is the stuff of legends, and while generally agreed it is terrible, it has, like many bad movies, gained a cult following. Most of this movie details the making of it. James Franco is terrific as Tommy, with little brother Dave passable as Greg. With other stars Seth Rogan, Alison Brie, and Josh Hutcherson, this is a funny film, but the viewer is still left wondering who Tommy Wisseau really is, probably because no one to this day knows who he really is.

I’m a big Pixar nut, love just about all the movies. Coco is the latest, telling the tale of a boy in Mexico and his desire to be a musician when he grows up, despite his large, extended family’s wishes. More than that though, it is about the importance of family, and remembering where you came from. Little Miguel has been teaching himself guitar in secret, and on the night of a big showcase in town, which coincides with the big Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead. In a turn of events, Miguel ends up in the land of the dead, and his only way back is to get a blessing from one of his deceased relatives. Most will give their blessing if he forsakes music, so Miguel sets out to find his unknown great-great grandpa. Beautifully written and gorgeous visually, this is, in Pixar fashion, a very heartwarming film, even if it is fairly predictable.

Justice League really isn’t a bad film, but unfortunately the DC universe has been unable to escape the shadow of success that Marvel has accomplished, and in that comparison, it falls short. This film is DC’s big “Avengers” moment, teaming up the heroes from the last few films to take on a world-crushing bad guy, this time Steppenwolf. Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, and Superman, whose death a couple movies ago obviously didn’t stick, come together in a big climactic fight. The first part of the film is honestly rough at points. Parts are rushed, parts are sometimes too “campy”, and some parts almost feel like a B movie on a big budget, but once we get into the conclusion in the final 30-40 minutes, it does all manage to come together, and it is a whole lot of fun from there on out. There is a lot of talk about how DC seems to be rushing their films out to catch up to Marvel, but I don’t think that is the problem. I’m starting to think it is the director, Zack Snyder, that is holding this franchise back. If a replacement is made there, perhaps DC can finally find their footing.

Last Flag Flying is the latest film from acclaimed director Richard Linklater. It follows a trio of old marine buddies from Vietnam, played by Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishburne. They reunite when Doc’s (Steve’s) son dies as a marine in Iraq, and Doc asks them to attend the funeral. There is a lot of heart in this film (as there always seems to be in Linklater’s movies), and also a lot of comedic interplay between the trio, as they remember the old times and get used to each other again after not having seen one another for several decades. At the same time, they slowly come to terms with the moment they shared during the war, one that ultimately changed their lives in very different ways. It also shines a light on love of country, and in a moment of grief, reconciling that love with the lies your country may tell you. Awfully irreverent (Fishburne’s character has become a preacher, but regresses to past language when around his old friends), but also awfully funny, this film should resonate with war buddies who share a bond that no one else would understand.

LBJ is (obviously) a historical film, starring the supremely talented Woody Harrelson as Johnson. The film follows Johnson in the years leading up to Kennedy’s election as president, when Johnson was already a powerful senator, then the following years of Johnson as the vice president, and finally the first days of his presidency after JFK is killed. All of this was well before my time, so I can’t speak to the historical accuracy, but it is an entertaining movie. Johnson was a career politician and he deftly plays the game to get his and Kennedy’s bills passed, even when they are unpopular with the Congress. Harrelson is charismatic and engaging as Johnson (perhaps too much so, this is obviously a reason why he could not win the democratic convention against Kennedy in 1960 despite his political clout). The final part of the film feels rushed, and, while you don’t hear this very often, the movie could have been a bit longer. However, I enjoyed the whole of it, and it is worth a watch for Harrelson’s ability alone.