Quick takes on 5 films

I must have watched a different Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom than everyone else. I don’t get all the acclaim. Based on a play (and it tells, as nearly all of it takes place on a single stage), it tells the story of a day when Ma Rainey, a famous 20’s blues singer from the south, is in Chicago to record an album. The story is of her and her band, their stories and past, as told in discussion amongst them. Like a lot of plays, not a lot of “action” in the story, and it is almost all dialogue. And I just wasn’t picking up what they were laying down. Yes, the performances by Viola Davis as Ma Rainey and the late Chadwick Boseman as her trumpeter Levee Green (in his last performance) are good, and exceptional in Boseman’s case (a sad reminder of what the world lost; should get serious consideration for a posthumous Oscar), but they can’t save the rather mundane, its-been-done-before story. There’s a lot of heartbreaking stories of what the black men and women were going through in their lives and growing up in the south, but it’s been done better in other films, and its depiction of white appropriation of the labor of black workers, and the men’s frustration at the system, is a bit heavy handed. It’s good, but not great. ★★★

Like the previous movie, Alone doesn’t bring anything new, but at least it is more fun. It is the tried-and-true story of a woman, alone on a cross country drive, who is kidnapped by a ruthless would-be-rapist, but manages to escape and (spoiler alert) make it out alive. That’s it in a nutshell. This is a super low budget film with a cast of exactly 3 (and only one recognizable face, the doctor from Silence of the Lambs all those years ago). Also has every cliche you’d expect from this genre; even the bad guy has those 80s frame glasses and a mustache right out of the creepster child molester handbook. But there’s a few good, exciting moments, and the female lead, Jules Willcox, while not having to show a wide range of emotions, is believable as the damsel in distress. And it was way better than that other Alone movie from this year. ★★★

I had to ignore the scathing reviews and see The Midnight Sky for myself. I’m a nut for slow-paced, dramatic sci-fi, and who doesn’t love George Clooney and Felicity Jones? After a cryptic title card telling the viewer that it is “3 weeks after the event,” we are introduced to Augustine Lofthouse, a scientist whose hypothesis about a life-sustaining environment on a moon circling Jupiter, named K23, has sent an exploratory mission there. Unfortunately this “event” on Earth is catastrophic, though we don’t know the full extent until much later in the film. All we know is everyone is evacuating very quickly, leaving just Augustine at a remote station in the Arctic Circle by himself, with a mission to make contact with the returning shuttle from their K23 mission. Unfortunately he isn’t by himself, as he finds a little girl who was inadvertently left behind. While Augustine and Iris continue to try to make contact with the space ship coming home, we slowly learn about what took place on Earth, as well as get to know those returning astronauts. Unfortunately the movie’s just not very engaging. The child accompanying Augustine is supposed to add brevity, but ends up just killing the supposed intensity of their situation, and for the crew on the returning K23 shuttle mission, there’s too much filler, which shows off the pretty special effects but does nothing for the story. And there’s no deep introspection here; Ad Astra or 2001 it ain’t. Very middling, unremarkable sci-fi flick. ★★½

I could just be letting my complete jonesing for a super hero flick cloud my judgement, but I absolutely loved Wonder Woman 1984. The sequel to the (surprise?) hit a couple years ago, and released on Christmas Day, this film brings Diana Prince from World War I up to the 80s. Currently working at the Smithsonian, her department identifies items from antiquity, and the newest acquisition is the Dreamstone. This item will grant 1 wish to anyone holding it, but at a cost. Not knowing this, there are some repercussions for the first 2 wishers. Diana longingly wishes for Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), her love that died at the end of the first film. Diana’s bookish coworker Barbara (Kristen Wiig), not knowing Diana is Wonder Woman but fully aware that she’s a badass strong woman, wishes that she was as beautiful and powerful as Diana. Both get their wishes, as Steve shows up with no memories past his death, and Barbara sheds her baggy sweaters for form fitting dresses, while also getting physically stronger. Unfortunately someone is aware of the power of the Dreamstone: businessman Maxwell Lord has been seeking the item for years, and when he gets his hands on it, he starts using it to set himself up as the most powerful person on the planet. The price paid for the granted wishes starts to take its toll, as Diana starts to lose her powers at the worst possible time. Great action and a story just strong enough, I enjoyed it start to finish. Probably my favorite of the DC film series yet. ★★★★½

The other film released on Christmas Day for streaming audiences is Pixar’s latest, Soul. Joe Gardner is a jazz pianist, and like a lot of musicians, he’s been teaching in the school system to get a paycheck, but his life-long goal has always been to play music for a living. After years of struggling, he’s finally had a chance to make a name for himself when a former student and professional musician calls him to sit in on a set with a big name saxophonist. Unfortunately for Joe, he falls into an open manhole cover in busy New York the day of the gig, and dies. Refusing to take the stairway to the Great Beyond, he instead finds himself at the Great Before, where new souls are given their personalities before heading to Earth. Trying to find a way to con his way back to his body in time for the gig that night, he becomes a mentor to a soul who’s never found their “spark” to go to Earth, despite being mentored by some of the great artists, philosophers, and geniuses in the history of the world. Their connection takes them back to Earth, but not in a way they would have planned. Like most Pixar movies, there’s plenty for kids and adults to enjoy. It is definitely family oriented, but many of the jokes will be way over young ones’ heads. Charming, heartwarming, and a solid message about what’s important in life, it’s the great family movie of the year. ★★★★½