Here Today, written and directed by Billy Crystal, stars himself as Charlie Burns, an aging, legend comedic writer, who is starting to struggle with dementia. He lives alone after his wife died long ago, and he has a strained relationship with his two adult kids. Charlie finds an unlikely friend in Emma (Tiffany Haddish) when they randomly meet one day. Though of different generations and with different tastes in life, they hit it off and an improbable friendship ensues. Though Charlie hasn’t told anyone about his condition, Emma is the first to see it for what it is, and takes it upon herself to be there for him, as he has to step away from work and is approaching needing a caregiver. The movie tends towards the cliche, and while few would ever say Crystal is an amazing actor, he is (in my eyes) a comedy star, and his delivery is still as good today as it ever was. The comedy is the best part of this film, with Crystal and Haddish two stars that know how tell a joke. The drama of the film is what it is: not stellar, but jut enough to pass the time. ★★½
Dream Horse is exactly what I expected, and that’s not a good thing. It is the based-on-a-true story about a small town which pools its finances to breed and train a race horse. Led by a former pigeon breeder and a man who had some experience in horse ownership syndicates, the group of men and women, from a down-and-out town where people have been struggling just to make ends meet, are able to achieve glory and raise everyone’s spirits when Dream Alliance goes on to beat all expectations. Despite a couple well-known names (Toni Collette and Damian Lewis) and a few other recognizable faces, the film is overly sappy and entirely predictable. Not nearly as good as some other horse films like Hidalgo or Seabiscuit. ★½
Ed Helms and Patti Harrison play Matt and Anna, two people at two different points in their life. Matt is in his mid-40s, successful in business but single in his personal life, after a previous long relationship fizzled. But he wants to have a baby before he gets too old, so he has interviewed women to become a surrogate for him, and has chosen Anna. Anna is in her mid-20s, also single, after having been dumped by her latest boyfriend. She’s smart, but got pregnant in high school, which prevented her from going on to college. She gave that baby up for adoption, and is now hoping to use Matt’s surrogate money to get her life back on track. This unlikely duo form a strong friendship over the 9 months of the pregnancy, and while not a traditional couple, they are in it together, just not “together together.” Quirky funny movie with heart, and a heartwarming story that I thoroughly liked. Ed Helms is able to tone down his goofiness just enough to pull it off, and Patti Harrison, whom I was previously unfamiliar with, is charming as Anna. ★★★★
Slalom is a French film about a 15-year-old girl, Lyz, with dreams of skiing in the Olympics. She’s convinced her single mother to send her to a private school with a celebrated skiing coach on staff. Fred has a reputation for being extremely hard on his athletes, but he’s supposed to be one of the best. Perhaps seeing something in her, Fred does push Lyz hard. She is berated for being out of shape, not fast enough, not dedicated enough, etc. But she also gets better. Things are going well until one night, when the two are alone, Fred makes a sexual advance. The young and impressional Lyz, who has little sexual experience, becomes infatuated with her teacher. As their relationship progresses, she continues to win competitions. The clandestine relationship doesn’t even stop when other students begin to notice. Noée Abita is incredible as the teenage Lyz (she’s in her early 20’s), but it goes without saying: this film is extremely hard to watch. And I can’t shake the feeling that, while it purports to empower Lyz’s voice, the movie feels exploitive, latching onto the Me Too movement to grab critics’ attention. ★★
Cousins is a beautiful, remarkable film out of New Zealand, taking a rare look at the indigenous Maori people. It begins with a look at Mata, a homeless woman suffering from mental illness. We don’t know who she is yet, but as the movie progresses, we learn about how she got to where she is, and the family who is still searching for her. Her cousins are Missy and Makareta. Missy stayed on their ancestral lands and raised a sprawling family of her own, while Makareta is a lawyer in the present, fighting the New Zealand government for the rights to said lands. The movie is told over several timelines: the present, described above; as well as when the cousins were close as kids; and also when they were teenagers, and how Mata became separated from the other two. The story unfolds as a bit of a mystery, as we know from the beginning that Mata is struggling on her own in the present and want to know why, but what makes this such a memorable film is how it is told. It takes its time, and develops in a lyrical, almost poetic way. It leans heavily on the Maori culture and its familial ties, as well as their love of the land their ancestors have always lived on. One of the best movies I’ve seen in quite some time. ★★★★★
- TV series currently watching: Raised by Wolves (season 1)
- Book currently reading: Timeless by RA Salvatore
Jons Movie Takes 