Cherry is a small indie film built on a simple concept but presented without any easy answers. Cherry is a young woman, a 20-something free spirit who seems to be pretty aimless at this point in her life. She might need to find a path, and quick, because at the beginning of the film she takes an at-home pregnancy test and it comes back positive. It’s a Saturday afternoon, and she begs her way into a clinic just as they are closing to consult with a doctor, who confirms the pregnancy and gives her a tough dilemma. The doctor pegs Cherry at 10 weeks, and California law only allows the easier (and cheaper) abortion by bill up until 11 weeks. Cherry basically has Sunday to decide what she’s going to do, and despite what all the pundits say, it isn’t an easy decision. Cherry is currently living with her boyfriend, Nick, and 3 other roommates in a tiny apartment. Nick has a mountain of student debt and is pursing a career in music, not the most reliable in terms of financial structure obviously. Cherry herself has bounced from job to job. Her mother is making a big deal that she’s happy that the house is empty for the first time and is looking forward to peace and quiet, and her dad has always been estranged. Cherry is dying to tell someone, anyone, for advice and help, but no one has the time to really listen. She goes through Sunday dealing with everyone else’s problems with no one to talk to about her own. She comes around to the idea that she wants to be a mother, but in her chaotic current situation, is that what’s best? Being a low budget film, the acting is honestly subpar from everyone except Cherry (newcomer Alex Trewhitt), who delivers as a woman at a crossroads. Clunky dialogue aside, it’s a thoughtful film, though it’s unlikely to change anyone’s minds about the subject matter. ★★★
On Fire is a super low budget film, and it shows in the opening credits, but sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough. Unfortunately that’s not the case this time. After the “based on true events” tag, we meet the characters: a father, his pregnant wife, their teen son, and the father’s aging dad, who lives with them. They live in a manufactured home in a rural mountainous community, with an under-control wildfire currently burning on the next hill over. Taking place over the course of one long day, that fire spreads quickly, creating a harrowing environment as the family tries to make it down off the mountain alive. There’s some tense moments, but those fleeting minutes are the only reason to keep watching. Just 2 familiar faces (and both character actors at that), all of the main folks are no-names and never-will-be’s, unless they start honing their craft. Cringy acting, silly dialogue, and forced emotions all add up to a forgettable film. ★½
L’immensità, however, shows what you can do with stellar acting, even without a real “story” to drive the plot. This movie is a showcase for its co-leads: established star Penélope Cruz and newcomer Luana Giuliani. Taking place in 1970’s Italy, at first, the movie seems to focus on Giuliani’s character Adri. Born a girl and named Adriana by her parents, Adri prefers to go by Andrew and dresses like a boy. His parents and family (little brother and sister) aren’t buying in, it being the 70s after all, so Andrew’s only acceptance as a boy is with a Romani girl named Sara, perhaps because she too is an outcast because of her culture. Most of Andrew’s life revolves around his family, and it is a violent household. His mom is Cruz’s character, Clara, a Spanish woman married to Italian businessman Felice, who runs around on her and beats her if she questions him. Clara hides her hurt with makeup and tries to protect her children from the truth by playing silly games to distract them. But Andrew, the oldest and approaching adolescence, is starting to see through the act and knows what is going on. The two of them carry this film on their worthy shoulders. It’s sort of a coming-of-age film regarding Andrew, but with a big helping of Clara’s journey as well, and even some fantasy/dreamlike moments as well. I’m in the 3 1/2 to 4 range on this movie, but will bump it up to a 4 based on those performances alone. They really are that good. ★★★★
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is a courtroom drama taking place almost entirely in the court, during a navy tribunal. Lieutenant Maryk is on trial for mutiny aboard the USS Caine, and is being defended by appointed counsel, Lieutenant Greenwald, who doesn’t always see eye to eye with his client but who will serve to the best of his ability. Maryk’s defense is largely centered on the incompetence of the Caine’s captain, Lt. Commander Queeq. During a cyclone in the pacific on the fateful day, Maryk relieved Queeg of duty and took command of the ship, purportedly to save the ship and its crew, but naval prosecutors are out to paint a very different picture of that day. Entirely dialogue driven, the viewer learns the events of that day and the characters of the various crew through the cross examination of the witnesses during trial, and each piece of evidence builds the case and the story. The film is based on a 1953 stage play, and while the dialogue is a bit old-timey in spots, the movie is masterfully told and utterly gripping from beginning to end. It shows that you don’t need big Hollywood special effects to deliver a tremendous attention-holding epic. It helps when you have an amazing cast and crew. It was director William Friedkin’s (The French Connection, The Exorcist) final film before his death, and cast included Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, Jake Lacy, and Lance Reddick (again, one of the handful of films to be released posthumously after his untimely death). ★★★★
Afire is the latest from director Christian Petzold, and returns Paula Beer from his last film, Undine. First though, we meet Leon and Felix, a couple of friends staying at Felix’s mom’s seaside house in Germany (on the Baltic). Felix is there to take photos, putting together his portfolio as a photographer, but Leon is hoping for some peaceful solitude to put the final touches on his second novel, a manuscript that was not received well by his publisher. The quiet is shattered immediately when they find out they’ll have a roommate, Nadja. Nadja sells ice cream on the boardwalk of the nearby seaside town and has loud sex with the lifeguard, Devid, disrupting Leon’s sleep and putting him into an ever-more fouler mood. Despite his surly attitude, Leon can’t help but be captivated by Nadja, and goes so far as to try to nitpick and humiliate Devid. For a large portion of the film, I didn’t really know how it was going to all come together. It is beautiful told with real, complex people with charged emotions, but it seemed a bit aimless. That is, until the final 20 or so minutes, when Leon’s world is upended and everything he thought he knew is thrown out the window. Leon is used to being (or, at least, thinking that he is) the smartest person in the room, and he can be quite petulant when things don’t go his way, and that is exactly what happens. And that ending… wow. One of those movies that I think you can gleam more from multiple viewings. ★★★★★
Jons Movie Takes 