The Platform - you may have seen this get promoted onto your Netflix feed - it was extremely good, but definitely not for everyone. It has a premise similar to Snowpiercer with a simple graphic puzzle like Cube, with the deeply disturbing psychology of The Stanford Prison Experiment. I was a little worried about how I'd sleep, but I survived. Brilliant concept and execution. Brutal violence but rationed out carefully. A lot to think about and you could spend a lot of time reading the deeper hypotheses on IMDB. But first, tighten your seatbelt for quite the mind ride. It is a Spanish language film, but that shouldn't stop true movie fans from having a taste. 8/10
The Irishman - So good. Maybe the opposite of 1917. Sure, I little gun violence but such deep storytelling and character exploration. So much that isn’t just communicated like one of those brilliant restaurant scenes (some in Italian too). Loyalty personified. The characters came first, the actors (for the most part) were secondary. Brilliant acting and direction. The dialogue was almost poetic. It was very long and I did glance at the clock a few times (now 12:51 on a Thursday morning), but the pacing was spot on - I guess there was just a lot to tell. Very little humour, but so much Scorsese potion to soak in. The makeup was a little off-putting at times but once you’re on-board there’s no real turning back. Hard to choose which of three super stars are worthy of an award but I really liked Pesci. 9/10
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Well the story was pretty much a straightaway with a nasty cruel element that I thought was too severe. The acting wasn’t a big stretch, but most characters were likeable. I was going to give it a 6, but for a lover of dogs and motor racing, I’ll give an extra star for a decent 7/10. Good soundtrack, nice track scenes and historical F1 moments.
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana - Really well done. Maybe not for misogynists or Trump supporters, but I felt it was heartfelt and real. The challenges of stardom and being a successful female in any industry, Then you add the genius of her creative process and the unusual life she lives - fascinating stuff. Behind the curtain wonder, human tension and the mystery of stardom, well worth watching. 7/10
Motherless Brooklyn - Really liked this classic gumshoe mystery with a twist or should I say twitch. Super portrayal by Norton Jr, but I couldn’t see past Baldwin. Great moods, especially with the jazz soundtrack. Funny and touching at times. 7/10
Wonder - Wonder = wonderful. As per the book(s) structure, I really liked the multi-POV sub plots. Although there was massive star talent, the young actors stole the show. From the lead Jacob Tremblay to the complexity of school stereotypes and on to collateral damage, the characters were so vivid. 8/10
Dolemite in My Name - A very unusual hero movie. I suspected it was true but still came as a welcome surprise during the credits (I hope that's not too much of a spoiler) with comparisons to the real Rudy. Sure, Murphy was in familiar territory but it took some deeper acting to balance the comical with the storytelling. 7/10
From further back
Woodstock (2019 version with tag Three Days that Defined a Generation, available on Netflix) - this documentary of the famous event paid less attention to the music and more to the people. The guys that made it happen, the people who attended and all that happened in between. What were they thinking? Loved the storytelling and what the event became. 7/10
The Rolling Stones Ole Ole Ole!: A Trip Across Latin America - (from Twitter) Wow. Found The Rolling Stones Ole Ole Ole: A Trip Across Latin America doc on the PVR (Feb 2019 CTV) - sums up the passion & joy of live music & The Stones beautifully; watch it if you can find it & if you’re on the same team #ItsOnlyRocknRollButILikeIt 9/10 Since posting that on Twitter, the movie is now available on Netflix.
and Parasite - watched it again. Wow. Again.
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