Lucky

First Hit:  Some insightful views of life from someone who’s over 90 years old.

Having a mom who is over 94 and going strong, bless her, I was interested in how Harry Dean Stanton who is 91 would play Lucky.

Additionally, it would be interesting to see how this 90+ year old character would be portrayed.  Like her, there were behavior traits that reminded me of her; like his doing exercises in his living room and taking long walks. Both of those things keep my mom going as it did Lucky.

Lucky has smoked all his life, is an atheist and has developed a philosophy of holding his own, even if out matched. Like getting into an argument with a lawyer 50 years his junior and squaring off to get into some fisticuffs with him.

Getting up each morning, Lucky turns on the radio to a Spanish/Mexican station that plays mariachi music, lights a cigarette, washes himself in the sink, exercises (hybrid yoga positions), drinks a large glass of milk, and makes coffee.

His day is getting dressed, walking to town, going to a diner where he gets coffee talks with the owner Joe (Barry Shabaka Henley) and waitress Loretta (Yvonne Huff) and works on a crossword puzzle. Leaving he walks around town, stops in-front of a building (we don’t see the sign until near the end of the film) and yells “cunts”, walks into the local store to buy milk and cigarettes and heads back home to watch “his programs” on TV.

Occasionally he calls an unidentified friend on the phone and asks him for help on a crossword hint or to tell him some small story about a remembrance. In the evening, he walks to a local bar where he gets a Bloody Mary drink and waits for his friend Howard (David Lynch) to come in. Noticing that Howard is down, Lucky reaches out and discovers that Howard’s tortoise (President Roosevelt) has escaped.

One morning while making coffee, he falls. Visiting Dr. Christian Kneedler (Ed Begley Jr.), they cannot figure out why he fell, but most in the audience has an idea, he stared at the blinking "12:00” on his coffee maker and probably had a mild seizure. This was my guess because, I had a larger grand mal seizure in 1996 and didn’t recall the reason. My only recollection was the sunlight flashing (like the blinking of the light on the coffee machine) in my eyes through the leaves caused my brain to seize up. Anyway, the talk Lucky has with the doctor is hilarious. Filled with philosophical beliefs and reasons for living or not.

During the days and evenings where we watch his life unfold we get glimpses of his belief structure like; we are born alone and die alone. There is no God. What we’ve got is now and there is no future.

There are truly touching moments in the film. One was all of a sudden he begins singing at a young boy's birthday party.  Or, Howard's thoughts on how President Roosevelt escaped from the yard: “He must have been planning it for a long time to figure out how to time getting out of the gate at a particular moment.” And when you see the sign on the building and figure out why he yells out “cunts” every morning.

Although the film has a slow pace, it works really well, and is wonderfully acted.

Stanton, at 91, is perfect for the part. Having been a character actor in over 100 films, he’s just perfect as this guy named Lucky. His smile at the camera, at the end of the film, is spot on. Lynch is wonderful as Howard the grieving owner of President Roosevelt. His touching story about how Roosevelt carries his coffin on his back for his whole life, is deeply touching. Ron Livingston as lawyer Bobby Lawrence is wonderful. I liked how he eventually tells his story of fear. Begley Jr. is wonderful as the doctor. Tom Skerritt as Fred a strange Lucky has a conversation is great. Nothing like two guys talking about a shared experience. Henley is fantastic as the café owner. His thoughtfulness and reminders that Lucky cannot smoke in his café were funny. Huff was fantastic as the waitress who cared enough to stop by Lucky’s home to find out if he was OK. When she stayed to watch a TV show with him, it was sweet. Logan Sparks and Drago Sumonja wrote an expressive and real life script. John Carroll Lynch did a great job of directing this screenplay and story. It felt very real.

Overall:  I really enjoyed this slice of real life.

Wonder

First Hit:  This film was incredibly touching and wonderful to watch.

From the get go, I was totally taken away and transported into a wide-ranging realm of feelings and emotions. Wearing a NASA space helmet is how we are introduced to Auggie, August Pullman (Jason Tremblay). Because we know Auggie has a facial deformity we want to see what he looks like.

Helping the audience engage and look at themselves, early in the film, Auggie’s mother Isabel (Julia Roberts) tells Auggie that everyone has scars from living their life.

The first moment I was deeply touched by the depth of what Auggie was going to deal with was his first day of school. He had been homeschooled by his mom and going into the 5th grade was to be his first foyer into the public-school system.

As his dad Nate (Owen Wilson), Isabel, and sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) walk him to the front of school, the audience can feel the anxious anticipation of his helmet removal and seeing all the kids stare at him with a somewhat shocked look in their faces.

The first day is hell for him, no one really talks to him and a rumor begins that if someone touches him, they’ll get the plague. I felt for him deeply as he was ignored. Slowly he gains one friend, Jack Will (Noah Jupe), because Auggie helps him with a science pop-quiz.

In the meantime, the film takes time and develops Via who is ignored by her family most of her life because of Auggie’s circumstance. Another way this film adds to its depth is by doing short 5 minute segments about specific people in the film including Via, Jack and Via’s close friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell). It was smart and done in an effective manner.

The film really focuses on the dynamics that the family deals with not just Auggie’s struggle.

As Auggie finds his footing in school his classmates begin to see his depth and personality, which opens the door for his life to become more socially whole.

Tremblay was amazing as Auggie. He exemplified the struggle a young boy with this deformity would have to deal with. Roberts was, divine. Her laugh, smile and tears of both sadness and joy come across as genuine. She doesn’t do a lot of movies these days, so to get a chance to see her is wonderful. Wilson is great as Auggie’s father. Vidovic was sublime as Auggie’s sister. She embodied the young capable daughter finding her own way as her family focuses on her brother. The play she stars in encapsulated the story perfectly. Jupe was superb as the first young boy to reach out to Auggie. Millie Davis (plays school mate Summer) was like her character’s name “Summer.” Russell was really good as Via’s friend who had to find her way back into the Pullman’s family. Mandy Patinkin as the school principle Mr. Tushman was amazing. We all needed a principle like him in our lives. Stephen Chbosky, Steve Conrad, and Jack Thorne wrote a strong and effective screenplay. Director Chbosky got amazing performances from everyone.

Overall:  This was a truly wonderful story turned into a touching film.

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

First Hit:  I enjoyed the innocence, charm , clumsiness, and brilliance of Denzel Washington’s Israel.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (Washington) is a savant in knowing civil law. Teamed with his former professor, who is the court face of this law firm, Israel is the brilliant man behind the curtain. Israel has spent his entire career at a desk in the office preparing all the paperwork and briefs for his partner.

One day his partner has a heart attack and passes away. When Israel goes to the office he's greeted by Lynn (Amanda Warren), his partner’s daughter. She tells him the firm is broke and defunct. He’s asked to get a continuance for all the pending court cases, but instead, he goes to court and starts arguing the cases and immediately gets hit with a contempt of court citation because he lacks tact and courtroom experience.

The firm is being swallowed-up by a law firm run by George Pierce (Colin Farrell). Pierce offers Israel a job doing what he’s been doing for more money and initially Israel says no. Discovering that he’s stuck in the 1970’s, as reflected by his taste in music, electronics, and clothing, and has poor communication skills, he cannot get a job.

Forced to make some money, he takes Pierce's up on his offer and becomes the office odd-ball. But some soon learn just how brilliant he is and how he set the tone for civil rights law during his career. In an opportunity to address a local ACLU group led by Maya Alston (Carmen Ejogo), he again discovers how misplaced his views can be to a young group of activists.

As he sees his life careening out of the mental box he’s lived in, he makes one attempt to move into the 21st century. In doing so, he breaks attorney / client privilege and turns in the name of a trigger man in a murder robbery. Collecting reward money, he begins to treat himself.

This is where we get to watch Washington do his magic in acting. He makes the constant shifting between be the 70’s boxed-up guy and a modern guy taking advantage of the world. It's sublime.

Of course, as a Hollywood movie would do, all this catches up with Roman and his way of making it right and how Pierce honors this choice is touching.

Washington is brilliant. He climbs into role and the character with a clear understanding of making this part really work. Farrell is wonderful as the quick smart lawyer and business owner. The moments where he shows us and Israel his humanness is just enough to make it all work. Ejogo was fantastic. She made me believe she loved what she did and that she knew the civil rights history Israel brought to her life. Dan Gilroy wrote and directed this film. I loved the look and feel he brought to Israel as a throw-back to today’s world.

Overall:  I liked the story and thought it worked well.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

First Hit:  Very interesting characters but in the end, the story was unsatisfying, dark, and disturbing.

This is a story about grief, the processing of this grief, and challenging this small town's law enforcement abilities.

Mildred (Francis McDormand) has spent about a year hoping to get satisfaction from the Ebbing Police, headed by Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), about the rape and killing of her daughter Angela (Kathryn Newton). There have been no real leads or suspects for more than nine months and Mildred’s depression is not subsiding.

To bring attention to the lack of progress on solving the case, Mildred buys advertising on three billboards down the road from her home and near were her daughter’s remains were found. On the billboards, she calls out the police chief specifically as to why nothing has happened on the case.

Of course, Willoughby is upset at the publicity and failure to resolve this case, but he’s also struggling with pancreatic cancer and will be dead soon. His second in command Officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell) is bigoted, racist, and basically dumb. As Dixon gets involved in the case he manages to create havoc and is incredibly insensitive towards most everyone.

What invited me to stay engaged with the film was the hard edge of each of the characters: Mildred’s pain. Willoughby’s difficulties as his cancer begins to win. Mildred’s son Robbie (Lucas Hedges) and his dealing with his own sadness and the embarrassment his mom is causing. Dixon’s insensitivity towards everyone. Just about everyone in the cast has a defined view of the world and it represents everyone in every town.

What didn’t work for me, was the conclusion. I don’t mind films that only lead one to create their own ending, however this film either had too much information (no DNA evidence) or too little information to have the drive-away scene in the end. It fell flat to me.

McDormand was very strong in this role. It fit her well. Harrelson was very good as the police chief facing his failure with this case and that he was dying and wanted to leave on his own terms. Rockwell was almost overwhelming. I certainly didn’t like his character through ninety-five percent of the film, which was the point. Hedges was good as the moody son who is dealing with pain and embarrassment. Peter Dinklage (playing townsman James) was excellent. His wit and charm showed through. Caleb Landry Jones (as Red Welby the owner of the advertising billboards) was sublime. His willingness to make a deal and stand up to public pressure was wonderful. John Hawkes (as Charlie, Mildred’s ex-husband) was good. Samara Weaving (as Penelope, Charlie’s new young girlfriend) was amazing as the out of touch and not-so-smart girl who wants to be accepted. Martin McDonagh wrote and directed this film. A lot of the writing was crisp and to the point which I admired but I thought the story was slightly convoluted and unsatisfying at the end.

Overall:  This film was entertaining but not quite complete.

Last Flag Flying

First Hit: This film may start out to mean more to "boomers" and veterans than other people, but it wonderfully explores a lot of topics and emotions.

We join two old veteran friends, Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) getting drunk in Sal’s bar. This scene sets up who they are perfectly. Doc is quiet, of heavy mind and Sal is full of quips, pointed sarcasm and likes to drink, a lot.

They became friends when they met fighting together in the Vietnam war. But as many vets know, sometimes when thrust together in crisis, the bond that is created crosses time. In the early bar scene, who they are, what they were, and the commitment to the bond is brought to light by how easily Sal leaves his bar by turning over the keys to someone else and goes out on an unannounced road trip with his friend Doc.

The trip is to a church where Reverend Richard Muller (Laurence Fishburne) is preaching. The moment Sal and Doc walk in, Sal bursts into a broad grin. Their third friend from Vietnam is now a preacher. Sal is beside himself at the change in “Muller the Mauler.” According to Sal, Muller was one of the most raucous men he knew and hung out with. Now a preacher? Sal cannot believe it.

Muller is reticent about meeting his old buddies because he’s now a man of God and to meet again the guys because of their history. They knew him as a man who did a lot of non-Christian things. And them knowing this is tough. The reason for Doc bringing these guys together is because he wants these men help him honor his son whom was a Marine and was just killed in Iraq.

After some funny dinner and desert scenes, Muller agrees to join Sal on Docs mission to honor his son. The body is coming to Dover AFB and will be buried, with honors, at Arlington. Sal is told his son was a hero and died protecting his men. However, as the story unfolds the men discover that the boy was shot in the back of the head when he was buying a soft drink for his buddies.

They learn this from Larry’s sons best Marine friend, Washington (J. Quinton Johnson) who accompanied the body back home. When Doc learns about how the government lied about his boy’s death, he doesn’t want him buried at Arlington but wants to take him home to New Hampshire.

This decision brings on a whole host of arguments, agreements, and an uncovering of the depth of the men's friendship, Washington’s friendship with Doc’s son, how the government lies, and the importance of truth.

The film shows these discoveries while they eat together, drive together, sit on the train together and buy cell phones together. One of the most fun scenes, showing the depth of each character, is when the four of them are sitting in the luggage car of the train next to the coffin. The dialogue was sublime, real and on target for each of the characters.

This film is about friendship and how it surpasses time. It is about how men become brothers. It is about how the government will lie to parents of dead soldiers. It is about honor. It is about truth. The sets and scenes were exquisitely created and it kept the audience’s attention through each segment.

Cranston was killer. His quips, jabs, self-effacing comments, and drive created a character worth watching. I kept wondering what would come out of his mouth next. Carell was perfect as the quiet one who spoke loudly with his trust in his fellow vets. The breadth of emotions, partially bottled up by the role, was perfectly expressed. Fishburne was outstanding. His voice perfect for being a holier than thou voice as a preacher, then switching to his foul mouth Marine voice was perfect. Johnson was amazing as the Doc’s sons best friend. While lying on Doc’s couch looking up at pictures of his lost friend and the family was so touching. Yul Vazquez as Colonel Wilits was great. He exemplified the role of holding on to the governments pride of service. Richard Linklater and Darryl Ponicsan wrote a fabulous screenplay. Under Linklater’s direction this film was amazingly full-bodied and pointed. Its focus on the characters and how they unfolded through the film was spot-on perfect.

Overall:  This is a very full-bodied film and embraces both life and death equally.