The Disaster Artist

First Hit:  This is a very out loud funny film.

I’ve never seen The Room which has a reputation of being the worst film to ever be released. The basis of The Disaster Artist is about the making of The Room. Tommy (James Franco) plays Tommy Wiseau an odd person who seems to have unlimited funds, has a very peculiar accent, and would like to be an actor. Our first introduction to him is when he gets in front of an acting class and dramatically over does a scene. The looks on the other acting students’ faces? Priceless.

Contrarily Greg (Dave Franco) is in the same acting class and he freezes and cannot emote in front of his classmates. So, Greg reaches out to Tommy and asks him if he would help him learn to emote. The scene in the restaurant where the first lesson happens is hilarious.

Because they both want to be actors and do not see an opportunity, they decide to make a film together. Tommy ends up writing, directing, producing, financing and starring in this film called The Room.

They hire a team of people including actors for the film. Tommy, in the lead role of Johnny, gives Greg a major part as Mark. To play Johnny’s love interest, Tommy hires Juliette (Ari Gaynor) to play the role of Lisa. Additionally, he hires Carolyn (Jackie Weaver) as Claudette, Lisa’s mom. As someone to guide the actors with the script and help Tommy direct the film, Tommy hires Sandy (Seth Rogen) who has experience in filmmaking.

The rest of the film is about the poorly acted and scripted scenes of making this film, The Room. The difficulties of working with Tommy and worse, his unclear vision, are filled with hilarious scenes. Although Greg and Tommy are friends, this friendship gets tested in both the acting scenes as well as the scenes where Greg decides to live with his girlfriend Amber (Alison Brie).

Do I want to see the room? I’m not sure because just prior to the credits the film shows scenes from the initial film, The Room, next to the same scenes from this film of filming the room. I was struck about how close the scenes were done and now think that seeing The Room won’t enhance my overall moving going experience. This is because I don’t think I’d act like the audience in the film’s opening night.

James Franco was fantastic as Tommy. I loved how he gave this character an air of otherworldliness. Dave Franco was great. I loved his enthusiasm towards the character and giving this role a wonderful appeal. Weaver was really good. I loved her line about her announcing that she has cancer never appears again in The Room. Brie is wonderful as Greg’s supportive girlfriend. Gaynor is engaging as the film’s love interest. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber wrote an ingenious script to capture the story of the creation of the film The Room. James Franco did an excellent job of putting a very funny story together by getting strong situational comedic performances out of the actors.

Overall:  This was probably the funniest film I’ve seen this year.

Darkest Hour

First Hit:  Maybe the brightest and best two hours in the theater this year.

If my memory serves me correctly, my middle school history teachers painted Winston Churchill as a roundish, heavyset, and controversial bull-doggish sort of man who saved England from Nazi Germany. But what did that really mean? How did he do this? This film sorts out the enigmatic view I had of him.

What this movie does is shine a light on a controversial 3-week period in England’s history about whether to negotiate a peace agreement with Nazi Germany or to fight them to the end.

When the film begins Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) is losing the support of Parliament’s conservative party and Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane) doesn’t want to be elevated to Prime Minister while he’s pushing for a negotiated peace. Parliament is in an uproar and King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn) is deeply concerned about his country.

Chamberlain floats and gets traction for the idea to hand over conservative power to Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman). Being a controversial person, not well liked by anyone, the conservatives figure if Churchill fails then Halifax and his solution will step up to save England from what is happening in Europe, wide-spread destruction and surrender.

Churchill’s reputation as being difficult and having backed failed campaigns in Africa and Gallipoli proceeds his ascension to Prime Minister. But as he would state  in his defense, these campaigns weren’t all his doing. He also had backed England returning the Pound to a pre-WWI gold standard parity, which had caused its fair share of problems.

When summoned to accept the position of Prime Minister from King George, the clock starts and the film effectively marks the passage of the days and decisions by displaying the day and month prominently every so often.

What makes the situation so incredibly difficult is that most of England’s active army has been corralled onto the beach at Dunkirk with the German army closing in. England’s ships have been all but destroyed by the Germans, their airplanes have been mostly shot down by the superior German Luftwaffe and last but not least, the United States has vowed to stay out of the war to this point and cannot assist England. This last item is poignantly shared in a desperate phone call Churchill places to President Roosevelt.

To save as many of their troops as possible, Churchill sends out a command asking all private boat owners having boats from 30 – 100’ long, to set sail to Dunkirk to save the British troops. (Note: See one of the other best films to be released earlier this year Dunkirk to witness this amazing event.)

In a moment of desperation Churchill asks Halifax to begin exploring a negotiated peace with Nazi Germany. But as Winston was known to do, he deviated from the script and reached out to the people of England to ask what they wanted him to do. As we all know, he chose the path of “We will never, never, never surrender.”

The way this film is shot, we believe we’re in the early 1940’s. The darkness of the time is expressed though spending a lot of time in small underground rooms and darkened hallways moving with him as he finds a way through his own dark depressive drinking way of creating his answers through the inspirational speeches and talks he gives. The final speech he gives to Parliament is frightfully stirring. I also loved how he made England sound big and small by referring to it as an island instead of a country.

That Churchill drank all the time, smoked cigars, and was depression prone was duly present, but the strength, power, and encouragement he brought to his country shines through from beginning to end.

Oldman quite simply is the best actor in a lead role this year. His embodiment of Churchill is full, complete, and by every measure extraordinary. Lilly James as Elizabeth Layton, Churchill’s assistant, typist, and confidant was sublime. Her enthusiasm, struggle and devotion was the heart this film sits upon. Mendelsohn was perfect as the stuff-ish King George VI who learned to embrace and trust Churchill. When he shared with Winston that his family, the royals, wanted to know if they needed to exile to Canada, the bond was made. Kristen Scott Thomas (as Churchill's’ wife Clementine) was wonderful. She provided support when needed and was a perfect sounding board for Winston. Dillane was strong as Viscount Halifax, who didn’t think England stood a chance and believed that a negotiated peace was the best way to save the people, culture and country. Anthony McCarten wrote an amazingly rich script. The dialogue perfectly reflected the times. Joe Wright’s direction was sublime. The story was told with genuine care and creates power of the decisions made at the time. What made it even better was I wanted the film to go on and tell me more of the story.

Overall:  This is truly a contender for best film of the year.

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.