2020 Oscar Predictions

BEST PICTURE

Film Reviews by Marlene Ardoin

Should Win: “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood”

 Will Win: “1917”

 Did Win: “Parasite”

“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” represents the modern values of taking responsibility for ones actions, being loyal to ones friends, protecting innocence, and the concept of living from the heart and giving from the heart.  Tarantino is brilliant at portraying the Los Angeles vibe of that era. Any form of freeloading gets burnt to a crisp with a flame thrower.  I loved that Sharon Tate survives in this completely original ending.

“1917” In this film, I think they were going for the nobility of soldiers, which is depicted, but it also shows the futility of war.  It is a well-illustrated story in which the Germans are depicted as vicious, drunken, and savage, which is one-sided and not totally true.  I am sure that both sides could be described in both ways. None of these qualities can be reserved for any one race.  Let’s not be Nazis.

“Ford v Ferrari” is a sad story of sabotage, where a hardworking, everyman mechanic/driver is pitted against a fancy pants executive, who sabotages his moment of glory that was rightfully earned. This film was too depressing for me.

“The Irishman”, unfortunately, was one of those Netflix movies that I did not get a chance to see.  It does have some “A” actors in it. These films need to be offered in the theaters longer. Not everyone can afford a Netflix subscription. I did not rush to see it, because it did not sound like a very inspiring story.

“Jojo Rabbit” is another depressing holocaust story, in which humor cannot save.  The shot of the little boy’s mother hanging in the Square without her head visible, just her recognizable shoes, took all the humor out of this story for me.

“Joker” Who needs to see a story about a textbook narcissist, who is completely devoid of empathy for others.  He clearly hates women, who try to help him, and he has no sense of humor about himself.  His mother’s only fault was that she was poor and she raised a narcissist son, who was angry and destructive.  I found this film to be on the misogynistic side.

“Little Women” This was a take on a family that is comprised of all women, since their absent father is a pastor in the American Civil War.  Jo was the brightest of the sisters, who is taking her missing father’s place as the family provider and caretaker.  Sister Amy is the little sister who wants everything that Jo has, which was sabotaging and irritating.  Something tells me that the true story was not so neatly wrapped up with such a happy ending.

“Marriage Story” This is what happens when you marry a narcissist or two narcissists marry each other. Each one keeps trying to out narcissist the other.  In this case, the wife wins. I thought it was an interesting insight that she married him, because she wanted to be him, a theatrical director.  A very knockdown, drag out story. Adam Driver’s take on the husband is like a deer looking in the headlights.

“Parasite” A very clever, original, depressing story of the haves and the haves-not. The haves-not destroy a perfectly nice family, who have not done anything to provoke such criminal retaliation. The moral of the story is: if we cannot have the good life, no one can.

2/8/2020 # 2020 Oscar Predictions

BOMBSHELL

(L to R) Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson, Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly and Margot Robbie as Kayla Pospisil.

BOMBSHELL

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I just recently realized that there are two movies depicting Roger Ailes, (John Lithgow) in “Bombshell,” and there was a TV mini-series, “The Loudest Voice”, where Russell Crowe does the honors.

Russell Crowe actually just won a Golden Globe for his depiction of Ailes, but lost at the SAG Awards.

I think that in “Bombshell,” Lithgow tries too hard to show Ailes as a sympathetic man, who has severe self-esteem issues.

Unfortunately, abuse of power seems to be the norm for both men and for women in power, so self-esteem is not the issue.

To be fair, a seven-part mini-series, does have more time to develop the character of Roger Ailes.

Both Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly and Margot Robbie as a composite female employee at Fox News, are nominated for Academy Awards in acting for their roles in “Bombshell.”

In one of Megyn Kelly’s real interviews, she admits that when she was interviewed by Ailes at Fox News, she actually did the twirl, in spite of all her attorney credentials.

This is a cultural dynamic.

Granted it is less so in the United States, than in other countries, but it is even more insidious here.

Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson, who is the fired commentator at Fox News, who starts the ball rolling by filing a lawsuit against Roger Ailes for sexual harassment in real life.

The real Gretchen Carlson, had a degree from Stanford in Organizational Behavior and came from a Lutheran family, where her grandfather was the pastor of the then second-largest Lutheran church in the United States.

Big mistake to tangle with her, Mr. Roger Ailes.

Nicole Kidman was not the best fit for the Carlson role, simply because Carlson is a one of a kind.

“Bombshell” also tries to make the case that lesbian women were hired by Fox, but were forced to hide their sexual orientation.

“Bombshell” is worth the price of admission, especially if you were at the recent 4th Annual Women’s March, where the meaning of the sign, “Miss Ogynist” was not lost on me.

John Lithgow as Roger Ailes.

Cast:

Director: Jay Roach

Written by Charles Randolph

Bomshell Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombshell_(2019_film)

Roger Ailes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ailes

Megyn Kelly on the film:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/megyn-kelly-describes-demeaning-experience-at-fox-news-after-watching-bombshell/ar-BBYMGTz?ocid=ientp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZBYamoqT6o&feature=youtu.be

Megyn Kelly Talks Matt Lauer, Fox News, Donald Trump, Roger Ailes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpsEQckXwYI

Fox News’ Megyn Kelly in conversation with Katie Couric:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOpVYZ5iSG8

Megyn Kelly talks to Gayle King about dealing with Donald Trump, Roger Ailes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfkGGK1VZ_Q

 Megyn Kelly:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megyn_Kelly

Gretchen Carlson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretchen_Carlson

Margo Robbie interview about “Bombshell”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNltYcfOrww&feature=push-fr&attr_tag=KXBahXskefSjWiNj%3A6

Charlize Theron Worked Hard To Get Into Character As Megyn Kelly In “Bombshell”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OTsUjsHpLg

‘Bombshell’ Q&A: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, John Lithgow, director Jay Roach, and writer Charles Randolph| GOLD DERBY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViWLbp6WpuA

“The Loudest Voice” is a 2019 American drama television miniseries depicting Roger Ailes as he creates and guides the rise of Fox News.

It is based on the 2014 book “The Loudest Voice in the Room,” by Gabriel Sherman, and premiered June 30, 2019, on Showtime.

Russell Crowe as Roger Ailes  ,which wins Crowe a Golden Globe.

Wiki on “The Loudest Voice”:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Loudest_Voice

In Catch Up On The Loudest Voice

Inside the “Loudest Voice”:

https://www.sho.com/video/68014/inside-the-loudest-voice

https://www.amazon.com/The-Loudest-Voice-Season-1/dp/B07YYR527G

1/19/2020 # Bombshell

POWERFUL FEMALE FANTASY CHARACTERS: “Frozen 2” and “Maleficent 2”

Elsa with horse.

Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) recovers with her own kind.

POWERFUL FEMALE FANTASY CHARACTERS:  “Frozen 2” and “Maleficent 2”

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I believe that fantasy enables us to illustrate what cultural norms do not allow us to say.

In the case of “Frozen 2” (Elsa) and “Maleficent 2”, the female characters are allowed to be powerful, but as a consequence, they must live alone.

Both Elsa and Maleficent are portrayed as loners.

Elsa is afraid of hurting others and Maleficent is afraid of being betrayed again.

I was hopeful that Elsa would finally master her powers and find someone, who was equally powerful and kind.

And, when Maleficent rejoins her own kind, she not only becomes more beautiful, but I was hoping she would also find someone powerful and kind.

Unfortunately, kindness rarely accompanies male power.  Both stories show us that being kind, does not mean being weak.

When Elsa joins her own kind, she does not need to worry about hurting anyone, but she has to give up the throne, because she has no suiter in her life.

Both Elsa and Maleficent are considered to be threats to the kingdom.

Maleficent becomes hardened and creates her own kingdom alongside the king’s kingdom.

She is the ugly duckling, clothed in dark colors and she must hide her horns with a scarf.

Maleficent has made a life for herself, without hiding, but she pays a price for it.

She is made to feel less than. She is ashamed of her horns, and she is disfigured in the process of betrayal.

It is hard to find films that are both beautiful and uplifting, but “Frozen 2” and “Maleficent 2” can check both boxes.

Art mimics real life, Jennifer Lee is the co-director of “Frozen 2,” one of the growing club of female directors this season.

“Maleficent” has a male director, Joachim Ronning, who is Norwegian, and who recently married famous American, Amanda Hearst at Hearst Castle.

Frozen 2 Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_2

Frozen 1 Wiki (2013:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_(2013_film)

 

Frozen 2 Cast

  • Idina Menzel as Elsa, Queen of Arendelle and Anna’s elder sister who possesses magical ice powers[15]
    • Mattea Conforti and Eva Bella (archive sound) as Young Elsa[1]
  • Kristen Bell as Anna, Princess, later Queen, of Arendelle, and Elsa’s younger sister[15]
    • Hadley Gannaway and Libby Stubenrauch (archive sound) as Young Anna[1]
  • Jonathan Groff as Kristoff, an iceman and Anna’s boyfriend
  • Josh Gad as Olaf, a sentient snowman created by Elsa’s magic[15]
  • Sterling K. Brown as Mattias, the leader of a group of soldiers who were trapped in the enchanted forest for over thirty years.[15][16][17]
  • Evan Rachel Wood as Iduna, the mother of Elsa and Anna, and wife of King Agnarr.[15][16] Jennifer Lee previously voiced her single line in the first film.[18]
    • Delaney Rose Stein as Young Iduna[1]
      • Aurora as The Voice, the call from the memory of the Young Iduna to lead Elsa to Ahtohallan.[1]
  • Alfred Molina as Agnarr, the father of Elsa and Anna and husband of Iduna. He was previously voiced by Maurice LaMarche in the first film.[19]
    • Jackson Stein as Young Agnarr[1]
  • Martha Plimpton as Yelana, leader of the Northuldra tribe.[19]
  • Jason Ritter as Ryder, a member of the Northuldra, Honeymaren’s brother who shares Kristoff’s love for reindeer.[19][20]
  • Rachel Matthews as Honeymaren, a member of the Northuldra, Ryder’s sister who wants to bring peace to the enchanted forest.[21][19][22]
  • Jeremy Sisto as King Runeard, Agnarr’s father and the grandfather of Elsa and Anna.[23][1]
  • Ciarán Hinds as Pabbie, the leader of the Trolls.[1] 
  • Additionally, Alan Tudyk provides voices to a Guard, a Northuldra Leader, and an Arendellian Soldier.[1] Archive sound is used for Tudyk as the Duke of Weselton and Santino Fontana as Hans, a Prince from the Southern Isles who tried to take over Arendelle.[15] Paul Briggs also reprises his role as Marshmallow, a giant snow monster created by Elsa.[1] Jonathan Groff does the voices of all the reindeer.[1]
Directed by ·         Chris Buck·         Jennifer Lee
Produced by Peter Del Vecho
Screenplay by ·         Jennifer Lee[1]
Story by ·         Chris Buck[2]·         Jennifer Lee[2]

·         Marc E. Smith[2]

·         Kristen Anderson-Lopez[2]

·         Robert Lopez[2]
Starring ·         Idina Menzel·         Kristen Bell

·         Jonathan Groff

·         Josh Gad
Music by ·         Songs:·         Robert Lopez

·         Kristen Anderson-Lopez

·         Score:

·         Christophe Beck[3]
Cinematography ·         Tracy Scott Beattie (layout)·         Mohit Kallianpur (lighting)
Edited by Jeff Draheim
Production
company		 ·         Walt Disney Pictures·         Walt Disney Animation Studios
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Release date ·         November 7, 2019 (Dolby Theatre)·         November 22, 2019 (United States)
Running time 103 minutes[4]
Country United States
Language English
Box office $358.5 million

Maleficent 2 Cast:

Director Joachim Ronning:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_R%C3%B8nning

Ronnings marraiage to Amanda Hearst:

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/the-scene/weddings/a28596395/amanda-hearst-joachim-ronning-wedding-hearst-castle/

 

Wiki Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleficent:_Mistress_of_Evil

Wiki Maleficent 1:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleficent_(film)

11/30/2019 # Frozen 2 & Maleficent 2

JUDY

(L to r) Judy Garland and Rene Zellweger.

JUDY

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

The film “Judy” focuses on Judy Garland’s last years, which were her worst years.

I want to thank Rene Zellweger, because the woman that she portrays, Judy Garland, that woman was my mother, she was my cousin and she is many beautiful, innocent young women in our culture, who give everything they have to please others, then in the end, they discover that they were exploited, before being dumped in the garbage can of old age.

Rene Zellweger is showing us Garland’s own “A Star Is Born” life tragedy.  Zellweger  does a nice job of singing, but in this case, I feel that no one can duplicate Garland’s voice.

I thought of comparing “Judy” to Elton John’s recent biographical film, “Rocketman,” which depicts a similarly celebrated singer with self-esteem issues, accompanied by drinking and drug use.

But, if I am going to go there, what about Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, Billie Holliday, Janis Joplin and a very long list of other performing artists, who suffered through their career choice.

The lucky and tragic part of Garland’s career is that she was led into it by her survivalist mother and father, Ethel Marion Milne Gumm and Francis Avent “Frank” Gumm. 

Judy was born in 1922 and grew up during the Depression, which was followed by WWII, which was when her career in film and singing flourished.

Judging from my research, a lot of gays were attracted to the entertainment industry at that time.

Judy’s own father was gay and so was her second husband, Vincente Minnelli.

If she had followed her own mother’s example, she would have stayed married to Minnelli.

And, from what I could see, he was actually the best of all five of her husbands, plus he gave her a daughter, Liza.

Vincente Minnelli had real talent and made Judy look fabulous. He directed her in “Meet Me in St. Louis,” when Judy was 21 years old.

Garland played her iconic role in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1939, when she was 16 years old.

They broke up after Judy came home unexpectedly to discover him with another man. I have to assume that he was bi-sexual.

Vincente Minnelli went on to marry other women after Garland, while enjoying a very celebrated directorial film career.

Had she negotiated that part of him effectively, she would not have had to do all the heavy lifting herself for the rest of her life,

Which is where the film, “Judy” begins.

Judy would chose three more husbands, who would flatter, then exploit her.

I am grateful to Judy Garland for being a female pioneer in demonstrating all her strengths and vulnerabilities for us to see in the spotlight and for being that fawn of innocence that we could love.

The scene in the hospital says it all. Judy’s third husband, Sidney Luft (Rufus Sewell), has cameras and wires hooked up to her after she just gave birth to their first child, then when she does not receive the Academy award for her performance in “A Star is Born, they very unceremoniously unhook everything and leave. 

Luft was incapable of protecting her emotionally.  Like most of her husbands, he seemed in it for the good times and the cash that she could generate.

If things went south, it was always her fault. She was to blame, all 4 feet 11 inches of her.

As I see it, Judy Garland was the victim of a culture without a conscience or moral values.

What is so heart breaking about it, was that all she really had were her three children and her voice, both were manipulated away from her in the end.

When that hope was taken away, so was her desire to live.

At a time when she desperately needed love and help, she was expected to work until she dropped, which she ultimately did in 1969.

Judy Garland died at the young age of 47, which was determined to be an accidental drug overdose.

In the culture at that time, after a woman reached the age of 40, she was regarded as no longer having any value.

In retrospect, had Judy not been hooked on uppers and downers, had she not suffered two abortions prior to marrying Minnelli, had she been given a proper education, had she learned how to read music, had she been given caring and protection as a young woman, things might have turned out differently for her.

For Judy Garland and many other creative individuals, they need love, security,  protection and goodness.

Judy Garland & Vincente Minnelli on their wedding day. June, 1945

Judy, baby Liza and Vincente Minnelli.

Cast:

Spouse(s) David Rose(m. 1941; div. 1944)·

Vincente Minnelli(m. 1945; div. 1951)·

Sidney Luft(m. 1952; div. 1965)·

Mark Herron(m. 1965; div. 1969)·

Mickey Deans (m. 1969

Sidney Luft and Judy.

(L to r) Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, Sidney Luft, Judy Garland and Joe Luft.

The movie Judy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_(film)

Life of Judy Garland:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Garland

Renée Zellweger Responds to Judy Garland’s Daughters’ Reluctance to See Her New Film | Lorraine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LTcMXB70wA&feature=push-fr&attr_tag=EJulI6qfptBxLk8o%3A6

How Renée Zellweger Found Her Judy Garland Voice for ‘Judy’:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-6uONXMY_U&feature=push-fr&attr_tag=RpwspKy-khn8O_YW%3A6

Life with Judy Garland: Me & My Shadows (Part 1/3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5VW__TTcU

Life with Judy Garland: Me & My Shadows (Part 2/3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrnCfhknkWw

Life with Judy Garland: Me & My Shadows (Part 3/3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT_GG6-MN4c

The JUDY Companion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_oo6zFdPLc

Judy Garland- The Greatest Hollywood Great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DZfcar8d2M

Too Young to Die – Judy Garland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT_VVgkBf6A

Judy Garland on the Tonight Show – 24 June 1968 [SPECIAL HQ EDITION]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLUgIGs8oqo

Ethel Marion Milne death pt 1 of 2

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20862856/ethel_marion_milne_death_pt_1_of_2/

https://marquettemonthly.org/judy-garland-it-all-began-here/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8688/ethel-marion-gilmore

Francis Avent “Frank” Gumm’s Death:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8689/francis-avent-gumm

 

Renée Zellweger film history:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoTN459xKpg&feature=push-fr&attr_tag=yVp7YcWZtxPZ9Rca%3A6

Judy and final husband Mickey Deans (m. 1969)

10/9/2019 # “Judy”

ALADDIN

Rajah (Jasmine’s protective pet Bengal tiger), Dalia (Nasim Pedrad as Jasmine’s loyal handmaiden and confidante) and Jasmine (Naomi Scott) outsmart the evil vizier.

ALADDIN

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

If you need a break from all the tragedies going on, Will Smith’s Genie in “Aladdin,” not only grants you three wishes, but this film is overflowing with humor, beauty, wisdom and hope.

“Aladdin” reinforces the concept of female leadership in the character of Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), who wants women to have more of a voice in matters.

In this film, the evil vizier (Marwan Kenzari), is constantly reminding the princess that she needs to be silent.

When this story begins, both Jasmine and Aladdin are in a cultural prison, where every door is guarded.

What it addresses is the state of unfair privilege, or rather the question of equal privilege for all.

It is also about individual merit, where through right action, everyone should be able to move through the ranks, regardless of birth status.

In one scene, Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is told by a soldier that he is nothing.

Up until the time that Aladdin gets the lamp, his only friend is his monkey, but Aladdin is wise enough to ask the genie, what he would wish for, if given a wish.

Genie (Will Smith) instructs Aladdin (Mena Massoud) on how to make a good wish.

As the story progresses, Aladdin starts to realize his own potential and the gifts that he has to offer others.

Princess Jasmine is beautiful, but so is her courage and ideals.

Beauty is presented through the magnificence of the world, in the beauty of Jasmine’s tiger, in the dance scenes, in the discovery of love, and through friendships.

The use of live actors and actresses brings this fantasy to life, while still letting the filmgoer experience flights on a magic carpet.

The satisfying pleasure of this film is watching both Jasmine and Aladdin, not only find each other, but reach their full potential together.

Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, the evil vizier.

Cast:

  • Will Smith as Genie:
    A comedically eccentric and kindly jinn who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp. Smith said that he was “terrified” while playing the character, but that “[he] found a lane that pays homage” to Robin Williams‘ performance in the original film, while still making the role “[his] own thing.”[10] Smith described the character as “both a trickster and a mentor,” who tries “to guide Aladdin to the truth of the greatness that’s already within him.”[1] Smith physically portrays the character when he is in the guise of a human, while his giant blue genie form is CGI, portrayed through motion-capture performance.[11][12]
  • Mena Massoud as Aladdin:
    An impoverished Agrabah thief and “street rat” who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter. With the Genie’s help, he masquerades as Prince Ali Ababwa. Massoud said that Aladdin “sees a future for himself that’s greater than what’s been set out for him at the present moment. He doesn’t know exactly what it is or how he’s going to get there, but he knows it is out there,” and felt the character “[i]s very selfless and usually does things for other people, but as he falls in love he loses himself a little bit and starts to become someone that he’s not. But he’s a good person with good intentions and has good people surrounding him who lead him back to where he’s supposed to be.”[1]
  • Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine:
    The Sultan’s daughter and the feisty princess of Agrabah who wants to have a say in how she lives her life. Scott said that the character “will be strong and have fun, but also get it wrong and be emotional. She’s a multidimensional woman, and she does not have to just be one thing. So in this movie, you see her go on such a roller coaster, as opposed to her one goal being to escape the loneliness of royalty and find a companion.” She further stated that Jasmine will try to find “the courage to speak out for her people,”[13] and said that “Jasmine wants to know what goes on in her kingdom and reconcile the distance that has been created, and Aladdin gives her the courage to do just that.”[1]
  • Marwan Kenzari as Jafar:
    A nefarious and deceptive sorcerer, the Grand vizier of Agrabah, and the Sultan’s chief advisor. Frustrated with the Sultan’s ways of ruling, he devises a plot to overthrow him as the ruler of Agrabah by acquiring the Genie’s lamp. Jafar’s backstory is explored in the film, which producer Jonathan Eirich felt would make the audience “understand why he’s so bad,” as “that’s what makes him such a good villain.”[1]
  • Navid Negahban as The Sultan:
    The wise and noble ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a capable husband for his daughter Jasmine.
  • Nasim Pedrad as Dalia:
    Jasmine’s loyal handmaiden and confidante. Pedrad said that Dalia “[has] been by Jasmine’s side for years and really looks out for her.”
  • Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders:
    A suitor and potential husband for Jasmine from the kingdom of Skånland.[12][14]
  • Numan Acar as Hakim:
    The head of the palace guards who is loyal to the Sultan of Agrabah, as his father worked for the Sultan as a palace servant.
  • Jordan A. Nash as Omar:
    The Genie and Dalia’s son.
  • Taliyah Blair as Lian:
    The Genie and Dalia’s daughter.
  • Amir Boutrous as Jamal:
    A bread vendor whom Aladdin tricks to keep him from taking disguised Jasmine’s heirloom bracelet.

Voices

8/30/2019 # Aladdin

THE BOOMER FILMS: “Yesterday” & “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” & “Echo in the Canyon”

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I’ve recently seen three films this summer, that I would classify as baby boomer films, “Yesterday”, “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood”, and “Echo In the Canyon”.

If you were not alive in the 1960’s, you may not get what these films are trying to say. Going a step further, if you did not live in California, or have never been to Los Angeles, San Francisco, or the United Kingdom, but were alive then, you also may not get what these films are trying to say.

Being a baby boomer is a frame of mind that is uniquely Los Angeles, California, where the Beatles cross-pollinated with a culture and a creative idea.

“Yesterday”             

Himesh Patel plays Jack Malik, who resurrects all the Beatles songs in “Yesterday.”

 The film “Yesterday” is the first film that set off the alarm for me, that I needed to have lived through the 1960’s to appreciate this film, which I did. In fact, I grew up in San Francisco, California.

If you were not alive during that time, you might not even recognize the aged John Lennon look alike, when he appears is in this film.

Robert Carlyle appears as the aging, uncanny look-alike of John Lennon.

There are many sides to being a baby boomer, the good, the bad and the ugly.

“Yesterday” shows us the good. In this film, the flower child era was a tender, loving one.

“Yesterday” expresses a heartfelt appreciation of the time and of what the Beatles contributed to the dialogue of that era.

The message was simple, “All You Need Is Love.”

Also, no one can really take the place of a John Lennon, even if they can sing just as well.

“Yesterday” poses the question, what if the Beatles and their music never existed? That would have changed the era a lot.

Just like if cigarettes never existed, or if Harry Potter never happened.

The point being made with “Yesterday” is that individual contributions to an era matter in good ways and in bad ways.

I loved the fact that the character of the roadie is even appreciated. Everyone in that time and place mattered.  Everyone had a gift to give and they were the perfect individuals to give it.

 

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

“Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” features DiCaprio, 44, as Rick Dalton, an ageing, out-of-work actor, with Pitt, 55, playing his longtime stunt double named Cliff Booth, and director Quentin Tarantino riding shotgun.

 Then, I saw “Once upon A Time in Hollywood”, which depicts the ugly side of the era. I have to say that this is the only Tarantino film that I actually like. 

Tarantino has a unique memory of the Manson family murder of the very pregnant Sharon Tate, who was Roman Polanski’s wife.

He is pretty tough on the hippies, who had taken over a Hollywood property used for shooting westerns.

Tarantino destroys the image of the flower child, summer of love hippies, who in “Once”, come off as being opportunistic, crass and malevolent.

Both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are in perfect sync with each other as loyal buddies, who have been up and now down together.

But, baby boomers age well, just look at the Rolling Stones, who keep on rolling.

I want to claim the Stones as American, but no, like the Beatles, they came from the UK. Their band was formed in 1962 to present.

In “Once”, we get to know Sharon Tate extremely well. Shall I say, there is definite bias towards her self-preservation?

Having lived through the horrific events of her death, I found Tarantino’s version a psychedelic, flaming, cathartic comfort. Thank you for that.

In “Once”, Sharon Tate is not just some slab of meat that gets stabbed 15 times.

 

“Echo in the Canyon”

Fiona Apple and Jakob Dylan in “Echo in the Canyon” (Photo by Chad Elder)

 

Then, finally, I go see “Echo in the Canyon,” which is both the good and the bad of the baby boomer era.

The son of folk singer, Bob Dylan, Jakob Dylan, is the star and executive producer of this film.

 What is missing is footage of his father, Bob Dylan, whose career was from 1959 to present, and who was definitely a big part of the boomer era.

Had Bob Dylan been included, it would have filled out the protest side of the boomers.

In fact, the biggest boomer contribution was creating protest music.

Boomers had a lot on their plate to protest, they were anti-war for one.

But, they also protested for civil rights, women’s rights, and against constricted sexual roles.

“Echo” paints a romantic view of Los Angeles as the creative hub of the boomer music of the 60’s.

Los Angeles was a place where folk music and rock music got joined at the hip.

Musicians came together in that one place to flourish and create music together.

Musicians admired each other’s work and fed off of each other’s energy and creativity.

The Beatles’ confess that they were inspired by the Byrds, an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964.

From 1965 onwards, the Beatles rose to prominence until their band broke up in 1970.

“Echo” makes the point that the music of this era played a big part in changing the world at that time.

 

Singer Jakob Dylan (Son of folk singer, Bob Dylan)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Dylan

Baby Boomers: Born 1946 – 1964 wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomers

 

 

“Yesterday”

Joel Fry as roadie, Rocky, with Himesh Patel as Jack Malik.

Cast:

Directed by Danny Boyle
Produced by ·         Tim Bevan·         Eric Fellner

·         Bernie Bellew

·         Matthew James Wilkinson

·         Richard Curtis

·         Danny Boyle
Screenplay by Richard Curtis
Story by ·         Jack Barth·         Richard Curtis
Starring ·         Himesh Patel·         Lily James

·         Ed Sheeran

·         Kate McKinnon
Music by Daniel Pemberton
Cinematography Christopher Ross
Edited by Jon Harris
Production
company 		·         Working Title Films·         Decibel Films
Distributed by Universal Pictures

 Wiki “Yesterday”:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesterday_(2019_film)

 

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate.

Cast

Director/writer Quentin Tarantino:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Tarantino

Biography of Sharon Tate:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Tate

Biography of Charles Manson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson

 

“Echo in the Canyon”

Jakob Dylan (second from left) serves as host of “Echo in the Canyon,” a documentary about the 1960s Laurel Canyon music scene in LA.

Also pictured: Regina Spektor, Beck and Cat Power. (Greenwich Entertainment)

“Echo in the Canyon” is a new documentary about the Laurel Canyon scene in the 1960s, framed around the rise of the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, the Mamas And The Papas, and more. The film features rare archival footage and contemporary interviews with artists and musicians that were around at that time or were inspired by the music that came out of it.

Participating artists include the late Tom Petty (in his last filmed interview), Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Roger McGuinn, Jackson Browne, Beck, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Norah Jones, and more.

The film was directed by Andrew Slater and had its premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year. It’ll be in theaters in Los Angeles on 5/24/19 and in New York on 5/31/19.

Watch the trailer below.

https://youtu.be/QRVFBQHBUls

8/5/2019 # the Boomer Films – “Yesterday” & “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” & “Echo in the Canyon”

SHAFT 2019

L to r – Son (Jessie Usher), father (Samuel L. Jackson) and grandfather (Richard Roundtree) join forces in “Shaft” 2019.

SHAFT

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I usually try to avoid the violent films, but “Shaft” 2019, is different.

But, why? In 1971, it was one of the first Black power and Black cool films to appear.

In 2019, it is still all of those things, but more.

It embraces the pride in Black linage in a multi-generational way with an unapologetic, masculine perspective.

In Shaft 2019, the grandfather (Richard Roundtree), the father (Samuel L. Jackson) and the son (Jessie Usher) join forces to do what they do, better, together.

The grandfather has the guns, the father has the brute street smarts and the son has the college educated smarts.

All together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Shaft 2019 has a lot of humor, warmth, intrigue and romance.

The reason that the masculine perspective does not offend me is, because the men are presented as woman lovers, not women haters.

Another reason that I liked this film is because, even though it is violent, it provides a catharsis for me to see the drug dealers and pimps getting the same treatment that they dish out.

At one point, the son prevents his father from hurting a female drug dealer, so the father tells her, he can’t hurt her, and so he will have to hurt her stuff.

Another reason I liked Shaft 2019 is because, if you are a product of a split home, you will come out healed.

This film is about a family that has been split up, but the father tries to show his love by sending his son yearly birthday presents that are too humorous to describe.

The split up of the mother and father is sad, because they still care for each other, but it becomes the only way to keep their son safe.

This film also tackles veteran suicide, which is not a pleasant topic, but it takes a young veteran of Muslim decent to make a point.

The final reason that I connected with this film, is because it speaks to the topic of working for “the man.”

“The man” is any company that you have ever worked for that did not appreciate you, your abilities, or just plain tried to use you, without caring one iota about you.

If you can connect with any of these reasons, then see this film.

Unless, of course, you are too sensitive, too prudish, or too intolerant.

This film is not so much about being Black and masculine in America, as it is about being American.

Richard Roundtree stars in the 1971 version of “Shaft.”

Actor Samuel L. Jackson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_L._Jackson

Actor Jessie Usher:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Usher

Actor Richard Roundtree:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Roundtree

Actress Regina Hall:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_Hall

Actress Alexandra Shipp:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Shipp

Director Tim Story:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Story

Writer Kenya Barris:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Barris

Writer Alex Barnow:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1113415/

Wiki Shaft 2019:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(2019_film)

Wiki Shaft 1971:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)

7/7/2019 # SHAFT 2019

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

John and Molly Chester on their farm, and bad dog.

The Biggest Little Farm

Film review by Marlene Ardoin

This film is about a couple, John Chester and his wife Molly, who are idealistic environmental filmmakers, who decide to put their money where their mouths are.

As the film opens, they are newly married living in a rental home with an unruly dog, who is responsible for forcing them to make a change.

They film their journey of going from renters to the owners of their own farm, Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, California.

Their dream is to have an organic farm that produces all their own organic food, as well as extra to sell to others in their community.

The farm they purchase has dead soil and a dry reservoir, when they arrive.

And, they have zero experience in farming, let alone raising animals.

At the very beginning, their unruly dog is calling all the shots.

But, they are very determined idealists.

They decide to bring in experienced help, who turns out to have similar grandiose, idealistic leanings.

Their mentor’s favorite quote is “no time to do things right, but plenty of time to do things over.”

Watching this film is like watching a caterpillar transform into a gorgeous butterfly.

They do have enormous problems to overcome, which is what makes this film so fascinating.

They slowly, over a ten year period, proceed to develop a designer farm based on the philosophy of the interdependent diversity of nature.

For example, at one point they have an infestation of garden snails, which can mean death to organic produce.

They discovered that if they let their ducks loose on the problem, the problem would be history.

Another example, coyotes were picking off their free range chickens one to ten at a time.

Because this is an organic farm, we are shocked to see them struggle with the idea of shooting the coyotes.

Two Great Pyrenees puppies for the farm.

First, they get two Great Pyrenees puppies to guard their sheep.

Then, they assign one of the dogs to the chickens, end of problem.

The coyotes could now properly concentrate on the gopher problem.

And at this point, they discover that they needed more coyotes.

During the ten year farming period, the bees came back, the drought happened, the fires happened, and the floods happened in California.

But, the diversity setup of their farm handled each environmental event with ease.

John and Molly mature before the viewers eyes.

Character, strength and wisdom are developed with each and every problem.

The final reward is the birth of their own son.

And, the viewer gets to decide if small organic farming is the solution to the world’s food problems.

I would recommend seeing this film, just because their farm is “so damn pretty.”

The prettiest, biggest, little farm.

 

The biggest Little Farm Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Biggest_Little_Farm

The Biggest Little Farm Official Trailer | Released April 5, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QHbYqz2ln8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nbU6Z5n6JI

Q&A for THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM with John & Molly Chester 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuVhi1BnRg8

John, Molly and their son on their farm.

6/25/2019 # The Biggest Little Farm

 

UNPLANNED

Ashley Bratcher (Abby Johnson) comforts young girls, who just had abortions in “Unplanned.”

 

UNPLANNED

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I had no illusion that this film was propaganda for Pro Life, but it exposes the dirty little secrets of Planned Parenthood.

In the process, the film “Unplanned” reveals truths that even a Pro Choicer needs to know.

It tells the story of Abby Johnson, who had the distinction of being the youngest director of a Planned Parenthood clinic.

Johnson’s only qualifications appear to be that she volunteered and had two abortions at the clinic, prior to being hired.

After seeing “Unplanned”, I have come to the conclusion that Planned Parenthood should not be giving any abortions of any kind on their premises.

All abortions belong in a real hospital, in case there are any complications, like a perforated uterus, and especially if you are a teen too young to know what to do.

Planned Parenthood needs to do what they do best, which is counseling families on birth control with condoms, birth control pills and other methods.

They do not have the facility to perform medical procedures.

The film illustrates how greed seems to have replaced Planned Parenthood’s original non-profit goals.

“In their 2014 Annual Report, PPFA reported seeing over 2.5 million patients in over 4 million clinical visits and performing a total of nearly 9.5 million discrete services including 324,000 abortions.

 Its combined annual revenue in US is $1.3 billion, including approximately $530 million in government funding such as Medicaid reimbursements.”

Abortions are Planned Parenthood’s bread and butter.

On the positive side, Planned Parenthood had a female director who was willing to give another woman a chance at a very high profile job.

Abby Johnson was being groomed for a management position, but she was seeing the gift through rose-colored glasses.

Abby eventually sees that something was rotten in Denmark. Innocent teens should not be sent home to abort alone with a few pills and ibuprofen.

This is cruelty. Rather, it should be done in a hospital with staff and compassionate attendants nearby.

As far as abortion goes, I still believe that sometimes it is necessary, but with reasonable limits imposed.

How does a 14 year old get pregnant in the first place? Some parents should be held to the fire. 

Are they giving their children too much freedom, or not enough protection?

“Unplanned” is very graphic. In fact, some males can be seen running out of the theater, especially if they are guilty of taking advantage of a young girl’s innocence.

Criminalizing abortion is not the answer. Young girls in trouble are not murderers for getting an abortion.

Why should a rapist receive a lighter sentence than a young girl, who gets an abortion?

Society is the real culprit. We live in a society that preys upon young people sexually and financially.

This is a society that no longer makes having children a priority.

And to compound that, ninety-nine percent of young people cannot afford to have a family, let alone marry.

And, when did education get so expensive?

If a young person wants to better themselves, they are forced to start their lives with a ton of educational debt.

Marriage and having a family keep getting delayed longer and longer.

“Unplanned” shames and questions our values and priorities as a society.

See this film at your own risk. It is highly recommended for young men and women, who are just starting out in life.

The real Abby Johnson with her family (they now have eight children).

 

Unplanned:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unplanned

Planned Parenthood:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Parenthood

Sonoma County Pro Life:

https://www.facebook.com/SonomaProLife/

Abby Johnson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abby_Johnson_(activist)

Abby Johnson: Un-spinning the Web of Planned Parenthood:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Dcw2tJczI

Sorting Fact from Fiction in the Story of Pro-life Celebrity Abby Johnson:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/fact-fiction-pro-life-celebrity-abby-johnson-unplanned/

World Over – 2019-01-17 – Abby Johnson and Ashley Bratcher with Raymond Arroyo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1cJ9h4uPis

Actress Ashley Bratcher:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Bratcher

Actress Robia LaMorte:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robia_LaMorte

Writer, Producer, Directors Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon:

https://networthpost.org/net-worth/chuck-konzelman-net-worth/

6/3/2019 # Unplanned

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

The surviving Superheroes go after Thanos.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Hopefully, everyone who is going to see “Avengers: Endgame,” has seen it by now. Doesn’t look like it is going to overtake “Avatar”.

So now, we can actually talk about it, without anyone having to plug their ears.

The question I had at the end of the film was: “What happened to the gems?”

The gems represent money and Thanos (Josh Brolin) is power. This is all about the era of might and money make right.

But, things happen, it really wasn’t clear to me, that Captain America (Chris Evans) actually put the gems back where they belong.

All I know is that he showed up as an old man holding his shield. Do you believe his story about the girl?

If it is true, he is the only one in the entire story, who actually gets to live an ideal life.

Just like Thanos does not get to decide who lives and who dies, neither does Captain America.

The new era should be about people stepping out of their egos. They start to care about others, about everyone.

This is a new world with no secrets, but it appears Captain America has some huge secrets to explain. What did he do with the gems?

Who doesn’t have an ego in this film? Every single superhero, is a great big wad of ego issues.

No one is capable or worthy of controlling the power of the gems.

As I was walking out of the theater with some other movie goers, we concluded that everything could be fixed with just one more time travel trip.

But, who should make the trip?

I would send the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). She was the only one, who was able to give up the gem in her possession.

She has enough discipline and wisdom to actually not be tempted to misuse the gems. She may even think the problem through, before snapping her fingers.

Another point about this film that disturbed me was the bullying issue.

Everyone gangs up on Thanos. He is just one person. How many people does it take?

And, even Thanos cannot control the gems. His intentions may have been good, but no one is better off, not even him.

Why does Thanos feel that he had to eliminate half of humanity? Could it be an over population issue? Could it be that humanity is destroying its own environment?

Why not create a dimension of unlimited resources, instead of deleting half of the human resources?

On the positive side, I have never had three hours wiz by so fast. There was no room for boredom or sleepiness at all.

Pay attention, there just may be another follow-up on this action packed thriller.

What happened to the gems?

Thanos (Josh Brolin) takes off his armor.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avengers:_Endgame

Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark /Iron Man):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Robert_Downey_Jr.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hemsworth

Rene Russo (Frigga):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rene_Russo

Chris Evans (Captain America):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Evans_(actor)

Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Rudd

Brie Larson (Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brie_Larson

Gwyneth Paltrow (Virginia “Pepper” Potts):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwyneth_Paltrow

Josh Brolin (Thanos) :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Brolin

Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/ Hulk):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Ruffalo

Scarlett Johansson (Natasha romanoff/Black Widow):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlett_Johansson

Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton / Hawkeye):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Renner

5/14/2019 # Avengers:Endgame

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