Movies Of The Spirit - Page 15 of 21 -

RBG

Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Justice, with nominator President Ronald Reagan in 1981 (far left). The four women who have served on the Court. From left to right: Justices Sandra Day O’Connor (ret.), Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagan.

RBG

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I was more than energized by the documentary, “RBG.” So far, four women judges have made it to the United States Supreme Court. When Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired in 2006, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the only woman on the court.

If it were up to Ginsburg, there would be nine female Supreme Court Justices. There would be no discrimination based on sex, race or age. Women would have control of their own bodies. Same sex couples would be able to legally marry. There would be no death penalty, no sexual harassment, no unconscious bias and no age discrimination. There would be gender equality, rights for workers and the separation of church and state.

We almost take these things for granted now, but before RBG, these rights, were not at all in place.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a very determined Supreme Court Justice, who has more than earned her place on the Court.

Born in the midst of the Great Depression, now 85 years old, Ginsburg has endured many hardships as no big deal.

Her 56 year marriage to Martin Ginsburg began with her caring for her newborn daughter, her ill husband and getting both her husband and herself through law school. She not only attended her own classes, but his (bringing him the notes).

These early events established her as the alpha matriarch in their marriage.

Once through law school, her husband had no trouble finding a law firm, but at that time, no one would hire a woman, so Ginsburg was forced to turn to academia.

In Ginsburg’s upbringing, her mother, Celia, worked to help put her own brother through college, but was denied that privilege herself. Ginsburg’s mother put a lot of effort into getting Ruth an education, but then dies of cancer the day before Ruth’s high school graduation. Self-sacrifice seems to be in her blood.

After having fought for gender equality, Ginsburg now seems to be faced with ageism. She may be eighty-five years old, but as long as she can be fully effective on the court, she is not backing down from her duties.

“RBG” celebrates her accomplishments, just in case we forget to be forever grateful.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist swears-in Ginsburg as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court as President Clinton watches in 1993.

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

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

15 Things You Should Know About Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/76804/15-things-you-should-know-about-ruth-bader-ginsburg

Biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

https://www.biography.com/people/ruth-bader-ginsburg-9312041

Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Same-Sex Marriage, Women’s Rights, Health:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPict1a-xQ8

Stanford Rathbun Lecture 2017 – Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83XnwyWg_q8

The Kalb Report – Ruth Bader Ginsberg & Antonin Scalia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0utJAu_iG4

6/14/2018 # RBG

GAME NIGHT

(l to r) Rachel McAdams, Lamorne Morris, Billy Magnussen, Jason Bateman and Kylie Bunbury.

GAME NIGHT

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I am reviewing this film because at least four of my cinema customers directly told me that they really loved this film.

It is a dark comedy produced by the same people who produced “Horrible Bosses.” I think what sets this film and the “Horrible Bosses” films apart is the added depth of content.

“Game Night” is about why Americans love and hate competition. The film shows us a group of friends, who get together once a week to play games.

It is about the one-ups-man-ship of constantly comparing yourself to others. It is about the constant striving to beat others. It is about sabotage. It is about an ego-based life taken to the extreme.

Jason Bateman, who was also in “Horrible Bosses,” plays Max. He stands out as the leader of this group of friends, who has an awakening, which is cradled in a lot of pain.

The entire cast ensemble is strong with many stand-out moments.

Rachel McAdams plays Max’s equally competitive and supportive wife, Annie, who catches herself, when she realizes that she is not being fully supportive.

Jesse Plemons plays Gary Kingsbury, their next door neighbor and a policeman, who is being excluded from the weekly games at a very vulnerable time in his life. Gary just lost his wife by way of divorce.

Plemons is both pathetic and endearing. When we get a look inside his home, we realize that he is one of those people, who puts others on a pedestal.

I enjoyed Billy Magnussen’s performance as friend, Ryan, who is not a couple, but rather, brings a different date every week.

Ryan’s friends criticize him for losing every week, because he brings dumb blond types with him. He responds that he does not need to win to feel good about himself.

One of Ryan’s dates, Madison (Natasha Hall), stood out for me. She is like Marilyn Monroe, because she is the only one you see, while she is there, even though she is supposed to be a minor character.

The truth is that Natasha Hall is a real brainiac. Her filmography includes credits for writing, directing and producing, not just acting.

I also loved “Game Night.” It is definitely going to be part of my DVD collection classics.

Jesse Plemons plays Gary Kingsbury, their next door neighbor.

Director John Francis Daley:

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

Director Jonathan Goldstein:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Goldstein_(filmmaker)

Writer Mark Perez:

http://www.tracking-board.com/game-night-screenwriter-mark-perez-on-how-the-high-concept-comedy-came-to-be/

Actor Jason Bateman:

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

Actress Rachel McAdams:

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

Actor Kyle Chandler:

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

Actor Jesse Plemons:

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

Actor Billy Magnussen:

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

Actress Sharon Horgan:

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

Actor Lamorne Morris:

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

Actress Kylie Bunbury:

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

Actress Natasha Hall:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1706020/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm#director

5/7/2018 # Game Night

A QUIET PLACE

Evelyn (Emily Blunt Krasinski) cautions her deaf daughter, Regan ((Millicent Simmonds), to be quiet.

A QUIET PLACE

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Shush…. or you might get killed.

“A Quiet Place” is about not having a voice in a life or death setting, where your abilities are not recognized, because of your gender, a physical disability, or any other competitive disadvantage.

Why have so many people been connecting with this film?

My take away is that rather than living in a constant terrified state, where a lot of the world lives right now, this film teaches us to figure out your opponent’s weaknesses, then to take defensive action in light of that knowledge.

It could be applied to confronting a shooter in a Waffle House, or to confronting a sexist, racist boss. The theme is universal.

The older daughter, Regan ((Millicent Simmonds), is physically and emotionally ready to take on responsibilities that her father, Lee (John Krasinski), is asking a much younger son, Marcus (Noah Jupe) to do.

This film questions the importance of maintaining the long established gender roles. In a life or death situation, everyone’s abilities need to be coordinated for survival.

“A Quiet Place” also takes a look at the family unit. The film shows us a husband (John Krasinski) and a wife (Emily Blunt) with an older daughter, (Millicent Simmonds) who is deaf, a younger son (Noah Jupe) and an unborn baby.

Apparently, there are neighbors, but no effort is made to organize them.

(Krasinski and Blunt are real life husband and wife and Simmonds is deaf in real life. And, the Krasinski’s, write, direct and perform their own script.)

In this film, your family is your team, and their individual talents and abilities need to be developed to the fullest. This is no time to shelter anyone from the truth, or to deliberately keep anyone weak or in the dark about anything.

If his wife can give birth in a pool of blood, without making a sound, then the husband should be able to figure out a way to save his children without screaming.

Self-sacrifice is out of the question. The father is a vital member of the team, and the family’s chances of survival go way down without him.

I was a little puzzled about why doors were left wide open, and wondered why they could not just create a series of noise diversions in another location, if their enemy could not see, but responded to sound?

At least the female characters were not victims.

Emily Blunt was fabulous in “A Girl on a Train,” and she is just as great in “A Quiet Place,” where she is essentially the same character. Once she figures things out, she becomes a force to be reckoned with.

This film gave me a lot to think about, which I loved. It is not for the faint of heart, but is highly recommended for competitive advantage.

Saying grace, becomes a silent meditation in “A Quiet Place.’

John Krasinski Bio:

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

Emily Blunt Bio:

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

Millicent Simmonds Bio:

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

Noah Jupe Bio:

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

4/23/2018 # A Quiet Place

THE LEISURE SEEKER

John (Donald Sutherland) and Ella (Helen Mirren) find heaven on their road trip to old age.

THE LEISURE SEEKER

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Sometimes it takes an outside eye to see the truth of a situation.

In the case of “The Leisure Seeker,” Italian director, Paolo Virzi, captures the American dilemma of aging and of marriage in our culture.

On the surface, John and Ella Spencer (Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren) are perfect for each other. They appear to enjoy all the privileges of being secure financially and socially.

During their road trip from Wellesley, Massachusetts, down the coast to Key West, Florida, we get to look under the hood of their marriage, its dynamics, and what has held their marriage together for nearly 50 years.

He is a successful, distinguished college professor, and she is the warm, gregarious wife and mother of their two children, a boy and a girl, Jane and Will (Janel Moloney and Christian McKay).

However, in a culture that is voraciously competitive, even the slightest of weaknesses can be seen as an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

How does love express itself in such an environment?

When Ella was pregnant, the beautiful, next door neighbor (Kirsty Mitchell) takes advantage of the situation, and the neglected, husband, John, betrays the trust of his wife, Ella.

Lucky John, he is surrounded by women who love him, his wife, his neighbor and his daughter. Being the successful breadwinner, his future is protected, even in his current state of dementia.

Dementia has never been so charming thanks to Donald Sutherland. John lives in the present, with no judgement of situations or of people. He seems to enjoy every moment, whether he is in a crummy rest home or a Trump rally or at Hemmingway’s last home.

His moments of lucidity are few and far between. But, he is endearing in every situation.

I recently watched “Milton’s Secret,” which also stars Donald Sutherland as a benevolent grandfather, who steps into the life of his grandson, with the wisdom and grace of an American baby boomer.

That movie has a very different perspective. In “Milton’s Secret,” granddad is totally independent and is a good problem solver. He is in, helps solve some problems, and then he leaves, before he becomes a burden.

I have to congratulate Sutherland for his many recent portrayals of aging American men. He also recently tackled the role of John Paul Getty, in “Trust” a new FX series, which began on March 25^th.

Back to “The Leisure Seeker,” how does Ella keep John interested?

She has this story of her first love, who mythically fawned over her in an effort of win her love. She gives her husband a competitive bar to reach.

Dick Gregory has an interesting cameo as her first love, who is now in a crummy rest home. No accident that he is Black, the American standard of virility.

Helen Mirren does have her moments as Ella. The most striking is when she scares off two young thieves with her gun, telling them, “We’ve got nothing to lose!” She exhibits her strength of character that has made her a winner throughout her marriage.

How do their children turn out? Their daughter, Jane, is the successful one. She marries, becomes a college professor, just like dad, and has two children as well.

John and Ella’s son, Will, loses at the game of life. He is gay, which prevents him from openly having a normal life.

So, he devotes himself to taking care of his aging parents, always feeling less loved, less appreciated, and a victim of less self-esteem.

The problem of parents getting older in a competitive society, is that they can no longer maintain their independence.

In America, aging parents are a burden, worth more dead, than alive.

The conclusion is that Americans are no good at leisure. They need to be independent, active and useful.

This is not just an American dilemma. In Italy, by 2024, it will already have more than 1 million people over the age of 90.

And, worldwide, the elderly will form an increasingly large proportion of the population in most countries.

In America, if you do not have money, if you do not have good health, you might find yourself doing what John and Ella end up doing.

Brace yourself for the big event, because we will all get there eventually.

Italian director, Paolo Virzi’s Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Virz%C3%AC

Actress Kirsty Mitchell Bio:

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

Milton’s Secret 2016 – full movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waSZXgD1Fmc

Helen Mirren, Ella, and Donald Sutherland, John, sit beside their “leisure seeker,” an aging RV that has seen its day.

3/26/2018 # The Leisure Seeker

2018 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

2018 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Best Picture

Will win: The Shape of Water

Should win: The Post

Did win: The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water I was not feeling the love. Too violent and sadistic for me. The Post was the only film in the group that I can really get behind. It has a true, heroic story, in which a woman gets to lead the charge. Meryl Streep really knows how to pick her roles. Call Me by Your Name turned me off. It is not ok to use your employee to test the sexuality of your son. And, it is not ok for your son to use impressionable, young girls to try out his sexuality. Except for the mother, all the other females were made to look hopelessly ridiculous.

Darkest Hour Everything was going great, until we came to where Churchill flashes his privates at his in-home secretary. Were they trying to illustrate the Me Too movement? One thing that I did like about this film was that it spelled out what Dunkirk was all about. Apparently, the whole British army was waiting on the Dunkirk beach. That point was not made clear to me in Dunkirk. The part of me that is half French was turned off by Dunkirk. I went cold when the British turned away the French soldiers from getting on the escape boat. It was obvious that French lives did not matter to them.

Get Out was very creative, but does not help Whites or Blacks like or trust one another. Very paranoid and hurtful story. Lady Bird features the competition between mothers and daughters, where the daughter finally gets to take the high road and forgive her mother. Bad mothers seem to be a theme this year.

Phantom Thread features a weird power struggle in a love relationship, which gets solidified in the marital relationship. This is not helpful in the slightest. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri is one of the bad mother films. I, Tonya features yet another of the daughter sabotaging moms. Why is this so important for filmmakers to point out? No thanks.

Call Me by Your Name

Darkest Hour

Dunkirk

Get Out

Lady Bird

Phantom Thread

*The Post

The Shape of Water

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Lead Actor

Will win: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Should win: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Did win: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name

Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread

Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out

*Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Lead Actress

Will win: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should win: Meryl Streep, The Post

Did win: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Margot Robbie, I, Tonya

Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird

*Meryl Streep, The Post

Supporting Actress

Will win: Allison Janney, I, Tonya

Should win: Mary J. Blige, Mudbound

Did win: Allison Janney, I, Tonya

*Mary J. Blige, Mudbound

Allison Janney, I, Tonya

Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread

Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

Supporting Actor

Will win: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Should win: Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World

Did win: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water

*Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World

Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Adapted Screenplay

Will win: Call Me By Your Name

Should win: Molly’s Game

Did win: Call Me By Your Name

Call Me By Your Name

The Disaster Artist

*Molly’s Game

Mudbound

Logan

Original Screenplay

Will win: Get Out

Should win: The Big Sick

Did win: Get Out

*The Big Sick

Get Out

Lady Bird

The Shape of Water

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Director

Will win: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water

Should win: Greta Gerwig,Lady Bird

Did win: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water

Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk

Jordan Peele,Get Out

*Greta Gerwig,Lady Bird

Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread

Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water

2/25/2018 # 2018 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

FIFTY SHADES FREED

Ana (Dakota Johnson) accepts Christian’s (Jaime Dornan) marriage proposal.

FIFTY SHADES FREED

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Nothing not to love in the final stage of “Fifty Shades Freed.” Everyone loves beautiful weddings, fantastic honeymoons in Paris and the French Riviera, then on to the setting of boundaries in a very modern marriage.

I think that some very important points are made in light of today’s male and female relations.

Personally, I know some women, who have had a marriage, but now seek to prolong the dating stage as long as they can, then instead of committing, they go on to the next lover.

You know who you are ladies, usually blond with a tattoo close to their breasts, who are not willing to trade bliss for a pile of dirty dishes.

Important marriage points in “Fifty Shades Freed”:

The wife gets to keep having an exciting career and her own money after marriage. Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) is a book editor, thanks to Christian Grey’s (Jaime Dornan) courting gesture. After marriage, she seeks his respect for her authority at work.

The husband does not get to take out his frustrations or anger on his wife in the bedroom. Christian is frustrated that Ana does not go straight home after work. Instead, she chooses to spend time with her friends. She makes it clear to him that she does get to have friends.

The husband does not get to turn to other women as a sounding board. He needs to communicate with his wife, instead. (Spoiler alert) Christian does not react well, when Ana tells him that she is pregnant. She reminds him that they are in this together. This is not something that involves other women.

The wife may choose to retain her maiden name for professional reasons. Ana is now Mrs. Grey, but at work, she retains the name of Anastasia Steele. Ana asks Christian to respect this.

The wife gets to retain her friends. Ana sets this boundary early. She does not intend to go home to keep the dirty dishes company.

The wife gets to do what every other woman is doing on the French Riviera. Europeans are not so prudish about exposed breasts. In fact, some circles believe that tightly constricted breasts, may lead to breast cancer.

The wife gets to spoil her man in the kitchen, and he gets to spoil her back, by learning how to cook. Ana has mastered the perfect steak, the least that Christian can do is turn out a decent pasta.

The wife needs to learn how to set boundaries for other designing women in her husband’s life. (Spoiler alert) Ana lets a female architect know that when on the job, she needs to dress and act in a more respectful manner. Also, the architect does not get to demolish a home that Ana thinks is beautiful.

The wife needs to be strong, smart, capable of making quick decisions and is well able to defend herself. (Spoiler alert) Ana takes a hand gun and the bank official’s phone, which requires a lot of thinking on her feet, in a very tight and dangerous situation.

And, last but not least, the husband needs to learn to trust his wife and needs to learn how to express his feelings. (Spoiler alert) Christian is not able to cry, but in this one scene, he does manage to cry. Well, almost. I got the impression that they both laughed their heads off, while trying to do this scene, and the best they could do was to fake it. No close ups of Christian’s eyes, which would have made this scene. Too bad.

If you can think of anything else that belongs on this list, please let me know.

Their first dance as husband and wife.

Dakota Johnson’s Bio:

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

Jamie Dornan’s Bio:

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

Director James Foley Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Foley_(director)

Screenwriter Niall Leonard Bio:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0502727/

Author E.L. James Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._L._James

Ana (Dakota Johnson) switches seats with Christian (Jaime Dornan), so she can drive.

2/10/2018 # Fifty Shades Freed

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

Gail Harris Getty (Michelle Williams) waits for father-in-law, J P Getty.

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I understand why Kevin Spacey needed to be replaced. Director, Ridley Scott, needed a J P Getty, with whom the audience could be sympathetic.

Christopher Plummer, as J P Getty, fulfills the role of the American success icon, and his daughter-in-law, Gail Harris Getty (Michelle Williams,), walks a very fine line between the good mother and the gold digger.

Contrary to what the ending of this film leads the audience to believe, Gail Getty, married to one of Getty’s sons, John Paul Getty, II, does not end up controlling any of the inheritance money, at all.

Getty’s trust was overseen by his sons, Gordon and Ronald.

This is a pretty heavy-handed departure from the truth, which I suppose can be summed up as an accusation.

In the film, Gail is the one who suggests to her husband that they contact his father for financial help.

And, Gail is the one who contacts Getty for the 17 million in ransom money, to release her son, John Paul Getty III.

J P Getty died just three years after this kidnap incident. It pretty much took its toll on him and his status as an American icon.

After Gail’s son’s ear was cut off, after her son is freed, and after her son has a drug and alcohol stroke (not depicted in the film), Gail is also the one who requests funds to take care of him for the rest of his life.

Gail’s husband, John Paul Getty II, becomes an addict and divorces her for another woman, her son gets kidnapped, and then, her son becomes wheelchair bound, blind, quadriplegic, and unable to speak.

These events do not earn Gail Harris Getty any motherhood awards.

I do not believe that any of this was J P Getty’s fault.

J P Getty’s greatest crime was to be so focused on his career that he became the richest man in the world at that time, putting family and relationships, second.

If being married five times is a crime, he was guilty of that, as well.

Unconditional love was not a J P Getty strength. This imbalance in his life is what caused him a lot of strife and money.

“All the Money in the World,” written by David Scarpa, based on John Pearson’s 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty,” is well worth the price of admission.

J P Getty Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Paul_Getty

J P Getty Jr. Bio:

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

True story:

http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a9173861/john-paul-getty-kidnapping/

Getty Family:

http://www.tatler.com/gallery/meet-the-getty-family-andrew-getty-history-fortune-getty-images

SYND 18-7-73 ABIGAIL HARRIS TALKS ABOUT THE KIDNAP OF HER SON

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

What happened to John Paul Getty III?:

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca3ODhI7dW8

The Real Story of “All the Money in the World” by Ridley Scott

http://www.rebelcircus.com/blog/the-real-story-of-all-the-money-in-the-world/

Getty leaves bulk of fortune to son Mark

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1446836/Getty-leaves-bulk-of-fortune-to-son-Mark.html

How Mark Getty grew from the child seen in ‘All the Money in the World’ to be one of Britain’s richest men

https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/mark-getty-all-the-money-in-the-world/

Court Refuses to Alter Inheritance Left by J. Paul Getty to Eldest Son

http://articles.latimes.com/1986-12-14/local/me-3291_1_j-paul-getty

How to Be Rich by J. Paul Getty

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/616693.How_to_Be_Rich

J Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), I died on 6 June 1976, sitting in his favorite armchair at Sutton Place.

Charlie Plummer as J Paul Getty III.

2/4/2018 # All The Money in The World

MOLLY’S GAME

Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) uses her wits to run her own poker games.

MOLLY’S GAME

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Birth order does matter. Molly Bloom was at most 4 years older than her two brothers, Jordan and Jeremy. For many years, she was older, brighter and stronger than they were.

Then in a curious twist of fate, she ends up with a serious back surgery around the age of twelve. Her edge, her leadership, her physical and mental advantage interrupted, but not forever.

Molly is now the subject of an Academy Award film, “Molly’s Game”, in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay, based on a biographical book that she wrote.

Females are not supposed to outshine their brothers, not in this world or even in an American culture. But, Molly started out ahead, and that has a built in confidence that is ingrained for life.

I hate to speculate on this, but society has its way of preventing such women from succeeding, and from keeping that confidence and advantage.

Molly’s family wants her to become an attorney, but Molly talks them into a year’s delay. Her travels end up in Los Angeles, which is unauthorized and, at which point, her funds are discontinued.

For the first time in her life, Molly (Jessica Chastain) is doing what she wants to do. She is attracted to the film capitol of the world.

Suddenly, without funds, she gets a job as a cocktail waitress. A far cry from an attorney, but it enables her to stay in Los Angeles.

Seeing her comfort and confidence around men, a real estate agent, Dean Keith (Jeremy Strong) invites Molly to be his personal assistant in putting together underground poker games, in which a room full of Hollywood male stars and the elite are invited.

Suddenly, Molly is making $3000 dollar a night tips for her efforts.

Molly is his assistant in this business, and she can see that he is not making it work, but rather than helping him correct this, she betrays him.

Yes, he was verbally abusive to her, but when it comes down to where the rubber meets the road, the boys will always stick together.

Her next mistake is taking her poker games to New York City, which is an even more dangerous place for a woman to try to outshine the guys.

The mob must have seen her as an easy mark, when they saw the kinds of money that was changing hands in her multi-million dollar poker enterprise, all operated by women.

Molly should now be able to see the value of a tough Dean Keith as a partner, because addicts have no boundaries.

A career as a poker princess was not meant to be, but it was not right living anyway.

Skipping ahead, Molly is back in Hollywood, selling her book idea, “Molly’s Game” to screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin.

This is what Molly was meant to do, this is her future, if she chooses to take it.

I found this film to be very timely, considering the “Me Too” climate of today.

Jessica Chastain does a fabulous job of portraying her character, who gets emotionally abused, beat up and hammered by the justice system.

It is noteworthy to say that Jessica Chastain was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture at the Golden Globes.

Molly Bloom, post poker games.

History vs Hollywood:

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/mollys-game/

Molly Bloom Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Bloom_(author)

The rise and fall and rise of Molly Bloom:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-of-molly-bloom-32sfw9fr7

Watch Author Molly Bloom Speak at MPW Next Gen I Fortune:

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

Molly Bloom – Molly’s Game Movie Interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK8pbMeKnrI

Molly Bloom & Jessica Chastain Interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPojk2niG2M

MOLLY’S GAME Interviews- Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba and Aaron Sorkin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsnrc34g09A

Academy Conversations: Molly’s Game:

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

Jessica Chastain Bio:

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

Aaron Sorkin Bio:

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

Aaron Sorkin – From Addict to Academy Award Nominee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObIfH4utYPU

Aaron Sorkin on the fears he faced in directing “Molly’s Game”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0mThA3kvEg

Aaron Sorkin sorts truth and fiction in his directorial debut, Colorado-rooted “Molly’s Game”:

http://theknow.denverpost.com/2017/12/22/aaron-sorkin-mollys-game-molly-bloom-colorado-interview/170666/

Mother, Char Bloom on board of Make a Wish:

https://wishofalifetime.org/about/board-of-directors/char-bloom/

Molly’s Bio with pictures:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5255519/Molly-Bloom-leads-quiet-life-poker-princess-days.html

Molly with her brothers Jordan (left) and Jeremy (right)

Molly on slopes with her two brothers.

1/26/2018 # Molly’s Game

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum surrounded by his circus performers.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Film review by Marlene Ardoin

When P. T. Barnum was fifteen, he became head of his father’s household, which included ten children and his own mother, who was his hardworking father’s 2^nd wife.

In the mid-eighteen hundreds, there were no safety nets to catch you, if you fell off the trapeze of life.

The story told in the film, ‘The Greatest Showman,” touches up the rough parts of his story, but only focuses on a very simplified aspect of his life, which was his ability to create acceptance and dignity for individuals, who did not fit into society’s norm.

The real P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman), was a shrewd businessman, a store keeper, a lottery organizer, a newspaper publisher, an author, a speaker, a politician, and a showman, who re-invented himself many times.

He did not start the circus until he was in his 60s.

He had two museum buildings that burned to the ground, before he was forced to come up with the circus tent idea.

Barnum backed the Union during the civil war, which was most likely the reason his museum buildings kept catching fire, not because of what he was displaying in his buildings.

Religious-wise, Barnum was a Universalist and had a solid marriage, which lasted for forty years. He fathered four daughters with his first wife.

When his first wife, Charity (Michelle Williams) died, he married a 2^nd time to a woman, Nancy Fish, who was 20 years his junior, and that marriage lasted another twenty years.

In the film, his partner Zac Efron’s character, Phillip Carlyle, is purely fictitious .

In real life, he met up with James Anthony McGinnes, who had been orphaned at eight years, then adopted by another circus owner, who gave him the name, James Anthony Bailey.

When the two circus’s merged, it became Barnum and Bailey’s Circus. The real Bailey died in his fifties of a horrible skin disease. And, he was about 20 years younger than P.T. Barnum. Not too romantic for a Hollywood film.

The reason I am giving you all of this information, is because, even though I loved the film, “The Greatest Showman”, the real story was so much greater.

So, do the filmmakers go for beauty and romance, or what would happen if the filmmakers attempted to tell the real story in its context? If they had, I think it would have been Oscar worthy.

P.T. Barnum Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._Barnum

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/phineas-taylor-barnum-2499.php

https://connecticuthistory.org/p-t-barnum-an-entertaining-life/

History vs hollywood

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/greatest-showman/

James Anthony Bailey Bio:

http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/owners/jamesbailey.html

Universalist Church:

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

Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) falls in love with the beautiful Anne Wheeler (Zendaya).

A donation buys an email subscription to “Movies of the Spirit.

1/13/2018 # the Greatest Showman

WONDER

The Pullman family walks together in confronting a school bully. (l to r) Owen Wilson, Gidget, Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic and Julia Roberts.

WONDER

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Even though “Wonder” takes place during the Halloween season, I found it to be the perfect holiday season film.

Only the hardest heart will remain unmoved by this story. The silent tears spontaneously started about mid-way for me, not because of the degree of bullying meanness, but because of the humor, kindness and open-heartedness that evolves in its storytelling.

Jacob Tremblay plays August “Auggie” Pullman, Isabel (Julia Roberts) and Nate’s (Owen Wilson) son who was born with Treacher Collins syndrome.

After I was exposed to Auggie’s humor, intelligence, and humility, he starts to look like the normal kid, and the bullies start to look like grotesque, fractured souls.

Bullying is one of the unfortunate side products of a competitive system. The losers need to feel superior to someone, and that someone is usually the kid or individual who looks different.

However, standing out from the crowd is what makes one a winner in real life. Who wants to be like everybody else?

Mandy Patinkin as Mr. Tushman, could easily play one of the benevolent Harry Potter wizardry professors.

Mr. Tushman is the dean who confronts the parents of the main bully, Julian (Bryce Gheisar).

Patinkin models how school officials should respond to bullying in the school setting.

Unfortunately, bullying happens everywhere, at school, at work, at home and even in government.

Please see this movie. It could save your job, your family, your community or your children.

The film, “Wonder,” teaches the power of kindness.

Mandy Patinkin Bio:

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

Bullying:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/bullying

Auggie sits with his friends at school.

A donation buys an email subscription to “Movies of the Spirit.

12/11/2017 # Wonder