Fall-Winter Reviews 2019

So what have I been enjoying in entertainment for the past few months? Read on for my reviews of movies, DVDs, TV shows and CDs that I have watched or listened to recently.

Movies

Widows
This movie is directed by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) and stars Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder). Davis is one of 4 women, who are involved with some gangsters. After a job goes wrong, they end up being widowed. The women come together to pull off one last job, to pay off a debt that the husband’s left them. This movie has many levels, and there is a lot in it. It covers female enpowerment, political corruption, income inequality, gentrification of cities, police brutality and more. The supporting cast is good and includes: Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Michelle Rodriguez and Liam Neeson. Not a perfect movie (as it tries to do too much), but overall I liked it. Grade: B-

Dr. Suess’ The Grinch
File this one under unnecessary remake. This latest take on Dr. Suess’ The Grinch comes from Illumination Studios (Minions, Secret Life of Pets). Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Grinch. The story really feels padded at 90 minutes — so you get more of the Grinch’s back story, plus more Whoville kids and a few cute animals too. I loved the billboards around town for this movie, more than the movie. It was just OK to me. Wait for video. Grade: C

Green Book
This fact based movie tells of the unlikely friendship that develops between a black jazz musician and the white man he hires to be his driver/bodyguard during the early 1960’s. The black man in question is Don Shirley (played by Mahershala Ali). He is playing with his trio at series of concert dates in the Deep South. Viggo Mortensen plays Tony Lip — the tough hired to drive him to the gig. They both come to the relationship with prejudicial feelings — but they come to see the humanity in each other. Along with how much they have in common. There is a good mix of laughs and drama. This movie is sure to be remembered come awards time. Grade: A-

Creed II
Adonis Creed is back — this time he is fighting Viktor Drago (the son of Ivan Drago from “Rocky IV”). Michael B. Jordan stars as Creed. Sylvester Stallone is back as his trainer Rocky Balboa. Creed feels he has to take the fight with younger Drago, as the elder Drago was responsible for his father’s death (Apollo Creed). Who better to help Creed than Rocky who famously beat Ivan in Rocky IV? Creed’s relationship with his girlfriend (played by Tessa Thompson) is given a lot of screen time too — and contributes to the heart of the movie. I enjoyed it. Grade: B

Ralph Breaks the Internet
This is the sequel to Disney’s 2012 movie — Wreck-It Ralph. This time Ralph and Vanellope leave their home in the video game world, and go out into the internet. This was a fun movie, that works on a few levels like a lot of Disney movies. It’s a story about friendship — about growing up and self-empowerment. There are lots of nods to the real world in the internet world… including Ebay and BuzzTube (a YouTube like website). One of the most fun sequences is when they go into the Disney area, and there is a room full of all the Disney princesses. I enjoyed myself. Grade: A-

Mary Poppins Returns
The sequel to 1964’s Mary Poppins stars Emily Blunt as the title character. Not having aged, Mary is back to help the Banks family again. Michael Banks is about to lose his house unless he can find proof that his Dad left him some bank shares. Mary Poppins comes in on a kite, and walks back into the Banks’ life. Lin-Manual Miranda plays her friend Jack, a lamp lighter. You get some great songs and dance numbers including “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” and “Nowhere to Go But Up.” This crowd-pleasing movie, will definitely put a smile on your face. Grade: A-

The Favourite
This costume comedy-drama has 2 women fighting and scheming to be the right hand of Queen Anne. It stars Academy-Award winners Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz along with Olivia Colman as the Queen. The acting is strong, the script and direction were not. And the soundtrack is just plain annoying. The movie wants to be something better than it actually is. It was not my thing. Grade: C

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
This movie has a whole new spin on the Spider-Man tale. In this movie, Miles Morales (a black-latino teenager) is bit by a radioactive spider and gains super powers. Miles finds out that he is part of a bigger spider-verse that including Peter Parker, a few woman, and even a pig. The movie is very hip-hop inspired and looks unlike any other animated movie out there. I thought it was missing some heart though. Likeable, but not really my thing. Grade: B-

Mary Queen of Scots
Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) and Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) star in this costume drama that details the rivalry between Queen Elizabeth of England and Mary Queen of Scots. They are powerful women and cousins — who both respect and fear each other. Each has problems with their courts — where men have conspired to escalate the tension between the two. Multi-racial casting adds a contemporary flair to the movie. I enjoyed it. Grade: B+

Roma
Alfonso Cuarón directs this movie set in 1970’s Mexico. It follows the story of Cleo — the nanny/housekeeper for a middle-class family. We see all that she does for the family — from cleaning up after the dog to waking the kids in the morning. The movie is beautifully shot in black and white. Cleo has drama in her personal life, and gets pregnant by a guy who wants nothing to do with her after the news. It is a nice portrait of a working-class woman trying to make it in world. Compared to some other contenders, this movie is very slight — and not something I would expect to do well in the bigger categories. Maybe best foreign language movie or cinematography at best. Grade: B-

Vice
From director-writer Adam McKay comes Vice. It’s the story of Dick Cheney — from his early days as a drunk college student to becoming Vice President under George W. Bush. He cleaned up his act enough to get into politics starting with the Nixon administration. And with each Republican president, his career advanced — ultimately landing him in the VP spot. This is one of the best movies of the year — and sure to be recognized at Oscar time. Christian Bale is great as Cheney, and the strong supporting cast includes Amy Adams, Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell. Like “The Big Short”, McKay mixes comedy and drama to tell a compelling story. Grade: A

Second Act
Jennifer Lopez stars in this heart-warming, feel-good movie. She plays Maya, a middle-aged woman who receives a second chance in life after her resumé gets faked by a friend. Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens and Treat Williams round out the supporting cast. If you like J Lo, you’ll like the movie. It’s predictable, but there are a few solid laughs. And everyone can identify with the idea of rising above your circumstances, and making the most of your life. Grade: B-

The Mule
Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this movie about a senior citizen who becomes a drug mule for the Mexican cartel. It was inspired by a true story. Eastwood gives a good performance, and the supporting cast is strong too (Dianne Wiest, Bradley Cooper and Laurence Fishburne among them). Some could say this movie is a commentary about life today… about how seniors have a hard time making ends meet in retirement, and the high cost of living in general. Grade: B

On the Basis of Sex
This is the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and one of the important early cases in her career. The movie follows her from her Harvard days to winning a case with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Felicity Jones stars as RBG, with Armie Hammer playing her husband. This movie follows on the heels of the documentary “RGB” from earlier this year which was a better movie. But this one has a lot going for it still and is worth watching to see a powerful women come into her own. Grade: B+

Aquaman
This is the latest movie in the DC Extended Universe — starring Jason Momoa as the title character, and directed by James Wan (Furious 7). I wasn’t expecting much given the history of the DC films, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is basically an origin story, but it’s not one we have heard before. Momoa proves he is a star — he has the right amount of humor and command in his role. Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard and Willem Dafoe are in the supporting cast. The movie is easily too long by about 30 minutes, and it does end up in FX overload like a lot of these movies. But it is filled with enough action, humor and spectacle to keep the story moving along. Hopefully the sequel will be better. Grade: B-

If Beale Street Could Talk
From director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), comes the adaption of James Baldwin’s novel. The movie is about the relationship between Tish and Fonny — a young African-American couple. Fonny ends up in jail accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Tish meanwhile is having his baby. It’s another small, sad movie from Mr. Jenkins. It reminded me of the documentary “13^th” about the prison industrial complex. Though the film is set in the 70’s, there are definitely parallels to what is happening today (racism, inequality). The leads have great chemistry and the film is beautifully shot. Worth watching. Grade: B

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
This is the latest movie from the Cohen brothers — now streaming on Netflix. It is similiar thematically to Seth McFarlane’s “A Million Ways to Die in the West.” The movie is made up of a bunch of short films, that all involve death in the Old West. Some are more comedic — others ironic. None of them are more than 20 minutes long, some as short as 5-10. Liam Neeson, James Franco and Tyne Daly are part of the big ensemble. Overall, I liked it — but it is not one of their best. Grade: B-

Bird Box
Now streaming on Netflix, this post-apocalyptic thriller stars Oscar winner Sandra Bullock. There is a force (or a creature) that is causing people to kill themselves when they see it. Bullock’s character is a pregnant woman who ends up in a house with a bunch of people trying to survive. The movie alternates between the now and 5 years in the future. I was pleasantly surprised with this movie, and it kept me entertained. It is definitely worth watching. Grade: B+

DVDs

Unsane
This movie from director Steven Soderbergh was filmed entirely on an iPhone 7 Plus. It stars Clare Foy (The Crown) as a woman who may or may not be going insane. She checks herself into a mental hospital, and while there she is convinced that she is being followed by a stalker who terrorized her years before. Not a perfect movie, but definitely worth a look. Grade: B-

Pitch Perfect 3
The final movie in the saga of the Barton Bellas (acapella singing group). So you get you favorite characters back for one last hurrah — this time playing on a USO tour, with a competition for the best against some regular musicians. I liked the singing — the story is lame and ludicrous. It has a pseudo spy story as a subplot. Definitely the worst of the 3 movies. Grade: C

Downsizing
Matt Damon stars in a movie directed by Alexander Payne. The concept is that the Earth is too crowded, and technology has advanced such that they can shrink you to just inches tall. He was promised a paradise, but it turns out there is just as many problems when he is shrunk as when he was regular size. The previews made it seem as if it was a light-funny concept; while it gets pretty heavy with social issues in the second half. Nice idea, but he couldn’t follow it through as far as I am concerned. Grade: D

Masters of Sex (Season 3)
The third season of the Showtime drama follows the lives of Masters and Johnson and their study of sexuality. Now their book has finally been published in a changing world. Their personal relationship continues with a few bumps along the road. And there are issues with their spouses and children too. Grade: B

TV Shows

The Crown (Season 1 and 2)
This Netflix series has already won some major Emmy and Golden Globe awards. It follows the rise of Queen Elizabeth in England. So you have appearances from Winston Churchill, her sister, Margaret, and her husband, Phillip. It feels like a documentary as times — a costume drama with personal insights into the Queen as well as matters of state too. I found it fascinating, and very entertaining. Grade: A

Murphy Brown
Candice Bergen returns as the title character after 20 years away. She becomes the anchor of a morning news program, along with a few regulars from the old series. While it is good to have them back, the show itself feels old and creaky. And I don’t like the focus being her hate for the Trump administration. I doubt this reboot will last more than the current season. Grade: C

The Connors
This is otherwise known as the Roseanne show without Roseanne. I gave it 2 episodes, and was not impressed. It is missing it’s star and it shows. Hopefully, this will die a quick death. Grade: C

American Horror Story: Apocalypse
The latest in this anthology series brings back characters from “Murder House” and “Coven.” Cody Fern plays a character who may be the anti-Christ. A lot of the regular performers are back like Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson and Even Peters. The story itself is all over the place. It started with people in a bunker escaping the Apocalypse, then it turned into lets bring back the old characters, and then a fight against witches and warlocks. More comedy than previous seasons. But not one of my favorite seasons. Better luck next time. Grade: C

CDs

Imagine Dragons — Origins
This is the 4^th studio album from the band fronted by Dan Reynolds. It includes the hits “Natural” and “Zero” (from “Ralph Breaks the Internet”). I have become a fan of this band over the course of this year — my favorite album being the last one “Evolve.” This one is not clicking with me so far. I like it just OK. They have been better. Grade: C+

John Legend — A Legendary Christmas
John lends his voice to both traditional and new songs for his first Christmas album. The result is sort of a soulful jazz holiday album. Nothing groundbreaking, but nice. Grade: B

Eric Church — A Desperate Man
This country-rock rebel continues to impress. This is his 6^th studio album. He knows what works for him, and he brings it every time. Highlights include: “Hangin’ Around” and the title track. Grade: A-

Pentatonix — Christmas Is Here!
On their 4^th Christmas album, Pentatonix continues to amaze. You get some traditional songs in inventive arraignments, plus a few lesser-known songs too done equally well. Plus great vocal guest stars in Kelly Clarkson and Maren Morris. I loved it! Grade: A

Brett Eldredge — Glow (Deluxe)
This is the deluxe edition of 2017’s “Glow.” It includes 7 new songs, all traditional favorites including “O Holy Night” — which also has an acapella version. Done in a big-band, rat-pack style, his voice shines through. Grade: B

The Greatest Showman Reimagined
Last year’s hit soundtrack album to the Hugh Jackman movie about PT Barnum, gets a reimagining by some of today’s hitmakers including Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Kesha and more. I was just OK on the movie, but the soundtrack was great. So are the reworked versions — which make them all sound like they would fit on today’s pop radio. Grade: A-

New Kids on the Block — Thankful (Unwrapped)
This is the deluxe edition of the “Thankful” EP, with 4 added Christmas songs. Special guest is DMX on one of the songs. They are all original songs. I wish there was more. Grade B-

Jason Mraz — Know.
Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz sticks pretty close to his formula on his latest. Highlights include “Have It All” and “Might as Well Dance.” Grade: B

That’s all for now. What have you been watching and listening to? I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading.

KiltManinSoCal is a Los Angeles-based writer and designer. Be sure to check out the latest T-Shirts for sale here, including Marriage Equality and Real Men Wear Kilts lines. They make great gifts for friends, family and loved ones.