Posted by After a few weeks of big releases – and a few more coming up – it’s a more low-key take this week. Read on, friends.
Wide Releases
The Beach Bum
Drama/Comedy; Written and directed by Harmony Korine; Starring Matthew McConaughey, Martin Lawrence, Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher; R; 95 minutes.
Comments so far have been “McConaughey is playing himself.” But to me, it seems like McConaughey is playing Hunter S. Thompson. (oh yeah, the requesite alrightalrightalright… there it’s done). McConaughey plays the title character -a burnt-out writer Moondog, living an idyllic drug-fueled life on the coast. There’s a moment in the trailer when he’s told to calm it down or go to jail, so we may get a “let’s evaluate my wild life” storyline in the backhalf? With Korine, one doesn’t know – one expects a hedonistic trip form him. I’m half interested. I want to see it, but feel no hurry.
Reviews are mixed at 57.
Disney’s Dumbo
Family fantasy drama; Written by Ehren Kruger, from the novel by Helen Aberson & Harold Pearl and the 1941 Disney film; directed by Tim Burton; starring Michael Keaton, Eva Green, Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell; PG; 1h52m
Despite a reuniting of Batman Forever cast-mates Keaton and DeVito and director Tim Burton, I’m just not excited for the latest in the Disney Live Action* Remake Trend. Dumbo’s an odd pick – it’s well remembered but not big like the others. From people I’ve talked to seems to get a “yeah, that’s coming out I guess.” Shrug I suppose Disney still had more Tim Burton on contract and wanted to use his circus-like asthetic one more time? So far I’m not seeing any real energy in the film as presented, but I hope to be surprised. Burton just seems tired. The plot is moved from Dumbo himself to a family working with a struggling circus. Wonder how they’ll redo the crows?
Reviews are at 54, saying it’s fine but kinda soulless and darker that people would expect.
*Jungle Book (even with a living Mowgli) and Lion King are still animated but differently despite people calling them live-action.
Unplanned
Drama; written and directed by Chuck Konzelman & Cary Solomon; Starring Ashley Bratcher, Brooks Ryan; R, 1h46m
Pureflix presents an anti-Planned Parenthood drama. I’m not going to even bother to watch or link the trailer here. Get mad if you want but with Pureflix I expect an incredibly false narrative with purposely slanted information and misuse of stats (like making PP abortion only skipping the other 97% of the work they do. No matter how you feel about abortion, you should know they provide much needed services to those who can’t afford it otherwise (and many others who can as well). You want less abortion – give the knowledge and ability to prevent unplanned pregnancies. I think it shows they couldn’t get some named actor who needs a cash influx so they can put them on the poster. Instead of linking to the trailer, I suggest you go to Planned Parenthood and donate to them instead: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/get-involved/other-ways-give
No Metacritic.
Limited Release
Diane
Drama; Written and directed by Kent Jones; Starring Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Andrea Martin; UR; 1h35m
Diane is an older woman, giving her time to helping others while attempting to reconnect with her drug-addled son. She is forced to look at her life and the mistakes she has made in the past.
Reviews are very strong, currently an 86 on Metacritic. This is the #5 movie of the year currently. They say it is lo-fi, but heartfelt and ambitious in other manners.
Notebook
From India; Romance; Directed by Nitin Kakkar; Starring Zaheer Iqbal, Prantun Bahl; UR; unknown length
An ex-Army-officer moves to Kashmir to teach. He finds the school in a terrible condition and the notebook of the previous teacher. They find love.
That’s all I got. I couldn’t find an subtitled trailer on YouTube; the one on IMDB had trouble loading so that description above is straight from IMDB. No metacritic listing.
Screwball
Documentary by Billy Corden; UR; 1h45m
Not a remake of the 80s “wacky comedies”, but a documentary about the Alex Rodriquez doping scandal. It uses a mixture of talking heads and recreations. The recreactions use kids as stand-ins – Bugsy Malone style – that could be a good choice and looks to be a humorous take on the subject.
Reviews are great, focusing to an 83 saying Corden makes a very entertaining film from an absurd scandal; of self-righteous idiots being knocked down a peg. I dont’ think I’d check this out, but looks good for those who would be interested.
