MY PERSONAL FILM FESTIVAL DURING THIS TIME - WEEK 09

An online Marvel RPG inspired this pick.

Week 09 of the pandemic was peppered with some interesting movies. I rated them using my 5-star system (0 = "Forget It" * 1 ="It's a Movie" * 2 = "Well, No Promises" * 3 = "Worth Watching" * 4 = "So Good" * 5 = "Must See").

Sunday, May 11, 2020 - Life as a House (2001)

Mother's Day weekend meant my wife got to pick evening screenings Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday night, the two of us watched Life as a House (2001). I remember when we first bought this DVD it had this big sticker on it: "Featuring Hayden Christensen - star of  Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones!" Considering the serious and complicated content of this film that ranges from teenage prostitution to drug addiction to cancer to workplace violence - it's just a little bizarre to connect this film to Star Wars. Despite the dark, dark places this film goes, it delivers on the promise of redemption and the fact that it's never too late to parent that wayward child. The character arcs are well-orchestrated and, yes, I cried at the end of the film. Having seen it multiple times, my wife fell fast asleep before Kevin Kline could give his wistful, breathy end monologue about his life - and his son's life - as a home by the sea.

Rating: 2.5 STARS

Monday, May 12, 2020 - The Errand Boy (1961)

Last Christmas, my wife gave me this small, cheap DVD player that is hooked up to a curb-bound, recycled massive HD set that I have in our bedroom. And, on Monday early evenings, my wife and 3 daughters take dances classes online in 4 different rooms simultaneously. That means that my two younger sons and I eat dinner in front of that massive TV in my bedroom to avoid the chaos and watch a DVD. I purposefully picked The Errand Boy (1961) as my teenage son has tolerated it for years and my six-year-old has yet to see it. We all enjoyed it - especially the little guy. Watching this for the umpteenth time, I realized this film isn't my favorite of Jerry's films. Still, if you haven't seen it - and like comedy that takes its time - this is a good one to watch.
Rating: 2.5 STARS

Tuesday, May 13, 2020 - Flirt (1995)

Over the past weekend, I went digging through old cardboard boxes in my home office and found this gem: a VHS recording of Hal Hartley's art film Flirt (1995). This film is Hartley to the next level. He's not trying to build a narrative feature within his unique style, he's telling the same story in three short films in concentrated trademark Hartley screenwriting, cinematography and editing. Think 9 Variations on a Dance Theme (1966) but with a soap opera premise of a person who gets wounded because they can't stop flirting. Part I takes place in New York. Part II is set in Berlin. Part III, which stars Hal Hartley as "himself", is set in Tokyo. The cast also includes a lot of Hartley actors from his previous films including Robert John Burke (RoboCop 3, Thinner), Martin Donovan (Ant-Man, The Art of Racing in the Rain) and Parker Posey (Dazed and Confused, The House of Yes). If Hartley's "normal" work is for the few, Flirt is for the fewer. It's a bit pretentious, self-indulgent and filled with gratuitous talk of sex and occasional nudity. The idea of this type of film, however, is intriguing. In short, not for everyone.
Rating: 2 STARS

Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - Ant-Man (2015)

Two Martin Donovan films back-to-back?! Sure! Especially when the second is from the MCU! Guest writer and podcast guest Phil Congleton has invited me to participate in an online Marvel Superheroes Classic RPG campaign called "Earth 2020" this weekend. Just like the MCU, the game is set real locations and each gamer gets to play a select superhero. You guessed it: I'm playing as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. To get into character, I watched Ant-Man (2015). This Marvel movie has all the traits of the great MCU entries: superbly cast, great soundtrack, sweet special effects and well-written with a balance of action, peril, drama and comedy. It also dips into being an experimental film in sections as Ant-Man enters the Quantum Realm. No wonder it's high on my list of favorite superhero movies.
Rating: 4 STARS

This upcoming RPG slightly took over my movie choices this week. But it's all good.

Thursday, May 14, 2020 - Captain America: Civil War (2016)

More research for my character Ant-Man in Marvel Superheroes Classic RPG: Earth 2020. Captain America: Civil War (2016) is one of the better MCU movies, but maaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn is it long!
Rating: 3 STARS

Friday, May 15, 2020 - The Patsy (1964)

My youngest daughter asked for a Daddy/Daughter date. I surprised her with this trip to the movies to watch a film of her choosing in the car, low-tech drive-in style. Out of the 8 or so films I packed, she chose The Patsy (1964). We both laughed and loved this time together. This is my second favorite Jerry movie. Yes, I determined The Bellboy (1960) is my all-time fav.

Rating: 3 STARS

Saturday, May 16, 2020 - Finding Dory (2016)

My wife brought back Family Movie Night and chose Finding Dory (2016). This is just as good as the original and infinitely better than Disney's other 2016 film Zootopia - which went on to win Best Animated Film of the Year. And Finding Dory wasn't even nominated. For shame.
Rating: 3.5 STARS

IMDB links to what I watched so far (most recent entries listed at the top):

• Finding Dory (2016)
• The Patsy (1964)
• Captain America: Civil War (2016)
• Ant-Man (2015)
• Flirt (1995)
• The Errand Boy (1961)
• Life as a House (2001)
• New York New York (2020) *not listed in IMDB.com at time of writing. This is a link to Spike Lee's Instagram post explaining the film
• Sabrina (1954)
• The Bellboy (1960)
• The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
• The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
• Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• Rock & Rule (1983)
• The Monolith Monsters (1957)
• The Cutting Edge (1992)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
• Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
• Empire Records (1995)
• Jaws (1975)
• Avengers: Endgame (2019)
• My Man Godfrey (1936)
• Captain Marvel (2019)
• Some Like It Hot (1959)
• Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972)
• Knives Out (2019)
• Victor Victoria (1982)
• Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
• Night Flight (1933)
• Robin Hood (1973)
• The Man Who Knew Too Much (1955)
• Back to the Future (1985)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
• Singin' in the Rain (1952)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
• Frozen II (2019)
• Son of God (2014)
• Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928)
• Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
• El Mariachi (1992)
• College (1927)
• Bella (2006)
• The Aristocats (1970)
• Naqoyqatsi (2002)
• The Killing (1956)
• Stray Dog (1949)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• The Pink Panther (1963)
• Airplane! (1980)
• I Married A Witch (1942) 
• The Mole People (1956)
• Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
• Theory of Achievement (1991)
• Strange Brew (1983)
• When Worlds Collide (1951)
• Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
• Siren of the Tropics (1927)
• High Anxiety (1977)
• Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
• Green Book (2018)
• The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
• The Family Jewels (1965)
• The Railrodder (1965)

And here's links to my previous week recaps of
MY PERSONAL FILM FESTIVAL DURING THIS TIME (oldest to newest):

• Week 01
• Week 02
• Week 03
• Week 04
• Week 05
• Week 06
• Week 07
• Week 08