Three sentence movie reviews: Ocean’s Eleven

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2001/oceans_eleven_ver1.html
(note the America Online keyword listed on the poster!)

In watching Oceans 8 with Matt, I learned he had never seen Oceans 11, 12 or 13 and that situation needed to be remedied. Just as Soderbergh had hoped, this movie remains a pleasure from beginning to end.* I’d also forgotten about the use of Elvis’s “A Little Less Conversation” in the soundtrack, which was the perfect amount of Elvis for this Vegas film.

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play (but free due to Google Survey credits)
Where watched: at home with Matt

Also consider watching: Logan Lucky, Now You See Me

*The dialogue! The costumes! The machinations of plot!  The Mormon twins opening scene where they are racing monster truck vs. a radio controlled monster truck!

 

Three sentence movie reviews: First Reformed

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2018/first_reformed.html (this is a really great poster)

There is a slight chance that my viewing of this film suffered from overly enthusiastic critics, but perhaps not. While the acting was good, I was never captivated by the story, possibly because Reverand Toller’s mental state made it hard to get a good sense of him, which put a lot of distance between me and the character I was supposed to care about, which left me a little bored.* I did enjoy the stark landscape of upstate New York in winter and the clean white lines of the Dutch Reform Church.**

Cost: $6.00
Where watched: Laurelhurst Theater with S. North (Two people walked out of this showing!)

Consider watching instead: A Ghost Story, Manchester by the Sea

*I also watched this in the 1:00–3:00 p.m. segment of the day which is a good test if the movie can hold my attention. It didn’t. I took in some of it with my eyes closed.
**I also have an opinion about THE ENDING, which I won’t express here do to spoilers.

Three sentence movie reviews: Ant Man & the Wasp

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2018/antman_and_the_wasp_ver2.html

I found the first Ant-Man movie to fall in the “eh” category of superhero films, so I’m not really sure why I went to see this, though I’m glad I did. There are so many funny things in this movie, both sight gags and scripted comedy. It also was a movie where the villain was sympathetic; her motivation had to do with survival, not some form of world domination.

Cost: $8.00
Where watched: McMenamins St. Johns Cinema

Also consider watching: Thor Ragnarock, Spider-Man: Homecoming

 

Three sentence movie reviews: The Prince & Me

Having just watched 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days, I needed a palate cleanser and remembered I had a list of royal romance movies leftover from the Megan/Harry wedding. While the Wisconsin of this movie seems to lack seasons* and the plot overall was so-so, it did have Julia Styles, who is always a treat. While not a great movie, it was a very good palate cleanser.

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play (though free, due to cashing in Google Rewards Survey credit)
Where watched: at home

Also consider watching: The Princess Diaries, Ever After

*Tractor racing at “Thanksgiving” looks as though it was filmed in sunny, dry mid-August. Denmark is the same. Winter?  Sunny and warm, if this movie to be believed.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2004/prince_and_me.html

Three sentence movie reviews: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

This film felt more immediate due to the retiring of a certain Supreme Court Justice and speculation about what the new configuration of the court might bring for Roe v. Wade. This movie is a slow-burn terror with things going astray at every turn. It’s not a pleasant movie to watch, but is worthy of your time.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home in preparation for Filmspotting Madness in March 2019

Also recommended: Vera Drake, Grandma

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2007/four_months_three_weeks_and_two_days.html

Three sentence movie reviews: Oceans 8

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2018/oceans_eight.html

Not ready to face the fact that I had to get up the very next morning, July 5, and do two more days at the office, Matt and I escaped to the movie theater for some heist-movie fun. In the spirit of the other Ocean’s movies everything worked well: acting, plot machinations, fun things to look at, humor. Bullock’s tirade in German was particularly fun.

Cost: some ungodly amount due to Regal’s evening prices; however, I had gift cards, so it was actually free.
Where watched: Regal Lloyd Center, which has closed off its ample parking lot in preparation for mixed-use redevelopment. We had to park across the street at the mall proper.

Goes well with: The Sting, The Italian Job both 1969 and 2003.

SKS Postcard: The SPAM Museum


Sara got this postcard at the one and only SPAM Museum, located in Austin, Minnesota, also known as SPAM TOWN USA. Sara has actually visited this marvelous place.

She says she tried several types of SPAM and they were all nasty.

This card also include the delightful message, “Nothing says FRIEND like a can of SPAM in the mail.”

Too true, Sara. Too true.

Three sentence movie reviews: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

While this is a great documentary to watch at any time, I highly recommend seeing this in the theater so you can hear everyone else around you also crying. I’m not really sure what makes it such a sob fest* I just know that it was, but in a good way. If you are going to see one documentary this decade, this is the one.**

Cost: free for me; friend paid me back for helping her move
Where watched: Hollywood Theater with, Kelly

Goes well with: probably 20 Feet From Stardom, but I haven’t seen that yet. (I know!)

*Mr. Rodger’s calm voice? The fact that our lives are nothing like the world he so carefully built for children? His philosophy of radical love?
**It also has some quite funny moments.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2018/wont_you_be_my_neighbor.html

The Emerson School: No longer at 105 NW Park Ave.

Here’s the building where I spent nine years of my working life.  And as of last week, it’s a building that no longer houses the school I used to work for.

That’s right!  After 15 years at this location, The Emerson School has found a new home in Northwest Portland.

In moving closer to get a picture of the “For Lease” sign I laughed at the site of the wagon wheel, which somehow managed to escape both the junk collectors and the movers. I guess the next tenant will get to decide what to do with it. (I don’t think there will be a next tenant. I’m guessing this building will be pulled down.)

A nice time capsule of the color the room used to be (fuscha and turquoise) before Bre repainted it a more soothing color.

I am so incredibly glad I did not have to do anything to facilitate this move (two days of the junk people and five days of the actual movers) and I’m very excited for The Emerson School’s new home.