Category: Three Sentence Movie Reviews

This was one of those really enjoyable movies that crept up on me.  The premise is already amusing, so there was that, but both actors so embodied their characters that it was fun to sink into the drama.*  Insights into the pain and pleasures of being famous were plentiful also.

Cost: free via work-sponsored Netflix
Where watched: at home

*Kevin Spacey looks nothing like Nixon, but he had the man down.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/elvis_and_nixon_ver2.html

I felt lucky to be able to watch this early Kelly Reichardt movie and found it very much keeping in the Reichardt style.  It did a good job of overturning all the Bonnie and Clyde cliches.  I also found the Florida setting interesting, as many of her movies are set in Oregon.

Cost: free via work-sponsored Netflix.
Where watched: at home.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/1994/river_of_grass.html

This is a very delightful first date movie, as well as very nice period piece.  The young Barack Obama is what was then probably referred to as “charmingly persistent” in his wooing of the much more hesitant Michelle Robinson.* Plus it had a recitation of a poem by Gwendoyn Brooks (which I, too have memorized) and also paintings by Ernie Barnes, who I was not at all familiar with.

Cost: $9.50
Where watched: Cinema 21 with Matt**

*In the 80s this was charmingly persistent. Seen today it’s more of an experience where the woman sets very firm boundaries and the man walks all over them.  Which made this movie kind of uncomfortable to watch.

**With whom I had a very “Who’s on First” conversation:
“And on Thursday, I’m going to watch Southside with You.”
“With me?”
“No, Southside with You.”
“I don’t understand.  With me?”
“No, the date movie with–”
“Oh!  That movie.  I want to see that.”
“You want to see Southside with You with me?”

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/southside_with_you.html

The always-good Linda Cardellini and the always interesting Michael Shannon team up as a couple trying to put their life back together after Cardellini returns from a deployment.  This movie continues the tradition of being a not-quite-there attempt to depict the drawbacks/realities of the endless Iraq/Afghanistan engagement.*  Solid performances, slow plot, overall kind of just there.

Cost:  free via work-sponsored Netflix.
Where watched: at home.

*I think there needs to be some distance from a war to really “get” it on film.  And since this one is still going on, it’s difficult to have any distance.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2012/return.html

“I’m not sure what review I read, but that was NOT the movie I thought it was going to be,” said my movie-going companion.  I was well aware what I was getting into, having listened to/read several reviews and I was interested to see where I landed on the like/don’t like spectrum.  I found this to be the most unique movie I’ve seen in some amount of time, but this quality did not make for a pleasurable viewing experience.

Cost: $4.00
Where watched: Academy Theater with S. North.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/swiss_army_man_ver2.html

Interesting 1995-era perspective about the turn of the millennium.  This was gripping and icky and very, very tense.  I didn’t notice Juliette Lewis was in it until she appeared on screen, at which time I gave a sigh of annoyance, but Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett were quite good.

Cost: free due to work-sponsored Netflix
Where watched: at home

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/1995/strange_days_ver2.html

Whelp, the IFC previews have failed me.*  This was not a good film; it was lacking in cohesiveness, motivation, humor and follow-through.**  Watch Paul Schneider be acted upon by many different women and watch him muddle through.

Cost: free from libary
Where watched: at home, while painting toenails silver.  So at least it wasn’t a complete waste of time.

*I think this was advertised in package of previews that came with Hateship Loveship.
**It is not at all hilarious and sexy as the poster states.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2014/goodbye_to_all_that.html

Many movies about comedians are not funny, but this one is.  As with any great Improv group, the ensemble cast is terrific, with special props going to Gillian Jacobs* as Samantha, the woman who just wanted to maintain the status-quo.  I enjoyed the depth of character and the complexity of emotion.

Cost: $9.75
Where watched: Cinema 21 with Matt.

*I recently discovered her playing Mimi Rose Howard in the TV show Girls, but apparently she was also really good in Community.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2016/dont_think_twice.html