Genius (2016)

Genre: Biographical / Drama

Directed by: Michael Grandage

Cast: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman

Running Time: 104 minutes

This biographical film covers the tumultuous relationship between novelist Thomas Wolf and his first editor, Maxwell Perkins, the man who discovered such famous writers as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.

While the subject matter was very interesting to me, as an ever aspiring author, the directing and the very drab cinematography made the whole thing less than appealing. The acting was okay, but the very greyish appearance of the way it was shot made it so extra effort had to be put in to fully appreciate this movie.

Rating: «««

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Genre: Drama / Comedy

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

Running Time: 161 minutes

Rick Dalton is an aging Hollywood actor who had quite a bit of success in a Western television series called Bounty Law, in the 50’s. In 1969, he is seeing his career die down and he is wondering how to salvage it, while hanging around with his stunt man, Cliff Booth, a man whose career took a hit after he was suspected of killing his wife but was never found guilty of the crime. Actress Sharon Tate and her husband Roman Polanski move next door to Dalton, and the Manson family is roaming around.

This film is sort of on homage by Tarantino, who wrote and directed the movie, to the Hollywood of the 1960’s, which was violently killed when the Manson family murders happened. The good thing with Tarantino movies is that history can always be tweaked or completely rewritten.

DiCaprio and Pitt both offered solid performances and showed a great chemistry together on screen. It was also cool to see some many big names in various roles.

There were a few moments where it dragged a bit and I almost lost interest, but, overall, I was thoroughly entertained by this new Tarantino offering.

Rating: ««««

Over The Top (1987)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Menahem Golan

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Robert Loggia, David Medenhall

Running Time: 93 minutes

Lincoln Hawk is a trucker who competes in arm wrestling competitions on the side. Years prior, he abandoned his wife and kid mostly due to a conflict with his father-in-law. The mother, who ends up in the hospital due to heart problems, asks her estranged husband to pick up their son, who he has never really known, from military school to build a relationship with him. Hawk’s father-in-law, who has been the father figure in the kid’s life all these years, doesn’t want the trucker/arm wrestler to come back into their lives.

This little film about arm wrestling, trucking and fatherhood is a long cheesy rock music video. It was not good when it came out and it has not aged well at all. Still, there is some little twisted redeeming quality in the fact that it is somewhat entertaining in its awfulness.

Rating: ««

Blood Diamond (2006)

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou

Running Time: 143 minutes

In the massive political unrest of the Sierra Leone civil war, locals are terrorized by rebel factions, who cripple some of them and enslave others to work in diamond mining. One of these locals, a fisherman, Solomon Vandun, will work together with a white Rhodesian gunrunner, Danny Archer, though their goals might be different, to survive in that hostile environment.

The subject matter here is a sad reality that is depicted quite honestly and brutally on screen. The acting performances were quite good, especially on DiCaprio’s and Hounsou’s parts. There were a few moments where I almost got lost in the weeds, but, overall, this was compelling film well worth watching.

Rating: ««««

Le con de la classe (1981)

Genre: Franco / Comedy

Réalisateur: Marino Girolami

Distribution: Alvaro Vitali, Michele Gammino, Sofia Lombardo

Running time: 95 minutes

Pierino est le cancre de son école et il redouble sa 7^e année à répétition. Après avoir réussi à se débarrasser temporairement de son institutrice, Pierino tombe sous le charme de la remplaçante, mais il doit rivaliser avec le professeur d’éducation physique, qui fait lui aussi de l’œil à la jeune femme.

Le titre original de ce film italien est Pierino contro tutti. Pour ma part, je l’ai découvert dans ma jeunesse dans sa version française. C’est loin d’être du grand cinéma. C’est plutôt une collection de mises en situation qui mènent à un « punch ». C’est de l’humour de bas étage, mais le fait demeure que j’ai un attachement particulier pour ce film et sa place dans mon enfance et ma découverte de la comédie.

Rating: «««

How The Beatles Changed The World (2017)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Tom O’Dell

Cast: The Beatles, Tom Bramwell, Robert Christgau

Time: 90 minutes

This 2017 documentary looks at the impact of Liverpool’s favorite sons, The Beatles, on everything, from music, to art, to culture, to fashion and to politics. While the subject matter was very interesting, I found most of the intervenors very dry. Nonetheless, this film is quite informative.

Rating: «««