Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Coco

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I love a movie where I can be entertained and learn a little something too. Coco is that kind of movie!  You should know going in that this is a kid’s movie, so there isn’t any violence or romance to speak of.  You will  leave with a little tear in your eye though and you may even find yourself humming the main song, “Remember Me.”  Miguel dreams of becoming a musician.  The problem is music has been banned in his family ever since his great grandfather left his great grandmother and her daughter Coco in search of fame and fortune – as a musician!  While he tries to prove his talent, during the annual Dia de los Muertos celebration, Miguel is accidentally transported to the colorful and uniquely rendered Land of the Dead so that he can find his great grandfather and fulfill his destiny.  Along the way, he meets his relatives who have ‘gone to the other side,’ and finds the true story of what family is, and who his family really are. There is some catchy music along the way, and of course, a happy ending.  I learned a lot about the Mexican celebration of The Day of the Dead – Dia de los Muertos.  Some of the voices you may recognize include Benjamin Bratt, Edward James Olmos, and Cheech Marin.  The visuals of this movie are exquisite and inventive.  This is a fine movie to take your kids to and to be honest, you might just enjoy it too.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

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You may not have heard of this movie, but when the academy award season hits, I think you will find some nominations going to this little gem.  Frances McDormand gives a first rate performance in this dark drama, with hints of comedy, which is quirky in a Coen Brothers way.  In fact, I actually laughed out loud during this movie more than I have during some of the so-called comedies I’ve seen lately.  McDormand plays Mildred Hayes, a hard edged, uncompromising woman who is still reeling from the brutal unsolved murder of her teen aged daughter. The easy going, somewhat bucolic, police department seems to her to have forgotten all about her daughter, which causes her to do some drastic things, which build and lead to unintended consequences.   Mildred pays for three billboards that she hopes will motivate the local cops to take notice and do something to solve the crime.   These billboards spark various acts of violence and even civil disobedience that end in a lesson in what happens when people let rage and anger dictate their actions.  Woody Harrelson is fine as the sheriff, but the surprise gem in this movie is Sam Rockwell, as a seemingly dimwitted, rather crass police officer who lives with his mother, lets anger get the better of him; but who finds redemption in the end.   I would not be surprised if he gets an Oscar nod for his performance.    If you want to get away from super hero movies and big budget special effects, I highly recommend seeing this movie.

Wonder

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Anyone who has been following my movie ramblings knows that I usually read the book that a movie is based on.  “Wonder” was no exception, so I knew exactly what to expect from the plot of this movie.  AND I STILL CRIED!!  This is a very thoughtful and gentle movie told with compassion and empathy.  For those of you who aren’t familiar, this is the story of Auggie Pullman, born with terrible facial deformities that have necessitated over 20 operations.  Auggie, doesn’t like to go out without his astronaut helmet on to cover his face, which has caused small children to cry and adults to turn away.  Luckily his mother, played with moving compassion by Julia Roberts, has been able to home school him.  However, it is time for Auggie to find his way in the world and his parents decide he is ready to try a small private school where he will enter fifth grade as a middle schooler.   As you can imagine, many children are not kind to Auggie, but this movie ends up being a Valentine to all who have every been victimized by a bully.  Auggie is played with tremendous pathos and humor by Jacob Tremblay who manages to seem very human even under tons of prosthetics and make up.  Owen Wilson is just right as his supportive dad and Izabela Vidovic is great as the neglected sister who never gives up on her little brother.  I give the film makers  kudos for making this movie feel real and not making it too overly sappy.  The simple message of this story, “Be Kind” will resonant with many long after the credits have stopped rolling.

The Justice League

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Batman and Wonder Woman band together in this movie to organize a group of super heroes to, you guessed it, save the world!  These DC super heroes are not as interesting as the Marvel ones.  There are several reasons for this.  First of all, the writing is kind of lackluster and doesn’t have the snap or pizzazz of the recent Thor movie or even Guardians of the Galaxy.  Next, this movie kind of jumps over the back stories for The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg.  These characters could have been fleshed out more, especially since they didn’t get a prior movie to establish who they are and what they’re about. As someone who is totally unfamiliar with the comic books, I would have appreciated more back story for these characters instead of merely a sentence or two of exposition.   Last of all, killing Superman off and then bringing him back from the dead just seemed kind of dumb.  On the other hand, this is not a bad movie.  Aquaman, as played by Jason Momoa, is a hunk, and definitely not one of your cookie cutter hero types.  Ezra Miller makes a humorous and interesting, and even a bit endearing, Flash.  As she has previously demonstrated, Gal Gadot is great as Wonder Woman.  Ray Fisher as Cyborg didn’t get enough screen time for me to decide if I liked his performance (or his character).  I also felt Amy Adams was wasted as Lois Lane, but then, how much dialogue can you have between her and “zombie superman?”  (Even though he wasn’t really a zombie, just re-animated).  Jeremy Irons as Alfred handles his sardonic dialogue with a stiff British upper lip as he deadpans several references to Wonder Woman and Batman not taking the opportunity to romance it up a bit.  All in all, this is an enjoyable movie and I am sure you will be entertained.  However, if you only have time to see one super hero movie, you might be better off seeing Thor Ragnarok!

Murder on the Orient Express

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I started reading Agatha Christie murder mysteries in fifth grade and have been enamored ever since.  I saw the 1974 movie version and have read the novel several times.  In fact, knowing that the movie was coming out, I decided to reread the novel once more.  Kenneth Branaugh has made a worthy vehicle for Christie’s great who-done-it.  He also stars as  Hercules Poirot, the little Belgian detective with the fastidious mustache  who uses his grey cells to outwit and catch killers.  In order to appreciate a movie like this, you need to know going in that there will be no explosions, car chases, romance or sex (or innuendo for that matter).  You will get, however, an entertaining movie as you try to figure out who killed the despicable Mr. Ratchett, played by a remarkably restrained Johnny Depp.  The cast is chock full of acting talent,  You have relative newbie Daisy Ridley all the way up to the venerable Dame Judy Dench as suspects in the crime.  Other notables include Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Leslie Odom, Jr. and two of my favorite British actors, Derek Jacobi  and Olivia Coleman.  I heard Mr. Branaugh say in an interview that they built a replica train for this movie and it is quite something to behold.  In fact, they have done a superlative job of recreating the mystique, glamour and elegance of an era now fading from memory. The set (the train, really) and the scenery from Egypt to the snowy Balkan mountains, are breathtakingly realistic.  If you enjoy movies like Gosford Park or television shows like Downton Abbey, I think you will enjoy Murder on the Orient Express.