Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Black Panther

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The Black Panther is the King and protector of the African Kingdom of Wakanda.  Wakanda is a technologically advanced and wealthy country that no one knows about; they use their advanced technology to keep their kingdom hidden from the world.  T’Challa (played in true regal form by Chadwick Boseman) becomes king following the death of  his father.  In the kingdom of Wakanda though, the king must fight any challenger before he is crowned.  Once he does so, he must drink the juice of a special flower that gives him the super powers that enable him to protect his kingdom.  Wakanda itself, is dazzling.  A beautiful African country full of sophisticated  3D phones and bullet- fast and efficient transportation.  The serenity and peace of this tranquil land is shattered by Ulysess Klaue (played with delicious evil by Andy Serkis), who sneaks into the kingdom to steal the precious metal vibranium, which is a seemingly magical metal only found in Wakanda. It all leads to a lot of superbly choreographed and exciting action, wonderful effects and some well played and emotional drama.  T’Challa has a cool costume, some really badass warrior women guards and a sister who reminds me of James Bond’s Q concocting some very state of the art weapons.  When an unexpected new enemy emerges, T’Challa faces some tough decisions;  should Wakanda use it’s advanced technology to help man-kind or should they remain isolated and hidden from the world?  You will want to know the answer! I loved this movie for the beautiful scenery, great direction. wonderful performances and a hopeful message for the future.

Winchester Mystery House

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I was really interested in seeing this movie because I have toured the actual Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California!   During the years around the turning of the 20th Century, Sarah Winchester inherited a fortune from her husband, who was the majority stock holder in the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.  She feels guilty that these rifles caused so much death and pain, and believes she has been cursed as a result.  She thinks the ghosts of those hurt by the rifles are haunting her, and begins adding rooms to her house to keep them confined.  She has construction going on around the clock, seven days a week. All in all, her house ended up with 161 rooms. There are strange things  in this house (to go along with the strange goings on!).  Stairways that go nowhere, doors that open into nothing, cabinets that open to other rooms.  All of this is true and fascinating to see in person.  The movie speculates about what might be the reason for all of the construction and what Sarah thinks it will accomplish.  Helen Mirren brings her considerable acting chops  to the role, ably supported by Jason Clarke and Sarah Snook;  but even her prestige can’t hide the fact that this it is really an old fashioned  ghost story.  There are apparitions, mysterious noises, moving objects and a few scares.  I would recommend this movie just so you can  see what the real house looks like as they actually had permission to film in and around it.  Go for the ghosts, stay for the house!!

Hostiles

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Hostiles was a boring, long movie that I would recommend you don’t go see.  It is unrelentingly depressing.  The main idea of the movie sounds promising.  Christian Bale plays Captain Joseph Blocker,  a grizzled, long serving cavalryman about to retire.  He is given one last mission, to escort a Cheyenne Chief, played by Wes Studi, from New Mexico to Montana on the orders of President Harrison.  The problem is that Blocker hates Indians, who have killed many of his friends while he has been killing many of them.  Along the way, he meets a young widow (Rosamund Pike) who has survived a Comanche attack that saw her husband and three children killed in front of her.  These reluctant travelers eventually form a bond and come to see each other as individual people.  The film is well acted, realistic and atmospheric; but that is sometimes not enough.  There are horrible murders, a gang rape, suicide, unending heartache and a bitter-sweet ending. Yet somehow, the movie still manages to come across as dull, almost boring. You would be better off seeing just about any other movie or perhaps visiting the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

I, Tonya

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Director Craig Gillespie uses a fake documentary style to illustrate the Tonya Harding story that I quite enjoyed.  There are mock  interviews with a variety of people who played a part in her life.   Margot Robbie’s Tonya Harding is a tough-as-nails skater whose horrible childhood feeds her competitive nature.  Allison Janney plays her mother in one of the great supporting performances as an abusive mother who abysmally maltreats her daughter, then has the audacity to declare she should be thanked for giving her the drive to succeed.  For those of you unfamiliar with Tonya Harding, the basic plot line leads up to the time that her ex husband hired someone to break Nancy Kerrigan’s knee, thus allowing Tonya to have a better shot at an Olympic medal.  Poor Tonya was used and abused by family, husband, and even Olympic judges.  I came away with a new respect for Margot Robbie’s acting talents as well as Tonya Harding herself.  If  you are interested in the world of figure skating or have always wondered about this dark event in Olympic history, I recommend you check out this movie.

The Post

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Are you looking for a powerful, riveting movie that will give you a historical perspective of the ’70s and yet is very relevant to today’s influx of fake news and assaults on the First Amendment?  If you answered ‘yes’ to that question, ‘The Post’ is the movie for you.  I was a teenager when Nixon was president, and I had heard of The Pentagon Papers; but really didn’t know what all the fuss was about.  This movie schooled me, that’s for sure.  Steven Spielberg directs this timely story that defends freedom of the press even when what is published could embarrass or even implicate those in authority and in the public eye.  Meryl Streep plays Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, while Tom Hanks plays Ben Bradlee, her editor-in-chief.  The basic plot involves how the Pentagon Papers, which outlined how every president since World War II lied to the American public about our involvement the Vietnam War,  were acquired by several major newspapers – and the basic Constitutional issue of whether they should be allowed to publish them or not.  President Nixon tries to use his power to stifle the publication (sound familiar?)  of the papers, citing national security.  The Post’s, and press in general’s, contention is that a free press, particularly when the government is lying to its people, is a critical protection as established in the Bill of Rights.  I think you know what happened!  The large supporting cast are all pros and really help to make this movie exciting.  I especially enjoyed Bob Odenkirk whose character, Bob Bagdikian, has a key role to play in the shenanigans.  I really think everyone, Republicans, Democrats and anyone with concerns about our country  alike should see this movie and take a look at how real news is made!