Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Yesterday

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There are so many  movies out there that are remakes or updates or that just rehash the same old plot over and over that it is refreshing when someone can put a new spin on a tired formula.  In this new romantic comedy, there is an original twist that I found intriguing. The premise of “Yesterday” is that a world-wide blackout, that only lasts twelve seconds, has somehow changed some small parts of history so that a few pop cultural phenomena  have completely disappeared from memory, or even existence! People not only don’t remember them, but there is no trace of them ever having been. The most well-known is The Beatles! Except for…  Enter Jack Malik (played winningly by Himesh Patel). Jack is a struggling songwriter, who has an accident at the exact same moment the blackout occured.  This causes him to incredibly be the only person (or so he thinks) who knows who the Beatles were, and who knows their songs.  This gives him the perfect opportunity to pursue his career, get rich and famous, and perhaps win the girl of his dreams – school teacher/ manager Ellie (Lily James). As you might expect, things don’t happen the way Jack is hoping they will.  Along the way, Jack hooks up with Ed Sheeran, who gives him advice on the song “Hey Jude,” and helps launch his career. One thing I loved was the riffing on all things Beatles; like why some of their album titles just wouldn’t work today, for example.  I loved this movie; but then again, I am a big Beatles fan. Their songs (especially some of the lyrics) really make you think.  MINOR SPOILER ALERT:  There will be an appearance by one of the Beatles.  I totally did not expect that.  As written by Richard Curtis (who also wrote “Love, Actually”) you know there is going to be a sweet, “happy” ending.  My advice:  Go see “Yesterday” tomorrow.

Darkest Hour

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Apple Rating:

I predict an Oscar nomination for Gary Oldman in a riveting tour-de-force playing Winston Churchill in ‘The Darkest Hour.’   The movie depicts a few key weeks right before and immediately after Churchill became prime minister in 1940.  He was a flawed man, cantankerous and opinionated, but the right man at the right time to lead his country into a war against the seemingly unstoppable Nazi war machine.  Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’ took us through what happened through the eyes of people who were there.  Joe Wright’s ‘Darkest Hour’ demonstrates the strategy and politics of how Churchill, with practically his whole party against him, the party leaders still seeking appeasement, remained steadfast in the defense of good against evil, and came up with the plan given the code name  Operation Dynamo.  We also get to see Churchill’s humanity as he banters with his wife (played by Kristin Scott Thomas, who should have had more screen time) and rides the underground to get a feeling of what the ordinary people think.  This movie is a good introduction to this tumultuous time  and might make people research the reasons and background of how Churchill led the British and their Commonwealth at a time they truly ‘stood alone’ against what seemed impossible odds (the United States wouldn’t send aid to the British at this stage of the war, as they faced their “Darkest Hour,’ because of our isolationism and neutrality. It is almost saddening seeing Oldman, as Churchill, reacting to Roosevelt’s inability to send help).  Another thing I loved about this movie was the use of some of Churchill’s speeches. He was a top rate orator and wrote his own, unlike most politicians today. Because he wrote them, they sound honest, powerful and inspiring.  I highly recommend this movie to people who like to see the behind the scenes history of great leaders – warts and all!