Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Don’t Look Up

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“Don’t Look Up” is stuffed to the brim with stars who can act.  Some of those you will see in this movie are:  Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Ariana Grande and Tyler Perry.  This is a tongue-in-cheek satire which will not appeal to everyone.  The premise is that two astronomers, Randall Mindy and Kate Dibiasky,  played by DiCaprio and Lawrence, discover that a comet larger than the one that killed the dinosaurs is heading for earth. But this one is large enough to completely destroy life on the planet. The comet will arrive in six months.  As our intrepid astronomers try to warn people and get them to take the situation seriously, no one believes them or even seems to care.  The media, portrayed by Blanchett and Perry, are parodied as the typical, utterly shallow and phony entertainment influencers of today. Blanchett is only focused on how handsome Mindy is, and loses interest in him once he loses his ratings draw.  Perry is a mindless, sycophant.  And of course, alternative media steps in to provide the idiotic, anti-science opposition. The government initially takes things seriously, but thanks to the interference of a mega-donor communications company owner (Rylance), hoping to exploit the resources the comet contains, they switch to his plan.  Of course, the plan fails utterly and we are all undone.  Meryl Streep plays the president of the United States as a clueless Trump-like character, while Jonah Hill is absolutely despicable as as her son (and Chief of Staff) who doesn’t appear to have ANY people skills whatsoever, or any intelligence for that matter.  You may feel like punching both of them by the end of the movie. There are some serious topics lampooned including greed, gullibility, nepotism, media responsibility, corruption, vanity, celebrity-obsession and politics. Sounds like a rather heavy handed, if absolutely on point, pillorying the worst aspects of social media and politics? It is. If you watch, make sure you watch the mid-credit scene because you will be glad you did! I loved this, and right now you can only see it on Netflix, so no worries about going out to a theatre.

Little Women

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“Little Women” is a classic novel written in 1869 by Louisa May Alcott.  There have been many movie versions made, and I am pretty sure I have seen them all.  I have read the book every few years since I was 12; so it was with a skeptical eye that I approached this latest iteration of a beloved novel.  I LOVED IT.  Greta Gerwig has told a familiar story (keeping very close to the original source material), but has made it seem fresh and new.  The story takes place during the Civil War.  The March sisters are played wonderfully by Saorise Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen,  They are frequently left to their own devices while Father (Bob Odenkirk) fights in the war and Marmee (Laura Dern) tends to the local poor,  The action picks up when the sisters meet Mr. Lawrence, their gruff but kind-hearted neighbor (Chris Cooper) and his handsome son, Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) – who is destined to love one sister, but marry another.  Meryl Streep is Aunt March, the rich relative who hires Jo (Saorise) to be her “companion” in return for a promised tour of Europe.  There is a an innovation, though, that some people may not like.  The story is told in flashbacks, not in the linear way of the original novel.  This may be confusing if you are not familiar with the book, but I didn’t think it took anything away from the story.  If you are familiar with the story, disregard what some people have been saying in reviews, Gerwig did not change the ending of the book so Professor Bhaer definitely makes an appearance.  All this version does is add the publishing of the book “Little Women,” which is alluded to at the end of the original.  Whether you are a newbie, or know the story backwards and forwards, you will laugh and cry with Louisa May ALcott’s delightful characters brought to new life by Greta Gerwig.

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!

Florence Foster Jenkins

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Florence Foster Jenkins is my new hero.  This is a great movie about a rich society woman who didn’t let her TERRIBLE voice keep her from giving a singing concert at Carnegie Hall.  Meryl Streep is wonderful as this delusional lady who uses her money and social standing to promote her love of music.  Hugh Grant is a surprise and delight as her devoted husband who bribes reviewers (without his wife’s knowledge) and keeps her away from bad reviews. This movie made me laugh and brought a tear to my eye at the end.   Was Florence  brave or delusional?  Either way, you have to admire someone who loved music so passionately and wanted to share the joy she got out of  sharing it with the world.  Anyone who knows me, knows I am a dreadful but enthusiastic singer.  If you need proof, check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcPq69iOBgY  Florence Foster Jenkins and I live by this motto, “Some people can say I don’t sing well, but no one can say I didn’t sing.”  Check out this movie and be entertained, and perhaps just a little inspired to dare to try it.  What ever it is!