Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a Tony award winning play by August Wilson which made it’s debut in 1984. It’s finally been adapted into a film and the cast is perfect. The difficulty with bringing a stage play to the big screen is how to open it up and make it not feel so confined. Ma Rainey takes place in one location which makes the task harder but in these Covid times, with theaters closed, watching Ma Rainey on your TV screen feels just right. It also helps that the performances from the entire cast are pitch perfect and are delivered with so much passion. It’s like watching a stage play in your living room. Ma Rainey is directed by George C. Wolfe, a Tony award winning director and he really gets the best out of his cast. This is also Chadwick Boseman’s final film performance. You might as well start engraving his name on the Oscar.

Ma Rainey is a real person. She was called the Mother of the Blues and she was a very well known and successful blues singer in the early part of the 20th century. She was openly bisexual even insinuated as much in her songs. The action takes place in Chicago as Ma (Viola Davis) and her band arrive to record some songs. She is big and intimidating and she doesn’t put up wit anything from anybody. Her band leader, Cutler (Colman Domingo) tries to settle his quartet of players into doing a rehearsal but the trumpet player, Levee (Boseman) is a thorn in his side. Levee is young and cocky and has plans of his own to start his own band, play his own songs. The piano player, Toledo (Glynn Turman) and the bass player, Slow Drag (Michael Potts) are older and they get a kick out of taking the air out of the younger Levee. As the day goes on and multiple delays drag out the recording session, old wounds come to the surface and tensions rise.

The script delves into the psyche of its characters as a reflection of the psyche of the country. These characters are damaged individuals, victims of racial violence both psychological and physical. It also makes commentary on religion and the existence of God. How do you keep faith in a God that would allow such horrible things to happen to you and the people you love? The film also highlights how white producers took advantage of black artists in the form of Sturdyvent (Jonny Coyne) and Ma’s manager, Irvin (Jeremy Shavos). They paid very little and then turned huge profits for themselves and this would continue on throughout our history.

Viola Davis is a powerhouse as Ma. She walks around with such a swagger and snarl that everyone cowers in her presence. Everyone except Levee. Chadwick Boseman has proven in his brief career that he can disappear into any character and he does it again here. He inhabits Levee and gives a performance that cries out to be celebrated. Colman Domingo has been good in several films (Birth of the Nation, If Beale Street Could Talk) and TV shows (Fear The Walking Dead, Euphoria) and he gives another compelling performance here. Glynn Turman is a veteran actor who Im sure you’ve seen before. You may remember him as the science teacher in Gremlins (1984). He’s so good as the old timer piano player Toledo that you might forget to notice he’s acting. The film is also co-produced by Denzel Washington who directed Davis to an Oscar win in another August Wilson adaptation, Fences.

Ma Rainey looks beautiful and the music is rich. The drama is well paced and never lets up. It is a solid piece of filmmaking and an experience that I highly recommend.

The Prom directed by Ryan Murphy is an old fashioned, Andy Hardy, let’s put on a show in the barn musical if Judy Garland was a lesbian. It is all out campy! Based on the 2018 Tony nominated Broadway musical, The Prom is filled with big stars, big song and dance numbers and a lot of heart.

The plot is simple, a group of middle aged has been actors, fresh off a big show opening and closing on the same night humiliation seek out a ‘cause’ they can lend their names to that will generate good PR for them and maybe jump start their career. They find a story trending on Twitter about a young lesbian girl on Indiana who is fighting her school to allow her to go to the prom with her girlfriend. Off this motley theater crew go and they find that they’ve bitten off more than they can chew. But they are a determined lot and the young lady, Emma, accepts their help.

Everything happens that you expect to happen but that’s on par for old fashioned musicals such as this. It really does feel like something that could have been made inn the 1940s except for the homosexuality angle which is the point. If you’ve seen Ryan Murphy’s 2020 Netflix show Hollywood, it had the same feel, what if there were no discrimination in old Hollywood and movies dealt with homosexuality openly and honestly? It’s very liberating.

The cast really goes for it. Newcomer, Jo Ellen Pellman is delightful and genuine. There’s a great ease in her performance and you’re rooting for her immediately. She never feels forced and she has a lovely voice. Pullman, being the lead, plays straight woman in this film and is surrounded by a cast of eccentric characters led by the legendary Meryl Streep. Streep plays Dee Dee Allen, a two time Tony winner whose career is on the wane and who’s as narcissistic as they come. She chews up the scenery like, well, Meryl Streep! We all know Streep can sing and she wails out a couple of beauties in this one, my favorite being “It’s Not About Me’. James Corden is her gay co-star whose career, while not as accomplished, is also on the downward spiral. I’m not a big Corden fan but he has enthusiasm to spare and he can carry a tune. This genre is perfect for him. Nicole Kidman! Nicole Kidman? She does a great Bob Fosse style number in the middle that’s great but she’s pretty much wasted here. Keegan Michael-Key plays the school principal with the passion for Broadway and Dee Dee Allen and they become the older romantic couple in the piece though Streep is much older than Key and it doesn’t come across as believable. What am I saying? This is not a movie steeped in realism, you just go with it. Kerry Washington gets to play the angry PTA mom who rallies against allowing Emma to go to the prom and represents all the repression and intolerance in the community. She’s cast against type but she’s terrific and there’s a nice payoff to her character.

I’ll admit, these type of over the top musicals are not my cup of tea and when I started to watch the movie I was resisting it and judging it but it sucked me in,eventually, and there are some really catchy tunes sprinkled into the works. It’s a little too long but it’s heart is in the right place. If you are a theater person, especially, a musical theater person, you are going to love it! If not, you will still enjoy it if you keep an open mind and just let it whisk you away. It’s not a bad thing these days and lord knows, we all have some time on our hands!

It’s that time! Oscar Time! My high holy day! As award season has gone on its become pretty clear to see the trends. There could always be a surprise here and there but those usually happen in the supporting actor and actor categories not the top 5 or 6 awards. It’s been a very good year for film! There are at least 4 or 5 nominated and another couple that weren’t that I would be good with winning Best Picture. So here is what I think will win on Sunday.

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Hanks in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Anthony Hopkins in THE TWO POPES

Al Pacino in THE IRISHMAN

Joe Pesci in THE IRISHMAN

Brad Pitt in ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

This is Brad Pitt’s time to shine! He’s been giving some really entertaining acceptance speeches this season so I’m looking forward to hearing what he’ll have to say about winning his first Oscar.

Best Supporting Actress 

Kathy Bates in RICHARD JEWELL

Laura Dern in MARRIAGE STORY

Scarlett Johansson in JOJO RABBIT

Florence Pugh in LITTLE WOMEN

Margot Robbie in BOMBSHELL

Laura Dern seems to have it all sewn up! But if there’s going to be a surprise it usually happens in this category. So keep your ears open when the winner is announced and don’t act surprised if you hear the name ‘Florence Pugh’!

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas in PAIN AND GLORY

Leonardo DiCaprio in ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

Adam Driver in MARRIAGE STORY

Joaquin Phoenix in JOKER

Jonathan Pryce in THE TWO POPES

This one is in the bag for Joaquin Phoenix. There will be no surprise here. Whether you liked the film or not, Phoenix was undeniably on top of his game. Adam Driver would probably be my personal choice just for the scene where he sings “Being Alive”. He’ll get another shot.

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo in HARRIET

Scarlett Johansson in MARRIAGE STORY

Saoirse Ronan in LITTLE WOMEN

Charlize Theron in BOMBSHELL

Renée Zellweger in JUDY

Another sure thing! Rene Zellewgger is an odd fuck, indeed and perhaps why she was the perfect choice to play a Judy Garland at the end of her career and life. She’s swept awards season and it won’t stop here.

Best Director

THE IRISHMAN

Martin Scorsese

JOKER

Todd Phillips

1917

Sam Mendes

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

Quentin Tarantino

PARASITE

Bong Joon Ho

What a tough category! These are 5 men at the top of their game. Scorsese has won his do the pressure to honor him is not so urgent. Tarantino has yet to win in this category which seems like that should be corrected but not this year. He says he’s only directing one more film , Ever! He better pick the right project if he wants this Oscar. Maybe a film about John Cassavetes with Daniel Day Lewis as Cassavetes and Cate Blanchett as Gena Rowlands? Todd Phillips created the kind of film every director longs to make; one that everyone is talking about and has an opinion about whether they’ve seen it or not. It continues to cause a stir and arouse great emotions from its fans and detractors and that’s why he won’t win. Just as many yeas as nays.

Phillip’s Spot is the one that a lot of people thought should have gone to Greta Gerwig. I found out that though she is a member of the academy, she could not vote for herself during the nominating stage because she is in the Actors Branch. One way to give women more of a chance at a nomination is to get more women in the Directors Branch. If you’re a woman who acts and directs you should be able to vote in both categories! Come on, Academy!

This leaves us with Bong Joon Ho and Sam Mendes and rightfully so, as they have directed the two best films of the year. But the amazing filmmaking that went into making 1917 should give the edge to Mendes

Best Picture

FORD V FERRARI

THE IRISHMAN

JOJO RABBIT

JOKER

LITTLE WOMEN

MARRIAGE STORY

1917

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

PARASITE

So many quality films nominated! But since Parasite will win Best International Film this baby is going to go to 1917! The last film about WWI to win Best Picture was All Quiet On The Western Front 1930. There you have it!

Pour the champagne and enjoy your chips and dip! It should be a fun show! And maybe we’ll all have a few surprises in store for us!

The recent death of Kirk Douglas reminded me of the great World War I film Paths Of Glory (1957) in which he starred in. It was a dark, almost satirical film about the horrors of war. A very young Stanley Kubrick brought his sharp visual style and it ends with a scene in a bar full of war weary French soldiers being serenaded by a young German girl. A similar scene takes place near the end of 1917.

There was a lot of hype about this film long before it’s release. Let me tell you that the hype was not false. 1917 is an amazing piece of filmmaking. This is a film that takes during World War I but this is not what you would consider a ‘war’ movie. It’s the story of two young men who are sent on a mission. They must reach a group of 1500 soldiers and stop them from attacking the next morning because it has been discovered that it is a trap. One of the young men’s brother is part of the 1500.

What differentiates this film from other films about war is the way it was shot. The whole film seems to have been done in a single shot. There obviously, were some cuts but you can’t tell where they happened. The camera work is exceptional. The actors and crew needed to do extensive rehearsal to make it work. The sets are amazing. The photography by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins is beautiful. The two young actors, George McKay and Dean-Charles Chapman (Tommen from Game of Thrones) do a great job making you feel the anxiety of what they are going through. The set pieces are painstakingly designed and the film is filled with both quiet, reflective moments and edge of your seat action.

Director and co-writer Sam Mendes has succeeded in making a fantastic and original film. Along with the two young actors, the film is filled with great cameos including Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch and Mark Strong. It is unlike any film about war that I have seen. It is an adventure film, it is a character study, it is an art film, it is an action film. It is all of these! In short, it is an excellent film. Don’t be scared off thinking it will be too violent or too macho or because you don’t like war movies. You would be missing out on having a very special experience.

Film Noir is more than a genre, it’s a feeling. After World War Two, you started seeing films, generally considered as ‘B’ films, about darker subjects, losers and femme fatales and doomed lives. They centered as much around greed and lust as love and dreams. The characters could be detectives and criminals but also cowboys and private eyes and as time moved on they could even be astronauts or aliens. Film Noir is a modern day Commedia del’arte with a set of characters and stories to choose from. You could mix and match and make something new but what stays the same is that feeling. That sense of dread even when you think, this time, it will work out. It doesn’t. It can’t. Not for everyone.

Uncut Gems is a modern noir that takes place in present day New York (Circa 2012). It’s relentless and tension filled and never lets you breathe just like it’s lead character, Howard Ratner, played to perfection by Adam Sandler. Co-Written and directed by The Safdie Brothers, along with Ronald Bornstein, they’ve created a manic and brilliant film worthy to be included amongst the best film noirs.

The story is familiar. Howard is a man who is in debt to his brother in law, Arno (Eric Bogosian). He’s having an affair with one of his workers, Julia (Julia Fox) a young sexy party girl. He comes up with a scheme to get an uncut opal from Eithiopa sent to him which he will auction off for a million dollars. Sounds easy. It should have been but Howard makes one mistake after another and he can’t get a break. Howard is the classic film noir anti hero. He is a morally questionable and flawed person, he is on a losing streak, he has a dream, a once in a lifetime shot and the odds are against him. It all plays out wonderfully though your heart may not be able to take it. The end is perfect and the only way it could have or should have ended.

Adam Sandler carries the film on his shoulders and he is more than up to the challenge. The entire cast is great including Idina Menzel, Lakieth Stanfield and The Weekend.

Kevin Garnett gives a solid performance and Julia Fox is dynamic in her first film while Judd Hirsch as Howard’s father in law also gives a fine turn. The film reminded me of the 1950 film noir classic Night and The City directed by Jules Dassin (Brute Force) and starring Richard Widmark and Gene Tierney (Laura).

This film is not for everyone. It’s too intense for some, I understand. I’m a film noir aficionado so, of course, I’m into the dark tale. But I really loved it! It makes you feel something even if you don’t like how it makes you feel.

First off, I’ve never read the book and I’ve only seen the 1994 film version of Little Women directed by Gillian Armstrong so that’s where I’m coming from. I love Greta Gerwig and I have to admit, I was surprised when she had decided to do a remake of Little Women as her follow up to Lady Bird but I was sure she would make a an interesting film. If you are going to do another version of something that has been done so often you had better bring something new to it. Gerwig does. Her script decides to play with time and create two timelines. It is clever and effective but it also brings consequences.

The story is well known. Louisa May Alcott’s 1968 novel is an autobiographical novel about her family. The father has gone off to fight in the Civil War leaving his wife, affectionately called Marmee, and their four daughters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy. They’re poor but have a rich life. Jo (Saorsie Ronan) is the oldest and the most independent. She wants to be a write and she writes plays for her and her sisters to act out. Meg is the sister that longs to be married and have nice things. Beth is the sister with the heart of gold with a talent for piano playing and Amy is the youngest and wants to be an artist. They live next door to the Laurences and the sisters adapt young Theodeore Laurence, who they call Laurie, as a defacto brother. Laurie and Jo become very close though young Amy loves Laurie, Jo’s feelings are more mercurial. Their story spans seven years and the sisters find the realities of life drag the into adulthood and they must leave their idylic childhood behind.

Gerwig has made some interesting choices in the storytelling. She begins the film in the present and then flashes back to their childhood. It makes for some interesting story telling and clever scenes but it also frames the film in a more sad and wistful way. Gerwig’s direction is impressive. She definitely had a vision of how she wanted to tell this story and she creates some powerful sequences. The casting is perfect and the performances are strong especially Saorsie Ronan as the ever independent Jo and Florence Pugh as the young Amy who has always loved Laurie and is jealous of Jo’s relationship with him. Unfortunately, Timothee Chalamet does not deliver as Laurie. He comes across as a little boy and never strong enough to challenge either Jo or Amy’s affections.

Gerwig punches up the role of women at that time and connects it to the present beautifully. The scenes where Jo negotiates selling her work with the editor (Tracy Letts) are smart and clever. Gerwig also plays with the ending by making it ambiguous as to whether Jo marries Freidrich, the young German teacher. Louisa May Alcott never married in real life and so it seems that Jo March would not either.

There is much to like in this Little Women and much to admire and I will see it again. My crtiques aside there is one more piece of info that should be said. I saw the film with my friend Charlotte and throughout the film I heard her sniffling. I thought she may be coming down with a cold but once the film ended I realized that she had been crying almost from the beginning and never stopped. The book has had a profound affect on many generations of women and will continue to for generations to come.

Best Actor

Joaquin Phoenix is a sure thing for Joker as is Adam Driver for Marriage Story and Leonardo DiCaprio (LDC) for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Antonio Banderas deserves to get his first nomination for Pain and Glory. I think Christian bale is going to pick up his 3rd Best Actor nomination for Ford vs.Ferari.  But man, wouldn’t it be something if Adam Sandler got nominated for Uncut Gems????

Best Actress

Renee Zellwegger is the favorite for Judy. Scarlett Johannson for Marriage Story and Saoirse Ronan for Little Women will also be in the running. Charlize Theron is very good in Bombshell and will get her 3rd nomination. And I’m going out on a limb by saying I think Lupita Nyong’o is going to get her first nomination for Best Actress for US.

Best Supporting Actor

This category is as star studded as they come! Tom Hanks will pick up his first nomination since Cast Away (2001) for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Joe Pesci and Al Pacino will both get nods for The Irishman. Brad Pitt for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is the favorite and another old veteran, Anthony Hopkins seems to be getting the 5th spot in this line-up.

Best Supporting Actress

After seeing Little Women I can’t see how Florence Pugh can not receive her first nomination. Her costar Laura Dern will get a nod for Marriage Story. Dern’s costar Scarlet Johansson will get a 2nd nomination this year for Jojo Rabbitt. Margot Robbie will be nominated for Bombshell and Jennifer Lopez will get her first shot at Oscar for Hustlers.

Best Director

Noah Baumbach    Marriage Story
Bong Joon Ho        Parasite
Same Mendes           1917
Martin Scorsese    The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino    Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Best Picture

1917
THE IRISHMAN
JOJO RABBITT
JOKER
LITTLE WOMEN
MARRIAGE STORY
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
PARASITE

This is going to be a very exciting Oscar year! I’m looking forward to seeing some surprises!!