Green Book

In 1962, Dr. Don Shirley, an African American world class pianist about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South, hires Italian bouncer Tony Vallelonga to serve as his driver and bodyguard on the trip. The movie Green Book follows what comes next, a true story of two men, their differences, and the mutual respect that grows.

Despite an underwhelming box office performance, Green Book has come out as an award season front runner. Winning the Golden Globe awards for Best Film: Musical or Comedy and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, the film is unsurprisingly on its way to Oscar nominations. Controversies have crowded the film’s highway to success though. From inappropriate racial slurs during promotion to the uncovering of racist tweets to complaints from Shirley’s real life family, the film’s release has had its share of issues. I acknowledge these controversies. I also acknowledge the fact that Green Book, put simply, is a film made by white people for white people. It’s simply the audience. It’s a movie that would have won every Oscar a decade or two ago. It’s a movie made to let white audiences feel better about racial circumstances. I get that, because it’s the truth.

But there’s a certain charm to Green Book that also can’t be ignored. This can be fully credited to the great performances from its two actors, Viggo Mortenson as Vallelonga and Mahershala Ali as Shirley. Ali in particular needlessly proves his versatility as an actor, grasping the role of Shirley with full forged skill and class. He deserves the awards. The pair has this amazing chemistry that just bounces back and forth with such admirable ease. I kind of enjoyed the stereotypical Italian, New York characterization of Vallelonga, and Mortenson does a nice job owning his character’s development. The scenes between the two actors pan out with wonderful fluidity, and it’s the whole reason the movie actually works.

Green Book is an enjoyable watch. I appreciated the two men dealing with their prejudices and issues in different ways, cultivating a unique relationship together. It’s all together heartwarming. The plot did feel a bit see-sawish, for lack of a better word, at times, with one setback followed by another happy moment. There was one scene involving a police officer towards the end that was so ridiculously unnecessary and obviously put in to appease the target audience. I do recommend Green Book though. While it’s not without its shortcomings, the film has smart performances from its two main actors, who lead the story seamlessly in their journey together. It left me with a smile on my face, and I hope others experience that too.

ALL IN ALL: Green Book may seem outdated, but great performances and chemistry between its two leads fuels its central warmth and appeal.

On the Ticket Stub Love scale, I give Green Book 3.5 out of 5 ticket stubs

Director: Peter Farrelly

Cast: Viggo Mortenson, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardinelli

Run time: 2 hr 10 min, PG-13

Year: 2018

 

 

Hidden Figures

This Ticket Stub Love review was originally posted on the site Chasing Dreams as part of their Film Friday segment.

I feel that the tagline for Hidden Figures perfectly encapsulates the film. “Meet the women you don’t know, behind the mission you do.” Many of us know or are somewhat aware of the events surrounding Project Mercury, the first human spaceflight program of the United States. What many people don’t realize is that the project would not have been successful without the help of countless engineers and mathematicians, in particular Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.

Based on a true story, Hidden Figures centers on a team of African-American women, including Johnson (portrayed by Taraji P. Henson), Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Jackson (Janelle Monáe), who aided NASA by calculating the flight trajectories and mathematical data needed to launch the nation’s first successful space missions.

Hidden Figures is an excellent movie. Truly awe-inspiring, its story of these three powerful and intelligent women who overcame so much racism, sexism, and prejudice in the much divided 1960’s will strike a chord with audience members. Personally, and I know I am not alone in this, I was not aware of the tremendous strides and work these women did for NASA and for our nation. It was not only eye-opening but also inspirational to learn about this true story.

The cast performances were excellent. Taraji P. Henson blew me away as Katherine G. Johnson, her performance possessing such emotion and depth that needs to be more recognized and lauded. Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe were excellent as well. Both women brought a palpable strength and a firm grasp on the roles they respectively played.

Pharell Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Benjamin Wallfisch co-composed a great score for the film. The music added a needed boost at times that co-aligned well with the action on screen. In addition, Hidden Figures‘ story is well written and effectively immerses the viewer.

Hidden Figures has a lot of heart. I would fully recommend watching Hidden Figures, though it is not a film that requires a theater experience. People of any age will benefit from watching Hidden Figures and learning about an often overlooked but vital piece of our nation’s history. Even young children, especially girls, can most definitely look to Hidden Figures for a source of new role models as well. Hidden Figures has the heart and will touch yours.

ALL IN ALL: With its inspiring story and talented cast performances, Hidden Figures is sure to stay in the hearts of movie-goers alike for generations to come.

Hidden Figures 4.5 out of 5 ticket stubs.

Director: Theodore Melfi

Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Jim Parson, Kirsten Dunst, Mahershala Ali

Run Time: 2 hrs 7 min, PG

Year: 2016

image from: http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/hidden-figures

 

 

The Revenant

Oh man, how I have been looking forward to this film or what! So glad I finally got to see The Revenant recently because right now it is my top awards season contender. It was fantastic and deserves every single Oscar nomination it received (12 by the way!).

After being mauled by a bear and left for dead by his own hunting team, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), a frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820’s, is forced to fight for survival and find redemption.

A few words to describe The Revenant: raw, intense, amazing, epic, beautiful…the list goes on! Coming off his work on the Oscar winner Birdman, director Alejandro González Iñárritu deserves praise for his excellent direction in the film. The grueling shoot and the work put into this film shows in every single scene. Probably my favorite aspect of the film was the gorgeous cinematography by the ingenious Emmanuel Lubezki (who also won awards for his work on films such as Gravity and Birdman). Chivo outdoes himself in The Revenant, with stunning camera work and the use of only natural lighting throughout the whole film. The result is breathtaking with shots that are as raw as they are delicate.

Let’s be real though. The Revenant is Leonardo DiCaprio. Leonardo DiCaprio is The Revenant. Never before have I seen a performance like that, one that just requires so much commitment from the actor. Needless to say he was absolutely incredible and deserves every single accolade out there. The things he had to do in this movie! It is insane! His character is mostly silent throughout but the power of his performance is loud. Tom Hardy also did a great job in the film so I am glad he finally got the recognition he deserved through his nomination.

A revenant is defined as one who has returned, as if from the dead. Glass’s return is one that truly expresses the power of the human spirit. The backbone of the film is a gripping fight for survival and revenge with the only guidance of sheer will and a love for family. The Revenant is bleak but it is beautiful. The amazing feats of cinema and acting achieved in the film should be appreciated along with the epic true tale of Hugh Glass.