“Truth is stranger than fiction,” producer David Permut said about the new film “The Polka King” starring Jack Black, Jenny Slate, and Jackie Weaver.  And he’s absolutely correct.  In the 1990’s, a well-meaning, hard-working immigrant from Poland, barely making ends meet, devises an investment scheme that makes him millions.  The problem?  It’s a Ponzi scheme…A Polish Ponzi scheme.  The first of its kind and probably the last.

Jan Lewan (Black), living in Pennsylvania, with his wife (Slate) and astute yet meaner than a junkyard dog mother-in-law (Weaver), wants nothing more than to make a living and play music to Polka lovers everywhere.  The cost of doing this is greater than he can afford and more than his tchotchke gift store can fund.  So he takes on a few investors in his “company,” eventually swindling trusting elderly members of the community out of approximately $5 million.  If he sounds like a low-life criminal, you’d be wrong.  This guy, as Black portrays him which according to the documentary “The Man Who Would Be Polka King,”  is anything but that.  He’s sweet and devoid of malice.  He puts his family first…even that mother-in-law of his.  The film takes us through the years of Lewan’s misdeeds, giving us an absolutely charming and hilarious look at a man who digs a deeper and deeper hole until there’s seemingly no escape.  His escape, however, is even more hysterical!  There is no way anyone could make this stuff up…truth is truly stranger than fiction.

The husband wife team of Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky (“Infinitely Polar Bear”), create and direct one of the most unusual and entertaining comedies of the last few years. There’s not a dull moment in the film as we watch Lewan and his family’s life unfold.  Reportedly, Black, who jumped on this ship before Forbes and Wolodarsky had a single word written, had a hand in bringing Lewan to life on the screen.  This combination of writing talent is the jackpot.

The role of Jan Lewan was made for Black.  After his portrayal of “Bernie” in the film of the same name, Black seems to have a knack for playing unassuming criminals with no malice.  His sense of comedic timing and physical comedy augments his situations with sublime simplicity.  Slate finds a certain rhythm in her role as Lewan’s focused wife, making this odd couple one of the most unusual and entertaining duos to hit the screen.  It’s difficult to think that anyone could be more well-suited to a role than Black as Lewan, but Weaver is simply stellar.  She embodies the all-knowing, suspicious, Mrs. Kravitz-gone-bad relative, never trusting that son-in-law.  She’s scary and hilarious all wrapped into one.

Jackie Weaver at Sundance

“The Polka King” is 95 minutes of complete entertainment, full of unexpected twists in turns that only real life could provide.  It’s a roller coaster of a ride that you don’t want to end that somehow creates sympathy for a sweet man who happens to be a swindler as well.  When you’re not laughing, your jaw is dropped as you just can’t believe what you’re seeing.  And seeing is believing as this is a true story; albeit one that has the comedic genius of Jack Black behind it.

For more about this film, go to an interview with producer David Permut

Check out the trailer of the documentary of Jan Lewan here:

Ridley Scott, renowned director, has done the impossible in his newest film “All the Money in the World.” He took a film destined to drive audiences away and created a masterpiece that will surely elevate his status in the filmmaking world to levels previously thought unheard of. The film, originally cast with Kevin Spacey as one of the leads, J. Paul Getty, was slated to open December 22. Just weeks before the film’s opening, Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct, creating turmoil for the film and the cast. Scott decided to reshoot much of the film with a newly recast Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty. Scott not only did the impossible, he did it to such a level of perfection that it may just win him and his actors a few awards this season.

The story is based on the real-life story of the kidnapping of Paul Getty, J. Paul Getty’s grandson in the 1970’s. Transporting the audience back in time, we meet young Paul, his siblings, and his parents, Gail (Michelle Williams) and John Paul II (Andrew Buchan) who are struggling financially. Quickly, we learn how the richest man in the world could have a son who is unemployed and broke. Reaching out to re-establish a connection—and get a job in his father’s oil company—John Paul Getty II and his family move across the globe and start a new life. Years go by and a special bond is formed between the old miser and his grandson, but Paul’s parents find themselves in opposite corners. John Paul II is a drug addict and Gail divorces him…taking no money. Raising three children on her own, Paul, now a teen, has been kidnapped by one of the most dangerous gangs in Italy. What they don’t realize is that Gail is penniless and J. Paul Getty is one of the most cold-hearted cheapskates in the world.  It’s a harrowing tale of greed, family, and love.

This is Williams’ chance to shine in a film as the strong, independent, intelligent, and loving mother who attempts to find her son and pay for his release. She creates a multi-layered character filled with emotions most of us will thankfully never experience, yet we have such a connection with her and her situation. She drives the film without ever overwhelming any scene. Meeting with Mark Wahlberg’s character, Fletcher Chase, who is her father-in-law’s right hand man, the two must work together to find the truth behind the kidnapping. While this story-line in and of itself is remarkably intriguing, it is Plummer’s portrayal of the coincidentally Scrooge-like character that is simply chilling. He’s a business man with ice-cold gold coursing through his veins, seemingly devoid of the ability to love and have compassion. He’s shrewd and cunning with an edge to his voice that would make any person cower in his presence. His eyes seem almost soul-less as he worships the almighty dollar.

Charlie Plummer’s role of John Paul Getty III is just as captivating as he reels us in with his boyish yet cocky charm and then breaks our hearts as he finds himself struggling to survive and escape his captors. He’s still a boy at heart being used as a pawn for money.

Williams and Charlie Plummer have the on-screen ability to adeptly show that strong bond between a mother and her son. The captors, on the other hand, show us how sickeningly disturbing people can be when driven to such lowly depths. With one kidnapper, Cinquanta (Roman Duris) blurring the lines of loyalty and heart, we see the struggle of humanity and life from a different view point.  His character is one of the most complex as he does possess a moral compass and the ability to have compassion, but there is more to his life that directly conflicts with these attributes.

“All the Money in the World” is a chillingly brutal and spellbinding story about an iconic man and his family in our recent history. Williams and Christopher Plummer have Oscar-worthy performances and not surprisingly, the supporting cast is equally brilliant. Initially, one can’t help but watch the film, trying to find where the cuts have been made and how Christopher Plummer has been placed into this film, but quickly, you are transfixed by the story, forgetting about the reshooting and recasting of Plummer for Spacey. I can’t even imagine anyone but Plummer playing this part.  This could very well be, in this critic’s opinion, the best film Scott has ever directed. It is certainly the bravest and most daring film in his decision to recast Plummer and it might be his smartest one as well…the nominations are just starting to be named. 4 STARS

2017 has proven to be one of the most controversial and revelatory years in the history of the entertainment industry.  While the Harvey Weinsteins of the film world have been revealed, pulling away the curtain to expose the ugly truths about how men, for decades, have assaulted and harassed women in Hollywood, a healing process has begun for women in every environment.  Men are beginning to see how their actions, perhaps previously thought innocent, are actually hurtful.  There also seems to be the beginnings of comprehension by men of  the mental, emotional, and physical attacks women undergo on a daily basis.   Women are also standing together to speak up in the hopes of making a change for the future—our daughters’ futures and our own.  It’s just the beginning, but a very hopeful one.

2017 just might be the year that women, a minority in the film industry, are recognized for their talents in filmmaking.  As the number of women directors and writers really haven’t changed in the last 5 years, perhaps the voting bodies will begin to open their eyes to finally see the overlooked works of art that we have this year in movies.  2017 has given us a generous number of entertaining blockbusters and heartwarming gems, several of which were spearheaded by women.

It was difficult to choose just 10 top films as I could have easily chosen 30.  Some of these films are chilling dramas and others are light-hearted and whimsical films, but hopefully you’ll find a few that aren’t on the typical film critic’s list.  None of these films were chosen based on who wrote or directed them.  They were based on the tough criteria of, was it a good story told well…the words of Robert Redford still ring loudly and meaningfully to me.  If a woman wrote or directed one of my top films, then that’s just a great bonus for women!

BEST FEATURE FILMS OF 2017

1. “The Shape of Water” (written and directed by Guillermo del Toro)
2. “Maudie”  (written by Sherry White, directed by Aisling Walsh)
3. “I, Tonya” (written by Steven Rogers, directed by Craig Gillespie)
4. “All the Money in the World” (written by David Scarpa, novel by John Pearson, directed by Ridley Scott)
5. “Lady Macbeth” (written by Alice Birch, based on the novel by Nikolai Leskov, directed by William Oldroyd)
6. “Mudbound”  (written by Virgil Williams, Dee Rees, and Hillary Jordan (novel), directed by Dee Rees)
7. “Lady Bird”  (written and directed by Greta Gerwig)
8.  “The Post” (written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, directed by Steven Spielberg)
9.  “Brad’s Status” (written and directed by Mike White)
10. “The Hero” (written by Brett Haley and Marc Basch, directed by Brett Haley)

Honorable Mentions include: “Get Out,” “Wind River,” “Norman,” “Colossal,” “Molly’s Game,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “Wakefield,” “Beatriz at Dinner,” “Battle of the Sexes,” and  “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” “Detroit,” “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” and “Their Finest”

BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES OF 2017

1.  “Faces Places” (written and directed by JR and Agnes Varda)
2.   “Tickling Giants”  (written and directed by Sara Taksler)
3.   “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”  (written and directed by Alexandra Dean)
4.   “Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution” (written and directed by James Redford)
5.   “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” (written by Al Gore, directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk)
6.   “Step”  (directed by Amanda Lipitz)
7.   “Take My Nose Please”  (directed by Joan Kron)
8.   “Whose Streets”  (directed by Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis)
9.   “Miracle on 42nd Street”  (written by Joal Ryan and Steve Ryfle, directed by Alice Elliott)
10.  “42 Grams” (directed by Jack C. Newell)

Honorable Mention:  “It’s Not Yet Dark” and “LA ’92”

INDEPENDENT GEMS

1.  “The Lovers” (written and directed by Azazel Jacobs)
2. “The Light of the Moon” (written and directed by Jessica M. Thompson)
3.  “Walking Out” (Written by Alex Smith and Andrew J. Smith, short story by David Quammen, directed Alex Smith and Andrew J. Smith)
4.   “D-Love” (written by Dave Rogers, directed Elena Beuca)
5.   “Band Aid” (written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones)
6.   “The Big Sick” (written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, directed by Michael Showalter)

Check out the reviews of these films and the many interviews with the talent right here on Reel Honest Reviews!

They say that truth is stranger than fiction and this is certainly the case in “I, Tonya,” the story of Tonya Harding and her alleged attack on fellow figure skating competitor Nancy Kerrigan.  For those of you who are too young to remember “the incident” or only recall the other event of that era (O.J. Simpson), let me refresh your memory.  Harding, a rough-around-the-edges and talented figure skater was the only woman in the world to successfully complete a triple axel in competition yet she was never consistently winning.  Apparently, she just didn’t fall into the classification of the “girl next door,” the image the U.S. judges wanted as a representative for the Olympics.  Now this is where things get a little dicey.  On January 6, 1994, Harding’s biggest competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, was attacked and injured after practice.   Harding, along with her body guard, Shawn Eckhardt, and ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, were blamed for the attack.  “I, Tonya,” written by Steven Rogers and directed by Craig Gillespie, take this bizarre story and create a captivating and hilarious movie using the truth and the real characters’ own words as a template.  As the opening scene states, “Based on irony free, wildly contradictory, totally true interviews with Tonya Hardy and Jeff Gillooly.”  There is no way anyone could make this stuff up!

Harding (Margot Robbie) talks with us, the audience, in the current day.  Overweight, unkempt, and sitting in her kitchen, she begins to tell us the story of her life, from her perspective.  She takes us back to her upbringing, introducing us to her mother, LaVona Golden (Allison Janney) who makes Joan Crawford in “Mommie Dearest” look like an absolute sweetheart as we see Harding go through the school of hard knocks.    We are transported back to Harding’s childhood at the age of 3, or as LaVona calls it, “a soft 4.”  LaVona is physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive all the while justifying and rationalizing her behavior.  We see the cruelty her mother invokes in every situation—there’s no edit mode and no thought that hitting your daughter repeatedly with a hair brush is wrong.  The verbal abuse and demeaning behavior is used to motivate Tonya to skate better and the depths to which LaVona sinks are unthinkable.  It’s shocking and quite disturbing yet explains Harding’s choices in life.

During this trip down memory lane, we also get to hear from the other characters in the current day and their viewpoint of history, all being very different and punctuating the fact that truth is truly stranger than fiction.  These interviews paired and edited perfectly with flashbacks is a masterful feat in creativity to give us the whole story.

Fast-forwarding to Harding at 16…she meets and falls in love with Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) who rescues her from her mother only to find out that she has gone from the fire to the frying pan.  It’s an ugly cycle that unfolds before our eyes as we watch incredulously.  Figure skating competitions become more important as Harding gets older and the involvement of “body guard” Shawn Eckhardt (Paul Walter Hauser) pushes the story into the realm of craziness.  Hard Copy Journalist (Bobby Canavale) interjects his two cents into the matter, providing a balance of rationale as to what is completely outrageous.  His quotes are shockingly memorable throughout the film such as “We had no idea that something like this could be done by two of the biggest boobs in a story populated solely by boobs,” as well as poking fun at the outlet’s reputation being equivalent to today’s “respected” publications.

For those of us who recall “the incident,” it is simply shocking how each cast member is the embodiment of the actual person.  Robbie is remarkable as Harding from her  awkward late teen period to the younger 20-something woman.  How the make-up and wardrobe people were able to transform this stunningly beautiful woman into Harding is beyond comprehension, but much of it has to do with the subtleties of language that Robbie integrated into her performance.  Her body language lacked refinement and etiquette and her language usage matched that.  Robbie is Harding.  She does much of her own skating in the film, but did need a little help from the computer graphics department to help with that triple axel.  The transformations don’t stop with Robbie.  Janney, with a parrot perched on her shoulder, becomes LaVona.  Janney, a tall, beautiful, refined woman in real life, sheds her skin to become a crass and cruel woman, portraying LaVona with expert skill.  She, like Robbie, utilizes every aspect of acting to become her character.  Sebastian Stan’s performance as Jeff Gillooly  is spot-on with his looks and affect and Paul Walter Hauser could have been Eckhardt’s twin.  I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the talented young actress Mckenna Grace as the young Harding.  Pulling off this character, giving viewers insight to how Harding was hardened, is no easy task for any actress, but to accomplish this at such a young age is extraordinary.  Grace deftly creates a heartbreaking portrayal of youth stripped away of all worth and shows us how her defense mechanism creates violence for survival’s sake.  

“I, Tonya” is a masterpiece in recounting the life and times of Tonya Harding.  Superb casting, excellence in direction, writing, and acting make this one of the top films of the year.  While it’s really a rather sad tale as we see the effects of abuse and how the cycle continues, Rogers’ script and the editing process make this biopic surprisingly hilarious, yet it does not demean the brutality and cyclical effects of abuse.

4/4 Stars

“Jumangi: Welcome to the Jungle” is one of the few reboots of recent years worth seeing as it brings viewers back to a time when a movie could provide laughs, adventure, and total escapism for a couple hours. My kids grew up with me reading the book to them and admittedly, I not only looked forward to the film starring Robin Williams, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as well! Now, my jaded view impacted walking into the theater and seeing this newest version. I had my doubts as sequels and reboots typically are disappointing. Thanks to the creative group of screenwriters, and the incredibly talented director Jake Kasdan, and comedically blessed actors, I was pleasantly surprised! I haven’t been this entertained since the original “Indiana Jones!”

For those of you who don’t recall the ending of the 1995 version of “Jumanji,” let me refresh your memory. Alan Parrish (Williams), the boy who disappeared into the deadly adventure game to slay creatures and save the island of Jumanji, returned to his home, and tossed the game into the ocean. Years passed and the game turned up, shallowly buried on a beach. The drums began to beat. This is where our newest version picks up. A boy in the year 1996 finds the game, opens it, and while board games are passe, the game is now a video game. Again, we hear the ominous drums begin to beat their deadly rhythm and Alex (Nick Jonas) is sucked into the abyss of Jumanji. Fast forward to the present day and 4 unlikely kids are being held in detention only to discover this long-forgotten video game. As a diversion to their mundane task at hand, the four begin to play. Now they find themselves in Jumanji as the characters or Avatars they have chosen. This is where the fun, humor, and excitement for them and the audience begins.

The premise of the game remains the same. The players must go through levels or challenges in order to complete the game and return to their lives. “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” finds a way to be different in its ability to incorporate CGI, making us jump and gasp while we watch events unfold. And where this film stands out is in the characters’ transformation into the game’s characters. We see a skinny nerd, Young Spencer played by Alex Wolff, transform into Bravestone, Dwayne Johnson. (I’ll let your imagination do the work now.) The crazy and hilarious transformations continue with Young Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), the buff football player becoming Mouse Finbar, a zoologist played by the comedic and the comparatively diminutive actor Kevin Hart. To round out the shocking transformations, the gorgeous popular girl, Bethany (Madison Iseman) turns into a middle-aged, overweight, scruffy paleontologist portrayed by Jack Black. Only Black could take this gorgeous yet self-centered phone-toting “it” girl and continue her persona making us believe that he is actually Bethany! From discovering how easy it is to pee in the woods to teaching Martha (Karen Gillan) the art of flirting, Black makes every situation laugh-out-loud funny. Every one of these actors has great comedic timing and the ability to do physical comedy—The Rock’s (Johnson) facial expressions alone make you smile and laugh—put all of these actors together and it’s absolute magic.

With “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” there’s never a dull moment as the group attempts to figure out clues, rise to the next level, battle strange beast, get eaten alive, and then drop from the sky to continue their next adventure. The CGI scenes are sometimes shockingly violent, but knowing that it’s all part of the game and that they have 3 lives to use, makes it less gruesome. Although, seeing the evil nemesis Van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale) with long multiple legged bugs crawling in and out of his ears and mouth might have been the most disturbing visual effect in the film!

Each of the characters are given special skills, some are there purely for the comedy such as Fridge’s reaction or weakness to “cake eating,” others are there to move the story forward and allow the group to work together as a team. The kids all have their own strengths which they allow to rise up and help in certain situations such as Spencer’s knowledge of video gaming and the Fridge’s knowledge of football offensive and defensive tactics. Life lessons are learned as they band and bond together, but never do any of the characters lose their adolescent charm and innocence in these scenes. Seeing the Rock’s version of Spencer’s inadequacies and insecurities is at once sweet and hilarious. First love and first kisses are equally entertaining as are a few reactions to their first margaritas. All of this combines beautifully for a fast-paced, funny, touching, adventure film.

Never did I dream I would be excited to recommend a reboot of a film, let alone “Jumanji.” Escape to the jungle and enjoy a couple hours of laughing, gasping, and most importantly,total escapism from this crazy time of year.

3 1/2 Stars

*This is rated PG-13 for a reason. Please be advised that some of the “deaths” are scary and there is a little bad language and drinking.

Walking in another person’s shoes is nearly impossible until you are graced with the ability to see Rachel Shenton’s film “The Silent Child.” Directed by Chris Overton, Libby (Maisie Sly) is a deaf child, the youngest of three in a typical family, busy and pulled in many different directions. There’s  little time for young Libby who will be attending school soon.   A tutor, Joanne (Shenton), has been hired to help her get ready for school.  The story takes us inside Libby’s world as Joanne unlocks the doors of communication, yet outside influences make this film heartbreakingly real.

Gorgeously shot, we are brought into this family’s world as we meet Joanne riding her bike along country roads to her new job—tutoring Libby.  Familiar chaos is taking place at the breakfast table as everyone readies for their hectic day.  Joanne is thrust into the situation as she meets Libby who is not only non-communicative, she avoids any interaction at all.  It’s as if she is just existing in time and space and nothing more.  Sue (Rachel Fielding), Libby’s mother, reassures Joanne of Libby’s ability to follow everything using lip reading.  Now, this is where the filmmakers give us just a taste of Libby’s world as we see things from her silent and confusing perspective.  Joanne then skillfully assesses the situation and begins to teach Libby sign language.  As Libby begins to understand the world around her, the two are connected, reaffirming the necessity of communication.  Sign language unlocks the solid doors that Libby has been kept behind and now her world has been opened.  She begins to play, laugh, request things and share her thoughts with Joanne and her older siblings—all the things we take for granted.  The guilt and self-protection we see in Sue is disturbing, yet understandable but begins to interfere with Libby’s progress.  Quickly, we see how important this missing piece of the puzzle is for Libby in order to grow and learn, but without support, she will never reach her potential.

This short film conveys more heart and emotion than many full-length feature films.  To understand a situation from someone else’s perspective elicits empathy and once this is established, anything is possible.  “The Silent Child” powerfully places Libby’s shoes on us and creates heartbreaking empathy.  Sly’s performance is haunting as we witness her coming to life and then watching disappointment wash over her like a dark cloud through which no rays of sunshine will ever break.  We feel her pain and know what the future holds as our heart also breaks for Joanne, played expertly by Shenton.  This vital and pivotal role in Libby’s life accentuates the importance of connections that occur.   With stunning cinematography and the deft direction of Overton, it’s no wonder this film has won numerous festival awards.

“The Silent Child” brings into focus what it is like for a child who is deaf.  We are able to be a part of her world and walk in her shoes if only for a moment as we redefine the importance of communication and language as powerful components in life, learning, and happiness.   It’s a heartbreaking tale that unfortunately is not far from reality and an every day occurrence.

For more information about how to help a child with a hearing impairment, go to www.asha.org.  As a former speech-language pathologist, I worked with children ages 0-3 who were hearing impaired.   This film is a poignant demonstration for the need for support and education in this area.

“Call Me By Your Name” seemed a sure-fire Oscar contender when I saw it months ago. Beginning the festival circuit at Sundance Film Festival back in January, the film received rave reviews. Now, almost one year later, the film is winning major film critic awards including Best Film and Best Director from the LA Film Critics Circle and numerous acting awards and nominations for its stars Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, and Michael Stuhlbarg.

The film is an daringly bold and honest coming of age film about a 17 year-old boy, Elio (Chalamet) who is trying to find his identity back in the 1980’s. His family summers in Italy as his father is a professor of history, researching during this time period. When Oliver (Armie Hammer), the new college research assistant arrives, Elio’s sexual emotions are awakened and with a new-found flurry of thoughts, feelings and desires, he finds himself confused and struggling with his first love.

The cinematically stunning film boldly addresses the powerfully intense emotions that occur in a young boy and how his family perceives his situation from the outside. I had the honor of sitting down and talking with Michael Stuhlbarg who portrays Elio’s father, Mr. Perlman, to discuss his career path, his own father’s influence upon his role, and how he hopes viewers will see this film.

Pamela Powell (PP): Your theater, television, and film credits are simply remarkable and you seem to have found a springboard recently to make a recognizable name for yourself with this film, “The Post,” and “The Shape of Water.” Can you tell me about your path?

Michael Stuhlbarg (MS): The drive to do this kind of work with my life, I don’t really thoroughly understand where it comes from. I’ve been doing it since I was 11 years old. non prof until 1989… I’ve always loved storytelling, I’ve loved making people laugh and think and feel. And I stand on the shoulders of giants, really, whether it’s been my father or professors or teachers I’ve had who gave me confidence or encouraged me or taught me something that was important. We all are on the shoulders of others who took an interest in us. Saw something in us perhaps a passion or a love or a talent and made us feel like we could perform miracles, otherwise we wouldn’t be here… certainly wouldn’t be here without the people who influenced me in my life. And with each opportunity you’re given, you hope that you gain a little more confidence about what you’re capable of, with each job, it’s like starting all over again, honestly. I never know what tools are going to be necessary for a new job and there’s always a great sense of insecurity and anxiety about will I be able to fulfill what’s being asked of me… So you just have to trust your collaborators, you trust your director, and they also have tremendous influence on you as well.

PP: This particular role of Elio’s father is one of compassion and understanding like I’ve never seen in a film. Tell me about preparing for this role, learning Italian and Greek history.

MS: In this case, I’m a Greek scholar who has an interest in history and art history…I met with a couple classics professors, talked to them about what it’s like to stand in front of a room and talk about encouraging students to know their latin and about coming off like you could speak italian. I took some [Italian] lessons in NY before I left. My tutor was from the South of Italy and then I learned that when I arrived [in Northern Italy] that the dialect and the meanings of some things are different than they are down south!

I loved what Luka said during the rehearsal process… He wanted this whole experience for the audience to be one of light, one of love, one of buoyancy. That idyllic summer that we may have been lucky enough to have had in our youth where we fell in love for the first time or we met someone we adored or we experienced something that just maybe encouraged us to take a particular path in our lives.

These are all great challenges and I think it’s a really good thing when you’re terrified at the beginning process. In some ways it puts a fire under you to do the best work that you can because you don’t want to be the one who doesn’t fulfill what the script is providing. Basically, you don’t want to screw up. So there’s always a fire there to always do the best I can. I guess you’re given a script, you mine it for what you’re responsible for and you do your best to learn all that you can so that you don’t have to think about it on the day that you’re shooting it. You just let it go, you let it fly.

PP: And it most certainly did fly! That final speech was extraordinarily moving. Was your relationship with your father an influence upon your performance?

There was a significant pause in Stuhlbarg’s response as I could see that perhaps this was a very emotional topic for him. As he took a deep breath, his eyes closed, he turned and looked at me and with a strong yet sombre voice said:

MS: My father was a wonderful man. He had a gravity about him and a wonderful sense of humor and he often said to me let’s solve the problems of the world. So I had an amazing example for a father in my life and I thought about him often, of course, in the making of the film. I think had the circumstances of my life had been similar to what Elio was going through, I imagined he would have been as compassionate and as open and as loving as Professor Perlman is to Elio. I feel like the luckiest kid in the world to have had such an example of wonderful parents, mother and father, to have encouraged me and have been open to anything that came into my life. So I feel like it rested and lived in a very natural part of who I am. I feel their blood in my blood and i feel like I had the kind of empathy that Professor Perlman has that I was blessed to have in my life.

PP: Thank you for answering that with such honesty and candor. I hadn’t realized your father had passed away…What do you hope viewers will take away from this film?

MS: I hope they just go along for the ride…and also that they will perhaps see an example in what I get to say of a beautiful sort of view into the difficult balancing act that is parenting which is compassion and love and trust, but also providing a sense of a rock from which a child could feel grounded in the world. I think in this instance, in the speech you mention, Professor Perlman gets to offer aspects of perhaps his own experience in a round about way to Elio that he hopes will allow his son to find some comfort in the pain that he is feeling. So perhaps the audience sill take away a relationship of compassion and of absolute love and the advice or the words that are offered are coming from a place of experience and generosity and for him not to push away the pain that he is feeling because and how wonderful it is that he’s feeling what he’s feeling because those feelings are rare.

“Call Me By Your Name” opens in theaters in Chicago December 15 and will expand nationally in the weeks to follow.

The Chicago film Critics Association gathered last night to announce and celebrate the award winners from the amazing slate of films from 2017.  Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” was the big winner, taking home 4 wins after being nominated in 6 different categories.  The film received the coveted Best Picture Award along with Best Actress-Saiorse Ronan, Best Supporting Actress-Laurie Metcalf, and Most Promising Filmmaker-Greta Gerwig.

“Call Me By Your Name” was a close second with 3 wins:  Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor-Timothee Chalamet, and Most Promising Performer-Timothee Chalamet.

“Blade Runner 2049” won two awards, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.

The remaining award winners are:

Best Director- Christopher Nolan (“Dunkirk”)

Best Supporting Actor- Willem Dafoe (“The Florida Project”)

Best Original Screenplay- Jordan Peele (“Get Out”)

Best Original Score-Johnny Greenwood (“The Phantom Thread”)

Best Editing- Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss (“Baby Driver”)

Best Foreign Film- “The Square”

Best Animated Feature-“Coco”

Best Documentary Feature-“Jane”

While the L.A. Film Critics Circle gave the Best Picture award to “Call Me By Your Name,” and both Chicago and N.Y. found “Lady Bird” deserving of that title, it will be interesting to see if  this is a predictor of what will happen on Oscar night.  Only time will tell!  Perhaps it is the beginning of women being recognized in the director’s chair after all!

We see the familiar words scroll up the screen, stars in the background and notes of a recognizable tune blast indicating that the saga of The Empire versus The Rebellion  is about to begin. The prologue of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” aka Episode VIII,catches you up a bit, but not enough, to recall where we are in the story and as soon as we see the new characters we have quickly grown to love and the old ones we hold dear, appear on the screen, we are immediately pulled back into that galaxy far, far away. If only the trip wasn’t so long!

We pick right up where “The Force Awakens” left off …Rey (Daisy Ridley) finds Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on a remote island, asking him to come back with her as he is the Rebellion’s only hope. Meanwhile, back on the Rebellion’s planet, an attack is becoming evident from the 1st order, lead by General Hux (Domhnall Gleason), under Supreme Leader Snoke’s (Andy Serkis) direction and Kylo Ren’s (Adam Driver) lurking approval. The onslaught of explosions, zipping Tie Fighters and X Wing air crafts dodging blasts, and heroes meeting their fate begins in full force. Fin (John Boyega), our newest hero, is awakened and Poe (Oscar Isaac), the blast-happy fly boy who ignores Princess Leia’s (Carrie Fisher) orders, recklessly attempts to be the solar system cowboy and save everyone.

For fair weather fans of the original film and all of its many, many sequels and prequels as well as prequel’s prequels, it would be beneficial to rewatch “The Force Awakens,” or at least read a synopsis of the film as the “who’s who” and who’s related to whom can easily be confused. That being said, the premise of this sequel is to save the Rebellion from certain destruction by the Imperial Forces and rebuild. Rey, Fin, and Poe along with his trusty side-kick BB8, are the team to give it their best shot fighting the evil, dark forces of Kylo Ren, Snoke, and Hux.

The haunting needs of Rey to find her parents while also becoming a Jedi awakens The Force within her as she seeks guidance from Skywalker. He resists teaching her the ways of a Jedi as his last attempt turned out to be a bit of a failure aka Kylo Ren. The connection between Ren and Rey builds as we see the strong, yet blurred lines of good and evil. We also find our own connections to all the old, familiar characters such as R2D2, C3PO, Yoda and more.

The story builds on new characters  who add a bit of zip and spice to the film as we meet and get to know Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), DJ (Benecio Del Toro) and Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern). Like “The Force Awakens,” an effort was made to have a plot line that had strong female leads and this sequel continues to bring women to the forefront. Fisher steps up to the commanding leader’s position, but her real life tragedy seems to cast a constant shadow on her performance. Ridley remains just as strong, smart, and brave in this version, but it is Tran’s character that shines with personality. She’s exudes humor and timing that engage the viewer as we anticipate seeing her in another scene. Dern, of course, has a strength and wisdom about her character that radiates confidence, allowing us to trust in her character.

Driver as Kylo Ren, has stepped up his game and has a standout performance. His portrayal of the betrayed son of Han and Leia is evident in every interaction as we see his conflicted thoughts surface to his impulsive outbursts. Hamill finds his inner-Luke and gives us exactly what we need and expect from him. Gleason’s talent is immeasurable as he can fluidly transform himself from portraying the “Winnie the Pooh” author, A. A. Milne in “Goodbye Christopher Robin,” to an evil and frustrated understudy to Ren. He can almost elicit sympathy for his situation as he just can’t seem to get ahead in the bad guy game. And then we have Isaac and Boyega who pull their weight, but don’t have the personality we saw in “The Force Awakens.”

While this sequel keeps the saga alive, and I give great credit for the strong female and minority leads, the story is just way too familiar and repetitive. Initially, humor was interjected, making me laugh out loud, but that concept must have been sucked up into a black hole as the laughs quickly disappeared. And with up to 4 different sub-story lines taking place at the same time, you were constantly being shifted from excitement to dramatic conversations. And at a running time of 152 minutes, familiarity and non-stop blasting explosions paired with jarring storyline transitions creates disinterest.

Where the film truly shines is in the CGI and make-up departments; both absolutely stunning and mesmerizing. Serkis, once again, is completely unrecognizable as “Snoke.” His off-set eyes, creviced forehead, pocketed cheeks showing bones, tendons, and muscles are all wonderfully distracting. Of course, the film has a “party” scene, as it always does, to showcase bizarre creatures and this time it’s in a casino. And let’s not forget the Puffin-like bird creature that will be showing up on every toy shelf just in time for Christmas. Yes, it’s adorable and it’s Chewbacca’s sidekick. Need I say more?

So here’s the skinny on this 2 hour and 32 minute Star Wars sequel, “The Last Jedi.” If you’re a fan, you’re going to appreciate the story continuing (on and on). If you’re into make up and CGI, you’ll appreciate every minute of it. If you haven’t loved the sequels recently, avoid those comfy recliner seats for obvious reasons.

“The Shape of Water” is one of those movies that moves you from within as it stimulates every sensory system, blending the beauty of fantasy with the aversions of humanity and history.  Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor write this deeply moving film that delves into what it means to love, accept and be compassionate, no matter the consequences.

Sally Hawkins portrays Elisa Esposito, a mute cleaning woman at an experimental government facility with co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) who stumbles upon a creature which is undergoing brutal exploration by a team of researchers lead by Dr. Robert Hofstettler (Michael Stuhlbarg) and supervised by the demented and cruel Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon).  As Elisa connects with this creature, communicating with him and eventually falling in love, she must somehow save him from certain death.

This is a fantastical film taking place in the era of the Cold War, and the opening scene sets the tone, giving us many clues as we hear Elisa’s quirky and caring neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins), narrate the beginning.  The viewer is exploring an underwater home as Giles tells the viewer he is unsure of how to tell this story about the princess without a voice and a “monster that tried to destroy it all.”  While it may seem possible at this point, that this is a horror story, and there are horrific events that take place, it is truly a story about love and loss, as Giles says.

The serene feeling of the opening scene is transferred to the reality of Elisa’s apartment where her daily routine begins.  Nothing seems out of the ordinary as she readies for her job, but the brush of a hand over the scars on her neck indicate there’s an unknown previous tragedy.  On her way out the door, she walks down the hall, checking in on Giles.  Their sweet bond is immediately evident as they chat and fondly recall beautiful musicals on television.  When Elisa gets to work, we meet the characters that will forever change her life and in turn, she will change theirs.

The balance in this story is immediately evident when we meet Strickland.  He’s inhumane, self-righteous, and controlling.  He is the polar opposite of Elisa who embodies humility, compassion, and love.  Elisa’s inadvertent discovery of the creature is simply beautiful while Strickland’s interactions with him is unsettling and in many cases simply disturbing.  With Dr. Hofstettler obeying orders against his will and better judgment, we learn that he has a story of his own to tell.  And eventually, his story and Elisa’s intertwine.

While the story itself is remarkable, memorable, and meaningful, it is the way in which it is told visually that makes it stand out even more.  There film even pays homage to old, classic films and musicals.   The set design and careful use of a single color palate not only brings you back into the 1950’s, it also creates a certain mood and accentuates the sea.  There’s a certain comfort in the surroundings of Elisa’s apartment, reassuring you that there can be a happy ending.  But again, like the characters, the settings are in polar opposition as well.  The government lab is cold, harsh, and unsettling, reminding you that there are evils in this world that we may not overcome.

With such attention to detail, del Toro continued this with the music, sometime whimsical, sometimes daunting, but always coordinating with what we are experiencing.  del Toro’s expert direction of this characters is equally perfect.    Shannon seems to naturally embody that chilling effect and Stuhlbarg can perform any role.  As Dr. Hofstettler, his meek and mild manner draws us to him, and as his character is revealed, we are on his side no matter what.  And Spencer has played this type of role a thousand times, but it never gets old…she’s the best friend, the smart and bold friend who is loyal to the end.

It is Hawkins and Jenkins that truly shine in this film, pushing their skills as an actor to the next level.  As an actress who utters not a single word, Hawkins give an extraordinarily profound performance.  She creates an essence of beauty, from the inside out, as we understand her longing to be loved.  She’s strong and capable and oftentimes misunderstood, but her moral grounds are always high.  The compassion she shows for not only Giles, but the creature is breathtakingly beautiful.  We feel her connection to the creature grow and we become her for a moment, taking in the feeling of true love.

del Toro brilliantly creates rich and layered characters while addressing issues that still are in the headlines today.  Acceptance, tolerance, and understanding of those who may look different is one such topic.  Communication is yet another as Elisa shows us the importance of this.  And Giles, very similar in many ways to Elisa, has his own issues  to cope with and we see his regret and wish for a different time…a more open and accepting time.

“The Shape of Water” is an amalgam of a thriller, espionage, horror, and love story in the context of fantasy and reality.  The ending will begin a conversation and upon a second (or even third) viewing, you will pick up on subtleties that will make this film an even more powerful one.  It’s a film that has a lasting impression, full of beautiful images, hope, love, and most importantly compassion and understanding.

4/4 Stars