Attica

Some movies won't be on streaming forever. The Oscar-nominated documentary Attica is an example; Amazon Prime de-listed its free stream after yesterday. I tried watching it on Sling, a streaming service I didn't hear about till now, but it left after I streamed about 16 minutes. At least I remembered where I was when I picked it back up on XFinity. It's $9.99 mostly everywhere else. 

Let's talk about the film before I prattle on about streaming.

Stanley Nelson and Traci Curry chronicle the uprising at the Attica Correctional Facility from Sep. 9-13, 1971. Its numerous prisoners, overwhelmingly black or Latino, and understandably fed up with mistreatment, revolted against their all-White guards. Their demands, as voiced by spokesman L.D. Barkley, included basic human dignity not just for themselves, but prisoners everywhere. But Gov. Nelson Rockefeller sent the police and National Guard to take back the prison by force. That assault killed prisoners and hostages alike.

It's not an easy film to sit through. Former prisoners testify about getting a measly minimum of amenities and nothing else really. Any complaints about it made it worse. The San Quentin prison riot a few weeks earlier emboldened them. You can see the tension rise up to when the prisoners finally revolt. 

 Basic living conditions are bad enough, but the climactic assault cements the cruelty. In all seriousness, the prisoners getting shot up amidst commands of "put your hands up and you will not be harmed" make the cops sound like the Martians in Mars Attacks, only far less funny. The ceaseless gunfire on the soundtrack sells us on how disproportionate the assault was. Reporter John Johnson also testifies getting threatened by victorious cops on a kill-happy power trip. You'll shudder as the film shows how the guards reprised against their prisoners. 

You'll sympathize with the prisoners despite whatever deeds landed them in "the last place." None of them try to excuse their original crimes. They just wanted basic human rights in spite of them. Al Victory, a white prisoner, testifies of his shame of getting preferential treatment for himself and not just for others. William Quinn, the only prison guard killed by the prisoners, got medical treatment from a few prisoners. The hostage family members interviewed show no ill will to the prisoners. They have plenty of that for the State Government's inadequate attempts at restitution. 

Overall, Attica earns its place among this year's Oscar nominees. It's a tense and perfectly infuriating documentary about the injustice of the justice system. It gives you a lot to think about the present as it describes the past. You won't stop thinking about it after its 117 minutes are done. You can only hope that it's somewhat better than it was. Somewhat. 

Marry Me

 Oh yeah, my house has Peacock. But I never got the urge to watch something there for this blog. 

Until this week.

That something is Marry Me, a harmless romantic comedy with a wacky premise based on the Webcomic of the same name by Bobby Crosby. The film takes the concept in its own silly direction. It's a good break from whatever serious movies I have left on my list.

Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) is an average math teacher and divorced dad to Lou (Chloe Coleman). Kat Valdez (Jennifer López) is a pop superstar about to marry her boyfriend, Bastian (Maluma), live in concert. Charlie's best pal Parker (Sarah Silverman) convinces him to take Lou and join her for the concert. But Kat finds out that Bastian's been cheating on her just before the vows. So Kat, already married thrice, decides to marry a random guy in crowd. That guy is Charlie, just because Parker got him to hold a "Marry Me" sign.

So now, Charlie has to adjust to being married to an international icon. Kat decides to go through with the marriage even though her support team wants it to blow over. They find that they have surprisingly much in common. But will it be enough when Bastian decides to win her back?

Wilson and López make an unlikely compelling couple. She wants something new in her life after her latest heartbreak. He's a good guy who just wants to make a stranger happy. It's really compelling to see their relationship become genuine. They start off trying to make sense of a convoluted situation. But they soon bond over Coney Island and Charlie's dog, Tank, among other things. While Charlie's insecurities help drive the act three breakup, they soon realize they're made for each other. It all adds up to a fun climax at a mathalon. 

Kat's support team, including her manager Colin (John Bradley), are understandably confused by her sudden marriage. They're a likable bunch who have the best intentions, though. Chloé is a good kid who helps bring out the best in her dad. Parker, who sets the plot in motion, has her best moment when she helps Kat to the mathalon. Bastian isn't too antagonistic towards Charlie after the wedding. He seems apologetic, though he does rebound quickly. The biggest jerk is the opposing Mathalon coach.

The soundtrack, including the title theme, has plenty of memorable tunes. They're kind of silly songs, but they fit the film. The most serious song is called On My Way,  which plays an important part in the climax. The score by John Debney is just as good as the pop music. There's some great editing by Peter Teschner and Michael Berenbaum in the climax too. Finally,  some points to the production design for Kat's elaborate apartment. 

Marry Me is an endearingly silly comedy. It makes a surprisingly compelling case for its off kilter concept. Its unlikely couple will keep you interested for a good 112 minutes. It's ready for you to say yes on Peacock or theatres. I can think of a few webcomics Hollywood could option if they're interested. This current film gets my interest in a few of them.

CODA

I need to hurry to make the most of my free Apple TV. This week, after putting it off for too long, I found time for CODA, the service's Oscar-nominated remake of the French film, La Famille Belier. Seeing it now makes me wish I saw it sooner.

CODA stands for "Child of Deaf Adults," and that's what Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is. She's the only one who can interpret for her deaf parents Frank (Troy Kotsur) & Jackie (Marlee Matlin), and her also deaf brother Leo (Daniel Durant). She works with Frank and Leo on their fishing boat while going to high school. One day, she joins Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) into the choir headed by Mr. Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez). She impresses "Mr. V" so much he gives her private lessons and recommends her for Berklee.

Unfortunately, the family fishing boat is threatened by overbearing Union suits. Frank and Leo decide to start their own fish mongering business. But they need Ruby's help, while Ruby wants to follow her singing dreams. Naturally, she finds herself struggling to balance her commitments. 

Writer and Director Sian Heder gives us a great family drama. Sure, it's a typical movie plot about balancing dreams vs family. But there are compelling reasons for each side. It's easy to forget (or discount, as I did) that the ADA would've (or should've) alleviated much of Ruby's stress. She's all the help her family knows. But we see her exhibit a promising talent. I'll elaborate further on the conflict when I discuss the cast.

Jones as Ruby is a compelling lead. We understand her exhaustive life as she balances fishing and school. The choir gives her an outlet to sing in front of others. It's a stressful prospect at first but we see her get some confidence. What makes her conflict compelling is that her family is likable. Matlin and Kotsur are (nonverbally) outspoken parents, much to Ruby's embarrassment. Frank, especially, is a hoot as he signs out some colorful language. His business really needs help, as shown when Ruby is essentially substituted with a beyond-useless Union rep. They soon understand how much singing means to Ruby. Durant as Leo understands quicker when he tells her to go to Berklee. Meanwhile, Derbez as Mr. V proves to be more than a typically eccentric teacher. 

There are some standout moments during its 112 minutes. One of the earliest scenes has Ruby endure some unbearable loudness from her unaware family. The climax gives us the opposite as we experience the Rossi's watch Ruby's concert in total silence. Her successful audition at Berklee is an emotional moment, as is when Frank feels her vocal cords singing. We get to hear plenty of stellar singing from Ruby on the soundtrack.

CODA makes a compelling case to get Apple TV. There's a great cast acting out this moving family story. There's plenty of laughs and drama to be found here. You might be lucky this weekend as some cities will get free theatrical screenings then. Whatever format is fine as long as you see it soon. 

Uncharted

 Harrison Ford is the only Indiana Jones on the big screen (so far), but anybody can be Nathan Drake with their Playstations in the Uncharted video games. Now, Naughty Dog's resident adventure archaeologist has a movie of his own. One that shows us how he started his adventuring career. Let's see how it is.

It begins when Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) walks into the bar where Nate (Tom Holland) works and pickpockets. Sully recruits Nate to help him find the lost treasure ships of Ferdinand Magellan. Nate's brother Sam helped Sully steal the MacGuffin diary that'll tell them where those ships are. Sam's gone missing, so Nate agrees to help steal MacGuffin keys that'll open the treasure. The guys join with fellow treasure hunter Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali) to dissect the clues.

Billionaire Santiago Moncada's (Antonio Banderas) ancestors funded the original Magellan expedition. So, he's naturally interested in getting that long-delayed return in their investment. He sends a mercenary squad led by Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle) to deal with our heroes. It's going to be a long treasure hunt.

I never had the time or Playstations to play Uncharted. So, I don't know how much the screenplay lines up with the continuity. What I do know is that it's a decent action film. Nate starts the film in media res falling from a cargo plane. The lead up to that misadventure takes him from a New York auction house to underneath Barcelona. The climax has him aboard Magellan's ships as they're lifted by helicopters. These scenes are tied together by a somewhat average story. I was invested when Chloe and Nate were trapped in a flooding crypt while Sully, who can stop the flooding with his key, is fighting Braddock at a Papa John's. It's an overlong fight but it's still tense.

The cast was entertaining. Nate is a likable guy who's a bit hapless in the action scenes but proves himself a crafty dude. His chemistry with Sully is good with their best moment being at the end. Sully himself is a decent mentor with a dark past. Chloe is the standout of the cast as she spends the movie fluctuating sides. Her nice act with Nate is legitimately convincing. So, it's genuinely shocking when she double-crosses him. Nate outwits her in a surprising switcheroo. Moncada is an interesting villain while Braddock is just fine.

Uncharted is a good way to spend a slow day. There's plenty of hijinks and thrills as Nate and Sully travel the world. It's not the most original story but it was rarely, if ever, boring. It moves along rather well at 116 minutes. You need not be familiar with the game lore, other than for a few cameos at the end. While some have considered it miscast, I think this cast is fine for a prequel. I'm slightly intrigued enough to see where it'll go. 

Summer of Soul

The poster for American Graffiti asked its audience "where were you in '62?" 

That's easy.

 I wasn't there for '62, or '69, when Woodstock was a thing. That lasted a weekend in August and led to an Oscar-winning documentary. The Harlem Cultural Festival lasted throughout the Dog Days of Summer. But that barely got any attention.  The documentary Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) will chronicle those days.

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson chronicles the festival's place in history. It was created as an outlet to celebrate African American culture after a decade of turmoil. It was something positive a year after MLK and RFK were murdered. "It was like seeing royalty," says Musa Jackson, the first interviewee, about the many black festivalgoers. Music Royalty such as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, BB King, Nina Simone, the 5th Dimension, and many more, reigned on stage. 

Hal Tulchin filmed forty hours of footage that barely anyone wanted. Still, he wanted someone to broadcast them. They sat in his basement for nearly fifty years. While Questlove couldn't show it all in one movie, he and his editor, Joshua L. Pearson compiled it into a compelling 117-minute film. Jackson and his fellow interviewees tell us how the festival was important to them. They're astounded to see the archival footage for the first time. Chances are, you will be too.

One of the best anecdotes comes from Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. of The 5th Dimension. They tell us of how they impressed the producers of Hair, who let them see the show for free and let them record its signature medley, Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In. It's a delightful stroke of luck. They tell us how the festival helped the band prove to the festivalgoers they were as black as them.

Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault is another memorable interviewee. One of the first black students at the University of Georgia, her white classmates weren't that welcoming. She got through it with the music of Nina Simone. She tells us how, as a New York Times journalist, she got the paper to substitute "Negro" for "Black." The festival helped see herself as, to quote Simone, "young, gifted and black." It's a compelling personal story.

Where to begin with the concert footage? A lot of effort was made to make it look and sound pristine. It's the next best thing to being there in '69. It's astounding to see many a familiar face in their youthful prime. It's just as incredible to hear them perform. The soundtrack is sure to get your feet tapping. It's a dream setlist for fans of soul, jazz, R'N'B and more.

Summer of Soul gives an important cultural event its day in the sun. You'll understand its place in history in no time at all. You'll be shocked that it hasn't been extensively chronicled before. But rest assured. Fifty-One years after Michael Wadleigh won an Oscar for documenting Woodstock, Questlove will most certainly do the same for chronicling the event dubbed "Black Woodstock." It's that great a documentary. You can either stream it on Disney + (like I did) or Hulu now. Either one is a good option.

Death on the Nile

Hercule Poirot could have solved the Death on the Nile again in 2020. But his cinematic layover was longer than expected. A lot has happened in the world since then. So, let's get on the case.

Kenneth Branagh retains his services from Murder on the Orient Express as director and as M. Poirot. But while that film promised a "murder on the bloody Nile" at the end, it actually happens an hour in this film. Apparently, Poirot solved another case on the Nile, returned to England and then went back to the Nile to solve this titular crime. Huh?

We first spend that hour during Poirot's time in World War I. We first see Poirot's captain, who could easily be mistaken for young Poirot thanks to his elaborate moustache, before we meet the clean-shaven and convincingly digitally de-aged Poirot. The captain is killed in an explosion that disfigures Poirot. He soon grows his own supreme moustache.

1937 London. Poirot witnesses a love triangle in progress between layabout Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer), his fiancée Jackie de Bellfort (Emma Mackey) and the wealthy Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot). When he sees them again in Egypt, Simon and Linnet are now married and Jackie is stalking them. Simon hires Poirot to keep tabs on Jackie. The Doyles, Poirot and their wedding guests board the SS Karnak for a river cruise. Jackie follows them there too. 

We finally get to the crime itself. Somebody shoots Linnet during the night. Almost everyone on board is a suspect. Poirot intends to keep everyone on the Karnak until he can figure out which of them did it. He'll have to hurry as this killer isn't afraid to add more to the body count.

This film runs 127 minutes, which is shorter than the 1978 film with Peter Ustinov. It feels longer thanks to its slow build-up to the main crime itself. It's easy to miss some details that pop up during Poirot's summation. The sequel hook from Orient Express adds some confusion to the mix. A throwaway line near the start suggests that Poirot already solved the main event. But it's actually linear storytelling. 

It gets going great once it finally gets to the death. Branagh has fun exercising Poirot's personality as he interviews an all-star cast of suspects. A few memorable suspects include Dr. Windlesham (Russell Brand, unrecognizably strait-laced), Linnet's Communist godmother Marie Van Schuyler (Jennifer Saunders), her helper Mrs. Bowers (Dawn French) and socialite Rosalie (Letitia Wright). It's far too easy to guess the obvious suspect onboard if not for their alibi. But they're not that innocent. The final twist is as devious now as it was when Agatha Christie devised it 85 years ago.

As I said, digital fountain of youth is exquisite. But the digital compositing is glaringly obvious. The actors don't look like they're actually in Egypt (never mind that they weren't, as it was filmed in Surrey and Morrocco). The digital scenery and Haris Zambarloukos's cinematography are far better looking. The aural front gives us a memorably foreboding score by Patrick Doyle. The sound designers hit their strongest mark when the second body turns up.

Death on the Nile takes its sweet time to get to the titular event. But Branagh puts his acting and directing prowess to great use when it happens. This film will twist your suspicions in knots well before the summation. Let's just say it's a memorable summation. I'm once again ready for another big Poirot mystery should it happen. It wisely doesn't give us a sequel hook at the end. We don't need to stump viewers with continuity hang-ups twice, do we?

Flee

I'm going to try to catch this year's Oscar nominated International and Documentary films again this year. Key word is "try," for some of them aren't accessible in my area now. At least one will be in theatres soon but is playing at inopportune times.

I'll start my trek with the movie that's up for both awards. Flee, Denmark's entry, is that film, which is also nominated for Best Animated Feature. I worried that I'd be waiting for a theatrical release that would never come. But here it is now on Hulu.

Jonas Poher Rasmussen chronicles his high school pal, Amin Nawabi, an Afghani refugee, and how he made it to Denmark. He realized early on he was gay thanks to the films of Jean-Claude Van Damme. His pilot father was seized by the Muhajadeen as a political dissenter. The Afghani Civil War forced him and the rest of his family to hightail it to Russia. They soon lived in fear of poverty and deportation. Human traffickers helped them across the border for a price.

Meanwhile, Amin is about to marry his boyfriend, Kasper. Amin has never told Kasper about his rough past. But he'll now tell Rasmussen about it through multiple interviews. Amin is often shown in close-up lying on a couch. His world weariness is front and center even if his true face (and name, for Amin isn't it) isn't on display. That's before he divulges his life story full of bleakness and brevity.

You'll notice that the animation here isn't Pixar perfect. The scenery is full of brisk colors, but the characters move choppily. A few flashbacks even resemble moving sketches. But you can't deny the emotions here. One of those flashbacks visualizes Amin's mother's fear of drowning. That plays out when a trafficker vessel they're on starts flooding. As if being locked below the lightless decks wasn't a terrifying concept before. He and his fellow refugees are naturally overjoyed to be spotted by a Norwegian cruise ship. But that turns to palpable despair when they're informed the Estonian Coast Guard will send them back.

Both the traffickers and Russian police are presented as terrifying villains. Both hate it when they're not appeased with bribes. Amin and his brother have an encounter with the police in which they meet a nameless immigrant girl that they never see again. What could've happened is the scary part. Meanwhile, the traffickers threaten to shoot an elderly refugee when she slows them down. It's little wonder that Amin pretends to be an orphaned refugee instead of going with the traffickers to Denmark. It's not an easy choice to make or commit to.

One of the earliest scenes shows young Amin running around listening to Take Me On. A carefree lad unaware of the political unrest waiting to explode. He said he always knew he was different. But he didn't know his family knew. When he comes out at the end, his family gives him some money for a gay bar. His scenes with his family, and Kasper, give the subject matter its needed brevity.

Flee certainly earns its three nominations. Its unique animation style is mixed with live-action clips to tell its tale. It's a captivating story about one man's quest for survival. You won't forget any one of its 89 minutes. It's worth checking out on Hulu or in theatres if it's playing there. There's also an English dub available with Riz Ahmed (who executive produced this) voicing Amin. Either language is great; just give it a watch.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

I wasn't in the mood for much moviegoing when The Eyes of Tammy Faye debuted in September. But I gave it a shot on HBOMax now that Jessica Chastain and her makeup artists have Oscar nominations. It's a respectable biopic all things considered.

This is a narrative remake of the 2000 documentary by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. Director Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) introduces us to Tammy Faye Grover (Chastain) as a kid (Chandler Head) fascinated by the Church despite her divorced mom, Rachel's (Cherry Jones) objections. She meets Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield) at Bible College, and they quickly wed. They spread The Word with puppets and songs. Pat Robertson (Gabriel Olds) hires them to host The 700 Club for the CBN. 

The Bakkers form their own network, The PTL, in the 1970s. They find themselves with a nice family and a spectacular house. Tammy Faye, despite her devotion to Jim, breaks with him and their ally, Jerry Falwell's (Vincent D'Onofrio), rigid views. She shows her support for the gay community upon the onset of AIDS. Their media empire collapses once Jim's financial and marital impropriety is confirmed. 

I wasn't exactly familiar with much of Tammy Faye's life, especially the puppets and the singing career. So, Abe Sylvia's screenplay was a good introduction to her life story. I wish they'd mention Heritage USA, the Bakkers' shuttered theme park, more than in passing (if only because I'm reminded of a Simpsons episode about a similarly ill-fated Bible theme park). It makes a great case for her good nature. The best scene is her televised interview with AIDS patient Steve Pieters (Randy Havens) where she shows him more compassion than a lot of people did in the day. What's especially outstanding is finding out Pieters is still alive as of this writing. 

The makeup team certainly earned their Oscar nod. They perfectly recreate Tammy Faye's overly beautified visage (to put it charitably) on Chastain and convincingly age her and Garfield throughout the years. Nothing is amiss as Tammy Faye goes from college age to her fifties. D'Onofrio is unrecognizable as Falwell. The production design and cinematography create a gaudily oversaturated look for the Bakkers' mansion. It fits well with their inhabitants.

What about the actors? Chastain is convincingly earnest as Tammy Faye. There's some overacting but you'll believe what she says. Her chipper accent becomes lyrical when she voices her puppet characters. Garfield is fine as Jim as he goes from warm to cold. I only felt sympathy for him when Falwell publicly throws him under the bus during a press conference and when he and Tammy Faye reconcile when he's in prison. Havens and Jones give the best performances of the ensemble. Rachel starts off as Tammy Faye's "nothing you do's good for me" mother. But as she mellows out with age, you'll feel sorry for her once she's thrown out of the Bakkers' mansion.

I haven't seen the original documentary. But The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a decent place to start learning about its infamous subject. Don't expect it to give you the full story, though. It's not an audacious biopic but it's not a miserable one either. It's a good showcase for Jessica Chastain and a better one for the makeup department. It's ready to watch on physical and digital media any time now. It's a good way to spend two hours on a slow afternoon.

Coming 2 America

Behold! For once it was told of an African Prince who went to Queens, New York, America to find the woman of his dreams. A series of complications and eccentric characters came between him and his one true love. But he made through them a better man. Such a tale was told in the feature film Coming to America, and was told further in a sequel, Coming 2 America. We're a year late telling the tale, so let's begin...

Epic Narrator Tone Off...

Anyway, Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) of Zamunda and his Queen Lisa (Shari Headley) have been happily married thirty years with three daughters. King Jaffe (James Earl Jones) is on his deathbed, but he waits to die until the funeral. Before then, he tells Akeem that he has an illegitimate son with a legitimate claim to the throne. General Izzi (Wesley Snipes) of Nexdoria wants to cut through the line of succession by marrying his son Idi (Rotimi) to Akeem's eldest, Meeka (Kiki Layne). So, Akeem and his manservant, Semmi (Arsenio Hall) hop on the royal jet back to Queens.

His son Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler) brings his mom, Mary (Leslie Jones) back to Zamunda. Akeem tries to get his son accustomed to his royal birthright. Lavelle finds himself out of his element, but he does find romance with his royal groomer, Mirembe (Nomzamo Mbatha). An undeterred Izzi decides to have his daughter, Bopoto (Teyana Taylor) marry Lavelle. What's a royal heir to do?

The biggest obstacle of this sequel is its central premise. Specifically, that Lavelle was conceived by, basically, date rape. It treats Akeem as the wrongdoer while depicting him as inebriated. It's so hilarious except that it's not.

It still has some comedic value, though. King Jaffe's pre-funeral is audaciously funny, while Trevor Noah is hilarious as Zamunda News Anchor Totatsi Bibinyana. Lavelle shows some ingenuity when he's tasked to pluck some lion whiskers. Izzi's training regimen includes Dance Dance Revolution and shake weights. It's also hilariously perplexing to guess how old some of the already old bit characters from the first film (usually Murphy or Hall) are now. Hall's new role, the shaman Baba, highlights the hilariously exaggerated old age makeup here. These bit characters earned the film an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup just like the first film did. I have no complaints about that.

Murphy and Hall are good in any one of their roles. Akeem and Semmi, specifically, aren't unlikable together or apart. Akeem could've avoided much of the plot if he overhauled the laws of succession. But it's a simple mistake he rectifies. Lavelle's best scenes come from his relationship with Mirembe. General Izzi is a decent comedic villain. Meeka's arc is the best part of the story; it culminates in an epic battle with Izzi and his men.

I didn't have time for Coming 2 America when it debuted on Amazon Prime last March. Needless to say, I do now. It's an OK sequel, one glaringly unfunny issue aside, but I don't think it's a destined comedy classic like the first film. It's still a great makeup highlight reel much like that first film, though. It's still free after nearly a year on Prime. See it if you want.