NIGHTMARE ALLEY

Rooney Mara     Bradley Cooper     Cate Blanchett     Willem Dafoe     Mary Steenburgen

Toni Collette     Ron Perlman     Tim Blake Nelson     Richard Jenkins     David Strathairn

            It’s a nightmare all right.  It starts out with arson by a shady-looking character, and we follow him as he wanders around and ends up at a circus, where he manages to get hired.  Stan Carlisle (Cooper) is smart and a bit of a charmer, and quickly makes friends with the showrunner (Dafoe) and the fortune teller Pete (Strathairn) and his roommate Zeena (Collette), a reader of Tarot cards.  When he learns fast from Pete and begins to offer tips on improving Molly’s (Mara) electrical act, it becomes clear that he has worked in the circus before, and that he doesn’t mind conning people.

            But like all good sociopaths, he draws viewers into his web and we become fascinated with/question more and more of his actions.  Del Toro’s mastery in weaving stories that develop slowly across time, sustain glued-to-the-screen interest with spikes of anxiety and tension is clearly working in Nightmare Alley.  All the characters have potential to be a story unto themselves, but somehow Del Toro and his team integrate all of them into a coherent whole.  He co-wrote the screenplay with Kim Morgan and William Lindsay Graham who wrote the novel on which it is based.

            The filmmakers make the most of their cast headed up by Bradley Cooper who embodies a corrupt phoenix that keeps rising after destruction.  Conning is his game, and it is only the goons [Molly’s protector Bruno (Perlman), a wealthy stooge’s bodyguard, and a psychologist] who recognize his threat.  This role could be a high mark in his career.  Cate Blanchett as a psychologist caught up in his web is icily intriguing as a gorgeous blonde fellow schemer, and as always cinches her role, which I will take issue with below (the role; not the actress).  Rooney Mara pulls off a rather naïve ingenue who eventually picks up on the straits she is in, in an entirely convincing way.  Toni Collette, David Strathairn, and Richard Jenkins are highlights in their portrayals of quirky characters who gradually become endearing in a strange way.

            I found the production to be very entertaining and living up to the filmmakers’ reputation for making a good horror movie that gets into the psychology of human beings and all the myriad of characters that can and do emerge.  Speaking of psychology, I hope that viewers realize that the psychologist portrayed here committed any number of infractions that would revoke her license, let alone try her for crimes.  But as usual, filmmakers seldom consult with professionals in the profession they are portraying.  I got a chuckle out of Dr. Ritter’s sign:  Dr. Lilith Ritter, Psychologist, Ph.D.  It’s Dr. Ritter who earned the Ph.D., which should come with her name, not tacked on at the end.

            Crafts I especially liked about Nightmare Alley are the production design by Tamara Deverell and the cinematography by Dan Laustsen.  Both contributed so much to the mood and subject of the film.

 

Nightmare Alley has Guillermo del Toro’s mark of provocative storytelling that always includes observations about human nature and ethics.

 

Grade:  B+                            By Donna R. Copeland

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Sally Hawkins     Michael Shannon     Richard Jenkins     

Doug Jones     Michael Stuhlbarg     Octavia Spencer     Nick Searcy

     The playful, loving nature of Sally Hawkins’ Elisa perfectly captures the nature of this film and Guillermo del Toro’s creativity and imagination.  She’s a complex character—as is the plot—and continually surprises us with her thinking and actions.  She is mute, but not deaf, and is one of the two housecleaners at a research facility, the other being Zelda (Spencer), who knows sign language and assumes a maternal stance toward her.  Elisa’s neighbor, Giles (Jenkins), a rather fussy, inhibited man who doesn’t seem to know that she does not like key lime pie, and goes ahead and orders it for her, despite her protests.  He knows sign language as well, and is able to express his appreciation to her for looking out for him.

     The research facility is an odd one, with Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Stuhlberg) in charge, and he has invited Strickland (Shannon) to come to the lab to study a strange creature Strickland found in the Amazon Jungle.  Elisa is immediately fascinated with “Amphibian Man”, and sneaks a peak at it as often as she dares.  Then she gets bolder when she finds that he appreciates a boiled egg she has brought to him.  She teaches him sign language, which he rapidly acquires, and they begin to communicate.

     The story takes on more adventure and drama when we learn of the varying motivations among all parties to study the creature (Jones).  Strickland, a speculator wants to make dough and please the five-star General Hoyt (Searcy); Hoffstetler, a scientist (and more, which we don’t find out until later) has interests beyond the scientific; and Elisa, a good-hearted maid with strong moral principles, simply wants to protect it.

    Del Toro inserts quirky mannerisms for the characters and plot twists and turns to entertain us with while he is telling his story, which turns out to be a bit of a thriller.  For instance, take Strickland—not minding that the women are cleaning the men’s room—he proceeds to wash his hands before he pees, and expounds on his thoughts about washing before or after relieving himself.  Mystery is introduced when he leaves behind a trace of blood on the lavatory.  Elisa loves movies and dancing, and proceeds to tap-dance along her way when she is alone.  Giles makes odd pronouncements such as, “Corn Flakes were invented to keep people from masturbating.”  Zelda has a demanding husband, who doesn’t seem to do much of anything, which she endures with patience; but she’s good-hearted like Elisa, so they make very fine friends.

     All this is bound together with the flowing score of diverse but script-meaningful songs by the musically elite Alexandre Desplat and artistic camerawork of Dan Laustsen. 

    Del Toro likes to play with magic in his films, and he is like a magician himself in putting together in The Shape of Water all of the many elements of filmmaking to give us excitement, creativity, full-bodied characters, and visual displays that we can see as a true work of art.

     Bravo! Guillermo del Toro! 

Weird meanderings of a beautifully told story with an unexpected ending.

Grade:  A                                                Donna R. Copeland

LBJ

Woody Harrelson     Jennifer Jason Leigh     Bill Pullman     Richard Jenkins

Jeffrey Donovan     Michael Stahl-David     Michael Mosley

     Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36^th President of the United States is credited with furthering legislation on civil rights, gun control, wilderness preservation, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, aid to education, the arts, and public services.  It is clearly an impressive record achieved primarily because he was an expert in the “art of the deal”, and had an uncanny ability to know where to compromise and where to stand firm.  Yet, he is not generally regarded as a great President, and is associated more with the Viet Nam War than any social programs.  The LBJ documentary addresses this conundrum at least partially.

     Johnson was very wise, and although he smacked of narcissism, he was a brilliant strategist while he was Speaker of the House of Representatives, Vice President, and President.  He knew that after President Kennedy’s assassination, the country would be receptive to continuing a “martyr’s” agenda soon after his death.  Johnson understood the “strike while the iron is hot” element, and not only brought the country along on his plan, but some of Kennedy’s staff as well. 

     The movie begins with the Kennedys and Johnsons arriving in Dallas on the fateful day President Kennedy was shot.  Thereafter, it cuts back and forth between the events that happened there, and the political process in Washington, both before and after the assassination.  (This is another film that rejects chronological order, the purpose of which is not clear, and which seems to me to be a fad among Hollywood filmmakers, which annoys me.)

     The political process is much more interesting, primarily because we’ve seen the Dallas footage so many times.  The fascinating part of the political process portrayed here is in showing how effective Lyndon Johnson was in using compromise, negotiation, and downright arm-twisting (and “pecker” threats) to get opposing sides to work together.  Based on the film, John Kennedy was largely supportive, but his brother Robert despised Johnson and attempted to thwart him at every turn.  He doesn’t come across looking very well in this film.

     A strong point of LBJ, directed by Rob Reiner, is its honing in on Johnson’s personality—his confidence on the one hand and his insecurities on the other—and his strategic thinking.  His attitude toward Kennedy was one of respect, and some degree of awe.  “I’ve never seen a politician look that good on TV”, he comments to his devoted wife Lady Bird.  He observed that Kennedy was more a “show horse”, whereas he, Lyndon was a “work horse”, and clearly in the beginning he valued the latter more.  Across time, however, he grudgingly admired how much Kennedy’s appearance and charisma helped him achieve the popularity he had, and he held him in great respect. 

     The somewhat surprising casting has Woody Harrelson playing LBJ and Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lady Bird.  Harrelson’s Texas accent comes in handy, because despite heavy make-up, Woody doesn’t resemble LBJ that much, but his good acting skills are of considerable help in our seeing him as Johnson.  Leigh does a wonderful job portraying Lady Bird’s devotion and sage advice, and the chemistry between the two actors makes their relationship convincing.  Jeffrey Donovan as JFK and Michael Stahl-David as RFK manage the Boston accents perfectly, and capture the differing personalities of each very well.  Richard Jenkins plays Johnson’s old mentor, Senator Richard Russell, with the considerable talent he always shows, and comes across well as a Southerner who would almost rather die than give in to civil rights advocates.

     I found this movie interesting even though much of the content is not new; but it was good to be reminded of LBJ’s assets, since he could be so off-putting when he was being crude.  Unfortunately for him, a Texas accent has more often been made fun of rather than admired, and that likely worked against him as well.

The power behind a strong political figure toward whom Americans showed considerable ambivalence.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE HOLLARS

Margo Martingale   Richard Jenkins   John Krasinski   Anna Kendrick   Sharito Copley   Josh Groban   Charlie Day

          In his debut as director of a feature length film, John Krasinski has done a creditable job in steering a fine group of actors through a comedic drama that has its highs and lows.  The uneven script by James C. Strouse deals with weighty emotional issues in a sometimes ridiculous dysfunctional family, but goes over the top in the absurd and misses chances for substantive insights—something like what many family sitcoms do, pulling for easy laughs without spending time to be genuine and serious.

         John (Krasinski) is called away suddenly to his mother’s (Martindale) bedside when it is determined that she has a brain tumor.  Her husband Don (Jenkins), an ineffectual man, is despite a good heart, child-like and tearful.  John’s brother Ron (Copley), who is just about as inept, lives at home and is without a job since his father fired him from their failing plumbing business.  John has soaked up a bit of this low self-confidence from his family, and even though he is in a happy relationship with his wife Rebecca (Kendrick) and is expecting a baby, he is intimidated by her family’s wealth.

        The family’s pathology emerges in full force upon the central figure’s serious illness, especially son Ron, who spies on his ex-wife (with binoculars outside her house!), has inappropriate interactions with his kids, and seems to have zero problem-solving abilities.  (As an aside, Josh Groban as a youth minister now married to Ron’s former wife, comes across as a most appealing and patient character who puts religion in a good light.)  Don does a bit better in getting a job in a liquor store as a last-ditch effort to save his company.  John doesn’t seem to have the foggiest notion of how to support Rebecca emotionally, but fortunately she knows enough to guide him gradually in the right direction.  All of these issues comprise the bulk of the comedy of the film, and I realize many people do appreciate this kind of humor.  It borders too much on the absurd for me.

        Martindale continues to be a star in whichever role she is in on TV or in the movies.  Jenkins is a good pairing for her; their timing and obvious emotional connection constitutes much of what is best in the film.  Krasinski and Kendrick as a younger duo are not quite so well connected, but she is very convincing as a hugely pregnant wife with a stable personality and ability to express her emotions.  Copley and Day do well with the comedic, ridiculous lines they are given, but much of that material is over the top.

A light-weight comedy with some heavy emotional situations.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland