Here is a very brief look at several current movies, one that is an under-seen gem

Nobody

This is a movie with a protagonist and plot reminiscent of Keanu Reeves in John Wick. The good guy, a retired, reluctant human-killing machine, is compelled to get back into action against today’s ‘go to villains’ — cutthroat Russians Americans. Miraculously, he dodges several thousand bullets. If you’re 18 go see it, otherwise you can safely save your money.

P.S. It might be useful, not as a movie, but as a type of cathartic experience instead of, say, chucking things at the screen to symbolically hit the domestic terrorists destroying our cities.

The Courier

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, this is a Cold War era spy movie, par excellence, a bit reminiscent of the German film, The Lives of Others. If you’ve been reading my reviews, you know that I rarely call a movie great.

Completely overlooked by the ridiculously woke AMPAS, and probably way too subtle, The Courier is a great movie, easily among the best five pictures of the year, if not the best. One friend said, “Loved The Courier.”

“It deserves consideration especially with the unpatriotic events unfolding.” And I replied, “but woke Hollywood would object to the subservient wives and to no minorities in the film. So it has no chance for an Oscar.”

– – – – –

Here is a look at previous reviewed films:

Judas and the Black Messiah

Starring the British Daniel Kaluuya, and Lakeith Stanfield, both of whom who have excellent futures in the movies, Judas and the Black Messiah is a pleasant surprise despite the ultra-clunky title. I was expecting a heavy philosophical overlay of how the Black Panthers’ experience then, somehow translates to Black Lives Matter today.

Indeed, 300+ movie reviewers fervently want to connect the two experiences but they differ vastly: 50 to 55 years ago the FBI, Chicago Police, and other police departments were verifiably hostile to black people. Today, the FBI knowingly and blatantly shields Black Live Matters crimes, be it rioting, looting, mayhem, and even murder.

While a handful of regrettable “death by cop” cases arise each year, in general, police are not out to get black people, who are given more leeway and understanding than anyone from the 1960s could presume. And minority officers now represent 40% or more of many city police departments.

As Kaluuya is emerging as the new generation’s Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen hits a new low, not helped by the makeup director, playing an unconvincing J. Edgar Hoover.

Also, I wish someone had told me prior to my watching the movie that Fred Hampton is 18 years old, whereas Kaluuya at the time of filming is 30 years old; a major disconnect between the actor’s portrayal and the reality of the times.

The Father

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Coleman, and Olivia Williams, The Father is a 93-minute movie that is 63 minutes too long. You could watch the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes and be no less informed.

We should all be thankful if our parents, or our future selves, do not suffer from the level of dementia portrayed here: He can’t recall what happened yesterday, sometimes an hour ago, and sometimes minutes ago.

The saving grace of the film is that it shows reality from the father’s perspective, which is a constant jangle of dates, times, people, situations, and places; and the reality of those around him who have to deal with his constant ramblings, false assertions, obstinance, proud declarations, and outright inaccuracies.

The set decorations are simple and monotonous: one apartment, one stroll outside, and one nursing care facility. That’s it. Sorry to seem terse, but this movie represents a strong statement for euthanasia — what is this point of lingering on for years in a mental state of total disarray? Save time, watch the trailer and read a long review.

Nomadland

Starring Frances McDormand, Nomadland offers a view of the American west and people who choose to no longer have permanent roots. The film presents one brief encounter after another, moving to the next scene, and the next.

It does impart the sense of loneliness and in some cases emptiness of the people who have chosen this lifestyle and so is somewhat engaging while watching it, but otherwise totally skippable.

McDormand has been nominated for an Oscar, however, this is not among her best. The film itself is regarded as profound by many reviewers, but then so was The Shape of Water and Roma (!).

– – – – –

Apparently you aren’t allowed to ask pointed questions that make the leftist overlords look bad. Check out PolitiCrossing Founder and motivational speaker Chris Widener’s post that earned him the threat:

If Covid was so deadly, would Democrat politicians get caught without their masks dining at French Laundry? Or going maskless in their private jet terminals? Or at the ball games they attend? Would they really risk their very lives?

If the seas were really going to rise from global warming would Obama really own thirty million dollars of beach front properties?

If this is so deadly, would they allow us to pack hundreds of people into an airplane eighteen inches from each other (yet require you to “social distance” while you get off the plane)? Would they allow thousands of people to use the same touch screen to check in in airports like I just did ten minutes ago?

You have been fooled my friends. Look at what they do, not at what they say. The biggest scams in human history are being pulled on us and half our country goes along with it because they have no discernment of right and wrong or truth and error. And worse, when you call them on their BS, they act indignant and curse and belittle you.

Why would they keep virologists from the best schools in America from getting their message out that this is a scam? Why would they keep you from using medications that have been around and safely used for decades?

We simply cannot continue to allow these shysters to harangue us into complicity. I for one will continue to fight until my dying day for truth against duplicitous manipulation.

If someone told a crowd of 1000 people that they have to shut down their businesses and stay home from school and wear masks or else ONE of those 1000 people would die in the next year, would you do it? Of course not. That’s the math, and only if you believe all the reported cases of death by Covid were actually true but of course we know that many deaths were categorized as Covid deaths but weren’t.

And yet that is exactly what we have done.

Why would they roll out a vaccine that doesn’t even keep you from getting Covid and has tons of side effects and roll out national marketing campaigns to pressure everyone to get it?

What’s really going on here?

It is time to put on your thinking caps, my friends. Just because someone in authority says something is true doesn’t make it so.