"Before I Go"

 2021 1h 38min

Every once in a while a movie comes along that just knocks me out. Watching this film was like being hit by a velvet sledgehammer. I saw it a couple weeks ago, and I decided to watch a little bit of it last evening to refresh my memory. It hooked me in a second time and I ended up seeing the whole thing again. This indie film is why I’m so in love with movies. 

 

“Before I Go” stars Annabella Sciorra and it could almost be considered a one (wo)man play. She’s on the screen for most of the movie, and what an amazing presence she is. She plays Samantha, a former folk singer that lives in New York and for the last 20 years or so, has had a series of mundane jobs. The movie opens with a series of angsty vignettes with her interacting with fellow New Yorkers. They’re rather comical and sort of set the tone for the rest of the film. 

 

After one encounter with a nasty driver, she injures her leg. She’s treated at a local clinic and when she gets a bottle of painkillers, she briefly considers suicide. Samantha runs into a gentleman who she thinks is a priest and has an extended, albeit one-sided conversation with him. Without giving away too much, let’s just say the scene takes an amusing turn. 

 

One of the ongoing themes is her relationship with her father, brilliantly played by Robert Klein. He’s one of those actors who’s instantly recognizable. Like me, you’ve probably seen him in a million things without knowing his name. He’s a widower-his wife committed suicide years ago-and he has an apartment full of memories (mainly junk) he just can’t part with. The two constantly talk about uncluttering their respective abodes. 

 

The movie is absolutely full of surprises, which include Internet dating, quirky characters, revelations about her mother, and believe it or not, an endearing relationship Samantha develops with an earthworm! I won’t say anything more about said earthworm except you’ll just have to see this film to know what I’m talking about. I simply loved everything about “Before I Go.” The acting, writing, cinematography, and music are all perfect. 

 

As a special bonus, even though this movie was just released at the end of July of this year, it’s available to view for free on Hoopla.com! It’s also available through Amazon Prime. 

5 out of 5 stars

"Lucky"

 2017 1h 28min

Harry Dean Stanton was a supporting actor over a long career, usually playing offbeat, eccentric characters. His movies include “Alien,” “Repo Man,” and “The Green Mile.” In his last film, he plays Lucky, a cantankerous old coot who lives alone in a small town in Texas. His daily routine consists of shaving, a short workout routine, working the crossword puzzle at the diner, and spending the day watching game shows. Every evening he hangs out at the local saloon with a bunch of unusual characters. 

 

This film is dialogue heavy-- my kids would call it boring but I like the term subtle. Not a whole lot happens, but Stanton can be deep and introspective at times. He’s a philosopher and a sage of sorts. After a career playing a sideman, it’s nice to just let the camera roll and let him have his say. And he sure has a lot to say. The film also stars David Lynch (Yes, that David Lynch), Ed Begley Jr., and Tom Serritt. Such a beautiful ending to a long and interesting life. 
4 out of 5 stars

Streaming on Hoopla, Tubi, HBO and other platforms

"The Last Letter From Your Lover"

2021 1h 50min

The days of Hollywood dominating the Oscars are long gone. Over the years, indie films made significant inroads into the spotlight. Today, the studios of the major streaming companies have been pumping out films on a par with the traditional studios. Take Netflix for example. Last year, the streaming giant had 37 films nominated for Oscars including noteworthy ones like “Mank”, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, and “My Octopus Teacher”.   

 

If you enjoy a well-written and acted romance, I think you’ll enjoy the recently released Netflix movie “The Last Letter From Your Lover”. It stars the sweet and charming Felicity Jones and the remarkable Shailene Woodley. Jones plays a young columnist at an English newspaper that uncovers some old love letters from a society matron (Woodley) in the paper’s vault. Intrigued, she works with the archivist to unearth more letters. 

 

The story jumps back in time to the late 1960s where we see Woodley’s character on holidays with her wealthy, entrepreneurial, jet-setting husband. Anthony O’Hare (Callum Turner), a financial journalist from the same paper, joins them while doing research for a story about them. With her husband largely absent, she begins a torrid yet ill-fated love affair with the journalist. 

 

As expected, Jones starts falling for her archivist accomplice and their affair soon blooms into an all-out romance. I thought the movie was quite enjoyable and in spite of some of the reviews I’ve read complaining that the book was much better than the movie, it’s great for a couple hours of escapism. The way the 1960s was depicted was absolutely spot on. 

 

In closing, let me just say that I felt the pandemic has made the last year and a half a bit grim. I think the Oscars reflected that feeling—all the Best Picture contenders were pretty dark. I know we’re all ready for some brighter movies in our lives and I wouldn’t be surprised if this one was nominated for an Oscar or two. Remember, you heard it here first!

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

 

"Aftermath"

2021 1h 54min    Once in a while, I enjoy a good creepy movie, so this new one on Netflix grabbed my attention. What really intrigued me was it was based on a true story. About 15 minutes in I was about to give up. The story wasn't that scary and the acting was so-so. But then things got more and more bizarre, and the fact that it was all true, kept me watching. I'm glad I did. A young couple who are having some marital problems buy a home that was recently the scene of a murder-suicide. They get a great price on a unique, custom-built home. Then things start to unravel. The wife starts seeing and hearing mysterious and unexplained things. Her husband is convinced that she's having a breakdown, since he doesn't witness all the unusual activity. I have to admit, there were a couple scenes that literally made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Overall, a pretty decent addition to the scary movie cannon. 

3 out of 5 stars

Streaming on Netflix

"Operator"

2016 1h 27min    Joe (Martin Starr) and his wife Emily (Mae Whitman) are happily married. Joe is a programmer and is working on AI communication software for a medical insurance client. When the voice he proposes is rejected, he asks his wife to work on some demos for his project. She's a huge hit, and this creates some problems--mainly that Joe becomes obsessed with his wife's voice. Not her real one, but the recorded one and the artificial personality that goes along with it. It gets to the point where he calls her at all hours of the day and night. Joe is subject to panic attacks, and also has to deal with his, shall we say "eccentric" mother, played brilliantly by Christine Lahti. I found the film to be quite thought provoking, and I enjoyed the fact that it didn't have one of those "and they all lived happily after" endings. (Warning:there are several movies with the same title.) 

4 out of 5 stars

Streaming on Kanopy, Tubi, and other platforms.