"I'm Not Here"

2017 * TV-MA * 1h 21m  J.K. Simmons. What an actor. What an amazing performance! And the thing that's even more incredible, is that Mr. Simmons doesn't have a single line of dialogue in the entire movie. All his thoughts and feelings are displayed by his facial expressions and body language. If you don't believe me, than you need to check this powerful film out for yourself. 

Mr. Simmons plays Steve, a bitter, sad, lonely drunk. He lives in a dreary pigsty of a place and we follow him through the course of an evening were he spends his time drinking and reminiscing about his life. His story is told through a series of flashbacks to his childhood, his college days, and his married life. The childhood Stevie is played by Iain Armitage, who does an excellent job of taking us through his difficult upbringing. The college age and married version is played by Sebastian Stan. Steve's father was a raging alcoholic and as it so often happens, he follows in his father's footsteps. It's not all dreary, and there are plenty of pleasant times with his wife and young child. 

However, the overriding theme is how alcohol and truly wreck ones marriage and life. This is one of those movies that will make you want to quit drinking, that's for sure. It makes its point without lecturing. And the acting is absolutely superb. I don't know if Simmons won any awards for I'm Not Here, but he sure deserved one. 

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming for free with your library card on Kanopy. 

"Elvis & Anabelle"

2007 * PG-13 * 1h 46m   What an excellent little indie flick.  It's one of those movies where anything's possible, is totally unpredictable, and you just sit back and enjoy the ride. The story focuses on Anabelle (Blake Lively), who's a teenage beauty queen. She's driven hard by her mother, played by Mary Steenburgen. Right after she's crowned, she passes out on stage and dies. She's brought to the funeral home and right before she's embalmed, she miraculously comes back to life. 

Her story intersects with Elvis (Max Minghella), who has taken the funeral home over from his feeble father Charlie (Joe Mantegna). Charlie is a sweet character who's not quite all there, and he spends his days playing golf in the fields adjacent to the funeral home. Elvis is doing all the work even though he's never been professionally trained or certified. 

Things get interesting when Anabelle runs away from home and hides out at the funeral home. At first she spends her time helping out around the place. However, she and Elvis decide to go on a road trip. To no ones surprise, they end up falling for each other. And the plot takes you in directions both predictable and unexpected. I thought both leads did an excellent job and you can definitely feel the chemistry between them. This is another film that for the life of me, I can't figure out why it isn't better known. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, be sure to give this one a chance. 

4 out of 5 stars

It's currently streaming for free with your library card on Hoopla and on Prime Video. 

"The Nice Guys"

 2016 * R * 1h 56m   If you're up for an action-packed, fun-filled no-brainer of a movie, give this one a shot. It stars Russell Crowe  as Jackson Healy and Ryan Gosling as Holland March, a couple of knuckle-headed Private Eyes working in 1970s Las Angeles. They meet while looking into the apparent suicide of a famous porn star Misty Mountains. Holland isn't the brightest tool in the shed, and Healy is a bit of a thug, complete with a set of brass knuckles. Together they team up to look for Amelia, a person of interest. 

If I tried to explain the plot further, it would start to not make a whole lot of sense. In fact, this is one of those films where you really shouldn't overthink it and just sit back and enjoy the action, acting, and the humorous dialogue. I especially enjoyed the performance of Angourie Rice who plays Holly, Holland's precocious 13-year old daughter. She a real smart-ass and adds a bit of extra fun to the movie. Look for her to do some good things in the future!

I really don't know why this one flew under the radar--I'd never heard of it until it popped up as a rec on Netflix. Note to parents: The movie is rated R due to nudity and foul language. But I think it would be okay for a mature teenage kid. 

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Netflix and to rent on Prime Video. 

"You're Not You"

 2014 * R * 1h 45m   Hillary Swank isn't just another Hollywood pretty face. She's no stranger to challenging roles. And in this film she does a magnificent job of displaying her acting chops. Swank plays Kate, a famous classical pianist who's just been diagnosed with ALS. She's gone through a series of helpers when Bec (Emmy Rossum) appears at her doorstep for a job interview. Even though she has almost no experience as a caregiver, let alone one dealing with a client with a debilitating disease, she's offered the job. 

Kat's husband Evan (Josh Duhamel), who's a bit of a control freak, objects to hiring Bec, but Kate decides to hire her anyway. The two women couldn't be further apart personality-wise. But they quickly form a bond. Kate is a somewhat uptight woman, while Bec is a happy-go-lucky would-be singer/songwriter who does quite of sleeping around. The two actresses just seem to click together. They bring out the best in each other. And when Kate's marriage is on the rocks, she becomes even more dependent. on the feisty Bec 

I though Swank's acting was nothing short of incredible. She must have done an inordinate amount of homework to play someone with ALS this accurately. You really feel for her, especially when she struggles to speak. A true Oscar-worthy performance. If you're up for a very moving cinematic experience, I'd highly recommend this film. Warning, be sure to have some tissues handy. Even as jaded a movie buff as I am, I found myself puddling up a couple times. 

4 1/2 out of 5 stars. 

Currently streaming for free with your library card on Hoopla. and Tubi Also on Pluto TV and Prime TV.