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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Amazing Johnathan Documentary (2019) in Movies
Nov 19, 2019 (Updated Nov 19, 2019)
Impossible to categorise documentary turns out to be impossible to predict, too. Starts off looking like a fairly conventional documentary, complete with celebrity interviewees (Penn Jilette, Weird Al Yankovich, etc) and archive footage, but very soon the narrative of the documentary takes a hard left turn and becomes something totally unexpected.
Sort of a commentary on and deconstruction of the current golden age of documentary feature film making, but also a genuinely intriguing puzzle box of a film. It stops being about the putative subject and becomes a documentary about what it means to make documentaries. The director starts to question everything that's going on and I did, too. Maybe it doesn't have the big reveal at the end I was expecting, but it's still fascinating, thought-provoking, and often very funny.
Sort of a commentary on and deconstruction of the current golden age of documentary feature film making, but also a genuinely intriguing puzzle box of a film. It stops being about the putative subject and becomes a documentary about what it means to make documentaries. The director starts to question everything that's going on and I did, too. Maybe it doesn't have the big reveal at the end I was expecting, but it's still fascinating, thought-provoking, and often very funny.
Adam Scott recommended The King of Comedy (1983) in Movies (curated)
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Molly's Game (2017) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Perfectionism, pressure, drive, success – “Molly’s Game” tells the story of a woman pushed to achieve these qualities by her father (Kevin Costner) throughout her childhood and adolescence. The pressure to become perfect went far with Molly (Jessica Chastain), who grows up to become an Olympic-class skier and scores astronomically on the law school entrance exam.
But Molly doesn’t go to law school, and she doesn’t win the gold medal. She comes in fourth and slides into the seedy world of high stakes gambling, where her clever mind and charming appearance take her far. She becomes a leader of an underground world, filled with money, greed, and glamour.
Her gambling ring included players that were famous, wealthy, and in some cases criminal. She became the target of an FBI investigation, that revealed how little she was actually in the know about her own game.
Chastain does a great job in her role as Molly. Her striking features and strong demeanor exude a woman in charge. Particularly enjoyable is the performance by Michael Cera as Player X, a celebrity poker player who always plays in the big leagues. Cera, does a great job of making you wonder which celebrity Player X was, and why he was so heavily involved in the high stakes gaming world. It is a nice switch u for Cera into a more serious kind of role.
The consequences of Molly’s choices unfold rapidly. Making it fast paced and suspenseful, without a dull moment.
The style of the film paints a pretty picture of an ugly scene, with each shot appearing beautifully smooth and gliding transitions that grab a viewer’s focus.
“Molly’s Game” is a must see for anyone who loves a good crime-thriller, especially one based on a tell all of a real human experience in a wild reality.
But Molly doesn’t go to law school, and she doesn’t win the gold medal. She comes in fourth and slides into the seedy world of high stakes gambling, where her clever mind and charming appearance take her far. She becomes a leader of an underground world, filled with money, greed, and glamour.
Her gambling ring included players that were famous, wealthy, and in some cases criminal. She became the target of an FBI investigation, that revealed how little she was actually in the know about her own game.
Chastain does a great job in her role as Molly. Her striking features and strong demeanor exude a woman in charge. Particularly enjoyable is the performance by Michael Cera as Player X, a celebrity poker player who always plays in the big leagues. Cera, does a great job of making you wonder which celebrity Player X was, and why he was so heavily involved in the high stakes gaming world. It is a nice switch u for Cera into a more serious kind of role.
The consequences of Molly’s choices unfold rapidly. Making it fast paced and suspenseful, without a dull moment.
The style of the film paints a pretty picture of an ugly scene, with each shot appearing beautifully smooth and gliding transitions that grab a viewer’s focus.
“Molly’s Game” is a must see for anyone who loves a good crime-thriller, especially one based on a tell all of a real human experience in a wild reality.
Lenard (726 KP) rated Ask Dr Ruth (2019) in Movies
Jun 14, 2019
I grew up on Dr Ruth Westheimer. I wrote a book report on her autobiography in probably middle school. This is how influential she was during the 80s. The new documentary about her life released on Hulu and in select theaters quietly pays homage to this remarkable woman. Much like another short statured Jewish woman who received a documentary last year, Dr Ruth gave a voice to women and power to women in the bedroom. She made it okay to air your sexual problems and get a solution. For a generation, her humor and honesty turned a German girl who escaped the Holocaust and the 1948 Israeli-Arab War into a minor celebrity. I hope people can see this film and appreciate this trailblazer who tirelessly works for feminism (although she is not a feminist) and LBGTQ.
Dave Navarro recommended Stardust Memories (1980) in Movies (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Hollywood Playboy (Hollywood Royalty, #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
Jessica is an entertainment journalist and good at it but one celebrity in particular does not get on with her: Tyler Beckett. She's always ready with a scoop on him only for him to go public with it before she can. When Jessica is asked to be on the press junket for Tyler's latest film they clash a few times before getting into an argument that makes them both realise how wrong they've been about each other and they begin to grow closer. It's starts as a kind of friendship before becoming more.
I did enjoy this. Mainly for the relationship between Jessica and Tyler but it wasn't always smooth sailing for them. First they don't even like each other, then they come to a truce to try and get along and before long they actually become friends that want to be more. It was an emotional ride towards the end and I had a good old cry, I'll admit.
I don't think I'd like to be a celebrity, having no privacy and everything from your past being brought back to haunt you. Luckily Tyler has a fairly clean life, though people are always willing to sell false stories about him and others. Tyler is good at handling the press and treats the ones on the tour like friends, taking them out for meals at amazing but little known places, sending them for spa days, etc. With Jessica, Tyler just wants her to spend time with him and they have some really cute days out all over the tour cities.
Some of the secondary characters were cool like Kellie and Tyler's parents. One character I wanted to slap silly and Tyler and Jessica, I just wanted to hug.
I'm intrigued by Kellie's story and her romance with her bodyguard who she has a history with so I'll keep my eyes open for her book.
I did enjoy this. Mainly for the relationship between Jessica and Tyler but it wasn't always smooth sailing for them. First they don't even like each other, then they come to a truce to try and get along and before long they actually become friends that want to be more. It was an emotional ride towards the end and I had a good old cry, I'll admit.
I don't think I'd like to be a celebrity, having no privacy and everything from your past being brought back to haunt you. Luckily Tyler has a fairly clean life, though people are always willing to sell false stories about him and others. Tyler is good at handling the press and treats the ones on the tour like friends, taking them out for meals at amazing but little known places, sending them for spa days, etc. With Jessica, Tyler just wants her to spend time with him and they have some really cute days out all over the tour cities.
Some of the secondary characters were cool like Kellie and Tyler's parents. One character I wanted to slap silly and Tyler and Jessica, I just wanted to hug.
I'm intrigued by Kellie's story and her romance with her bodyguard who she has a history with so I'll keep my eyes open for her book.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Sorry, Not Sorry is Naya Rivera's ode to her life. It follows her path from childhood stardom (sort-of) to motherhood with all the trials, tribulations, successes, heartbreak and awkwardness in-between. Her honesty in the book is refreshing and makes me admire her more. She's not perfect and no one is, but she has gone through the good and the bad in her life and come out the other side a stronger person. Naya has very relatable stories and advice for any reader. Her story with Ryan is real and makes you root for them, even if they didn't have a picture perfect start. In her book, she says she set out to write something that was real and I feel that she hit the mark beautifully. She is honest, relatable and inspiring. This is one of the "celebrity" books that I enjoyed reading the most, and would recommend it. It's a quick read, so what are you waiting for?
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Where She Went (If I Stay, #2) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
This is a sequel, of sorts, to "If I Stay" and picks up three years after Mia leaves Adam to start a new life at Juilliard. We learn that Mia has become a star in her own right, while Adam is rock star: the main focus of his band, Shooting Star. He has a celebrity girlfriend, a major tour, and a crazy life. But is he happy? And is Mia content with the choice she made to walk away from Adam?
This book is told from Adam's point of view and we learn about how Mia's decision has left him devastated. It's another rather short book, but it's also lovely. I am not sure exactly how to describe it. I liked "If I Stay," but I truly loved "Where She Went" -- it was beautiful and poignant and touching. Even though Adam (and Mia) could be a bit frustrating at times, it was certainly a worthwhile read.
This book is told from Adam's point of view and we learn about how Mia's decision has left him devastated. It's another rather short book, but it's also lovely. I am not sure exactly how to describe it. I liked "If I Stay," but I truly loved "Where She Went" -- it was beautiful and poignant and touching. Even though Adam (and Mia) could be a bit frustrating at times, it was certainly a worthwhile read.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Haywire (2012) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
'You should not think of her as a woman. That would be a mistake.'
Rousing action thriller looks on paper like another Besson movie, is actually typically classy Steven Soderbergh genre pastiche. Basically a vehicle for delicate flower of women's MMA Gina Carano to batter the living daylights out of an array of A-list leading men, which she does with aplomb and charisma.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.