Nocturnal Animals (2016)

The first several minutes of the film are horribly uncomfortable, unnecessary, and confusing: several obese, middle aged to elderly women bounce and spin in their birthday suits. Now, I’m a full-figured gal nearing 50, so I wasn’t disgusted by their bodies -- but, in the absence of context, my knee-jerk reaction was to take offense. Are we making fun of them? Are we supposed to be grossed-out? What is going on and why? It’s an unfortunate start to what turns out to be an absolute masterpiece.

Susan has a gorgeous husband, an interesting job, a showroom of a house, insomnia, and general despondency. Her ex-husband sends her his about-to-be-published novel and, as she reads it, we see the novel play out. It was an interesting device because the "book" storyline was terrifying, but the story-within-a-story structure allowed me to remind myself that it wasn't real... “it’s just the book,” which is hilarious as I should be able to tell myself that about the movie I’m watching too… But it was seriously that well done. When Susan would startle from the page, I was relieved for the reminder of its fiction as well.

In addition to the present-day and the book tracks, we also have a flashback track of her life 20 years ago when she knew the author. It could have been confusing but, instead, they weave together to make a film that's absolutely breathtaking.

A

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

This is yet another great story put on film poorly. We are told rather than shown way too much here about who Desmond Doss is as a person. Characters tell us he's super-religious, but we only see him in church once -- and that's working on a ladder when there's no service going on. We're told that he prays about everything, though we've never seen him pray until the end of the movie. We're also told that his father beat him, but we'd only seen his father drunkenly lose his temper -- I had no idea there that Dad was abusive; I just thought he was an idiot.

This is truly a seriously interesting story, but you know it's not a good sign when the most moving bits of it are the pictures and videos of the actual Doss we're treated to right before the credits.

C-

Hidden Figures (2016)

Super interesting subject -- despite segregation, black women serve in key positions for NASA -- told as squarely as humanly possible. No surprises but your heart WILL BE WARMED.

C

The Boss (2016)

It felt like this character was conceived for a Saturday Night Live skit and this movie was best during the bits that were mini-sketches rather than trying to be part of the whole ridiculous story. For example, there’s a scene where McCarthy is in a contraption to hold her lips back so she can get her teeth whitened and she’s still talking just as much as she would if there weren’t a contraption in her mouth. That was funny. Using bra straps to control Bell’s boobs as though they were marionette blobs? That was funny too.

The movie as a whole, though? Meh.

C

The Fear of 13 (2015)

A man who spent 20+ years on death row for a murder he didn’t commit basically sits in front of the camera and tells the story. He goes off on a few tangents, but there’s no doubt this guy is magnetic.

But my constant thought was more one of “this dude is a fantastic storyteller” rather than “this guy has suffered a tragic injustice.” While it was somewhat refreshing not to feel manipulated into indignancy, I have to admit I also kind of missed the push. I mean, I don’t generally enjoy feeling controlled but, in this case, listening to this guy spin his yarn had me kind of wondering what was so special about the story. He felt so regular that it was a little too easy to forget why he had my ear in the first place.

B-

The Family Fang (2016)

The book wasn’t great, but it was a heckuva a lot better than this.

Performance-artist parents incorporate their children into their pieces. Performance examples: a bank stick-up where a kid’s the robber and a seemingly innocent bystander is shot; child buskers who are booed by listening adults. Once the children grow up they choose to extricate themselves from their weird childhood but life, as it always does, has different plans and they’re soon sucked back into the Fang Family dysfunction.

If only the dysfunction were in any way interesting. The vibe is too low-key and suffers more than I would’ve thought possible from the severe miscasting of Nicole Kidman as the grown daughter. She could neither keep her Australian accent in check nor my interest on the screen.

C-

Moonlight (2016)

We watch Chiron as a young boy struggling to fit in, then as teen navigating his mother's addiction and his budding homosexuality, then as a lonely man.

Yes, it's important and moving but it also draaaaaaaagged. I was sad that Mahershala Ali's character didn't stick around past the first act as he was definitely the best thing in Chiron's life (and the movie). But perhaps that’s part of the message: for too many, a support network is neither a given nor a constant.

B

13th (2016)

Documentary exploring the mass incarceration of black males and its roots in, among other things, the loophole of the 13th amendment saying that no man can be held as a slave except as punishment for a crime.

It’s sobering, sickening and eye-opening.

B+

Loving (2016)

The story of Mildred and Rich Loving, an interracial couple who were persecuted in their home state for daring to legally marry. It's an important chapter in history told so quietly that it wound up on the boring side. I'm also not quite sure why Ruth Negga was nominated for such a one-note performance.

C+

Lion (2016)

The true story of a young Indian boy who gets separated from his older brother, falls asleep on a train, and winds up far away from his home. He manages to survive for weeks on his own, despite not speaking the language and a terrifyingly close call with a child trafficker. Even when he finds help, he's just too young to be able to provide the information needed to get him back home.

The first half is stirring in all the right ways: it takes away your faith in humanity but then restores it with both hands. Though it gets a little slow in the middle (turns turns out scrolling around google earth just isn’t that interesting on film), the movie's well worth the watch.

B+

The Witness (2016)

Grown brother of Kitty Genovese re-examines the information available on his sister’s death and the 39 neighbors who allegedly heard and/or watched the attack but did nothing to help.

The most interesting thing was finding out that neighbors did call the police and that Kitty died in the arms of a friend but, because that didn't make a good story, it wasn't reported. I have no idea if that’s true, but neither does this film, apparently. It’s just not very well-done.

C

Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)

From the trailers, I thought this was going to be a comedy: look at the funny lady who can’t sing but doesn’t know it because everyone plays along and pretends she’s amazing!! But this reminded me somewhat of Lars and the Real Girl: a community coming together in kindness to support one they loved and admired.

I wouldn’t call this a great movie, but it was entertaining and definitely feel-good. Hugh Grant really made the movie, though. He deserved more recognition.

B