My Octopus Teacher (2020)

The filmmaker is trying to come back to himself and his family after a couple of years of what sounds like depression, following almost two decades of immersive work. While swimming in the kelp forests near his home, he becomes interested in a small octopus. With his decision to visit the octopus daily for a year, he finds his therapy and a way back to purpose and peace.

I did not expect to be moved so deeply by a documentary about an octopus, but it is truly revelatory. Yes, it feels like a different world underwater -- but I was also surprised by the similarities between the creatures in the sea and humanity. We're all just trying to keep ourselves safe and fed, while having some fun and making connections with others.

A-

American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)

The alarm is sounded extremely quickly for the disappearance of a pregnant woman and her two young children. Her friend, who'd seen her just hours earlier, alerts the police when her calls and texts are not returned. The entirety of the film is comprised of actual texts, emails, voice messages, photos, surveillance video and police recordings. There are no dramatic reenactments: we're seeing what actually happened, which is very powerful.

Also: what a treat to see such a terrible, terrible person turn out to be such a stupid one.

B

Rust Creek (2019)

College girl gets way off track when traveling out of town for a job interview. A couple of locals, nervous that she spotted them crimin', come after her when she stops to read her map. She goes from one set of problems to another when she races into the woods with an injury.

I felt like I knew where this was going, but it surprised me. It's not a masterpiece or anything, but it's a decent take on the "yer not from around here are ya" type of thriller.

B

The Father (2020)

Anthony is getting older and is no longer capable of taking care of his home and needs. His daughter Anne lives nearby and comes to check on him daily, but she'll soon be moving to Paris and is trying to ease him toward the idea of an assisted living facility. Or maybe his daughter isn't moving to Paris and Anthony has moved in with Anne and her husband. Or maybe that's not even Anne.

In a brilliant approach to a "failing elder" story, we see what Anthony sees. We struggle to piece together who people are and what's happening along with him. He's obstinate and paranoid but, rather than being frustrated by him, I was nudged toward empathy. If my son kept changing stories and spouses, I'd be confused and pissed-off too.

It's both brilliant and taxing.

B+

Mank (2020)

Herman Mankiewicz is convalescing after a car accident while trying to complete the screenplay for Citizen Kane on a tight deadline. Helping him is a no-nonsense secretary and a devoted nurse. As his inspiration becomes clear, the studio begins to fret and attempt to persuade him otherwise.

I have been watching old movies since I was in grade school -- I know the players. But, even though I'm probably more familiar with the stories than most people under 60, I would've appreciated little backgrounds on the starlets and producers who were populating the screen. I was sometimes a little lost, so I imagine most who watch would be even more so.

That said, this is sharp and mostly fun.

B

Nomadland (2020)

The closing down of a gypsum plant also shuttered the town -- Empire -- in which its workers lived. This is the story of Fern, who was pushed from her home there and into a life on the road as a "Nomad." Though she didn't choose the life initially, she has done exactly that by the end of the movie.

This film wouldn't work without Frances McDormand: her silences are full of meaning, which is a good thing since there are quite a few silences throughout. But the actual nomads who flesh out the cast are what really bring this film to life. They aren't sad people who need pity; they've adapted to their lifestyle and have built a family out of their community.

I was reminded of the British film Hector while watching this. The big difference between the two is that Britain has a health system that cares for its homeless. The lives of Nomads would be much more secure if they had a place to go when hurt or ill & I wish that Nomadland had covered that eventuality.

B

Horns (2014)

Ig's girlfriend has been murdered and he's the prime suspect. When he sprouts horns, everyone who sees them cannot help but tell him what's on their mind -- like, literally. As in, his mother wonders why he won't just go away because she and his father would be so much happier with him out of their lives.

This film is right in-between "I liked it" and "eh, not for me." While I was pretty interested in what was going on, it ultimately didn't make much sense. Was he a devil suddenly? If so, why? I just needed either a reasonable explanation or something so amazing that I wouldn't care that it was nonsense. As it stands, I was entertained for the most part, but the lack of payoff really hurts it.

C

The Occupant (2020)

Javier has been out of work for about a year. He has to give up his beautiful home, his wife must take a low-wage job in retail, and his son must leave private school. Javier is not alright with this. When he realizes he still has keys to their old apartment, he lets himself in and helps himself to information about the new tenants.

It's a good thriller with the nifty device of having us watch through the eyes of the sociopath rather than through those of whom he's manipulating. It's kind of the same vantage point we had in Parasite, but with straight-up thriller vibes rather than any comedy.

B+

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Cassie is a one-night education for a certain type of man. She gets "wasted" in bars and allows nice guys to take her home -- only to surprise them with her sobriety once they start taking advantage of her. She's also on a very specific mission to make sure that the people who 1) were involved in or 2) did nothing to stop or 3) did not help in the aftermath of an attack on her friend learn a more pointed lesson. Due to her "work," she is in a state of arrested development. She can't move on with a career or relationships or even out of her parents' home. However, a chance encounter with a guy from college shows her a path forward that doesn't involve revenge.

Wow. Not only was this viciously entertaining, it was also so smart. I want someone like her to exist: someone who teaches the lessons that so many need yet so few ever learn. The toll it takes on the teacher is extreme, though. Also sobering is the knowledge that without people willing to sacrifice their own dreams and happiness, the oppressors keep on oppressing and getting away with it while those they harm are left struggling to survive, juggling the pieces of their ruined psyches.

Basically: I wish a Cassie on Kavanaugh but I hate that Cassies have been through the trauma necessary for them to exist in the first place.

B+

One Night in Miami... (2020)

Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown spend the evening after Clay's heavyweight victory in a motel room talking. And talking. 

It felt like a play. Not a good one. The performances were impressive, though.

C-

McFarland, USA (2015)

After being fired from his job, football coach Jim White takes the only position he can find: assistant coach at a school in a very poor California town. The culture shock for his family is severe and he doesn't last long as assistant coach since he's not used to being second-in-command. But, by keeping his eyes open, he sees that some of the kids in his PE class have real speed from which he might be able to construct a cross-country team.

It's got inspiration to spare. Seeing the family become part of the community when their initial reaction was to leave as soon as possible was downright heartwarming. I came away lifted and hopeful -- this just really worked on me.

B

Sometimes Always Never (2020)

The story revolves around a father searching for the son who has been missing since he left home in a huff in the middle of a Scrobble game (not a typo -- the dad had a habit of picking up the "off" brands of toys). But it's really more about the relationship he has with his remaining son and his family. The two clearly have issues, but in spending more time with each other, they are able to see each other more clearly.

I really liked this a lot. It reminded me somewhat of Wes Anderson -- the set decoration and rhythm of the storytelling -- but the presence of Bill Nighy elevates the film. I loved his calm reasonableness, even when hustling a stranger at Scrabble or claiming his grandson's bed as his own out of convenience. He's a pleasure to watch, especially in a story this charming.

B+

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

Trashy family manages to produce a kid who makes it to Yale law school, mostly due to the determination of his grandmother. Since his mother's an addict, someone had to step in to make sure he got a chance. When his mother ODs, he's called back from school to help find her a rehab facility.

This is lazy sentimental pablum about an unremarkable family situation. I think you'd probably have a hard time finding an ivy league classroom without at least one scholarship kid who could tell stories similar and worse than this one. 

D-

I Care a Lot (2021)

Rosamund Pike is a court-appointed legal guardian for dozens of elderly wards. She works the system to overcharge those in her care in order to line her pockets and those of the doctors and care facility managers who help her with her scam. But her newest ward turns out to have more baggage than her records disclose.

This was exciting and fun and well-acted, but I had a hard time enjoying it because -- a couple of years back -- I'd seen the John Oliver piece on legal guardianship. The fact that we have a process in our country that can, essentially, incarcerate senior citizens without a in-person hearing while allowing a legal appointee to do as they like with the ward's estate is frightening. It was kind of like if there was a madcap comedy version of Room that somehow managed to not completely suck.

B-

Blood Will Tell (2019)

A few details in the death of a family's matriarch has her son-in-law wondering whether it might not be the accident it's assumed to be. As he digs a bit, he begins to uncover details about her relationship with her husband that makes him even more suspicious, while driving a wedge between him and his wife.

It's told in an interesting "here's the scene again, from a different perspective" way, which allows us to refine our theories as the story reveals itself. I appreciated it, but was never completely immersed.

B

Palm Springs (2020)

Nyles is living the same destination wedding day (not his) over and over. He's not using the time for anything, really. He's just gliding through his pleasantly predictable days. When screw-up sister-of-the-bride Sarah gets pulled into his loop, they manage to become a team. But she's not content to wake up to the same day: she uses her time to study in hopes of finding a way out.

I knew this was a "Groundhog Day"-type deal. I had no idea, however, just how much the story could expand by simply adding another person to the merry-go-round. It became something profound without sacrificing the funny.

B+