Movie Grab Bag!

I'm not as big into film as I am TV, so I don't write about movies quite as often around these parts. I also have a well-documented dislike of older movies and comments like, "It's a classic!" don't do much for me if it's boring to watch and/or has weak characters. So here's what I've seen lately:

Wonder Woman

Most of this movie was pretty good. I thought Gal Gadot and Chris Pine were great, and the use of World War I as the primary setting brought an added dose of realism that many superhero films lack. That being said, the third act was a disappointment and featured a twist that I couldn't quite get on board with from a plot perspective. It further devolved into a run-of-the-mill special effects war, which was unfortunate given how entertaining I found the beginning and middle.

Grade: B

The Godfather

This was the second older film I tried out earlier this year. After seeing it I finally understand dozens of references from modern film and TV (I often have known things were referencing The Godfather, but you get the idea...). Unlike Alec Guinness, I thought Marlon Brando stole the show with his performance and seemed overwhelmingly worthy of taking home Best Actor hardware. It's three hours long, but to compensate the plot moves along at a pretty brisk pace. The one issue with that was that there seemed to be a revolving door of antagonists, all of whom felt underdeveloped and forgettable to me. I know it's the pick of many as the best film of all time, and I respect that, but I didn't get blown away.

Grade: B

The Godfather: Part II

I went ahead with the next one. It was similarly long, but had an interesting flashback storyline of a young Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) in New York City. Generally, I found the flashbacks to be the most entertaining part of the movie. Much of the rest of it felt similar in style and plot elements to the first movie, only without Brando's performance. I wasn't as enthralled by Al Pacino.

Grade: C+

50/50

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with 50/50, but it blew me away. It's a story about a young man named Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who has a form of cancer that effectively comes with the titular odds of recovery. That's a dark premise, and there's plenty of sad moments in the film, but there's plenty of humor along the way, too. 50/50 is more than anything else about interpersonal relationships, particularly between Adam and his friend (Seth Rogen), girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard), and therapist (Anna Kendrick). It looks at how tragedy and crisis can test the bonds of those around us and I found myself sucked into Adam's situation and contemplating how I might respond. 50/50 is a thoughtful, entertaining, and emotional film, and I highly recommend it.

Grade: A

The Big Sick

I've been meaning to check out Kumail Nanjiani's project for quite some time, as there's been rave reviews. My wife and I sat down to watch it last month and loved it. Most are at least familiar with the premise: Kumail (loosely based on Nanjiani) is a stand-up comic whose girlfriend, Emily (Zoe Kazan) comes down with a horrible illness that puts her into a coma. The two split up shortly before she was hospitalized, which creates some complications as Kumail attempts to bond with her parents (Holly Hunter, Ray Romano) while she is unconscious. It's a funny movie with plenty of heart -- perfect for a date night.

Grade: A-

The Sting

This was easily my favorite of the older movies that I've been watching. It's about a con man named Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) in the 1930s who finds himself in the crosshairs of hostile mob boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). Afraid for his life yet desiring revenge for Lonnegan's murder of his former partner, Johnny teams up with long-time grifter Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to attempt a huge con on Lonnegan. I found Hooker and Gondorff's schemes very entertaining and the film had an excellent plot. The one thing I thought didn't make any sense and found thoroughly unnecessary was the sub-plot involving the hired killer, Salino, but this is a minor complaint.

Grade: B+

The French Connection

I don't have much to say about this one. I spent most of the movie thoroughly bored and found the conclusion to be pretty unsatisfying. There were a couple memorable action scenes and one-liners but I don't understand what the fuss is about.

Grade: D

That's all for now, but I'm sure I'm forgetting something...