Hope Gap is another self-reminder not to watch movie trailers anymore. Had I not seen the trailer when deciding whether to see this movie, I would not have known what was to come. Of course, without the trailer, I wouldn’t have known if it would have interested me. It’s a double-edged sword, for sure. My new way of watching a non-theater trailer is watching just enough to determine an interest level. If, after 15 seconds, it looks like something I want to watch, I’ll cut off the trailer. If it takes 45 seconds, so be it. If I’m still watching by the end of the trailer, there’s a better chance than not that I won’t end up watching the movie.
Category Archives: 2019
Blackbird (2019)
In my two most recent reviews (Little Children, Ammonite), I sang the praises of Kate Winslet, calling her the world’s most talented movie actress over the last 25 years (1995-2020). With seven (soon to be eight with Ammonite) Oscar nominations, only Meryl Streep (11) has more during that time. I almost ventured to say that she hadn’t taken on the wrong role then, but then I remembered that she lent herself to the Divergent series, which I do not fault. Though a movie such as Divergent does not need an actress of Winslet’s caliber to be successful, it is an opportunity to earn a lucrative payday. As a result, this allows her to take on roles in more independent projects. With that said, I may have jumped the gun a little in my reviews of Little Children and Ammonite. I was unaware that Roger Michell’s (My Cousin Rachel, Changing Lanes) melodramatic Blackbird would soon water down her stellar filmography.
Jungleland (2019)
“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” – Murphy’s Law.
This quote could be the tagline for Max Winkler’s (Flower, Ceremony) third featured film, the intense and gritty Jungleland. Set across the backdrop of the heartland of present-day America, Bostonian brothers Stanley (Charlie Hunnam – The Lost City of Z, Papillon) and Lion (Jack O’Connell – Unbroken, Money Monster) travel from their Massachusetts home to San Francisco, where they will participate in Jungleland. Jungleland is a $100,000 bare-knuckles prize fight tournament in which a local gangster named Pepper (Jonathan Majors – Creed III, White Boy Rick) can secure a spot for Lion. Lion is a skilled lightweight boxer who is banned from traditional boxing matches after Stan, who also serves as his manager, is caught trying to bribe a referee. It is before the start of the film that this incident takes place, but it establishes Stan as a shady dealer who will do anything to make a quick buck. The main problem is that he makes terrible deals, becoming heavily in debt. The brothers work at a sewing factory, but this isn’t enough to get Stan out of the hole he dug himself. And while Lion is one of the best fighters, the back alley clubs that hold these unsanctioned fights can only pay its winners up to two hundred dollars per fight. It’s simply not enough to pay back what he owes and keep food on the table for the duo.
Dark Waters (2019)
Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher, Spotlight) continues to show that he is one of the more under-appreciated Hollywood heavyweights in Todd Haynes’ (Carol, Wonderstruck) new release. Dark Waters tells the true story of Cincinnati lawyer Rob Bilott’s extraordinarily long legal battle against the DuPont Chemical Company and the toxic waste it was dumping into the streams and rivers of West Virginia. This poisonous waste contributed to a high rate of cancer cases in the surrounding areas and contributed to an alarming number of deaths among cattle and other animals. The movie is exceptionally well-made. It should be seen by all as it hits on self-regulation, big business, medical disasters, and company cover-ups on such a grand scale that it seems hard to fathom as being possible in today’s world. In today’s society, there is so much scrutiny, regulation, and punishment for companies doing what DuPont did and almost escaped without punishment. Almost.
Bombshell (2019)
Based on the real-life scandal at the Fox News Channel, Jay Roach’s (Trumbo, Meet the Parents) Bombshell tells the story of the eruption that occurred when many women were exposed to a sexually harassing environment due to its chairman at the time, Roger Ailes (John Lithgow- Late Night, The Accountant). Bringing to the surface the accusations of numerous females by the head of the company, Bombshell made, at times, an uncomfortable watch. It felt unfathomable that so much of this could have occurred. However, it also seemed as if you couldn’t make up a story like this had it not been proven true.