January movie reviews

In theaters:

A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN

I don't really get why a movie starring Michael B. Jordan and directed by Denzel Washington didn't get more attention upon its release. It's really good though, a film that manages to be both sentimental and not sappy. Jordan is of course terrific, but his co-star Chante Adams really owns this movie. If they had star-making performances anymore, hers would be one. 

THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

An interesting experiment. Joel Coen's 1st film all on his own is a very faithful adaptation. The dialogue is often hard to decipher if you don't already know the Macbeth tale. You can still appreciate the stellar Denzel Washington performance. And the set design and photography are just awesome to look at. If they had films in the 1600s I feel like this is what they would have looked like. 

THE 355

A solid stab at doing an action spy thriller with an all female main cast. Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Lupita N'yongo and Diane Kruger are all excellent. Some slick action. None of it breaks the mold or anything like that but it gets the job done. 

THE KING'S MAN 

I think this franchise is out of gas. Each installment has been worse than the one that came before. And this prequel just bored me mostly. It barely even has any of the outrageous comedy that had been what made the franchise stand out. Ralph Fiennes is  very good, but that's not enough. 

PARALLEL MOTHERS 

A Spanish language film centered around two women (Penelope Cruz is one of them) who give birth on the same day, and how their lives intertwine after that. I have never been grabbed by any films from director Pedro Almodovar, but this was pretty good. It's melodrama, even full on soapy at times, but well made. Cruz is fabulous in a role she is getting Oscar buzz for. 

Everything else:

ON THE ROCKS

Sofia Coppola's best film since Lost In Translation, also starring Bill Murray. This is also Murray's best in a while. He's the father of Rashida Jones, who thinks her husband is cheating on her, and they bond by playing detective to figure out what's going on. Murray and Jones are a really enjoyable pairing, and the film has a lot of laughs and heart, but also substance. 

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

I got a screener link for this and I'm glad I did. This is a Norwegian version of a romantic comedy, about a woman in her late 20s dealing with the usual relationship stuff. It's episodic, but really entertaining and substantive. And the lead actress, Renate Reinsve, is fantastic. 

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER

Figured that after Sidney Poitier died I should check out at least one of his old classics. This is the one where Poitier and his white fiancee go to meet her parents (Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, who died right after filming). Some of this feels naturally dated, but you cannot find many better ensembles. Everybody is great in it. 

BEING THE RICARDOS

This should have been better. Aaron Sorkin wrote and directed this movie showcasing the behind the scenes of I Love Lucy. Nicole Kidman, who I often hate, is actually pretty good here. Javier Bardem gets to be full on charming, which he usually doesn't, at least in US films. It's just so inconsequential though. I never figured out what was worth telling about this story. Even Sorkin's usually dynamic dialogue is not that distinctive here.