Movie Time!

God I need an escape from the deterioration of this entire nation. Its too goddamned much. I feel like pulling the covers up over my head and waiting for this putrid group of miscreants to go away. In the meantime, lets go to the movies.

The Mule

Clint Eastwood is really old. But Clint Eastwood is still relevant. The 88 year old directs like he doesnt have much time left. Its like a one take and I havent got time for a second. Who can forget the doll baby Bradley Cooper had to shake around to make it look alive in the horrific American Sniper?

The Mule is story of an old man, a neglectful old man who spent his whole life drinking with his buddies, growing his flowers and having nothing to do with his wife and kids. And the family hates him for it. He's alone, he's rejected, and he's miserable. He's also out of money due to the "damn internet" putting his flower business under water.

In a completely implausible scene he is offered a chance to make a lot of money just driving around. He bites. The next thing you know he's running drugs for the cartel in his old pickup, then his new pickup. He finances his granddaughters wedding, he saves his old VFW hall, he saves his broken down home from foreclosure. He's living high.

But then comes Bradley Cooper and Michael Pena. Working for the DEA, the two agents are after this so called Mule. They get closer and closer and the Mule begins to feel the heat.

The Mexican cartel needs to cut its losses and Clint is is deep shit.

No spoilers here but the story drags at this point. It ends with a whimper.

It's a complete mediocrity but the bar may be too high here. If this was directed by a youngster it would be considered great potential. But directed by the 88 year old legend its a complete ehhhhhhhhh.

Green Book

This movie is corny. Its the old opposites attract story. The rough and tumble Italian street guy and the high class genius black musician team up to tour the Deep South in 1962 America.

Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali play the antagonists who of course become great friends by the end of this movie. I know theres some controversy about making racism so fucking light hearted. And it does. But it works.

This film makes you laugh and cry virtually the entire 2 plus hours. Theres really not a dull moment. I got manipulated by the guy who directed Dumb and Dumber. And I am happy about it.

Widows

Ooooooo that twist at the end that if you know anything about anything you saw coming a mile away. It pissed me off.

Widows is the story of a bunch of widows out to finish what their dead husbands couldnt finish. A heist.

Viola Davis is money. Colin Farrell is money. The acting is money. But the story is not.

Oh and a hint. Keep your eye on the little white dog. That dog is the best detective in the movie.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Theres nothing new here. Its the cliched biopic. But its fucking wonderful. Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury is stunning. The other actors playing the rest of the band Queen are just fantastic. The cameo by Mike Meyers is just so pleasing it made me smile war to ear.

I am not even a fan of Queen yet I became one watching this movie. The last 20 minutes which is entirely a note for note copy of the actual Live Aid performance and it works, man. It reminded me that the only thing I remember about Live Aid was Queen and U2. Those were the memorable moments to me. The tiger like walking of Freddie Mercury and Bono dancing with that girl.

Bohemian Rhapsody brought it all back. See it.

A Star is Born

I wish people would stop raving about Lady GaGa and giving her an Oscar. She's good but why are you so surprised? She acts every stinking night while in concert. She's a pro.

This 4th remake of this familiar story of the fading star giving way to the up and comer is very good. I used to think of Bradley Cooper as a lightweight. A pretty boy. But here, as director and star he enters the reality of Hollywood. You have to take this guy seriously now. he knows what he's doing.

Cooper plays a drunken country rock star, a kind of cross between Eddie Vedder and Sam Elliott (who plays Coopers much older brother), who discovers Lady Ga Ga in a drag club. They fall in love, she gets big, he drinks himself into situations that are hard to even watch and you know the end.

Its certainly a Top 10 contender, hell it may win the Oscar, I dont know. All I can say is this. Sam Elliott will never win an Oscar, but his scene of pulling away in his truck from the last time he ever sees his brother is as good a scene of acting as you can expect. So shit, give it to Sam, just to hear that voice accept it.

Go see a movie, folks. Real life is a horrible enough.