Christmas Eve Possibilities

“Honest Liar” (Kanopy) As a reminder, Kanopy is completely free and has some great movies. Just go to your library site and add the app)I know most of you reading this are too young or too scholarly to have heard of “The Amazing Randi”, a Canadian-born magician and mentalist whose fame as such was in its height in the 50’s and early 60’s. As a teenager and until his death in 2020 Randi devoted his life to debunking “psychics” and especially Uri Geller (another luminary you have probably not heard of.) Geller bent spoons and watches and performed other paranormal feats and even managed to convince a group of Stanford scientists who proclaimed him to be the real thing. A subplot of the documentary is a very moving love story. Highly recommend for the family.

“Bank of Dave” (Amazon)It’s a feel-good movie in the best possible way: very likable characters, well acted with an authentic setting in the north of England, and it’s based on a true story– sort of (lots of stuff added to make a tighter narrative film. If you look up the authenticity of some important events you will be sorely disappointed) Hugh Bonneville plays a baddie, btw–refreshing! And Rory Kinnear who you will recognize plays the extraordinarily lovable and caring Dave Fishwick, the deeply generous self-made millionaire (selling vans) the film is based on. I crave movies about decent people and this is one of them. The kids might be bored, but grownups will love it.

“Under the Influencer” (Amazon) If you are thirteen or an immature fourteen and love Girlie Stuff this is the movie for you. Please do not ask me how I landed it. It got rave reviews (eight ) and when I went back for a sanity check I realized I hadn’t screened who was writing them (oy). That said, it has a good heart and provides a positive message ( at a concussion level perfect for young Tik Tokkers) Great for pajama parties!

“Immediate Family” (Amazon–also in theaters and Apple TV)If you have a fondness for Carole King, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and other 70’s California rock stars, then this documentary about their sessions musicians will thrill you in the same way it did me. This is the origin story of how they met and maintain a strong and loving friendship and working relationship to this day. Now in their early seventies they are still recording and keeping up with the times. Be sure to have a decent sound system because the music is great. Kids might not find it as gripping as my demographic will but clips from early performances and interviews provide excellent role models for how being hip doesn’t necessarily requite drug addiction or other self-destructive behaviors.

“Fair Play” (Netflix) Unlike any of the movies above, this one has no decent characters. It’s about banking–sort of–but nary a Dave Fishwick among them. With the exception of one or two short hit-you-over-the-head foreshadowing stomach turning scenes, it’s certainly watchable. But what is it about? It’s kind of a mish mosh of of hedge funds and stock market ruthlessness (I think. Why is the concept of Hedge Funds so confusing to me no matter how many times it is explained?) gender politics, erotica, and psychopathic behavior. It’s a horror movie of sorts (but only scary if you travel in those circles) with an ending that requires some suspension of disbelief and a little head scratching. It’s a good watch with a bunch of friends kinda film.

“Maestro” (Netflix and in theaters) The New Yorker critic I usually agree with, Anthony Lane and I both liked it. My bete noir, Richard Brody also of the New Yorker predictably didn’t. He whines a lot about how too much of the real biographical stuff was omitted, bemoaned its lack of creative imagination, found the emotional relationship between Bernstein and his wife empty, etc.(Probably paid by the word, Brody also does that thing of taking you through the whole movie which I hate.) My one negative criticism is that music accompanying several scenes and dance sequences is probably only identifiable by people who know Leonard Bernstein’s oeuvre. It deepens the level of appreciation to know that a tense real life scene is introduced by the music from On The Waterfront, for example. Addressing other criticism, though, as I see it, the film represents only one small but significant piece of his spectacularly brilliant and successful life. The focus is on Bernstein’s conflicted long-time, heterosexual relationship with his supportive and loving wife, and his need for sexual relationships outside the marriage, mostly homosexual . It may make you uncomfortable to realize that while extraordinarily charming and compelling, he was not that likable. A genius, no doubt, but also narcissistic and cruel to people who loved him. There is definitely music in the film, but if you go expecting it to be about that, you will be disappointed. If that’s what you want, watch the several documentaries made and one soon to be released which focus on his music and creative process. Some people say disparagingly that they wouldn’t have gone to the movie if they had known much of the focus was on Bernstein’s accomplished actress wife and how she basically held him together. Well , biographies are always a tough call. Where do we draw the line between what is produced and the personality that produced it? I think Bradley Cooper’s performance and direction was terrific. Carey Mulligan as his wife was nuanced perfection. It could be argued that Cooper omitted some critical information about Bernstein but as a film it is very effective. The controversy around Maestro is very interesting I would love to hear your opinion. Are you a Lane or a Brody?