Sophie's Choice

Sophie's Choice

ITC Entertainment etc.

December 8, 1982

Historical Drama

DVD
D

The only thing I liked was the pink house.  Director Pakula adapted the novel by William Styron, eight years before Presumed Innocent.

Ricki and the Flash

Ricki and the Flash

TriStar etc.

August 7, 2015

Dramedy, Musical

DVD
C+

I saw this in the theater.  Both then and this week, I didn't think it lives up to its potential, but it's interesting enough to watch all the way through.  Streep of course is the star as the very flawed mother and not so flawed musician.  Streep's daughter Mamie Gummer is obviously well-cast as Ricki's daughter.  Jonathan Demme directed and Diablo Cody wrote.

Prime

Prime 

Relativity Media etc.

October 28, 2005

Romcom

DVD
C

I gave this twenty minutes rather than fifteen, because I thought it had potential.  Unfortunately, the lead characters, especially him, are kind of bland.  Ben Younger wrote and directed.

A Prairie Home Companion

A Prairie Home Companion

River Road Entertainment

June 9, 2006

Comedy, Musical

DVD
D+

A little bit tedious, despite the cast.  (I'm omitting Tommy Lee Jones from the crowded tags.)  Robert Altman directed.

Postcards from the Edge

Postcards from the Edge

Columbia

September 14, 1990
Dramedy

DVD
C-

I gave a C to the Carrie Fisher partly autobiographical novel (reviewed here https://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2013/03/postcards-from-edge.html), and I don't think what did work translates to screen (even by Fisher herself), at least in the quarter hour I watched.  Still, I bumped this up from a D+ because the nightmare with a Nancy Reagan lookalike made me smile.  Mike Nichols directed.

The Post

The Post

20th Century Fox etc.

December 22, 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I saw the whole movie in the theater and would've said a C at the time.  (It didn't help that I'd recently seen All the President's Men for the first time.)  Watching it now, it still feels a bit flat, and I didn't want to go all through it again, especially since most movies are less enjoyable at home.  Spielberg directed.

Manhattan

Manhattan

United Artists

April 25, 1979

Dramedy, Romance

DVD
C-

I think I had this on VHS at some point (taped off of TV), but it always felt like a letdown compared to Annie Hall, and that's putting aside the whole "dating a 17-year-old" aspect.  Anyway, I didn't hate it this time but, unlike Annie, it's not worth revisiting.  Woody wrote, directed, and stars.

Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer

Columbia

December 19, 1979

Drama

DVD
C-

I saw this at the time, but I couldn't make it past the first quarter hour today because I didn't care about any of these people, even the kid.  Director Robert Benton adapted the Avery Corman novel.

Julie and Julia

Julie and Julia

Columbia/Sony

August 7, 2009

Dramedy

DVD
C-

This is the movie that made me dislike Amy Adams for awhile.  (I loved her in Enchanted and it took American Hustle to win me back.)  One review recommended watching just the "Julia" portion of the film and I can attest that that does work pretty well.  Anyway, I gave this a quarter hour today, and there wasn't much Julia in it, so I'm not using the "historical drama" tag or whatever.  Nora Ephron directed and wrote the screenplay, based on both Julie Powell's Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen and Julia Child's My Life in France.  

The Hours (2002)

The Hours 

Paramount

December 15, 2002

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Probably the most depressing movie I ever saw in the theater.  (I couldn't walk out because I was with a friend, and we kept hoping it would get better.)  Still, the first quarter hour is almost bearable and the period details are nice.  This is based on the Michael Cunningham novel and directed by Stephen Daldry, nine years before Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.  I tagged the people I recognized and have to note that this is likely the worst Julianne Moore performance I've ever seen.

The Giver

The Giver 

Weinstein Company

August 15, 2014

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I read the Lois Lowry book years ago, but I don't remember much about it, so I can't say how faithful an adaptation is.  I just know that the film doesn't offer a dystopia I wanted to linger in, even at a distance.  Phillip Noyce directed and had improved somewhat in the twenty years since Clear and Present Danger.

Florence Foster Jenkins

Florence Foster Jenkins

BBC Films

May 6, 2016

Historical Drama 

DVD
C+

I saw this in the theater at the time, but today it wasn't as funny or moving as I remembered (I probably would've given it a B- then), although still entertaining enough to finish.  I think part of the problem is that director Stephen Frears never quite finds the right tone, or blend of tones.

Doubt

Doubt
Disney [!]
December 25, 2008 [!]
Historical Drama
DVD
C

Streep is a strict and somewhat sinister nun, while Hoffman is cast against type as a kind priest.  And, yes, Disney Christmas movies have changed since the 20th century.  John Patrick Shanley directed and wrote the screenplay based on his award-winning stage play.

Dancing at Lughnasa

Dancing at Lughnasa
Sony
25 September 1998
Historical Drama
DVD
B-

I saw a pretty good local stage production of this a few years, and I find this a pretty good big-screen adaptation.  The performances are for the most part solid and I like the touches of humour.  That the film never becomes magical is OK.  Pat O'Connor directed.  I've tagged the cast that I recognized, even if some, like Kathy Burke from the previous year's Tom Jones miniseries, aren't exactly household names.