“If Beale Street Could Talk” Movie Review

    I was rather surprised the other day as I was searching through Hulu and I saw that the movie “If Beale Street Could Talk” happened to be on there.  The movie was released late last year if memory serves me well and was a critical darling so I wanted to check it out as soon as possible.

    The film tells the rather simple story of young love between two African Americans, Fonny and Tish.  The pair struggle to make it during the 70s in New York.  Unfortunately, Fonny is falsely arrested on a rape charge and was set up by a corrupt police officer so his case doesn’t look very good.  After Fonny’s arrest, Tish reveals to him and later her family that she is pregnant with his child.

    I can definitely see why critics loved the movie.  The film is based on the acclaimed novel by James Baldwin.  It is the kind of drama that tells a story that is relatable to anyone who has experienced struggle.  The film is vibrant and feels like it was shot in the 70s.  The film feels as close to a blend of a book and painting as a movie can get.  I guess that is part of the reason I don’t tend to gravitate towards films like this though.  For all of it’s brilliance, I tend to enjoy a movie that makes me forget my problems.  Escapism, to me, is the main reason I go to the movies.  I have to be in a particular mood to watch a movie in order to be depressed.

    All of that being said, the film is beautifully written and the dialogue sounds eloquent and powerful.  The film is filled with powerful performances that help transcend this film from the average family drama.  The film also features a wonderful jazz infused score which you can just shut your eyes and listen to.

    Although the film acts as a framework for the struggles African Americans went through and how it effected their lives, it does provide a ray of hope at the end.  Sometimes living through a struggle but being able to look towards the future anyway is a strength no one can take away from you.  It is a strength both Fonny and Tish have even in the face of the hardships they must still overcome.  Life isn’t easy but you have to keep moving forward for the sake of your loved ones and yourself.

    “If Beale Street Could Talk” isn’t for everyone by any means.  It is slowly paced and though it has many strengths, it is also kind of a downer.  I would say that the movie does an incredible job transporting the audience to New York in the 70s.  Depending on your mood, it’s worth the trip.

Grade: C+

“Isn’t It Romantic” Movie Review

    It’s been a little while since I have been able to go to the theaters lately.  You see, I live in Michigan, and for the last few weeks, we have been randomly hit with ice storms and extremely cold temperatures.  Of course, most of these storms hit while I am off from work.  This week however, I caught a break and so my girlfriend and I set off to catch a screening of “Isn’t It Romantic”.

    The film had a theatrical release here in America but was released directly to Netflix in most parts internationally.  The film revolves around a woman named Natalie who grew up cynical of romantic comedies due to her mother and is oblivious to her friend Josh’s feelings towards her partly because of her cynicism.  Natalie ends up getting knocked out and wakes up in a romantic comedy version of her life.  This event takes her through a time of self discovery.

    Rebel Wilson leads the cast as Natalie and she is one of the funniest actresses working today.  Even when she is given the best material, she always finds a way to get a giggle from her audience.  Liam Hemsworth plays the attractive object of Natalie’s desires who falls madly in love with her.  Liam Hemsworth doesn’t have the same screen presence as his brother Chris yet but he still holds his own in this film.  Lastly, Adam DeVine plays Josh, Natalie’s best friend and possible true love.  Now, I am going to say I am not a big fan of Adam DeVine.  While I enjoy a lot of projects he is in including “Workaholics”, his humor gets on my nerves very quickly.  Luckily, DeVine gives a relatively reserved performance and he has great chemistry with Rebel Wilson (no doubt from their time filming “Pitch Perfect” together).

    “Isn’t It Romantic” isn’t the type of movie that is going to win an Oscar but it wasn’t made to.  It was made to be a fun date movie that both partners can find humor in and it very much lives up to it’s goals.  The film was also original in an era where everything is a remake or sequel and it’s refreshing to see a movie be different and have fun.

    This film isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea of course, but you would be hard pressed to find a film that can generate chuckles from both the men and women of the audience.

Grade: B

"Roma" Movie Review

    Well, it’s Oscar season again and to many people’s surprise, Netflix actually had some pretty serious contenders this year and one film, “Roma”, became a critical favorite and managed to garner ten Oscar nominations this year.  I actually watched the movie a few days before the nominations were announced but I unfortunately have not been able to share my thoughts on the film until now.  So, let me share my thoughts on this critical darling.

    “Roma” tells the story of a young live-in servant named Cleo in Mexico during the 70’s.  The film was written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and it is inspired by his own upbringing.  During the film, Cleo ends up getting pregnant just as the marriage of her employers is falling apart.  Sofia, the matriarch of the family, has to deal with the fact that her husband has left her while finding some purpose in helping Cleo during her pregnancy.  The bond between the two women grow as the film progresses and their relationship changes as life changes them.

    The film is filled with some surprisingly effective comedic moments as well as heart breaking scenes that leave you in near tears.  While these elements are played beautifully well, I feel the film drug in quite a few places.  The runtime felt long to me for a rather simple story to tell.  I am in the minority here among critics, but that is how I feel.

    The actors all did a stellar job in this film.  Both Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira deliver brilliant performances that showcase them at their lowest and makes you believe they could still get back up after all the things both women have gone through.

    Alfonso Cuarón delivers a beautifully shot film and choosing to make this black and white helps put you in the 70s. The film has no English spoken throughout since it is set in Mexico.  Spanish and Mixtec are the only languages spoken in the film, however there are English subtitles.

    I feel like “Roma” was made for a certain audience and I am just not in their wheelhouse.  That isn’t to say that I feel like “Roma” is a bad film, it is just not a film made for me.  That being said, it is also hard to totally ignore the creative choices made in this film.

Grade: C