WHIPLASH

I’ve always been a sucker for movies about good teachers, and even more so for movies about music teachers.  Music unites us, and for most people, the student-teacher experience is a universal one, so these films can resonate even if they aren’t remarkable.  Music of the Heart, Sister Act 2, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and Madame Sousatzka are among my favorite “feel-good” movies.  Whiplash (2014), a film about a music teacher and his student is a cinematic masterpiece and ranks as one of the best films I’ve seen.  With that said, Whiplash is not a “feel-good” film.  Whiplash is a tightly wound, tense anatomy of the cost of greatness and the humiliating psychological fuckery that a brilliant teacher thinks is required to motivate others to achieve greatness.  This film takes “No pain no gain” to its utmost extreme.

SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON

The first exposure I remember having to actress Kim Stanley was when she played the self-serving and dominating mother to Frances Farmer (Jessica Lange) in the 1982 movie, Frances.  She marvelously pivoted between helping Frances and simultaneously destroying her.  It was a bold performance, one that earned her an Oscar nomination. 

That was not Kim Stanley’s only Oscar nomination.  She was previously nominated for her leading role as Myra Savage, a psychic medium, in the often overlooked 1964 British crime thriller, Séance on a Wet Afternoon. Séance is an excellently paced and rewarding work that keeps you guessing from beginning to end.

ALL OF US STRANGERS

Andrew Scott’s performance in All of Us Strangers is worth every minute of the film. His portrayal of Adam, a lonely middle-aged man navigating romance and unresolved familial ties, is a masterclass in nuance and depth. Adam’s presence in every scene makes his casting pivotal, and director Andrew Haigh made an impeccable choice.

METROPOLIS

Metropolis is a silent film that was released in Germany in 1927. It was directed by Fritz Lang. It is regarded by many film historians as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made… for good reason. This movie is magnificent. Despite being nearly a century old, it is still smart and dynamic. The special effects and the variety of innovative filming techniques are a marvel of ingenuity. This movie would influence other iconic films for years to come, including Mad Max, Star Wars, Batman (1989), and Parasite.

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

It may be difficult to imagine now, but in 1938 and 1939, Katharine Hepburn was extremely unpopular with Hollywood and with the American public. A string of box office failures, coupled with her abrasive and combative behavior with the press and fans, had garnered her a reputation for being extremely arrogant. Seeking to reignite her career she returned to the stage, starring in a new play by Philip Barry. That play was The Philadelphia Story. She would perform the role of socialite Tracy Lord in two tours and on Broadway for over a year. When Hollywood decided to produce the play as a movie, Hepburn had already purchased the rights to the story (thanks to help from Howard Hughes), so she was guaranteed the role. Teaming with Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart for the movie version of the play, Hepburn’s shrewd selection of this vehicle paid off. The Philadelphia Story would become one of the biggest movies of 1940, and Hepburn’s career and public perception were back on track.

HOPE AND GLORY

For Hope and Glory (1987), its writer/director/producer John Boorman called upon his personal experiences as a child growing up in England during the early days of World War II. The movie revolves around the Rohan family as seen through the view of 9-year-old Rohan son, Billy (Sebastian Rice-Edwards).

THE COMMITMENTS

Musical anhedonia is a neurological condition that affects 3 to 5% of the Earth’s population. The people who suffer from this condition derive no pleasure from music of any kind. If you are one of the small percentage of people who suffer from this condition, then you should skip reading the rest of this review. On the other hand, if you are one of the majority of humans who can partake in the almost-universal experience of enjoying great music (along with terrific storytelling) then you should make it a goal to see The Commitments, an Irish film directed by Alan Parker, released in 1991.