Showing posts with label Pandemic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pandemic. Show all posts

Saturday, March 27, 2021

My Pandemic - One Year Later

It's been a year since we realized that the Pandemic was real and dangerous, since we were on lockdown, since everything closed and the tourists were gone, Cannery Row and the Recreation Trail were wastelands, and we had to stay home to protect ourselves and, with that, our lives changed forever. 




But now things are starting to open up again, which is good, but it's been a traumatic year, so I am reflecting on where I am now, and what I have learned from all of this.

Before I can do that, though, I need to reflect back on what life was like before the Pandemic and how I have changed because of it. And then I can reflect on what I have learned - the good, the bad and the ugly!

[Disclaimer: I realize that there have been many people who have had it much worse than I, people who have gotten sick, who have lost their jobs, couldn't pay their rent or mortgage, who had to homeschool their children and much more.  So this story might be inconsequential to some, but it's my story.]


BEFORE THE PANDEMIC:

 I had a routine:

  • Every Friday morning, I would go to a movie. I would sneak in my Starbucks 16 oz. nonfat vanilla latte with an extra shot and watch a new movie in preparation for writing my regular Friday blog, which always included a new film and whatever else I had watched that week. In fact, I still have a vivid memory of the last movie I saw in a theatre - "Emma." 





What I also remember about that day is sitting in the front row of the balcony in a seat I reserved thinking I had the row all to myself.  I mean, it was 11am on a Friday, but, wouldn't you know, just as the lights went down, in comes a woman and her mother, and the woman sat right next to me and proceeded to sneeze in my direction.  Needless to say, I moved, but little did I know then how symbolic those sneezes were and how much I would be avoiding other people in the future.

  • And speaking of Starbucks, another part of my routine was going for a walk and the bathroom at Starbucks was a trustworthy place to go when needed. When you had to go, you could always count on Starbucks! And when I didn't feel like going for a walk, I would go to the gym which was right in my neighborhood. I would walk there and then read a book and listen to music while on the elliptical (I have always been a multitasker)!
  • I also enjoyed "exercising" at the mall, too, doing some normal shopping and trying on clothes. Grocery shopping and shopping at the mall was something we took for granted.
  • Before the Pandemic, I had lunches with girlfriends and a "Girls' Game Day," getting together with girlfriends to confab, play cards and board games. We would go to each others' houses, have snacks, drink wine, talk and play games...and drink wine.
  • Going to a restaurant was one of Hubby's and my favorite things to do, especially after a long walk.  After exercise, our reward was a nice lunch and a glass of wine or three.  Likewise, wine tasting was a regular activity. 




  • Hubby also sang in a band, a band that won the Weekly's "Best Band in Monterey County," so I went out to see him perform, but when he wasn't performing we would go out to local clubs to support other bands and mingle with our friends.



  • Our daughter lives in Virginia, thousands of miles away but we managed to see each other a few times a year, including the occasional Girls' Trip.  




  • I volunteered as a peer counselor and lent support to older people with emotional issues.
  • I went to concerts and had tickets to see Boz Scaggs.



Life was full.



THEN CAME THE PANDEMIC:

  • When the first lockdown occurred, I was hopeful. It was only going to be for a few weeks, right?  I wrote blog posts about gratitude and hope and everything I was going to accomplish because I had to stay at home. blah, blah, blah. Good luck with that.  That optimism didn't last long.




  • Masks were required at all times.  I acquired a large mask wardrobe. Hey, a girl's got to try to have some fun with this!
  • And speaking of wardrobes, good luck going to the mall. Even if the stores were open, fitting rooms at the mall were closed so you had to buy what you were interested in, try it all on at home and then return the items if they didn't. What a pain! Might as well just order online.  Which I did!  I was drowning in Amazon boxes!
  • If we wanted to go outside, we had to have an excuse, like walking the dogs.  Which we did.  In fact, we did it so much, the dogs were begging us to stay home! 


  • The movie theatres closed. In fact, I think my local movie theatre has closed for good, but it still has that movie poster outside for "Emma," the last movie I saw in a theatre, the poster poignantly frozen in time, now tattered and yellowed. 

  • Because I was no longer going to the movie theatre to see the new movies, my blog became more sporadic and then morphed into reviewing TV shows and Netflix movies, those shows that kept me company while sheltering in place. I especially liked my time with the Duke of Hastings keeping me company!  You ladies who watched "Bridgerton" know what I mean, right?
  • My local Starbucks was closed and worse, so were their bathrooms.  That made those long walks rather nerve-wracking, especially after drinking my Starbucks grande latte!
  • I had to wait in line to get into Trader Joe's and Whole Foods because only so many people could be in the stores at any one time and once in, it wasn't easy avoiding other shoppers. It became an exercise in getting in and then getting out quickly.
  • So I bought a bread machine!

  • I continued my volunteer work as a peer counselor but now it was over the phone and most of it involved people having difficulty dealing with the isolation imposed by the pandemic. Most older folks felt robbed of the time they had left. So did I!
  • And forget going to the gym. They were all closed. So for exercise it was walking or doing yoga with other old ladies on YouTube.  And no nail or hair salons were open either.
  • No wine tasting!
  • We couldn't visit our daughter who lives thousands of miles away and she couldn't come here.


  • No gigs for bands. No Boz Scaggs concert.
  • No toilet paper.


NOW - ONE YEAR LATER -THE NEW NORMAL

I know, I know.  A terrible cliche but I don't think that things will ever go back to "normal" in my lifetime so I have come to expect a different kind of life, such as...

  • Wearing a mask...forever. We used to wonder why so many people in Asian countries wore masks even before Covid, and I think we chalked it up to pollution, but in fact, I think they knew something we didn't.  Riding mass transit and being in large crowds can lead to getting colds and flu so why not protect yourself?  Now we know.  But we Americans can't just figure it out and do what is necessary.  We have to turn it into a political statement.  "I'M AN AMERICAN AND YOU AIN'T TELLIN ME I HAVE TO WEAR A MASK! or fill in the blanks. 



  • The New Normal has changed what I think about going to the movies and dining out. I don't think I want to see a movie in the theatre again for a very long time (remember that woman who sneezed on me? - it could happen again!), and I am still very uncomfortable dining inside, even though it's now okay for restaurants to open up for inside dining and they are operating at a limited occupancy.  Despite the fact that I want to support restaurants and going out to eat has always been my favorite thing, somehow, I don't feel the same anymore when it comes to dining inside. And so far, dining outside isn't that comfortable either. Besides, while staying at home, I cooked and cooked and cooked and rather like my own food. 


  • And speaking of food, grocery shopping is no longer a leisurely activity that we take for granted. Yes, toilet paper has returned, but now it's still "get in and get the hell out" as soon as possible so as not to encounter someone with Covid or a possible nut case with an AK-47. 
  • The band Hubby played with hasn't played in over a year and who knows when bands will be playing in clubs and we will be dancing again?
  • Gyms have reopened but not my gym. My gym not only closed during the pandemic, it has closed for good, but now I am not so keen to go to the gym anyway. Wearing a mask while working out is one thing, but breathing other peoples' air is another.
  • Though we have managed to stay in touch with the grandkids, we still haven't seen our daughter and it's now been over a year and not sure when we will as getting on a plane no longer seems normal. And forget that annual trip to Europe.





WHAT I HAVE LEARNED - THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY!

So... it's been over a year since we learned we were facing a Pandemic.  There has been some bad and some ugly but some good has come out of it, too. And I want to add that whatever "bad" I have gone through, it doesn't compare to what others have, such as unemployment, home schooling, childcare issues, and the like.  Let's just say, these were "bad" things pertinent to me. But first the good...


The Good:


  • Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I learned that once Starbucks reopened for take-out, getting my usual Skinny Vanilla Latte with an extra shot at Starbucks was often the highlight of my day, especially since they know me at my local and say, "Hello, Rosy." They even recognize me with my mask on.  But I guess that could be because my name is on my mobile order. But, whatever, it still makes me happy. These days, you get your happiness where you can.


  • I learned I had many friends to call upon for long walks and talks...as well as our doggies.  Well, maybe not the talking part for them, but we definitely walked and bonded, friends and dogs.
  • And where there is a will there is a way.  I learned we ladies can figure anything out when we want to do something. We were able to continue Game Day - we met in a park, wore masks and plastic gloves and played our little hearts out.  So good to have that female companionship during hard times.

  • I have learned to appreciate the beautiful place I live in. I have always loved it here but now I love it even more. I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, and those walks in nature went a long way to keep my spirits up.

  • I learned that I actually enjoy being alone and I have many resources to call upon when I am stuck at home.  I enjoy my own company...and television. I have an interest in Tarot cards, but I have stopped practicing my Tarot card readings.  The Tower came up too many times! Didn't need that!


  • With my peer counseling volunteer work, I feel I have helped some people who were struggling with the pandemic and that has made it easier for me to handle it myself. I learned that helping others takes your mind off of your own troubles.
  • I learned that I don't need to go to the movie theatre to see new movies - Netflix, Amazon and Hulu have all made it possible to keep up with new releases in the comfort of my own home and wine.



  • The grandkids are within driving distance and now that we are fully vaccinated, there are visits with hugs!
 





  • And I managed to avoid getting sick!



But despite the good, I am also still dealing with some bad stuff.


The Bad:

  • My life has completely changed and that routine I was used to no longer exists.
  • I am sick of wearing a mask, even though I have some cute ones, if I do say so myself!
  • I am tired of walking as my main source of exercise and, I got tired of online yoga with those old ladies.  Believe it or not, I miss the gym but I am reluctant to go back.

  • I still don't like crowds or being inside with other people, especially until everyone is vaccinated.
  • I miss going to clubs and concerts and the movies and restaurants, but do I want to anymore?
  • I stopped caring about what I wear. Since I am home most of the time, I have developed a staying-at-home uniform that I wear almost every day - black leggings, black top and maybe, if I am feeling wild and crazy, a red sweatshirt - and with that I have realized I may never wear all of my clothes in my lifetime. I mean, these days, where do you wear a sequined jacket and bejeweled booties? But I can't bring myself to get rid of anything. I still like looking at them. 





  •  I miss my daughter.


The Ugly:


But here is the Bottom Line.  

When all is said and done, we did it!  The Pandemic is far from over, but we have hopefully made it through a terrible time, the worst of it, an ordeal I have never had to deal with in my lifetime before. The uncertainty, the lifestyle and schedule changes, the fear of catching something that would kill me, having to wear a mask all of the time, waiting in line to buy groceries, canceled concert tickets, eating at restaurants outside in the cold, staying home, walking and walking and walking...  

But I an grateful.  I came through it with a loving husband, with a loving family, with good friends, with gratitude, and with a sense that I am able to withstand anything that is sent my way.  And after not being able to go to the hair salon, I even know what my real hair color is now!

You know that old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?"  Well, this old dog has learned some new ones.

I have learned that I am resilient.  No matter what comes my way, I can make it work.

How have you coped?

Thanks for reading!

See you soon!



If you enjoyed this post, feel free to click on the share buttons to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn, email it to your friends and LIKE me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer 


And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll down below the synopsis and the listings for the director, writer and main stars to where it says "Reviews" and click on "Critics" - If I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list.

Monday, March 8, 2021

What I Enjoyed Watching While Waiting for Vaccine #2

[The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Judas and the Black Messiah, Pieces of a Woman, Nomadland, Let Him Go and The Little Things]

I have to say it was a big relief to get my first shot of the vaccine. We had to drive 75 miles to get it but we got it. But one shot does not make me want to go out and mingle, so I am still on a kind of self-imposed lockdown until shot #2, though I do venture out upon occasion to sit, drink a glass of wine (or two) outside and listen to music.

But despite those few forays out into the world which provides a modicum of normalcy, it's still the old TV that keeps me company these days and thank goodness there are some great movies available out there to get me through.







A little known side of singer Billie Holiday's life.

Diana Ross introduced audiences to singer Billie Holiday back in 1972 in "Lady Sings the Blues" and showed theatre goers she could act. She was awarded a Golden Globe as "Best Newcomer" and a Best Actress Academy Award for her performance. Now almost 50 years later yet another generation is being introduced to Holiday, this time starring singer Andra Day.

One can't help but make comparisons between this new biopic and "Lady Sings the Blues." Both films explored Holiday's tumultous life that included a horrific childhood and later an adulthood rife with drug abuse; both showed Holiday was hounded by the FBI for her drug abuse; both films starred singers in their first acting roles; and both actresses won awards for their performances (Andra Day won this year's Golden Globe for Best Actress).

But what sets this film apart from the first one is the premise that the real reason the FBI hounded Holiday was not as much about her drug use as her song "Strange Fruit," which metaphorically dramatized the horrors of the lynching of black people.

When the film begins, Holiday's career is in full swing and so is her drug use. FBI head J. Edgar Hoover and Head Narc, Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund) are bent on bringing Billie down, seeing the song as un-American, a call for civil rights that would stir people up and a threat to the status quo, the status quo being white supremacy. Ainslinger also had a vendetta against jazz! So they recruit Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes), a black agent, who wants to make something of himself, to go undercover and befriend Holiday, "befriend" being a euphemism for some very steamy sex scenes. This film is almost as much about Fletcher as Holiday as he was one of few black agents in a segregated agency. Anslinger and the FBI harassed her to the end of her life at 44, even when she lay in a hospital dying her feet were handcuffed to the hospital bed.

Day is a compelling Holiday and I couldn't help but remember that Billie Holiday was also called "Lady Day," so Day starring as Holiday is an interesting coincidence, though she gave herself that stage name in honor of Holiday. And her performance is not just interesting, but raw, compelling, riveting and wonderful, and her Golden Globe win for Best Actress is well deserved, which brings me to one of my pet peeves that I rant about from time to time. Okay, I rant about it a LOT.

I have not liked it when first timers like Day and Ross won the big awards over veteran actors who have paid their dues. For example, Day beat Frances McDormand for this one, and I was not happy when the award was announced, because I thought that McDormand was flawless in "Nomadland (see review below)." However, that little hissy fit was before I saw this film, and after seeing it, I have decided that I will no longer have this bias about first-timers getting awards over old-timers. Day was phenomenal as an actress and a singer, bringing Billie Holiday to life for modern audiences. Her rendition of "Strange Fruit" is beyond moving.

So from now on, I will take it case-by-case, or should I say performance by performance (In future, I will have to come up with something new to rant about. And you know I will)!

Anyway, based on the book "Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs" by Johann Hari (adapted for the screen by Suzan-Lori Parks) and directed by Lee Daniels, this film is a grim and harrowing account of Holiday's later years and what she went through trying to speak her truth.  It resonates today because people of color are still being harassed for not only speaking their truth, but just living their lives.

Oh, and by the way, the film begins with a written opening sequence that reads:

"In 1937 a bill was introduced to ban lynching."
"It didn't pass."

And the film ends with this epilogue:

"The Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act was brought back in 2020 and has yet to pass."

Do you believe that? We can't even get a bill passed TODAY that says it's not okay to lynch someone!

Rosy the Reviewer says...a tough movie to watch but a profound and satisfying film experience that brings Billie Holiday and her music to life for a new generation. Day does Lady Day proud.






A docudrama about Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) and the undercover FBI informant who brought him down.

The name Fred Hampton is probably not a name that most of you remember today, but in the late 60’s he was the Illinois Chairman of the Black Panther Party and Deputy Chairman of the National Black Panther Party, and it was a name that J. Edgar Hoover knew well. You see, Hoover wasn't too thrilled with the Black Panthers and he was particularly concerned when Fred founded the Rainbow Coalition, a political organization, that not only included the Black Panthers, but also the Young Lords and other street gangs, an alliance that was meant to stop the infighting among the various groups so they would all work together for social change. J. Edgar Hoover felt threatened by that and didn’t want that to happen so he planted an informant, Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) in Fred’s midst which eventually led to Fred’s assassination (and planting informants seems to have been one of Hoover's things. See review of "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" above).
I remember the name Fred Hampton well because I was living in Michigan at the time, I was a young woman also interested in social change (you may not know this, but the SDS started in Michigan) and because how Fred died was so shocking. He was only 21.
How it all got to that point is explored in this powerful docudrama starring Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield who both bring in incredible performances. Kaluuya won this year's Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, which was well-deserved, but I was surprised that Stanfield was overlooked because this film is really about him and what happens when you make a deal with the devil. With a screenplay by Shaka King and Will Berson and directed by King, the film is also a reminder of how hard the struggle for justice and equality has been for people of color. And a reminder that the struggle continues still.
Rosy the Reviewer says…lots of buzz around this movie of the Oscar variety. Don’t miss out. And when you watch, don’t miss the epilogue. It will choke you up and make you go “Whaaat???” as you wipe away the tears. (Now streaming on HBO Max)




The repercussions of a tragic home birth.

You fans of “The Crown” will recognize Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret from the first two seasons. She was wonderful in that, but the character she plays here is about as far from Princess Margaret as she could get. But she is still wonderful.
Here she plays Martha, a woman grieving the loss of her baby after a tragic home birth. And the birth itself takes up the first 20+ minutes of the film and it’s pretty real and raw made worse by the fact that the baby doesn't make it.
The crux of the film written by Kata Weber and directed by Kornel Mundruczo asks the question: How does one pick up the pieces and go on after giving birth and then having no baby as life goes on around you? There is grief, guilt, isolation and shame. And then anger and blame. Whose fault was this? It must be someone’s fault. Martha wonders did she do something wrong while pregnant? Was it the midwife’s fault? Anyone who has lost a baby would be able to relate to this. But anyone who has gone through any kind of loss can also relate because the film is about mourning, how the sadness from loss affects entire families and how one learns to go on.
Kirby puts in a profound performance that pulls no punches. Her performance won her a Best Actress Golden Globe nomination, and I would guess an Oscar nomination is also in the offing. Ellen Burstyn has a small role as Martha’s mother and shows that at 88 she can still bring it (she has several award nominations for this performance) and Martha’s husband is played by Shia LeBeouf, who always puts in great performances in films but can’t seem to put in very good performances in real life. But I digress.
This is all about Kirby’s performance. However, sadly, as a completely satisfying film experience, it kind of fell apart.
Rosy the Reviewer says…I can’t whole heartedly recommend this film. It isn’t for everyone, but if you are into great acting, it’s worth seeing for Kirby’s performance. (Now streaming on Netflix)


Nomadland



After losing her job and her husband, a woman starts her life over as a modern day nomad.

It seems that every film that Frances McDormand stars in results in not only an award for her but for the film as well. And her latest film is no exception. Her performance won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress and the film won Best Picture along with a nomination for Best Screenplay and a win for director Chloe Zao, one of three women directors nominated this year and the first Asian woman winner ever for Best Director (she wrote the screenplay too).
And these wins and nominations are well-deserved because this is an extraordinary film with an extraordinary performance by McDormand. You can expect that there will be Oscar nominations as well.

Based on the nonfiction book, “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder, this is the fictionalized story of Fern, a victim of the Great Recession of the late 2000’s. In 2011, the US Gypsum plant where she worked closed down after 88 years, turning the town of Empire, Nevada into a ghost town. You know things are bad when a town’s zip code is discontinued. And then her husband died leaving her alone.
So Fern hits the road in her van she dubs “Vanguard” and becomes part of the Nomad culture, people who move from place to place, following job opportunities. We see Fern working in an Amazon warehouse, a rock quarry and a beet farm and along the way forming relationships with other nomads.
But this is not a story of despair. As Fern explains, she is not homeless, she is just “houseless” and it seems she prefers it that way. Yes, some living the nomad culture are there by circumstance but others have chosen this life. Many are older Americans who love the freedom of living on the open road, explaining that it’s a last chance to really live, to do the things they want to do before it’s too late. “Don’t die with your sailboat in the driveway.”
Though Fern makes connections with others on the road, we see that she is ultimately alone, living a life of solitude, but you don’t feel sorry for her because there is a quiet resignation, dignity and humanity about her. But one also can’t help but draw some comparisons to the uncertainty of today and think, “There but for fortune…”
This is a quiet film where not much happens as we follow Fern on her journey, but the beauty of the landscapes and the short scenes keep the pace brisk and I guarantee that you will be mesmerized.
And much of that is because of McDormand. She does a lot of listening and reacting in this film, listening and reacting to her fellow nomads, many of whom are not actors but actual nomads living the lifestyle. Hers is the quiet performance of an accomplished actress at the top of her game. She has an amazing ability to express herself without speaking. She can act with her eyes.
You know how I judge a movie? If it makes my eyes well up at the end. And I’m not talking about a sad movie. The film can be a drama, a comedy, a thriller, whatever, but if my eyes well up when it’s over (I also might chuckle, too), it’s because I just had a very, very special and wonderful movie experience.
So…
Rosy the Reviewer says…my eyes welled up. (Now streaming on HBO Max)




After the death of their only son, a retired sheriff and his wife set out to find their only grandson.

Kevin Costner plays George Blackledge, a retired Montana sheriff. When we meet him, he is living on his ranch with his wife Margaret (Diane Lane), his son, James (Ryan Bruce), James’ wife, Lorna (Kayli Carter), and their newborn baby son, Jimmy. All is happy families until James dies in an accident, and a couple of years later, Lorna remarries Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain), and Margaret observes Donnie abusing Jimmy and Lorna.
And then one day Donnie, Lorna and Jimmy are gone.

So Margaret decides that she and George need to go find them and bring Jimmy back to live with them. And that’s not an easy task, because they don’t know where they went nor much about Donnie and it’s the 60’s as in no Internet, no cell phones, nothing but good old-fashioned sleuthing. They do find them but get much more than they bargained for because the Weboys turn out to be one nasty family, thanks to Blanche (an almost unrecognizable Lesley Manville), the matriarch.
Halfway into the film it looks like George and Margaret will be reunited with their grandson, but when there is still an hour to go, you know there is time for everything to go terribly wrong and it does.
Leslie Manville as Blanche is one mean mother. Manville is a British actress you have probably seen a million times and recognize but have never known her name. However, here, playing a tough and ornery North Dakota farm woman, she was unrecognizable to me at first which says something about what a great actress she is.
Now, let me wax poetic for a moment about Kevin Costner.

Okay, it’s not exactly poetic. I am just going to slobber a bit over him. I just think he is one handsome, sexy guy and at 66 he is still one handsome, sexy guy. I have never gotten over the sex scene in the back of the car in “No Way Out” and seeing him here once in person playing at the Pebble Beach A T & T Pro-Am dripping in Armani, well, let’s just say going into this film I was already a fan. Oh, and did I mention he is a really good actor too?
But this is really Diane Lane’s movie. She is one of those actresses who puts in subtle performances that exude light. No actressy mannerisms for her. Her Margaret is a grandmother with quiet determination who can’t be stopped when it comes to saving her family. And you believe her.

Written and directed by Thomas Bezucha and based on the novel by Larry Watson, this is a compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Rosy the Reviewer says…really liked this one. And the moral of the story? Don’t mess with us grandmas!

(Available on DVD from Netflix and to rent on Amazon Prime. By the way, I would say Kevin has a thing about Montana. We are currently working on Season 1 of “Yellowstone,” now available on Amazon Prime).



A Deputy Sheriff from Bakersfield becomes embroiled in a search for a serial killer in L.A.

Denzel Washington plays Joe “Deke” Deacon, a Bakersfield Deputy Sheriff, who is sent to Los Angeles to retrieve some evidence and finds himself involved in a search for a serial killer. He teams up with local detective, Jim Baxter, played by Rami Malek, and the two hone in on Albert Sparma (Jared Leto) who pulls them into a cat and mouse game.
This will pull you in, too, with a harrowing “woman in danger” opening scene and, from there, it’s a fast-moving crime drama – almost too fast for me because sometimes I didn’t know what was going on. But that’s okay. It’s all very noir and compelling and the last 20 minute sequence is a nail biter.
Denzel may be getting older but he’s still got it as a disgraced and tormented cop (that’s how he ended up in Bakersfield – Deke, not Denzel); Rami Malek is fine but a strange choice for this – I guess I can’t forget him as Freddie Mercury; but it’s Jared Leto who almost steals the show. I say almost because nobody steals the show from Denzel. But Leto is chilling and creepy. Do you notice that most of the characters he plays these days are odd or extremely strange? When did he change from that handsome teen idol from “My So-Called Life” to Rayon in “The Dallas Buyers Club” or The Joker in “Suicide Squad?” Anyway, I guess it works for him. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination for this latest strange, but riveting, performance.

Rosy the Reviewer says…an old-fashioned who-done-it crime drama with some modern twists and some great performances.
(Now available On Demand)


Thanks for reading!

See you soon!



If you enjoyed this post, feel free to click on the share buttons to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn, email it to your friends and LIKE me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer 


And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll down below the synopsis and the listings for the director, writer and main stars to where it says "Reviews" and click on "Critics" - If I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list.