What To Watch in December!

[I review "Conclave," "We Live in Time," "Emilia Perez" and the documentary "Carol Doda Topless at the Condor."]

Conclave (2024)

An inside look at how a Pope is chosen - with some conspiracy and mystery thrown in.

The Pope has died so the College of Cardinals goes into seclusion for a papal conclave (that's what the process is called for choosing a new Pope) led by Cardinal-Dean Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes). And we get to be there as flies on the wall to an ancient and mysterious process that few know about.

The four men vying for Pope are Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), an American liberal; Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), a Nigerian with socially conservative views; Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), a Canadian mainstream conservative; and Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), an Italian traditionalist who wants to go back to the old ways - you know, services in Latin, no birth control, fish on Fridays, all of that.  But there is also a newcomer, someone unknown to the Cardinals - Archbishop Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz) of Kabul, who claims the late pope secretly made him a cardinal.  His arrival is strange because no one knew about him but particularly strange because Benitez is Mexican.  How did he end up as the Archbishop of Kabul?

There is mystery and drama afoot.

Bellini and Lawrence are the two leaders of the Church's liberal wing, but neither claims to want the papacy but it becomes clear that is not really true. As Lawrence leads the conclave, he learns about a mysterious medical appointment the former Pope made for Benitez in Switzerland that was later canceled.  He also learns that the pope demanded Tremblay's resignation hours before dying.  However, when confronted, Tremblay vigorously denies this. Then a secret is revealed about Adeyemi and Head nun, Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini), plays a pivotal role, sharing a secret with Lawrence.  And there is more - a bribery for votes allegation, a suicide bomber attack on the Vatican, and a huge twist you won't see coming!

Who knew there was so much drama around electing a Pope?

Drama, indeed.  Based on the book by Robert Harris adapted for the screen by Peter Straughan, this is one of the best dramas of the year and one could say it's an allegory for the world's current political climate, conservative vs. progressive.

I have been in love with Ralph Fiennes ever since "The English Patient."  No one broods like Ralph.  And he has lots to brooder over here. He is also surrounded by an ensemble cast of wonderful actors and the film is highlighted by brilliant cinematography thanks to Stephane Fontaine. Directed by Edward Berger, this movie has Oscar written all over it.

Rosy the Reviewer says...who knew a papal conclave could be so riveting and exciting, but it is and with that a huge twist at the end, I was speechless, something I rarely am, but, when it was revealed... Kaboom!  Mic drop!  This film is not to be missed! One of the best of the year! (Streaming for free on Peacock and also available for rent or purchase on various other streaming platforms)

We Live in Time (2024)

Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and Almut (Florence Pugh) "meet cute" and fall in love... and then she gets sick.

On his way to sign divorce papers, Tobias is hit by a car driven by Almut, an up-and-coming chef. They fall in love but then Almut discovers she has ovarian cancer.  But she gets treatment, the cancer goes into remission and she and Tobias are able to have a child.

A few years later, Almut is now head chef at her own high end restaurant, and Tobias and Almut are living in the countryside with daughter, Ella, but then Almut's cancer returns.  She doesn't want to undergo treatment again, wishing to live "six to eight amazing months" rather than months of chemotherapy, but when Tobias proposes marriage, she decides to undergo treatment. At the same time, Almut is invited to participate in the Bocuse d'Or, a prestigious cooking competition, a challenge that conflicts with her treatment and her wedding and, when confronted about this by Tobias, Almut says she wants her daughter to remember her as an accomplished chef rather than a sick and dying woman.

Written by Nick Payne and directed by John Crowley, the film weaves together the past and present in flashbacks and flashforwards that could be confusing to some viewers - Tobias and Almut meeting "cute," if being hit by a car by your future love interest could be considered "meeting cute;" their romance before her cancer diagnosis; the birth of Ella; and Almut's career as a chef and participation in the Bocuse d'Or cooking competition. So there is something here to satisfy those who like love stories; something for those who like drama; something for those who appreciate good acting; something for you foodies out there; and plenty of tears to be jerked if you are hooked on tearjerkers.

But this is not a movie wallowing in sadness. Yes, this is one of those "dying woman love stories," but what sets it apart from most is that Almut refuses to be defined as a dying woman and instead continues with her life right up until the end.

I couldn't get over how much Florence Pugh reminded me of Kate Winslet. Not just in looks but in getting her kit off (that's Britspeak for taking off one's clothes) as did Kate (she was even kind of known for that). I have always been a Florence Pugh fan but not so much Andrew Garfield, probably because I wasn't that into Spiderman but then he did "tick, tick...boom" and I was in.  And here he does a good job as a charismatic romantic lead. Pugh and Garfield have chemistry and are great together.

Rosy the Reviewer says...despite a cringey birthing scene in a gas station toilet, this is a poignant love story about living your life fully right up until the end. (available to rent on Amazon Prime and Apple+) 

Emilia Perez (2024)

The story of four Mexican women who are each seeking to find their own happiness: Emilia Perez (Karla Sofia Gascon), an ex-cartel leader who fakes her own death; Rita Mora Castro (Zoe Saldana), an underappreciated lawyer who gets caught up in Emilia's life; Jessi (Selena Gomez), Emilia's ex; and Epifania (Adriana Paz), a once abused wife who enters into a relationship with Emilia - and it's a musical!

Against her conscience, Rita defends a prominent media figure's wife accused of murder, arguing the death was a suicide.  Soon after winning the case, Rita is asked by cartel kingpin Juan "Manitas" Del Monte to help him fake his own death after having sex reassignment surgery so he can start a new life as a woman.  Rita finds him a doctor and he pays Rita a huge amount of money.  Meanwhile, his wife, Jessi, and his children are moved to Switzerland for their own safety. After the surgery, Manitas begins a new life as Emilia Perez.

But wait just a minute.  This is not going to be one of those happily ever after stories. Think of this as a telenovela (even though this movie is very French), one of those over-the-top Latin American soap operas, but with music. 

So four years later, Emilia's and Rita's paths cross in London...and not by chance.  Emilia misses her children, so Emilia once again asks Rita to help her by arranging to bring Jessi and the children back to Mexico City to live with Emilia, telling Jessi that Emilia is a distant cousin of Manitas and Emilia wants to help Jessi raise the children. Jessi is skeptical but acquiesces because she wants to reunite with Gustavo Brun (Edgar Ramirez), an ex-lover.  Unbelievably, Jessi doesn't recognize Emilia (but, hey, this is a telenovela).  All goes well for a time when Emilia wants to reunite with her family and make restitution for her life as Manitas, using her connections for good by setting up a nonprofit to help find "the disappeared," and to identify bodies of cartel victims. Through that, Emilia meets Epifania, a woman whose abusive husband's remains were identified and the two begin a relationship.

But then all hell breaks loose! It doesn't end well.  But you knew that.  

As I said, this is a sort of telenovela with an original plot, excellent acting, lush cinematography (thanks to cinematographer Paul Guilhaume), music and even some humor! The scene where Rita interviews a sex reassignment doctor in Bangkok is a hoot! 

Does everything work? No, but I have immense respect for movies that try to do something new and to take risks.  This is like something you have never seen before. 

Karla Sofía Gascón is amazing, playing both Manitas and Emilia.  You would never guess it was a woman playing Manitas. And Gascon herself is transgender, beginning her transgender transformation in 2018. Selena Gomez is everywhere these days, starring in the popular series "Only Murders in the Building" as well as this, and she has a single coming out that her over 700 million followers on social media will no doubt embrace.  And did you know she is a billionaire? But this role as the horny ex-wife of Manitas will surprise everyone.  It's a departure for her.  No more the young Disney star. Adriana Paz is also good in a smaller role, but Saldana dominates as she is in almost every scene and is the character that connects everyone. She is outstanding. These four women won the Best Actress Prize as an ensemble at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and the film, loosely based on the book "Ecoute" by Boris Rason and adapted and directed by Jacques Audiard, won the Jury Prize.

Rosy the Reviewer says...Wow!  A unique and poignant musical film experience, a feast for the eyes and ears, not to be missed.   (In Spanish with English subtitles on Netflix)

 

Carol Doda Topless at the Condor (2023)

A documentary about Carol Doda, who in San Francisco in 1964 became the first dancer to go topless. She became a tourist attraction as famous as The Golden Gate Bridge!

I moved to San Francisco in 1970, the day after I graduated from college in Michigan. I knew I had missed the Summer of Love, but after seeing this documentary, I realized I missed way more than that.  San Francisco was hopping starting in the early 60's when it was the center of the Bohemian movement and free love.

So there I was, a little virgin Michigan girl...well, a virgin when it came to living in a big city...and as I explored San Francisco's famous North Beach neighborhood, I couldn't avoid Carol Doda. A billboard highlighting her "assets" decorated The Condor Club on the corner of Broadway and Columbus (and it's still there).  North Beach was, and still is, a happening place.  It was where all of the nightclubs were but also the Italian restaurants, comedy clubs and Lawrence Ferlinghetti's famous book store, City Lights. 

So who was Carol Doda? 

She started out as a waitress but she also liked to dance and then Rudi Gernreich invented the topless bathing suit and that opened the flood gates. Doda was the first dancer to appear topless in the United States, and "Topless" became a thing. Everything was topless including topless ice cream shops and topless shoe shines (back when there actually were shoe shines). And Doda embraced it. Doda had said "I want to be in show business and I don't know any way except to show my boobs."  And so she did. Her act at The Condor became the place to go. 

  

And who said size doesn't matter?

Carol was a beautiful woman, but her breasts were not gigantic by any means so she set about making them so through silicone injections. Not recommended today.  Silicone injections were outlawed in 1992.  But for a time, it worked and Doda's breasts were the stars of the show at The Condor. She also danced "bottomless," as in totally nude until that was outlawed in 1972.  She retired from stripping in the 1980's but continued to entertain into her 70's. Little known factoid: Doda Dome in Yosemite National Park was named for her.

But for all of the titillation (sorry), there is a feminist twist here.  Doda said she was one of the original "bra burners"...wink...wink...but at the same time, she did take control of her life, did what she wanted with her body and there was a certain empowerment in that.

Rosy the Reviewer says...written and directed by Marlo McKenzie and Jonathan Parker, this is an interesting little tidbit in the history of San Francisco. (Amazon Prime)

                                      See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

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 over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

A Mixed Bag of Movies - an Animated Feature, a Drama, and a Rom-Com - all with Latin Flair!

[I review the movies "Encanto," "Parallel Mothers" and "Marry Me."]

Encanto (2021)

Everyone in her family has magical powers except Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz)!

During an armed conflict, Alma and Pedro Madrigal had to flee their village in Colombia with their triplets, Julieta, Pepa and Bruno. Pedro is killed but Alma, left to raise three children alone, manifests a magic candle that protects her and her children and it creates a magical house - the Casita - a house that responds to the family's moods and needs and it is located in a magical, protected place called Encanto.

The candle is still providing protection 50 years later and the house is a miracle house, now in a village where the candle grants magical gifts to every Madrigal child when he or she turns five, gifts like shape shifting, controlling the weather, lifting heavy objects and healing with food. These magical gifts are meant to serve the villagers.  But young 15-year-old Mirabel, Julieta's daughter, had received no gift and appears to be a disappointment to her grandmother, Alma (voice of Maria Cecilia Botero). But Mirabel is a good girl who still wants to make her family proud.

One evening, when 5-year-old Antonio is given the ability to communicate with animals, Mirabel sees the Casita cracking and the candle flickering and an unknown darkness threatening the village, but no one believes her. Then the magical gifts of the other family members start to weaken but stern matriarch Alma will have none of it.  She blames the messenger - Mirabel - for causing the family's problems, saying she is jealous that everyone has a magical power but her and likens her to her Uncle Bruno who was banished from the family for seeing into the future (I guess he also told the family things they didn't want to know)! 

But Mirabel is undaunted.  She knows something is wrong and resolves to save the miracle. She goes to her Uncle Bruno's room, a forbidden tower in the Casita, where Mirabel discovers that Bruno (voice of John Leguizamo) had never left.  She begs him to help, and reluctantly, he does as Mirabel tries to fix various family issues and restore the family's powers.

Animation today sure isn't what it was when I was young.

 But, okay, I'm old.  I actually saw "Peter Pan," "Lady and the Tramp" and "Sleeping Beauty" in their first runs in the theatre, and I can't watch Dumbo visiting his mother in prison without crying my eyes out. That tells you how old I am (Note: I didn't see "Dumbo" in its first run.  I'm not THAT old)! And when I say that animation isn't what it used to be, I am not complaining about today's animation per se.  It's just that it's so different. It's more three-dimensional which is a good thing, but what's with those eyes?  Why do all of the modern day animated kids have those gigantic eyes? Actually, the adult characters have them too! Kind of gives me the creeps.

Written and directed by Charise Castro Smith, Jared Bush and Byron Howard, kids will probably enjoy this, but as an adult watching this, I don't know.  I was kind of bored. It felt very basic and slapstick, and it didn't really go anywhere. It's the usual Disney formula - a girl who doesn't quite fit in but who is good and brave, a mission, a silly animal sidekick, sibling rivalry, a surprise villain who is not really a villain, and family rifts healed - but nothing much really happened. Maybe this film needed a real villain so there would have been more conflict. However, the film is beautiful to look at paying tribute to Colombian culture and its diversity, and the Lin-Manual Miranda musical numbers were fun and lively, though, apart from "We Don't Talk About Bruno," not particularly memorable. 

And speaking of the musical numbers, isn't it funny that musical comedies have gone the way of the dinosaurs? They just can't seem to draw an audience anymore.  Movies like "Singin' in the Rain" or "Grease" are few and far between.  Maybe that abysmal version of "Cats" put the nails in the coffin for musicals.  But yet movies with animated characters singing and dancing still seem to draw an audience.  And they often generate big hit songs.  All of our kids can probably sing all of the words of "Let it go" from "Frozen" and from this film "We Don't Talk About Bruno" has taken the world by storm. And in fact, this film is going on tour as a sing-along event (Note: the DVD also has a sing-along feature so you can sing along with the movie at home too)!  So go figure.  I guess we like musical comedies if the characters are animated.

Despite my complaints, the intent of this film is good. It has a good message for kids, and it's a feel good film. Who doesn't love an intrepid young girl saving the day? Who doesn't want to hear that they don't need to change, that they are enough just as they are? Who doesn't want to believe in the importance of family?  

Rosy the Reviewer says...not my favorite Disney film but then, like I said, I'm old. I'm still crying over "Dumbo."  See it for yourself and you decide. (Available on DVD, Disney+ and for rent on most streaming platforms)

Parallel Mothers (2021)

Writer/director Almodovar combines motherhood and political history in this story of two women who give birth on the same day and end up with an unlikely bond.

Pedro Almodovar is one of the all-time great writer/directors. I remember the first time I discovered him.  It was “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” and I was enamored by his vibrancy – the originality, the colors and his amazing ability to highlight women.  And that was followed by the controversial “Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down,” starring a young Antonio Banderas. I was hooked.  I have not missed a new Almodovar film ever since. 

So here is his latest.

Penelope Cruz, Almodovar’s muse (it’s their eighth film together), stars as Janis, a successful fashion photographer in Madrid, who connects with Arturo (Israel Elejalde), a forensic anthropologist, who she meets so that he can exhume the graves of her grandfather and other townspeople who were killed and buried by Franco’s goons after the Spanish Civil War.  The two also connect in another way…um…and she gets pregnant. But he is a married man and doesn’t want the baby.  She is single and time is running out for her, so they separate and she has the baby.

In the hospital, Janis meets Ana (Milena Smit), a young woman who is also giving birth.  Her story is different.  She is also unmarried, but very young, living with her mother, and she doesn’t know who the father is.  The two women give birth on the same day and forge a bond that becomes very entangled in the present and, ultimately, with the past.

It is clear that Almodovar loves women, and they are often the centerpieces of his films.  And motherhood and friendship are the themes, this time with political overtones as it becomes clear how mothers have, over the years, suffered through so much political upheaval, and how they have had to be strong, raising children alone and helping each other.  Considering what is going on in the world now, how more relevant can he get?

Penelope Cruz received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, and it was well-deserved.  Though this is not a big, flashy, histrionic performance, she has the ability to be real, to exude poignancy, vulnerability and warmth. Almodovar clearly loves women and Cruz is his perfect muse.  His use of juicy close-ups (that’s what my Dad used to call those up close and personal close-ups of actresses so common in the films of the 30’s and 40’s) says it all and it’s all done with respect and love.

Rosy the Reviewer says…whether it’s comedy or drama, with Almodovar, expect a good story, vibrant colors, beautiful cinematography and twists and turns. Tie me up, tie me down, you will not keep me from Almodovar’s films. I look forward to each and every one. They are all gems. (In Spanish with English subtitles, available on DVD and for rent on Amazon, Apple+ and Vudu) 

Marry Me (2022)

When singer Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) discovers her singer boyfriend has cheated on her right before they are to be married on stage in front of an audience, Kat impulsively points to a stranger in the audience and marries him!

I have to admit up front that I am a huge Jennifer Lopez fan. I know she is not the best actress in the world nor the best singer, and though she is certainly beautiful, she is not the most beautiful. But there is a certain warmth about her. I want to be her bestie. So because of that, I tend to give her a pass on most things, especially rom-coms, no matter how absurd.

And speaking of rom-coms. I love romantic comedies. Where have they gone? They used to be a constant in our lives and now it’s all superheroes and horror. Romantic comedies seem to get a bad rap by movie snobs, er, in some circles. They are dismissed as silly and unimportant, but since when is love and humor silly and unimportant? And sometimes we just don’t want to have to think too much. We want to chuckle as we watch people fall in love and then cry tears of joy during the credits.

So needless to say, I looked forward to this latest romantic comedy from Jennifer Lopez.

Here she plays Kat Valdez, a singer who has had a huge hit with her singing partner, Bastian (Maluma). The hit song is called “Marry Me” and the two just happen to be in love. They decide to promote the song and themselves by actually getting married on stage during their concert and the wedding is minutes away when Kat discovers that Bastian has been cheating on her. So when she gets on stage, she starts talking to the audience to explain what happened and notices a man in the audience holding a sign that says “Marry me.” So far, so good.

But here is the absurd part. In a moment of grief and then impulse, she points to a stranger in the audience whho is holding a "Marry Me" sign and says “Yes!”

The man is Charlie (Owen Wilson), a math teacher, who just happens to be at the concert with his colleague and his daughter and he just happens to be holding the sign. His daughter made him do it. And, then more of the absurd part, when Kat points at him and says "Yes," he just happens to go up on stage and marries Kat (he doesn’t want to make things worse for her). However, here is a more realistic angle. The two make a deal that she will contribute to his school if he goes along with the marriage for a few months.

And then lots of rom and lots of com and more absurdity ensues. Remember I said I love Jennifer no matter what, right?

Now I know that seems like an unbelievable plot, but c’mon, this is rom-com. You have to suspend disbelief for most of them anyway, but now that we have that TV phenomenon called “Married at First Sight,” maybe this premise isn’t too unbelievable after all. I mean, there are actually some people from that show who are not only still married, but they have kids!

Comedian Sarah Silverman plays the school guidance counselor, which is absurd and funny all by itself, but in its defense, the film written by John Rogers, Tami Sagher, and Harper Dill and directed by Kat Coiro, pays homage to teachers; there is a nod to feminism; and the film comments on celebrity, single parenting, marriage and friendship. And there are lots and lots of performances from J-Lo singing some good songs, one of which – “On My Way” - is likely to get an Oscar nomination for Best Song at the next Academy Awards.

Rosy the Reviewer says…is it so cute you want to pinch someone’s cheek? Yes. Is it silly at times? Yep. Must you suspend disbelief? Duh. But in this time of so much bad news, sometimes you just need something silly and cute and you want to believe. I know I did.

(On DVD, streaming on Peacock Premium and for rent on most platforms)

Thanks for reading!

See you again soon!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, Twitter, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow 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 over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critic Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

(NOTE:  If you are looking for a particular movie or series, check out this cool site: JustWatch.  It tells you where you can access all TV series and movies)