If You Like Documentaries...#2

[I review the documentaries "Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in Two Pieces" as well as "Brats" - remember "The Brat Pack?" - and "Dancing for the Devil" - a three-part series about a dance cult]

 

Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in Two Pieces (2024)

An absolutely extraordinary documentary about Steve Martin.

I am saying that up front because I know people don't read much anymore, and you probably are not going to read this entire review, so I wanted to give you the bottom line from the get go. Whether you are a big Steve Martin fan or not, this is how biographical documentaries should be done.  It's an extraordinarily wonderful journey.  

Directed by Morgan Neville, there are two parts to the documentary - "Then" and "Now." 

In Part 1, "Then," Martin's voice-over documents his family life and early days as a performer.  Steve grew up in Orange County, California.  His family had moved there because his Dad wanted an acting career. Steve's father lacked affection and was a disapproving guy, so it makes sense a young kid would want to make his Dad laugh. At an early age, Steve discovered magic, and he got away from home by spending a lot of time at the very new Disneyland where he found work. It was there that he was influenced by Disneyland comedian, Wally Boag, whose act consisted of wearing bunny ears and doing magic tricks, obviously an early influence on Steve. Saying Steve's early stand-up comedy was "out there" is an understatement.  He had no shame, which was why he was funny, but it took awhile for people to get him, but eventually, Steve had career breakthroughs with his comedy and some successful segments on late night talk shows secured his popularity.

I was lucky enough to see Steve in San Francisco in the 70's, in the early part of his career when he was opening for "The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band." We were there to see the band, not the opening act, but there he was, Steve, in his white suit, arrow through the head, playing his banjo, making balloon animals and having "happy feet."  He was outrageously hysterical.  Nobody was doing what he was doing, and yes, he tried to lead the audience outside to go get fast food (one of this schticks)! Who knew what a career he would have? Well, I did. I have never forgotten that night (kind of forgot The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). After that night, I knew he would have a big career. I am so glad I was there. 

And what a career it has been. "Excuuuuuuze me!" and "I'm just a wild and crazy guy" are now part of the comic lexicon, and I had forgotten just how many movies Steve has starred in.

Part 2 - "Now" - documents the older Steve and his career accomplishments with no voice over, but rather this part has an interview feel with Steve in real time telling about his life. We also learn things we might not have known about him, e.g. that he has been an avid art collector and cartoonist; he has been away from stand-up for 30 years; he and Martin Short are good friends in real life; and Steve suffered from anxiety as a young man. That's kind of a tough thing for a stand-up comic.  I can't imagine anything more anxiety producing than standing up on an empty stage all alone trying to make hundreds (or even thousands) of people laugh. 

But now in his 70's, Steve has found contentment as a happily married man with a young child and then, of course, there is "Only Murders in the Building." This second half of the documentary is a rare glimpse into the very private man.

Rosy the Reviewer says...you don't need to be a huge Steve Martin fan to enjoy this documentary because it's so well done, but if you are not a fan, you will be after seeing this. (Apple+)

 

Brats (2024)

Those growing up in the 80's were affected by the youth movies that "The Brat Pack" starred in, but how did being called "The Brat Pack" affect these young actors?  Here is the story.

Andrew McCarthy never really got over being called a "brat."  At the height of the teen movies of the 80's, an article appeared in "New York Magazine" called "Hollywood's Brat Pack," a play on words from Sinatra's "Rat Pack."  It was meant as a profile of Emilio Estevez but ended up being a not very flattering account of the young actors starring in such movies as "St. Elmo's Fire," "Pretty in Pink" and "The Breakfast Club."  They were all lumped together as untrained young actors and partiers, and they were not happy about it. That nickname stuck on some of them in a bad way. It implied that they were not serious actors. Was Martin Scorsese going to cast someone who was called a "brat?"

 

So who were the members of the "Brat Pack?" 

Though there were many young stars in movies aimed at teens, it is generally accepted that the Brat Packers were McCarthy, Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy.  

So McCarthy, now 61, takes a look back on that time by writing the screenplay, contacting his fellow Brat Packers and directing this documentary. He interviews Estevez, Lowe, Sheedy, and Moore (Molly Ringwald turned him down and he kept trying to find Judd Nelson), all lumped together as "brats" to see how they were affected by the moniker all those years ago, and they all have different perspectives o what that did to them and their careers. "Brat Pack adjacent" stars - Timothy Hutton, John Cryer and Lea Thompson - are also interviewed along with writers Bret Easton Ellis and Malcolm Gladwell, the latter adding some perspective on how the "Brat Pack" affected pop culture.

 

Despite the fact that everyone in the 80's assumed these kids were friends in real life, few of them had seen each other in 30 years.  Some, like Demi Moore, went on to have really successful careers, others like Sheedy and even McCarthy, not so much. You can tell the article really affected McCarthy who was a moody young man back then and I think still takes himself really seriously now.

But McCarthy also tracks down David Blum, the author of that infamous article, and interviews him in a particularly interesting segment.  Blum explains himself a bit but is unrepentant, and even takes some credit for the success of some of the "Brat Pack" films.  However, I think, talking with Blum helped McCarthy put that whole period and his life into perspective.

The film also touches on the generational transition that was happening in the 80's in Hollywood with so many movies about teens, and the film breaks down why those movies were so significant. Before that, movies were about adults for adults, but the 80's was the Golden Age of youth movies, and though these "kids" didn't like being called "brats," especially McCarthy, he and they have worked it out and realized that "The Brat Pack" was and is a positive part of the movie lexicon.

Rosy the Reviewer says...an interesting, introspective flashback to the 80's about a pop culture phenomenon. If you were a teen in the 80's, you will love this. Oh, and McCarthy never did find Judd Nelson. (Hulu)

 

 

Dancing for the Devil: The 7M Tik Tok Cult (2024)

A documentary series about Robert Shinn and his Shekinah Church and cult allegations against him and his talent management company 7M Films.

Former clients of 7M Films and past members of the Shekinah Church shed light on young dancers lured into a religious cult supposedly masquerading as a talent management company. They allege that Robert Shinn, the founder of the church and the management company, abused his followers and financially exploited young dancers he represented, taking over 80% of their earnings. 

The series follows several young people who joined the church, some from the early days and some lured into it later with the promise of becoming a famous dancer via the management company. Some of the survivors of the cult are interviewed.  However, the primary focus is on Miranda Derrick, a TikTok dancer previously known as Miranda Wilking, who along with her sister, Melanie, gained millions of followers making cute sister dance videos before Miranda joined the Shekinah Church and was recruited by 7M.  Her parents and sister allege that she and other dancers have been isolated and controlled by Shinn. Also two Korean sisters, Melanie and Priscylla Lee, who Shinn preyed, upon are highlighted. 

If you are a fan of "So You Think You Can Dance" or "World of Dance," you might have seen some of the dancers in this series.  It is not uncommon for young people to be lured into cults with the promise of fame and fortune. In this case, Shinn's daughter, Kloe, was a singer/songwriter who was also involved with dance videos and filmed dancers performing in videos (the documentary features some great dance segments). From that, Shinn got the idea to form a management company and manage the dancers while at the same time luring them with his religious message.  When young people are "at sea," a regimented religious group can be inviting.  You will not just be saved religiously, but in life as well. It can be comforting to have someone tell you what to do and that is what Shinn did. And of course they were promised fame.

One of Shinn's tenets was "dying to yourself," which meant giving up loved ones to save them.  Then everyone would go to heaven together.  So that's what Miranda supposedly did but her family wasn't having it and much of the series focuses on their attempts to contact her and get her out of the cult, though Miranda has come out to say she is not in a cult. 

I have always been fascinated with cults, wondering, how does this happen?  How are handsome, beautiful, talented young people manipulated and willing to give up everything to follow one person, especially when they endure abuse and isolation?   

Naturally, 7M Films has denied the allegations raised in the documentary and Derrick herself released a statement on the documentary in an Instagram story, characterizing the allegations as part of a family dispute. Shinn and other members of 7M declined to be interviewed for the documentary.

Rosy the Reviewer says...directed by Derek Doneen, the series shines a light on the dark side of social media fame and ends with a sobering fact.  It is not easy to bring a cult down because it is not against the law to run a cult. The Shekinah Church is still operating today. Fascinating and scary stuff. (Netflix)

Thanks for reading!

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 

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)!

 

 

 

 

 

"The Fall Guy" and My Movie Week in Reviews

[I review the new Ryan Gosling movie "The Fall Guy" as well as the tennis film "Challengers," and "Hit Man," a Top Ten movie on Netflix now]

 

The Fall Guy (2024)

Stunt man, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), unwittingly gets involved in a murder conspiracy.

Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stunt man, is "livin' the dream" working as the stunt double for famous action star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). However, he breaks his back during a stunt gone wrong and abandons his career as well as his camerawoman and girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt).

Fast forward 18 months. Colt is now a valet for a Mexican restaurant, no longer "livin' the dream."  However, out of the blue, he is contacted by Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham), Tom Ryder's film producer, and she tells him that Jody is now a director and is directing her first film, a space cowboy film titled "Metalstorm" and starring Tom. Gail tells Colt that Jody needs him, so Gail wants Colt to fly to Sydney to join the production. Turns out Jody didn't know anything about Colt becoming part of the production and is still angry with him for ghosting her.  So...the real reason that Gail wanted Colt to come was to find Tom Ryder who has gotten into trouble with some drug dealers.  He needs to be found before the film goes over budget and gets canceled.

Well, that's her story, anyway. Turns out, Tom has been involved in a murder and Gail has some plans for Colt. Lots of action as Colt tries to extricate himself from the plot. In the meantime, there is a rekindling of Colt's and Jody's love affair, so we've got action, rom-com and a convoluted conspiracy plot.

Written by Drew Pearse and loosely based on the 1980's TV series "The Fall Guy" starring Lee Majors, this is a movie filled with action and stunts about movies filled with action and stunts.

What I liked - the action and stunts.  There are some very cool scenes with exciting stunts, and the film shows how many of the movie stunts we take for granted are done, which is quite fascinating. Cars rolling over and crashing, people falling from high places, fights, all of that. It's an insider look at how action movies are made. 

What I didn't like - everything else.

Sadly, the film is an action movie about action movies with a tedious plot that is supposed to be funny at times but really isn't.

I never think of Ryan Gosling as a comedy guy or a wise-cracking action hero.  I always think of him as a serious, moody actor.  Yes, I know he was nominated for an Oscar for playing Ken in the Barbie Movie, but if you really think about it, he played Ken straight and that was what made his performance funny.  Here, he has shtick that he has to pull off and wise-guy dialogue, and I just didn't buy it. But I can blame some of it on the script which wasn't very good.  It's an unbelievable, not very interesting plot.  The "fall guy" who does falls for a living is going to be the "fall guy" in a conspiracy plot.  Get it?  Duh.

Emily Blunt is always good but here doesn't have that much to do as an actress, though she does get to have some action scenes herself which, though not very believable, were kind of fun.  And I like Hannah Waddingham, who you may or may not recognize from "Ted Lasso" despite her black hair and, I swear, fake teeth.

Directed by David Leitch, I think this was supposed to be a satire on action films, and it definitely is an homage to those folks who thrill us with their stunts, but it just didn't come together.  Slow to get going, and when it finally did get going, lots of "huh?" moments. However, if you watch it, stay to the end.  An almost unrecognizable Lee Majors has a cameo.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like action movies and you don't care if there is a believable plot or not, you might enjoy this.  Otherwise, save your money, or if you really think you need to see this, wait for it to stream for free. (In theatres or for rent on Amazon Prime)

Challengers (2024)

It's all about a 13 year love triangle between an injured tennis star turned coach (Zendaya), her tennis player ex-boyfriend (Josh O'Connor), and her tennis champion husband (Mike Faist).

It's 2019 and Tashi (Zendaya) and Art Donaldson (Faist, best known for originating the role of Connor Murphy on Broadway in "Dear Even Hansen") are a wealthy married couple with a young daughter.  Art is a tennis champ and only one U.S. Open title away from a Career Grand Slam, but he is struggling.  Tashi, herself a tennis champ but retired due to injury, is his manager and coach and enters him as a wild card in a Challenger event in New Rochelle, New York in hopes it will help him get back on track.  

And then there is Patrick Zweig (O'Connor), another tennis champ, but one who has fallen on hard times.  He is living in his car and scraping by.  It just so happens he is also entered in the Challenger tournament.

So what do these three people have to do with one another?

In a series of flashbacks we find out.

In 2006, Patrick and Art were close friends and friendly rivals.  Together, they won the boys' junior doubles title at the U.S. Open.  It is there that they see Tashi Duncan for the first time.  She is a rising tennis star and both boys become infatuated with her.  They introduce themselves and invite her to their hotel room where a sort of threesome ensues.  But before things get really out of hand, Tashi leaves saying she will give her phone number to whichever boy wins the final the next day.  Patrick wins and the two start a relationship.

Later, Tashi and Art play college tennis at Stanford and Patrick turns pro and both boys continue a relationship with Tashi, though the relationship between the boys sours.  We already know that Art and Tashi end up together, but how that happens and what happens between Art and Patrick and their subsequent tennis careers is all played out in a series of back and forth flashbacks culminating in a final present day match between Art and Patrick.

As an aside, I have a rather personal relationship with tennis.  

My older sister was a rising college tennis star herself in the 1950's and went on to become a pro and teach tennis.  She and I both went to the same college and let's just say that when I took a tennis class and it was taught by one of the coaches who had coached my sister, I could see the disappointment on his face. I didn't have the gift. My sister called me a "motor moron," and I guess there is something to that when it comes to sports, though I can play the piano and am a really good ping pong player. There has to be some hand and eye coordination in there somewhere.  Anyway, I knew to pick my own lane.  I was an actress!

Speaking of which, Zendaya has made it as an actress and is hot right now.  She started out as a young actress and singer and at 16 was the youngest contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" but made her mark in "The Greatest Showman" in 2017 and later in the TV series "Euphoria." 

Faist and O'Connor, though good actors, are unlikely leading men. They do fine as callow young men in love with a goddess like Zendaya, but as men in their thirties, I wasn't buying it, which is strange because they are both in their 30's in real life. They worked better as college students. I just didn't buy O'Connor has a husband. And I hate to say it, but both are also just too ordinary looking to be leading men and objects of Zendaya's desires, but thankfully the story, written by Justin Kuritzkees and directed by Lucca Guadagnino, carries them. After awhile, I forgot about their looks and got into the story, though this is a 90 minute movie wearing a 135 minute bit of sheep's clothing. It didn't need to be that long and the soundtrack was annoying.

Rosy the Reviewer says...some good tennis sequences will satisfy tennis fans and a quirky romance might satisfy rom-com fans. (in theatres and for rent on Amazon Prime)

 

Hit Man (2024)

 

A college professor moonlights undercover for the New Orleans Police Department as a fake hit man to uncover murder plots.

Gary Johnson (Glenn Powell) is a mild-mannered professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans who lives alone and just happens to also be working undercover with the New Orleans Police Department, pretending to be a hit man to assist in undercover sting operations. He is a self-professed "undercover murder stopper." He started out with the police department as a tech guy but when Jasper (Austin Amelio), their regular undercover guy is suspended, they recruit Gary to take his place. Turns out, despite the fact that Gary is a mild-mannered philosophy professor with an interest in birding, he is really good at the personification and disguises needed to be a believable hit man. He adopts the persona of "Ron," and Ron has many personalities and disguises that belie his real life. Let's just say that in real life, Gary is a bit of a nerd, but when he is Ron, he is a tough and scary hit man.

Ron/Gary meets Madison (Adria Arjona), a femme fatale who is trying to have her abusive husband killed.  Uh-oh.  You know how those things go. Gary is attracted to her and sympathetic.  He tells her to keep her money and use it to begin a new life. But as these things go, they meet again and begin a relationship, but Gary is worried that Madison is attracted to Ron, not Gary, but soon Gary is pulled into Madison's complicated life with her ex-husband, Ray (Evan Holtzman), who unknowingly tries to hire Gary to kill Madison! And it all gets more complicated with Jasper coming back and becoming a thorn in Gary's side.

Glen Powell is my new favorite handsome leading man. He is so totally my type.  Well, my type if I was 40 years younger!  I first noticed him in "Anyone But You," a bad movie that I didn't like, but I liked him, and now it seems he is everywhere. Guess I'm not the only one who liked him!

Written by Richard Linklater and Powell and directed by Linklater, who so beautifully directed "Boyhood," "The Before Trilogy" and others, this is a dark comedy that is a Top Ten movie on Netflix right now and it deserves that.  It's fast moving, darkly funny with witty narration, intelligent dialogue, original situations, an ending you won't see coming and based on a real guy (so don't miss the epilogue). You will enjoy it.  I promise.

Rosy the Reviewer says...A LOT OF FUN! And there is that handsome Glenn Powell! (Netflix)

 

Thanks for reading!

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 

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)!

 

Musical Biopics!

[I review "Back to Black," the new biopic about Amy Winehouse, as well as "Bob Marley: One Love" and "Beautiful Rebel," the story of Gianna Nannini, a rock star you have probably never heard of]

 Back to Black (2024)

The life and career of singer, Amy Winehouse.

Sadly, the life of Amy Winehouse was short.  She is a member of the 27 Club, dying too soon from alcohol poisoning.

This biopic follows Amy (Marisa Abela) from her adolescence, growing up in a Jewish family, with her father Mitch (Eddie Marsan) and her grandmother, Cynthia (Lesley Manville) aka Nan who herself had been a singer - to Amy's untimely death at 27. Though she had some early critical and commercial success in the U.K. with her expressive jazz, soul, blues and reggae vocals, it was when she wrote her album "Back to Black" that she found international acclaim.  In the meantime, she met the love of her life (more like an obsession), Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O'Connell), and it was a volatile love affair.  Blake was into cocaine and Amy disapproved but she had her own issues with alcohol and bulimia and possibly mental illness. It was when he left her and her beloved grandmother died, that Amy was inspired to write that second album, "Back to Black." It was a black time. That album was one of the best-selling albums in UK history and in 2008 she won five Grammys, tying the then record for most wins by a female artist in a single night and becoming the first British woman to win five Grammys.  She and Blake reconciled and got married but after he went to jail and then wanted a divorce, Amy fell further into alcoholism and drug addiction, and despite a stint in rehab, she relapsed and died of alcohol poisoning at 27.

Though the film, written by Matt Greenhalgh and directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, covers all of that, there are no real earth-shattering revelations here. Interestingly, Amy's father, Mitch, who was a controversial figure in her life comes off as benign and seems to get a pass, and the film doesn't really offer much in the way of why Amy abused alcohol and drugs and died young, though there is an implication that her husband, Blake, wasn't much help to her (he was kind of a bad guy - he introduced her to crack). The film also implies that Amy relapsed when she found out Blake's girlfriend had a baby because, despite her success, Amy just wanted to be a wife and mother.  

We will never know whether that is true or not or what led Amy to drink herself to death, but what makes this film worth seeing is the Oscar-worthy performance by Abela. From the moment the camera sees her, she lights up the screen and you believe she is Amy.  She channels Amy from her beehive hairdo and tattoos to her singing, and believe it or not, Abela has said she didn't really think she could sing.  And the music throughout is wonderful.

Is this the defining story of Amy Winehouse?  Probably not, but it's an old-fashioned linear biopic, a small film with huge impact, a good story with great performances.  It's my kind of film and thank you to the British film industry for continuing to make these kinds of films and not completely pandering to fans of superheroes, horror and epics.  They keep putting out serious films for serious fans like me.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a tour de force performance by Marisa Abela that is not to be missed.  We will be seeing more of her. (In theatres)

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

An homage to Bob Marley.

Watching this movie, I realized that as much as I enjoyed Bob Marley's music, I didn't really know that much about his life except that he died young.  Sadly, this movie doesn't really reveal that much about the man or his life.  I don't want to say it's a puff piece, but it is clearly an homage.  

The film itself is also confusing at times, telling his story in short flashbacks that are actually distracting and don't do much to enlighten about how Bob became famous and, if you don't know much about Rastafari or Jamaican history, it can be confusing.  

But this is what I got - In 1976 Bob, played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, is already a star in Jamaica and wants to put on a concert called Smile Jamaica to promote peace because various factions are at war.  But as he prepares for the concert, he and his wife, Rita (Lashana Lynch), and Bob's manager are shot.  Though they recover and the concert goes on, Bob sends Rita and the children to the U.S. to stay with his Mom (never explained why that happened), while he goes to London to record an album, which turns out to be "Exodus," inspired by the film of the same name.  The album is a hit and popularizes reggae and brings the Rastafari movement to the forefront. Bob goes on tour, enjoys his fame but it is short-lived.  He develops skin cancer and dies in 1981 at the age of 36.

Written by Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zac Baylin, and Reinaldo Marcus Green and directed by Green, the film feels more like a moment in time  than a biopic. The story would have benefited from a more old-fashioned linear treatment.  It all just never really went anywhere nor managed much drama or had a point of view. Though the performance by Ben-Adir was believable, I didn't feel the film enlightened us much about the man.  Though there are hints about his peccadillos, as in philandering, nothing much is made of that or anything else, other than the guy was a good guy, and so good, he even forgave the guys who shot him! Lynch as Marley's wife, Rita, had little to do. Let's just say that the highlight of this film was the music.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you are a Marley fan and like reggae music, you might enjoy this, but in general, the film was a disappointment. I came away from the film still not knowing much more about him than I already knew. (For rent on Amazon Prime. If you still want to watch it, wait until it streams somewhere for free). 

Beautiful Rebel (2024)

Meet Gianna Nannini, the most famous rock star you have never heard of!

Well, she is famous in Europe, anyway.

Directed by Cinzia TH Torrini, this is the story of what Gianna Nannini (Letizia Toni) went through to make it as a rock star in Italy. It's the typical story of a father who thought it was more appropriate for his daughter to play tennis than write and sing, but isn't that how many of our greats get going? They rebel. It's the old "I'll show you" thing.

Nannini went off on her own with no family support and endured setbacks and humiliations until she found her voice and industry support. She was a provocateur with such songs as "Death by Self-Inflicted Abortion." 

Nannini scored her first domestic hit in 1979 with the single "America" and the album "California," which became a success in several European countries. Her international breakthrough happened in 1984 with the release of her sixth album, "Puzzle," which peaked in the top 10 in the Italian, German, Austrian and Swiss charts.  

She was also sexually fluid, something not supported in the Italy of the 1980's, but when she had a mental breakdown, her family rallied round, she overcame that, too, and came back even stronger, later performing with Sting, Bocelli and others.  The film ends with actual performance footage of Nannini.

Brando is effective as Nannini and the story is dramatic and engaging, though it moves fast through her life and career and you might have some "Huh?" moments. It's an old-fashioned linear biopic, and you know by now, I like those, and, though it tries to cover too much ground without going too deep, it's an introduction to Nannini who deserves to be introduced.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a sometimes poignant story of living life on one's own terms and making it. If you love music, expand your horizons into this world of European rock and meet Gianna Nannini. (In Italian with English subtitles - Netflix)

Thanks for reading!

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 

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)!

More Good Movies You Might Not Know About, Part 2

[I review the new documentary "Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg," as well as an indie character study, "Mickey Hardaway," and the rom-com, "Somebody I Used To Know."] 

Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg (2023)

A documentary about a famous person you have probably never heard of....rock and roll muse, Anita Pallenberg, who was most famous for her relationships with the Rolling Stones (yes, more than one) in the 1960's and 70's, but who was much more than that. 

I was a child of the 60's and loved the Rolling Stones.  I knew who Anita Pallenberg was, but I didn't really know anything much about her.

What I knew:

She was a model and an actress who was the girlfriend of Brian Jones, then Keith Richards with a bit of dabbling with Mick Jagger.  Well, I didn't really know the Mick Jagger part. She was a style icon of the 60's and 70's, starred in some movies, and she and Keith were both addicted to heroin.

What I didn't know:

Born in either Rome or Hamburg (her early life is unclear), she moved to New York City at 19 and became part of Andy Warhol's Factory.  She became a model and traveled the world, meeting the Rolling Stones back stage in Munich in 1965. She was a free spirit who drew people to her infectious personality. Immediately attracted to Brian Jones (he was the handsome Rolling Stone), the two became an item and she gave up modeling and moved to London to be with him.  The two got involved in taking drugs, but Brian's drug use overtook him.  He was abusive to Anita, at which point Keith, who had always had a crush on her, moved in to rescue her, though she hardly needed rescuing.  When she and Brian would fight, she threw as many punches as he did. 

It didn't help the relationship with Brian when Anita discovered acting and starred in "Barbarella" and later the cult classic "Performance," the latter film also starring Mick Jagger. Those two hooked up briefly, though Anita always said she was never that attracted to Mick. By then, Anita had moved on from Brian to Keith and her affair with Mick upset Keith so much he wrote "Gimme Shelter." And when she went back to Keith, Mick wrote "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Drugs had always been a part of Anita's life but with Keith, the heroin addiction began in earnest and when Brian Jones died and she had her first child, she started going off the rails.  There was the death of a child, a breakdown and and break-up but like a phoenix from the ashes, Anita endured.  She died in 2017.

After watching this riveting documentary directed by Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill, now I know all about her and what a presence she was. Her impact on the Rolling Stones and others who knew her was enormous. She was the ultimate 60's rock chick.

Both of Keith's and her living children - Marlon and Angela (aka Dandelion) - weigh in on their mother's life and her impact on them.  At her death, an unpublished autobiography was found and in the film, Scarlett Johansson tells Anita's story "in her own words." Keith and Marianne Faithfull also weigh in along with others who knew Anita. The film is full of never-before-seen footage, film clips, photographs and home movies. 

Keith calls Anita "a piece of work (in a good way)," and others talk about her charisma, her intellect and talent and what a force of nature she was. Keith ends the film by saying "She made a man of me."  Mick does not weigh in.

Rosy the Reviewer says...an absolutely fascinating true story that is a must-see for Rolling Stones fans, and you Baby Boomers out there will enjoy reliving your youth. I know I did. (in theatres or for rent on Amazon Prime)

Note: A great double feature would be this film along with "The Stones and Brian Jones," another documentary I reviewed back in April. 

Mickey Hardaway (2024)

A young man tries to rise above the trauma and abuse he suffered as a child to follow his dreams.

Mickey (Rashad Hunter) is a talented artist who dreams of being a cartoonist and sketch artist, but he can't seem to rise above the abuse he suffered at school and at home. His father (David Chattam)not only beat him physically but beat down his dreams. He thinks art is a waste of time. But Mickey finds encouragement from his art teacher (Dennis L.A. White) and later his counselor (Charlz Williams) at the Art Institute where he was awarded a scholarship.  But sometimes, when abuse runs deep, even well-meaning people are not enough. After being taken advantage of by an employer who Mickey thought was going to help him with his animation career, he starts drinking and his life unravels.  But Grace (Ashley Parchment), his caring girlfriend, encourages him to seek help. He meets with Dr. Cameron Harden (Stephen Cofield Jr.), and in a series of flashbacks during his sessions, we see just what Mickey has gone through.

Filmed in black and white, with a brief bit of color, this is a grim character study, very neo-noir and talky with some actors better than others, but, you will keep watching, because you want to see what will happen to Mickey.  Will he make it?  And you care because of Hunter, whose portrayal of Mickey is poignant and effective. And when Mickey says things like, "When you feel the world doesn't give a damn about you, you feel you have nothing to lose," you worry about Mickey, and, as the film progresses, and he says,  "It's hard to be good when all you know is evil," you worry even more as you get insight into why some young men turn to violence.

Written and directed by Marcellus Cox and based on his short film of the same name, this is his feature film debut, a bit of raw naturalism reminiscent of early Spike Lee, and a look at what can happen when someone feels he has nowhere to turn after years of abuse and disappointment.  

Cox says the film showcases "the generational trauma and mental exhaustion that people, in particular black men, have to endure and how we're taught to keep moving on with life without discussing our emotions and seeking help until it's too late and even then sometimes it's not enough once you find it...it's a conversational character study that doesn't seek to give you answers but more to show how folks, in a time more than ever with depression being a mainstay, reach their breaking points...with mental health being at an all-time high in the Black community, I really wanted to bring this subject to a much needed forefront."

And Cox has done that.

Rosy the Reviewer says...some grim realism but the film shines a light on the effects of generational trauma and mental illness, and for a first feature film, Cox shows promise for a long career as a serious writer/director. Make some room, Spike! (Tubi)

Somebody I Used To Know (2023)

Workaholic Ally returns to her hometown and reconnects with her old boyfriend - trouble ensues.

Ally (Alison Brie) is a showrunner for a reality show called "Dessert Island," that is part "Survivor," part "Love Island" and part "The Great British Baking Show (sounds like my kind of reality show)!" In case you didn't know, a showrunner literally "runs the show," so Ally is a bit of a workaholic and doesn't have much going on except work.  And she has never taken the time to evaluate her life and ask herself if she is happy, so when her show is canceled she decides to go back to her hometown - Leavenworth, Washington and visit her mother (Julie Hagerty).

While there, she runs into her old boyfriend, Sean (Jay Ellis), at a bar and they spend the evening together reminiscing. Ally had always wanted to leave town to follow her dreams to become a documentary filmmaker, but so far that dream as eluded her, but Sean likes it in Leavenworth, thank you very much.  He is close to his family and even has a house on their property. With no job and few prospects, getting back together with Sean seems very appealing to Ally. Maybe she made a mistake to leave. The evening ends with a kiss with Ally wanting to go further but Sean begs off.  She finds out why the next day - Sean is getting married the next weekend. Awk-ward!  And even more awkward is the fact that Sean's mother, Jojo, insists that Ally come to the wedding and film it! Ally jumps at the chance because now she thinks she should be with Sean, not his fiance, Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons). 

But wait, there is more awkward stuff.  With a nod to "My Best Friend's Wedding," Ally starts meddling in an effort to split them up.  But then things get complicated when Ally and Cassidy get to know each other and their initial suspicions about each other fade away. Things continue to be awkward and go from bad to worse... until they get better.

The Christmas-oriented Leavenworth, Washington makes for a scenic backdrop for a rom-com. Having lived in Washington for several years, I have personal experience about the cuteness of Leavenworth, and it has an interesting history.  It is a small town in the Cascade Mountains styled after a Bavarian village. In the 1960's when the lumber mills closed and the town was in decline, the city looked to tourism to revitalize the area.  They modeled the town after the Danish-themed town of Solvang, California, and today Leavenworth is a hotspot of tourism, especially at Christmas.  There are countless restaurants serving German food, pretzels and beer, a nutcracker museum and even a Snow Train from Seattle that takes visitors there (I've done that too)! 

Brie is a talented comic actress and she and Ellis are an engaging couple. Brie is especially good at awkward, and I mean that in a good way.  The rest of the ensemble are also first-rate and the town of Leavenworth also stars. 

Written by Dave Franco and Brie (who are married in real life) and directed by Franco, this is not your usual silly rom-com. It's a smart one with real, believable characters and a message about loving yourself before you can love anyone else. Instead of "boy meets girl, boy and girl break up and then get back together," this is more "boy meets girl and girl finds herself."  And there is even a satire on reality TV thrown in.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a sweet and enjoyable rom-com with a serious message. (Amazon Prime)

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

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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)!