You know, I set some lofty goals for movie-watching this weekend, but they just didn’t come to be. Books, family, fun times, and Stranger Things got in the way, but the haul was still nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully I can make up for it next week.
Elvis – I went into this biopic with some serious trepidation. Not that I’ve been disappointed with any of the others I’ve watched over the years, but this one was a lot closer to three hours than I was comfortable with, and Tom Hanks was playing Elvis’ vile manager. That’s not a great combo, but the good news is: this movie was freaking cool. It was shot and stylized almost unlike anything I’d ever seen before! I loved how it managed to mix past and present styles together while not dishonoring anything about Elvis’ life. It was also quite eye-opening. I never knew anything about the terrible relationship he was stuck in with his manager. That guy seriously destroyed Elvis’ life. Anyways, Austin Butler did a terrific job as the lead, and I loved seeing a ton of other top talent drop in to some fun roles.
Cha Cha Real Smooth – Ah, what else can I say about this amazing Sundance movie that finally made its way onto Apple+? It’s still just as wonderful as the first time I saw it. And the people I watched it with confirmed its greatness. There’s something so awesome in seeing a film cover so many bases without trying too hard or being in your face. It let you feel the gambit of emotions with such a simple premise. I don’t feel like I need to explain any more for you to go watch this already!
Official Competition – Well, this movie was quite the surprising little gem! I went into this under the distinct impression that it was a drama, but it was actually very deliberately funny! I laughed out loud a lot, and that made me really happy. Anyways, some millionaire decides he wants his lasting impact on society to be via a film based off of a book where a brother can’t forgive his other brother for killing their parents in a car accident. He wants the best of the best, so he gets the very strange director, Lola Cuevas, and she hires respected, veteran actor, Ivan, and celebrity actor, Felix. The rest of the film takes place over the course of a two week rehearsal period where all of their differing views lead to conflict and some serious laughs. There’s a scene near the end that had me slap my hand to my mouth in surprise. I highly recommend adding this film to your watch list!