The Big Short

Movie: The Big Short
When: 5:15 P.M. on Monday, February 22, 2016
Who With: JL
Movie Count: 16
Snacks: popcorn and pop

Reaction: Man, I am not all that into this movie. Super-hyped, based on the Oscar nominated, and directed by Will Ferrell's writing partner, consulting from Planet Money's Adam Davidson, my expectations were justifiably inflated...just like the housing market. hey now! 

Not sure if such an intense dude-vibe is an inevitable product of the subject. It makes sense that the world of finance would be a boys club but there were only two women characters of any substance in very minor rolls. One was a supportive wife played by the wonderful Marisa Tomei. She shared the most emotional scene of the movie with Steve Carell. The other was mean ol' Kathy, played well by Adepero Oduy, but the role seemed written as the mom stand-in for grown men, tsk-tsking all day.

There were some flashy movie tricks that allowed the story to stay superficial but informative. The celebrity-explainers were majorly influenced by the podcaster and the first one was a major turn off. Oh, you're not making this movie for me? Got it. Heard ya loud and clear. Movie made by dudes, for dudes.

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you  | Let it pass
Next Up: Big Sky Doc Shorts with KC for her bday!

Theeb and The Witness

Movie: Theeb (foreign film Oscar contender out of Jordan) and The Witness at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
When: 5/8:15 P.M. on Saturday, February 20, 2016
Who With: JL for Theeb, then JL, KC, JC, and AC
Movie Count: Theeb gets us to 15, The Witness doesn't count as part of the Roxy membership
Snacks: pizza at the Bridge after the Lady Griz beat the Bobcats in a great back and forth game. Then we got butter chicken poutine and matar paneer at Masala's first late night window!

Reaction: Theeb is the second movie we've seen from the foreign film nominations for the Oscars and, in my mind, doesn't win against Mustang. Son of Saul is coming to the Roxy next weekend and I think we'll get Embrace the Serpent, though I don't see it on the calendar yet.

Theeb is beautiful, fascinating and some parts riveting, other parts sleepy. It is set in 1916 during the Arab Revolt during the Ottoman Empire. An Englishman joins young Theeb's Bedouin tribe and requests their guidance to the Iron Donkey trail, newly constructed train tracks. The journey through the desert is not easy, shots are fired, alliances form and break, and sand and flies abound.

The Witness is a corrective step in the Kitty Genovese story of 38 witnesses to her murder not calling the police and the parable for America's apathy, which may not be so truly apathetic. Kitty's younger brother explores the original reporting and and talks to anyone and everyone he can about what happened that night fifty years ago. It's an interesting story that we were still talking about the next day. In the recent wave of true crime, this film doesn't quite complete the pivot of revelation it sets up. Anyway, the ultimate moral of the Kitty Genovese case is that if you see or hear something, say something. In a non-big brothery way, we're all in the together and we can have an affect on the lives around us.


Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let both come to you  | Let it pass
Next Up: The Big Short

Mustang

Movie: Mustang
When: 5:45 P.M. Saturday February 13
Who With: JL, JG, JG's mom
Movie Count: 14
Snacks: Popcorn with nutrition yeast and masala and a Double Haul

Reaction: This movie about a family of five orphaned girls growing up in rural Turkey with their uncle and grandma is full of spirit, adventure, tragedy and love. The audience feels like the 6th sibling, or perhaps one of their suitors. It's a lovely story with notes of The Virgin Suicides and Room. You rarely see young girls building off each other's power and capacity becoming stronger together. It's up for Best Foreign Language Film at the #WhiteOscars and with two other nominees coming soon to the Roxy, I'll reserve my pick.

We followed this up with an at-home viewing of Jurasic World. We went old school, obtaining it as a Hastings rental. We've built up a few stashes of in-store credit here and at the Book Exchange in our decrapification during the house selling/buying project. Our current relationship with stuff prioritizes access over ownership. Anyway, I was excited for JW in a low-expectations, let's-just-have-fun kind of way but was disappointed. There was something very flat about the whole thing and had the boringest part before anything happens (my favorite part of any movie). I also fell asleep but when JL told me how the movie beats up the lady's assistant to kill her in an exaggeratingly long scene just seems rude and gross. Lady bashing to the extreme, although, like I said, I did not actually see it. JL just told me there were 7 writing credits on this stupid movie. Smells like too many cooks! Bad bad bad movie. Let this one pass.

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you  | Let it pass
Next Up: Probably some Documentary Film Fest movies or those foreign film contenders.

January in Review

Favorite: James White
Least Favorite: The Big Sleep
Saddest: Shok(Friend)/Alles Wird Gut(Everything Will Be Okay)
Funniest: The Baby
Most Surprising: Janis: Little Girl Blue
It's Art, Dad: Here's to the Future!
Missed Connections: Macbeth, Ziggy Stardust; Chicago Sing-Along, Planetary

STATS
Total Movies: 10
Would a Cost: 10*2*$8 = $160.00 (not including free popcorns, using some guest passes, & restaurant and drinkydrink spending)

Movies with Friends
One of the best things about this membership is the socializing it gets us doing. Montana winters are slow and rough, making it easy to barely leave the house. This month we saw four movies with friends, two in pretty big groups which we hadn't done in ages.

Recommended Viewing and Reading Outside the Roxy
Chi-raq, HBO Go
Transparent, Second Season, Amazon Prime
Making a Murder, Netflix
Superstore, Hulu

Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Pride

Movie: Pride
When: 7 P.M. Wednesday, February 11
Who With: JL and AMG
Movie Count: 13
Snacks: Popcorn and Cold Smoke

Reaction: People are effing amazing. This movie is full of so much happy making empowerment that you leave the theater ready to take on the world. I had to keep checking that there's not an exclamation point in the title since I kept wanting to give it one. This movie is from 2014 and totally passed me by. The Roxy showed it as part of their "Out at the Roxy" film series celebrating LGBT culture. I definitely walked in thinking it was going to be a documentary. My mistake.

1980s London gays form a group to support striking coal miners in a small town in Wales. There's discomfort on both sides, none so sure about the other, but by meeting, talking, dancing, and drinking, the common ground that was always there blossoms. Hand shakes, bus rides, sleep overs, solidarity, and British tunes.

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you  | Let it pass
Next Up: Maybe Mustang (a contender for Best Foreign out of Turkey) or Timber the Treasure Dog (so local)

The Danish Girl

Movie: The Danish Girl
When: 5:15 P.M. Saturday, February 6, after a Lady Griz Basketball win
Who With: JL and KC
Movie Count: 12
Snacks: pop and popcorn with a chipotle garlic salt that tastes pretty good but makes you cough. I felt bad every time someone in the theater coughed because we gave the salt to the Roxy since we don't eat popcorn at home anymore. It's like George Costanza's brilliant idea for the Yankees to wear cotton uniforms.

Reaction: A well done movie that looks even better. We were all worried that I would cry all the way through this movie because that's what Eddie Redmayne did to me in The Theory of Everything. I made it through this without a single tear although feelings were felt, for sure. We're dealing with the first sex reassignment surgery, here. Not light stuff. Alicia Vikander does a wonderful job as the best person in the world, supporting her husband as that identity and their relationship change. She portrays the grief associated with loving a transitioning person so well. Your chin quivers when hers quivers. You're mad when she's mad. We watch Eddie work at learning to be a woman by copying movement. It's a reminder of what a performance it is to be a woman. Here, I'll link to this post on the topic, which means I have to read it again.

Here's another #WhiteOscars contender but I don't think it'll win best picture. That has to go to Room, which we watched at the Roxy before we had the membership and so before the blog recaps. That movie made my heart pound and is a joyous devastation. It's playing at 6:30 P.M. on the 14th as part of the Roxy's "For Your Consideration" theme. It's not one you can see twice, but should definitely see once.

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you  | Let it pass
Next Up: Pride

An Alien Place and Here's To The Future!

Movie: An Alien Place / Here’s to the Future!

Date: January 10, 2016

Who With: KC for An Alien Place/JL for both

YTD Movie Count: 4/5

Snacks: 3 popcorn bowls total - mine had nutritional yeast and sesame seeds (included) 1 Diet Coke and JL got a beer ($6.00)

Reaction:  Well, that first one wasn’t an hour and that second one definitely was. The Fort Missoula Alien Detention Center depicted in “An Alien Place” is forever interesting. This half hour doc is a good intro and had the feeling of those video at national park visitor centers. Not necessarily surprising since it was funded by the National Park Service. Makes me wonder is there’s a new designation heading the Fort’s way…

“Here’s to the Future!” is an experiment. It starts in fits and starts with the lens cap on and sound levels that tear your ears out from the insides. The bulk of the movie is running a scene from “The Cabin in the Cotton” over and over and over with different scene partners. It’s a fun invitation into movie making magic but sometimes the “6 Minutes Staring at a Table Listening to Fleetwood Mac” magic can be cut down.

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you [you may have to find them] | Let it pass

Next Up: Not sure, maybe Carol

James White

Date: January 8, 2016

Who With: JL
YTD Movie Count: 3
Snacks: 1 popcorn bowl with garlic powder (included) and 1 Diet Coke ($4.00)
Movie: James White

Reaction: Hard to look away from, this movie holds tight to the main character’s face for the majority of our time together. James White is struggling. His mother is struggling. His friends want to help. Boof, this is a hard movie. It’s good though. That last scene…that will stay with me. We’re rooting for you James. 

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you | Let it pass

Next Up: An Alien Place

Spotlight

Date: January 2, 2016
Who: JL, KC
Movie Count: 1
Non-Member Ticket Price: $8.00
Snacks: 2 popcorn bowls with butter and salt (included) and a large Diet Coke ($4.00)
Movie: Spotlight

Reaction: Some wowsa investigative reporting is on display in this movie. I saw this midway through “Making a Murderer”. Both demonstrate how critical journalism is in the justice system, at least when skilled people do it and there’s some funding behind it. Is it too strong to call for journalism to be included as a new branch of government? Just graft it right on there, no biggie. Trees are meant to grow.

“Spotlight” did a good job of portraying the work that goes into a story and knowing when to publish. Along the way, we see the characters discover the scope of the story and wrestle with having information that puts them inside the Catholic church’s systematic abuse of children. Have they become part of that system by waiting for the “right time” to publish? Everyday they didn’t run a story must have felt like they were enabling the enemy. I appreciated the way the story was told. Not overly sensationalized but not void of the sensational.

Recommendation: Let’s Go! | Let it come to you | Let it pass

Next Up: Orion: The Man Who Would Be King and trying some other popcorn seasonings available at the Roxy.

Roxy Membership

Thanks to some holiday generosity, JL and I are now proud Dual Cosmic members of the Roxy Theater in Missoula, MT.

Why not blog my way through a year of unlimited popcorn, indie movies, cult favorites, and sing-alongs? All are hashtagged with #AYATM, which hasn't yet turned up any encroachers, nice!

I’m not the best at remembering character names or every single plot point, but sometimes I come up with droll quips (Example: Not even Once). If you're just starting, check out my first AYATM Month in Review for a quick intro.