She Said

She Said (2022)

Directed by Maria Schrader

Screenplay by Rebecca Lenkiewicz

Based on the New York Times investigation by Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey & Rebecca Corbett, and the book, "She Said" by Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey

Stars: Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, Angela Yeoh, Irwin Reiter, Samantha Morton and Ashley Judd

I knew about the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein from Ronan Farrow and his exposé for the The New Yorker. I did not know that there was another article that came out at the exact same time. It was eye opening to see this version of events.

The New York Times have were publishing articles about figures that had sexual harassment allegations against them like Bill O'Reilly and a certain former disgraced president that I will never name. Jodi Kantor (Kazan) and Megan Twohey (Mulligan) get a tip that Weinstein had a pattern of harassment, abuse, rape and paying the women off to silence them. They will use all means to break Hollywood's dirty open secret wide open.

It's so strange that the events of the movie happened five years ago. It is crazy how to the national conversation has changed since then. I know this movie is going to be compared to Spotlight. I would not blame you. Both movies deal with reporters meticulously writing a story of the utmost importance. An article that will change the world.

There have been buzz with this movie. I can see it. I felt that most of the performances were lacking. The only standouts for me were Morton and Judd. I feel that the movie is going to be forgotten, because the events happened recently.

Rating: 8/10

Drive

Drive (2011)

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Written by Hossein Amini

Based on the book by James Sallis

Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman, James Biberi, Kaden Leos, Oscar Isaac and Christina Hendricks

To rinse the taste of Spider-Man out of my mouth, I wanted to see an actual good movie. Here is a prime example of a good movie that had some bad marketing and came out between the summer blockbuster season and the award show season. It was lost in the mix. It's a shame. I heard great things about this movie. It was on a lot of top ten lists. I have to say that it is a good movie that didn't get a chance.

This is not just a revenge movie. This is a movie about Driver (Gosling), a part time movie stunt driver who also moonlights as a getaway driver for the highest bidder. He only gives five minutes of his time. A second over that the client is on their own. Awesome. Things get complicated when Driver integrated with the lives of his next door neighbor, Irene (Mulligan) and her son, Benicio (Leos). A wrench gets thrown in when Irene's husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac) comes back early from jail. Standard has dealings with bad people that Driver has to get in the mix.

Gosling's Driver character reminded me of classic Eastwood character, The Man with No Name with Driver chews on a toothpick having that fucking kick ass satin scorpion jacket. Driver barely utters a page worth of dialogue in the movie and he could convey lots with his eyes, his mannerisms. I think the biggest stars of the movie is the sound and the score by Cliff Martinez. The ticking of the wrist watch getting louder, the haunting music sucks you in. This movie demonstrated the right amount of tension, suspense with beautiful visuals that hearkens back movies of the late 70s, early 80s.The movie can go from being romantic and sweet with the scenes with Irene and Benicio to horribly violent with a hitman's face caving in or an interesting use of a curtain rod. I'm glad a movie like this exists.

Albert Brooks was getting a lot of Oscar buzz for his role as mobster Bernie Rose in this film. I thought he was very good in the film. The way that he delivered the lines oozed seediness and hate. Brooks won an Omie Award for not being included in the nominees. The rest of the cast was solid with Ron Perlman as Bernie's partner, Nino and Bryan Cranston as the Driver's boss.

My Rating

Shame

Shame (2011)

Directed by Steve McQueen

Written by Steve McQueen and Abi Morgan

Stars: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, Nicole Beharie and James Badge Dale

Well, let's get this out on the table. Everybody knows that this movie has been criticized for having lead actor Michael Fassbender swing the wind. People think that the movie is about the sexual nature of the film. It's not. It is the destructive consequences of sex. That is intriguing. Now, that is out of the way, let's get into the review. Shall we?

The re-teaming of director Steve McQueen and Fassbender has made another thought provoking film will stay with you after the credits. This film chronicles the life of ad agent, Brandon Sullivan (Fassbender) living and loving in New York City. On the surface, you think that this man is a stud with a healthy sex life, but when you chip away at his suave demeanor lies a man with a sexual compulsion. He is having anonymous sex with multiple women, constantly watching porn on his computer either at work or at home, hiring hookers or masturbating in the toilet. He thinks that his life is perfect when his littler sister, Sissy (Mulligan) comes and stays with him. This throws Brandon's life into a tailspin that he has to comfort the past.

Everybody was talking about Fassbender's raw, emotional performance not getting nominated for an Oscar. It is a shame. No, pun intended. He conveyed a broken man trying to keep his feelings away from the physical act of sex. Mulligan was haunting in this movie. There were some revelations that were a little clichéd, but I don't the actors elevated the movie. If different actors were in the roles, it would be a movie trying to be artsy.

My Rating