Q’s Reviews – February 20, 2024

Bob Marley:  One Love.   The all too short life of reggae master Bob Marley is celebrated in this intense look at his musical legacy and his impact on humanity.  Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob and Lashana Lynch as his wife were wonderful in their roles.  Their passion for one another, their music and the message were palpable.  One huge problem with the film is the Jamaican accent renders large parts of the film unintelligible.  Wait for the film to stream and turn on the captions.  The music is enough to recommend the film, but the inability to understand half of what is being spoken is annoying.  Rated PG-13 for marijuana use and smoking throughout, some violence and brief strong language.  In Theatres.

Taste of Things.   This delectable film is France’s Oscar Nominee for the Best International Feature Film.  It does not disappoint.  It is a great love story told while masters of French Cuisine ply their trade in a kitchen supplied with fresh foods of amazing quality, wines, and spirits.  Too bad smell-a-vision is not available.  The cooking sequences are amazing.  Set it 1885, Eugenie (Juliette Binoche), is an honored cook.  She has worked for Dodin (Benoît Magimel), a renowned gourmet and restauranteur, for 20 years.  They slowly grow fond of each other.  A romance develops that is demonstrated by the food creations they make.  The film is a celebration of French Haute Cuisine and all things French.  In French with English subtitles.  Rated PG-13 for some sensuality, partial nudity, and smoking.  In Theatres.

Funny Woman.   This is a British six-part mini-series that follows the life of the irrepressible, Sophie Straw (nee Barbara Parker) from Blackpool.  She heads south to London in the early 1960s to find her fortune.  With a lot of pluck and hard work she gets a part of sit com and becomes an overnight sensation.  Think Lucille Ball with the sass of a Jean Harlow and you will get Sophie Straw.  Gemma Arterton as Sophie is amazing.  She in wickedly funny while charming.  The 1960s come alive.  The series is streaming on PBS and well worth searching out.  Rated TV MA for language.

2024 Oscar Nominated Short Films: Live Action.   “Invincible” looks at mental health.  “Knight of Fortune” is a strange look at death through Danish eyes.  “Red, White and Blue” looks at contemporary abortion issues – Peggy’s favorite.  “The After” is a gut-wrenching look at grief.  “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” is a Wes Anderson short that looks at the fine art of storytelling.   All of these films are amazing and worth seeing.  Collectively our best cinema experience of the year.  In Theatres and available online.  It is a Peggy’s Pick.

2024 Oscar Nominated Short Films: Animation.   “Letter to a Pig” looks at the origins of prejudice.  “Ninety-Five Senses” explores death and capital punishment. “Our Uniform” is a call for women’s rights – Peggy’s favorite.  “Pachyderme” is a child’s recollection of abuse.  “War Is Over” features music by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as World War I ends – Jim’s favorite.  All of these films are amazing and worth seeing.  Collectively our best cinema experience of the year.  In Theatres and available online.  It is a Peggy’s Pick.

Madame Webb.   Very little to recommend.  Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb looks good in jeans, but never achieves superhero status.  She does do a good job of destroying a giant Pepsi Cola sign.  This is supposed to be an origin story for Marvel’s Madame Webb and her three teen age girl assistants.  It’s all very confusing involving spiders, the Amazon rain forest and time travel in small segments.  When the girls start bumping and grinding on a table in a diner, the film self-destructed.  Rated PG-13 for violence, action, and language.  In Theatres.