The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)

There was something really unexpectedly sweet about this family dramedy. I admit that I'm not all that familiar with Noah Baumbach's work but I'm going to describe this as Woody Allen meets Hirokazu Kore-eda. It has the liberal upper-class Manhattan sensibilities of Allen, and the bittersweet family saga of Kore-eda. I used to watch Woody Allen films wondering if that's really how rich, privileged, cultured white people live. I think it's something I aspired to, but I now think that version of affluence is not necessarily attainable or maybe not even desirable--the Meyerowitz's are pretty messed up. Their family dynamic is all over the place. They talk fast over each other (a very cleverly written, difficult-to-execute script) and there is lots of yelling. But they are compelling. These were perhaps the best performances ever delivered by Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller. Comedic actors, they manage a balance between their usual shtick and family drama. It's funny, it's sweet, and emotional at the same time. 

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

I think Disney actually did an enchanting job with this remake of the (Oscar Best Picture-nominated) original. The acting and casting is spot on. Specifically, Emma Watson is simply divine. She's beautiful and charming and who knew she could sing? Her voice actually sounds very pure. She is helped greatly by the new orchestrations, modernizing the familiar tunes. Emma Thompson is fine as Mrs. Potts but I don't think her rendition of the title song can match the iconic Angela Lansbury. There are some new songs in addition to the old classics. And they're all quite good. There is a noticeable amount of diversity among the villagers and even some interracial couples, though in provincial France they were surely all white. Disney of course had the controversy with Josh Gad's flamboyantly gay Le Fou, but it was actually surprisingly tame. They're making a big deal out of nothing. And Josh Gad is perfect for Le Fou. Besides, shouldn't Le Fou be gay? It's really just reading a little deeper into his character. The one casting I wasn't crazy about was Dan Stevens for beast. I have to admit, I did not recognize him or his name, but it's Matthew from Downton Abbey! His face is only in a small portion of the film, but the big reveal at the end was shocking. He looked to pretty with his golden locks to be taken seriously. It was like a joke ripped from the cover of a romance novel. If Disney was really trying to push boundaries, the prince would've been black.

Visually, the castle and costumes are quite stunning. The Be Our Guest sequence is just like the original. I, personally, had a problem seeing the detail though. I don't know if it was the movie or me, but every time the camera moved, everything looked blurry. I couldn't make out any of the lines. It felt like watching a 3D movie without the glasses on sometimes. Maybe it was filmed in 3D? There are definitely 3D versions being shown, but we had a 2D screening in a large cinema in Dublin.

Burnt (2015)

What I really dislike about this movie is that it preys on our love of food. That's how they get you to watch the movie, but it is not worth your time. Bradley Cooper is entirely unlikable as an irrational and erratic chef. It is one thing to be mean in the kitchen--we can watch Hell's Kitchen. But Bradley Cooper's chef is really unbearable, as are most all of the other characters. I don't think that's the fault of acting, rather poor development of already uninteresting characters.The beginning especially is just a series of short vignettes that seemingly come from nowhere, introducing a series of supporting characters to dislike.  I found it hard to pay attention or care.