Jackie (2016)

Natalie Portman is just divine. I'm glad she made this triumphant return to serious films. Jackie Kennedy created this fairy tale of Camelot quite brilliantly ex post facto. I actually didn't know how the Camelot analogy came about, but now I do and it's a fascinating study of a grieving woman with a legacy to think about. And Portman plays the part as regal as we imagine Camelot, helped immensely by the gorgeous, glamorous costumes of the 60s. She speaks just like Jackie Kennedy. It's in fact so spot on with the cadence and rise and fall of her voice that it's kind of annoying.  Her regular speech was very breathy like a whisper. Portman is poised and always in control, even when in a vulnerable grieving state. She strictly instructs the journalist on what he is to publish. There is a great philosophical/theological scene with a priest in which we see Jackie in a different position. It is perhaps the only moment she is not in the power position. She listens to him, and genuinely takes what he has to say with authority.

The breathy voice along with the beautiful score by Mica Levi is haunting. It's the perfect word to describe the tone of the movie. The cello is a pretty haunting instrument and the dissonance, from the very first notes at the beginning of the film, give it a creepy vibe. The fantastic use of the Camelot soundtrack contributes to the eerie aura surrounding the Kennedy legacy. The camera is often uncomfortably close to the face. Grief up close is discomfiting. We literally get an intimate look at her.

The story centers around the week following JFK's assassination. There are several flashbacks weaved seamlessly into the plot. It shouldn't work, but this disconnected storytelling does work. The interview with the journalist is used as a vehicle for the flashbacks. There is a very authentic look to the White House Tour and some of the other seemingly archival footage. It is a story that makes you think about legacy. What is legacy? How is it formed? How is it manipulated? And what did JFK do? Our remembrance of JFK is very much colored by the aftermath of his assassination. Thanks, Jackie.

Black Mass (2015)

Johnny Depp has never been creepier.  Even in his spooky collaborations with Tim Burton, Depp has never inspired the fear in me that he does as Whitey Bulger. That is how you know he gives a good performance. You feel the fear that the characters feel when in his presence, when be gets angry, and when the tension is released you can finally breathe again. His hair and makeup team did a phenomenal job as usual, making a complete physical transformation. This could be the year he finally wins an Oscar.

This is a classic gangster movie with a twist, complete with some guns (but plenty of physical violence), lots of blood, the rival Italian gang, and the brother with political power. Bulger is an informant for the FBI. He uses his position as a shield and his crony in the Bureau looks out for him. It is actually incredible how long they got away with this right under the nose of the FBI. The ensemble cast is very good; everyone puts on a thick Boston accent, even Brit Benedict Cumberbatch.  Joel Edgerton is excellent as the FBI agent that defends Bulger and his downfall unfolds slowly. It is a slow burn that let's the pain and panic settle in. I admit I had a little bit of difficulty following at times.