Dolemite is my Name

This new film, which just dropped on Netflix, tells the story of Rudy Ray Moore, who created a famous stand-up comedy character named "Dolemite."


The film begins with Eddie Murphy, who plays Moore, working in a record store. He does gigs at a local comedy club, but has no success doing his set. He was once a musician, but did not see success in that as well. Hegoes to his boss in the record store, played by Snoop Dogg, and tries to get a deal to record some of the music he'd written. His boss blows him off, and basically tells him to get back to work.

He and his friend Theodore, played by Titus Burgess, work in the record store together, and deal with the challenges of retail work, including kicking out patrons who come into the store while intoxicated. It's in one of these encounters that Rudy gets a brilliant idea-to create a character to perform stand up comedy. He seeks out the drunk patron he kicks out daily, in an effort to resource material for his stand-up character. Rudy then creates the character "Dolemite" after one of the stories the drunk patron tells.

The next time he performs at the comedy club, Moore performs the Dolemite character, which he has created to look like a pimp. In other gigs at the club, he barely got a yawn. This time, with a new set of material and a new character to perform, he's a hit!! He then begins to record his comedy sets, which he then sells at the record store he works at. It's all uphill from there.

Before watching this film, I thought the most profane film I had watched in my life was "Straight Outta Compton." This movie might be as equally as profane. That being said, this movie brilliantly shows the power of creation, the fortitude in pursuing a dream, and perseverance. And more importantly: if there's something you want to do, don't let anyone ever tell you no.

Also starring Wesley Snipes, Keegan Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, now in theaters and on Netflix, 5 enthusiastic stars.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

This movie is set in a specific time yet not in a specific time at all-it appears to be around World War II, shortly before it, during it, or just after it.

The movie tells the story of two cousins, Mary Catherine Blackwood (nicknamed "Merricat) and Constance Blackwood who live in the home, along with their uncle Julian. They live apart from the rest of the town in their mansion on the outskirts of town. They live in isolation, completely apart from everyone else.

The family has always been a pariah for the entire town; the residents fear the Blackwoods and call them witches. You see, Merricat's parents met an untimely end in the home, which the town folk suspect was murder.

The house is frozen in time since the deaths. Daily life continues ad nausea, with only Merricat's weekly trip to the general store in town for groceries to break up the week.

Life continues on for Merricat, Constance, and Julian, who are trying to rebuild their lives after the deaths. Every day is the same as the last, until their long lost cousin Charles returns to the Blackwood home, in an endeavor to obtain the inheritance from the recent deaths.

The movie feels like a horror movie or ghost story, like "The Others" or "The Haunting", and removed from time like "Edward Scissorhands."

This was one of the most boring movies I've watched in months. As I watched all of it, and didn't turn it off 30 minutes in, which I should have done, I am writing this review. Do yourself a favor and skip this movie on the Netflix menu.

Now streaming, 1 star.

Steal a Pencil for Me

This documentary accompanies a book by the same name, which tells the true story of Jaap and Ina Polak, two married Holocaust survivors.

At the beginning of the war, Jaap was married to another woman, Manja. They had drifted apart in their affection for one another; they mutually decided to stay married until the end of the war.

Ina met Jaap and his wife Manja before the war at a dinner party. Ina could tell that theirs was a loveless marriage, and pined for Jaap from afar.

At the beginning of the war, Jaap was an accountant who helped Jewish families hide their fortunes from the Nazis.

When the Nazis began to collect all of the Jews, Jaap and his wife Manja were taken to the Westerbork concentration camp. Ironically, so was Ina. While in the camp, Jaap was the principal of a make-shift school. At this point, he began to write Ina letters. They corresponded together for months if not years, sometimes with the knowledge of his wife Manja.

Sometime later, Jaap and Manja were transferred to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Ina was placed on the Auschwitz transfer list; however, in a second stroke of fate, she too went to Bergen-Belsen. Jaap and Ina’s love affair began anew, constantly writing letters to one another.

What happened to Jaap and Manja and Ina after the war? How did Jaap and Ina find one another, and end up a married couple?

To find out how their story ends, watch “Steal a Pencil for Me”, now streaming on Netflix, 3 stars.

Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea

"Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea" is a documentary made by American comedian Chelsea Handler.

While known for her comedy, this documentary features Handler tackling the uncomfortable topic of white privilege.

Throughout the film, Handler continues to educate herself on the matter. She consults historians, leaders in the Black Rights Matter movement, voting rights advocates, as well as those who are consistently working for change.

At one point in the documentary, Chelsea visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama; the memorial is known for depicting those lost in lynchings and hate crimes in America after the civil war.

image source: https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/memorial

In this film, Handler consults audiences of all kinds: audiences of people of color, and audiences of white people. She gets answers and perspectives from those on the entire spectrum of the issue, from those who believe it exist and are fighting to stop it, as well as those who don't believe it exists and don't know what she's talking about.

This movie made me think of the TV series "United Shades of America" by W. Kamau Bell; it too show-tackles many issues in the United States, including racial disparity and white privilege. To my surprise, Bell makes an appearance in this film.

image source: https://www.cnn.com/shows/united-shades-of-america

Watching this documentary also made me think of a book I read recently, "A Sin by Any Other Name" by Reverend Robert W. Lee, a descendant of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee. He is outspoken on racial matters, on the opposite side of his ancestor. In his book, Lee refers to racism as a sin. His book is a call to action to bring about racial healing, especially from those of us that are white and Christian.

https://www.amazon.com/Sin-Any-Other-Name-Reckoning-ebook/dp/B07D6C7WZ2

The topic of white privilege is an uncomfortable one; yet change will not come in this country until we have these hard conversations. I applaud Chelsea Handler for having the conversation, and for encouraging further discussion.

Now streaming on Netflix, I encourage every American to watch this film. 4 stars.

Wreckers

Wreckers stars two of Britain's best actors, Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy, known for her role of the Queen of England on "the Crown."

The movie begins with Benedict and Claire as a married couple, Dawn and David, living in a remote English village in a "fixer upper" home on the outskirts of town.

One day, the couple has a visitor-Nick, David's brother. He has spent some time in the Army and is home for a visit.

In the middle of the night, Nick has a nightmare. Turns out that Nick has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and night terrors. It quickly becomes evident that this will be anything but a routine visit.

The movie is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. I found the movie to be quite depressing. Neither Cumberbatch nor Foy could save the movie. The character's lives are a wreck, which matches the dilapidated home they live in.

At the end of the movie, I felt like I'd wasted 2 hours of my life. It's dark and depressing, and heavy. In this instance, this movie is a benchmark for viewers to feel, "Well, at least my life isn't THAT bad."

Now streaming on Amazon Prime, Acorn, Vudu, iTunes, 2 stars.

Silent

"Silent" is an animated film put out by the Moonbot Studios.

I first encountered the Moonbot Studios with their enchanting film, "The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore."

"Silent" features Morris Lessmore and new character, a young girl that loves the movies.

The film begins with Morris Lessmore working a moving picture machine, and the young girl creating the music for their simple film. One thing leads to another, and the movie machine goes kaput. What will they do now?

In the midst of a sudden downpour, the two run for cover, seeking shelter under an overhang of a movie theater. The little girl notices a sliver of light coming out from under the door. Should she go in? What magical adventure awaits them?

The movie is only 2 minutes long, but is an enchanting look at movies and the music that fill them. The two art forms work hand in hand to create art.

This film is a love letter to the art of film, movies, the cinema, art, and creation. Now streaming on Netflix, 5 stars.

https://www.netflix.com/title/70304298

https://moonbotstudios.com/work/silent/

"The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore"

Falling Inn Love

"Falling Inn Love" is a formulaic romantic comedy now streaming on Netflix. 

The movie follows a popular rom/com formula:

1.) The female lead character is currently dating a male character who she will be breaking up with in short order

2.) The job she's currently working in won't be her job in short order

3.) The town she currently lives in won't be her home in short order

4.) The woman meets a new love interest, and finds him over and over again in her new town. How do they keep running into each other?

5.) The job of her dreams finally comes to fruition. Does she take the job she's always wanted, or give everything up for the man she just met that is now the love of her life?

The plot of this film is simple: the female lead enters a "Win an Inn" contest, and wins a quaint little inn in New Zealand. She moves from San Francisco to New Zealand and promptly finds that she's won a run down in, a complete money pit.  Who can help her repair the inn? How about the handsome Kiwi she continually runs into? (Kiwi= slang for a person from New Zealand-similar to "Aussie" to refer to a person from Australia)

Now streaming on Netflix, 2 stars.