Update on the Field (6/8/20)
We are into June and have watched a movie on eighty straight days. Very close to three months into this project and we can slowly see ourselves making progress. We only have three movies left in 2015! Anyway, we had another good mix of movies this time, and we'll remember quite a few of them for a very long time. Here are our thoughts:
5/29/20: Tangled (2010)
Tom: I have a poor history at watching Disney movies as I wasn't really brought up on them like many others were, but I'd always heard that Tangled was underrated. Recently I found out basically what the whole story is about (shout-out my Kingdom Hearts 3 fans) and became pretty interested in watching it. And while there's something a bit iffy about the age difference between Flynn and Rapunzel, I still found the movie funny, charming, and worth watching. It was a really solid Disney entry.
Erin: Did you know there is a Tangled themed bathroom in Disney World? I loved this movie when it came out a decade (!!) ago, and I still really enjoy it. It doesn’t matter that the songs are a bit thin and it didn’t have the lasting impact of Frozen or Moana. I think that Tangled is a funny, heartfelt addition to the Disney empire.
5/30/20: Drive (2011)
Tom: This movie was not what I expected. It was stylish and cool, but I thought it was going to be way cleaner and way less violent than it was. And even though I like Ryan Gosling, it was a great idea to keep him quiet and surround him with superior actors like Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, etc. There were a few minutes (sorry Christina Hendricks's head) where I actively yelled OH MY GOD. Definitely a rewatchable one. Also, the score and cinematography ruled.
Erin: I watched this one when it came out too. What I really like about this movie is its uniqueness. Apparently it is like an “art house film” but I have never seen an “art house film” so I can’t make the comparison to an “art house film.” Whatever. Great music, great vibe in this movie. I like that it is so sparse and quiet and then there are just bursts of violence. It goes from barely anything to far too much and then back again effortlessly, which is just really fascinating to watch. Plus, Ryan Gosling’s character is just called The Driver, which I think is eternally cool.
5/31/20: Lincoln (2012)
Tom: This was the last movie my dad's gone to see in theaters. Before that, it was Titanic. It's a quintessential Dad Movie. While there were long stretches of boring political drama, Daniel Day-Lewis absolutely brings your mind's vision of Abraham Lincoln to life. He is truly phenomenal even if the movie isn't.
Erin: I missed this one when it burst onto the scene in 2012! Just kidding, it was more of a stately march, if you will. A lot of people did see it in theaters though. It was like, Dads of America uniting for their one half priced matinee of the decade. This movie was solid, if not a touch boring. Being a little dull is totally expected and appreciated though. It’s literally about Abraham Lincoln. I feel like the DVD copies literally came with a packet of dust to sprinkle over the top and a “special edition” CD of your uncle telling you how great this movie is. Okay, I’m being mean. I liked it!
6/1/20: The Book Thief (2013)
Tom: I LOVE the book that this movie was based on. The movie did a decent job and was pretty faithful, but as is often the case, the book blows it out of the water. I'm happy I watched this movie, but it's difficult to capture so much of what I loved about the book (i.e., Liesel's contrasting relationships with Rudy and Max) in just 2 hours and 10 minutes. I really liked Sophie Nélisse as Liesel though, and the ending (which blew my mind in the book) was really well executed in the movie as well. Worth a watch if you liked the book, but not incredible.
Erin: I left a copy of this excellent book in a hotel room in Belfast. I was obsessed with how good this book was as I was reading it, and I was very skeptical about a movie adaptation, especially because of the mixed reviews. I was so pleasantly surprised. Geoffrey Rush plays the perfect Hans, and I think it was a faithful adaptation that will be played in middle school classrooms for years to come. I would read the book before watching the movie though.
6/2/20: St. Vincent (2014)
Tom: This is another one I'd always heard good things about but never gotten around to. I liked Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy (who it turns out I really enjoy in more serious roles) and thought the script was really good. I find it interesting that Jack Nicholson was initially rumored to play Vin and I wonder how his interpretation would have been different than Murray's. Either way, this one had a lot of heart and depth and I enjoyed it.
Erin: This is another movie that I had previously viewed, and it seriously holds up upon a second watch. I love this film. It is a movie that covers family, loss, depression, and lots of other topics without trying too hard. Bill Murray is all in and fantastic here, and I highly recommend it to those who may have missed it.
6/3/20: Carol (2015)
Tom: Heading into this movie, I expected it to be super boring and talky, but it really wasn't. I hadn't realized it was based on a Patricia Highsmith romance thriller novel (she was completely insane, look her up). Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett both brought the house down. Blanchett in particular is just an incredible actress who I feel doesn't really get the adoration she should. Also, props to the cinematographer and the screenwriter for making the movie feel so entirely 1950s but relevant to the point where it still felt as if the same events could have occurred in the present day.
Erin: This was another great one! Cate Blanchett is just unreal as an actor, and she and Rooney Mara pull out all the stops in this one. This is about a romance between two women in 1950s New York, and it just feels like the 50s (not that I was alive to be nostalgic about it). Everything in this movie was on point, from the writing to the cinematography to the costumes. Lovely movie.
6/4/20: Train to Busan (2016)
Tom: Every Korean movie I've seen has been masterful at building tension, Train to Busan included. It never establishes the cause of the zombie outbreak or the cure or anything like that, and I appreciate that because who goes to the movies to see science? Just show me hundreds of zombies creating a giant anchor dragging along the back of a train to slow it down and eat some brains. That being said, the movie did a great job with characters as well, and I was heavily invested in each member of the group. Movie was awesome.
Erin: We added this based on a friend recommendation, and it was awesome! This is like Snowpiercer with zombies. I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie. Lots of twists and turns, really cool action. It was just a total blast to watch.
6/5/20: Mudbound (2017)
Tom: I was excited to watch this because it was the first movie distributed by Netflix that did well during awards season. It's about a white family and a black family in the Mississippi Delta in the 1940s and how each of their sons is welcomed home from World War II differently. The performances were stellar, and the movie succeeded in tackling a variety of issues all at once. This is definitely one I'll rewatch.
Erin: This was a great movie, and I’m surprised that it didn’t get nominated for more at the Oscars. I wasn’t sure that a post WWII movie in the Mississippi delta was going to be my thing, but it was so compelling. The actors in this movie have such talent, and I am a sucker for character studies. This one is on Netflix, so definitely check it out. The ending is a tearjerker and the whole film is a treasure.
6/6/20: Leave No Trace (2018)
Tom: This originally wasn't on our list, but Erin found it after we watched Winter's Bone. It's the same director. I'm glad we added it because I adored this movie. It was a really subtle and understated character study into an ex-Army member with PTSD and his teenage daughter. The growth and trajectories of the characters were fascinating to watch develop and beautifully written. Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) is a star.
Erin: This movie blew me away. Amazing work from Thomasin Mackenzie and Ben Foster, playing a father/daughter duo who live in a state park in Portland, Oregon. It is amazing how subtle and quiet this movie is, because it truly leaves a lasting impact. I can’t believe I hadn’t even heard about it until we watched Winter’s Bone a few weeks back. Watch this one.
6/7/20: Just Mercy (2019)
Tom: I've said this a couple of times on Instagram, but this movie is free for the month of June on all major streaming services and you should watch it. It's based on the true story of Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard Law graduate who went to Alabama to help death row inmates get the full allocation of constitutional due process rights and get the wrongfully convicted inmates out of prison. It's a refreshing take on a classic '90s-style courtroom drama. Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx were awesome. I highly recommend it.
Erin: Another excellent film. There has been a lack of courtroom dramas the past decade or so, and Just Mercy shows how effective those movies can be. This one is a true story of an innocent man on death row. It is a great movie to watch if you are unsure about the death penalty, or want to know more about systemic racism in our country. This is another one that should have gotten more recognition.