Village Vidiot

  “Echo in the Canyon,” documentary, May 10, 2020 (2018), Netflix. B liked this one more than I did.  This film chronicles Jakob Dylan of the Wallflower’s exploration of one portion of the music scene from Laurel Canyon/LA in the mid-1960s, focusing on particular aspects of the evolution of both folk and rock in that…

  “Planet of the Humans,” May 7, 2020 (2019), Amazon Prime.  Michael Moore produced this attack on both the activist ecology movement (e.g., Bill McKibben) as shilling for Green Capitalism and destructive forms of energy generation, such as biomass.  As McKibben acknowledges in a rebuttal, he initially supported biomass but shifted his position not, as…

  “The Two Popes,” (some subtitles/English/Spanish/Latin/Italian), May 7, 2020 (2019), Netflix.  Brilliant acting from Anthony Hopkins as Benedict XVI and Jonathon Pryce as Francis I.   It’s an exciting and frequently very funny film that also graphically takes one into the horrific torture chambers and mass executions of the Argentinian junta’s rule.  This film follows from…

  “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” April 17, 2020 (2019), Amazon Prime during Covid-19.   We saw this two nights before the Boston Marathon would have run thus year.  Brittany  (Jillian Bell) is not an easy person to be around.  Her NYC career has not gone the way she’d hoped, she’s gained a lot of weight, and…

  “Midway,” March 31, 2020 (2019), DVD.  I was really looking forward to this and, as has been the norm of late, was terribly disappointed.  Based on the true story of the battle of Midway in 1942, this script is about as trite as it could be.  The acting is flat and the characters one-dimensional. …

  “Ford v Ferrari,” March 21, 2020 (2019), DVD.  I’ve been very stressed out, what with the virus, the economy, online teaching, and the like.  I turned to this as a piece of cinematic escape, and it was that.  Carroll Shelby (Matt Daman) was the only American to win at LeMans (1959) but then had…

  “Downton Abbey,” March 13, 2020 (2019), DVD.  I had high hopes for this cinematic spinoff from the acclaimed English TV series chronically changes in England through the noble Crawley family and their servants.  I’d enjoyed the first few seasons although I dropped out at the end.  It was too much of a soap about…

No, not a movie. I’ve recreated this blog as thevillagevidiot.com, having lost the ‘villagevidiot.net’ url. So it goes. I’ll be entering more films in here and hope to edit many more already in with photos and other information.  Please return and browse at will.  Your friend, The Village Vidiot.

“Motherless Brooklyn,” February 11, 2020 (2019), DVD.  Edward Norton, an actor whose work I really enjoy, read the Jonathon Lethem novel this is based on in manuscript, bought the rights, produced, wrote, directed and starred in this Wynton Marsalis-jazz infused  noir fable of power, corruption, struggle, and resolute friendship.  He moved it from our present…

  “Pain and Glory,” February 5, 2020 (2019), DVD (Spanish with subtitles.)  I have a very strange relationship to and with the films of Pedro Almodovar.  If feels as though he intentionally alternates remarkable works of cinema with superb and emotionally powerful character development and incredible dialogue with works of self-indulgent crap.   This wonderful, thoughtful,…

“The Danish Solution: The Rescue of the Jews in Denmark,” February 4, 2020, DVD, Documentary, 2003.  In these difficult times, I would recommend viewing the 2003 documentary “The Danish Solution: The Rescue of the Jews in Denmark.” Narrated by Garrison Keillor, it recounts the actions of everyday people, rich and poor, that resulted in the…

  “Toy Story 4,” January 25, 2020 (2019), DVD, animated.  Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and all the gang (fine actors doing excellent voicing, although I missed Don Rickles, d. 2017) are now Jessie’s toys as she goes off to kindergarten where she makes “Forkie,” a spork/toy who becomes part of this community after…

  “Hotel Salvation,” (in Hindi, subtitled), March 9, 2019 (2016), DVD.  Who would have thought Disney would be distributing David Lynch or that he’d make a G-rated film, but both these things apply to this marvelous 1999 film about Alvin Straight (the late Richard Farnsworth) who drove his riding mower 300 miles to see his…

Technologically sophisticated digital tracking joined to animation brings this children’s tale about a young boy and other kids who take a ride on the express on Christmas Eve. Believing is what it’s all about. Tom Hanks in several interesting roles and Steve Tyler of Aerosmith continues his film cameo run. Interesting as a technical piece,…

Strangely, neither Bronwen nor I was impressed with this instant cult classic about some crook wannabes. Just sort of flat and uninvolving. Can’t say more because, tellingly, I barely remember it

Strange and occasionally funny piece about the end of disco as a scene built around Studio 54. Some horrid characters, vapid, and generally uninteresting yuppie-types, they are built out of the world this director first chronicled in “Metropolitan” and “Barcelona”. Pathetic lives lived by these successful folk, they make you feel ok about your own…

Slow, beautiful Chinese movie that looks at Chinese gangster culture and family in the 1930s as a metaphor about Chinese life and corruption today. Could be better, but worth seeing Subtitled

Six-part presentation of Hillary Mantel’s brilliant two-novel series (when is the third coming?) that tells an old story with a twist This retelling of the Tudor England of Henry the 8th (Damien Lewis) is seen through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, brilliantly played by Mark Rylance who can do more with his eyes than anyone…

Silly and occasionally funny redeux of the 1970s police show. A couple of laugh out loud pieces spoiled by fake seriousness to carry the plot along. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as S & H are funny together and Snoop Dog is cool as Huggy. Will Farrell as a truly bizarre con/coke dealer/gay voyeur is…

Set in 1957 as Sputnik circles the globe, this well-received sleeper of a historical drama chronicles the real struggle of four young boys from a West Virginia mining town to improve themselves and their chances of escaping the mines by exploring their fascination with rocketry and building their own rockets. Their interests take them off…

Seen at the suggestion of several friends, this gentle spoof of Start Trek and Trekkie phenomena is fun. A fine cast Tim Allen as the Shatner-clone, all ego, no sense of how to share with his costars; Sigourney Weaver as the beautiful space voyager on the ship who never does anything more than look good…

Sean Baker’s (co-writer, director, editor) excellent film focuses on the hidden homeless warehoused in the cheap motels just outside Disney’s ever-joyous Magic Kingdom. Theirs is a community of the marginal poor, one step away from the street itself, struggling to survive in the insanely purple Magic Castle Motel, a welfare hotel managed by Bobby played…

Sci-fi super-anti-hero fantasy comedy stuff with lots of violence and action, this is about the birth of “Deadpool” as immortal grotesquely mutated superhero killer with a sense of dry humor and sharp swords. Leslie Uggams (yes, that Leslie Uggams) as his blind, coke-head, wackjob roommate stole my heart in this one. Otherwise, the humor began…

Say what you want about Mr Allen, Woody sure can write and direct an interesting film. Well acted, fascinating, and funny look at a dark character, a writer who’s had three wives and six shrinks. A pill popping, booze swigging, whorring, philandering, talented writer. Very funny stuff. It has the look of self-criticism, but may…