Willow

In the old days, the rules of the blog were simple: anything seen in the theater belonged on the blog. But when the pandemic hit the rules had to change - movies watched on video could go on the blog, but only MOVIES, not TV shows. So, but, then, along comes Willow, which is a TV show but I watched it in the theater with a crowd. Therefore, according to the old rules, it gets a write-up. This is the way. 

Almost to prove a point, this dives right into the action, leaving much of the character building until the rag-tag, motley crew has assembled and the quest has begun. It’s female-centric and thankfully not reliant upon the princess finding a husband. There’s a refreshing deconstruction of the regular tropes. It’s fairly smark-alecky and when Warwick Davis’ title character appears, he’s full of Nelwyn sass. Not much wizardy magic in these first two episodes, but plenty is foreshadowed. So, I’d say so far so good. Can they keep up this plot-filled pace?

The Fabelmans

Spielberg’s version of a Woody Allen movie. Lots of bickering and Jewish jokes. It’s highly autobiographical, and heartfelt for sure. It’s episodic, but while the episodes themselves are interesting, the sum of the parts out-measure the whole. While the episodes: a piano rehearsal, a camping trip, a visit from an uncle, a high-school film screening, an awkward encounter at a camera store, feel authentic and personal, it’s unclear what the underlying THEME is, other than, I suppose, Mrs. Spielberg… DOH! I mean: Mrs. Fabelman is in the wrong marriage. Michelle Williams, as always, is great, as is the rest of the cast. But if the whole point is to depict the painful divorce of Spielberg’s parents, there’s not a lot of emotional resolution. The final scene, the best in the movie, resonates more than anything else, as the young Spielberg analogue receives some sage advice from a certain Hollywood guru.

Disenchanted

It’s confusing why Disney didn’t release this in theaters. Maybe the problem was it would compete with other Disney movies? It’s a fun and funny meta-musical. As always, Amy Adams owns her part expertly from beginning to end. And while it’s not as mind-blowingly original as its predecessor, it’s still a delightful watch. A high-quality, non-theatrical video.

The Spy Who Dumped Me

Laverne & Shirley become spies. Or maybe "Lucy and Ethel." It’s a girl-power, best-friend, physical schtick fest. Lots of witty banter during chases and shoot-outs. It could be shorter, and the plot and resolution isn’t largely hilarious, but the charisma of the leads keeps it aloft, barely, for video/airplane viewing.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Details of Al Yankovic’s true life story are remarkable. From his gritty, traumatic, abusive childhood, to his tumultuous affair with Madonna, from his feud with Michael Jackson, to his violent confrontation of a Colombian drug cartel, Al’s behind-the-scenes life was a far cry from the frivolity and silliness you hear on Dr. Demento. You can see why he would want to do an dirty, honest, authentic telling of his story – warts and all, so people can learn about the real man and the suffering he endured. Like most musical bio-pics, I can see this winning many Oscars. Maybe even a Peabody or the first film to win a Nobel prize. Don’t look away, however dramatic this is. It’s an important film and stark but necessary piece of music history.