Good Night and Good Luck

Is this a movie? It’s a play based on a movie, but it’s filmed. And it first aired live on CNN. So what is it? Does it count as a movie? A TV movie? 

Clooney and Heslov have every right to be proud of their 2005 Oscar nominee, and it couldn’t be more relevant today. Clooney plays Edward R. Murrow now instead of David Strathairn. The story is a simple one with up-to-the-minute themes: what if a politician becomes drunk on power and there’s no one who will hold them accountable? Clooney and Heslov clearly love and respect journalism and aspire to depict reporters as heroes. It’s unfortunately a concept of a bygone era, as truth, reporting, and journalism are dying a slow, zombie death. For all we know, they (you know who) will try to erase this movie from history like so many banned books and historical figures. Watch it while you can, and lament the death of democracy.

Good Fortune

Kudos to Aziz Ansari for getting a movie made, getting a theatrical release, and sneaking in a little social commentary. But the comedy here is uneven. Rogan and Reeves are both on their mark and subvert their personas admirably. Ansari though, with his voice like a blaring bugle, feels a bit off. The editors of Parks and Rec must have understood his rhythms better than he does, because there are times where he seems like he’s tired and trying to keep up. Maybe that’s because he was wearing writing and directing hats, too. The concept isn’t wildly original. It’s Trading Places, Life Stinks, Sullivan’s Travels, and every Capra movie all rolled into a big, LA street taco. So while the execution isn’t stellar, it’s a serviceable thesis of wealth inequity and Keanu the slacker angel offers some mild chuckles.

Deep Cover

You can’t just name a movie Deep Cover if there is already a movie called Deep Cover. Deep Cover is a Laurence Fishburne movie directed by Bill Duke. BUT I DIGRESS! Besides the actor’s salaries, which probably constituted about 83% of the budget, this is a relatively low-budget but serviceable action/comedy. There are numerous examples of movies wherein real cops are reluctantly pared with wannabe actors, so it’s not like it’s reinventing the wheel (ibid the title). But, to her credit, Bryce Howard holds it together and Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed offer plenty of complications. The science of improv is barely surface-scraped, but it still offers enough context to “yes, and” and escalate the shopworn gangster plot. The cast seems like they’re having fun. Bloom especially seems to relish taking the piss out of the method actors and the ridiculous Jared Leto techniques. It’s an enjoyable, non-traumatic way to pass the time on a plane.

One Battle After Another

Yet another assured offering from Paul Thomas Anderson. DiCaprio’s rebel slacker is like the feral offspring of Jackson Lamb and Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski as he rushes and flails his way through this trial like an (credit to Kiki →) “unmade bed”  ripped away in a tornado. He’s a slob. He drinks too much. He wears a lot of robes. A fumbling, flailing, hero. “PTA” somehow strikes the perfect hybrid comedy/thriller tone, but the danger’s never minimized thanks to the unhinged, comedic appearance from Sean Penn, who nails this evil, weird agent of chaos with veteran confidence. All of the supporting cast is great and there’s not an unnecessary frame in this entire, frenetically-paced outing. The music that accompanies this chaos is chaotic itself, and that drove me a little bit crazy, even though I recognize how necessary it is. When the rubber meets the road, this is a taut action movie, and (plot twist) a movie about family. Chase Infiniti, the rookie heroine, is a revelation and fights and flails through her adventure with skill and fortitude. It’s a barnburner.