Review: "The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)"

If, years ago, you'd suggested to me the likes of Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller could handily outshine Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson in the same picture...well, I would've been far less than convinced.

Alas, that is very much the case in The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), the surprisingly pale latest film from writer/director Noah Baumbach.

In the film, Sandler and Stiller portray siblings Danny and Matthew who, alongside sister Jean (Elizabeth Marvel), are reconnected in advance of their sculptor father Harold (Dustin Hoffman)'s career retrospective on his work. Danny has inherited some of his dad's artistic talent but is poor. Matthew may not have an inventive bone in his body but is a successful and wealthy financial planner. Both are unhappy, as is the timid Jean, and Harold isn't much more jovial, especially after witnessing the grand success of an old friend (Judd Hirsch) who recently had his own art show. No surprise, a tragedy strikes that brings long-isolated forces together.

The Meyerowitz Stories isn't without its pleasures. Both Sandler and Stiller are really quite wonderful, the former in particular shining after all too many years attaching himself to cinematic dreck. Marvel is strong too, even if Jean feels terribly underwritten, and Candice Bergen shows up for a boffo cameo as Harold's third wife (and Matthew's mom) who regrets paying scant attention to Danny and Jean as they grew up.

The picture has been sold as a sort of cross between Woody Allen and Wes Anderson but Baumbach's proceedings hardly match the sharpness of either of those two filmmakers' work, even third-tier Allen or Anderson. The film, despite some great acting, is curiously uninvolving for the most part and I wasn't too fond of Hoffman's dreary, sad sack portrayal of Harold, nor Emma Thompson's turn as the sculptor's latest wife, a one-note hippie caricature that plays more like a SNL character than actual human being.

Fans of Sandler and Stiller ought to check this out but keep those expectations modest.

B-

Review: "Lady Bird"

Saoirse Ronan (who should've won the Oscar for Brooklyn), Laurie Metcalf (one of the most devastatingly talented actors to ever grace the small screen), Tracy Letts (among this century's finest playwrights and a fierce actor to boot), Lucas Hedges (brilliant last year in Manchester By the Sea), Stephen Henderson (superb in last year's Fences), Timothee Chalamet (about to embark on an awards season run with Call Me By Your Name) and Lois Smith (among our most treasured character actors), among other geniuses, in a film directed by that sublime up-and-comer Greta Gerwig?

How could such a production prove anything less than absolute perfection?

Lady Bird does not disappoint. It is among the year's very best and most insightful pictures. Gerwig writes and directs on a sky-high level that is matched in every moment by a game cast ready to bask in the rich material they've been given.

Ronan is the deliciously droll and strong-willed Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson, a teenager itching to graduate from her Catholic high school in Sacramento and ideally settle down somewhere in the northeast. She has a stormy relationship with her mom Marion (Metcalf), a woman just as candid as her daughter and supremely stressed from work - pressure that only gets worse when family patriarch Larry (Letts) loses his job. Marion is not keen at all on the idea of Lady Bird making such a cross country move. Adding additional turbulence to Lady Bird's life are a pair of thorny romantic escapades and a suddenly strained relationship with her best friend (the fabulous Beanie Feldstein).

Lady Bird never strikes a false note, nor does it put any of its richly talented actors to waste. Ronan and Metcalf are in prime form, their relationship the heart and soul of the picture. With the spotlight shone on them, Gerwig ends the film on an immensely moving and perceptive note. But there is so much more to cherish in this picture too, including yet another heartbreaking performance from Hedges, that uproarious scene-stealer Feldstein and also the sweet rapport between Lady Bird and her father.

Members of the Academy, I realize the category of Best Lead Actress is looking to be something of a zoo this awards season. If, however, you opt not to nominate Ronan, one of today's finest young talents, operating at the very top of her game here, I am prepared to throw a hissy fit that you'll be able to hear all the way from Boston. K?

A

2017 Animated Feature Oscar Submissions

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced 26 films have been submitted for consideration in the category of Best Animated Feature. They are:

“The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales”
“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”
“The Boss Baby”
“The Breadwinner”
“Captain Underpants”
“Cars 3”
“Cinderella the Cat”
“Coco”
“Despicable Me 3”
“The Emoji Movie”
“Ethel & Ernest”
“Ferdinand”
“The Girl without Hands”
“In This Corner of the World”
“The Lego Batman Movie”
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”
“Loving Vincent”
“Mary and the Witch’s Flower”
“Moomins and the Winter Wonderland”
“My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea”
“Napping Princess”
“A Silent Voice”
“Smurfs: The Lost Village”
“The Star”
“Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale”
“Window Horses: The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming”

Review: "The Florida Project"

Between this and Wonderstruck a few days ago, I am truly in coming-of-age heaven right now.

The Florida Project, the latest picture from the talented writer/director Sean Baker, is a film fanciful and funny for the most part, though not without the occasional gut punch. Its wondrous outlook on life, through the eyes of the child, makes it all the more devastating when tragic reality comes crashing in.

The delightful newcomer Brooklynn Prince portrays Moonee, a six-year-old firecracker who, despite residing in a grungy budget hotel in Orlando, finds ways to make the very most of her surroundings. She has pals with that same sky-high energy level - often times, the proceedings have the ebullient feel of The Little Rascals - and an endearing rapport with hotel manager Bobby (Willem Dafoe), whose study exterior masks heaps of compassion and concern.

Moonee, of course, does not live alone - her lively routine is dependent on mom Halley (Bria Vinai), a hot mess who absolutely adores her daughter, keeping up on the weekly rent. Doing so proves exceedingly trying, as Halley moves in new and potentially dangerous directions to provide for her daughter.

The Florida Project isn't without its blemishes - it ends on a note that I found rather perplexing and unsatisfying. The final few minutes, however, are not enough to detract from the beauty of Prince's leading turn and the comparably convincing work from Dafoe (who's never been more understated) and Vinai (who adds layer upon layer to this untamed character). The picture also looks fabulous, with cinematography by Alexis Zabe.

Oh, and there's a scene in this thing with Moonee going to town on a breakfast buffet that is sure to land on my year-end list of favorite film moments. Amazing.

B+

2017 Oscar Nomination Predictions (November)

Aloha, my fellow Oscar aficionados!

Over the past month, since my October predictions, the following events have gone down in this awesome and unpredictable awards season:

• Trailers (at last!) dropped for Oscar contenders I, Tonya and Phantom Thread.
   
• The Gotham Awards bestowed heaps of love upon Call Me By Your Name, The Florida Project, Get Out, I, Tonya and Lady Bird with its nominations.
   
• Woody Allen's Wonder Wheel premiered to a so-so reception over at the New York Film Festival. With Best Actress probably too crowded for Kate Winslet to make the cut, is the film's only real Oscar prayer now in Best Cinematography?
   
• The Weinstein Company pushed The Current War back to 2018 (not that early reviews for the Benedict Cumberbatch pic were so hot to begin with).
   
• Not that either film was poised for much Oscar success but dismal box office receipts (despite warm reviews) certainly won't be helping the awards season hopes of Marshall and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.
   
• George Clooney's wannabe-awards season contender Suburbicon? Yeesh.
   
• Oh, and if you had Kevin Spacey in your Best Supporting Actor predictions for All the Money in the World...probably time to ditch him.

Please see below my latest set of Oscar predictions, for the month of November. In parentheses you will find how many slots a contender has moved up or down since my last rankings. In a number of cases, I have dropped a film or performer entirely.

Enjoy reading and, as always, feel free to comment with your own thoughts as well!

Best Picture

1. Dunkirk (-)
2. The Shape of Water (-)
3. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (+2)
4. The Post (-1)
5. Darkest Hour (-1)
6. Call Me By Your Name (-)
7. Phantom Thread (+4)
8. Mudbound (-)
9. I, Tonya (NEW)
   ---
10. Lady Bird (+2)
11. The Florida Project (-4)
12. Get Out (+2)
13. The Disaster Artist (-4)
14. Victoria & Abdul (NEW)
15. The Big Sick (-2)

DROPPED
Coco (-5)
Wonder Wheel (-1)

Best Director

1. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (-)
2. Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (-)
3. Steven Spielberg, The Post (-)
4. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (+1)
5. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (+5)
   ---
6. Joe Wright, Darkest Hour (-2)
7. Dee Rees, Mudbound (-)
8. Luca Guadagnino, Call Me By Your Name (-2)
9. Craig Gillespie, I, Tonya (NEW)
10. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (NEW)

DROPPED
Sean Baker, The Florida Project (-3)
Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049 (-2)

Best Lead Actor

1. Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (-)
2. Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread (+4)
3. Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name (-1)
4. Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger (-)
5. Tom Hanks, The Post (-2)
   ---
6. James Franco, The Disaster Artist (+1)
7. Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman (NEW)
8. Andrew Garfield, Breathe (-2)
9. Steve Carell, Last Flag Flying (-1)
10. Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. (-)

DROPPED
Harry Dean Stanton, Lucky (-2)

Best Lead Actress

1. Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-)
2. Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (-)
3. Meryl Streep, The Post (-)
4. Margot Robbie, I, Tonya (NEW)
5. Judi Dench, Victoria & Abdul (-)
   ---
6. Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird (+3)
7. Jessica Chastain, Molly's Game (-3)
8. Annette Bening, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (-)
9. Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman (NEW)
10. Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes (-3)

DROPPED
Kate Winslet, Wonder Wheel (-5)

Best Supporting Actor

1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (-)
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-)
3. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name (-)
4. Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (NEW)
5. Michael Shannon, The Shape of Water (-2)
   ---
6. Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name (-)
7. Bryan Cranston, Last Flag Flying (+1)
8. Jason Mitchell, Mudbound (+2)
9. Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour (-4)
10. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water (-1)

DROPPED
Dustin Hoffman, The Meyerowitz Stories (-4)

Best Supporting Actress

1. Allison Janney, I, Tonya (+2)
2. Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird (-)
3. Melissa Leo, Novitiate (-2)
4. Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water (-)
5. Kristin Scott Thomas, Darkest Hour (-)
   ---
6. Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread (NEW)
7. Holly Hunter, The Big Sick (-1)
8. Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip (NEW)
9. Hong Chau, Downsizing (-)
10. Tatiana Maslany, Stronger (-3)

DROPPED
Claire Foy, Breathe (-3)
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound (-1)

Best Original Screenplay

1. Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-)
2. Anthony McCarten, Darkest Hour (-)
3. Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water (-)
4. Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, The Post (-)
5. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (+5)
   ---
6. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (-)
7. Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch, The Florida Project (-2)
8. Jordan Peele, Get Out (+1)
9. Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick (-1)
10. Steven Rogers, I, Tonya (NEW)

DROPPED
Woody Allen, Wonder Wheel (-4)

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name (-)
2. Dee Rees and Virgil Williams, Mudbound (-)
3. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist (+1)
4. Angelina Jolie and Loung Ung, First They Killed My Father (-1)
5. Shrabani Basu and Lee Hall, Victoria & Abdul (NEW)
   ---
6. Richard Linklater and Darryl Ponicsan, Last Flag Flying (-1)
7. Aaron Sorkin, Molly's Game (-1)
8. Sofia Coppola, The Beguiled (-1)
9. John Pollono, Stronger (-1)
10. Jason Fuchs, Allan Heinberg, William Moulton Marston and Zack Snyder, Wonder Woman (-1)

DROPPED
Matt Greenhalgh and Peter Turner, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (-1)

Best Animated Feature

1. Coco (-)
2. Loving Vincent (-)
3. The Breadwinner (-)
4. The Girl Without Hands (-)
5. Cars 3 (-)
   ---
6. The Lego Batman Movie (+2)
7. Despicable Me 3 (-1)
8. Ferdinand (-1)
9. Mary and the Witch's Flower (-)
10. The Big, Bad Fox and Other Tales (NEW)

DROPPED
The Lego Ninjago (-1)

Best Documentary Feature

1. Faces, Places (+1)
2. City of Ghosts (-1)
3. Ex Libris (-)
4. Hell on Earth (-)
5. Risk (-)
   ---
6. Cries from Syria (-)
7. L.A. 92 (-)
8. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (+2)
9. The Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson (-1)
10. Abacus (-1)

Best Foreign Language Film

1. First They Killed My Father (Cambodia) (-)
2. A Fantastic Woman (Chile) (-)
3. A Letter to the President (Afghanistan) (-)
4. Her Love Boils Bathwater (Japan) (-)
5. A Taxi Driver (South Korea) (-)
   ---
6. In the Fade (Germany) (-)
7. BPM (Beats Per Minute) (France) (NEW)
8. The Square (Sweden) (-1)
9. Summer 1993 (Spain) (+1)
10. Foxtrot (Israel) (NEW)

DROPPED
Scary Mother (Georgia) (-3)
The Train of Salt and Sugar (Mozambique) (-2)

Best Cinematography

1. Hoyte Van Hoytema, Dunkirk (-)
2. Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049 (-)
3. Dan Laustsen, The Shape of Water (-)
4. Bruno Delbonnel, Darkest Hour (-)
5. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (NEW)
   ---
6. Janusz Kaminski, The Post (-)
7. Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Call Me By Your Name (-)
8. Vittorio Storaro, Wonder Wheel (-3)
9. Rachel Morrison, Mudbound (-1)
10. Edward Lachman, Wonderstruck (-1)

DROPPED
Masanobu Takayanagi, Hostiles (-1)

Best Costume Design

1. Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread (+6)
2. Jacqueline Durran, Darkest Hour (-1)
3. Ellen Miojnick, The Greatest Showman (-1)
4. Jacqueline Durran, Beauty and the Beast (-1)
5. Consolata Boyle, Victoria & Abdul (-1)
   ---
6. Sandy Powell, Wonderstruck (-1)
7. Alexandra Byrne and Timothy Everest, Murder on the Orient Express (-1)
8. Lindy Hemming, Wonder Woman (+2)
9. Ann Roth, The Post (-)
10. Stacey Battat, The Beguiled (NEW)

DROPPED
Suzy Benzinger, Wonder Wheel (-3)

Best Film Editing

1. Lee Smith, Dunkirk (-)
2. Sidney Wolinsky, The Shape of Water (-)
3. Jon Gregory, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (NEW)
4. Michael Kahn, The Post (+1)
5. Valerio Bonelli, Darkest Hour (-1)
   ---
6. Bob Ducsay, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-1)
7. William Hoy and Stan Salfas, War for the Planet of the Apes (-1)
8. Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya (NEW)
9. Joe Walker, Blade Runner 2049 (-)
10. Walter Fasano, Call Me By Your Name (-1)

DROPPED
Mako Kamitsuna, Mudbound (-2)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

1. Anita Burger, David Malinkowski and Lucy Sibbick, Darkest Hour (-)
2. Paula Fleet and Patricia Keighran, The Shape of Water (-)
3. Sunday English, Gary English, Nicki Ledermann, Angela Levin,Gary Martori, Jerry Popolis, Rania Ribalow, Pamela S. Westmore and Nakoya Yancey, The Greatest Showman (-)
   ---
4. Flora Moody and Allison Sing, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-)
5. Mary Everett, Bill Myer and Teresa Vest, I, Tonya (+2)
6. Alexis Continente, Carol Hemming, Dana Kalder, Jutta Russell, Chiara Ugolini and Wakana Yoshihara, Murder on the Orient Express (-1)
7. Lizza Lawson, Jo-Ann MacNiel and Donald Mowat, Blade Runner 2049 (-1)
8. Paul Engelen and Jon Henry Gordon, Phantom Thread (NEW)
9. Jacqueline Bhavnani, Samantha Denyer, Sarah Kelly and Bradley Simms, Beauty and the Beast (-1)
10. Sarah Craig, Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, Debra Manou, Emily O'Quinn and Sean Sansom, It (-)

DROPPED
Haruyo Sawada and Torsten Witte, Battle of the Sexes (-1)

Best Original Score

1. Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water (-)
2. Dario Marianelli, Darkest Hour (-)
3. John Williams, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-)
4. Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk (-)
5. Thomas Newman, Victoria & Abdul (-)
   ---
6. Carter Burwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (-)
7. Jonny Greenwood, Phantom Thread (NEW)
8. Michael Giacchino, Coco (-1)
9. John Debney, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, The Greatest Showman (+1)
10. Hans Zimmer, Blade Runner 2049 (-1)

DROPPED
John Williams, The Post (-3)

Best Production Design

1. Nathan Crowley, Dunkirk (-)
2. Paul D. Austerberry, The Shape of Water (-)
3. Dennis Gassner, Blade Runner 2049 (+1)
4. Sarah Greenwood, Darkest Hour (-1)
5. Nathan Crowley, The Greatest Showman (+1)
   ---
6. Veronique Melery and Mark Tidesley, Phantom Thread (NEW)
7. David J. Bomba, Mudbound (-2)
8. Aline Bonetto, Wonder Woman (-)
9. Rick Heinrichs, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-)
10. Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, Beauty and the Beast (NEW)

DROPPED
Santo Loquasto, Wonder Wheel (-4)
Rick Carter, The Post (-2)

Best Sound Editing

1. Richard King, Dunkirk (-)
2. Matthew Wood, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-)
3. Will Files, War for the Planet of the Apes (-)
4. Nathan Robitaille, The Shape of Water (-)
5. Julian Slater, Baby Driver (-)
   ---
6. Theo Green and Mark A. Mangini, Blade Runner 2049 (-)
7. Paul Carter and Becki Ponting, The Greatest Showman (NEW)
8. Justin Doyle, Coco (-1)
9. James Mather, Wonder Woman (-1)
10. Richard Hymns, The Post (-)

DROPPED
Scott Hecker, Hostiles (-2)

Best Sound Mixing

1. Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo and Mark Weingarten, Dunkirk (-)
2. David Parker and Michael Semanchick, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-)
3. Christian T. Cooke, Filip Hosek and Brad Zoern, The Shape of Water (-)
4. Bill Bair, Will Files, Tom Lalley, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson, War for the Planet of the Apes (-)
5. Christopher Boyes and Michael Semanchick, Coco (-)
   ---
6. Ron Barlett, Doug Hemphill and Mac Ruth, Blade Runner 2049 (-)
7. Gary Rydstrom,The Post (-)
8. Tod A. Maitland, Jason Stasium and Dan White, The Greatest Showman (NEW)
9. Paul Munro, Wonder Woman (-1)
10. Tim Cavagin and Julian Slater, Baby Driver (-1)

DROPPED
Craig Berkey and Roger J. Sacdalan, Darkest Hour (-1)

Best Visual Effects

1. Richard Bain, Ben Morris and Michael Mulholland, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (-)
2. Richard Clegg, Paul Lambert, Victor Muller and John Nelson, Blade Runner 2049 (+2)
3. Ryan Cook, Dan Lemmon, Joe Letteri and Erik Winquist, War for the Planet of the Apes (+1)
4. Dennis Berardi and Kristen Bligh, The Shape of Water (-2)
5. Vincent Cirelli, Jake Morrison, Brendan Seals, Alexis Wajsbrot and Chad Wiebe,Thor: Ragnarok (+3)
   ---
6. Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley and Tim McGovern, Dunkirk (-1)
7. Frazer Churchill, Viktor Muller, Jessica Norman and Bill Westenhofer, Wonder Woman (-1)
8. Kyle McCulloch, David Piombino, Kelly Port and Glen Pratt, Beauty and the Beast (-1)
9. Dan Bethell, Theodore Bialek, Vincent Cirelli, Lou Pecora and Doug Spilatro, Spider-Man: Homecoming (-1)
10. Matthew Crnich, Ray McMaster, Kevin Andrew Smith, Doug Spilatro and Christopher Townsend, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (-1)