Let Them All Talk (2020)

 

A famous author goes on a cruise trip with her friends and nephew in an effort to find fun and happiness while she comes to terms with her troubled past.

Carefully directed cruise ship drama with some humorous elements is fully enjoyable first and foremost for its excellently assembled ensemble; there's never a dull moment.

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)

 

Anna and Mike portray two characters in a film set in 19th century England who fall in love despite the fact that Mike's character is engaged.

From memory: Beautifully photographed and staged and well cast romance drama has a complex narrative structure set in two time periods that seemingly interact with each other and seems to try to say something deep, but in the end it's mainly just an upscale tearjerker.

Halliwell*: "Vaguely unsatisfactory and muddled coloured adaptation of a novel which sets its thin story against the entire social background of he Victorian age as related to our own. The attempt to replace this by an equally thin modern story about actors playing the Victorian roles fails rather dismally; but the enterprise supplies points of interest along the way."

Maltin***1/2: "The juxtaposition is jarring at first, but becomes more engaging as the film progresses. Beautifully visualized, with rich period detail, superb performances..."

 

 

Little Women (2019)

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.

Lively, beautifully set and photographed, excellently cast adaptation of the classic and beloved novel; however, the non-linear telling of the tale diminishes the impact of the romances and tragedies and seems to assume the audience already has full knowledge of the story.

The Homesman (2014)

Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by a pious, independent-minded young woman, who in turn employs a low-life drifter to assist her.

Excellently directed Western with a dark, bleak vision of the period  is an intense experience, thanks to exhilarating performances by Jones and Swank  and a a good throughout and some magnificent cinematography.

Manhattan (1979)

The life of a divorced television writer dating a teenage girl is further complicated when he falls in love with his best friend's mistress.

On par with his previous masterpiece Annie Hall Woody Allen's study of love life amidst New York intellectuals scores  with beautiful b&w cinematography and more subtle humor than before.

Halliwell****: "As close to a summation of Woody Allen's views and oeuvre as anybody needs; some smart jabs about the lives we lead are sometimes bogged down in earnestness and half-comic despair."

Maltin***1/2: "Bittersweet slice-of-life...; blisteringly accurate and ultimately poignant, a worthy follow-up to Woody's ANNIE HALL. Magnificently photographed (in b&w) by Gordon Willis, with splendid use of Gershwin's music on the soundtrack."

The Deer Hunter (1978)

The U.S. Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of people in a small industrial town in Pennsylvania.

From memory (multiple viewings): Controversial for its biased depiction of the Vietnam War, this masterpiece explores the war's impact on an average American community; stellar performances throughout, excellent cinematography and many meticulously staged, often highly intense and harrowing sequences makes it a thoroughly exhausting cinematic experience.

Halliwell*: "The three-hour running time is taken up with crosscutting of a wedding, a deer hunt and a game of Russian roulette. Presumably the audience has to guess the point, if any; meanwhile it may be repelled by this long and savage if frequently engrossing film."

Maltin****: "Stunning film...Long but not overlong, this sensitive, painful, evocative work packs an emotional wallop."

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Ted Kramer's wife leaves him, allowing for a lost bond to be rediscovered between Ted and his son, Billy, but a heated custody battle ensues over the divorced couple's son, deepening the wounds left by the separation.

From memory: Top-notch courtroom melodrama, excellently directed and extraordinary performances by both leads leaves a bitter aftertaste concerning its dubious message concerning gender roles.

Halliwell***: "New-fashioned tearjerker, as slick as a colour supplement and catnip to the emotion-starved masses."

Maltin****: "...intelligent, beautifully crafted, intensely moving film."

Meryl Streep

Bio:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meryl_Streep

The Post (2017)

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country's first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between the press and the government.

Professionally staged, although a bit old-fashioned,  historical drama with an excellent cast succeeds in its appeal for the necessity of a free press.

Hope Springs (2012)

 

 

After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.

 

The stars perform fine as a couple in a midlife crisis, but the message is that relationships are little business enterprises which only are 'successful' with constant effort and efficiency.

 

Maltin**1/2: "Reasonably realistic, empathetic comedy-drama...features (yet another) fine performance by Streep, but it's almost impossible to care about Jones' sullen, quarrelsome character. We have to take it on faith that she saw something wonderful in him all those years ago." 

Sophie's Choice (1982)

After spending time with his new neighbors, an aspiring writer realizes they are harboring deep secrets that will forever change him.

A bleak and intense story of a love traingle marred by the conflicting backgrounds of the lovers (especially the woman's experience of the Holocaust) is obviously bound to the novel's specifications, but convinces very much by the power of the strong performances.

Halliwell*: "Glum romantic drama about guilt and retribution, long and uncinematic as well as rather poorly done; but its intentions are doubtless honourable.

Maltin**1/2: "Streep's Oscar-winning performance is the centerpiece (and raison d'être) for this slavishly faithful, but deadeningly slow-moving, adaptation of William Styron's book...Nestor Almendros' camera is in love with Streep, but her stunning characterization can't carry the film alone.'"

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.

Intelligent remake of a classic, a joy to watch.

On renewed viewing: Nice-looking remake of a classic political satire updates the message and otherwise has its credentials in all departments, but the good work doesn't have the original's edge.

Maltin**1/2: "Remake of a genuinely great film puts an intriguing, modern spin on the depiction of backroom power brokers but lacks the chilling edge - and starkness - that marked the original."

The Iron Lady (2011)

An elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, intervene. 

Well-produced, but strangely neutral biopic that merely states that its protagonist was "controversial"; Meryl Streep's amazing performance is part of the problem as it beggars empathy for a person who would have never shown any herself.

Maltin**1/2: "Uneven biopic...We get a CliffsNotes review of her life and career, but nothing personal or professional is explored in a meaningful way except for Thatcher's stubbornness...It's not clear whether this [her later dementia] is meant to humanize or diminish her. Roach does a solid job playing Thatcher as a young woman, but it's Streep's towering and credible performance...that makes the movie worth seeing."

Suffragette (2015)

In early 20th-century Britain, the growing suffragette movement forever changes the life of a working wife and mother.

Old-fashioned, but efficiently produced period movie that manages to stir up the emotions on a key issue of 20th century history; the cast is excellent.

Julie & Julia (2009)

Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book.

Likable lightweight and mildy humorous account of the two protagonists' stories; Meryl Streep is, like ever, marvelous.

Maltin***: "Streep is a marvel to behold as the fabled chef (with Tucci a perfect partner as her loving husband), and Adams is well cast as her modern-day disciple. What might have been a great film goes on too long and doesn't provide a satisfying finale."