Movie Review: I Heard the Bells

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful faith-based Christmas film. 

This movie marks the feature film debut for Sight and Sound Theatres, which puts on elaborate Christian themed plays (often with big special effects) often times telling stories from the Bible. This is an especially impressive film debut and simply great movie. Rather than telling a story from the Bible, this movie tells the story of how the poet Henry Longfellow wrote the words to the classic Christmas carol, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. They adapted to the movies very well. This film never feels stage bound, but instead very cinematic. Rather than staying for a long time in one place this film will move to many different locations over the course of the film. All these locations are given a real authenticity. As well as this the camera does not remain stationary and the cinematography is often excellent. This movie is also less effects heavy than the company's plays. This is very important because while these effects are jaw dropping on a stage, in a time with many effects heavy films, they would just get lost in the shuffle in a movie. These effects also while they would feel at home in many biblical stories, would feel out of place in a film like this. 

Beyond just the technical aspects, this is simply a very moving film. This movie is quite sentimental, yet the sentimentality always feels genuine and never forced. A major reason for this is that we truly grow to care about the characters here. Our main character, his wife and his oldest son are all fully fleshed out characters with many virtues as well as all too human faults. Yet none of these faults ever make the characters unlikable, but only more human and real. All this is helped by a wonderful cast who bring the heart and soul out of each character. The story is also a wonderfully touching one and it is told in a way where every emotion rings through. This movie lightens many of the darker moments with some humorous moments. However these moments are truly funny and seem to come naturally out of the story instead of feeling forced in. They also never take away from the impact of the drama. This film can be a bit of a tearjerker, but it is an incredibly well made one. This movie also does a wonderful job getting across in Christian message. It does this in a way that makes this feel like a film instead of a sermon, but where the message is still just as clear and powerful as in a great sermon. The message comes directly from the story and there is never a moment when the film stops so a character can preach it to us. As a Christian I fully agree with this message and appreciate they intelligent and cinematic way it is conveyed. 

A wonderful movie. 

Movie Review: Phantom of the Open

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A completely delightful British comedy-drama. 

This is a movie that does exactly what it sets out to do. It is a feel-good story and it truly makes you feel good. This film is based off a true-life story and it is easy to see why this story had to made into a movie (okay, it was made into a book first). The basic story is irresistible. A man who has never played golf before, decides he wants to play in the British Open and when he gets the chance to, he plays the worst round in the history of the Open. Yet despite this and being labeled "the world's worst golfer" he does not let this stop him from his dream. Too often we don't do things that we know we would truly love, because we also know that we might fail or that the odds are against us. Yet as this film shows us, sometimes it is enough to simply live our lives to the fullest and still "reach for the stars" when we do fail.  In a world that has become so cynical this is a type of movie that we need right now. Because as much as we may laugh at his failed attempts at golf, deep down we truly admire this man and wish that we could be more like him. With this incredibly effective sweetness and optimism it is no shock that the writer, Simon Farnaby, also co-wrote the wonderful Paddington 2. 

Of course, for a film like this much of it relies on its stars. Luckily this movie has a truly fantastic cast. Mark Rylance is always incredible with any role he is given, and I don't think I have ever seen a movie with him, where he didn't give a great performance. However, he is at the top of his game here. No matter how familiar you may be with this actor, he so becomes the character that you forget you are watching an actor play a role. He brings so much warmth and humanity to the role that only makes this already charming movie, more charming. The always great Sally Hawkins is also incredibly charming as his wife, and she brings a sweet charm to this movie that results in some of its finest moments.

This is also a very funny movie. This is not only a film that will make you smile but one that will make you laugh out loud. While I expected the film might give me a few laughs, I did not except to laugh as much or as hard as I did. Yet all of this comedy is at service to the story and adds to the story the film is telling rather than distracting from it. Plus, any modern movie that has a comedy scene referencing the Keystone Kops has easily won my heart.

If you want to leave a movie simply feeling good, this is a must see. 

Movie Review: Infinite Storm

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made survival drama. 

The basic storyline of this film is very simple and kind of familiar, but it is done so well this doesn't matter. Being a movie about a mountain rescue naturally the look is very important. Luckily the film is fantastic in this regard. This is a beautiful looking movie that perfectly captures both the beauty and the danger of where the film takes place. Much of the movie is truly breathtaking to look at. As such, during the mountain scenes (which make up the majority of the film), your eyes are glued to the screen. The characters themselves are quite likable. The majority of the film is spent with just two characters but luckily these two characters are easy to connect to. partly because of what they have been through and partly because of who they are, it is hard not to feel for these characters. These two characters, who at first seem to have little in common, have excellent chemistry together and it is a joy to watch them share the screen. It of course doesn't hurt that Naomi Watts and Billy Howle both give great performances. The story while nothing original is well told. The ending (while I could see it coming from a mile away) is actually quite moving. 

On the downside this film has some dialogue that feels forced (especially the conversation or heroine has, before going to the mountain) and this can take you out of the movie. Also, though this movie doesn't have that much comedy, whenever it tries to be funny, this falls completely flat. 

While not original this is still a quite effective and even touching survival movie. 

Movie Review: Lady of Heaven

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

A decent movie about Lady Fatima (the daughter of Mohammad).

As well as the story of Lady Fatima, this film also features a bridging story featuring a young boy growing up in modern day Iraq. These scenes are surprisingly the highlight of the picture. They address the horrors of ISIS and other terrorist groups in an honest and brutal way. The opening scenes are the picture are very disturbing and heartbreaking as they should be. It is these scenes that will stay with the audience well after the film ends. This leads to our young hero being told the story of Lady Fatima. This story is decently told. The emotional moments are hit quite well. This is especially true of the later scenes where the story gets more tragic. The message though very heavy handed is a good one and by the end we can fully see just how much violence can come out of men's greed. The movie also has a great look to it that really adds a sense of atmosphere to this film. 


 Unfortunately, on the other hand for a movie based off of a true story, this can feel quite a bit over the top. This is especially true of the action scenes which can feel like they belong in a different movie. Much of the dialogue can also feel forced. This movie also suffers from an incredibly one note and boring villain. 

This may not be a great movie by any means, but it is a well-intentioned one and the things about this film that work, work very well. 

Movie Review: King Richard

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well made and engrossing biopic. 

More than a sports movie or an underdog story, this film is a character study of a complex character. I honestly don't watch sports at all and before this movie was only familiar with Venus and Serena Williams through seeing TV commercials. If you were to mention Richard Williams to me, I would have thought you were talking about the animator. Because of this I have no idea how truthful or fact based this depiction of Richard Williams is, but I know I found him a really fascinating character. While this movie paints him as a good man, it does not ignore any of his flaws. In fact often they are often front and center. In these moments you can get frustrated or even infuriated with him but never so much as to make him too unlikable. There were times I wish the film could have delved deeper into the darker ramifications of how he tried to run and plan out these two girls lives, but that would have made a very different movie. This film does a lot to make sure that we understand where he is coming from on each of his decisions, right or wrong and it is because of this that we become emotionally involved in the story. Adding to this character is an excellent performance by Will Smith. Will Smith is often known for playing fairly one note characters that don't allow him to stretch his acting range. However this film shows that he is a really good actor and that given the right role he can turn in a great performance. However he is not the only performance that makes this movie, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams is also excellent. Even at a young age and with a brief filmography, Saniyya has already had quite a film career under her belt having also appeared in such critically praised movies as Hidden Figures and Fences. Her she turns in an extremely fine performance that adds a lot of emotion heart to this movie. In the ending scene you can see just what a good actress this young girl is.

 This movie's climatic tennis scene is an excellent example of suspense filmmaking. By cutting back and forth from the game to scenes with Venus' family, director Reinaldo Marcus Green creates a very engaging sequence that will even keep those who (like me) find sports boring rooting for Venus. 

On the downside this movie is much longer than it needs to be and it can drag at times. As much as this film lets us get to know Richard, Venus and Serena, the other characters can come off as bland and boring, even the other siblings. 

While far from a perfect movie, this is a delightful biopic and character study with truly great acting. 

Movie Review: Sabina - Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A

A truly top notch Christian film that can stand up there with some of the best secular films of this year. 

This is a movie that goes beyond simple platitudes and one that could never be considered to simply be pandering to its Christian audience. Instead it is honest, open and frank and will cause any Christian watching it to examine their own walk with the Lord. It never sugarcoats its message but looks at what a real Christian worldview should be an why it is so difficult for any of us living in this world. This is done through its characters (based off real life people) being real three dimensional characters who hurt and struggle just like any one else. Though what they have done, hiding Jews from the Nazis and trying to convert the Nazis to real Christianity and repent of the horrible deeds they committed despite being of Jewish decent themselves, are things nearly of us could never imagine doing, they are not shown to be superhuman and it is obvious that without Christ they would never be able to do it. This becomes obvious in the early scenes before they are converted. Sabina herself holds a hostility toward Christians, because people who claimed to be Christians bullied her for being Jewish. With this in mind it is obvious that she could never be one to show kindness to anyone persecuting her race without Jesus Christ having changed her from the inside. Yet this movie never plays down what the Nazi's did, and the horrors they inflicted. This is a truly honest movie that would never sugarcoat one of the greatest tragedies in the history of man kind. Yet at the same time it reminds us that as long as one is on this Earth it is never too late for them to turn to God and change themselves completely. This is a powerful message but one many of us (like Jonah) do not want to hear. To approach such a subject so intelligent and thoughtfully is something that sadly too few Christian films would even attempt. 

This movie is also as great as it is because of the wonderful performances by Raluca Botez and Emil Mandanac as the leads and a tight direction and great script from John Grooters (one of the best Christian filmmakers of our time). 

Movie Review: Spencer

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

An intense and heartbreaking look at Princess Diana.

Despite being about the life of Princess Diana, this film is anything but a traditional biopic. This movie has a strange dreamlike and purposely unreal feel to it. This is because the film is more interested in putting you into the mental state of our main character than our character's actual life. If you are like me and never really paid attention to British royals or their lives, then you will still know very little about this subject afterwards. However this is not a fault of the film at all because what it does, it does quite well. The idea of feeling like you are somewhere you don't belong or that you are forced to live a life and be a person who is not you is something that all of us can relate too. While we have never had it to the extreme that Princess Diana does in this movie, we can still to some extant understand and feel for her. As such I could feel my heart break for her during many scenes and there were times the film could even be difficult to watch for this reason. Much of this though is not only due to her situation but to Kristen Stewart's fantastic performance. This is one of the best performances of her career and I am sure it will cause many who have written her off to stop and take notice. There is never a moment where her performance ever feels anything less than completely real. The emotion is also perfectly captured by the visual filmmaking of director, Pablo Larraín and cinematographer,  Claire Mathon (who has worked on plenty of French films including Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)), both of whom create a film that visually is as emotional as any on screen performer can be. Jonny Greenwood's musical score is also great and not only a joy to listen to but perfectly fit the action on the screen.

This movie does have its faults though. Though we get emotionally attached to our main character, the rest of the characters are quite bland and boring. This fault is at its worst when it comes to her kids. These kids are supposed to be the one light in her life. Because of this they should be some of the most likable characters in the film, but they are not interesting in the least bit. This movie also suffers from getting too into its own dreamlike state and this simply takes you out of the film. There is also quite a bit of dialogue that feels a little forced. 

This may be flawed but it is a unique and emotionally impactful movie. 

Movie Review: 12 Mighty Orphans

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A good hearted and truly feel good underdog story. 

We have all seen many sports underdog stories in movies and truth be told this one adds nothing we haven't seen before. However it tells its story in such a sincere and heartfelt way that I couldn't help but be overcome by its charms. Much of this is due to our main character (Luke Wilson) a football coach who like the boys on his team grew up an orphan and have been hurt by the harshness of life (in his case the horrors of WW1). This is a man who has life knock him down and the past often comes back to haunt him, but who still fights to be optimistic and believe that with hard work and dedication he can accomplish anything. In this extremely pessimistic age, this is kind of unabashed optimism is just what we need. 12 Mighty Orphans is optimistic in all the right ways and this main point of the story comes across incredible well. We get the feeling that the filmmakers truly believe in what they are saying with this film and this sincerity makes us leave the theater feeling the same optimism that our main character feels. One of the most heartfelt scenes involves the coach talking to his star player (Jake Austin Walker) about the pain he still feels. This scene is surprisingly emotionally effective and very well written. It perfectly conveys the message of this film without sugarcoating or talking down to its audience. The movie also benefits from a very authentic feeling 1930's setting and a fantastic cast all around. Martian Sheen in particular often steals the show.  

Unfortunately this movie's two main antagonists (Wayne Knight, Lane Garrison) are bland, uninteresting and incredibly over the top. In fact they are so over the top that they feel like they came out of a parody rather than a legitimate sports movie. This puts them at odds with the sincere and down to earth feeling of the rest of the film. The use of a narrator proves pointless as he just describes what we have already seen and can infer for ourselves. 

All and all, if you like feel good underdog movies, you should really enjoy this. 

Michael J. Ruhland 

Movie Review: Minari

 

Note: I saw this film in a theater and it is so good to be back.

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

A truly incredible and moving film that should be seen by every movie fan.

This film is a semi-autobiographical story from director/writer Lee Isaac Chung and his passion can be felt in every second of this wonderful movie. The story itself is rather simple revolving around a Korean-American family starting a farm to achieve their (or the dad's) American dream. This simple story is told to near perfection. This is often a quiet and rather reflective film letting us take in every inch of atmosphere and charm. This movie tends to focus mostly on the family themselves and the relationship they have with each other. These characters each have extremely well thought out personalities that all of us can relate to and understand. Even more interesting than the characters themselves is the relationships between them. The young son and the grandma share the best scenes that bring both the funniest and the most touching moments. The mother's relationship with the youngest son is both touching and heartbreaking. He has a weak heart and this has lead her to become overprotective and extremely affectionate. However a lot of what she says to him scares him rather than calms him down. The two kids also have a great relationship. The sister not only looks out for her little brother but he also is the person she most confides in. The parents are perfect examples of two people who love each other but have completely different ideas of how they should be living. Even the family's relationship with a man who works for the father is rather touching. It is these perfectly well thought out relationships that truly make this film special. However there is still even more to recommend about this movie. The film paints a very engrossing portrait of small town America that is beautiful but also far from idyllic. This film also does an amazing job of conveying the difficulties that many people in these situations have went through. Yet even through all the emotional moments this brings on, the movie is not overly depressing or not entertaining. The humor throughout this film is excellent and the audience I saw this with laughed heartily at quite a few moments (after so long away from movie theaters it was so joyous for me to hear an audience really laugh again). Yet the humor never takes the slightest bit away from the emotional moments. This is a truly a movie that will both make you want to laugh and cry. 

I could not recommend this film any more. If you haven't seen it yet go out and see it.  

Movie Review: The Courier

 

Note: I saw this film in a theater and I am so glad to be back.

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A top notch Cold War spy thriller. 

I must start this review by praising what everyone else is praising about this movie and that is Benedict Cumberbatch's performance. To be honest before this movie I was mostly familiar with him from the MCU and The Current War. While I knew he was a good actor from these films, I was unaware he was capable of a performance like this. His acting here is incredible and despite the fact that I knew who the actor was, I never once thought about the actor while watching his performance. This performance starts out as charming and quite comedic but as the storyline gets more intense so does the way he plays this character. Yet this always feels like the same person, no matter how intense or how charming the performance is. Cumberbatch knows how to make you believe you are watching a regular likable person being pushed to his limits. The last act of this movie is simply a tour de force for Cumberbatch. That is not to say that he is the only good member of the cast. In fact everybody in this movie truly shines.  This film also benefits from an incredible true story. This story is a perfect story for a movie like this because while it is true it also larger than life. The story is told extremely well. There is not a single scene in which my attention drifted. Yet at the same time it is told at a pace that never once feels rushed. This film also extremely benefits from a fantastic score by Abel Korzeniowski that perfectly captures and adds to each scene.

This is simply a must watch movie. 

Movie Review: The Dig

 

Note: This film received a limited theatrical release earlier this year and is now available on Netflix. 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A completely engrossing British film based off a real archeological dig. 

This is not a fast moving or action filled movie, yet it never lets go of your attention. It took a little bit to get truly into this movie, but as it went on I found myself getting more an more into it. Rather than simply telling the story of this great archeological find, this movie mostly functions as a in depth character study. This serves as not only a study of the main characters but the supporting characters as well and some of those supporting characters are just as interesting as the main ones. As well as the one big story, there are also multiple supporting stories happening that revolve around the characters themselves. With a lesser film this could have worked against the whole. Yet each story comes together perfectly and instead of distracting from the main story, actually enhances it. It is because of these smaller stories that the characters and there dedication to this project feel real to us, and therefore this smaller stories make us care about the larger story. In fact there were times when I wished more time was spent with the subplots so that they could have been a bit more developed. The acting is top notch. The chemistry between Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan is simply fantastic and Lily James steals every scene she is in. 

Movie Review: Clouds

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A thought-provoking and quite moving film about trying to live normally, when your life is not normal.

While someone knowing they are going to die soon and trying to cope with this fact is something we have seen before in many movies, this film successeds so well because of how deeply human and unforced its emotion is. The emotional impact of this movie comes not from the situation but from the characters and their emotional reactions to the tragic situation. At one point our main character is told "You are not the only kid with cancer." This may be true but he is not just any kid, as this movie goes along he becomes our friend and when his emotional pain is hurting him, we just want to give him a big hug. However he is not the only character we connect to here. We are given just as much time with those who knew him and just as many opportunities to connect with them. We feel the need to give them hugs as well. After seeing so many movies that handle this  type of story with forced and obviously manipulated emotion (I suffered through Five Feet Apart and Midnight Sun), it is refreshing to see it handled so well here. 

On the downside there is quite a bit of dialogue that feels to forced and not like what anyone would really say (plus some that offers too obvious of foreshadowing). The humor mostly falls flat as well. 

While this movie is based off a true story, it is one I was honestly barely familiar with. I don't know how much of this movie was actually true but I do know it felt completely real and honest to me. 

Note: This movie is only available on Disney + (as far as I know), if any of you wish to see it. 

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Movie Review: Just Mercy

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very good courtroom drama.

What makes this film so captivating is its incredibly emotional portrayal of the horrors of an innocent man being sent to death row. Though this is a courtroom drama, often the most powerful scenes take place outside of the courtroom. These scenes often involve three inmates whose cells are next to each other talking. While some dialogue in this movie can feel a bit forced this is never the case with these scenes. These scenes present us with very intelligent, thought provoking and naturalistic dialogue. Making this portrayal of an innocent man on death row so much more effective is Jamie Foxx's incredible performance. This is a very subdued and subtle piece of acting, but it is more effective for being so. This is not only a quiet and soft-spoken man, but also one who has been beaten down by the system. However all along you can clearly see the pain in his face and you can know he hurts more than most of us ever will. Many actors would have played this part more over the top, but the film would have certainly not worked the right way. As one would hope for in a movie about racism, there is some very good social commentary here. Probably the best of which is when early on in the movie, when people ask the film's protagonist if he has seen the "Mockingbird Exhibit." They consider that an important piece of civil rights history and look upon it as something to be revered. Yet when a case is shockingly close to the one in How To Kill a Mockingbird, the town fails to notice the injustice.

This is definitely not a perfect movie. It is a long film and can feel like such at times. There are certainly scenes here that could have been cut out, to make for a better movie. Our main protagonist is the real life lawyer Bryan Stevenson, however how he is portrayed in this movie doesn't always make him feel completely real. He can be too perfect at times and not always easy to relate to. Still Michael B. Jordon provides a fantastic performance here, that makes up for a lot of this. Still despite any faults, when this movie works it works extremely well, leaving me with a lot to recommend here.

- Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: A Hidden Life

Michael's Movie Grade: A

An incredibly emotionally powerful movie that is truly heartbreaking.

Everything in this film is done to near perfection. This movie is so heartbreaking and tragic because it feels so utterly and completely real (something that should be the case but often isn't in movies based off true stories). This is not a simplified film by any means. This is especially true when it gets on the topic of faith. With all that they are going through our main characters are understandably struggling with their faith in God. What they has come easy to them all now raises complex questions that they have no answers to. They don't understand why God is allowing this to happen as they are having all their joy and dignity taken away. The man is being tortured and locked up for refusing to bow down to Hitler, while his wife at home is being ostracized and condemned for being married to a man who would do such a thing. Yet despite all this their faith is always there and perhaps becomes even stronger due to the fact it is all they have left. This is not a Christian film in a typical sense but it paints a very real and complex view of faith in the life of a Christian in times of trouble. The humanity and struggle of this inner situation is something everyone Christian or not can understand and this does an incredible job pulling us in even further emotionally. This is helped in a large part thanks to the fantastic performances from August Deihl and Valerie Pachner. Still the most heartbreaking part of the film is when the man is constantly asked if he thinks his act of rejecting Hitler will make a difference. The answer is obvious, it won't. Yet he still can't do what he knows is wrong. Terrance Malick's (also the film's director) incredible script raises these and many more thought provoking questions in some absolutely incredible dialogue. This is not only a very well written movie though, it is also an extremely cinematic one.  Jörg Widmer's cinematography including incredible on location shooting is breathtakingly beautiful. James Newton Howard's musical score is hauntingly beautiful and is possible the best movie score of the year.

This can be a tough watch with its long length and painfully heartbreaking story, but that does not changed that this is an incredible film that will move you emotionally as well as making you think.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Richard Jewell

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A top notch telling of a fascinating true story.

With a great director like Clint Eastwood, it should come as no surprise that this movie is fantastically directed. What I love about Eastwood as a director is that he is never afraid to let scenes play out quietly. There is no need for constant noise or to move things along quickly. Clint is not afraid to let us slow down and take in the weight of what is happening. In fact many of the movies best scenes are more about our main characters taking in what is going on rather than things happening. These are the type of scenes lesser filmmakers would have left out, but ones that are necessary for a film like this to work as well as it does. This is a movie that is not about what happens as much as it is about the effect the story has on others.

This film does not belong solely to Clint Eastwood though. So much of what makes this movie work comes from its near perfect cast. Paul Walter Hauser has spent most of his career playing smaller character roles. However here he proves he is more than able to carry the lead role. In fact he is incredible as the title character. No one could have possibly played this role better. I personally hop after this movie he gets more chances to play lead roles. However there is not one character here who is miscast. Each actor is perfectly matched with the character.

Billy Ray crafted a fantastic script for this film. While it may not be subtle (there are a few lines given to the Kathy Scruggs character that feel like they belong to an over the top cartoon villain rather than a real person in a real life story), it is extremely effective. This script gives us every reason to truly care about and root for Richard Jewel, while still having him be a faulted and human character. It is also a smart script that may have some commentary but never stops to directly preach to us. This is a script that treats us like intelligent people and never feels the need to talk down to us to get its message across.

All in all this is a fantastic movie.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Some Must See Movies From the 2010's

With the 2010's coming to a close, I feel it is only appropriate to look back on some of the great movies of this decade. This post will not be a best of list. Rather this is simply me listing some movies from this decade that I really enjoyed.

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013, Japan). In my mind this is one of Studio Ghibli's best films and deserves to be mentioned with Spirited Away (2001) and Grave of the Fireflies (1988). This movie is a deceptively simple fairy tale that works on multiple levels. It can be enjoyed simply as a very charming fairy tale or a highly intelligent commentary on how our world defines happiness. The animation is incredible and with films like this, it is easy to wish hand drawn animation could still be the norm. I love how the animation will change to fit the emotional mood of the moment, while never feeling abrupt or distracting. The ending makes me tear up every time.

Lean on Pete (2018, U.S.A.). This is easily one of the most emotionally powerful movies of recent years. Yet this movie never slides into forced sentimentality. That is because this movie is an open and honest depiction of how harsh the world can be, but also the beauty that can be found in other moments. With the lack of warmth in our main character's life it is impossible not to understand or relate to his deep connection with the horse he works with. This movie never follows a conventional path and you will never know what we happen next, but be sure whatever does will hit your emotions hard. Be prepared to cry when you see this movie.

Tokyo Fiancée (2014, Belgium) Possibly one of the most offbeat romantic comedies of the decade and certainly one of the most enjoyable. This movie was based off the real life romance of Amélie Nothomb. Our main character grew up in Belgium but spent her life obsessed with all things Japanese. When she moves to Japan (as a French language tutor), she falls in love with a young man obsessed with all things French. What really makes this movie stand out are Pauline Etienne's incredible performance and the breathtaking shots of Japan. Though its offbeat and often very funny sense of humor doesn't hurt either.

Marie's Story (2014, France). A very heartwarming film about a young woman who is both blind and deaf and a nun who helps change her life. The story may seem familiar but it is told so spectacularly here, you won't care. This is a quiet little movie that requires you to pay attention but rewards you extremely richly when you do.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse (2018, U.S.A.). This animated feature is everything one could wish for in superhero movie. It is extremely fun, it has a great story with some depth, a fantastically original visual style and great characters. More than any other superhero movie I have ever seen this film makes it feel like a comic book come to life. This is not only one of the best animated superhero movies but one of the best superhero movies period.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011, U.S.A.) and Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014, U.S.A.). You may love or hate the MCU. Personally I love it and these are in my mind the finest movies to come out of it. The first Captain America is a lovely done period piece that is as fun as any MCU movie has ever been. The second is a more dark and serious film set in the modern day. Both are the smartest and best written movies Marvel Studios ever put out.

Parasite (2019, Korea). I would like to say as little about this movie as possible, as it is best to go in knowing as little as possible. Only know that this is one of the finest suspense movies of recent years.

Moana (2016, U.S.A.). This movie shows Disney animation at its best. Everything is as good as it gets including the songs, the animation, the characters, the story, the action and the pure Disney magic.

Inside Out (2015, U.S.A.). This is easily my favorite Pixar movie. It has everything that is great about Pixar films with none of the faults. Like with all the best movies from this studio, I felt like I traveled to another world. The design work is so perfectly imaginative and detailed that you can easily believe the inside of our mind really looks like this. The characters are fantastic and I like that they even tried to see how far they could push Joy while still making her likable. The story is the finest and most heartfelt to ever come from Pixar and this is the only movie from the studio that has actually made me cry.

Lady Bird (2017, U.S.A.). With just her debut feature, I am willing to accept Greta Gerwig as one of the finest directors of this generation. It is hard to think of any movie in recent years more perfect than Lady Bird. While there have been many movies about young people in their late teens coming of age, I hesitate to think of one that does it as well as this film. This movie is extremely intelligent, perfectly acted and cast, very funny, extremely heartfelt and perfectly directed. If there was a movie this decade I would dare call perfect it is Lady Bird.

Ida (2014, Poland). Movies as beautiful as this come along extremely rarely. This movie is full of pure cinematic magic from beginning to end. Made in black and white, this is one of the best looking films of this decade. The cinematography is perfection, often making one wish black and white movies were still common. However this film is hardly all style and no substance. Director and Co-writer Pawel Pawlikowski revisits his childhood with this movie's story and does it in an incredibly moving and powerful way. No movie buff should go without seeing this brilliant work of art.

Feliz Año Tijuana (2018, Mexico). I came into this movie knowing nothing about it. Little did I except it would be such a moving and powerful film. This movie takes a small simple story a professor who by chance meets an old student in Tijuana at New Years, and turns it into something truly special. This is an independent movie all the way. In fact it was shot without a script, being mostly improvised over six days of shooting. This movie came and left theatres with hardly anybody noticing. However it is truly a great movie and I hope some of you will take the time to seek it out.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Honey Boy

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A fascinating and moving film.

This movie marks Shia LaBeouf's first time writing a feature length film. It is a shockingly personal and self revealing movie for him. This mostly autobiographical film focuses on Shia's own difficult relationship with his father. While this could have easily come off as self-indulgence. What is incredible is that it doesn't. This film is not a commendation of his father nor it is it a defense of him. This is movie also does not serve as an excuse for the mistakes Shia has made in the past. Instead this movie shows us the brutally honest truth and we choose what to make out of it. The father is not the black and white caricature he could have easily been. He is abusive to his son both mentally and physically. However we do get the feeling that underneath this he does truly love his son, though he is unable to show it. He is haunted by his past demons and pain to the point where he is unable to function the way a parent should. Whether we are supposed to hate and blame this character or if we are supposed to feel sorry for him, remains a purposely unanswered question. Truth is we feel a little of both watching this movie as much as these feelings contradict each other. One gets the feeling with this movie Shia LaBeouf is trying to both understand his father while still feeling pain towards what happened in the past. These conflicting emotions bring a strong sense of humanity and frailty to this movie, making it hard not to become emotionally involved in what we see on screen. All this is heighted by Shia LaBeouf's decision to play the character himself. His performance has a string sense of humanity under all the abuse.

However this film was not made by one person and many very talented people helped make this movie as great as it is. Despite this film being very much a personal work for Shia LaBeouf, it is interesting to note he was not the director. Instead this movie was directed by Alma Har'el, in her first non-documentary movie. She does an incredible job, presenting all this film's complex emotions in a completely real way. Noah Jupe steals the show playing Otis (basically this film's version of Shia LaBeouf) as a kid. This is an extremely heartfelt and human performance that makes the movie feel so much more real to us.

This is not always an easy to watch movie as it can often feel to heartbreakingly real. However it is extremely powerful movie that handles a complex situation in a surprisingly mature way.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

What makes this movie so magical is what made Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood such a respected TV show. That is saying that this film tackles deep and important subject matter without an ounce of cynicism or ever talking down to its audience.

This movie could not be more different from director, Marielle Heller's last bio-pic Can You Ever Forgive Me? Unlike that film, we don't focus on a character who could easily push the limits of likability. Even if you are not a fan of his TV show, it is impossible not to respect or admire Fred Rogers as a person. This movie does discuss (albeit at times almost too briefly) Fred's more human faulted side, it does this in such a way that never gives us a more cynical view of the man. In fact it makes us respect him all the more as we learn that he worked hard to be the extremely nice person he was. Through his faith in God and his ways of finding positive ways to deal with negative feelings, he became the type of man many of us would aspire to be. However the focus is on the reporter who interviews him. It is hard not to relate to this reporter who is also shown to be a good man, but one who struggles daily with dealing with his negative thoughts. Here is where the movie hits its heaviest theme. That is how to forgive someone who hurt you deeply and how not to let that pain run the rest of your life. There is no one in the world who such a thing is easy for and therefore it is hard not to have an emotional connection to what we see. Most of all this film is about the effect Fred has on this young man.

This is also a masterfully made movie. The filmmakers know how to get the most out of so little. In fact one of the most powerful scenes in this movie involves two characters sitting in complete silence for about a minute.

My familiarity with Mr. Rogers is fairly limited. I never grew up with his show, since as a kid I was more into slapstick comedy. In fact many more serious "kids" movies and shows, I got more interested in once I grew up because as a kid I simply wanted something that would make me laugh. However this never once hampered my enjoyment of this lovely movie. So even if you never grew up with this show, I still can't recommend this movie enough.

This is the kind of feel good non-cynical movie that would be nice to see more often in today's times.

-Michael J. Ruhland  

Movie Review: Ford V. Ferrari

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

Fantastic entertainment from beginning to end.

Despite this film having a near two and a half hour running time, it never let go of my interest for a single second. In fact it kept me extremely entertained throughout the whole length. Unlike many movies that try and do this however, it never feels like the filmmakers are trying too hard to keep your attention. In other words the movie never just makes mindless noise in fear that if it stopped you would stop watching. This movie just knows what it has to offer and gives audiences that in abundance. There is fantastic racing action, very funny humor and great dialogue through the whole running time.

This however is not a movie about car racing. This is a film about a very special friendship. With this it is very important that this friendship feels completely real and believable. This is completely the case here. Our two protagonists are not just fully fleshed out people on their own. Their relationship with each other is equally fleshed out. If this movie had just been about fully fleshed out characters, it would have been simply enjoyable. However making it about an equally fleshed out relationship makes it go beyond that into being a truly great movie. The fact that Matt Damon and Christian Bale work so perfectly with each other doesn't hurt in the least bit. It must be stated though that these are not the only great characters in the movie. Caitriona Balfe, helps gives this movie some of its most heartfelt moments (while also adding some great humor) as Ken Miles' wife. Meanwhile Tracy Letts steals the show from much bigger name stars as Henry Ford II.

As should be excepted from any movie directed by James Mangold, the use of songs on the soundtrack are fantastic and really add a great energy to the film.

You don't have to have the slightest interest in cars to enjoy this movie. This is a film that should entertain just about anyone.

-Michael J. Ruhland      

Movie Review: Harriet

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent telling of the life of Harriet Tubman.

This movie is in some ways a very stereotypical Hollywood Biopic, yet it is done with an incredible sincerity that completely overcomes that. You can tell that director Kasi Lemmons is truly in awe of this incredible person. She does everything she can to make this movie as strong of a tribute as she can. When coming out of this movie, I too felt in awe of all this incredible woman has done, and that is just what I want out of a movie like this. Despite this the movie never stops to preach to us. That is because Kasi knows the story more than speaks for itself. It sends home its incredible message in a way no speech ever could. Such preaching would feel redundant and unnecessary. Also as incredible sincere is Cynthia Ervio's amazing performance as the title character. Harriet Tubman is a character that is difficult to bring to life, yet Cynthia does just that. Her performance not only shows a strong willed woman but also a very human one. She highlights both of these perfectly melding them together in an incredible way. You never see her on screen, you only see Harriet Tubman. It is hard to believe that this is her first actual leading role. I really think she has an incredible career ahead of her.

I was happy to see that this movie doesn't play down Harriet's faith in God. This remains very prevalent throughout the film. The reason this makes me happy is not only because I am Christian, but because it is such an important part of this story. Her faith is such a huge part of who she was and it is important to see here.

This is an excellent movie and I highly recommend it to anyone who is even slightly interested in the life of this incredible woman.

-Michael J. Ruhland