Stories We Tell, Sarah Polley’s brilliant documentary about discovering her family’s secrets, is an absolute Must See. It’s one of my Best Movies of 2013 – So Far .
The other best bets in theaters include:
- Mud, the gripping and thoughtful story of two Arkansas boys embarking on a secret adventure with a man hiding from the authorities – learning more than they expected about love and loyalty. Mud is also one of the best movies of 2013.
- The Iceman is a solid true-life crime movie with an outstanding performance by Michael Shannon.
Also out right now:
- Kon-Tiki is a faithful, but underwhelming account of a true life 5,000 mile raft trip across the Pacific.
- The Great Gatsby is flashy but hollow. Re-read the novel instead.
The compelling documentary The Central Park Five from Ken Burns, et al, is available streaming from Amazon Instant and other VOD providers. Available on VOD, Greetings from Tim Buckley is a film for those who want to see an actor depict interior conflict with very little external action.
You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.
You’ve got to get ready for next weekend’s release of the year’s best romance, Before Midnight. Therefore my DVD/Stream of the Week are its prequels, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset – director Richard Linklater’s two uncommonly authentic and intelligent romances with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Both Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are available on DVD from Netflix and streaming on VOD from Amazon , iTunes, Vudu and other VOD outlets. Before Sunrise is free with Amazon Prime.
As usual for the Memorial Day weekend, Turner Classic Movies will be broadcasting a solid menu of war movies (almost all about WW II). On May 25, the lineup centers around submarine movies: Run Silent Run Deep, Torpedo Run, Thunder Afloat (which I haven’t seen) and Up Periscope. The most curious is 1933’s Hell Below, a rare WW I sub movie starring Walter Huston, in which Jimmy Durante boxes a kangeroo. The best is Operation Pacific, with the great pairing of John Wayne and Patricia Neal.
The WW II classic that I can’t keep from watching is The Best Years of Our Lives. A war ends, and it’s time to total up the sacrifices made by both those who fought and their loved ones, and to recognize how they have been changed by their experiences. It’s on my list of Best Patriotic Movies. TCM will broadcast The Best Years of Our Lives on Memorial Day, May 27.