Movies to See Right Now

by
Harris Dickinson and Lola Campbell in Charlotte Regan’s SCRAPPER at the SLO Film Fest. Courtesy of Kino Lorber.

This week on The Movie Gourmet – I’m attending the SLO Film Fest (tonight is Surf Nite), and here’s my Best of the 2023 SLO Film Fest. Plus there’s a recent Oscar coming up on TCM, and I’ve got a a remembrance of Harry Belafonte. Watch for a new review of new review of Little Richard: I Am Everything.

Note that I’ve launched my Best Movies of 2023 – So Far and have completely refreshed The most eclectic watch-at-home recommendations you’ll find ANYWHERE.

REMEMBRANCE

Harry Belafonte in ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW.

Already a big musical star, Harry Belafonte burst on screen with searing performances in the 1950s – Carmen Jones, Island in the Sun, Odds Against Tomorrow. He only made a few movies after 1959, but they were good ones: Sidney Poitier’s Buck and the Preacher, Robert Altman’s Kansas City and The Player, Spike Lee’s BlacKKKlansman. Belafonte could have had an even bigger film career, but, early on, he refused roles that he found demeaning and then devoted the last six decades of his life to civil rights work, where he made immense contributions.

CURRENT MOVIES

  • Return to Seoul: brilliantly crafted and emotionally gripping. In theaters.
  • Hannah Ha Ha: what makes for human value and fulfillment? Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
  • Roise & Frank: therapy dog and hurling coach. In theaters.
  • The Lost King: not all cranks are cranky. In theaters.
  • Living: what is it to live? Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
  • A Dark, Dark Man: rounding up the usual suspects in Kazakhstan. MHz.
  • Reggie: it’s not just about Reggie. Netflix.
  • I’m an Electric Lampshade: the final score is Doug 1, Expectations 0. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.

WATCH AT HOME

Damián Alcázar in MAGALLANES; Courtesy of Cinequest.

The most eclectic watch-at-home recommendations you’ll find ANYWHERE:

ON TV

Peter Reigert and Peter Capaldi in LOCAL HERO

On April 29, Turner Classic Movies will air the sly comedy Local Hero. An oil company sends a corporate lackey (Peter Riegert) on a scheme to buy a remote Scottish village – the entire village. The canny locals, however, are not without their own wiles. Scottish writer-director Bill Forsythe made Local Hero to follow up his art house hit Gregory’s Girl. Forsythe went on to make my favorite of his films, the wonderfully droll and absurd Comfort and Joy. But then he made three box office bombs with big movie stars and stepped away from filmmaking in the mid 1990s.

On April 30, TCM will broadcast the Iran hostage thriller Argo, already officially a Turner “Classic” from 2012. Of course, Argo was a big Ben Affleck Hollywood movie that won the Best Picture Oscar and a Supporting Actor Oscar for Alan Arkin. But, besides, Arkin, Argo is rich with brilliant supporting performances. Victor Garber, Clea Duvall, Scoot McNairy, Zeljko Ivanek, Christopher Denham are especially good as “house guests”.  Farshad Farahat is compelling as the commander of the final revolutionary checkpoint.  The rest of the cast is equally superb:  Bryan Cranston, Philip Baker Hall, Richard Kind, Michael Parks and Chris Messina.  Watch for a bit role played by 80s horror maven Adrienne Barbeau.

A reflection on Ben Affleck, who has become easy to lampoon. Affleck has “gone Hollywood” in a big way, made bombs like Pearl Harbor and Gigli, has been on a bumpy journey with and without alcohol, and his dating history is made-for-TMZ.

Let’s remember that Affleck was the youngest person ever to win the screenwriting Oscar (for Good Will Hunting). He’s directed Argo and Gone Baby Gone. After beginning with two exceptional indies, Dazed and Confused and Chasing Amy, he’s acted in some of the very best big Hollywood movies: Good Will Hunting, Shakespeare in Love, Argo, Gone Girl, The Last Duel. This body of work demonstrates that Ben Affleck is an important filmmaker – we’ve been lucky to have him.

Ben Affleck in ARGO.