This week on The Movie Gourmet – new reviews of two fine documentaries and an acting showcase – Penny Lane’s exploration of shocking altruism, Confessions of a Good Samaritan, a thoughtful dive into #MeToo accountability, Sorry/Not Sorry, the sweet, but not overly sentimental Perfect Days, and the Dakota Johnson-Sean Penn two-hander Daddio.
CURRENT MOVIES
- Ghostlight: a family saves itself, in iambic pentameter. In theaters.
- The Bikeriders: they ride, drink and fight, and yet we care. In theaters.
- Daddio: intimacy between strangers. In theaters.
- Perfect Days: intentional contentment. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango, Hulu (included).
- Sorry/Not Sorry: revelatory, and posing the smartest questions. In theaters.
- Confessions of a Good Samaritan: of course, wouldn’t you?…WHAT? In theaters, primarily arthouses.
- Hit Man: who knew self-invention could be so fun? Netflix.
- Thelma: too proud to be taken. In theaters.
- Mother Couch: obstreperous mom, surreal situation. In theaters, primarily arthouses.
- Challengers: three people and their desire. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
- La Chimera: six genres for the price of one. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
- The Grab: important, engrossing and sobering. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Run Lola Run: still sprinting after 25 years. In theaters and Amazon, AppleTV and YouTube.
- Relative: a loving, but insistent investigation. Amazon (included with prime), AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
- Wicked Little Letters: a sparkling Jessie Buckley and an interesting take on repression. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- How to Have Sex: searing and authentic. MUBI.
- Civil War: a most cautionary tale. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango, but still expensive.
- The Dead Don’t Hurt: such a bad movie. In theaters.
- Kinds of Kindness: disgustingly indulgent. In theaters, primarily arthouses.
WATCH AT HOME
The most eclectic watch-at-home recommendations you’ll find ANYWHERE:
- Very Semi-Serious: glorious The New Yorker cartoons. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Headhunters: from smoothly confident scoundrel to human piñata. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- John Adams: the most overlooked giant of our Founding Fathers. MAX included), Amazon, AppleTV.
- Black Bear: ever surprising. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Ruby Sparks: be careful what you ask for. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Blind Spot: Hitler’s Secretary: ordinary humans enabling monstrous acts. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Much Ado About Nothing (2013): it’s not homework, it’s a screwball comedy. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Midnight Family: an all-night race for pesos. YouTube.
- I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore: a schlub goes postal. Netflix.
ON TV
On Saturday, July 13, Turner Classic Movies airs John Sayles’ 1988 Eight Men Out, which tells the true story of the Black Sox Scandal – the Chicago White Sox players who fixed the 1919 World Series. Sayles used actors, not baseball players, but the baseball scenes are totally authentic. The characters of star players Eddie Cicotte (David Straithern), Buck Weaver (John Cusack) and Shoeless Joe Jackson (D.B. Sweeney) and owner Charles Comiskey (Clifton James) vividly come alive. Watch for Sayles himself and Studs Terkel playing sportswriters Ring Lardner and Hugh Fullerton.