Downsizing has a big message

Movie Title:  Downsizing

Grade:  C+

Rating: R, 2 hours 15 minutes

In a Nutshell: Alexander Payne directs this social satire that introduces some interesting environmental ideas, but ultimately reminds us that a life lived for others has the most meaning.

Tips for parents: 

• Paul takes the Lord’s name in vain and gets immediately scolded by Ngoc Lan Tran.  She uses the “F” word a thousand times in one scene and he tries to teach her it’s a vulgar word.  There is some more profanity in other scenes.
• Pre-marital sex and discussions about it.
• Oddly, there is a LOT of full body male nudity.
• Kids will mostly be bored.

                                   

Uplifting theme: 

• “The door to happiness opens outward.” – poster on the wall during Paul's high school reunion
• We are meant for something better.
• “The world is filled with things to see.” – Dusan Mirkovic (Christoph Waltz)
• “I finally have a chance to do something that matters.” –   Paul Safranek (Matt Daman)

Things I liked:

• Hong Chau was recently nominated for a well-deserved Screen Actors Guild Award for her role as Ngoc Lan Tran.
• Christoph Waltz always brings such colorful characters to the big screen.  I thought he was fantastic in Big Eyes.
• It was interesting to see how Downsizing  was used in different ways: save the planet, punish criminals and poor people, allow the average person to live a life of luxury, reflect on the meaning of life, opportunity to begin again.
• Gorgeous scenery in Norway.  Parts of the movie were also filmed in beautiful Canada.

Things I didn’t like:

• Some people have been very critical of Matt Damon’s bland performance, but I think that was just Paul Safranek’s character.  I love Matt Damon in anything.  Because Paul rarely smiles, it would have had a lot of impact if the movie had ended with him grinning from ear to ear like in the 1988 movie The Accidental Tourist (which I loved).
• It’s a little slow moving.
• It’s very preachy about global warming and over-population.
• The trailer made the movie appear like it would be a comedy, but it’s really not.  The idea of downsizing could have made for a very funny movie, but it strives to be something much deeper and comes off feeling uneven.
• A lot of plot points are glossed over without much explanation.
• The trailer makes it seem like Matt Daman's boring call center job is what contributes to his wanting to leave his life in the "real" world and downsize, but he actually gets that job after he downsizes!  The trailer scene with Kristen Wiig's character working at a shoe store doesn't even appear in the movie.  It always annoys me when trailers paint a different picture from what the movie actually is or when they show lines that don't appear in the movie.                                           

Interesting lines:

• “Not a very successful species these homo-sapiens.” – Dr. Jorgen Asbjornsen (Rolf Lassgard - This is his first film in English!)
• “Lots of people are in pain, Mom, in all sorts of ways.” – Paul Safranek (Matt Daman)   That’s really true.  We should never judge others, because we don’t know the pain they might be going through.
• “Human life on earth is unsustainable.” – TV talking head
• “Friends tell friends the truth.” – Dusan Mirkovic (Christoph Waltz)
• “When you know death comes soon, you look around things more close.” – Ngoc Lan Tran (Hong Chau)
• “Downsizing is about hitting the reset button.” – Dave Johnson (Jason Sudeikis)
• “It’s humbling, huh? Nature is such a patient sculptor, grinding a tiny bit each day, slowly, slowly for thousands of years to make such a supremely beautiful thing.” – Dr. Jorgen Asbjornsen
• “Downsizing is about saving yourself.” – comedian guy is about saving yourself.” – Dave Johnson  (It's true.  The more we get rid of all the stuff and things in our lives, the more free we are from the things that fill our lives with unimportant nonsense.)

                                           @trinaboice 

Geostorm is a disaster movie in every way

Movie Title:  Geostorm

Grade:  C+

Rating: PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes

In a Nutshell:  I’m embarrassed to admit that I love disaster movies.  This predictable end-of-the-world drama follows the cookie-cutter formula, resulting in a movie that self destructs.  After being delayed many times, this movie is the difinally hits the Big Screen as the directorial debut of Dean Devlin.

Uplifting theme: 

• Those who are interested in global warming will appreciate the premise of the film, which shows the world in chaos because of natural disasters.  The narrator at the beginning (Hannah Lawson played by Talitha Bateman) announces, “Everyone was warned, but no one listened.”
• Talitha states at the end of the movie, “No single nation could solve this.”  There’s a theme of togetherness and international unity.  “One planet.  One people.”  Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all really could work together in peace?
• Family is most important.

Things I liked:

• The space station was called “The Dutch Boy” named after the old story of the Dutch boy who saved the town by putting his finger in the dike to stop the leak.
• It gives new meaning to the world wide “net”.
• Cool gadgets and technology.  I especially liked the “holoframe” cell phone things.
• Talented cast includes Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Andy Garcia, Richard Schiff, Ed Harris.  Too bad the material isn’t as good as they are.  My problem with casting is that the two brothers and their roles are not very believable.  
• When you start to get bored, you can entertain yourself by watching Gerard Butler's changing color and size of facial hair, due to the many re-shoots.

Things I didn’t like:

• A lot of the humor fell flat.

·       Some good special effects, but not much we haven’t already seen before.  Almost every scene was green screen.

·       A lot of things simply don’t make sense and are laughable.

·       It could have been fun if the movie took itself less seriously.  One of my favorite disaster movies of all time is Independence Day                          It's a perfect example of drama, comedy, special effects, and heart.

*    Politicians are evil and stupid.

Tips for parents: 

• Profanity, including some that a little girl says.  I hate that.
• Natural disasters and massive destruction.
• People die.

Want to learn more about global warming? Check out the book Climate Change: The Facts 2017

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice