All the Money in the World will leave you dumbfounded

Movie Title:      All the Money in the World

Grade:   A

Rating: R, 2 hours 12 minutes

In a Nutshell:   If you have ever been to the famous Getty Museum in Los Angeles, you’ll get a new appreciation for what you saw there.  If you haven’t been, put it on your list of places to see next time you’re in California.  What’s ironic is that the entrance ticket is free.

Inspired by true events, Ridley Scott gives us another compelling movie that has already earned him and the lead actors nominations for Golden Globe awards.  As an added bonus, we learn that ransom money can be tax deductible if you do it right.  Ha ha

                                               

Uplifting theme: 

• “Money is never just money; it always stands for something.” – Mark Walhberg
• The value of life
• Family
• Money

Things I liked:

• Christopher Plummer was absolutely fantastic, well deserving of the Golden Globe nomination he just earned.  He did all of his scenes in only 2 weeks! You'll notice on the movie poster above that it lists Kevin Spacey.  He was replaced with Plummer as soon as sexual allegations made headline news against him at a cost of $10 million dollars to the picture. I'm sure Spacey would have been great in this, but Christopher Plummer was outstanding.  What Ridley Scott was able to do in such a short amount of time deserves an A grade alone. Another movie Plummer was magical in during this year's Christmas season was The Man Who Invented Christmas. I really enjoyed it, but it flew under the radar for most people.
• Good for Michelle Williams for having two great movies in theaters at the same time!  Her other film is “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN IN THE WORLD.” She does a great job in both and earned her 5th Golden Globe nomination for her role as Gail Harris Getty.  I wonder if Angelina Jolie regrets declining the role.
• Most of the movie is filmed in Rome, which I adore.  There are beautiful vistas and scenery.
• It was fascinating to see J. Paul Getty pay obscene amounts of money for artwork, yet he couldn’t see the value of human life.  Twice, he admires a painting of the Madonna and child, saying breathlessly, “There you are…beautiful child”, while his own grandson was being tortured as a captive.
• Oscar winner Timothy Hutton and Oscar nominee Mark Wahlberg also give excellent performances.  Because of the reshoots, Mark Wahlberg had to be refitted for his suits.  He had lost 30 pounds for another movie he was shooting.

Things I didn’t like:

• Have you ever noticed that people who arrogantly say, “I can take care of myself!” are usually the ones who need to be rescued?
• I thought it was interesting that J. Paul Getty thought he was a reincarnated Roman emperor.  He sure lived like one.  And yet, he was such a cheapskate that he had a phone booth installed in his house in case his guests needed to make a phone call.  Yikes.
• Sometimes I couldn’t understand what Cinquanta (Romain Duris) said, because he had such a thick accent and mumbled a lot.
• Other than being young, we're not given a lot of reasons to really care about Paul Geddy, the grandson who got kidnapped.  He seems like a spoiled wanderer, so I would have liked to know more about him.
• It is truly mind-boggling that a billionaire wouldn't be willing to pay money to save his own family.

                                                                     

Interesting lines:

• “If you can count your money, then you’re not a billionaire.” – J. Paul Getty
• “I don’t have any money.” – Gail Harris Getty (Michelle Williams)

“Get it from your father-in-law.  He has all the money in the world.” – Cinquanta

• “Everything has a price.  The challenge in life is to discover what that price is.” – Getty
• “There’s very little in life worth paying full price for.” – Getty
• “You never really know anyone until you get divorced.” – Getty
• “You’re not a person anymore; you’re a symbol.” – detective 
• “Guns are for people who don’t have money.” – Getty
• “Getting rich is easy.  Any fool can and many do, but BEING rich is different.” – Getty
• “There’s a purity in things that I’ve never been able to find in another human being.” – Getty
• “What would it take for you to feel secure?” – Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg) 

“More.” – Getty

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity and F-bombs.
• Some spoken Italian with no subtitles.  Otherwise, most of it has subtitles.
• Lots of smoking and drinking.
• Bloody, violent deaths.
• Burned, charred body.
• You watch bad guys slice the ear off of Paul.  It’s bloody and disgusting.
• Young children will be bored.  This is a long movie with lots of talking and not that much action.

                                            @trinaboice 

Moonlight wins Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama but I disagree

Movie Title:   MOONLIGHT

Grade:  B

Rating:   R, 110 minutes

In a Nutshell: This intimate coming-of-age film slipped right past most movie-goers, since it didn’t play in a lot of theaters and hardly anyone saw a trailer for it; however, the Golden Globe film committee most definitely noticed it, already naming it “Best Picture - Drama” at the recent awards night. 

Do I think it’s the best picture of 2016?  No, definitely not.  There were quite a few I would put ahead of this one.

Is it a well-done movie?  Yes.  Critics are falling all over themselves about this film, but it’s not for everyone’s taste, nor for fun family viewing. 

Labeled by the studio as “the story of a lifetime,” it’s an Indie film about someone who is often overlooked in society: young, poor, black, and gay.

Uplifting theme: 

• “At some point you gotta decide who for yourself who you gonna be.  Can’t let nobody make that decision for you.” – Juan (Mahershala Ali)
• The influence others have on us and we have on others is incalculable.
• "Who is you?" - Kevin
• We all just want to be loved.

Things I liked:

• Mahershala Ali is excellent as Juan, the drug dealer who shows kindness to Little.
• Fans who fell in love with Janelle Monae in Hidden Figures ( I loved that movie!) will be pleased to see her again in this film.
• Fans of Naomie Harris in Collateral Beauty will enjoy seeing her too, although her character is extremely different than the one she plays next to Will Smith.  She gives an especially impressive performance in this one.
• This is not a film filled with CGI or big explosions, but powerful dialogue.  Even more powerful is what is not said.
• I thought it was interesting that Juan taught Little to never sit with his back against the door.  Tough neighborhood.  Good advice.
• The 3 acts that show us different stages of Chiron’s life blend together seamlessly to paint a portrait of a single identity being created.
• The all black cast gives powerful performances.  
• Alex Hibbert didn’t have to memorize a lot of lines, since he mostly eats and broods as Little.  But those eyes!  All three actors who play Chiron have incredibly expressive eyes: Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes.
• The movie poster is really great.

Things I didn’t like:

•  The music choices were sometimes quite odd.
• People mumble a lot, so it's often hard to understand what characters say.
• You will see a lot of sad, ugly moments.

Interesting lines:

• “You always let them pick on you.” – Kevin (Jaden Piner)

“So, what I gotta do?” – Little

“All you gotta do…show these “Ni***ers you ain’t soft.” - Kevin

“I’m not soft.” - Little

• “I know, I know, but it don’t mean nothing if they don’t know it.” – Kevin
• “You know my rule: it’s all love and pride in my house.” – Teresa
• “S***, I cry so much sometimes I feel like I’m going to turn into liquid.” – Chiron

“And just roll out into the water, right?” – Kevin  (Jharrel Jerome)

Funny lines:

• None.  This was a sad, heart-breaking film.

Tips for parents: 

• Lots of F-bombs and other profanity, including racist and sexist words.
• This is not a “feel” good family movie.  It earned its solid R rating because it features a very harsh family life, drugs, crime, poverty, homosexuality, bullying, profanity and sex.
• There are a couple of awkward, raw sex scenes.

@trinaboice