Marshall

First Hit:  One of many inspirational stories about this amazing man and his power to change racism in our country.

One of the best things about this film was that Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) was not allowed to speak in court for the accused he was defending. Marshall was sent by the NAACP around the country to defend blacks (colored people) in courts of law. In some cases, because he didn’t have a license to be a defending attorney in some states, he needed a sponsoring attorney.

It’s December 1940 and Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), a soft-spoken insurance lawyer, just finished a case. His office manager, his brother Irwin (John Magaro), surprises Sam that they need publicity and extra money, so he sponsors Thurgood who is going to defend a black man against a white woman’s rape charge. Their first meeting doesn’t go very well as Sam doesn’t like the idea of being involved in a criminal case, let alone one that is defending a black man. Sam’s worried about public opinion and what it will do to his business.

After meeting with the defendant Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), Thurgood and Sam believe him to be telling the truth that he did not rape Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson). Entering court, Sam tries to tell the judge that Marshall will be trying the case and presents the sponsoring paperwork. Judge Foster (James Cromwell) obviously has a thing against the NAACP and refuses to honor Marshall being allowed to try the case. In fact, he states that Marshall can sit at the defendant’s table but cannot utter a word and if he does, Marshall and Sam will be charged with contempt.

The film does a wonderful job of showing how Marshall was able to influence, engage, and mentor Sam into being a great criminal lawyer.

This film is about the power and influence of Thurgood on people to do the right thing and how he was able bring out the power of belief in others.

I thought the film did an excellent job of showing the 1940's and how the fight against racism was slowly evolving and that Marshall was one of leaders and influencers.

Boseman was excellent as Marshall. How he demonstrated and showed the swagger and the inner belief needed to lead racial change in our country was wonderfully convincing. Gad was amazing. I loved his evolving understanding of how to be a good lawyer on the side of right, which was congruent with his inner belief structure. Brown was very strong as the defendant, he showed a perfect level of fear. Hudson was wonderful as the husband abused woman looking for a little love in her world. Cromwell was the perfect judge. His gruff nature was excellent. Jacob and Michael Koskoff wrote a powerful script. Reginald Hudlin did a great job of creating a feel and mood of the times while making the audience see the ways change in America came to us, one case at a time.

Overall:  It was a pleasure to watch this film as it provided a small glimpse of history.

Deepwater Horizon

First Hit:  Although this could have been an interesting film, the disappointing and needless jerky camera work took away from actually seeing what was happening.

I found myself engaged in this film was when the ideological conflict arose between BP (British Petroleum) and Transocean, (owners of the drilling platform). However, I wasn’t engaged as much when the well blew up and everybody was running around trying to save themselves and others. What made these scenes worse was the shaky camera work and lousy editing. It simply was difficult to be engaged with anything when nothing gets into focus. The conflict between the Transocean and BP was, at times, riveting as each side wanted something. BP led by Vidrine (John Malkovich) wanted to hurry the project along because they were 43 days behind schedule. Transocean led by Mr. Jimmy (Kurt Russell) wanted to execute all the appropriate and timely tests to ensure that drilling hole was secure. The lead role in this film was the view from Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) who worked for Mr. Jimmy and was responsible for all the operating systems on Deepwater Horizon. However, as much as we wanted to care about Williams, his wife Felicia (Kate Hudson) and his daughter Sydney (Stella Allen), the real story in this film was about the differences of opinion between BP and Transocean.

Wahlberg was good in this role, however where he was supposed to shine was in the saving of crewmembers from the exploding rig. However, the lousy camera work and poor editing made his segments of the film far less interesting. My favorite part of his role is when he detailed a listing of issues that needed to be fixed on Deepwater Horizon while talking to Vidrine. Malkovich was OK in his role of pushing BP’s agenda. His accent was odd to me, however his intensity was excellent. Russell was wonderful as the know-it-all General Manager of Deepwater. I loved his tenacity and presence to stick to what was important. Hudson was good as Williams’ wife. Gina Rodriguez (as Andrea Fleytas) was engaging and I would have like more from her part. Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand wrote a strong script. What failed this film was the direction by Peter Berg who focused on the blowing up of Deepwater Horizon and doing it in a way that didn’t allow the audience to see what was happening. Shame, this could have been good but this shows you how lousy direction and focusing on blowing up stuff doesn’t always make a good picture.

Overall:  Really disappointed how the director got swayed by the possibility of blowing up something and not focusing on the story and reason for the explosion.

Mother's Day

First Hit:  Schmaltzy in so many ways, and yet I was touched by the four major mother’s day stories.

The stories are:  A divorced mother Jennifer Aniston (as Sandy) dealing with her husband’s new young wife Tina (Shay Mitchell) and he children’s interaction with the new step-mom.

Britt Robertson and Julia Roberts (as Kristin and Miranda respectively) who represent an adoptive child finding and reconciling with her mother.

Jason Sudeikis (as Bradley), whose wife was killed while serving her country, raising two girls alone and how will he treat this emotive day.

Lastly Kate Hudson and Sarah Clarke (as Jesse and Gabi respectively) as sisters who have marriages (one sister marries a foreigner and the other is in a gay marriage) that their parents reject.

As with most Garry Marshall films, the film has multiple interrelated stories and they are not hard hitting. Even though they aren't amazingly dynamic or intellectually challenging, the stories touch on themes the general population knows about and has experienced in some way.

Marshall makes it easy for the audience to laugh about these situations, which really have much deeper roots and societal impact.

Aniston is really good. I loved when she was sitting in her car while in the grocery store parking yelling to herself about her situation. As the mother who is now dealing with a rival, she’s tells this story well. Mitchell is good as the new step-mom. Robertson is very good as the young mother being hesitant to marry her child’s father because of the uncertainty she has from not ever meeting her biological mom. Roberts’ smile makes her role as TV sales spokeswoman work well. When she meets her grandchild for the first time, the emotion welling up in her is perfect. Sudeikis is strong and funny as the dad learning how to be the sole support for his two smart wonderful daughters. Hudson and Clarke are great as sisters hiding their lives from their parents. The screenplay, although its grit level is softball in nature, was written by Tom Hines, Anya Kochoff Romano, and Matt Walker. Garry Marshall directed this with his usual easy listening manner, which was entertaining, included funny bits, and there were a couple of tears due to my own life experiences.

Overall:  Although it’s a light softball type film, there are deeper roots Marshall is letting the audience ponder.

Rock the Kasbah

First Hit:  This film was all over the place; intimate, touching, flat, uninteresting, and in the end survives as being very uneven and forgetful.

This film had heart and it was difficult to find.

The real story, which is revealed prior to the closing credits, is worthwhile. I also don’t mind when Bill Murray, playing music manager Richie Lanz, mixes comedy in a story that is has real merit. But when the mishmash of scenes, supposedly pivotal, are handled in such a stilted and lack luster manner, they discredit the real story and the film.

Take for instance the scene in which Lanz comes back to his hotel room to find Bombay Brian (Bruce Willis) lying on the bed threatening to kill Lanz for money that Lanz didn’t actually owe. Or worse the poor plot device to put Lanz in Kabul Afghanistan without his singer - she just leaves? Or even why Merci (Kate Hudson) is in Kabul hooking herself into a bank account large enough to fund a funky retirement. Let alone the “double-wide” mobile home inside a barbed wire compound the size of the double-wide just outside her front door.

Juxtapose these poorly created scenes with the scene of Salima (Leem Lubany) talking to Lanz on the wall of her city. How Tariq (Fahim Fazil), slowly becomes at peace with his daughter’s boldness to sing in public. I also liked many of the settings, many felt very real.

Murray was both funny and mediocre. Some of the dialogue didn’t work well and other times it was spot on funny. Willis seemed like a friend choice to play a role. He didn’t seem engaged and it felt like he was phoning it in. Hudson’s whole character didn’t seem to add much to the film except to help Lanz live up to his obligations. Lubany was very good and seemed like the only person playing it straight. I personally loved the song choices she sang. Fazil was good as the intense village leader, father and protector of their faith. Mitch Glazer wrote a mixed level script and I don’t know how much it was changed by Murray along the way. Barry Levinson has done much better films (Wag the Dog, Rain Man, or Good Morning Vietnam).

Overall:  I walked away disappointed because the whole film seemed like manufactured setup for Murray, but I’m also glad to know that a young woman did actually break a taboo about singing.

Wish I Was Here

First Hit:  An interestingly good and not new or great view of family and how they heal and grow.

Zach Braff funded this film through crowd funding. In other words no one in Hollywood believed in this film so he decided to find another way to fund it. There isn’t much new here.

The film is about forgiveness, family love, and seeing the best in people. Zach playing an out of work actor named Aidan Bloom can’t seem to land a job. His wife Sarah (Kate Hudson) supports him by working at the water company. His kids Tucker and Grace (Pierce Gagnon and Joey King respectively) are being schooled at an expensive Jewish school because their grandfather pays for the schooling.

But grandfather is dying, cannot afford to pay for school and now the kids have to be homeschooled by Aidan. He’s unorthodox and the kids begin to learn something about life in many different ways. Adding to the situation is Aidan’s brother Noah (Josh Gad), who won’t speak to his dad and is caught up in his own world.

I didn’t particularly think the story about how he and his brother use to play that they would save the world in their fantasies was very well thought out. The symbolism wasn’t that strong.

Braff was good and the story line, for the most part was good – not great. Hudson was, at times, very good like when she was at the hospital speaking with Aidan’s father. However, at other times she just seemed to be to easily joyful while being in a stressful situation. Gagnon was superb, he was perfect. King was the star of the film. Her range was amazing and she embodied a young woman learning to trust and love life. Gad was strong as the affected brother. Braff did a good job of directing his and brother Adam’s script. It just didn’t ring true at times while at other times it was wonderful.

Overall:  Entertaining and at times very thoughtful.