Cinemascope: Ocean's Eleven

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2001.

Plot line: Dapper Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is a man of action. Less than 24 hours into his parole from a New Jersey penitentiary, the wry, charismatic thief is already rolling out his next plan. Following three rules: Don't hurt anybody, don't steal from anyone who doesn't deserve it, and play the game like you've got nothing to lose. Danny orchestrates the most sophisticated, elaborate casino heist in history.

I'm in Vegas this week, and this is one of my go-to movies to help set the right mood. Since I've got family there, it's a city I visit several times a year, and while this is an oldie, it's a goodie. Sure, there are plot holes large enough to drive a truck through, and Julia Roberts moves across the set in lovely clothes and high heels and does little else, but if you are in the mood for a fun heist story, spin this one up. I especially love the dynamics between Clooney and Pitt. They are like an old, affectionate married couple, and have better chemistry than most male/female relationships in movies. While I wouldn't bother with the sequels as they are awful, this one is a delight from start to finish.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Genius

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth star in this stirring drama about the friendship between Thomas Wolfe and editor Maxwell Perkins (who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway).

How is it that this movie did not get the buzz it deserves? If you are a fan of period pieces, of books or writers, of biography, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. The cast is wonderful, the acting really good, and I so enjoyed getting to know more about Max Perkins, and I plan on reading the book this is based on.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is TV worth watching.

Non-fiction November

I participated in Non-fiction November this year, and these are the books and documentaries that I completed during the month. You can read my comments on my Instagram account.

Cinemascope: Confirmation

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.

Released in 2016.

Plot line: Judge Clarence Thomas' nomination to the United States Supreme Court is called into question when Anita Hill, a former colleague, testifies that he sexually harassed her.

I remember the Anita Hill hearings, and the classic BS of a woman not being believed. This TV movie dramatizes that event, and it made me oh so angry. Again. It's interesting to watch it 25 years later during the #MeToo movement and fallout. It's a straight up account of this historical event, but I did learn a couple of things I didn't know.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: The Exception

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: German soldier Stefan Brandt goes on a mission to investigate exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Kaiser lives in a secluded mansion in the Netherlands, and as Germany is taking over Holland, the country's authorities are concerned that Dutch spies may be watching the Kaiser. As Brandt begins to infiltrate the Kaiser's life in search of clues, he finds himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke, one of the Kaiser's maids.

I cannot recall how it is that I requested this title, but it was certainly not what I expected. A wonderful period piece of a dark time in history told through the specific lives of a handful of characters. The themes explored gave me lots to think about. The only strange thing about it is that the characters are all German, yet everyone has a British accent. Not sure I understood that choice, but really good nonetheless.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2017.

Plot line: Literary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this intimate documentary directed by her nephew, Griffin Dunne.

While I have not read all her work, Joan Didion is a author I admire, so was delighted when Netflix released this documentary. There are criticisms about this documentary, and I would agree with some of it. Having a nephew tell this story means that things are slanted a certain way. There is way too much about her husband and not nearly enough about the author and her critical mind, let alone the fashionista side to her. But then, maybe no-one other than family would have had enough access to make this documentary, so we've got to take what we're given. I'm fascinated by the public/private personas of celebrity figures, and this gave me insights into the woman.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Gerald's Game

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2017.

Plot line: While trying to spice up their marriage in their remote lake house, Jessie must fight to survive when her husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her handcuffed to their bed frame.

I'm not really a fan of scary movies, especially slasher types, but I do try to creep myself out with season books and movies around Halloween. When this showed up on Netflix, I started to watch it, got totally spooked so had to stop watching. Then went back after several days, during day light hours, and finished watching it. This is based on a Stephen King book of the same name, and it's really good. It's not what you think it's about when you start, but don't read any reviews, go in cold and see what you think.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Mona Lisa Smile

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2003.

Plot line: Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students including Betty (Kirsten Dunst) and Joan (Julia Stiles) to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Remember how I said I really enjoy campus stories this time of year? This is the second time I've watched this movie, and it's a fun one this time of year. It's not without its flaws, but I enjoy the themes explored, and the setting is lovely.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: First Position

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2011.

Plot line: Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world's most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. In the final round, with hundreds competing for only a handful of elite scholarships and contracts, practice and discipline are paramount, and nothing short of perfection is expected. Bess Kargman's award-winning documentary, First Position, follows six young dancers as they prepare for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet, struggling through bloodied feet, near exhaustion and debilitating injuries, all while navigating the drama of adolescence. A showcase of awe-inspiring talent, tenacity and passion, First Position paints a thrilling and moving portrait of the most gifted young ballet stars of tomorrow.

This is the second time I've watched this documentary, and I loved it just as much as the first time. I smiled, I was amazed, and I was in tears. This is a wonderful documentary about talent, skill, hard work and resilience in young people, and I am in awe of such dedication.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Dead Poets Society

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 1989.

Plot line: A new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students, who face enormous pressures from their parents and the school. With Keating's help, students Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) and others learn to break out of their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.

I've been disappointed with the movies I've tried lately. So much hype that they just don't live up to, so I decided to go back and watch an oldie but goodie. Also, Autumn always makes me think of boarding school stories, so I picked this one, and am delighted at how well it holds up. So good on so many levels, and asks an important question: what is education for? All these years later and I was still in tears during that last scene.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Hidden Figures

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: Three brilliant African-American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) -- serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.

I have yet to read the book that this is adapted from, and plan to move it up my TBR. This is an interesting look at the contributions that women, women of color in particular, made to America's space program. It's about time stories like these are told on the big screen. It could have been tighter in parts, but I really enjoyed learning more about these women and their achievements.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Allied

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) and Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) are World War II operatives who never reveal their true identities. After falling in love during a risky mission, they hope to leave all that double-dealing behind them and start new lives. Instead, suspicion and danger envelop their marriage as both husband and wife become pitted against each other in an escalating, potentially lethal test that has global consequences.

How much can you ever know another person? Wouldn't that be so much harder if you were both spies? This is an interesting look at relationships formed under war time conditions, but with a twist. I'd recommend this one for fans of period war movies, though it isn't about war as much as about the two main characters.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Miss Sloane

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: Willing to bend the rules for her clients, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) remains one of the most sought-after lobbyists in Washington, D.C. When asked to help oppose a bill that imposes regulations on firearms, she instead joins a scrappy boutique firm that represents the backers of the law. Her defiant stance and determination to win now makes her the target of powerful new enemies who threaten her career and the people she cares about.

An interesting behind the scenes look at how things happen in Washington, and the power of lobby groups. This one rests squarely on the shoulders of Jessica Chastain, and she is great in  it. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in the politics and the political process in the US.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Experimenter

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2015.

Plot line: Yale University, 1961. Stanley Milgram (Peter Sarsgaard) designs a psychology experiment that remains relevant to this day, in which people think they're delivering painful electric shocks to an affable stranger (Jim Gaffigan) strapped into a chair in another room. Disregarding his pleas for mercy, the majority of subjects do not stop the experiment, administering what they think are near-fatal electric shocks, simply because they ve been told to. Milgram's exploration of authority and conformity strikes a nerve in popular culture and the scientific community. Celebrated in some circles, he is also accused of being a deceptive, manipulative monster. His wife Sasha (Winona Ryder) anchors him through it all.

Human behavior is something I find fascinating, and this historical drama recounts some of the interesting experiments and findings in the 1960s that have shaped our understanding of humans to this day.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: The Purity Myth

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2011.

Plot line: In this video adaptation of her bestselling book, pioneering feminist blogger Jessica Valenti trains her sights on "the virginity movement" -- an unholy alliance of evangelical Christians, right-wing politicians, and conservative policy intellectuals who have been exploiting irrational fears about women's sexuality to roll back women's rights. From dad-and-daughter "purity balls," taxpayer-funded abstinence-only curricula, and political attacks on Planned Parenthood, to recent attempts by legislators to de-fund women's reproductive health care and narrow the legal definition of rape, Valenti identifies a single, unifying assumption: the myth that the worth of a woman depends on what she does -- or does not do -- sexually. In the end, Valenti argues that the health and well-being of women are too important to be left to ideologues bent on vilifying feminism and undermining women's autonomy.

This documentary is based on a book I've got on my to-be-read list, but I somehow missed this when it was released. It's a short and disturbing documentary that highlights the value patriarchal systems place on women's virginity. This has been an issue for hundreds if not thousands of years, and the fact that many still believe stuff like this is 2017 is mind boggling. Where is the outcry about boys and their purity? Typical double standard that makes my head hurt. There is so much more to a woman than her virginity status people, but if you read my blog you don't need me to remind you of that.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a documentary worth watching.

Cinemascope: Manchester by the Sea

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: After the death of his older brother Joe, Lee Chandler is shocked that Joe has made him sole guardian of his teenage nephew Patrick. Taking leave of his job as a janitor in Boston, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea, the fishing village where his working-class family has lived for generations. There, he is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife, Randi, and the community where he was born and raised.

I tend not to love buzzy movies, but this one is worth the hype. It's a quiet family drama, and it's really well done. I'm not a fan of Casey Affleck, so no-one is more surprised than me that I really liked this one. I did not however think that any of the acting in this movie was worth an Oscar nomination, so is it possible to have a great movie without stellar performances? I think this movie says it's possible. Really enjoyed it, and especially loved the ending. Sometimes broken people cannot be fixed.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: The Dressmaker

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2015.

Plot line: A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.

I'm a Kate Winslet fangirl so maybe it's not a surprise that this is on my recommended list. I loved the setting and how the story unfolds and we learn things as the main character does. A very feminist story that I'd recommend for fans of historical fiction, fashion, and movies featuring a strong woman character.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Fences

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play takes a passionate look at former baseball player Troy Maxson as he fights to provide for those he loves in a world that threatens to push him down.

This movie got Oscar nods this year, and Viola Davis won for her role in it, so I was curious to see if I'd like it. It is fantastic. The acting is superb, the lines hard hitting with not a wasted sentence. Not surprising as this is based on a play of the same name, and I plan on getting my hands on it as well. This is not a fun or entertaining movie, so save this for when you want to watch a realistic slice of life family drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Cinemascope: Royal Wives At War

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: The Queen Mother and Wallis Simpson look back at the dramatic events of 1936, which led to King Edward Vlll giving up the throne for the woman he loved.

This BBC docudrama is so fun and informative. I recommend this ones for people who enjoy period pieces, love getting an inside look into the British monarchy, or are fascinated by the events covered in this movie.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a TV series worth watching.

Cinemascope: The Hunting Ground

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2015.

Plot line: A startling exposé of rape crimes on U.S. campuses, institutional cover-ups and the brutal social toll on victims and their families. Weaving together verité footage and first-person testimonies, the film follows survivors as they pursue their education while fighting for justice - despite harsh retaliation, harassment and pushback at every level.

This one made me angry, mad, and so sad. I applaud these brave women who stood up and told their truth, and am so angry at the college/police/societal systems in place that allow these attacks, and perpetuates the silencing and shaming that surrounds victims of these abuses.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a documentary worth watching.