Movies

I do have a vague memory of the Billie Jean King / Bobby Riggs tennis match. And all those cracks about women’s libbers and male chauvinist pigs were pretty common in the 70’s.

The movie was well done, and engaging, with many famous faces in the cast: the leads as well as many of the supporing roles.

The tennis seemed a bit slow, compared to recent pro tennis, but then I read about Riggs’ style: drop shots and lobs.  And they did use “tennis” body doubles in the movie.

We had heard about this movie, but I have never read any of James Baldwin’s books, so I was not at all familiar with him.

This was a surprising and interesting movie.  The dialogue was all by Baldwin, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, except where there were videos of him.  He was very articulate, and spoke clearly and forcefully.  One especially good sequence was from the Dick Cavett show when he responded to a Harvard philosophy professors insipid comments.

The film came from a partial manuscript that Baldwin started about Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King.  The film talked about these 3 men, their assassinations, and Baldwin’s reactions.  It also tied in more recent events: the Watts riots, Rodney King beating, Ferguson, and Black Lives Matter.  It was a strong reminder that the United States has a lot to be ashamed of, and still has a long way to go.

Raoul Peck Director’s Statement

This movie came with much critical acclaim, and we know it wasn’t going to be a light comedy.

It is a rough and brutal story, starting with bullying kids.  The photography and music were really striking, giving a reflective mood and atmosphere.  The story is slow and stately – this is more like a European movie.  3 different actors for 3 key ages in a life.  What’s with those gold teeth?

I had heard that this was a violent movie and that it opened with a shocking scene. However, I am a fan of French cinema, and of the director, Paul Verhoeven.  He directed Basic Instinct among others.

I certainly jumped at a couple of points, but I did not really like this film.  It just seemed wildly implausible, with a strange ending.

Isabelle Huppert is certainly a good actress, but running a modern violent gaming company?

A strange and unsatisfying movie.  It is about a doctor in Romania, and about his daughter and the pressure he applies on her to be successful, but maybe at too high a cost.