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More Movies/Streaming Programs - Reviewed

As I continue easing into more activity, I've watched some additional movies and am sharing the following reviews:

*A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum (with Phil Silvers and Michael Crawford) - This movie is a musical comedy from a few decades ago.  It is light-hearted though I didn't laugh much.  That said, there are a couple of nice musical numbers in it.  I won't be watching it again though.

*Beasts of the Southern Wild - The young actress does a very good job.  That said, this movie is disturbing because of the poverty and filth the 'bathtub community' live in and the skills they have to teach their young to survive.  Finding joy is loving the land they live upon by using others junk to set up inadequate housing; find sustenance from fish they hand-catch in contaminated waters; and, drink alcohol to excess for entertainment and connecting with other community friends.  I didn't like the movie.  But it does speak to those who are or choose to be homeless and do what needs to be done in order to survive. Even meager shelters are valuable - as indecent as they may be.  One of the messages is a physical structure lacking strength can be obliterated in seconds, but strength of character can meet challenges seen/experienced in the physical world as well as those felt.

*Mary Magdalene (with Joaquin Phoenix and Roony Mara) - This movie is about the meeting of Jesus and Mary, her following him with the other disciples, and her supposed role in the life of Jesus as he taught and through the time of his resurrection.  Joaquin's and Roony's performances were quite good.  The movie overall is not entertaining, and I didn't get much from it other than to wonder what the truth about Mary actually is.

*Narnia's Lost Poet: The Secret Lives and Loves of C. S. Lewis - This is a documentary about the author and much more informative than the movie about his conversion (mentioned in an earlier post). The narrator has written a biography about the author who lived from 1898 to 1963.  I recommend this movie for its informative value, if you have any interest in C.S. Lewis.

*Pan's Labyrinth - This movie has graphic violence and other disturbing imagery with a fairy tale wound through it.  The setting is Spain in 1944 after its Civil War  in which the Fascists have come into power.  The movie is well done though could be distressing to watch.  I didn't like it the first time I saw it--years ago.  But after seeing del Toro's Pinocchio and appreciating his storytelling, I decided to watch it again and saw different things than the first time through.  I can't recommend this movie due to the graphic violence though.

*The King's Daughter (with Pierce Brosnan) - I liked this movie though it does take some suspension of disbelief.  It is an engaging and light romantic fantasy adventure with a King, a head-strong young woman, a ship captain, and a mermaid.

*Yesterday - Cute and the lead actually sings pretty well.  It's about a guy who ends up in a place where the Beatles and their music are unknown and there is no record of them on the internet.  So, he takes up singing the Beatles songs in that new place.  What I didn't like is that the script has some big gaps that affect the premise of the story, even with the suspension of disbelief.  I don't recommend it. 

This is my take on the shows listed.   Please feel free to make a comment, if you have some other takeaways from them or with other recommendations.

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