What to Watch: Take Shelter
The 2011 movie of that name, yes, but also in general. Reviews of “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story," "Blitz," "The Piano Lesson," and four movies for the times to come.
I’ve received an influx of new subscribers over the last week, some presumably in response to my post-election eulogy the other day. Welcome! – I usually gas on about movies here, what’s playing in theaters and on the streaming platforms that might be of interest if you’re looking for entertainment or a challenge. Sometimes I write about other things: TV and music and birds and my personal life and Zen Buddhism, of which I’m an adherent. Sometimes about politics, obviously, although I’m feeling a little beaten down at the moment, as you may be too. Or not. All are served here.
A lot of my posts are free to all subscribers, not just paid, although only the latter are allowed to comment and only paid subscribers can read my reposted movie reviews for the Washington Post here (and at the WaPo website, obviously). I will likely be putting more behind the paywall in the coming weeks because, well, a man’s gotta eat. I figure if you get four or five or six good movie suggestions a year from this newsletter, the subscription pays for itself, right?
Before I forget, a reminder to local readers of two upcoming events at the West Newton Cinema: Sunday 11/10 at 12:30 p.m. I’ll be moderating a post-film "Behind The Screen" panel on Sean Baker’s “Anora” with guests BU film professor John Hall and Lisa Gottlieb Grace of My Life My Choice. On Thursday 11/14 at 6 p.m., a screening of the absurdly enjoyable Gene Kelly/Stanley Donen musical “It’s Always Fair Weather” (1955) will be followed by a discussion. Further information and tickets are at the West Newton's website. See you there.
My WaPo reviews of new theatrical releases “The Piano Lesson” (⭐ ⭐) and “Blitz” (⭐ ⭐ 1/2) are under the pay wall below. New arrivals to streaming video this week include the funny, bittersweet Maisy Stella/Aubrey Plaza comedy “My Old Ass” (⭐ ⭐ 1/2) on Amazon Prime Video, the Saoirse Ronan recovery drama “The Outrun” (⭐ ⭐ ⭐) on Amazon and Apple TV – note the premium rental price of $19.99 – and the five-hankie documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” (⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2) on Amazon and Apple TV for $14.99. When I saw this one at Sundance back in January, I wrote
The eeriest part of Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s documentary about the late actor and disability activist is hearing Reeve narrate his own life story in sound recordings taken from two audiobooks made during his life. The film begins with the 1995 riding accident that rendered the “Superman” star quadriplegic and moves forward and backward from there. Home movies and on-camera interviews with Reeve’s grown children Matthew, Alexandra, and Will are especially affecting as testaments not only to their father’s spirit and endurance but second wife Dana Reeve’s unstoppable support. Thankfully, “Super/Man” stops short of hagiography, giving us a portrait of a man in full that can’t help but back into profound admiration. Food for thought: Interviewee Glenn Close declares that if Reeve were still alive, so would his longtime friend Robin Williams, who killed himself in 2014.
Other good streaming bets? Here are four excellent older movies that make for particularly pointed viewing this week, and I’ll leave it up to you to figure out the connection.
