Look, I’m not a big opera fan, but I am a big fan of documentaries…and this is a pretty good one.
Back in the fifties and sixties, the phenomenal Maria Callas showed everyone what it meant to be a Diva.
People stood in line…for days to see Maria Callas perform. Now, they stand in line to see Justin Bieber.
In any event, Maria by Callas looks at her tumultuous life and all of the controversy that swirled around her career. Maria by Callas is Rated PG for mild thematic elements, some smoking and brief language. Look, I know a film about an opera diva isn’t gonna get a lot of traction, but this documentary is worth 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. It’s a great documentary about a great singer from before Lady Gaga, from before Cher, from before The Beatles, with great insight into the corrosive nature of celebrity.
You’ll walk out of this film a little smarter than when you walked in.
Speaking of greatness, a great film from a great director about a great man is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Western New York movie screens this weekend.
Universal Pictures is re-releasing Schindler’s List. Oh, it’s digitally remastered, but regardless this is still Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece. The story of Oskar Schindler, who saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust is sheer brilliance should be seen by everyone, so if you haven’t, now’s your chance. If I’d be doing movie reviews back then, five out of five boxes of popcorn wouldn't’t have been enough for this transcendent film. Oh, by the way, it’s rated R for language, some sexuality and actuality violence.
Okay, so we’ve covered a great singer, the work of a great filmmaker, and now, a great artist.
The redoubtable Willem Dafoe plays Vincent VanGogh in At Eternity’s Gate. It’s the story of the final years of VanGogh’s life. Rated PG-13 for some thematic content, it’s getting a good amount of critical praise.
Now, if none of those appeal to you, there’s another film that opened a couple of weeks ago that you should consider.
The amazing Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali star in Green Book. This real-life story of a Black Musician and his White bodyguard traveling through the deep south in 1962 is Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence and suggestive material. It’s worth 4 and a half out of five boxes of popcorn and is a fine and touching film with a couple of honestly great performances.
I think Mortensen should have gotten a nomination for his role in Green Book. I was glad to see that Elizabeth Moss got another nomination for Handmaid’s Tale…I’m upset that Handmaid’s Tale didn’t get a nod for best TV drama. Other than that, I can’t quibble. We’ll see what happens.