Friday, September 27, 2019

Arch Campbell's Weekend Movie Guide (9/27/19)

Renée Zellweger stars in Judy

From our friend, Arch Campbell...

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - 4 Stars. Quentin Tarantino pays hilarious tribute to 1969 Hollywood. Brad Pitt and Leo DiCaprio at their buddy movie best.

The Farewell - 3½ Stars. Awkwafina returns to China to say goodbye to her terminal grandmother.  Funny, sad, and surprising.

Blinded by the Light - 3½ Stars. A young immigrant finds his creative calling with the help of Bruce Springsteen's music.

Yesterday - 3½ Stars. Himesh Patel as a struggling songwriter in a world where no one remembers The Beatles. Comedy mixes with science fiction and romance, just for fun.

Arch Campbell with Will Ferrell & Zach Galifianakis (r)

Apollo 11 - 3½ Stars. New footage of the 1969 Moon voyage, assembled in eye-popping, jaw-dropping style.

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice - 3½ Stars. Linda Ronstadt's career, revisited with the sad coda of her losing her voice.

Downton Abbey - 3 Stars. Just what fans of the series ordered.

Judy - 3 Stars. Renée Zellweger's amazing performance of the last, sad year of Judy Garland's life.

Ad Astra - 3 Stars. Brad Pitt as a son searching the universe for his father. Stunningly beautiful, even when it sputters at the end.

Spider-Man: Far From Home - 3 Stars. Further adventures of the Marvel Universe. Kudos to Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya and Samuel L. Jackson and a creative plot.

The Peanut Butter Falcon - 2½ Stars. Down syndrome actor Zack Gottsagen debuts in a "Huck Finn" style adventure.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - 2 Stars. I hear the book's terrific. Skip the movie, read the book.

Hustlers - 2 Stars. Jennifer Lopez hopes to hustle a best actress award as a stripper leading a glamorous gang who drug and rob their Wall Street clients.

The Goldfinch - 1 Star. Overstuffed epic with an all-star cast runs about an hour too long.

It Chapter Two - 1 Star. Overlong, overstuffed disappointment, in spite of a good cast.

Didn't see it, don't wanna see it: In honor of my increasing grumpiness toward the new world of movies...

Rambo: Last Blood - You've got to be kidding.

Angel Has Fallen - What, again?

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - I saw the first eight.

The Lion King - Back for more cash.

Visit Arch's website for his (unrivaled) take on movies. He remains the only other (we're not self-hating) critic, whose opinion we admire and respect.