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This blog will include Greensboro Public Library staff reviews on movies and documentaries you can access through the Kanopy service, which is provided to all our card holders, and is accessible here.
Kanopy is a great source for documentaries and movies, many of which are independent features. When you use Kanopy for the first time, you'll notice that the setup is similar to other streaming services. There is even a link to Kanopy Kids for movies, documentaries, and shows geared for the younger viewer.
Happy Viewing!
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once (2022)
Grab a bagel and settle in for a wild journey through infinite possibilities in this epic yet intimate look at one woman’s life and the choices she made that lead her to today. Our hero, Evelyn, is played by the incomparable Michelle Yeoh, who turns in the performance that earned her an Oscar for Best Actress in 2023. Yeoh wasn’t alone in the winner’s circle. The film received multiple awards including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ke Huy Quan), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jaimie Lee Curtis), Best Directing (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), and Best Writing (also Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). In total, the film won more than 40 international awards.
This is a rare film where everything comes together to create a work that will be part of conversations about film for decades to come. The film as a whole reflects our modern experiences in that it is chaotic, at times overstimulating, and an absolute roller coaster ride.
While the plot is difficult to describe in detail, the major beats initially sound mundane. A middle-aged woman, Evelyn, and her husband own a struggling launderette. Evelyn fights to connect with her adult daughter (played with great enthusiasm by up-and-coming actress Stephanie Hsu), who is in a relationship with a woman. Evelyn also feels a great deal of pressure to succeed from her father, who has come to live with them due to his declining health. We meet the couple as they are about to sit down with an IRS auditor (Jamie Lee Curtis). Their numerous unsuccessful side businesses have come under the government scrutiny. Evelyn is deeply unsatisfied with the current state of her life, and takes this frustration out on those closest to her.
Suddenly, things get deeply weird. Evelyn’s husband (Ke Huy Quan) assumes a different posture, different mannerisms, and an entirely different personality. He explains that he is her husband from a parallel universe, and that he needs her help. He challenges Evelyn to imagine herself making a different set of choices, turning right instead of left as they exit the elevator, and then vanishes. This scene is the first of many parallels to the Matrix that those familiar with that film will encounter. Evelyn follows his instructions and dives into an adventure of parallel universes, adventure, and, surprisingly, mother-daughter bonding. Each choice Evelyn has made has led her to a different life, and a different set of skills. She has to interface with these lives to gain the skills she needs to defeat universe-hopping enemies led by the terrifying Jobu Tupaki.
But when it comes down to her future, what choices will Evelyn make? If you could choose which reality to live in, would you choose your own? The Matrix meets The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in this tour de force film from A24 studio and writer/director duo The Daniels.
Watch Everything, Everywhere, All at Once on Kanopy, or check out the DVD at the Greensboro Public Library.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
One of the most popular streaming options on Kanopy, What We Do in the Shadows is a Comedy/Horror from New Zealand filmmakers Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. Since 2014, both of these artists have made their mark on a wider stage, with Clement voicing a large number of characters in animated TV and film including Moana (2016) as well as creating and starring in the series Flight of the Concords. Waititi has directed or starred in a large number of films including Jojo Rabbit (2019) and the Thor films.
The humor that these creators are known for plays heavily into this mockumentary film, which follows a family of vampires trying to adjust to the fast pace of modern life. This modern cult classic takes a traditionally frightening concept and extrapolates the reality of these character’s lives to their absurd conclusion. One of the funniest elements of the film is the group’s relative mediocrity. These are not the wealthy nobility of Anne Rice’s vampire series. These guys take the bus downtown Wellington to find victims. The gang botches an ambush on a couple and have to deal with long term consequences as a result. This lets viewers more closely identify with the characters and presents a more realistic struggle into this fantasy scenario.
Fans of the 2019 FX series will notice parallels between these characters and the characters from the show, though the lack of Nadja will disappoint fans of her feminine perspective. Compared to the series, the film presents a less polished story. However, elements such as the relationship between the vampires and their familiars, werewolves, and of course the characters’ struggle with modern life remain consistent.
To catch What We Do in the Shadows (2014), access Kanopy for free with your library card or borrow the DVD from your local branch library. If you love the movie and want to check out the TV series, you can borrow the first two seasons!
Triangle of Sadness (2022)
Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Triangle of Sadness is a thought-provoking and at times hilarious examination of modern conceptions of gender, class, and personal morality. The film follows Carl, an aspiring model played by Harris Dickinson, and his influencer girlfriend Yaya (Charlbi Dean) as they try to break in to the rarified circles of the rich and famous.
Woody Harrelson has a brief cameo, and carries much of the film’s humor, as the Captain of a doomed luxury yacht whose passengers include a wide range of both wealthy passengers and eager to please staff. Carl struggles with feelings of insecurity as he feels disconnected with both groups. Yaya, who uses her looks and personality to bond with the wives and mistresses aboard the yacht, fares better until the ship sinks unexpectedly.
In the film’s third act, we find a smaller cast of characters shipwrecked on an island. This is where the film really gets interesting as the social hierarchy is turned on its head. Abigail, a former custodial worker, played brilliantly by Dolly De Leon, is now the leader of the group thanks to her practical skills.
Just how each character reacts to this change in fortune is where the film’s final message lies. An open ending allows the viewer to consider not only the potential outcomes, but also what they would do if the decision were left in their hands.
Check out this and other great films on DVD at your local library, or through the Kanopy streaming app, available for free to library cardholders.
Best Sellers (2021)
"Best Sellers" is a remarkable film that effortlessly combines elements of comedy, drama, and introspection to create an endearing and memorable cinematic experience. Released in 2021, this gem of a movie captivates audiences with its unique storyline, exceptional performances, and poignant exploration of human connection.
The film revolves around the reluctant partnership between Lucy Stanbridge (played brilliantly by Aubrey Plaza) and Harris Shaw (masterfully portrayed by Michael Caine). Lucy, an ambitious young publisher, is assigned the daunting task of reviving the career of the reclusive and cantankerous author, Harris, whose books have fallen into obscurity. What unfolds is a heartwarming journey as the two mismatched individuals embark on a book tour, leading to unexpected adventures and revelations.
The performances in "Best Sellers" are nothing short of extraordinary. Aubrey Plaza's portrayal of Lucy is nuanced and authentic, bringing forth both her vulnerability and determination with a captivating charm. Michael Caine delivers a remarkable performance, effortlessly transitioning from curmudgeonly to vulnerable, creating a complex and captivating character.
Beyond the exceptional acting, the film's exploration of the relationship between Lucy and Harris is where its true brilliance lies. The story delves into the themes of legacy, redemption, and the power of human connection. As the characters grapple with their own personal demons, their journey together becomes a poignant metaphor for the transformative power of literature and the resilience of the human spirit.
The screenplay, penned by Anthony Grieco, strikes a delicate balance between humor and heartfelt moments. The witty dialogue and subtle humor add a refreshing lightness to the narrative, while the emotional depth of the story leaves a lasting impact.
Visually, the film is beautifully shot, capturing both the vibrancy of the book tour settings and the intimate moments between the characters. The director, Lina Roessler, skillfully crafts a visually engaging experience that complements the emotional resonance of the story.
"Best Sellers" is a delightful film that will leave you both uplifted and introspective. With its exceptional performances, thought-provoking themes, and heartfelt storytelling, it stands as a testament to the enduring power of human connections and the profound impact of literature on our lives.
To watch this and hundreds of other exceptional films, log on to Kanopy, for free using your library card, or check out a copy of the DVD.
Find it All on Kanopy
Kanopy is a free video streaming service that can be accessed by library cardholders from our website or by downloading an app to a computer, Smart TV, Roku, or other streaming device. Kanopy has thousands of movies, TV shows, and documentaries on a wide variety of subjects. At the beginning of each month, cardholders each receive 5 credits to use on the app. A credit can be used towards a single movie, a season of a TV show, or even one of the list of educational video courses available on the site. There’s even a Kids section which has content appropriate and entertaining for children.
Each month Kanopy highlights parts of their collection using curated lists with specific themes. In recognition of Pride Month, Kanopy has highlighted some of the great content on their site relating to the queer experience. This is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn about the joys and sorrows of the LGBTQIA+ experience. Some of these films, especially the documentaries, are hard to find on any other streaming service.
If you’re new to Kanopy, click this link to register your library card and get started. And if you’re already a Kanopy user, log in today and check out one of the curated lists for content you can’t find anywhere else!
The Perfect Host (2010)
A bank robber at large with a foot injury finds his way to an affluent neighborhood. After one resident
turns him away, he is able to wheedle his way into the home of one Warwick Wilson with the ruse that he is a friend of a friend.
Warwick is amiable enough, a breezy and slightly timid man who is busy cooking for a dinner party for which all the guests are late. He invites John, as we know the perpetrator, to stay on, and have a few glasses of wine. At the mention of his name on the radio news, John breaks his nice guy act and threatens Warwick with violence.
This is a terrible mistake.
What follows is a hallucinogenic long evening in which John envisions an intimate dinner and a wild party following that. What appears to be a fun outing develops into a disturbing series of episodes in which John is tied up, nearly drowned, made a subject of a series of Polaroids, and shamed repeatedly for his bleeding foot.
John does get away in the early morning from the mad party that was, or wasn’t, and he soon forgets the horrifics of the evening to focus on his real business, which is why John is on the run. However, Warwick isn’t finished with him yet.
The Perfect Host is roller coaster ride of strange happenings, a potential hostage situation where a meek man hosting a party redefines sinister, and a bank robber with a desperate plan becomes a victim. A psychological thriller or psychedelic gore fest? In some ways, the movie is both, with flashbacks aplenty to disorient the viewer – or add to the storyline, twisted as it is. There are some disturbing scenes, so keep that in mind. David Hyde Pierce of Fraser fame shines as Warwick.
Good Ol’ Freda (2013)
Watching a documentary about the Beatles seems appropriate, as it has been forty years since John Lennon died. Good O
l’ Freda is nice, low-key presentation about the Beatles’ long time secretary, who worked for them beginning in the early days through their infamous breakup of the early 1970s.
Freda Kelly, an early Beatles fan, snuck away from the typing pool she worked at for lunchtime sets at Liverpool’s infamous Cavern Club. She was a staple at the shows, the guys in the band got to know her, and soon enough, Freda was hired at 17 by Brian Epstein, the group’s manager at the time.
Freda experienced the huge change first hand in the boy’s fortunes from local favorites to international stars, and her role as secretary and fan club head varied day to day, from handling a few dozen fan letters to having sacks of mail descend on her daily. As she relates in her interviews, she and the band were gladdened by their modest early successes, but were mind blown by how massive things got.
Freda stuck things out for ten years, working for Apple Records after Brian Epstein died, and ultimately witnessing the dissolution of the band. Things got crazier, but Freda kept her head and finally quit for a quieter family life.
Good Ol’ Freda is a refreshing take on the Beatles years, bringing to the fore an insider who sidestepped the trappings of fame for the joy of family, but still reveled in the sheer madness of working for a band that defined an era.
In a way, the trajectory of the storyline follows so many other documentaries about the Beatles. What this one lacks, and thankfully, is the sensationalism. Ms. Kelly is marvelously plainspoken, an ardent supporter who also stuck to her work ethic, and the big reveals she has are not bombastic – instead, they add a human face to the Fab Four and their respective families, some of whom Freda considered close.
Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil (2010)
Best friends Tucker and Dale take possession of a crumbling mountain cabin, and are driving up for 
much-needed beer drinking and renovation time. The house is a wreck in progress, but cheap, and the setting next to a lake is idyllic.
At a store on the way, they have their first awkward meeting with a group of college students, who plan to be camping at the same lake. Tucker and Dale, amiable enough when you get to know them, do not make a great first impression, and imaginations flare, envisioning the two buddies as vengeful backwoods types.
The two do not want a weekend of hassle, but a series of mishaps and misunderstandings soon have the young folk believing their own worst fears – and then the bloodbath begins, as certain interactions with dangerous sharp tools whittle down the number of happy campers. Tucker and Dale even injure themselves trying to get away from their “visitors,” who are adept at offing themselves in various gruesome manners.
So much for the idyllic weekend.
Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil is a hilarious sendoff of slasher horror movies, positioning the alleged blood-crazy hillbillies as the real victims. This movie includes many of the horror clichés – the chase scenes, the bad seed of the group, the denouement at a deserted mill – and spins them into something funny.
As a spoiler, with all slasher films, this one contains a fair amount of gore.
The Squid and the Whale (2005)
Family dysfunction is an often-used theme in film. In this movie, directed by Noah Baumbach and 
released about fifteen years ago, the setting is the mid-1980s, as we witness the implosion of a successful family during this time in Brooklyn.
Bernard and Joan Berkman and their two sons have an envious life with cracks in it. They are upper-middle class, with all the accoutrements - a brownstone in a good neighborhood, and kids with growing pains, but not too many. He’s a college professor, arrogant and opinionated, who has recently had a lack of publishing activity, whereas Joan is finding her voice as a writer, with some success. We don’t know at the beginning whether these circumstances are creating their relationship fissures, or if there are underlying issues. There are hints (aggression at a family tennis game, Bernard’s use of the sleeper couch), but until the parents announce their separation to the sons, the tension isn’t explicable.
It soon is, and the faults of Bernard and Joan are obvious. The sons, awkward teenager Walt and pre-teen Frank, soon find the realities of shared custody at odds with their previous lifestyle, and they act out their bewilderment and displeasure as they witness their parents go their separate ways. Walt, at first his father’s ally, fumbles through his first dating experiences and slowly sees the reality through his dad’s academic bluster. The younger brother Frank sides with his mother despite finding out her infidelities, and struggles with pre-adolescence as he sneaks booze and brazenly discovers his sexuality.
The Squid and the Whale is gripping as familial dysfunction fare, and a constant shocker for some graphic sexual content and a barrage of profanity, so if these aspects are deal breakers, then this isn’t your film. However, if you like some great acting (with heavy hitters such as Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, and a surprise performance from Owen Kline as Frank) and the shots of New York City that permeate this movie, you’ll like this one.
The Tomorrow Man (2019)
Ed is an older man who buys household staples often and with a purpose. It’s not immediately known at
the beginning, but Ed is a prepper – one that takes great efforts to stock up on necessities in case of imminent collapse or disaster. He finds meaning in endless online forums of conspiracy theorists and doomsday predictors, and begins to have delusions about the network news.
Ed’s carefully orchestrated world is about to change.
At the town’s grocery store, he notices another shopper and is intrigued by both her and her purchasing habits. Ronnie is a timid woman, probably about Ed’s age, who compulsively shops for a random range of products, many of them sturdy and made with a sense of purpose. It is this careful selection that catches Ed’s attention – that, and the fact that Ronnie has an unusual flair about herself.
Ed borderline stalks Ronnie – not because of bad intent, but that he is a man of single-minded purpose, and the years of being a divorcé have been lonely ones for him, as Ed is finally admitting to himself. He is sure that Ronnie is a kindred spirit to him.
After a series of social fumbles, the two begin dating, and develop a quiet spark - not a mind-blowing passion, but a solid liking for each other. Ed, not long for social graces, realizes he can care for somebody else again besides his distant son and family. Ronnie, the survivor of familial tragedy, finds a meaning beyond endless buying and her retail job.
The Tomorrow Man falls into the “sweet little film” category for me. There’s some Hollywood clichés here, but few, and to the director’s credit, he created a movie that succeeds through imagery and decent dialogue, not to mention the shots of wonderful countryside (what is it about upstate New York?). John Lithgow as Ed and Blythe Danner as Ronnie were on point for casting choices, Lithgow as dogged prepper and Danner playing the gentle but damaged soul. Even though these two are bigger names (to me, anyhow), the two are good enough at their game not to make the film a struggle of star egos; it was pleasure to see them in this film.
For shock value, watch something else. For semi-feel good vibes and the quirkiness of an independent film, give The Tomorrow Man a look.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Pumaman (1998)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is about an average guy and his motley crew of snarky robot friends who have been trapped on a satellite controlled by an evil scientist, who forces them to watch terrible movies as part of their dastardly plans. Mike and his robot pals riff their way through each borderline unwatchable movie in real time so that you, the viewer, can benefit from their humorous commentary. The original show ran for 10 seasons and mined entertainment from nearly 200 cheesy movies (the worst they could find). One such classic of questionable filmmaking is the 1980 Italian superhero flick The Pumaman.
The Pumaman is the tale of mild-mannered paleontologist Tony Farms, who must protect the world from the villainous Dr. Kobras. Kobras has acquired a golden mask that bestows its wielder with mind control powers which he plans to use on various world leaders in a fairly standard world domination plot. Meanwhile, Tony is accosted by a mysterious man named Vadinho, our cryptic mentor figure of the film. Vadinho insists that Tony is the long-awaited warrior destined to defeat Kobras, and gifts him with a magic belt that allows Tony to fully transform into … the Pumaman.
Now The Pumaman is, by any measure, not a good film. The acting is ridiculous, the story swings between painfully predictable and wildly incomprehensible, there’s some very regrettable uses of harmful Native American tropes and stereotypes, and the special effects! Tony’s flights in Pumaman costume are a lot less flying and a lot more flailing helplessly on the end of a poorly- disguised wire in front of an obvious green screen. But while it may not be a good movie, The Pumaman is an amazing bad movie. The Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode is a hilarious and quotable 2 hours of entertainment that you won’t regret.
Arctic (2018)
Overgård, a survivor of a plane wreck, is the only soul alive on a vast stretch of Arctic land. The
fuselage of the airplane is largely intact, so he has shelter, and at least a knowledge of the terrain. Ice fishing is his sole source for food, as it appears that there are no emergency supplies, or he has exhausted them.
A rescue helicopter, sent presumably for him, lists in the high winds of a storm and crashes a short distance away. He finds a young woman still alive in the wreckage, and, doubting that both of them can survive indefinitely on the meager fish he catches, sets out with a topographic map in hand, dragging her on a sled, swathed in coats and blankets, to some undetermined point where they might encounter help.
This is the premise and plot for Arctic, a slow simmer of a film defined more by atmosphere and emotion than dialogue. The expressions of the actor Mads Mikkelsen drive the film. He brilliantly displays the anguish of a lone survivor – the hardships of daily life in a frozen landscape, the hunger of one’s need for contact, be it for rescue or companionship, the superhuman attempts to top a hill or fight a polar bear. He fails in scary ways, but celebrates his successes modestly, as acts of necessity rather than bravado.
See Arctic not for heart-pounding montage (although the bear scene is terrifying), but for the effort of making a quality film, on a shoestring budget, in an unforgiving location.
Leave No Trace (2018)
A father and his teenage daughter live in a forest preserve, and shun contact with the outside world. 
Their daily routine is that of avoidance; interaction with the few hikers that venture here is unthinkable. These two take it to extremes – every foot print is accountable, communication is largely nonverbal, and what little they own is easily hidden and portable. They effectively don’t exist. Hence the title, a practice of hikers and nature lovers, meaning to leave an immediate surrounding as if they’d never been there.
Will, the father, suffers from PTSD from an unknown war experience, and has little regard for government intervention. As Tom, the daughter, is literally all he has for family, it makes sense for Will to raise her as a survivalist – not an extreme sort, but one who is able to live off of nature and away from prying eyes.
There are occasional ventures into civilization, for food and supplies not obtainable by natural means. It is assumed that there is some type of account or stipend that the two draw on, but whatever they use is miniscule. Their personal effects are durable things, repaired often; the books they have and cherish are worn-out paperbacks.
It takes a small series of slip ups before the authorities wise up to their existence. Will and Tom are taken (maybe arrested is more apt) and rehabilitated by Social Services. Tom goes to a proper school, Will works a proper job, and they live in a real house. But these “corrections” don’t last. Will is a broken spirit, and can’t, or won’t, fit in to established society. As a loyal daughter, Tom at first doesn’t see a future without her dad. As she is approaching adulthood, though, Tom realizes that she and her father will have to diverge from each other at some point.
Leave No Trace is a quiet study of father/daughter relations and the extremes that a parent will go to assert an independence from a bigger system. How free are they, though? The two have to live within a stringent regimen in order to assert their independence. They are constrained within the environment of the woods to live at all. And although Will is showing his daughter that there is a livelihood beyond the trappings of society, is the manner he raises her beneficial, and does he account for the possibility that she would differ?
As a film, Leave No Trace is an exercise of minimalism, particularly in dialogue. There are long periods in the movie where little or nothing is spoken. As such, the film requires some patience in watching, but the rewards are big. Ben Foster as Will and Thomasin McKenzie as Tom were excellent choices; both give amazing performances. The landscape, a swath of rain forest in the Pacific Northwest, is beautifully rendered. And finally, a big nod to director Debra Granik, who also directed Winter’s Bone.
The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
The 40’s was considered the golden age of film noir, but the 50’s also provided some great films in the genre. One of the best is the 1953 “The Hitch-Hiker.” In this thrilling film from trailblazing director Ida Lupino, friends (Edmond O’ Brien) and Gilbert’s (Frank Loveloy) fishing trip take a terrifying turn when the hitchhiker (William Talman) they pick up turns out to be a sociopath on the run from the law. He’s killed before, and he lets the two know that as soon as they’re no longer useful, he will kill again. Fans of the Perry Mason television series will recognize Talman in his long running role as D. A. Hamilton Burger.
The film is a great exercise in suspense. It also takes film noir out of its usual dark and claustrophobic settings and brings it outside to a sunny and misleading atmosphere. Lupino proves herself to be as daring and capable as the men film noir directors of the period.
The film is based on the crime spree of Billy Cook. He murdered far more people, but the Hays Office (censors) would only allow three to be depicted in the film. It is the first American mainstream film noir directed by a woman and was selected in 1998 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
Ida Lupino was a fine actress. “They Drive by Night” with Humphrey Bogart and “The Hard Way” are must see films of classic film lovers and acting. She began directing when director Elmer Clifton suffered a mild heart attack and was unable to finish Not Wanted, a film Lupino co-produced and co-wrote. She did not take screen credit for directing out of respect for Clifton. From 1949 on, she directed more features and television programs. She is the only woman to direct a “Twilight Zone” episode ("The Masks") and the only person to have worked as both actress and (uncredited) as a director in an episode ("The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine"). Her last feature film as director was “The Trouble with Angels” in 1965 starring Rosiland Russell and Haley Mills.
Recently I have been re-watching many film noir favorites. I am happy to report that I found this one just as great as when I first viewed it some years ago.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Vampires get a bad reputation. Sure, they’re scary, bloodthirsty fiends, the makers of nightmares. But
what if they lived typical lives, had relationship problems, and had deadbeat (no pun intended) or pompous roommates?
Such is the premise for What We Do in the Shadows, a silly romp through the nightly regimen of the undead. We meet Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav, three housemates who share several hundred years of existence between them. They crave blood like all vampires do, and the company of others on occasion, as they increasingly find each other tiresome.
The outside world, i.e. humans, is a challenge, and they can only experience it at night. Our threesome try to create a social life, clubbing and meeting up with victims (their favorites), bores, or hanger-ons. The worst thing is calling attention to themselves, so they have to be careful when choosing “guests” for meals.
Mix in modern technology, a werewolf gang with a grudge, and a long-standing love, and you have What We Do in the Shadows, a humorous look at the undead that does for vampires what This Is Spinal Tap did for washed-up rock bands.
As with anything pertaining to vampires, this movie is macabre, and even gory in places. The largely unspoken roommate Petyr is easily the scariest, a case of nerves to have to wake him up every sundown. On the whole, though, What We Do in the Shadows is good fun, with more laugh than fright factors.
This movie features Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame as Vladislav, the ladykiller (literally) dandy, and Taika Waititi as Viago. Waititi has also found fame as director of two well-received indie films - Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, both of which are also available on Kanopy.
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)
This 1946 film is one of the best of 1940s film noir. Young Martha (Barbara Stanwyck) inadvertently causes the death of her cruel aunt. Martha lies to the cops, and Walter (Kirk Douglas), who saw the crime, corroborates the girl's story. Eventually, they wed out of convenience; the meek Walter is genuinely in love, and Martha thinks that her secret is safe since she has married the one witness to her aunt's death. However, when her childhood pal, Sam (Van Heflin), shows up, Martha knows her dark past may not stay a secret for long.
The cast gives great performance and the dark atmosphere is very compelling. Barbara Stanwyck gives a performance that mesmerizes, much has her role in 1944’s outstanding “Double Indemnity”. Kirk Douglas made his film debut as a weak character that he rarely portrayed in future roles. Van Helfin and Lizabeth Scott complete this quartet with their usual fantastic contributions and made in other film noir titles featuring them.
I find myself viewing this film several times a year. It was nominated in the Oscar categories of Best Writing and Original Story and an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The film was directed by the great director, Lewis Milestone of “All Quiet on the Western Front”. It was the 1930 Best Picture and Director Oscar winners.
It you love film noirs this is a must see. It also serves as a great introduction to it.
The Skeleton Twins (2014)
Warning, this film begins with an attempted suicide, and almost ends with one. 
Maggie and Milo are thirty-something twins who haven’t spoken to each other in ten years. At the beginning, Milo slashes his wrists and Maggie almost takes a fistful of pills. After Milo recovers, Maggie invites him to stay awhile with her and her husband, and the two try a reconciliation of sorts, but it’s a rough road.
The facade of Maggie's marriage is that of a happy one, but there’s far more going on - her husband Lance is good-natured, but has some minor oddities that Maggie can’t process. Also, the two nominally want a baby, but a chance encounter with an ex-high school friend with a kid dampens Maggie’s desire for a family. The reality is that she’s known all along that she doesn’t want a pregnancy.
Both siblings stepped into some very real problems long ago. Milo had an affair as a teenager that he revisits, somewhat unwisely, and Maggie, frustrated with the “good but simple guy” that she married, takes classes in scuba diving and other subjects, and engages in far more than class material.
The Skeleton Twins is an eye-popping study of sibling interaction. The tension between Milo and Maggie, always present, erupts often. There’s much to catch up on after a ten year period of noncommunication,
For all the unpleasant issues, The Skeleton Twins is an entertaining watch. It’s also another movie shot in upstate New York, so the scenery and autumn time period give a certain “up” factor to the film.
The casting is a strong point. Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader fit in well with their characters, as does Luke Wilson as a likeable doofus. Ty Burrell of Modern Family fame does a surprising turn as Rich, a former high school teacher who has a disturbing past with Milo.
You Can Count on Me (2000)
Kenneth Lonergan directs movies about quiet people and the abrupt situations in which they find
themselves. He manages to combine sudden drama and aftermath into an emotional roller coaster, mining the effects of years-old tragedies to observe their influence on a main character or characters. The two films I have seen by him both exhibit these characteristics.
In Manchester by the Sea, The main character is a man haunted by a family disaster that he, in his eyes, caused. This has determined his emotional approach to life years after the fact - he has a seemingly stoic outlook, yet exhibits great sadness and extreme outbursts of anger and violence.
In You Can Count on Me, the main story concerns the aftermath of two parents dying in a car crash - in this case, their surviving children as adults years later. Sammy, the older one, is the daughter that stayed in town. She’s lived the “correct” life, had a child, worked a steady job, and lived in the same house she did as a child. Terry is the rebel, the one who left their upstate New York town to find whatever was lacking there.
The main story is that of Terry’s return, that of a prodigal brother who comes into town for a few days and overstays his welcome. At first, Sammy is ecstatic about seeing her younger brother, but his extended visit becomes a period of frustrations and mistakes. Terry’s largely there for money, he’s shiftless and lacks motivation, yet he’s quick to pick up odd jobs. and has an unflinching rapport for her young son Rudy. Unfortunately, he involves Rudy into a series of adventures that try Sammy’s patience and undermine her employment status - or is that all Terry’s doing? Sammy is not perfect, either, and we find this out fairly quickly in her interactions with the manager at her workplace.
I saw this movie a few years after it came out (2000) and it put me through the ringer emotionally - a similar feeling from watching Manchester by the Sea years later. As a director, Lonergan doesn’t flinch; rather, he ably dissects who we would think of as ordinary people, exposes their screw ups, their past and present indiscretions, and then sees how they fly afterward, if at all.
I’d recommend You Can Count on Me, particularly if you’d rather see something not typically Hollywood. The acting and casting is top-notch, the film locations are gorgeous, and the soundtrack is phenomenal (Bach cello music, some great classic country, and Steve Earle). Plus, it might be a big kick for Ozark fans to see Laura Linney in a much earlier role.
The Witch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
Too often, horror films rely on extreme shock and graphics to push a meager story along. In my opinion,
psychological tension in a horror movie makes a better scare factor. A slow simmer, along with mood and an occasional brief shock scene, ratchet up the teeth-clenching more effectively than endless slash. I much prefer classic horror or suspense movies to most latter day horror films, although there are certainly film directors today who appreciate subtlety and make movies that can get you jumping, and wondering, hours after the film is over.
Robert Eggers must have had this in mind when he directed his first feature-length film, The Witch. Here, he uses trigger points for the imagination to get the movie going, and it largely works. With gore in small doses, The Witch works fine as psychological horror.
The setting is ominous - a farm cleared out of woods that stretch on forever, the sheer aloneness of the farm, the lack of any safety net. The film, while shot in color, goes more for somber tones. About the only bright color is the blood, again in small doses.
The story begins with a family being banished from an early American colonial settlement for religious differences. The farm they have established is far beyond the village pale, so they are left to their own ingenuities, and the first apparent problem is how woefully ill-prepared they are for survival. The man of the house is not gifted with hunting skills, and the family’s first year harvest is scant.
The setting is enough to unnerve; the jolt that gets the story going is when the family baby disappears in the care of the oldest daughter. At first, this is attributed to a wolf, but the disappearance is so sudden.
The superstitions of the day are soon apparent, as the family members, all deeply religious, all believe that witchcraft is at work. At first, it’s a nagging thought, egged on by the nursery rhymes of the younger kids, but when the oldest son is lost, and then found and barely alive, and believed possessed, family members turn on each other, and the suspense flares up into a feverish pitch.
The Witch is a worthy period piece that delivers more on atmosphere than cheap thrills. There are certainly brief scenes here that have shock value, but the fear factors here are psychological - isolation, paranoia, starvation, etc.
I liked the fact that there were no big names in the cast. The actor playing the father (Ralph Ineson) was probably the most recognizable to me, but even he’s played in more British productions than American. Sometimes having an actor raking in millions ruins the movie for me; their mere presence defines the movie too much, and also affects an already strained production budget.
So, horror buffs and all film lovers, give The Witch a look. Do watch it with somebody...or not - your choice.
The Witch is available through Kanopy, brought to you by the Greensboro Public Library. All you’ll need is your library card number to set up an account.
The 1960s were a heady era, that of the Vietnam War and civil rights. Youth culture encompassed a barrage
of change, and fashions and societal mores evolved along with it. The music did as well, with folk music and Motown hitting the mainstream, the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion plowing through the scene, and everyone else (or nearly everyone) scurrying to put their own artistic stamp on the times. California proved to be a fertile ground for the musical scene, and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Laurel Canyon was an integral part of this.
Echo in the Canyon is a fascinating collage of sound and sight that well captures this place and time. In this documentary, hosted by Jakob Dylan, son of Bob, we get interviews from the big hitters of the time. Dylan talks to luminaries such as David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Brian Wilson, and Michelle Phillips from the Mamas and the Papas, all of whom were there when this place was such a musical hotspot.
The locale of Laurel Canyon itself is a major part of the narrative. Throughout the film, aerial and street shots are interspersed, giving the viewer an idea of how unique this place was (and I hope, still is).
I enjoyed some of the latter day retakes of the older songs (Dylan is joined by Cat Power, Norah Jones, Beck, among others), but at times this distracts from the flow of the film, although it should be noted that some of the original artists are deceased, and the younger crowd felt a need to recreate. I also detected a certain disconnection with the interviews. Dylan Senior is a nonentity in the film; he was certainly a presence during this time, if not this specific milieu, the point being that this film was not going to be about him.
These are minor issues. Echo in the Canyon is an enjoyable romp through a seemingly enchanted place and era when aspects of popular music exploded. If you liked the music and culture from the mid 1960s, particularly during the time when folk and rock genres fused into a distinctly California sound, then you’ll like this documentary.
All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records
During the 1970s, record stores were the places to be, and Tower Records was one of the bigger 
players of the record sales industry. In All Things Must Pass, this iconic company gets its due.
Starting in California in the early 1960s, Tower Records spread nationwide and eventually went international. Rock stars revered them, the record-buying public did as well, and the company set standards that other chains would have loved to attain.
Nothing is forever, and with the advent of compact discs and digital downloads, Tower Records eventually imploded, and their retail empire ended in 2006 when the company went bankrupt.
All Things Must Pass nicely captures the headiness of the times, when popular music was changing dramatically, and record stores were capitalizing on youth culture. This documentary includes coverage of Russ Solomon, Tower's bigger-than-life founder, occasional appearances by music stars (Elton John, David Grohl, Quest Love) and interviews with early store associates.
All Things Must Pass, directed by Tom Hanks' son Colin, is a breezy nod to both the bygone times of record stores, and what really made this company so special.