This week, The Movie Gourmet focuses on Cinequest, Silicon Valley’s own major film festival – back in person and now underway.
There’s also a new review of The Outfit, a satisfying crime thriller from earlier this year and a reminder about the charming documentary The Automat, which is now available to stream.
REMEMBRANCES
Director Wolfgang Peterson made a harrowing submarine masterpiece, Das Boot, one of the great war (and anti-war) movies. Then got to make lots of big Hollywood action epics, none of which were as good as Das Boot.
Actor Roger E. Mosley is best known for his 158 episodes as the helicopter pilot on Magnum, P.I. and over 50 guest appearances in tv series. As the title character in Leadbelly and in many TV shows, he paved the way for more positive and empathetic depictions of African-American characters. He also worked in one of best-ever TV movies, The Jericho Mile, in one of the best sports movies, Semi-Tough, and as Sonny Liston (with Muhammad Ali himself) in The Greatest.
Although her body of work was overshadowed by her off-screen personal life, actor Anne Heche was superb in Wag the Dog. That was one of a remarkable string of Big Movies in 1997 and 1998: Donnie Brasco, Volcano, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Six Days Seven Nights, Return to Paradise and Brian De Palma’s Psycho.
CURRENT MOVIES
- Nope: an unusually intelligent popcorn movie. I’m not a big horror/sci fi guy, and I loved it. One of the best movies of 2022. In theaters.
- Spin Me Round: an unpretentious and delightful comedy. In theaters.
- A Love Song: bittersweet, heartfelt and funny. In theaters.
- My Old School: how could this happen? In theaters.
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: nothing wrong with a dose of sentimentality once in a while. In theaters.
- Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song: reflective artist, reflective movie. In theaters.
- My Donkey, My Lover and I: it had me at the title. In theaters.
- The Automat: nickels in, memories out. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, KinoNow.
- Bitterbrush: two women at work. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, redbox.
- Both Sides of the Blade: not your conventional love triangle. In theaters.
- Montana Story: a family secret simmers, then explodes. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- Compartment No. 6: a surprising journey to connection. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- Cha Cha Real Smooth: decent people and their foibles, navigating life. AppleTV.
- Everything Everywhere All at Once: often indecipherable and mostly dazzling. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- Hit the Road: a funny family masks their tough choice. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
- Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres: tell me more. Netflix.
- The Tale of King Crab: storytelling at its best. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
WATCH AT HOME
The most eclectic watch-at-home recommendations you’ll find ANYWHERE:
- Colma: The Musical: a refreshing hoot. Amazon, Vudu, YouTube.
- The Outfit: no one is just what they seem to be. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- The Worst Person in the World: funny, poignant, original and profoundly authentic. Amazon, Apple, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- Heartworn Highways: like desperados waitin’ for a train. AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, Showtime.
- Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel: the artsy and the quirky. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- The Worst Person in the World: funny, poignant, original and profoundly authentic. Amazon, Apple, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- Heartworn Highways: like desperados waitin’ for a train. AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, Showtime.
- Everything Everywhere All at Once: often indecipherable and mostly dazzling. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
- Jockey: he finally grapples with himself. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
- The Visitor: self-isolation no longer. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
- The Bra: Just your average silent Azerbaijani comedy. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
- The East: how do we punish corporate crime? HBO, Amazon, AppleTV, redbox.
- Project Nim: a chimp learns the foibles of humans. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube.
- Bombshell: The Hedy Lamar Story: the world’s most beautiful woman and her secrets. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, KINO Now.
- The Gatekeepers: winning tactics make for a losing strategy. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.
- Auggie: Who do you see when you put on the glasses? Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube.