Six Movies to See La La Land I am pretty sure it’s La La Land for Best Picture. This film left me thinking I just saw the Oscar Winner. It was bold and unpredictable: music, drama, the quest for fame—it’s all there. Passenger It was good Sci-Fi, like a futuristic Robinson Crusoe tale on an island surrounded by a sea of space. Oh, and Friday is a woman. My friend’s wife called it a “chick flick” and a “love story.” Lion It reminded me of Slumdog Millionaire award winner. It made a lot of people cry. Okay, I couldn’t help it, I got weepy. Fences Acting showcase for Viola and Denzelle. Potent stuff. It will win some Oscars. 20th Century Women Sleeper indie film that

Prediction One: We will see the beginning of protectionism. It’s what always happens when populism and nationalism rear their ugly heads: we decide to look out for ourselves and the rest of the world retaliates. Quotas, tariffs, and other barriers to trade are an inseparable part of populism. It tends to breed inflation and eventually, war. Prediction Two: It will be aired on every major channel and despite the apparent disruption of the domestic or world order, most will not care because it’s free entertainment. If you think about, Hollywood couldn’t produce a crazier series, yet it will be a huge global hit because he is outrageous and unpredictable and great for ratings. It will be a little like All in the Family except Archie

Jessica Chastain probably gets herself nominated for an Oscar as she plays a very determined and capable woman—reminiscent of her character in Zero Dark Thirty. The film is about a force of a woman—though it’s not necessarily about women, and part of the plot is about gun control in politics—but it’s not really about gun control. It’s about the lobbying industry and the ruthlessness with which big money chases votes, paying mercenaries (lobbyists) to fight their wars for them: if a new or changed law means billions, you quickly pay millions to try to make it go your way. Power is ruthless, so the driving conflict of the film is “winning” or  achievement in pitched battle against conscience and morality. The machines of industry and

The election was won—as I thought it would be in my post of 9/22 (https://www.moviesmarketsandmore.com/the-clinton-curse-or-the-time-of-trump/) by the anti-candidate and the disruptor. Democrats had two potential disruptors in Warren and Sanders, either of whom could have won the election for president (and whose candidacies would probably have helped Dems gain the senate majority) were it not for the ambitions of Hilary Clinton—who offered to disrupt NOTHING except the gender of the most powerful leader in the world. In her insatiable appetite for political power and by applying her influence with the DNC, Clinton cost the country a chance at real change—instead of what will doubtless become control by Republicans and the conservative elite of all three branches of government: Congressional, Executive, and Judicial. My hopes, fears,

  I saw a number of films—some still playing—that do not merit a full review, so I will suggest a couple and try to create some energy around new ones on the way. Here are the shortened versions: Inferno Though I loved watching Felicity Jones, I got bored pretty quickly. Tom Hanks—it feels terrible to say this about a great performer—is getting tiresome. The plot did not grab me as in the prior stories. Ugh. The Accountant It was worth the price of admission, but would have been a better film if Ben Affleck had convinced me his character was autistic. He reminded me more of the programmed killer played by Matt Damon in parts of Jason Bourne than anything like Dustin Hoffman in Rain