Here’s a lot of Movies I’ve Recently Seen: June 19, 2023

I usually talk about four films in my “Movies I’ve Recently Seen” articles. But this time, I saw six. So I decided to give you an easily-read list.

As usual, the films are listed from the best to the worst. If I saw the film theatrically, I’ll tell you about it.

• You Hurt My Feelings
• The Glenn Miller Story
• Past Lives
• BlackBerry
• Being Mary Tyler Moore
• Carnal Knowledge

A You Hurt My Feelings (2023)

You rarely find a comedy so funny and yet so realistic. The basic story sounds like a stupid sitcom: Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays a writer who overhears her husband talking about her new book, and she doesn’t like what she hears. But it’s so much more believable and convincing than that. Besides, the whole family has its problems. Her husband (Tobias Menzies) is a shrink, and he doubts he’s helping his patients. Their adult son works in a pot dispensary and doesn’t seem to want for something better. And, of course, it’s all mama’s fault. I look forward to the next film from writer/director Nicole Holofcener.

My wife and I saw You Hurt My Feelings at the last night of the now dark Albany Twin. The last few times we went to this theater, it was almost empty. Thursday night, the theater was jammed. The experience was bittersweet. People laughed and applauded. I left wishing that the theater could be that full each night. Alas, between COVID and streaming at home, that’s not going to happen.

A- The Glenn Miller Story (1954)

Here’s another Anthony Mann/James Stewart collaboration, and this one is not a western. In fact, there’s no violence at all. Stewart learned to play the trombone for the roll, and it worked. The story isn’t much (they rarely are in musical biopics), so the characters and the music carry the show. June Allyson plays his brilliant wife, who’s also his unofficial manager and keeps the band going. But what really swings in this movie is the music. Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, and other musicians pop up.

A- Past Lives (2023)

Warning: After watching Past Lives, you’ll probably want to look up an old flame on the Internet. Two Korean children experience childhood puppy love. As the years pass, Nora immigrates to Canada and then New York, where she marries a successful Jewish writer. (Nora is also a successful playwright.) Eventually, Nora brings her old flame to the Big Apple to meet someone she hasn’t seen in decades. This is a film with no villains, and yet these people can easily hurt the others.  Greta Lee plays Nora with a warm and loving smile. Teo Yoo and John Magaro also give wonderful performances. An exceptional film from writer/director Celine Song.

I saw Past Lives at the Piedmont, which is now the only Landmark theater in the East Bay.

A- BlackBerry (2023) in theaters & streaming

A story of modern technology and how it changes. A group of happy tech nerds figure out how to make a pocket device that can be used for both email and phone calls. Soon after, the nerds and the suits that grab onto the gadget get very rich. Then the iPhone destroys their baby. The movie was shot with mostly handheld cameras, creating a feel that nothing is stable. The battles between the nerds and the suits bring considerable comedy, while showing a story that’s fairly close to what actually happened.

I saw BlackBerry at the New Parkway cinema and restaurant in Oakland.

B Being Mary Tyler Moore (2023)

Another documentary about a movie or TV star. Mary Tyler Moore’s life story is worth watching…although the movie could have been considerably shorter. In the early ’70’s, Moore became something of a feminist icon, or so this documentary claims. Earlier, she came to fame as the wife of Dick Van Dyke’s sitcom character. She broke rules by not wearing skirts (in the early ’60s, women in pants were considered daring). It’s interesting, but not exceptional.

C- Carnal Knowledge (1971)

How can a serious film written by Jules Feiffer and directed by Mike Nichols turns out to be so bad? You can probably figure out that the movie is about sex. Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel play longtime friends. Nicholson gets the hot chicks, but he can’t keep a relationship working. Garfunkel is a nice guy, but he’s really in the movie so that Nicholson has another male to talk to. The women involved are played by Candice Bergen, Ann-Margret, Rita Moreno, Cynthia O’Neal, and Carol Kane. A lot of talented actresses had little to do.

I had to fix a few words after the article went to press.