The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)

 In his book 'Dave Barry Turns 40', the author muses that the older you get the less you remember of each succeeding decade and when it comes down to it all your likely to remember of the 1980's is Tammy Faye Bakker. Tammy Faye was once a pretty big deal, an icon, famous for her heavy make up, she was ubiquitous in certain circles, and arguably a decade defining figure. Yet for those whose lives or memories don't go back to before the fall of the Iron Curtin hers may be a largely or completely unknown persona. 

The new movie 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' is a reintroduction of its titular figure and her evangelist husband Jim Bakker, played heartily by Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield. Based on the well regarded 2000 documentary of the same name, the film follows Tammy Faye from her humble childhood in International Falls, Minnesota, her courtship and marriage to aspiring preacher Jim Bakker, and the couples monumental rise from traveling evangelists (who used a puppet show to attract children, who would then bring their parents), through the panicle of televangelism in it's 1980's hay day, to the collapse and aftermath of their empire through overextension and greed. 

At it's height the couples PTL (Praise The Lord) ministry and network was pulling in 9 digit figures annually, was the forth biggest broadcast network in the United States, and even built a theme park. The couple embodied an aspirational, prosperity gospel mind set that a good chunk of the country found appealing, while behind the scenes infidelities, both personal and economic would build and pull the whole house of cards down. 

Often garish figures who made a point of oversized emotional displays on air, the Bakkers had a clownish quality that could easily over take any attempt to portal their story dramatically. They all but ask to characterized. Yet this movie gives them a pretty fair shot, warts and all. 

Directed by Michael Showalter of MTV's 1990's comedy troop 'The State', heretofore his best known film both before and behind the camera is the cult classic summer camp comedy 'Wet Hot American Summer', which came out twenty years ago. Like Adam McKay with 'Vice' or Jay Roach with 'Bombshell', this is a comedy director taking on fairly serious, real life events, playing much of it straight, but all of it with a knowing quality. 

The film compresses a lot of material, to give a solid, survey course presentation of the story. I thought the thing was well paced, I was never board. In the early parts of the movie I was somewhat distracted by the prosthetics applied to Ms. Chastain that literally changed the shape of her face to conform with Tammy Faye's squattier visage. Then I got used to it. 

Solid performances, both hers and Garfield's, the latter's being of necessity a little subtler. Tammy Faye is presented as being very sincere in her convictions. Yes she was overly dramatic and loved the spotlight, but she seems to have really felt that she was doing good, and she was doing some, and to genuinely have wanted to help people. Jim's motives are murkier. 

Tammy Faye is presented as rather comfortable with the gay community, and in fact would lead a ministry focused on that group in her later years, after her divorce from Jim (Tammy Faye would die in 2007, Jim is still alive and once more preaching on TV). Tammy Faye was really the principle, often load woman's voice in the early days of large scale televangelism, an arena dominated by the likes of Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell Sr., the later is the chief villain in a film that is largely shades of gray. Falwell used the couples scandal's as means towards hostile takeover of their network, which would ultimately go bankrupt. 

I thought there was a lot to like in this film, and though it has a TV movie quality, it's generosity and largely non judgmental approach to it's subjects was welcome, and even a little surprising. ***1/2

The Star Trek Project: Next Gen Season 5 Highlights

 Beginning after the season 5 premier 'Redemption 2'. 

Season 5 episode 2 "Darmok" 

This episode seems to be more loved by Trek fans generally then by me particularly. However it is solid, and a bit of an original Trek throw back in it's story. It's also one you will often hear referenced by Trek nerds and in memes, so worth seeing. 

Episode 3 "Ensign Ro" 

Introduction to the character Ensign Ro in particular, and to the Bajoran race generally. Bajoran's will be central players on the series Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

Episode 5 "Disaster" 

Basically a disaster movie on the Enterprise. Good energy to this one. 

Episode 6 "The Game" 

Wesley Crusher returns, a young Ashley Judd is his love interest. A prescient critique of addictive video games. 

Episodes 7 & 8, "Unification Part 1", "Unification Part 2". 

Spock, the Romulans, more fall out from the Klingon civil war, Ferengi arms traders. a rather packed couple of episodes. 

Episode 14 "Conundrum" 

Interesting way to play with interpersonal dynamics amongst the characters when the crew suffers from memory loss and must figure out who they are.

Episode 15 "Power Play" 

How Picard handles a hostage situation in Ten Forward. 

Episode 17 "The Outcast" 

The series tackles LGBTQ issues. 

Episode 18 "Cause and Effect" 

A time loop episode. 

Episode 19 "The First Duty" 

Episode is set chiefly at Starfleet Academy, Wesley returns, and some more Picard backstory. 

Episode 21 "The Perfect Mate" 

Guest star Famke Janssen's genetic programing compels her to become Captain Picard's dream woman. 

Episode 23 "I, Borg" 

Removed from the collective consciousness can a long Borg develop personal identity? 

Episode 24 "The Next Phase" 

A kind of "ghost story". 

Episode 25 "The Inner Light" 

A beloved episode where Picard gets to experience a different life. 

Season 5 Episode 26 and Season 6 Episode 1, "Times Arrow, Part 1" & "Times Arrow, Part 2". 

Time Travel to 1893 San Francisco. 

Goldmember (2002)

'Goldmember' is the final film in the Austin Powers trilogy, a series of spy spoofs in which the final two films aren't really needed. This movie, which like the others breaks the forth wall a lot, even comments on the repetitiveness of the gags, and boy are they repetitive, as are the films basic structures. I think I may have liked this marginally more then the second one, but it's very close, though I think 2 is the grosser picture. While I saw the first two films in this series in the theater back in the 90's, I chose not to pay and see this one theatrically. Probably a good call. ** 

Millie (1931)

Playing out over the course of nearly 20 years, 'Millie' features poor Helen Twelvetrees repeatedly betrayed by men, resulting in a failed marriage and a broken quasi-engagement. An embittered Millie murders a lecherous older man when he takes aim at her estranged 16 year old daughter. Thing is I've seen movies like this before, this is not a unique story line for pre code film. The movie is pretty meandering until around it's final third. **

Colette (2018)

'Colette' is a bio-pic about the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, who is best known in this country for writing the source material for the Oscar winning 1950's musical 'Gigi'. More then half a century before that movie came out Colette wrote a series of semi-autobiographical novels featuring an alter ego named Claudine. These novels were tremendously successful and spawned a wave of early merchandising, 'Claudine' beauty creams ect.

The novels were originally attributed to her husband, and that marriage is really the core of the story here. Henry Gauthier-Villars, an author and editor was responsible for launching her career, but also tried to control it and didn't always make kind or wise decisions, in fact they often weren't. The marriage would end in divorce and Colette would continue writing, as well as a long homosexual relationship that started late in her marriage. Leads Keira Knightly and Dominic West are very strong in this. A story that was added much by my unfamiliarity with it. Kind of an audacious piece. ***1/2 

Army of One (2016)

 'Army of One' is inspired by the true story of Gary Faulkner, a fifty something Colorado handyman on kidney dialysis who believes that God has instructed him to hunt down and capture Osama bin Laden. Gary actually went to Pakistan several time in the aughts in an effort to complete this mission. Faulkner is played by Nic Cage, and it is a committed performance and a unique characterization. God is played by Russell Brand. Unfortunately the film is just so odd, and its lead so grating that the movie only occasionally worked for me. Director Larry Charles has made a career out of such grating characters as Borat, Bruno, and Larry David. Wendi McLeandon-Covey plays Gary's unusually supportive girl friend. ** and half of that grade is just for Nic Cage going all in on this thing. 

Going Beserk (1983)

 In 'Going Beserk' John Candy is the co-owner of a limo service and engaged to the daughter of a congressman running for president (Pat Hingel). The congressman is investigating the leader of a religious cult (Richard Libertini) who has John kidnapped and then hypnotized by an aerobics class as part of a plot to hypnotize his perspective father in law at the wedding. Eugene Levy plays a sleazy movie producer, Ernie Hudson a man who sets his family on fire, and the mom from 'The Wonder Years' (Alley Mills) is John's fiancé. A really silly movie which I had previously seen about 5 minuets of around 30 years ago. **1/2

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

 I came into 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' with low expectations, it's not a property I'm familiar with and what little I'd heard about the film critically was that it was just okay. Those low expectations where doubtless a factor, but Shang-Chi has proved to be easily my favorite of the three post 'Endgame' Marvel movies so far. It doesn't even feel all that much like a superhero movie until near the end, more like a marital arts, family/crime drama that happens to be set in the MCU.

With it's strong cultural ethnic element the obvious point of reference here is 'Black Panther', which is the better movie, though this one wasn't bad. The film even boasts the return of a largely forgotten figure from an earlier film which proved to be the character return I didn't know I wanted. Some people find Awkwfina to be a little much, but I think she dialed it down enough that it works here. Simu Liu is a little bland, but a likable enough lead. ***

The Great Outdoors (1988)

 'The Great Outdoors', more like the middling outdoors. I remember catching part of this on what I think was a network TV showing circa 1990, but had never seen it all the way through. Directed by Mr. Lea Thompson, Howard Deutch it's great to see John Candy and Dan Aykroyd on screen in something that is essentially new to me. The John Hughesness of the John Hughes screenplay is almost overpowering, even if this is clearly one of his lesser works. All the pieces are there but it never came fully together emotionally for me, the way his best movies do. Lucy Deakins is in this, and man it's been a long time since I've seen her. **1/2.  

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

 'Groundhog Day' crossed with a John Green novel. ***

City Hall (1996)

 At the beginning of 'City Hall' a 6 year old black boy is killed in the cross fire of a police shooting in North Brooklyn. The movie focuses on how the Mayor's off ice handles the fall out, and of course there is a corruption angle. Al Pacino is the Mayor, John Cusack his deputy. David Paymer and Danny Aiello are in this, Martin Landau plays a judge. Also staring Bridget Fonda (Peter's daughter) who was briefly a thing in the 90's before marrying Danny Elfman and starting a family. I liked the politics centric first half, didn't so much care for the mystery centered second half. **1/2  

The Vampire Happening (1971)

 'The Vampire Happening' is a horror, sex comedy conceived by Italian producer Pier A. Caminnecci as a vehicle for his 21 year old wife, the Swedish starlet Pia Deyermark. Deyermark plays two parts, an American actress, and her vampire great grandmother, the latter accidently reawakened by the former when she visits the Transylvanian castle she's just inherited. 

Made in West Germany by the Englishman Freddie Francis, a veteran of Hammer and other horror films, at this point in his carrier he had already won one Oscar for cinematography (Sons & Lovers, 1960) and would go on to win another (Glory, 1989).

A true 'titty flick' the movie consistently goes out of its way to show breasts, particular Ms. Deyermark's. Most of the humor is generated by the two Pia's constantly interchanging, with the vampire being mistaken for the actress and visa versa. Also the Catholic seminary and girls school across the way provides much fodder for sex humor. 

The whole project seeks to basically 'rip off' Roman Polanski's 'The Fearless Vampire Killers' from 1967, in which the director co-stared with his wife Sharon Tate. I saw that movie once, when I was in middle school, and remember that as better then this. That being said this wasn't that bad, from what I'd read I thought it would be just awful. The massive vampire orgy/party at the end is redick. It's kitschy and dubbed spaghetti western style and I have a soft spot for that kind of thing. **1/2

Winter Solstice (2005)

 'Winter Solstice' is an extremely understated family drama about widower Anthony LaPagila and his two teenage sons (played by actors you've likely never heard of before). There are supporting parts for Michelle Monaghan and Allison Janney. LaPagila's great and the whole thing has a literary quality, it feels like a short story. The film does an excellent job of capturing the sense of emotional worn-out-ness that can follow family trauma for years. The movie however is also very slow and not much happens in terms of plot. ***

The Young Victoria (2009)

I can't not compare this to the version of the queens life which I know best, the British TV series 'Victoria'. 'The Young Victoria' starts before the death of King William so you get more of a sense of him, loves his niece but hates her mom. Otherwise the film covers much the same territory as Season One. It is interesting to note the differences in how the two approach the same material. The movie is less of a fan of Lord M then the series. Emily Blunt's Victoria starts out more confident then Jenna Coleman's. ***

Only the Brave (2017)

 This movie was recommended to me by my 12 year old nephew. 'Only the Brave' is based on the true story of a group of heroic Arizona fire fighters in the early 2000's. The film focuses principally on two narratives, Miles Teller's Brendan McDonough and Josh Brolin's Eric Marsh, both recovering addicts who found a salvation of sorts in battling wild blazes. A mixture of family drama and fire fighting sequences, there is something to be said for the straight forwardness of the story, and the basic earnest goodness of the characters. While from our collective childhoods fire fighters are among the most iconic of self sacrificing hero's they seldom get movies, and even more seldom are those movies memorable. A fitting tribute, this movie really does justice to those it portrays. ***

Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayl & Greed (2021)

From this new provocatively titled documentary on beloved painting instructor and television personally, the late Bob Ross, I was expecting to learn much about the mans demons. However according to the people who appeared in this documentary and knew Bob Ross, including his son, best friend, and an ex wife, Ross was basically the man you saw on screen, a very pleasant fellow who loved nothing more then painting and helping people learn to paint. His long time business partners however, well that relationship was complicated. An interesting peak into a man who has become even more of an icon and defacto saint since his death more then 25 years ago. ***

The Real Glory (1939)

In 'The Real Glory' Gary Cooper, David Niven and Broderick Crawford are among the American solders tasked with training Filipino forces to fight Muslim insurgents on the southern islands back in 1906. Unfortunate parallel's to recent events are hard to escape, as is the films revisionism, seeming to imply the Americans were leaving the people of the Philippines to largely govern themselves, which would really not be the case until after World War II. Really a mediocre film, there is good reason it has been forgotten. The movie feels like it was made to piggy back off the success of Gunga Din, which came out earlier the same year, but it fails to capture any of the energy that film had. The one real stand out in the picture is actress Andrea Leeds who plays fellow Montanan Cooper's love interest, she looks like a lost Fontane sister and draws you too her any time she is on the screen. This promising actress left film the next year at 27 to raise a family. **

The Courier (2020)

 'The Courier' is a sold cold war espionage/human interest story based on real events. A pleasant throw back, perhaps mildly smarter then it needed to be. As I was unfamiliar with the source story I was a little surprised by a late film complication, though I probably shouldn't have been. What is most interesting about the film I think is seeing Benedict Cumberbatch, who has made a career out of playing unusually gifted men, play a rather average one, it might not have worked but I think it did. ***