The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)

I swear I did not set out to chase schmaltz with one of the most depressing titles ever. Still, if there's ever a good time to see something heavy, it's after something overly perky.

In 1968 Czechoslovakia, Tomas (early Daniel Day-Lewis) is a surgeon who really gets around. Presently, his focal relationships involve two artists, Sabina (Lena Olin) and Tereza (Juliette Binoche), who are not immediately aware of their mutual connection. Tereza becomes the more devoted, even marrying him, despite her disapproval of his continuing promiscuity. Sabina eventually takes up with another man, Franz (Derek de Lint). Their lives get more complicated with political unrest followed by an upsurge in communist oppression.

Elf (2003)

For the first time in ages, my family couldn't go to a theater together on Christmas. I wound up watching this DVD alone, partly from lack of interest by others. Given my low opinions of Will Ferrell and 2003 movies in general (gosh, I haven't even reviewed any of the latter in full here), I was only slightly interested myself. But it keeps getting positive references 15 years later, so I figured I owed myself a little education.

Santa Claus (Ed Asner) accidentally takes an infant stowaway from an orphanage back to the North Pole. The head elf (Bob Newhart) adopts him, calling him Buddy. Like Navin in The Jerk, Buddy has no idea he's adopted until told so in adulthood, despite not fitting in -- literally. When he learns that his unknowing biological father, Walter (James Caan), is a "naughty" New York exec, he makes a trek in the hope of making a loving connection. Of course, in many ways, he fits in even less among fellow humans, but his stepmother (Mary Steenburgen) encourages Walter to receive him in all his perceived lunacy after a DNA test confirms their relation.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Nice to know that Sony still gets to make Spider-Man movies, albeit quite different from before. The first all-animated Marvel theatrical release since Big Hero Six looked too weird to my dad in the trailer, so I chose it for a solo viewing.

Brooklyn teen Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) gets a spider bite similar to the one that Peter Parker (Chris Pine) got. Before he can master or even discover all his powers, which include a few that Peter doesn't have, he sees Peter die fighting to stop the Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) from messing with the space-time continuum before things get really bad. This temporarily foiled plot has the unforeseen consequence of drawing five other spider-themed heroes from alternate dimensions into the one where Miles lives. They all experience occasional spasms, hinting that they can't live long outside their home dimensions, so they hope to take advantage of the Kingpin's next attempt. Ideally, Miles would be the one to stay behind and break the world-threatening machine, but is he competent enough yet?

Kai Po Che! (2013)

Between slow disc deliveries and a desire to save a certain disc for Christmas, I resorted to my streaming list. It had been a little while since my last Bollywood flick, so I opted for the shortest one available. Afterward, I considered skipping this review, but it's too popular in India -- and too mixed in reception elsewhere -- for me to feel right about not saying a few words.

Like several Indian movies I could name, it stars a trio of young male friends. Unlike the others, it's not comedic at all. It starts with the potential for such, as they've been semi-delinquent slackers but move forward with plans for a sporting equipment and education shop despite obstacles. Ishaan focuses on advancing a juvenile cricket prodigy, Ali, who initially prefers marble games. Meanwhile, group nerd Govind tries to tutor Ish's sister, Vidya, but she'd rather study Govi himself, if you get my drift. Omkar serves mainly to acquire funding from his uncle in exchange for help with political campaigning, which he doesn't enjoy. Nothing too serious so far, but then comes the 2001 Gujarat quake, followed by social upheaval....

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)

The title alone was a good warning that this would not be uplifting. When I noted the Depression setting and the year of release, when unhappy endings were all the rage, there could be no doubt. But my curiosity about the high ratings got the better of me.

The story focuses on a 1932 California dance marathon, a staple of the era I'd never heard of before. For weeks, couples -- 102 to start -- seek a cash prize by dancing for hours a day (mostly at a mellow pace), occasionally mixing it up with a joint speed-walking race that eliminates the last three pairs to cross the finish line. As time wears on, the remaining contestants aren't looking so good, and neither is the contest itself.

The Favourite (2018)

This is one of those times that I completely forgot what I'd learned of a movie's nature before it began playing in front of me. All I knew offhand was that it's in talks for award nominations, and a Meetup group invited me.

For starters, the setting is 1708 England, during the War of the Spanish Succession. Abigail Hill (Emma Stone), who lost her aristocratic status through no fault of her own, finds employment as a scullery maid in the royal palace, thanks in part to her blood link to royal counselor Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), however little they've known each other. Abigail's medical knowledge earns her the positive attention of ailing Queen Anne (Olivia Colman)—to too great a degree for Sarah's comfort. Anne and Sarah are on very intimate terms, and it might be especially bad to attempt a ménage à trois while fighting France....

The Attorney (2013)

Wow, that long since I last saw a movie from East Asia? And it doesn't look like I've reviewed any South Korean cinema before. I was thinking of skipping this review, but I'd rather rectify the gap.

In the late '70s and early '80s, Song Woo-suk stands out among attorneys for skipping college, not acting very formal, and taking cases that bring him an unpopular image but good money. He grows less greedy with time and attempts to pay for a dine-and-dash of long ago. Busan restaurateur Park Dong-ho and her high school son, Jin-woo, are friendly toward him, until he has a drunken brawl over politics. His chance to make it up to them comes when Jin-woo and many classmates get arrested on charges of sedition.

Calamity Jane (1953)

I'm starting to think I've already seen all the old musicals that aren't so badly dated that they'd make a tough sell on stage today. I'm not talking about the music style or the humor; it's the social values.

The titular Deadwood sharpshooter (Doris Day) not so subtly crushes on Lt. Dan...ny Gilmartin (Philip Carey), while she and Wild Bill Hickok (Howard Keel) are close yet mutually vitriolic friends. She's also compassionate enough to help saloon keeper Henry Miller (Paul Harvey) after he makes a severely unpopular mistake in a show's billing. She rides up to Chicago and brings back whom she believes to be famed singer Adelaid Adams (Gale Robbins) but is actually Miss Adams' newly dismissed assistant, Katie Brown (Allyn Ann McLerie). Katie has enough beauty and charm of her own -- which proves a problem when Danny has eyes for her. You may guess the resolution.