Uncut Gems (2019)

I previously expressed a minor interest in this picture, but I kept putting it off because it looked dark. I'd also learned that it had the fourth most instances of the F-word, right behind The Wolf of Wall Street, which is no plus in my book. Still, its popularity cannot be denied, and when I saw that it would stop streaming on Netflix May 8 (sorry if you're reading too late for easy access), I tarried no longer.

In 2012, New York jeweler Howard (Adam Sandler) imports a large black opal from Ethiopia. He hopes to auction it off and pay his multiple debts to impatient lenders, not least Arno (Eric Bogosian), his soon-to-be-ex-brother-in-law. But superstitious NBA star Kevin Garnett (himself) borrows it for luck, and getting it back in time for the auction isn't easy....

Isle of Dogs (2018)

This review is for those seemingly few who, like me, neither love nor hate the works of Wes Anderson (the rest have no need of a review in the first place). He displays no shortage of signatures, for better, worse, or both. I had expected to wait and maybe see this on DVD, but a Meetup invitation to the limited screening before wide release in the U.S. drew me in.

In either the near future or an alternate present, the dog-hating mayor of fictional Megasaki, Japan, exiles all dogs to the aptly named Trash Island, with popular support thanks to a worrisome flu epidemic among the dogs. After half a year of barely hanging on, a quintet of adult male dogs sees a jet crash on the island. Out comes Atari, an injured 12-year-old orphan and rebellious nephew of the mayor, in search of his beloved Spots. The quintet democratically votes to try to help him, with only long-time stray Chief (Bryan Cranston) against it.

Doctor Strange (2016)

Due to participation in NaNoWriMo, my viewing has dropped sharply, hence the scarcity of my reviews this month. But as some of you know, I'm a sucker for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There seemed no better way to take a break from writing a novel.

I was not previously familiar with the character of Dr. Stephen Strange (yes, that's his "real" last name -- not to be confused with Dr. Hugo Strange of DC Comics). He starts out as an arrogant surgeon, not far off from Dr. House. Leave it to Benedict Cumberbatch, actor of Sherlock Holmes and Alan Turing, to play yet another insufferable genius, even with an American accent for a change. You thought Tony Stark obnoxious at the start of Iron Man? You'd seen nothing yet. It's kind of painful to watch his interactions with co-worker and ex-girlfriend Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams, who incidentally played a love interest for a different Sherlock Holmes).

Then an accident damages the nerves in his fingers, killing his career. His search for a cure leads him to a secret location in Nepal, where the self-described Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) teaches people to unlock the powers of their own bodies -- and the multiverse. She is reluctant to teach him because of his similar character to a former student who went dangerously rogue, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), but student Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) talks her into it. Strange learns that the true purpose of the sorcerer training is to combat enemies, including, yes, Kaecilius, on a plane the Avengers don't frequent.