Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)

As often happens, I heard of the remake first. The original is a bit more popular, so I gave it priority. Only later did I learn that it was based on a true story -- and paved the way for The Brady Bunch.

If you thought the Bradys had it tough, consider that widower Frank Beardsley (Henry Fonda) has ten children and widow Helen North (Lucille Ball) has eight. (Why am I not surprised that at least one goes to a Catholic school?) For most of the story, Frank's two youngest live with his nearby sister to make matters easier, but the separation produces tension with the rest of his kids. Frank and Helen happen to meet several times before dating, and despite hangups about an even bigger family, they go on to marry. In addition to the more predictable difficulties, many of the kids don't want a replacement for their dead biological parent. That won't be an issue for the little one on the way....

1776 (1972)

I saw maybe half of this musical in a fifth-grade classroom. While it didn't bore me, I was not eager to check out the rest. But for the 250th anniversary, I could think of no better option.

In June of the titular year, John Adams (William Daniels) has been the only one calling for debate on independence in the Continental Congress, until Ben Franklin (Howard Da Silva) advises him to let the then more popular Richard Henry Lee (Ron Holgate) make the proposal. John Dickinson (Donald Madden) persuades Congress to require a unanimous vote to secede from Britain. In light of this, Adams procures a postponement so they can write a declaration to make everything clear and hopefully persuasive. By the process of elimination, he strong-arms Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard) into authoring it.

Miracle (2004)

I had started watching Happy as Lazzaro, but the first maybe half hour didn't grab me. When I learned that it had a strange setup and an anticapitalist message, I lost interest further. Giving up, I chose this replacement in a bit of a rush.

In 1979, former Olympic hockey player Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) gets to coach the U.S. Olympic hockey team. There is little time before the 1980 winter games, so he sees fit to take a hard approach, which doesn't make him popular in the short term. He also doesn't favor the same player picks as others, believing that individual athletic skill matters less than who will work well together.

Michael (2026)

Longtime readers know I'm a sucker for musician biopics, with few exceptions. I was also as much of a Michael Jackson fan as the next tween in the early '90s. For that reason, I decided to see this in an immersive theater while I could.

The story follows Michael from the formation of the Jackson 5 in 1966 (when he's played by Juliano Valdi) to the start of his first solo tour in 1988 (when he's played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jermaine). His father, Joseph (Colman Domingo), makes for a demanding manager, prone to emotional and sometimes physical abuse; his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), can do little to counter Joseph. The overarching theme is of Michael wishing to do his own thing, with help from attorney John Branca (Miles Teller) and bodyguard Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrel Jones) among others.

Deepwater Horizon (2016)

Wow, it's been that long already? ...Since the depicted incident, I mean. I don't recall the screen adaptation from an article being advertised when new, which may explain the poor box office performance despite rave reviews and award wins and nods. Regardless, I got curious to learn more.

In 2010, technician Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) says goodbye to wife Felicia (Kate Hudson) and starts work on the titular oil rig off the Louisiana coast. He and manager Jimmy Harrell (Kurt Russell) soon discover lots of problems, such as a nonfunctional phone system, and persuade the visiting stingy BP managers, Donald Vidrine (John Malkovich) and Robert Kaluza (Brad Leland), to approve more testing. The real trouble begins with a cement bond failure....

Nouvelle Vague (2025)

When I saw this advertised on Netflix, I briefly thought it was quite old, perhaps belatedly released like The Other Side of the Wind. That's a deliberate nod to the subject. Once I understood, I was sold.

By 1959, film critic Jean-Luc Godard has directed a short but feels much less accomplished than his cinematic comrades. He finally agrees to direct a romantic crime story co-written by François Truffaut and Claude Chabrol, which would become Breathless. Godard's many unconventional techniques, including long periods without shooting, annoy pretty much everyone he works with, especially female lead Jean Seberg and producer Georges de Beauregard. Other famous figures who turn up include Jean Cocteau, Éric Rohmer, and Roberto Rosselini.

Chisum (1970)

It's been more than a year and a half since my last western, and that was a peculiar anthology. A John Wayne title promises something more traditional. This one isn't treated as much of a classic, but I got curious when YouTube suggested it.

Only after watching did I know about its basis in the Lincoln County War in 1878 New Mexico. John Chisum (Wayne) has had many rustlers coming after his cows and horses. He's also annoyed at Lawrence Murphy (Forrest Tucker) for buying up as much land as possible and attempting a high-price monopoly on general stores and banks. Chisum's friend Henry Tunstall (Patric Knowles) and conscientious attorney Alex McSween (Andrew Prine) give him a hand at countering these moves, but the bribed Sheriff Brady (Bruce Cabot) makes it hard to get justice by legal means. Throw in Billy "The Kid" Bonney (Geoffrey Deuel), Pat Garrett (Glenn Corbett), and bounty hunter Dan Nodeen (Christopher George), and the town becomes a real powder keg.

Daughters (2024)

I don't remember reading about this documentary before. Most likely, I added it to my list because it's set in my long-time hometown. And unlike most DC pics, it has nothing to do with the federal government. It's all residential Washington, albeit nowhere I recognize.

The Date With Dad program assembles girls whose fathers are all in the same jail and buses them there. Then they have something of a fancy ball for a few hours. This doc focuses on four dads and four daughters, the latter ranging from age five to the teens. We also get epilogues one and three years later.

I'm Still Here (2024)

Not to be confused with the 2010 Joaquin Phoenix flick of the same title. I've been dragging my heels about watching the latest Academy Best Picture nominees, because few of them look like my type. I finally decided to go ahead with another when it came up on Netflix, not knowing much about it.

In 1970, military-run Brazil faces a lot of unrest. The Paiva family in Rio de Janeiro gets a taste of it when officers thoroughly search motorists for suspects. More importantly, Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello) has been supporting expats, which his wife, Eunice (Fernanda Torres), and their five kids don't seem to know -- until plainclothesmen arrest him. Asking about him yields incomplete answers at best and follow-up punishment at worst.

Number 24 (2024)

I picked the first war epic I could find for Veterans Day. Not much has been written about it yet, because it's a Norwegian indie with limited screening, but it gets a warm reception among viewers.

In old age, Gunnar Sønsteby guest-lectures a class about his life from shortly before World War II to the end of it, during part of which he was Agent #24 of Britain's Special Operations Executive. In particular, he coordinated the Oslo Gang, which specialized in sabotaging German occupation projects, usually with explosives, but expanded to assassinations.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)

I wanted something different from my usual viewings, and I found it. It's rare enough to have movies set in Africa; it's rarer still that their protagonist is a Black African. This one doesn't even have any White characters to my recollection.

In the early 2000s, Wimbe, a Malawi village, is devastated by flood and then drought. The Kamkwamba family, headed by father Trywell (Chiwetel Ejiofor, who also wrote and directed for the first time), will have trouble farming enough food to get by, especially when neighbors resort to theft. They also can't afford the fee to keep 13-year-old William (Maxwell Simba) in school. But by sneaking into the school library, William learns enough to assemble a wind turbine, using a bicycle part among others, to meet both water and energy needs -- if only he can persuade Trywell and others to have faith and help him.

Midway (1976)

I considered saving the last U.S. war movie left on my list for a patriotic holiday, much as I like to save horrors for October. But in all likelihood, I wouldn't remember on time. Besides, I was already in the mood for something very different from what else I'd seen lately.

The story begins with the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April '42. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Tohiro Mifune overdubbed by Paul Frees) sees it as a blessing in disguise, because now his superiors will give him carte blanche for his next move. Soon after, U.S. intelligence staff supervised by Commander Joseph Rochefort (Hal Holbrook) and monitored by composite character Captain Matthew Garth (Charlton Heston) find inconclusive evidence that Japan's next target is Midway Atoll. By the time of the eponymous battle in June, U.S. naval forces are not fully prepared and consider themselves the underdog.

The Sugarland Express (1974)

When I saw that this was about to leave Netflix, I finally got curious about it. I knew only that it was the first wide-release feature directed by Steven Spielberg and probably the most popular of the few that I hadn't seen, most of which are from early in his career. Indeed, I doubt he was a household name before Jaws. Would I even recognize his style?

In Texas, twenty-something Clovis Poplin (William Atherton) is eight months into a one-year sentence. His wife, Lou Jean (Goldie Hawn), has her own criminal record and thus has lost custody of their toddler son. Clovis reluctantly agrees to her plan to bust him out, drive to Sugarland, reclaim their son illegally, and head to Mexico. Phase 1 goes smoothly, but then their driver gets pulled over for reasons unrelated to the passengers. One thing leads to another, and for most of the picture, the Poplins hold Patrolman Maxwell Slide (Michael Sacks) hostage, followed from a slight distance by dozens of cops under cautious Captain Tanner (Ben Johnson).

Apollo 13 (1995)

When I saw this in a theater at 13, I didn't like it much. It's big on crisis but not on visual spectacle, apart from a brief nightmare sequence. (The impressiveness of shooting in low gravity goes only so far.) Yesterday, I finally mustered the nerve to give it another try with adult eyes.

In 1970, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), and Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) attempt to be the next men on the moon. They're not superstitious about the mission number, but Lovell expresses concern about Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) being swapped out for Swigert at the last minute because of a positive test for rubella. At first, the voyage is too plain for TV coverage. Things start going wrong on Day 3, when an oxygen tank explodes. Under flight director Gene Krantz (Ed Harris), NASA abandons hope of a lunar landing, and even getting them home alive looks highly improbable.

Out of Africa (1985)

Of the 92 Academy Best Pictures I've seen, this was the one I remembered least -- mainly just that Meryl Streep's fake accent was so thick the DVD had subtitles on by default. You may take that as a reason not to rewatch it, along with its reputation as perhaps the weakest link in the weakest decade for Best Pictures. (Those who praise '80s cinema usually don't have award-winning dramas in mind.) But I wanted a refresher, especially now that I've visited the same area of Africa myself. This time, I forwent the subtitles, without trouble.

In 1913, Danish future writer Karen Dinesin (Streep) marries Swedish baron Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer) for convenience, planning to start a dairy in the Nairobi region of British East Africa. Bror alters the deal to a coffee farm without consulting Karen, unaware of the difficulty of growing coffee at high altitude. This is one of many signs that they will never fully love or trust each other. As Bror is rarely home and Karen finds undeniable signs that he sleeps around, she herself strays to his fellow hunter, Denys Hatton (Robert Redford).

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

I did not know until last night that this was a biopic, nor was I familiar with the fictitious Dolemite or his actor/creator, Rudy Ray Moore. My prior knowledge of blaxploitation flicks was largely limited to the original Shaft and the genre parody Black Dynamite. If nothing else, I'd learn a few things herein.

In '70s L.A., Moore (Eddie Murphy) struggles to make a name for himself in show business, whether singing or standup. His first success comes from inspiration by street poets, telling naughty stories in rhyme over instrumental music. He develops his Dolemite persona and grows popular enough to launch the career of partner Lady Reed (Da'Vine Joy Randolph). Then he decides to star in an action comedy movie, Dolemite, which doesn't come together easily without major studio support.

A Complete Unknown (2024)

Gosh, this is the first time in more than a year that I've gone to a theater with, or even seen a feature-length movie with, any member of my family. Specifically my dad this time. If not for his suggestion, I would likely have overlooked this title.

The story begins in 1961 when "Bobby Dylan" (Timothée Chalamet) visits the Huntington's-stricken Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) in the hospital, where he also meets a visiting Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). Dylan is indeed unknown at this point, but as his music gains big-name supporters such as Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook), he becomes rich and famous almost overnight. This does not please him, because his fans and studio execs always want to pigeonhole him when he'd rather keep trying new things.

Unbroken (2014)

For Veterans Day, I picked the first new-to-me war movie I found on Netflix. I did not know that it was directed by Angelina Jolie and co-written by the Coen Brothers, but those facts would have increased my curiosity.

In 1943, Olympic runner Louie Zamperini (Jack O'Connell) is serving as a U.S. Air Force captain when his plane gives out over the Pacific. For nearly half the movie, he and the other two crash survivors, Phil (Domnhall Gleeson) and Mac (Finn Witrock), are holding out on rafts. Then they get taken as POWs, which is a worse situation in some ways, particularly under the war crime-level command of "the Bird" (Miyavi).

Molly's Game (2017)

For me, stories that focus on poker are, well, gambles. I liked the 2006 Casino Royale overall, but I thought scenes at the namesake were the weak points. Maverick couldn't get me excited about the climax. Rounders dizzied me a little. Maybe that's why I put off seeing this recommendation. Nevertheless, it was one of the most familiar titles left on my Netflix list, and I was in the mood for a change of pace.

This is based on a true story, but only the protagonist is identified by her real name. In the 2000s, Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) becomes a secretary for "Dean" (Jeremy Strong), a real estate developer who also runs high-stakes underground poker games, where she collects huge tips. Since Dean is almost impossible to work with, Molly starts her own classy casino in a hotel room. She tries to keep everything strictly legal at first, but one desperate slip is enough to get unwelcome attention. Oddly enough, her worst legal trouble comes years after she discontinues her practice, when the FBI wants to strong-arm her into telling on criminal customers. Despite her lack of accessible funds, she persuades expensive attorney "Charlie" (Idris Elba) to defend her.

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

This is one of the most polarizing movies I've ever reviewed, and not just because it's about a guy who's currently running for VP (and turned 40 today, FWIW). The fact that Glenn Close was nominated for both an Oscar and a Razzie for the same role tells me it was controversial on arrival. It's also significantly more popular with general audiences than with critics. So I decided to give myself an informed opinion.

The story alternates focus between Kentuckian-descended JD Vance in his Ohio teen years (Owen Asztalos) and in his late 20s (Gabriel Basso). In both eras, he has to contend with his troubled mother, Bev (Amy Adams). In adolescence, he sometimes relies on his fairly harsh but well-intentioned grandmother, Bonnie (Close). Since they can barely make ends meet, he'll have to grow up fast. In JD's adulthood, Bev's problems threaten to make him too late for a highly anticipated job interview, with his sister (Haley Bennett) able to provide only so much support. He's reluctant to let his girlfriend, Usha (Freida Pinto), know what kind of family she might be getting involved with.