Animal Crackers (2017)

No, that year is not an error; despite U.S. production, this movie was first released in France three years ago, followed by China two years ago, before finally reaching American eyes via Netflix last week. I had heard about it while it was in production, because auteur Scott Christian Sava put his now-concluded webcomic, The Dreamland Chronicles, on hiatus for that purpose. (You can see TDC characters in the Blue Dream Studios logo sequence.) For the same reason, along with a recommendation from a friend, I took interest in AC, which has had probably the poorest overall reception of anything reviewed on this blog but is still getting a lot of Netflix views.

Owen (John Krasinski), nephew of circus owner Buffalo Bob (James Arnold Taylor), sees little choice but to take a lousy factory job in order to appease a CEO (Wallace Shawn) before marrying his daughter Zoe (Emily Blunt, still John's beloved on and off screen). When tragedy strikes the circus, Owen receives a box of what he first takes to be ordinary animal crackers, but eating one magically turns him into the depicted animal and, thankfully, generates his personal human-form cracker to change back. Now he is urged, not least by Zoe and their young daughter (Lydia Rose Taylor), to drum up business for the circus again by performing various animal acts himself. But his other uncle, Horatio (Ian McKellen), who left Bob on bad terms, will stop at nothing to reclaim that success for himself.

Arlington Road (1999)

Hmm, I probably shouldn't have picked two movies in a row in which the FBI doesn't look so good. And it's not like I couldn't tell as much from the Netflix description. Well, at least this time, the agents make honest mistakes, albeit without apology. Also, their role is small enough to omit from the first paragraph of my summary.

In a Virginia town near D.C., Michael (Jeff Bridges) finds fourth-grader Brady Lang (Mason Gamble) badly hurt from a firework mishap. After reaching a hospital in time, he realizes that he hardly knows the Langs despite living across the street and having a son about the same age as Brady, Grant (Spencer Treat Clark). The grateful Lang parents, Oliver (Tim Robbins) and Cheryl (Joan Cusack), seem eager to befriend Michael and his girlfriend, Brooke (Hope Davis). But before long, Michael notes something fishy, and further investigation indicates Oliver's dishonesty. Could he be, y'know, the sort of criminal who can easily inspire a son to experiment with explosives?

Richard Jewell (2019)

When the key events of this story happened, I was 14 and still only so attentive to news sources. I took a little more interest in the story when it came up at the Newseum as an example of controversial reporting. Incidentally, my parents had noticed the problem pretty much right away.

The title character (Paul Walter Hauser) is the 1996 Atlanta Olympics security guard who reports a terrorist's bomb in time to reduce the carnage to two dead and 111 injured. This makes him a celebrity overnight, but the FBI has an obligation to investigate him as a suspect. After Agent Tom Shaw (a composite character played by Jon Hamm) injudiciously leaks this to Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde) of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the story spins out of control, making Jewell out to be more and more certain to have planted the bomb for fake heroism. Apparently in response, the FBI regards the prospect all too seriously.

Crimson Tide (1995)

Hmm, my last submarine film viewing wasn't all that long ago. While this is certainly a time to be dwelling on spatial confinement, I really ought to space them a bit more. Nevertheless, these two are about as different as the subgenre allows.

During the Clinton Administration, just because the Cold War is over doesn't mean Russia poses no further military threat to the U.S., particularly when Chechnyan rebels get their hands on nuclear missiles. The crew of the USS Alabama is well aware of this when a Russian sub attacks them. They receive an outside order to preemptively launch ten missiles at the Russian nuclear installation, but a second message is cut short when a torpedo damages the communications equipment. Commanding Officer Ramsey (Gene Hackman) wants to ignore the incomplete transmission, but Executive Officer Hunter (Denzel Washington) insists on waiting as long as possible for clarity: It could be a retraction. Neither man is willing to compromise, and seeing as the wrong decision in either direction could lead to a nuclear holocaust, they vie desperately for control.

Knives Out (2019)

For the first time in about 11 months, I watched what my dad chose to rent. It just so happened to be the last item on my own Netflix queue, whether I had added it most recently or simply moved more recent additions higher up. I could not tell from advertising whether there was anything innovative about the plot or it was simply another facetious whodunit, but its popularity told me to try it.

The morning after his 85th birthday, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), multimillionaire crime novelist and publishing company owner, is found bled out next to a knife in his Massachusetts home. The police are inclined to call it an open-and-shut case of suicide, but at least a few of the many people who'd recently seen him doubt it very much. So does Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), if only because an anonymous source hired him to investigate. The motive for killing a rich old man would be obvious....

Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

I chose this film on the basis of its apparent popularity (mixed across sites) without looking at the subject matter. When I read the Netflix jacket, it sounded like it would become the most depressing movie I'd ever seen. Normally I take a while to give my overall opinion in a review, but this time I might as well tell you up front: I was right. What follows the jump cut is not for the faint of heart.

Watch on the Rhine (1943)

Having watched a movie about Lillian Hellman and Dashiell Hammett, I might as well watch a movie based on a play by Hellman and adapted by Hammett. OK, that wasn't my thought process when I picked it out. More likely I just wanted a vintage Academy Award nominee that wasn't unpopular these days. From the title, I had guessed a war flick, but while it is set during a war, there are no soldiers or battle scenes.

Sara (Bette Davis), an American, is married to Kurt (Paul Lukas), a German. In 1940, they and their three kids take a roundabout trip from Europe to the U.S., paying a visit to the ritzy D.C. home of Sara's mother, Fanny (Lucile Watson), and brother, David (Donald Woods). They confide to their hosts that Kurt has not worked as an engineer lately, because he's been too busy helping resistance against Nazism. Now they hope to find sanctuary, at least for the less politically active family members. But one "friend" of the family, Teck (George Couloris), is liable to find out and tell the wrong people if not given a selfish reason to keep mum.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

I had heard of this movie only from automated suggestions after I watched others directed by Taika Waititi. Perhaps it wasn't shown in theaters in my area. It is from New Zealand, after all, and set there. Since it's rated highly and Waititi had yet to let me down, I gave it a whirl.

Ricky (Julian Dennison), ages 12 to 13 for the story, receives foster care from farmers Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Hector (Sam Neill) despite his history of committing misdemeanors and running away. He warms up to Bella, but grumpy "Hec" wants as little to do with him as possible. Bella unexpectedly dies (we never learn how), and child welfare services, doubting Hec's adequacy, wants to take Ricky back to juvie. He runs off into the woods, and Hec tracks him down to ensure his survival. Some unfortunate events, particularly thanks to Ricky's cluelessness, give other people the impression that Hec kidnapped Ricky. A manhunt ensues, with not-so-friendly CWS officer Paula (Rachel House) in especially hot pursuit.

A Whisker Away (2020)

Even with the theaters closed, it'd be a shame for me not to see a 2020 flick until the year was half over. This Netflix suggestion jumped out at me. Its reception varies from strong to middling depending on the site, but a brief plot summary told me to expect cuteness if nothing else.

Japanese high school girl Miyo, nicknamed "Muge" for reasons that don't translate well, has an unsubtle crush on classmate Hinode, but he tends to find her exuberance annoying. Unsatisfied with her situation, she is easily persuaded by a mysterious man she knows only as "the Mask Seller" (despite not charging money) to try out a magic mask that lets her turn into a cat and back at will. In feline form, Muge finds the unsuspecting Hinode much more affectionate toward her, but living a double life is never easy. The Mask Seller, who alternates forms, hopes that she will give up on her human life for good. You can bet he has an ulterior motive.

Fences (2016)

Once again, I saved a Best Picture nominee for last because of familiarity. I read the August Wilson play...oof, at least 16 years ago. It occurred to me that while I remembered a lot of it, some good parts might have slipped my mind. Even if not, I liked it well enough that I wouldn't say no to an unsurprising adaptation.

Sometime in the '50s, Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington, also directing) is an illiterate former Negro League player turned Pittsburgh trash collector, who resents that baseball didn't get integrated until too late for him. His experience shapes his view of the present sports scene, and he insists that teen son Cory (Jovan Adepo) not bank on a career in football. Troy exhibits an overall pattern of acting like nobody struggles as much as he does. His egocentrism leads to family tensions, not least when he cheats on wife Rose (Viola Davis).