Every week, Larry Mantle, who also hosts our newsroom's longtime public affairs show AirTalk, and KPCC film critics spend an hour talking about new films.
This week, Amy Nicholson and Christy Lemire join Larry to review this weekend’s new movie releases and share some of their recommendations:
“What they achieve here is really putting you in even better than the best seat in the house. They’ve got 9 cameras all over the theatre, they’ve got 100 mics, and so you can appreciate it as a stage production but you really get a sense of intimacy and just the detail in the performances, in the songs, that no ticket could buy you. And I don’t think you’re losing out that much on the shared, communal, theatrical experience.”
“I was a little disappointed. It feels like Kore-eda used his awesome clout and this attention he’s getting to make kind of the standard picture I feel like we get a dozen of every year, which is it’s a family, they’re inside a lovely villa (this one’s in France) and they’re arguing about past injuries and everybody’s drinking wine and there’s a lot of sniping and back-biting, and eventually there’s a group hug sort of moment. And that’s basically what this is, but at least you have the benefit of terrific actors.”
“This is very much a love letter to John Lewis, who very much deserves that. The director...doesn’t really press him on anything, she doesn’t really ask any uncomfortable questions. She does conduct some interviews with him in a way that is reminiscent of Errol Morris’ interviewing style in that it allows him the opportunity to look straight into the camera and talk, and just the warmth and the wisdom that he has to impart are quite impactful.”
“This is a great documentary, a really local story that I hope people check out. It’s not just a story about the Compton Cowboys, who deserve to be recognized, it’s really well done. The editing is gorgeous, the cinematography is gorgeous, it is a really high-class documentary.”
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