Movies Movies Movies #6 – October 8, 2019

True Detective Season 3 (2019)
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Carmen Ejogo, Stephen Dorff, Scoot McNairy, Ray Fisher, Sarah Gadon
Creator: Nic Pizzolatto
Synopsis: Each season stands alone. This season Ali (Wayne) and Dorff (Roland) are searching all season for who murdered two children, a brother and sister. The series is further expanded to marital conflicts between Wayne and his school teacher/writer wife Amelia (Ejogo) as well as his race to solve the crime before his dementia/Alzheimers takes everything from him. Not only does Wayne have to contend with that but with the political maneuvers in the police force and city hall. What does continue throughout all 3 seasons is each of the six detectives (2 each season, partnered up) are haunted by the victims of the maniacs they hunt. Mahershala is the star of this season, and he shines so very brightly.
Grade: 9.5

Muscle Shoals (2013)
Starring: Rick Hall, Aretha Franklin, Stephen Badger, Jerry Carrigan, Alicia Keys, Jerry Phillips, Barry Beckett, Jerry Wexler, Bono, Jesse Boyce, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Candi Stanton, Clarence Carter, Percy Sledge, Etta James, Greg Allman, Steve Winwood, and many more.
Director: Greg “Freddy” Camalier
Synopsis: From an anonymous imdb.com review: Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of America’s most creative and defiant music. Under the spiritual influence of the ‘Singing River’ as Native Americans called it, the music of Muscle Shoals changed the world and sold millions upon millions of copies. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, he brought black and white together in Alabama’s cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations while giving birth to the ‘Muscle Shoals Sound’ and ‘The Swampers’. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Gregg Allman, Clarence Carter, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Bono, and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals’ magnetism, mystery, and why it remains influential today. Written by Anonymous. The interviews just don’t end. This is an important origin story for an important place in American music. Kind of fizzles towards the end, but the rest is a real gem.
Grade: 8

The Biggest Little Farm (2018)
Starring: John and Molly Chester, lots and lots of helpers
Director: John Chester
Synopsis: The Chesters left city life and found a way (investors) to buy 200 acres of virtually dead land in the California desert, and over a period of years (and apparently an endless pocketbook) have turned it into a Garden of Eden. I don’t use that term lightly. When I borrowed this from the library I thought it might be a good how-to for me here at my place, but this “edenification” is on a much vaster scale than one or two people. I think it is a model that could be used for ANY government that wanted to invest in the long haul of our planet. It obviously takes a huge front end financial investment, and it takes MANY hands to make it work, but dang, you need to watch this movie at least once to see that it is possible for us to return to the garden and live in harmony with nature without pesticides, extermination of pests, hormones, etc. I was just reading about the farm in an LA Times article https://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-biggest-little-farm-documentary-apricot-lane-biodynamic-farm-20190510-story.html and learned that the Chesters charge $15/dozen for eggs and that the eggs have a cult following. If you want to look at the website the farm has, check it out here. There are a few scenes and incidents that were aggravating to me, but I don’t want to give any spoilers away. If you want a vision of hope, see this documentary.
Grade: 8

I Am Patrick Swayze (2019)
Starring: Lisa Niemi (Patrick’s widow), Don Swayze (Patrick’s brother), Demi Moore, Sam Elliott, Jennifer Grey, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe, Lori Petty, Kelly Lynch, Marshall Teague, Roland Joffe,
Director: Adrian Buitenhuis
Synopsis: Patrick Swayze (8/18/52 – 9/14/09) was a phenomenal, multi-talented star who made hits in just about every genre of film. Most of the interviews are with his widow and his brother (separately) but interspersed are excellent interviews with all of the above individuals, who give their deep insights into what it was to work with Patrick and their feelings for him. There are many film clips to complement the interviews. If you love Patrick Swayze like I love Patrick Swayze, you will adore this documentary on him.
Grade: 7

Peaky Blinders Season 5 (2019) NETFLIX
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, Sophie Rundle, Finn Cole, Natasha O’Keefe, and many others!
Creator: Stephen Knight
Directors: Otto Bathurst, Colm McCarthy, Tom Harper, David Caffrey, Steven Knight, Tim Mielants
Synopsis: Do not watch S5 without seeing S1-4, otherwise you’re going to be very confused. Google gives this excellent synopsis for where it starts in Season 1: Britain is a mixture of despair and hedonism in 1919 in the aftermath of the Great War. Returning soldiers, newly minted revolutions and criminal gangs are fighting for survival in a nation rocked by economic upheaval. One of the most powerful gangs of the time is the Peaky Blinders, run by returning war hero Thomas Shelby and his family. But Thomas has bigger ambitions than just running the streets. When a crate of guns goes missing, he recognizes an opportunity to advance in the world because crime may pay but legitimate business pays better. Trying to rid Britain of its crime is Inspector Chester Campbell, (Sam Neill) who arrives from Belfast to try to achieve that goal.

Peaky Blinders has a dedicated crew putting it together. The acting is superlative, the sets, the dialogue, the plots, and just when you think Tommy Shelby and Family are painted into a corner, he shows you why he wears the crown. I’m only 2 episodes into S5, so don’t put any spoilers in the comments, please.
Grade: 10

Trailer from Season 1