By: Henry J. Fromage –
Celine Dion was the surprising theme of the week, alongside some winning indies (some pun intended).
559. My Old Ass
The hook of this film is soon to be graduating high schooler Elliot (Maisy Stella) doing shrooms in the woods with her friends, which allows her to meet (and stay in contact with) her future self, who happens to be Aubrey Plaza. This all happens in the first 30 minutes, so I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect after that, and a bit unprepared for the sincerely affecting emotional drama that followed. Think CODA with a dirty mind and true romantic’s heart. Two Beers.
560. Matt and Mara
This Canadian indie stars Deragh Campbell and Matt Johnson as two writers and longtime friends whose reencounter sparks something the married Deragh’s Mara doesn’t know exactly what to do with. This is a movie primarily driven by people talking, but it’s such chemistry-laden talking that her dilemma is genuinely difficult to pick a side on (still, go with the husband and cute baby). Funny and perceptive with superb acting all around. Two Beers.
561. Will & Harper
This winning documentary sees Will Ferrell take a roadtrip with longtime friend and comedic co-conspirator Harper Steele after her transition to womanhood, which has not dulled her love for cheap beers, greasy diners, or dive bars all over our great country. This is a genuinely affecting examination of friendship and acceptance, not the least of which for yourself, that also has Will Ferrell, so yeah, there are shenanigans. Two Beers.
562. Lousy Carter
‘Lousy’ Carter is a genuine sadsack, and that’s even before he’s told by his unempathetic doctor that he has six months to live. He then decides he may as well sleep with one of his graduate students, but pretty half-heartedly and not in, like you know, a creepy way. This short and not so sweet feature is driven by David Krumholtz’s rather particular matter-of-fact energy, and while there isn’t anything exactly new here, it’s got an old-school Sundance dramedy kind of feel to it that I dug. Three Beers.
563. Winner
Our second Reality Winner dramatic film to come down the pike the last few years, this one sees CODA‘s Emilia Jones starring as the Pashto-speaking, gun-toting, bleeding-heart, body-building, and ultimately government document-leaking (about Russia’s 2016 election interference) Winner, who received the longest sentence ever for leaking documents to the press, a clear example made by powers that be. It has a more energetic if somewhat conventional approach than Reality, but makes an interesting counterpoint to it and has more interest in documenting what led her to her life-changing decision. Two Beers.
564. I Am Celine Dion
IDA’s FallDocs is ongoing (and well worth the IDA membership!), and the first documentary screening is this one covering Celine Dion’s struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome, which has robbed her of control of her one-of-a-kind voice when not exhibiting even more disturbing symptoms. She’s remarkably level-headed about it, a bit self-centered at times, but honestly pretty damn grounded for a woman who’s been a superstar since her teens and who has lost that divine gift that made her such long before she should have. She seems like a fun hang, too, and I hope she finds purpose in many other things in the years ahead. Three Beers.
565. Aline
After the documentary, I figured now was as good a time as any to watch this notorious campy quasi-biopic from 57-year-old Valerie Lemercier, who plays Celine-cough-Aline Dieu from ages 5 to I guess basically actual. While Dion has more or less said she’ll never watch it, she did give rights to what appears to be her full catalogue to make the film. For all the oddness of the de-aging and a general goofiness in approach, it’s a pretty standard cradle-to-now musical biopic in many ways, although it also centers on the 20 years-separated romance between Celine and her manager Rene Angelil that may have raised eyebrows at the time but never wavered. Three Beers.
