Hillbilly Elegy | ★★★★★★★★☆☆

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A friend disliked this one and I almost skipped it. Glad that I watched it. I found the story about a young boy's experiences growing up in a dysfunctional family both refreshing and depressing. 

I thought that the performances by a-lister actresses were dwarfed by the actual story. I found the plot from the memoir by JD Vance (nicely portrayed by Gabriel Basso) to be engaging and endearing. 

You might like Elegy if you enjoy watching movies with interesting characters and challenging themes. I liked the movie and, on a scale of ten, give it ★★★★★★★★☆☆.

 

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Crip Camp | ★★★★★★★★★★

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I am really not a fan of documentaries so I was not sure if I was up for a dry telling of facts - Crip Camp is not such a film. Full disclosure, my wife has used a wheelchair since 2007. So I had more than a casual interest in the movie and the message. The story chronicles the journey of a group of disabled people from their beginnings at Camp Jened, a summer camp for people with disabilities in upstate New York, to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I think that these quotes from the movie speaks to the heart of its message.

“I wanted to be part of the world but I didn’t see anyone like me in it.” – Jimmy Lebrecht 

“I don’t think I felt, really, shame about my disability. What I felt more was exclusion.” – Judith Heumann 

“The world doesn’t want us around and wants us dead. We live with that reality, so there’s always gonna be, uh, ‘Am I gonna survive? Am I gonna push back? Am I gonna fight to be here?’ that’s always true.” – Corbett O’Toole 

“If I have to feel thankful about an accessible bathroom, when am I ever gonna be equal in the community?” – Judith Huemann 

“The ADA was a wonderful achievement. But it was only the tip of the iceberg. You can pass a law but until you can change society’s attitudes, that law won’t mean much.” – Denise Sherer Jacobson

Not sure what you will think of the movie. Might get you a bit out of your comfort zone. Then again, it might open up your eyes, as mine were opened, to the struggle and courage that so many disabled folks have showed. Their sit-in the the HEW headquarters in San Francisco was so inspirational. Watching their long journey from camp in the 1970s to adulthood was beyond inspirational.

I loved the movie and, on a scale of ten, give it ★★★★★★★★★★.

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the midnight sky | ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

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This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. 

A few IMDb review titles (that I saw too late) with my commentary:

  + 2020. The Movie. || definitely sums up the year of covid

  + Insult to General Intelligence || illogical in a bizarre sort of way

  + Nothing Happens. Ever. || seems to drone on forever

  + Appalling Waste of Time || even for a retired person

  + Clooney Cures Insomnia || nothing there to keep you awake

  + A Flaming Pile of Pointless Drivel || just rambled on and on

  + Robinson Clooney || Young Crusoe had more sense that Augustine 

  + I like him in ER. That is all. || have never seen ER but I agree

  + I love Clooney...But this...Why? || Why could be the plotline

I really disliked the movie and, on a scale of ten, give it zero stars.

 

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