1917; Little Women; Synonyms; Uncut Gems; Visit to Silverball Museum and Four Man Trio concert on Monday Morning Diary (December 30)

by Sam Juliano

I’ll be spending the morning of New Year’s Eve (Tuesday) in a rather unusual place, as a result of lamentable scheduling that I was foolish not to contest.  Alas I will be drinking those deplorable laxatives on Monday night in preparation for a combined colonoscopy-endoscopy procedure which isn’t being done for any other reason other than it has been eight years since I last had one (colonoscopy) and maybe six since I had an endoscopy.  The latter is common for anyone like myself who is maligned with acid reflux (Gerd).  No big deal of course but definitely a bizarre bit of scheduling.

Jim Clark again posted his inspiring essay for the holiday season “Dylan Thomas, James Herriot and the Spirit of Christmas” at the site on Thursday.

Lucille, the boys and I spent Saturday evening taking in a splendid doo wop presentation by our friend’s group “Four Man Trio” at the Lakeside Restaurant in Wayne, and on Friday we drove down to Asbury Park for a pinball session at the waterfront Silverball Museum.

Two of the very best films of the year opened on Christmas Day and Lucille, the gang and I caught one of the greatest war films ever made (#2 WW I film behind “All Quiet on the Western Front”) at 9:20 on Xmas evening and by far the finest and most achingly sublime adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic novel “Little Women” yet from the renowned Greta Gerwig, chock full of spirited performances and writing on Thursday afternoon.

1917, directed by Sam Mendes based on a story told to him from his paternal grandfather is technically as adroit as “Dunkirk” but the film goes so much further in character development and narrative, and the final fifteen minutes are altogether shattering. The lead actor who plays Lance Corp. Schonfield (George MacKay) delivers a powerful, awards worthy turn, Roger Deakins’ searing cinematography is first-rate as is Thomas Newman’s haunting score, and the film’s single take gimmick is surprisingly successful. A gut wrenching experience with a well-earned tour de force of an ending.

Little Women represents a watermark in Gerwig’s career and for adaptations of the novel a new poll position placement. The lovely Saoirse Ronan aces her beguiling performance as “Jo” and the entire cast delivers such as Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Laura Dern and Timothee Chalamet. Alexander Desplat’s score is lovely and a perfect fit for the material and the cinematography, production design and costumes conspire to fuel this engrossing screenplay (also by Gerwig) with ravishing period flavor. In my opinion this film is even better than the director’s previous “Ladybird” and her best work to date. Both films rate 5/5. I also thought the Boston Film Critics nailed it giving Ronan their Best Actress prize!

Adam Sandler gives an electrifying performance as New York City Jewish diamond dealer and degenerate gambler Howard Ratner who juggles multiple high-stake schemes and holds loan sharks at bay in the Saftie brothers’ visceral, frantic and frenetic Uncut Gems, a film fueled by rage and intense realism. The story is set over a few days and is marked by double crosses and staccato delivery of the F bomb, making for a stream of outrageous humor. I’ve never liked previous films by the Safties, (who scripted the film with Ronald Bronstein) but this one is in a class by itself. The brothers, who are Jewish, don’t shy away from insulting other Jews, but no race escapes their spot on scathing delineation of underworld sleaze. Absolutely brilliant and surely one of the best films of 2019. Sandler deserves the Oscar methinks, though the entire cast is impressive, with a special shout out to Idina Menzel.

Lucille, Jeremy and I took in an especially brilliant and caustic Israeli-French satire by the gifted Nada Lapid at the Quad Monday night, a film titled “Synonyms,” which will surely be part of any year end “Best of” list. The main protagonist, superbly played by Tom Mercier tells his French sponsors that the country he vacated (Isreal) is “ignorant, nasty” and “mean-spirited) and that needs to take on another identity. Lapid makes it clear that this is easier said than done and Yoav (Mercier) takes refuge in language, hoping to obscure his physicality Lapid intimates throughout that his efforts will fail and reminds the audience with a a glance of a circumcision, that changing who you are is practically an impossible proposition. Many unforgettable passages like the “La Marsiellaise” classroom segment and the director’s observant eye for sex and the physical..

1917  *****   (Wednesday night)   Union Square Regal Cinemas

Little Women  *****   (Thursday afternoon)   Teaneck Cinemas

Uncut Gems   *****    (Thursday night)        Teaneck Cinemas

Synonyms  **** 1/2    (Monday night)         Quad Cinemas