Dear Ben Affleck and Matt Damon,

If you want to get back on the women of Hollywood good sides you can bring back Project Greenlight without the Weinsteins and instead of a contest I submit my unpublished novella as a screenplay for what is in my mind an indie film.

Dear Hollywood

Now that Harvey Weinstein is out it is time for a woman to be in charge of the industry. Here is my resume...

A love of movies for my entire life...

A deep hatred for Donald Trump

I have never committed murder, sexual harassment or abuse (of any kind). I don't do drugs, illegal or prescription, although if I'm in a state where weed is legal I would try a brownie. I enjoy a glass of wine once in a while. Thank you for your consideration.

Blade Runner 2049

As I wrote a few weeks ago, there are a few actors to whom I go see a movies because he is in the movie, Ryan Gosling was one on the list. So even though I haven’t seen the original Blade Runner I had to see Blade Runner 2049.

 At almost three hours Blade Runner 2049 is a slow paced, intriguing sci-fi film. Gosling stars as K a new version of the firsts film Replicas, who is a cop tracking down older, rebellious replicas. He doesn’t like doing so but it is his job and that is what he was designed for. When he is not doing this he lives a lonely life in a small and dingy apartment.

The story takes a few twists and turns but overall a good plot. The main thing I want to say about this film is that with all the tools in his filmmaking toolbox the Director (Denis Villeneuve) creates a whole world on film. I felt like I was there walking with K in 2049 Los Angeles. The look of every scene was both beautiful and unsettling.

Harrison Ford returns as Rick Deckard 

And Robin Wright and Jerad Leto also star

If you want to see a single character on an epic journey check out Blade Runner 2049

Stronger film is filled with strong performances

Before I go any further I have a confession to make, there are a handful of actors whose movies I go see just because said actor is in it. I spent the 1990s going to Chris O’Donnell movies and since the early 2000s with Josh Hartnett, (gone but not forgotten) Heath Ledger and Ryan Gosling. When you see a movie for this reason you end up seeing a few bad apples. So when I watched Stronger because it happens to star Jake Gyllenhaal I was happy it ended up being a delicious good apple.

Stronger is the true life story of Jeff Bauman, portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal, a young man who in 2013 was at the finish line of the Boston Marathon when a terror attack changed his life forever. One of the homemade explosives took off both of Jeff’s legs and the film follows him as he copes with his family, fame and healing.

When Jeff wakes up in the hospital his family is there and what a group of characters they are. as they become the heart and center to this wonderful film. Miranda Richardson portrays Jeff’s mother Patty. The two share a small apartment and as much as she loves her son, she may love herself a little more. Her hair isn’t perfect, her clothes are baggy and she smokes like a chimney so you know Hollywood didn’t create her and she truly could be anyone’s mom. Richardson steals every scene she is in and that is a good thing.

The rest of the family is just as colorful and brilliant to watch. Throughout the film Jeff is struggling, he is angry at himself and the world and his family do what they can to support him. He and his brothers spend a lot of time at their favorite bar and in one memberable sequence they get into a fight with fellow patrons and are thrown out. Afterwards they spend the night causing trouble, as a group of young men do, wreaking havoc on a playground and in the streets of Boston. Also helping Jeff on his journey is his on again and off again girlfriend, portrayed by the amazing Tatiana Maslany, all she wants to do is help him and to stand by his side as he gets his new legs.

 At times it is not easy to be there for Jeff but as the story grows so do all those involved.

Finally I came to Jake Gyllenhaal’s incredible performance. As a handsome and successful actor he could have played Jeff as a true American hero, polished and perfect in every way, a man who fought the good fight and came out on top. In fact he didn’t have to make himself seem so small, grimy and insecure but if you have every watched a Jake Gyllenhaal film you know he is an actor who knows it’s the little things that make a character worth caring for. Watching Jeff in the bathroom for the first time without legs shows how even the simple tasks become difficult, Gyllenhaal made the scene heart breaking yet determined.   

That and all of the performances (even those who only appeared in a scene or two) are what makes Stronger the brilliant film that it is.

I also have to admit that I am not a fan of “inspired by actual events” films, especially when that event happened within my lifetime. I didn’t know the story although I am sure it was on the news and internet and to be honest I didn’t care so I was skeptical when I walked into theater one. Directed by David Gordon Green and written by John Pollono based on the book by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter, Stronger doesn’t focus on the manhunt of the terrorist but on those who were affected by their actions. It could have been big, bold and preachy. It could have been the good guys against the bad guys. Instead this small film was about so much more. Stronger concetratraed on the important things in life. For instance when Jeff gets the dressing changed on what is left of his legs for the first time the viewer ends up feeling his pain. Not because of the screams of agony but the expression in his eyes. You can tell a lot about how a person is feeling by just a look on his face and the look on Gyllenhaal’s face is of sadness and pain and makes for a much bigger impact. More than once does the actor make you feel what the character is going through by such subtle moments throughout the film   

The movie had just the right amount of patriotism, humor and sap. It was a well-made film that had a good story to tell and that is why I am happy I saw (and you should go check out) Stronger.