Far Western (2016, Japan, USA) ****

Who would have guessed that in Japan, especially post-WWII, American country music, including Bluegrass, will have not just fans, but actual talented Japanese players? Yet there it is, as documented in this well-made documentary.
Directed by James Payne, shot by David McMurry, and edited and produced by Matt Leach, Far Western had me tapping my feet to the rhythm of its music, with a smile across my face the entire length of the movie; and I am not even a country music fan!

Frantz (2016, France-Germany) ****

Franz tells the story of a German woman named Anna, beautifully portrayed by Paula Beer, who, in post-WWI Germany of 1919, while grieving Franz, her fiancé who perished in the Great War, is receiving a surprise visit by a Frenchman. The relationship between Anna, the Frenchman, the dead fiancé, as well as his parents, take center-stage. All this is happening to the backdrop of two countries still hostile, still healing from the wounds of war.

Loving (2016) ****

A historical drama, Loving is a beautifully composed piece of filmmaking. It is the true tale of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple, married at a time when, in some parts of the USA, including their home-state of Virginia, such unions were against the anti-miscegenation law. Their case, picked up by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ultimately made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, resulting in a landmark 1967 ruling.

Hidden Figures (2016) ****

What makes Hidden Figures work is that rather than use symbols and metaphors, the plot focuses on vignettes of strife; of moments that feel real, of anger, fear, bravery and love. Combine all this with excellent acting; never trespassing into melodrama, and you receive a memorable film. Kudos go also to the supporting cast, including Costner, Dunst and the others. Much like the work done at NASA, while the three leads may take the glory, the success of pulling such a story together, is team-work.

La La Land (2016) ****

La La Land is a tale of two wannabes in a city of dreams, where many try, yet relatively few achieve fame. Gosling plays a rebellious musician, who dreams of opening his own club, and revive classic jazz. Stone’s character is of an aspiring actress, one of many in LA. The two meet and end up falling in love.

Jackie (***) 2016

A biopic, Jackie, directed by Pablo Larraín to a screenplay written by Noah Oppenheim, presents episodes in the life of Jacqueline Kennedy. The story focuses primarily on her character before, during, and in the hours and days following the JFK shooting. Cleverly weaved as a newspaper interview, conducted about a year after the slaying, the plot interlaces memories from Jackie’s early days at the White House, with reflections of the events during and after the assassination