Booking a good time at the movies

 While we’re still at a crossroads between getting back to “normal “ and staying safe during the sadly still ongoing health crisis in the world, there are some sources of much needed entertainment relief out there such as the movies.

Whether you can find a theater that feels right for your level of comfort or prefer to stick with streaming services, there are some buzz worthy films around that have the added bonus of being book adaptations to boot.

A major one is House of Gucci, with an all star cast that includes Adam Driver, Al Pacino and Lady Gaga in a true crime story based on Sara Gay Forden’s 2001 nonfiction book.

The lynchpin of the real life and cinematic tale is Patrizia Reggiani(Lady Gaga) who marries into the Gucci family and has plenty of ideas about how to run the acclaimed fashion empire. 

Pushed out by family politics , she is bound and determined to gain control of the company, especially since the current heirs to the corporate throne are either incompetent or uninterested in maintaining the high standards of their legacy(including her husband!).

That drive does lead to scandal and murder, which should make for a hell of a movie at the very least. While the reviews have been mixed, most would agree that Gaga’s performance is well worth the price of admission:

Due out at a multiplex near you as well as Netflix, The Power of the Dog stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank, a surly rancher who feuds with his new sister in law Rose(Kirsten Dunst).

Phil’s vicious behavior doesn’t fully extend to Rose’s son Peter(Kodi Smit-McPhee) who he once mocked but reluctantly befriends over time. A number of secrets and lies become revealed which explains Phil’s aggressive nature and possibly seals his ultimate fate.

I don’t know how close to the 1967 novel by Thomas Savage this film is but director/screenplay writer Jane Campion is receiving some of the highest praise in her career here for it. Seems like a future Oscar contender for sure:

Now for something completely different indeed in Nightmare Alley, which has Bradley Cooper playing a 1940s era hustler named Stanton Carlisle.

Stanton has been learning a few extra tricks of the trade, thanks to carnival performers such as fortune teller Zeena(Toni Collette) and former top mentalist Pete(David Strathairn).

 Now, he’s aiming for bigger targets in high society, partnering with the innocent looking Molly(Rooney Mara) and savvy shrink Lilith Ritter(Cate Blanchett).

As his scheme starts to unfold, Stanton grows suspicious of Ritter’s intentions and begins to wonder if her endgame is far more ruthless than his.

Although this story was made into a Tyrone Powell film , director and co-screenwriter Guillermo del Toro insists that the original 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham was the direct inspiration for this current adaptation. That sounds right, given del Toro’s style, and seeing him take on a full on noir piece like this ought to be quite the game changer there:

I hope that by this time next year, the decision to see a movie at home or in theaters is less of a health based concern. At least, our options in this regard are getting better and more convenient for many people who want a taste of movie magic in their lives.

Meanwhile, having a good book to screen adaptation in any format is fun to talk about with friends and fans alike(not to mention a good excuse to get together for much needed rewatching!). While the book is usually better, a good movie version is not to be overlooked at all: