The Trial of The Chicago Seven

A potential Oscars Best Picture contender quietly landed on your Netflix between Holidate and The Unicorn season one.

Yup, the awards race has begun with the early buzz from recent screenings of The Trial of the Chicago 7 from Oscar-winning writer and director Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Moneyball) as well as the announcement that all seven actors will be promoted in the supporting actor category.

It's a stellar ensemble for a film that played in theaters only a few days before hitting your TV via Netflix. The cast includes Oscar-winners Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) and Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), as well as Oscar nominees Michael Keaton (Birdman) and Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon). Yahya Abdul-Mateen (TV's Watchmen), Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), and Jeremy Strong (TV's Succession) round out the cast.

Did I mention that this period piece set in 1969 is extremely relevant today? The story follows an infamous trial of seven charged with conspiracy arising from counterculture protests.

OK, since your expectations are as elevated as mine when I watched this, I can confess that I didn't find it worthy of the awards-season hype. However, it is a bofo courtroom drama to watch at home for free. Expect Sorkin's brand of character dialogue, grand speeches, and a big courtroom finish. 

Nobody does it better.

As for the best of the year? The self-important polish of the script makes the characters unlikeable at times and frequently unbearable. There is too much inconsistency to make this Best Picture material. However, as a film, it is completely tenbuckworthy.

In a nutshell: A quality courtroom drama with an all-star cast — free on Netflix.

Award potential: The film, director, writer, and actors are all in the running, but I don't believe the hype. Mark Rylance and Sacha Baron Cohen are the standouts of the seven. Jeremy Strong, so good in Succession, is cartoon-level bad in his role.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

42 (2013)

There's never been a bad baseball film, ever, but some rise to the top. 42 is top 10 material.

The story of Jackie Robinson's integration of MLB is in expert hands. The combo of writer-director Brian Thomas Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) and actor Chadwick Boseman (Get On Up, Black Panther) as Robinson is top of the order material. 

It's a story that has been told in film before; but not well. The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) starred Robinson as himself, for real. Even stranger, Boseman in 42 plays Robinson better than Robinson played himself. 

Playing a man who has to keep his thoughts inside while insults are shouted his way, Boseman has to communicate more often with facial expressions, which he strikes a perfect note for. It doesn't hurt that Boseman has the athletic chops as well.

Throw in Harrison Ford as Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey and John C. McGinley as the Dodgers' legendary radio announcer Red Barber and you have a big-time Hollywood treat.

I saw the 2013 premiere of this film in Dallas introduced by Jackie's daughter Sharon Robinson. The family did have a role in this film so there is a degree of glossiness to it. When it comes to 20th Century heroes, I'm fine with that.

While praised for its accuracy of events, the consensus critique of this film is that it doesn't go deep enough into Robinson's struggle. In his memoir, he wrote that he couldn't bring himself to salute the American flag or stand for the National Anthem knowing he was "a black man in a white world." That's still a discussion today, so we can hope for a film with more grit in the future. For now, a glossy formula film about a 20th Century hero is completely ten-buck worthy.

In a nutshell: A great American 20th-century true story told with movie magic

Award potential: 42 was not a factor in 2013 Oscars and similar award groups. Boseman was a newcomer at the time.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Bill & Ted Face The Music

Whoa! It's been 31 years since the original, but Wyld Stallyns couldn't keep this sequel from happening after the Keannussance of 2019, the year Keanu Reeves became bankable again. But should it have happened? After all, comedy sequels are hard and nothing looks older than a 55-year old sporting Ted hair.

The quick answer is —yes way! 

The joy of Bill and Ted (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) and their most excellent chemistry makes it breezy enough to enjoy and you'll catch yourself laughing out loud quite a few times. It's a dumb comedy filled with dumb characters, but with these two bros it works in a way that doesn't when, say, the otherwise brilliant Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell make a dumb comedy. The unpretentiousness of this dated teen duo certainly works in the film's favor.

So many things could have gone heinously wrong of course. Their daughters (Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine) are introduced, ugh, but not in the usual pass-the-torch way a franchise might use them. They are utilized not as springboards for a new spinoff universe, but as fresh characters that can experience the "whoa" of time travel for the first time as they round up Mozart, Louis Armstrong, and Jimi Hendrix to create the song that will save mankind. They are, in a word, bodacious.

The film tricked me a few times by introducing 2020 CGI technology, and a new assassin character. Both had my eyes rolling until it turned out the film didn't go deep into the bag of SFX or action. And just when the plot seemed to be going too broad and contrived, it pulled back quickly.

There is a lot of fan service here but those returning characters, such as William Sadler as Death, deliver on laughs. And the new ones, such as Holland Taylor and Kristen Schaal in new roles, helped the story party on.

Face the Music certainly benefits from a year without new movie content and a great 2020 comedy to compare it to, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much cinematic joy it brought.

Is this ten buck-worthy new film worth a trip to a crowded theater during a pandemic? Nope. Is it worth the $19.99 home rental cost? Probably not. But if two or more of you want to rent it, you'll be satisfied with that bodacious choice.

In a nutshell: In the world of comedy sequels, it is most triumphant.

Award potential: Despite being one of the only theatrical releases of 2020, it doesn't have a chance in any categories.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Best Baseball Film Matchups

There's never been a bad baseball film. Ever. I swear. But when you pair them up competitively, which films come out on top?


Bull Durham vs. Field of Dreams
Both Kevin Costner films will make any top ten list of sports films, but which one is tops? If you're playing Field of Dreams, I will watch. It was nominated for Oscar's Best Picture. However, when choosing the purest baseball movie, Bull Durham is truest to "the Church of Baseball" and perhaps the most fun all around. 

The first film about baseball in the minor leagues isn't just romantic and funny, it changed the focus of sports movies for years to come. In the words of Bob Costas, Bull Durham "gave us the romance of baseball without the violins." Winner: Bull Durham.

The Bad News Bears vs. Sandlot

This is the showdown that I'd like to see filmed today. 1976's Bad News Bear crew versus 1993's Sandlot team. Why can't someone make this? You're killing me, Smalls. The Sandlot simply owes too much to the former to take a win here. The pennant goes to: Walter Matthau and The Bad News Bears.

42 vs. 61*
In a matchup of stories, Jackie Robinson's integration of MLB (42) versus Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle's quest to beat Babe Ruth's single-season home record (*61), Robinson's tale is obviously ahead in the count. So is the production. The combo of director Brian Thomas Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) and actor Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) as Robinson is a winning lineup.

61* touts director and noted baseball fan Billy Crystal and Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan) as Roger Maris and Thomas Jane (Hung) as Mickey Mantle. Crystal's love of baseball and eye for the small details of the sport can be felt in every scene. You can't go wrong with either film, but I'd give Robinson's story the edge. Winner: 42.

Cobb vs. Pride of the Yankees
In the battle of the b'ball biopics, we have heavy hitters Tommy Lee Jones (Ty Cobb) and Gary Cooper (Lou Gherig). Gherig was much more likable than Cobb and so is his film — which also has Babe Ruth as Babe Ruth. No joke. Winner: Pride of the Yankees.

Moneyball vs. Million Dollar Arm

In the battle of true stories of behind-the-scenes baseball, Jon Hamm's Disney film comes up short. Brad PItt's film is money. Who would have thought that Michael Lewis’ 2003 nonfiction book about the math of baseball could be major league entertainment? Apparently, the top screenwriting team of Aaron Sorkin and Steven Aaillian did. As well as director Bennet Miller (Capote, Foxcatcher) and the shiniest star in Hollywood too. Pitt may have won the Oscar this year for Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, but this is his all-star best performance. Winner: Moneyball.

The Rookie vs. Rookie of the Year
When you're looking for a family film with hijinks and heart, go with Dennis Quaid's 2002 film directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blindside, The Highwaymen, The Founder) not the popular 1993 comedy. This is the most one-sided matchup on the list. Winner: The Rookie.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame vs. Damn Yankees

In a musical matchup, you'd think 1949's hit MGM musical with Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Esther Williams would have knocked it out of the park, but there's not a lot of baseball there. In fact, Kelly and Sinatra's characters spend more time as vaudeville performers (their other job) than on the field. And the team is a fictitious one, the Chicago Wolves.

On the flipside, Gwen Verdon does her damndest to wow you in every scene, and the story revolves around a real damn team, the Washington Senators (and a matchup with the New York Yankees). Winner: In the musical match up, you can't beat Damn Yankees.

The men of Eight Men Out vs. the women of A League of Their Own

Eight Men Out is an eighties gem that needs to be seen. It features a pre-Say Anything partnering of John Cusak and John Mahoney and a pre-Major League Charlie Sheen. But how does one compare the darkness of Shoeless Joe and the bribe-taking 1919 Chicago White Sox team with the sunniness of The Rockford Peaches and opening day for All-American Girls Professional Baseball League? There's no darkness in baseball! Winner: A League of Their Own.

Awards: The only baseball films to be nominated for Oscars' Best Picture are: The Pride of the Yankees, Field of Dreams, and Moneyball. None have won.

The Ten Buck Review: All are worth your ten bucks.

Greyhound

Greyhound is a World War II thriller adapted from The Good Shepherd, a 1955 novel by famed naval fiction writer C.S. Forester. Adapted by none other than its star Tom Hanks. 

It's an adventure that was meant to open in theaters June of 2020 but has headed to Apple+ TV instead. Yes, you heard all that correct. Tom Hanks, America's Captain, has come to save us from a summer without new movies.

Hanks drives this terse thriller with a steady hand. The film is a brisk 91 minutes so it's essential that we are on board with the familiar Hanks as a heroic leader within the first few minutes. The action does not stop.

Director Aaron Schneider (Get Low) serves up a straightforward naval film with a simple mission. U.S. Navy Commander Ernie Krause (Hanks) leads an international convoy of 37 Allied ships across the treacherous Black Pit of the North Atlantic while being pursued by German U-boats (and his insecurity of inexperience).

The film, with its dynamic display of rough seas, was clearly meant for the big screen, giving viewers a hint of what a mission of this sort might have felt like. Similarly, the U-boats are mostly hidden to the viewer, creating the greatest unseen movie villain this side of Jaws.

Hanks anchors this film and lets us know everything we need to know about the commander with just simple gestures. He's amazing. While I appreciated the simplicity of a war film with one mission versus a convoluted epic, the same way I found 1911 perfect, I do wish the film had been a little longer to explore the other characters on board.

In a nutshell: This is a straightforward naval film and a real fresh treat for WWII-film lovers, but don't expect any romance or humor. Do expect a masterful, minimalist performance by Hanks.

Award potential: The Academy is recognizing TV releases this one unique year. However, the sturdy Hanks has reached the point in his career where he's not nominated. Don't expect any FX nods either. As amazing as the Atlantic comes to life, there are a few scenes of TV-quality CGI that should have been movie-quality. Its TV release will make it difficult for sound awards.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks. (Or a month's subscription to Apple+.)

The King of Staten Island

In 2013, I saw Pete Davidson on Comedy Central's Gotham Comedy Live and I've been telling people to watch this hilarious guy ever since. Pretty much anytime anyone did back then, they would wonder "what's the big deal." For good reason. He's never fulfilled the promise of his talent although he eventually reached popularity through Saturday Night Live and by dating pop star Ariana Grande.

Well, I'm about to do it again; watch this guy in his new movie.

I'm not sure how the guy who can't play straight to character in any SNL skit inhabited the lovable loser in this film, but he's great. The character deserves no sympathy, but you root for him anyway.

Davidson is Scott, a failure-to-launch-24-year old who dreams of being a tattoo artist. His mom is portrayed by Marisa Tomei. His dad, a former firefighter, died heroically. 

The script, which Davidson co-wrote, mirrors his own childhood loss; his father was also a fireman, killed on 9/11. Like his early comedy, the humor comes from pain which is likely why this whole thing works. It's a dramedy that plunges Scott into facing grief and adulthood, but there sure are a lot of laughs along the way.

All that to say this Judd Apatow-directed film is the funniest movie of 2020. It may be the only comedy of 2020, but it's great in a way the first Adam Sandler films were. I can't say it's worth the $19.99 "premium VOD" price that it is asking (while theaters aren't fully open), but it is ten-buck worthy. Invite friends over I guess.

In a nutshell: Pete Davidson finally delivers. If you think Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, Knocked Up or Trainwreck are funny, this one goes on that shelf.

Award potential: None.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Ten Out of This World Space Films

If the launch of SpaceX has you in the mood to discover some new films, this list could steer you in the right direction. Simply put, there are a lot of stinker space films ranging from Plan Nine From Outer Space (1959) to a slew of recent films that ask puzzling plot questions without answering any — I'm looking at you Solaris, Ad Astra and Interstellar. 

But there is a world of film that will satisfy. I'm going to eliminate the franchise films such as StarWars, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Alien to recommend these X (ten) stellar films:

The Right Stuff (1983)

Based on Tom Wolfe's book, this film follows the story of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid play the space cowboys and give us one of the first uses of the now overused Slo-Mo-Power-Walk in film. (The Magnificent Seven did it first.) It was nominated for Oscars' Best Picture, Cinematography, and Actor (Shepard) and walked away with 4 technical awards. Available on Amazon, iTunes, and all the VOD.

Moon (2009)
Sam Rockwell does his best Cast Away homage as a lonely  astronaut finishing up a three-year gig at the space station —until he discovers something. The film relies on a well-appointed set and Rockwell's talents — not a bad combo at all. Free on Netflix.


October Sky (1999)

Jake Gyllenhaal plays a teenage rocket builder who is inspired to escape his small town (and coal mining destiny) after the Soviet Sputnik flies over the October sky. It's a feel-good, coming of age story with an amazing cast (Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, and Chris Owen). Available on Amazon, iTunes, and all the VOD services.

Apollo 11 (2019)
Last year's most powerful doc (Winner of PGA'S Best Documentary of 2019) is simply breathtaking. Watch never-before-seen footage and audio of astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins embark on that 1969 trip to the moon. Currently free on Hulu and available on VOD.

Apollo 13 (1995)
This Ron Howard-directed drama was nominated for nine Oscars and is based on the problematic events of the Apollo 13 lunar mission. Astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton,) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) find everything going according to plan after leaving Earth's orbit. Does Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) have the right stuff to get them home? Find out for free on Hulu.

Arrival (2016)
A linguist (Amy Adams) works with the military to communicate with the inhabitants of one of twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world. Of all the similarly-themed films (Contact, Interstellar), I think Arrival does the best job of providing a satisfying ending. Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker round out the stellar cast. Nominated for Oscars' Best Picture and 7 other categories. 

Moonraker (1979)
When The Spy Who Loved Me's credits rolled in 1977, it noted Bond would return in For Your Eyes Only. However, that didn't turn out to be the next film. Star Wars happened that summer too and soon everyone went to space. Yogi Bear left Jellystone Park for Yogi's Space Race on TV, Gary Marshall had Mork land in the Cunningham's Happy Days house, and James Bond actually went to deep into space.

This 007 entry landed between The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only, the two best Roger Moore films, and suffered as a punchline for many years. However, in time it ranks more often in the top ten than bottom ten of 007 lists. After all, it gave fans Holly Goodhead, Hugo Drax, Jaws, and another Shirley Bassey song. Free on MGMhd, available on VOD, and totally watchable today.

Gravity (2013)

Winner of seven Oscars, including Best Director and Cinematography (It lost Best Picture to 12 Years a Slave), Alfonso Cuarón’s space odyssey gets more points for visuals than story, but it's still a fun ride to see whether Sandra Bullock and George Clooney will make it back to Earth. Available on all VOD services.



Hidden Figures (2017)

This lighthearted film tells the seriously amazing story of three NASA women behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn. Taraji P, Janelle Monae, and Octavia Spencer light up the screen as the previously unrecognized heroes. It's free on Hulu.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Is this the most critically-celebrated space films of all time? Affirmative Dave. If you've never seen man vs. machine play out in Stanley Kubrick's film from start to finish, now's a good time.

The Ten Buck Review: All worth ten bucks.