I’m in year-end movie catch-up mode, trying to watch as many 2016 films as possible before the Oscar nominations are announced at the end of the month. I’ve identified about two dozen movies I’d like to see, from highbrow to popcorn. I’ll be happy to get through half of them.
In the past week or so, I’ve watched The Lobster, Cafe Society and Sing Street (along with my third viewing of Moana with the kids).
The Lobster was very well-made and at times (extremely) darkly hilarious, but at the end of the day it was so unpleasant and disturbing that I can’t even pretend to “like” it. I think the me of a decade or so ago would have ranked it much higher on the strength of its filmmaking, but the me of today puts more weight on emotional impact.
Cafe Society is a nice diversion from Woody Allen, who is showing his age (in his lackluster narration, the tiredness of some of the jokes and the retreading of similar themes) but still knows how to deliver a pleasant 90 minutes. Midnight in Paris remains his late-career high point, but regardless of the relative quality of each new Woody Allen picture, you have to hand it to the guy for maintaining his one-a-year pace for five decades.
The best film of the trio, by far, is Sing Street, the latest from Once writer/director John Carney. This delightful film follows a Dublin teen who invents a band to impress a girl, then actually forms it and falls even more in love with songwriting and performing. Is it predictable? Sure. But it’s also one of the most exhilirating and buoyant films I’ve seen in ages.
Some of the movie’s original songs (especially today’s SOTD) should vie for Academy Award consideration. Between Sing Street, La La Land and Moana, that’s shaping up to be the most competitive race of the night.
Can’t understand the way that I turned myself around
I tried to terminate this war
With you
But you won’t let it go
You keep coming back for more
Freedom
I’m takin’ it back
I’m outta here, no turnin’ back
In a baby blue Cadillac
Just when I was stallin’
I heard an angel callin’
This is your life
You can go anywhere
You gotta grab the wheel and own it
And drive it like you stole it
Roll it
This is your life
You can be anything
You gotta learn to rock and roll it
You gotta put the pedal down
And drive it like you stole it
And drive it like you stole it
We get stuck in the dirt
And we can’t see where we’re going
We face all kinds of hurt
And the friction slows us down
But I won’t be waiting here for the world to win me gold
I’ll leave your dust behind me
Stranded in the road
Freedom
I’m takin’ it back
Attitude
I’m givin’ it back
In a baby blue Cadillac
Just when I was stallin’
I heard an angel callin’
This is your life
You can go anywhere
You gotta grab the wheel and own it
You gotta put the pedal down
And drive it like you stole it
This is your life
You can go anywhere
You gotta grab the wheel and own it
And drive it like you stole it
Roll it
This is your life
You can be anything
You gotta learn to rock and roll it
You gotta put the pedal down
And drive it like you stole it
(Hoo, hoo, hoo-ooh-ooh)
And drive it like you stole it
(Hoo, hoo, hoo-ooh-ooh)
And drive it like you stole it
(Hoo, hoo, hoo-ooh-ooh)
And drive it like you stole it
(Hoo, hoo, hoo-ooh-ooh)
Meet Me In Montauk 
We’re all big fans of Sing Street in our household. It is one of the highlights in a strong year of very good films.
I finally saw “Sing Street” last week and loved every second of it. Having been in my twenties for most of the 80’s, the soundtrack to this flick hit me right in the heart. Indeed, the film was predictable, but absolutely delightful to watch. All the original songs for the film provide a wonderful homage to the musical trends of the 80’s. Very well done!