Yesterday

Writer/Producer Richard Curtis is the best at creating quirky romance tales like Love Actually and About Time. Now, teaming up with Producer/Director Danny Boyle, he has, once again, succeeded with the creation of Yesterday, one of those films I, and I hope you, will see more than once.

 

A world-wide 12-second electrical blackout somehow removes The Beatles, Coca Cola and…well, I won’t tell you what else…from the memory banks of Google and all humanity except for struggling pop singer/songwriter Jack Malik (Himesh Patel), allowing the playing of all the pop group’s songs to seem as his creations. 

  

This allows Jack to fall into the clutches of an L.A. manager, hilariously played by Kate McKinnon, and ruins his relationship with his childhood girlfriend and initial manager Ellie Appleton (Lily James).

I won’t tell you any more because it’s too precious and too much fun.  (You might also want to bring a few tissues, as well.)

If you’ve been feeling down, lately, Yesterday will put you on top of your world. Even its little faults work to make it wonderful.

I give Yesterday a 4.8 out of 5.

Toy Story 4

Writer/Director Josh Cooley’s Toy Story 4 is arguably the best film so far this year, whether animated or not.

The writing team of Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom, with story inputs by Cooley, John Lasseter, Valerie LaPointe, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack and Martin Hymes has created an adorable screenplay full of wonderful characters and fun situations that move the audience from laughter to tears and back again.

Randy Newman’s music supports the tale that never stops offering fun twists and turns.

Even if you don’t have kids, you’ll have a wonderfully enjoyable time.

I give Toy Story 4 a 4.9 out of 5.

The Dead Don't Die

Writer/Director Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die is a half-assed attempt at satirizing zombie films. 

It has some descent high-brow humor for the first 20 minutes or so as we’re introduced to a Trump-town where people speaks verrry sllowlly.  (Hey, even I like Polish jokes.)

The lights go out and, suddenly, a few corpses depart from their graves. Thus, begins an onslaught of zombie killings that soon draws pity for the townfolk and an understanding of why we “elites” are so despised.

It’s a shame that such talented actors joined Jarmusch in this debacle that descends into a boring rendition of chopped or blown up heads.

I give The Dead Don’t Die a 2.2 out of 5.