Green Book, See...plus...

​    “Green Book” is a ok and...good movie.  I know right?  How can it be both?  Of all the reviews I have written or thought about, this one leaves me conflicted.  The Actors Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen are great and if this movie was made in 2005, it would be awesome.   I have seen this movie before.  It felt like I saw it last year, five years ago, or maybe ten years ago.   I know there is this underlying theme that a movie such as this at a time such as this will make a statement.  We need this movie, many will exclaim from the rooftops.  Maybe we do and it was enjoyable in the way a typical white-black buddy movie is enjoyable.  I thought we made a bit of progress after the outstanding “Hidden Figures” that had some of the same elements, but was quite smart in it’s storytelling.  I didn’t feel impacted. Maybe it was the paint by numbers story.  i didn’t get it. That is why I go to the movies personally, to get it.  The pacing was spot on and highs and lows were timed well.  
      I saw all of the Oscar nominated movies this year sans one (The Favourite) and this one was my least admired.  All the movies in this year’s class  made it difficult and I was shocked and disappointed by it’s win for best picture.   It felt like it was taken right out of template on how to make a “good movie” and put together.  I got a flashback to sitting in some class and some lecturer telling me that on page ninety X is supposed to happen and it does.  The other reason may be that I saw some movies that stepped deeply into the realm of artistry (e.g. ROMA).  I can see images of many of these movies and they are seared into my brain.   That is a movie, is, the connection between story and visual sustenance.
     As I get older and my palette for film continues to refine, I put a great deal of pressure on myself to understand my personal investment in film watching.  Sometimes it is just fun and comedic (as an aside, I never go to the theater to see a Comedy. Except that one time…).  Once the dust settles, I will try it again but now it was just…okay.  I love the world of film and the collaborative nature to share a story of such importance as Doctor Shirley’s  Look on Amazon and You Tube, there are some very interesting documentaries about him.  Thank you all!  Love ya!  Umbrella Academy is up next! WIT: C+