I will turn 50 in November of this year, so my project for 2023 will be to watch and review one movie from each year of my life. The only qualification is that it has to be a movie I’ve not reviewed previously.
2019
Top Grossing Movies of 2019:
- Avengers: Endgame
- The Lion King
- Frozen II
- Spider-Man: Far from Home
- Captain Marvel
Best Picture Oscar Nominees and Winners of 2019:
- Parasite
- Ford v Ferrari
- The Irishman
- Jojo Rabbit
- Joker
- Little Women
- Marriage Story
- 1917
- Once Upon a Time In Hollywood
Other Movies I’ve Reviewed from 2019:
- 63 Up
- Apollo 11
- Apollo: Missions to the Moon
- Booksmart
- Extra Ordinary
- The Farewell
- For Sama
- The Further Adventures of Walt’s Frozen Head
- Just Mercy
- Klaus
- Knives Out
- Knock Down the House
- Lady and the Tramp
- The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- The Lighthouse
- Midsommar
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
- See You Yesterday
- Sorry We Missed You
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
- Toy Story 4
- Us
- When They See Us
- Wild Nights With Emily
Title: Uncut Gems
Release Date: December 13, 2019
Director: Josh Safdie & Benny Safdie
Production Company: A24 | Elara Pictures | IAC Films | Sikelia Productions | Scott Rudin Productions
Summary/Review:
This movie begins with Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) receiving a colonoscopy and that is the most relaxed we ever see him. Howard runs a jewelry business in New York’s Diamond District and is a compulsive gambler. Howard acquires a rare black opal from Ethiopia which he hopes to auction off in order to pay off his gambling debts. During the course of the film, Howard loan the opal to Boston Celtics basketball star Kevin Garnet (himself) who believes it brings him luck, canoodles and then fights with his mistress Julia (Julia Fox), attempts to reconcile with his wife Dinah (Idina Menzel) who wants a divorce, pawns items to gain money for his ill-advised bets, parties with The Weeknd (himself), and tries to avoid his loan shark brother-in-law Arno (Eric Bogosian) and his hired goons.
This a movie about loud and abrasive New Yorkers, and true to life of the loud and abrasive New Yorkers I know, they never stop shouting over one another the entire film. It’s also a very Jewish film as themes of cultural Judaism are woven through the plot (although, even as a non-Jewish person even I know that Passover is over before the NBA playoff semifinals, but it’s dramatic license). Sandler puts in an excellent performance that’s worlds away from his grossout comedies. Howard is a complete and total asshole, and a self-destructive one at that, but Sandler gives him the personality that makes you still want to pull for him.
Rating:
Panorama of the Mountains 
I like Adam Sandler comedies (at least the older ones haven’t watched many/any of the newer ones except the netflix halloween one.) It was a nice change of pace to see him in another type of role. I remember being irritated through much of the film by plot turns but liked it for the atmosphere. I also remember reading an article about the outfit he wore and the work that went into it but beyond that don’t remember much. I definitely don’t remember “pulling for him.”
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Well, maybe just wanting him to get out of his predicament even if he brought it on himself. He certainly didn’t deserve to be shot through the head.
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I didn’t remember what was at stake. That said, sometimes it’s the only thing that will stop the madness. Note, this is not me saying I wanted him to get shot through the head.
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It is the other time we see him relaxed.
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