Dark Waters (2019) - Enjoyable legal drama that's very Mark Ruffalo. Fascinating case that sometimes doesn't quite fit the movie format as this is a very long case. I found myself sort of losing interest at times in the second half (ironically probably what DuPont wanted themselves. To have people lose interest due to the length of the process). At times the movie takes a brief look at some years. I almost would have preferred going very brief on them with perhaps just a headline to sum them up and then take a little deeper dive on some of the other years. You'll understand if you watched or will watch the movie. The scene including a real life victim was kind of goofy too. His inclusion was fine, but the dialogue was corny (pardon me if it actually went down like this in real life though
).
I like how the film presents the various pressures on people. The main farmer who comes to Ruffalo to create a case against DuPont. How DuPont sort of owns the town where all this shit is happening. People being angry that the farmer/lawyer are suing the biggest employer. The tension is there. And it weighs on people. And on top of that you see the real long lasting damage caused around there. It ain't pretty.
Worth a watch for sure. I would be heavily interested in a documentary too (which maybe does exist already. I haven't checked)
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Matinee (2019, Japan) - A romance film that bites off more than it can chew at times, but has a nice twist and a very mature and sophisticated air to it. You have a lead female who is a Japanese reporter in France and lead male who is a Japanese virtuoso on the classical/acoustic guitar. They meet at one of his shows in Japan and so begins a courtship that is mostly long distance. I find the writing and acting most at home when it's Japanese people interacting and talking to each other. The movie takes place in France and New York too and at times it's achingly obvious that the script was written by someone who is not fully at home with those languages.
The twist is pretty good at how this relationship turns. Believable enough in how it occurs and then understandable how the miscommunication changes the said relationship. I like how our main two characters aren't innocent. There are aspects of cheating and divorce and unhappy marriages. Professional failure and redemption that ties in with the relationships.
Enjoyable enough if you wish to see a romance film about Japanese people in their 40s. For the "I have a good job and education and I enjoy my coffee while discussing mature matters, though I won't let that stop me from love making me do some foolish things" crowd.