HUNTERS (2020) – My rating: 9/10

Hunters is a 10 episode Amazon Prime Video series that follows a diverse group of fictional Nazi hunters in 1977, who lives in New York City. The Hunters series is based on the premise that Nazi war criminals are conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in the United States. A parallel plot is also being explored due to a government operation that relocated German scientists, who are mostly Nazis, to the US under a maneuver called “Operation Paperclip”. Inspiration for this series came from real Nazi hunters throughout the decades.

**** SPOILERS BELOW ****

Episode 1: “In the Belly of the Whale”
Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Written by: David Well
Synopsis: The US Undersecretary of State, Biff Simpson (Dylan Baker) is hosting a BBQ when a new guest arrives and recognizes Biff as a Senior Nazi. She is shot dead as was everyone at the BBQ.  Jonah Heidelbaum (Logan Lerman), a young mathematician and Ruth Heidelbaum (Jeannie Berlin), a Holocaust survivor and Jonah’s grandmother, live together in a modest Brooklyn apartment. The two were very close, so when Jonah witnessed someone brutally kill her in their apartment, he vowed to find the truth and make it right. During Ruth’s Shiva, Jonah meets a friend of his grandmother, Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino), Holocaust survivor and leader of Hunters. Jonah finds his grandmother’s killer and Meyer kills him;
Episode 2: “The Mourner’s Kaddish”
Directed by: David Yup
Written by: David Well
Synopsis: Johah becomes a member of Hunters, taking his grandmother’s place. The rest of the story involves this diverse cast of Nazi hunters plotting and rounding up Nazis to eliminate, as their mission is to stop the Nazi movement to create a Fourth Reich and take down the United States. Looking for a case of her own, FBI agent, Millie Morris (Jerrika Hinton) falls onto the Fourth Reich initiative, as well as Hunters. Meanwhile, Travis Leich (Greg Auston), a deadly American-born Nazi Acolyte, is sent to Florida to learn who is killing their Nazi members;
Episode 3: “While Visions of Safta Danced in his Head”
Directed by: Wayne Yip
Written by: Nikki Tuscano
Synopsis: This episode deals with codes, the Pied Piper of Buchenwald, and a big Nazi event that is scheduled to take place on July 13, 1977, in New York. Additionally, Jonah loses Arthur “Bootyhole” McGuigan (Caleb Emery) who was working Jonah’s shift when he was killed by Travis;
Episode 4: “The Pious Thieves”
Directed by: Nelson MacCormick
Written by: Mark Bianculli
Synopsis: More history regarding Ruth is revealed as Jonah finds a box of letters she wrote to Meyer.  The Hunters find a huge collection of Nazi stolen art and treasure hidden beneath a bank in Brooklyn;
Episode 5: “At Night, All Birds are Black”
Directed by: Dennie Gordon
Written by: David J. Rosen
Synopsis: Flashbacks reveal that The Wolf/William Zuchs (Christian Oliver) is a Nazi doctor who conducted experiments on prisoners and tormented Meyer and Ruth while at Auschwitz concentration camp.  Also, some of the team goes after Tilda Sauer (Barbara Sukowa) who was responsible for directing Nazi film propaganda;
Episode 6:  “(Ruth 1:16)”
Directed by: Millicent Shelton
Written by:  Zakiyyah Alexander
Synopsis:  This episode finds the team celebrating the Markowitz’ daughter’s wedding, which dredged up memories for Murray Markowitz (Saul Rubinek) and Mindy Markowitz (Carol Kane). They recall how a Nazi officer killed their young son. Sister Harriet (Kate Mulvany), a former MI6 operative, arrives at the wedding with the very officer who killed the Markowitz boy, tied up and given as a wedding gift. Unknown assailants beat up Millie.  Travis breaks into Meyer’s mansion, more secrets are revealed;
Episode 7:  “Shalom Motherf***er”
Directed by: Nelson McCormick
Written by:  Eduardo Javier Canto and Ryan Maldonado
Synopsis:  Meyer admits to being Jonah’s grandfather. The blackout of 1977 was part of a Nazi plot to create a distraction so they could smuggle a shipment of biological weapons through the port of New York City.  Jonah solves the final piece of a Nazi music code, and a member of Hunters is killed;
Episode 8: “The Jewish Question”
Directed by:  Michael Uppendahl
Written by:   David Weil and  Charley Casler
Synopsis:   Mindy Markowitz kills the man who murdered her son and the Hunters find Nazi and NASA scientist Wernher von Braun;
Episode 9: “The Great Ole Nazi Cookout of ’77”
Directed by:  Nelson McCormick
Written by:   Nikki Toscano
Synopsis:  This episode reveals the reasons given for bringing over the Nazis to the United States in the first place. The Hunters attack the Fourth Reich’s bunker and Travis is arrested by Millie. Additionally, Meyer manages to capture the Colonel (Lena Olin) who suggests that the pathogen isn’t the Fourth Reich’s only plan, and Meyer crashes his car into the river;
Episode 10:  “Eilu v’ Eilu”
Directed by:  Michael Uppendahl
Written by:   David Weil
Synopsis:  Meyer is rescued from the river by Sister Harriet, the Colonel who is the leader of the Fourth Reich is killed. Jonah begins a search for Wilhelm “The Wolf” Zuchs, the Nazi doctor who tortured Meyer and Ruth thirty years before. From clues, Jonah discovers Ruth’s files, which lead him to capture a surgeon he believes to be “The Wolf” who Meyer executes.

The ending of Hunters is shocking however, an outstanding dialogue is delivered throughout the series by the show’s exceptional writers. I was on the edge of my seat as I binge-watched this series. My only issue is with the casting of Al Pacino as a Jew.  While he delivered a great performance, I thought it odd not to have a Jewish person cast in a Jewish role.  It’s not hard to tell I highly recommend Hunters as a first-class series.  If nothing else, you will learn some of the disastrous and horrific atrocities the Jews suffered during the Holocaust.  Please know that I left out most of the revealing synopsis of each episode as not to spoil the entire show.  There is plenty of violence and bad language but the series was fabulous!  I suspect there will be a 2nd season, meanwhile, the current season of Hunters air on Amazon Prime Video and is an original, which is free to Amazon Prime subscribers.  Check It Out!

 

 

THE IRISHMAN (2019) – My rating: 7/10

The Irishman is an epic crime film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese. It is written by Steven Zaillian and based on the 2004 nonfiction book, I Heard You Paint Houses, by Charles Brandt. The film follows Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who becomes a hitman. The film includes Frank’s involvement with mobster Russell Bufalino and his crime family, plus his time working for the powerful Teamster, Jimmy Hoffa.

From a nursing home while sitting in his wheelchair, Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), an elderly World War II veteran, recounts his time as a hitman for a crime syndicate; during the 1950s in Philadelphia, Frank worked as a delivery truck driver.  Seeing an opportunity to make extra money, he starts to sell some of the contents of his shipments to local gangster Felix “Skinny Razor” DiTullio (Bobby Cannavale). After his company accuses him of theft, union lawyer Bill Bufalino (Ray Romano) gets him off after Sheeran refuses to name his customers to the judge. Bill introduces Frank to his cousin Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci), who is head of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family. Frank begins to do small jobs for Russell and members of the local South Philadelphia underworld, including “painting houses,” a euphemism for murder. Soon, Russell introduces Frank to Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), head of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who has financial ties with the Bufalino crime family and is struggling to deal with fellow rising Teamster Anthony “Tony Pro” Provenzano (Stephen Graham), as well as mounting pressure from the federal government. Hoffa becomes close with Frank and his family, especially his daughter Peggy (Anna Paquin), and Frank becomes Hoffa’s chief bodyguard, while on the road.

I’m not sure why The Irishman received so many Oscar nominations, I am sure of one thing, the movie was one of the longest movies I’ve seen in some time.  I felt the last half hour of the movie could have been eliminated.  It didn’t really contribute anything to the story.  While De Niro (who was snubbed by the Academy), Pesci and Pacino are truly among the very best actors in Hollywood, they came off as pretty advanced, age-wise,  for their familiar role of mob characters. In their defense, Scenes were filmed with a custom three-camera rig to help facilitate the extensive de-aging digital effects that made De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci appear younger. Having said that, The Irishman was well-acted, despite their ages and well told.  However, the film was too long and at times,  tad bit slow-paced.  I almost feel as though we’ve seen it all when it comes to the topic of the mafia. With a production budget of $159 million and a runtime of 209 minutes, it is among the most expensive and longest films of Scorsese’s career. The film received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Scorsese’s direction and the performances of De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards, The Irishman was nominated for five awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, while it earned 10 nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards, including Best Film. The Irishman is now streaming on Netflix — Check It Out!

[THE IRISHMAN is Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, twice for Best Supporting Actor, followed by BEST: Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design, Visual Effects, Adapted Screenplay, and Costume Design — TOTALLING 10 OSCAR NOMINATIONS]

 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019) – My rating: 7/10

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a comedy-drama written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is an international co-production between the United States and the United Kingdom. I was really looking forward to seeing this movie — I am neutral as to the quality of the movie but I feel it is worth seeing.

****  SOME SPOILERS  ****

In February 1969, Los Angeles actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), star of 1950’s Western television series, Bounty Law is now a struggling has-been. Realizing he is no longer the young budding star he was in the 50s, Rick shares this revolution with his best friend and former stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), that his career is over. Cliff, a war veteran, lives in a trailer behind a drive-in movie with his pit bull, Brandy.  He drives Rick (whose license is suspended) around town and relies on him for work because there have been rumors circulating that Cliff got away with killing his wife.

Meanwhile, actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and her husband director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha) have moved next door to Rick’s house, causing him to have dreams of befriending the couple in order to restore his failing status.  Charles Manson (Damon Herriman) stops by Polanski and Tate’s house looking for record producer, Terry Melcher, who used to live there but is turned away by Tate’s ex-boyfriend, Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch). Cliff later picks up a young hitchhiker he’d seen around town, named Pussycat (Margaret Qualley) while driving Rick’s car. He drops her off at the Spahn Movie Ranch, where Cliff shot Bounty Law. She tries to persuade him to stay, but he is suspicious of the large number of hippies squatting on the property.  Worried that owner George Spahn (Bruce Dern) is being taken advantage of, Cliff insists checking on Spahn despite Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme’s (Dakota Fanning) objections; Spahn dismisses Cliff’s fears. Returning to his car, Cliff discovers that Steve Grogan (James Landry Hébert) has slashed his front tire; Cliff brutally beats Grogan and forces him to change the tire. Manson girl, Sundance (Cassidy Hice) goes to fetch Charles “Tex “Watson (Austin Butler) but Cliff is driving away by the time Watson arrives. Meanwhile, Rick lands the role of a villain in a new series called Lancer. He strikes up a conversation with his young co-star Trudi Fraser (Julia Butters), a method actress. During one of his scenes, Rick struggles with his lines due to his alcoholism and later has an emotional breakdown in his trailer. He returns and gives a powerful performance that impresses the director and Trudi, bolstering Rick’s confidence. After watching Rick’s performance as a guest star on an episode of The F.B.I., director Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) offers Rick the opportunity to shoot a Spaghetti Western in Rome.

I really didn’t dislike Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, I thought it was a bit slow at times and downright boring at times.  I wasn’t sure where this movie was trying to take me or what the moral of the story was until the end.  Tarantino rewrote a story everyone knew and made it the way he wished it had ended.  This twist was a big surprise that made the movie worth seeing.  The acting was absolutely brilliant. FYI: This was the last film to feature (Luke Perry who played Wayne Maunder) and died in March of 2019. This also became the first Tarantino film not to be associated with producer Harvey Weinstein, after Tarantino cut ties following sexual abuse allegations against Weinstein in October. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that critics had “an overall positive view” of the film, who called the film “Tarantino’s love letter to ’60s L.A.” and praised its casting choices and setting, though some were “divided on its ending.”  Bounty Law is based on Wanted Dead or Alive (1958–1961). Rick Dalton’s relationship with Cliff Booth is based on that of actor Burt Reynolds and his longtime stunt double Hal Needham. Once Upon A Time… isn’t for everyone however, I highly recommend it to those who like a good fantasy ending.  Check It Out!