Pain and Glory: More glory than pain

Disclaimer: Pedro Almodovar is the Movie Slut's fave filmmaker. He had her at Women on the Verge, 1988, and High Heels, 1991. You might call him the Spanish Woody Allen. Or not.

In his latest film, Almodovar departs from his usual subject—women—to focus on a man. Salvador Mallo (Antonio Baneras) is an aging and infirm film director, looking back on his life and ahead to...? We learn of his triumphs and regrets, his great love and foolish mistakes.

As always Almodovar's characters are rich, his settings brilliant and beautiful, his actors, top notch. Penelope Cruz pays Mallo's mother  in flashbacks. 

There's little doubt that autobiographical elements pervade this new Almodovar masterpiece.

Jojo Rabbit: A hopin' good tale

The absurdity of war. The horrors of war. The inanity and hazards of hateful ideologies.

It's all here in this quirky flick about an 11-year-old boy (Jojo) living in Nazi Germany whose imaginary friend is none other than the fuhrer himself.

We soon learn that it's only the naive and unworldly, like Jojo, who believe the fuhrer is playing with a full deck. Certainly not his mother, a wonderfully quirky Scarlett Johansson, or the Nazi in charge of Jojo's indoctrination camp, a terrifically quirky Sam Rockwell.

The plot thickens when Jojo learns that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the attic and Jojo realizes the stereotypes about Jews are a load of bunk.

The Movie Slut loved this flick, but if quirky doesn't leave you perky, you should skip this one.

Western Stars: The boss is at the multiplex

Bruce (one name will suffice) is an American treasure. Even the Movie Slut who likes her music more edgy, admits that. So why did he compromise himself with this infomercial of a flick?

Western Stars is little more than a filming of his latest album of the same name. It's interspersed with tantalizing tidbits about Springsteen's demons and challenges, which we're told are fleshed out in his memoir, Born to Run. Does that make the movie a double infomercial?

Having said that, the music is fine and the boss is engaging. If you're a fan, by all means, see it.

The Laundromat: Dishes the Dirt

Last year Netflix brought us The Panama Papers, a documentary that revealed how the super wealthy avoid paying taxes on their millions and billions. Journalists around the world worked on the expose that brought down prominent figures, including British Prime Minister David Cameron.

But what about the little people? How does this money laundering hurt them?

That's what The Laundromat sets out to reveal. Alas, without much success. We meet Ellen Martin (Meryl Streep) a window cheated out of insurance money because her policy was with a company that didn't exist. She sets out to discover what the heck is going on.

Promising? Yes. Too bad this flick doesn't deliver on its promise.

The dramady, with a stellar cast that includes Antonio Banderas, Gary Oldman, Sharon Stone, and David Schwimmer, can be seen in theaters and on the steaming channel.

 But don't bother.

It doesn't demystify the money-laundering schemes, nor does the arch, "comic" tone garner any sympathy for Ellen and the other losers. But, hey, if you think folks being robbed by greedy rich people is funny, by all means see this film.

Downton Abbey: Welcome to the Flufferthon

The Movie Slut is drowning in noblesse oblige.

Not only do we have the Duke and Duchess whose lives are devoted to their serving staff. But now the wise and caring King and Queen have come to visit!

It's 1927 and the castle is aflutter.

Like a pretty butterfly, this film, which follows the PBS series, flits from character to character and mini-plot to mini-plot, landing on each for mere seconds.

Shallow it is.
Shallow and sublime.

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice

It's been a year of music docs. David Cosby, Elton John, Bob Dylan, to name just a few artists whose stories have come to the big screen. Maybe, like the Movie Slut, you think you've reached your saturation point.

Well, think again. MS is sure glad she did. This doc is rich with the music that brought Ronstadt ten Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, an Emmy, and an ALMA. But that's not all. How can you not love a doc with talking heads like Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne and Aaron Neville.

Ronstadt was a female pioneer in the male-dominated field of rock music. And a died-in-the-wool feminist, by deed, rather than words. As her awards indicate, she was also a star in the country music genre, light opera, and Mexican music.

Although she no longer sings, Ronstadt narrates parts of the film that reveals she's much more than a pretty face and a beautiful voice.

Judy: She's got rhythm

The Movie Slut has one word for this Judy Garland biopic starring Renee Zellweger.

But of course, she'll say more.

She'll say Zellweger is Judy.

She'll say the script, which includes flashbacks that informs viewers of the singer's early life, are interspersed judiciously.

She'll say the pacing is perfect, the singing (Zellweger) is authentic, and the story unfolds intelligently and emotionally. (If you don't cry at the end, check to make sure you have a heart.)

And now for the word the Movie Slut promised up top.

Oscar!