jon.h.ochiai

I really loved "Birds of Prey: And the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn" in the twisted hysterical escapist way. Props too, for the extended title. Calmly strong Huntress, played by beautiful introverted Mary Elizabeth Winestead, confesses to superhero Dinah Lance aka Black Canary regarding her martial arts skills, "You can kick high in tight pants." You don't often hear that in a superhero action movie. Just saying.

That being said, Director Cathy Yan's "Birds of Prey" is pleasantly not your typical superhero action movie. For one thing, not everyone is the conventional hero, like Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie in total swag with razor-like irony. Along with Christina Hodson's screenplay, Cathy creates the unique: The lovable sociopath in Harley Quin, the standout character from "Suicide Squad". Margot in blonde pigtails, haunting complexion, and cutoff shorts mesmerizes in bizarre charm.

In Cathy's animated prologue, Harley was the brilliant resilient little girl, who endured her abandonment abuse plagued childhood, becoming a prominent psychiatrist. She fell in love with Gotham City's villainous murder Joker, arch nemesis of Batman. In her spiraling demise, Harley fell into a toxic chemical vat; thus, altering her appearance also bestowing her great physical strength and speed. She's also the martial arts expert: No one kicks ass wielding a baseball bat like Harley.

Yet, her love story was not happily ever after: The Joker left Harley heartbroken. Still, she hides the break up, because being Joker's girlfriend granted the certain street cred. Although, Harley can dispatch any hulking thug with or without her beloved bat.

Margot's Harley Quinn is the beguiling paradox, ultimately making the visually stunning yet narratively messy "Bird of Prey" soar. Margot embodies distinct humanity even in Harley, who is so far removed from reality. Her dominant cynicism surrenders to touching maternal instincts protecting Cassandra, played by spirited Ella Jay Basco. Rogue pick-pocket Cassandra steals the diamond sought by Harley's night club boss, crime leader Roman, played by virtually one-note evil Ewan McGregor. Granted Ewan reveals in his incarnation.

In the strangely sweet scene, Harley and Cassandra eat their breakfast cereal while watching TV cartoons. Former clinician Harley tells her squad, "Psychologically speaking, vengeance rarely brings the catharsis we hope for." Amen. Yet, coming from Harley: WTF?

Yeah, the martial arts fighting is so cool, with orchestrated leg sweeps, knee kicks, and judo throws. Director Cathy displays a distinctive visual style for her characters and Gotham City. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique dazzles with his neon color pallet. What dazzles more so is the inherent narrative incongruity of "Birds of Prey": Harley and her squad are paradoxes, in a good way.

The cast is awesome. Rosie Perez is the comically intrepid Detective Montoya, who traces Harley through the series of grizzly gang murders. Although, Mary Elizabeth's Helena (Huntress) vehemently denies "rage issues", she's the trained assassin since childhood, seeking justice for murder of her family. Hysterically, Helena is the shy hero, who practices saying, "I'm Huntress" in menacing voice. Jurnee Smoullet-Bell is the reluctant badass as club singer Dinah. Jurnee's vulnerable awareness heightens her prowess reveal. Ella's genuine 10 year-old bravado as Cassndra hides the fear of the little girl, who just wants to be loved.

Amidst, the amazing martial arts sequences, the loud car chases, and hilarious wise cracks, what landed for me was: Harley's tears. Harley let down Cassandra, who was counting on her. Despite, her sociopath sensibilities, she actually cared for another human being. Despite all, Harley is the Hero. Really, that makes "Birds of Prey" worth watching. Just saying.

In "The Photograph" LaKeith Stanfield and Issa Rae as Michael and Mae talk music smack: Drake or Kendrick Lamar? Mae is all in with Drake. Michael is all in with Kendrick. And the twain shall not meet. Personally, I'm with Michael.

That being said, Writer and Director Stella Meghie displays her natural instinct for authentic dialogue: the ebb and flow. She's also gifted with charismatic and beautiful LaKeith and Issa, who capture the soul of falling madly and deeply in love. Props to Stella for bringing to the screen a heartfelt straight up romance sans the conventional contrived narrative trappings. Yeah, love can be the journey of adversity, but ironically here, the predictable is welcome unpredictability. Just saying.

Mae is the smart, beautiful African American Art Museum curator in New York City. Her single Mom Christine had recently passed away from cancer. Her Mom left letters explaining her past, her regrets in life addressed to Mae.

Strong, innocent Chante' Adams as the young Christine writes, "My Mae - I wish I would have put as much courage in love as I put into my work." Although, Christine did her absolute best, she regrets not loving Mae enough. More to the point: she did not show her love enough. Tearful Mae gets that.

In 1984 Louisiana, Adams's Christine was the young idealistic dreamer, who wanted to be a New York photographer, ditching her hometown confinement. Christine is in love with the handsome hard working crab fisherman Isaac, played by lovingly naïve Y'lan Noel.

Christine and Isaac are so in love, but they want such different lives. Boldly, Christine dares to make a life in New York as a photographer. She's gifted and has grit. Unfortunately, Isaac is left in the aftermath. He keeps a photo he took of Mae with her own camera as a token of their love.

LaKeith's Michael is the brilliant good-looking African American journalist from New York, who works for "The Republic". It's now 2020, Michael is in Louisiana researching his article on the older Isaac Jefferson, played by Rob Morgan with weary gravitas, and the crab fishing industry. Isaac shares about the great love of his life, Christine. Isaac's greatest regret was that he never went after her. He gives Michael the photograph of Christine, telling him of Christine's daughter Mae.

Back in New York, Michael has his protégé intern Andy, played by spritely funny Kelvin, research Mae. Consequently, Michael and Mae hook up albeit initially professionally. Michael recently ended his relationship. His brother Kyle, played by wry hysterical Lil Rel Howery, cautions Michael about getting into yet another. Kyle's no psychic, but sees where this is headed.

Also, Michael is a man at his crossroads: What is he going to do with his life. He tells his annoyed Editor Sara, played by whimsically fostering Chelsea Peretti, that he applied for a job in London. WTF?

In the sweet interlude, Director Stella throws people obstacles between Mae and Michael, when Michael shows up unexpectedly at a movie screening. Taken with Mae, Michael gathers the courage to ask her out for a drink. Hence, the great Drake - Kendrick Lamar debate. Yeah, they're falling in love. Will it work out? Are they willing to make it work?

"The Photograph" is at its best when Michael and Mae are their most authentic. Fortunately, that's most of the movie in Stella's poignant direction. LaKeith's Michael has his epiphany: Although, he's a good man, he's kind of a 'dog'. He starts to get over himself. Issa's Mae isolated herself, to protect herself from getting hurt. Her epiphany: "My Mom wasn't very good at love. I wonder if I'm just like her?" Issa and LaKeith share honest humanity and the touching doubt that we all have. That makes us genuinely pull for them. That's the poignancy of "The Photograph".

I was very sad with the passing of the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Kobe was my Hero, because of his work ethic, and his belief that you work to be the greatest that you can be. Amen. In one of his last interviews, he was asked "What is love for you?" Kobe said, "I would describe love as the beautiful journey... You persevere."

That's what's special about "The Photograph". No, love ain't easy. If it's worth having, then we persevere, we make it work. More than just saying. See "The Photograph" and you choose.

In Writer and Director Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women", Jo March, Alcott's Hero, played by Saoirse Ronan, regrets her angry unforgiving nature over her younger sister Amy, played by Florence Pugh, who could have died, because of her irresponsibility. Wise Mother Marmee, played by Laura Dern, sits beside distraught Jo. She says that she knows what it's like to be "angry nearly every day of my life". She hopes that Jo does better. Jo confesses to her consuming writer's passion, and Amy's callous act when they were children.

Marmee reminds, "There are some natures too noble to curb, too lofty to bend." Perhaps, following one's greater nature is more about what you're willing to give up. That too is the eloquent beauty of Greta's "Little Women". Greta reunites with Saoirse from "Lady Bird" in Alcott's rites of passage tale of unconditional love. Saoirse plays the young vulnerable idealist Jo, who wants to be taken legitimately as a writer. Still, she wants to be loved.

Saoirse's Jo cops to her loneliness to compassionate Laura's Marmee. Mom asks Jo if she loves Laurie, played by charmingly aloof Timothee Chalamet. Jo says, "I want to be loved." Marmee says, "That's not the same as loving." No, it's not.

Still, Jo has unconditional love. Returning home from New York to care for her ailing sister Beth, played by quietly strong Eliza Scahlen, she reads to Beth at the beach. Weakened Beth wants to hear more of Jo's own stories. She tells her, "Keep writing... after I'm gone." Jo's eyes well with tears. So did mine.

"Little Women" has great soulfulness and humanity. Life is both joy and loss on the journey of creating your own greater version. Life is about defining your calling, your purpose, and finding balance. Yes, we all want to be loved. Maybe part of being loved is forgiving others and ourselves, and giving love back, too. Rather, I believe that's what Greta Gerwig and Louisa May Alcott are trying to say.

Set during the US Civil War, Director Greta brilliantly weaves childhood flashback into her very contemporary transformational narrative. The 1860's was not the time for women, which might be the social irony of Alcott's novel. Wealthy Aunt March, played with humorous gravitas by Meryl Streep, reminds Amy that a woman must either have money or marry a man with it.

Laura's Marmee raises her 4 daughters Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth, played by Saoirse, Emma Watson, Florence, and Eliza, all alone while her Husband, played by solid Bob Odenkirk, is away supporting the Civil War.

The girls all have their individual passions. Jo, of course wants to be a writer. From the time they were young children, she wrote plays for her sisters to performs, albeit reluctantly at times. Meg's passion is acting. Amy wants to be a famous painter. Beth is quiet shy piano protégé.

The March's live next door to the very rich Laurence's. Their longtime childhood friend is playboy Theodore 'Laurie'. Timothee embodies surprising charm and depth of emotion in Laurie. Laurie has been in love with Jo, since they were teens. Jo loves Laurie, yet not in the way he wished. That's the designed melodrama of "Little Women". What could have been the perfunctory plot device, Greta reinvents as the narrative of self-discovery and forgiveness. Greta's profound muse is Saoirse.

Saoirse authentically captures the joy and the suffering in Jo's visage, in her being. She's wickedly funny negotiating her book with publisher Mr. Dashwood, played by cantankerous Tracy Letts, also from "Lady Bird". Her kindness comforts when she hugs Marmee following personal tragedy.

Saoirse's nobility rises and never bends. That's the distinct heart and humanity of Greta Gerwig's "Little Women". Often times, creating the greater versions of ourselves is about letting go. It's about love and forgiveness, for others and for ourselves. That makes watching "Little Women" beautiful. Just saying.