Mika Kaurismäki's THE GIRL KING (2015)

Christina, Queen of Sweden, long has dwelt

Rent-free inside my head, e'er since I read

Of her in my Horizon mags. I felt 

A little more a rebel, in my head

For knowing she had lived. And Garbo brought

Her e'en more forward, so my standards for

A film about her are perhaps too high. 

There's some to like,  here, sure, but there is more

To who she was and what she did, than (sigh)

Her Countess. There's some quite good dialogue

At least, and all looks pretty, as it should.

It's not a bad film, though; it's not a slog. 

Is that enough, though, that I'd call it good?

Her odd upbringing isn't shown at all, 

Nor post-crowned life. Not sure 'twas their best call.

Wash Westmoreland's COLETTE (2018)

I do not often like Miss Knightley, yet
I must admit, in this she's without flaw
As that wild woman we know as Colette,
A writer-dancer-actress worth our awe.
Dom West can barely keep up with her, which
Is as it should be. And the others cast
In many roles reflect quite perfect pitch
(Except for Tomlinson, but, at the last
'Twas really just the accent). All the art
Direction met our standards for this fare
Called Costume Drama, and the movie's heart
Is right where it belongs. If you would share
In awesome on this level, check it out,
Then write some saucy fiction and don't pout!

Bert and Bertie's TROOP ZERO (2019)

It's Bad News Bears but minus the Bizet

With "Birdie Scouts" instead of baseball boys 

And where belongeth Tatum, rather, they

Have Charlie Shotwell. While there's much less noise

And cursing, there is cuteness here to spare.

The misfit kids are excellent and then 

Viola Davis plays for Matthau. Care

To guess how all this ends? Go 'head and spend

Some time with these wee charmers and you'll find

It spent amused enough. One extra, though, 

It's set back in the '70s. You'll find

The art direction nearly steals the show. 

It's got more edge than we expect from fluff, 

But in the end, no challenge. Just fun stuff. 

George Clooney's SUBURBICON (2017)

The ticky-tacky's thick, the satire's dark,
Production values through the roof. It's all
So on the nose, unsubtle; ev'ry mark
Of '50s archetypes is made. I'd call
Director Clooney out for too much try,
But it all kind of works. Against a real
And ugly integration fable, why,
A standard Cohen Brothers caper reel
Is just the thing, I guess? Not all the crime
Is collared white, but all the bad guys are,
While lily-perfect neighbors spend their time
Harassing black newcomers who have marred
Their fantasy. A movie for our age
Pretends to history, our dumbest stage.

James Ivory's THE WHITE COUNTESS (2005)

Oh, what a cast, and what production -- yet
These stars in gorgeous clothes, just dripping style
As gracefully they flit across each set
Creating for the screen that old Shanghai,
All seem asleep, or near it. Kazuo
And Mister Ivory, together they
Love nothing more than lovers, yes, although
They've yet to let a couple have their way.
A lovely, quiet film is something I
Enjoy, but sometimes it's all too sedate
(But maybe, lulled as always when I spy
A Sanada, I cared less for the fate
Of these romantic leads?). And one real gripe:
A sighted Fiennes, in blindface ain't my type.