Wind River (2017)

 

A veteran hunter helps an FBI agent investigate the murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation.

Finely directed crime mystery with a convincing story, excellent cast and great landscape cinematography; unfortunately, the ending celebrates an act of vigilantism.

On re-watching: great crime story wonderfully set in wintry landscapes; the ending is understandable but ambiguous.

 

Wind River (2017)

A veteran hunter helps an FBI agent investigate the murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation.

Finely directed crime mystery with a convincing story, excellent cast and great landscape cinematography; unfortunately, the ending celebrates an act of vigilantism.

Brighton Rock (1947)

In 1964 the enforcer of a Brighton gang, murders a man, who has himself killed the gang leader, then a young waitress who witnessed the gang's activity, to keep an eye on her.

Powerful adaptation of Graham Greene's novel is dark, cynical and well played and photographed; the ending, however, seems artificial and is superfluous. 

Halliwell***: "A properly 'seedy' version of Graham Greene's 'entertainment', very flashily done for the most part but with a trick ending which allows the heroine to keep her illusions."

Maltin***: "Tour-de-force role for young Attenborough...Notable for incredibly cynical trick ending."

Brighton Rock (2010)

In 1964 the enforcer of a Brighton gang, murders a man, who has himself killed the gang leader, then a young waitress who witnessed the gang's activity, to keep an eye on her.

Stylish and wonderfully photographed in a Noir style in some great set pieces the movie can't quite convince with its shoddy hoodlums (you never really see what their actual business is), and the protagonist's motives are hardly comprehensible.

Maltin**: "Sometimes affecting but too often clinical revision of Graham Greene's 1938 novel...Mirren steals the show as the girl's wordly employer. Writer-director Joffe manages to appropriate many film noir tropes but the leading characters are so off-putting it's to no avail."

Powwow Highway (1989)

Two Native Amercans leave the Reservation to take a road trip across the badlands of the American Midwest to save one's sister from unjust imprisonment.

Likable Native American feel-good road movie with a slight political stance, but otherwise it's a meandering tale with a colorful cast of characters.

Halliwell (no star): "Rambling road movie that comes to the conclusion that it is morally justifiable for the exploited to lie, cheat and steal."

Maltin***: "Not a totally successful film, but unusual and satisfying, with a standout performance by Farmer, an immensely likable actor who makes his character both endearing and ennobling."

Wounded (1997)

After a grizzly-bear poacher kills her fiance and fellow Fish & Wildlife Deptartment officer a woman sets out to track the killer down and discover why the FBI is keeping its case secret from her.

Mediocre, slow-paced and predictable thriller; the stars can't help it, either.

Halliwell (no star): "Dull and implausible revenge drama."

Ministry of Fear (1944)

A man is released into WWII England after two years in an asylum, but it doesn't seem so sane outside either.

Competent Hitchcock-like espionage thriller with great Noir photography and some surrealist moments.

On a new view: still enjoy this Noir thriller with a sinister, but quite unlikely conspiracy.

Halliwell**: "Little to do with the novel, but a watchable, well-detailed little thriller on Hitchcock lines, once you forgive the usual phoney Hollywood England."

Maltin***: "Atmospheric thriller...; good cast, fines touches by director Lang."

The Third Man (1949)

A pulp novelist travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend,  a black-market opportunist.

A true classic, meticulously executed post-war drama with extraordinary expressionist cinematography and a plot which echoes on many levels.

On another view: have nothing to add; it's a joy to watch this movie every so often.

Halliwell****: "Totally memorable and irresistible romantic thriller. Stylish from the first to the last, with inimitable backgrounds of zither music and war-torn buildings pointing up a then-topical black market story full of cynical characters but not without humour. Hitchcock with feeling, if you like."

Maltin****: "...a bona fide classic..."