The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)

 

Anna and Mike portray two characters in a film set in 19th century England who fall in love despite the fact that Mike's character is engaged.

From memory: Beautifully photographed and staged and well cast romance drama has a complex narrative structure set in two time periods that seemingly interact with each other and seems to try to say something deep, but in the end it's mainly just an upscale tearjerker.

Halliwell*: "Vaguely unsatisfactory and muddled coloured adaptation of a novel which sets its thin story against the entire social background of he Victorian age as related to our own. The attempt to replace this by an equally thin modern story about actors playing the Victorian roles fails rather dismally; but the enterprise supplies points of interest along the way."

Maltin***1/2: "The juxtaposition is jarring at first, but becomes more engaging as the film progresses. Beautifully visualized, with rich period detail, superb performances..."

 

 

The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)

The story of the life and academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.

Good period drama about a fascinating (and important) mathematical genius is convincing in its depiction of the academic rivalries with rheir racism, chauvinism and professional hybris.

The Words (2012)

A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man's work.

Although based on a good premise and although the three stories are skillfully intertwined, and there are some good performances, the tale becomes sentimental and finally botched by the disappointing background story rendering everything else meaningless.

Maltin**: "At the core of this wildly illogical tale is a good idea that flowers in one key scene, when Irons (in a terrific performance) confronts Cooper...The rest is drivel, made worse by a superfluous framing story..."

The Time Machine (2002)

Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds humankind divided into two warring races.

Nicely entertaining, if not a bit light-footed adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel has some good special effects.

Halliwell (no star): "Confused and unsatisfactory version of Wells' novel, even if it is directed by his great-grandson. The narrative is used merely as a peg for special effects."

Maltin**1/2: "The effects are impressive, but the story doesn't have the impact it should...and Pearce may not be the idealchoice for an old-fashioned hero."

Justice League (2017)

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.

Above-average superhero tohobohu entertains with good special effects, lots of action and, especially, a healthy amount of humour.

Appaloosa (2008)

Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow.

Nicely photographed and played elegiac revisionist Western celebrates old-fashioned men's bonding and honor which includes a good slice of misogyny as well.

Maltin**: "Fairly simple story...takes an awfully long time to spin out. Harris and Mortensen make a great team, and their friendship is the most interesting aspect of this long-winded film."

Un Amour de Swann (1984)

When the elegant and educated bachelor Charles Swann falls in love with a courtesan, his friends in the most powerful and fashionable circles of Paris in the 1890's warn him against marriage.

Well produced with top credentials in all departments, the result is a unloving, coldly calculated adaptation of Proust's story; alone Hans Werner Henze's excellent score gives an impression of what this movie could have been.

Halliwell**: "Reasonably successful attempt to film part of an unfilmable book. Comparisons with Letter From an Unknown Woman are inevitable."

Maltin**1/2: "Lavish but lifeless telescoping of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past with Irons surprisingly stiff...Redeemed somewhat by the latter [Ornella Muti] and Delon (as a homosexual baron), a sexy under-the-covers scene, and Sven Nykvist photography. "

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Fearing that the actions of Superman are left unchecked, Batman takes on the Man of Steel, while the world wrestles with what kind of a hero it really needs.

Above-average superhero drama delivers the goods (mostly mayhem) and adds tension to the encounter of Batman and Superman plus some badly needed help from Wonder Woman, collateral damage included.

High-Rise (2015)

 

 

Life for the residents of a tower block begins to run out of control. 

 

A J.G. Ballard adaptation that offers lots of goods: cast, visual execellence and some memorable, scenes; but it doesn't quite manage to translate the novel's stringent logic of a society drifting into chaos.