Ride With the Devil (1999)

 

During the American Civil War, two friends join the Bushwhackers, a militant group loyal to the Confederacy. 

Excellently and beautifully directed Western with an excellent cast takes its time to analyze the causes and effects of war, but somehow fails to make a lasting impact due to a lack of focus on its agenda. 

Halliwell**: "Dour, beautifully photographed semi-western, a harsh drama of idealism corrupted and redeemed; it ably shows the futility of war, as both sides commit atrocities and betrayals, but might have benefitted from a maturer point of view than that of its youthful participants."

Maltin**1/2: "Interesting subject matter is diffused by overlong, sometimes unfocused treatment, though the time and place are well drawn. Pop singer Jewel makes an impressive acting debut." 

 

Albert Nobbs (2011)

Posing as a man so she can work as a butler in Dublin's most elegant hotel, Albert Nobbs meets a handsome painter and looks to escape the lie she has been living.

Heart-wrenching period drama, overall well made in all departments, with sensationally good performances by Close and McTeer.

Maltin***: "Lovingly rendered period piece is exceptionally well cast, with Close's tour de force matched by McTeer's."

6 Souls (2010)

A female forensic psychiatrist discovers that all of one of her patient's multiple personalities are murder victims.

Utter nonsense occult thriller wastes its star cast, although it does provide some good atmospheric cinematography.

Maltin*1/2: "Dumb, pretentious thriller-horror film thoroughly wastes Moore and her cast-mates, who deserve far better material."

Black Butterfly (2017)

Outside a mountain town grappling with a series of abductions and murders, a reclusive writer, struggles to start what he hopes will be a career-saving screenplay.

Well-played intense psychological thriller that disappoints with two twist endings - one on top of the other.

Velvet Goldmine (1998)

In 1984, a British journalist investigates the career of 1970s glam superstar Brian Slade, who was heavily influenced in his early years by hard-living and rebellious American singer Curt Wild.

Using a plot modeled after Citizen Kane this movie offers some great period details and music and succeeds in recreating the 70s glam rock scene; the story, however, remains negligible in comparison.

Halliwell**: "A camp account of a camp phenomenon, flamboyantly revelling in the fakery and the androgynous appeal of it all."

Maltin**1/2: "Opulent, glittery paean toearly '70s glam rock (and youth-culture head movies like QUADROPHENIA and PERFORMANCE) is such a triumph of style and excess it's easy to overlook the film's clinky CITIZEN KANE narrative structure and emotionally aloof characters. Rhys Meyers is effectively snotty as a bisexual David Bowie-esque pop star, but Collette is a standout as his negelcted party-girl wife..."