Saturday, 22 February 2020
Hell Is for Heroes (1962)
Small squad must hold off German attack.
Tightly directed, tough war drama with good cast doesn't really add much to the genre, but is quite watchable.
Halliwell*: "Fairly routine anti-war film with a strong cast and effectively-directed moments battling a generally artificial look."
Maltin***: "Tough, taut WW2 film...Takes its time getting started but builds in intensity to a riveting climax. Only incongruous note: young Newhart, who even interpolates a variation on one of his telephone monologues into the story!"
The Homesman (2014)
Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by a pious, independent-minded young woman, who in turn employs a low-life drifter to assist her.
Excellently directed Western with a dark, bleak vision of the period is an intense experience, thanks to exhilarating performances by Jones and Swank and a a good throughout and some magnificent cinematography.
Friday, 21 February 2020
Genius (2016)
A chronicle of Max Perkins's time as the book editor at Scribner and his relationship with Thomas Wolfe.
Muddled attempt of recreating a historical literary episode has some good period detail, but most figures are portrayed unsympathetically (especially Jude Law's Thomas Wolfe) and hardly manages to give an impression what the fuss is all about.
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Destroyer (2018)
A police detective reconnects with people from an undercover assignment in her distant past in order to make peace.
Dark, intense, downward spiral of an undercover cop is skillfully revealed in slow bits and with a twist ending; Nicole Kidman delivers a remarkably terrifying performance as the downtrodden cop.
Sunday, 16 February 2020
Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)
Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.
OK sequel doesn't have really live up the original, but has good effects, some capable performances and does offer some exciting action.
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