2021, UK, directed by John Madden
A terrific (real-life) story that is rather let down by its treatment: there's an entirely unnecessary romantic subplot that detracts from the core tale, while there are at times overbearing music/montage sequences that seem to have come from a different film entirely. Stick to the book, or the 1956 film that covers the same ground.
2017, UK, directed by Joe Wright
The Gary Oldman/Winston Churchill show, and not a bad thing: Oldman catches the cadences of Churchill very effectively, but also finds a balance between public bombast and quieter domestic moments. While I'm not wedded to actors having to mimic their real-life inspiration, in Churchill's case it feels like a necessity to create at least a sense that this is a story that is taken from an actual historical period, and Oldman certainly embodies the PM, even if he perhaps softens some of the edges. At times, Wright opens things out and includes scenes of battle elsewhere, which don't really add a great deal -- it almost feels as though he doesn't have full confidence in the central drama, which is more than rich enough, though it does of course remind the viewer of the real impact of political decisions.
An enormous hit in France on its release -- even more so than the first live action Asterix film, released in 1999 -- and a point of reference for many French people, with many snippets of dialogue finding their way into the wider cultural lexicon (some of the wordplay is brilliant, and the jokes do come thick and fast, though as ). That said, Asterix and Obelix often feel entirely peripheral to their own film, which takes the film far from the spirit of the original books -- and neither Clavier and Depardieu seems especially invested as a consequence.
A very enjoyable, if historically questionable, account of the Sutton Hoo dig in the late 1930s, as the war approached. The film looks absolutely lovely -- no accident, I think, that it's something of a celebration of the green and pleasant land as darker shadows gather -- though occasionally the framing suggests director Simon Stone is reaching for a more artistic statement than his material allows. There's melodrama to spare; it feels as though writer Moira Buffini and Stone didn't have full confidence in their central, fascinating, story. As a result, unfortunately, some parts of the script badly misconstrue the historical record (especially ironic in that part of the point is to correct the fact that excavator Basil Brown, nicely played by a weatherbeaten Ralph Fiennes, didn't receive his due when the treasures from Sutton Hoo were first put on display).
2011, US, directed by Rob Marshall
I've often tried to start the new year out with a "good" film, but sometimes one that's enjoyable will do: despite their flaws, I've generally enjoyed the movies in this series, and while Johnny Depp's off-screen life is deeply problematic, to say the least, he continues to bring the main character energy here, especially following the departure of key personnel from films 1-3. Rob Marshall is a definite downgrade as director, mainly because he's much less crisp as an action director (a problem for the swashbuckling scenes), but as before the whole affair moves along pretty briskly. Undemanding entertainment, in other words.
Posts
All Comments
