The
Secrets We Keep 2020
Maja
(Rapace) is a Holocaust survivor. One day she sees the man (Kinneman) who raped
her and killed her sister. She seeks revenge. But is it really him? Or is she
crazy?
The acting is strong, the tension high. It got very mixed reviews but I am gripped by it.
4 * of 5
A
Quiet Place Day One 2024
Samira (Nyong’o)
is a cancer patient living in a hospice. She’s on an outing in NYC with other
patients and her cat when aliens attack.
It’s
atmospheric, well-acted and existential. You can be dying of cancer but still
not want to die from an alien invasion, at least not without getting a pizza
first.
It’s a prequel to Emily Blunt A Quiet Place films. Now I want to watch them again.
3 ½ * of 5
An
Education 2009
The
film, and especially Carey Mulligan, were highly praised by most reviewers but
if I remember correctly, I didn’t much like the film or Mulligan (though I have
liked her a lot in other films).
London 1961. Sixteen-year-old Jenny (Mulligan) falls for a smooth gut (Sarsgaard) in his 30s. I find the whole idea unsavoury and therefore, still have trouble liking the film.
2* of 5
Miracle
at St Anna 2008
What I
remember is that this is not like other Spike Lee films. It got a lot of
negative reviews and to be honest, I don’t think I liked it much myself.
Four
Afro-American soldiers in WWII end up in Italy and they help a little boy,
making friends with the villagers.
The
narration is cumbersome and slow and what should have been an important
contribution to the history of racism meanders from one point of view to
another. It’s far too long and often boring.
Sorry, Spike Lee.
2* of 5
The
Carer 2016
Sir
Michael (Cox) is a renowned but now aging and ailing actor. Dorottya (König) is
also an actor but now she has been hired to be his carer, which he loathes. He’s
foul-mouthed and furious but she laughs at him, talks back and quotes
Shakespeare.
Of
course it turns out well and the film is thoroughly enjoyable, especially the
ending which raises it to
Sinners
2025
Twin
brothers Smoke and Stack (both Jordan) spent time in Chicago working for Al
Capone but now they’re back in Mississippi where they’re from and they’ve
opened a juke joint with the best blues music around.
And then
there’s vampires.
And it
works. It’s a sprawling, wild conglomeration of history, racism, electric
guitars, African roots, violence, break dance, love.
I hope it wins lots of Oscars.
5* of 5
The
Creator 2023
War
between AI and humans. Who’s a robot? Who’s human? Who’s both? Who are the good
guys, the humans or the AI?
It should be good but it’s boring. I slept through most of it.
1* of 5
