Finian's Rainbow

 

Finian’s Rainbow 1968

• ·        Director: Francis Ford Coppola (believe it or not)
• ·        Cast: Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele, Don Francks, Al Freeman Jr
• ·        Why? It’s a musical
• ·        Seen:  Once or twice before. Now 7-8 February 2026 (I fell asleep halfway through on the 7^th) 

Finian (Astaire) and his daughter Sharon (Clark) leave Ireland to plant a pot of gold stolen from the leprechaun Og (Steele) near Fort Knox to grow more gold. The music is as silly as the story, the whole tone is loud and slapstick. The only thing saving this turkey is the sub-theme of black and white sharecroppers fighting racism and corruption to for a workers’ co-op. 

2* of 5

 

 

 

Kingmaker/I maktens skugga/Mörkeland

 

King Maker/ I maktens skugge/ Mörkeland 2024

• ·       Director: Mikkel Serup
• ·       Cast: Anders W Berthelsen, Nicolas Bro, Charlotte Munck
• ·       Why? Recommended by LH, and sequel to King’s Game/Kongekabale/Tredje makten
• ·       Seen: 4 February 2026      

       Twenty years later an election in Denmark is imminent. The ultra-right racist party is gaining support. The same journalist as in the first film is back, investigating the murder of a government employee, a young immigrant. Almost as good as the first film. 

3 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

King's Game/Tredje makten/Kongekabele

 

King’s Game/Den tredjemakten/Kongekabele 2004

• ·       Director: Nicolaj Arcel
• ·       Cast: Anders W Berthelsen, Nastja Arcel, Nicolas Bro, Lars Mikkelsen, Charlotte Munck
• ·       Why? Recommended by LH
• ·       Seen: 2 February 2026      

       Political intrigues and journalistic scoops in film don’t usually interest me but Danish films are often good so I’ll give it a try.

       It’s actually quite exciting, the acting is very good and it deals with the importance of independent journalism.      

3 ½, possibly even 4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sleeping with the Enemy

Sleeping with the Enemy 1991

• ·        Director: Joseph Ruben
• ·        Cast: Julia Roberts, Patrick Bergin, Kevin Anderson
• ·        Why? Roberts
• ·        Seen: Once before. Now 31 January 2026   

Laura (Roberts) and Martin (Bergin), rich, white, with a fab house on the shore of Cape Cod, perfect marriage. Except he beats her and is insanely jealous and controlling.

She fakes her own death and starts a new life in Iowa. He finds her.

It’s a bit too melodramatic and romantic but exciting and I like Julia Roberts. 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Light Between Oceans

 

The Light Between Oceans

• ·        Director: Derek Cianfrance
• ·        Cast: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz
• ·        Why? The cast, and recommended by LH.
• ·        Seen: 30 January 2026   

WWI veteran Tom (Fassbinder) seeks isolation as the keeper of a remote lighthouse. He marries Isabel (Wikander) who joins him on the island.

They suffer two miscarriages and then a baby washes ashore in a dingy with a dead man. They bury the man and keep the baby.

The acting is superb, the visuals lovely, but the story is too farfetched for me and baby films do not thrill me. 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Son

The Son 2022

• ·       Director: Florian Zeller
• ·       Cast: Hugh Jackman, Vanessa Kirby, Laura Dern, Zen McGrath
• ·       Why? Hugh Jackman
• ·       Seen:  28 January 2026      

       Peter (Jackman) has a new baby with Beth (Kirby). His ex-wife Kate (Dern) shows up to inform him that their teen-age son Nicholas (McGrath) is in big trouble. Peter goes to see him. Nicholas has serious mental problems. None of the three adults know how to deal with it.

       It’s an important subject and the actors struggle valiantly with the film. It doesn’t always work but as a follow-up to the director’s The Father (with Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Coleman) it makes sense. It’s worth seeing. 

4* of 5

 

  

IO

 

IO 2019

• Director: Jonathan Helpert
• Cast: Margaret Qualley, Anthony Mackie, Danny Huston·       
• Why? Sci fi
• 26 January 2026 

       Earth is dying. Space ships are being sent out to colonise liveable planets. A young scientist Sam (Qualley) stays on Earth to try to save it. She encounters Micah (Mackie) who is trying to catch the last launch.

       It’s slow, contemplative, existential. Many reviewers berate it for that but I quite like it. The two actors carry it admirably. 

3* of 5