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