Sunshine 1999

 

Sunshine 1999

• ·       Director: Istvan Szabo
• ·       Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Rosemary Harris, Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Ehle, Molly Parker, Mark Strong, Miriam Margolyes
• ·       Why? The cast
• ·       Seen:  Once before. Now 31 May 2026. 

       Sunshine (Sonnenschein) is the name of three generations of a Hungarian Jewish family. Fiennes plays the men of each generation.

       In the first he’s a judge, loyal to the emperor and empire. It’s boring.

       In the second, the judge’s son converts to Catholicism to become a member of the Officer’s Fencing Club. It’s boring. Then the Nazis take over.

       After the war his son joins the Communist party and hunts his father’s murderers and then leaves the Party and becomes a rebel. It’s boring.

       Three stupid love stories too. What a waste of good actors. It’s plodding, stiff and dutiful. And boring. 

1 ½ * of 5

 

        

 

 

Speak No Evil

 

Speak No Evil 2024

• ·       Director: James Watkins
• ·       Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough
• ·       Why? McAvoy
• ·       Seen:  30 May 2026 

       Ben (McNairy) and Louise (Davis) meet Paddy (McAvoy) and Ciara (Franciosi) on holiday in Italy and become friends. Ben and Louise with their daughter Agnes (Lefler) visit Paddy and Ciara and their son Jack (Hough) on their Devon farm.

       Paddy and Ciara are lively, jolly, full of jokes and affection. Louise doesn’t like them. She and Ben fight over it, and other things.

       Things get weird. Ben and Louise try to leave but…

       McAvoy is outstanding as the charming, jovial murdering psychopath.

       It gets really creepy, folks. 

3 ½ * of 5

 

        

 

The Bride!

 

The Bride! 2026

• Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
• Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Penelope Cruz, Peter Saarsgaard, Jake Gyllenhaal
• Why? Buckley and Bale
• Seen: 26 May 2026

             Mary Shelly (Buckley) is long dead but is now trying to write the story that has been trying to get out since Frankenstein. She takes possession of Ida (also Buckley), making her behave oddly at a party.

       1936 Chicago. Frankenstein’s creation (Bale), now called Frank, seeks out Dr Euphronius (Bening) for help in creating a bride. His loneliness is agony.

       By now Ida is dead. They dig her up and…

       Many viewers hated this film. A few loved it. I’m one of them. It’s intelligent, tender, funny, sad, wild, feminist, quite a brilliant spin-off of the Mary Shelley classic. It’s much more entertaining than del Toro’s 2025 Frankenstein. Buckley and Bale prove once again that they can do anything. 

4 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

Four Lions

 

Four Lions 2010

• Director: Christopher Morris
• Cast: Riz Ahmed, Adeel Akhtar, Kayvan Novak, Preeya Kalidis, Julia Davis
• Why? Good reviews
• Seen: 25 May 2026      

       A comedy about four British Muslims who are planning a terrorist attack. Only they’re completely incompetent.

       It’s actually quite funny, especially the water pistol fight, but also sad.  The acting is very good. 

3* of 5