Tag: Historic

REVIEW: Visually stunning ‘Train Dreams’ fails to fully connect

“Train Dreams” is a film that, in theory, should be one a viewer can fully embrace. In practice, though, it’s another story.

Speaking of story, the one at play here revolves around Robert (Joel Edgerton). A laborer in Idaho, Robert finds himself getting work in the timber and railroad industries starting in the 1910s. It’s around this time he also meets Gladys (Felicity Jones), who he begins a relationship with and later marries.

The film follows his time at home, as he builds a life with Gladys and the two have a child. The audience also gets to see his days at work, where he meets others from across the country who’ve come to the forested terrain to earn a living.

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REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus

The decisive court cases to close World War II’s final chapter have once again been dramatized, but the latest isn’t quite as strong as previous pieces of media.

The latest WW2 period piece takes place during most of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals after Germany’s defeat, with a focus on one of two main mental health professionals present during the process. That individual is Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), a psychiatrist who spoke with the remnants of Third Reich who were imprisoned during the trial.

His most notable conversations were with Herman Goring (Russell Crowe), second in command to Adolf Hitler. As the film goes on, the discussions and analysis become more important as U.S. Justice Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon), the American lead prosecutor, prepares his case. Continue reading “REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus”

REVIEW: ‘Sovereign’ is an intense look at extremism on the human psyche

One of the more dangerous movements in America over the last few decades gets explored in great detail during this new drama.

Christian Swegal makes his feature directorial debut with this film, centering on the real story of Jerry Kane (Nick Offerman) and his son Joe (Jacob Tremblay). Jerry was well known in circles of the sovereign citizen movement for his speeches about his interpretation of American law and home ownership rights.

His perception of power that the American government has, and his disregard for the operations of law enforcement and courts, leads to a growing tension with authority. That eventually leads to a fateful 2010 run in with police in West Memphis.

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REVIEW: Filming method makes ‘Nickel Boys’ a let down

Maybe RaMell Ross films just aren’t my thing.

After helming the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” in 2018, Ross has directed a narrative feature. His latest film, “Nickel Boys,” is an adaptation of a book with the same name that itself was inspired by a real reform school.

Set in the 1960s, “Nickel Boys” centers on two black teen boys, Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson). Both from different backgrounds, each boy finds themselves brought to a rough reform school called Nickel Academy. There the two become friends and try to make it through the system.  

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REVIEW: ‘The Brutalist’ is a monumental film about the American dream

You know those expectation Vs. reality memes? Well, the two halves of this movie is kind of like that in relation to the immigrant experience in America.

This movie is just a tad bit more complex than a meme, though. “The Brutalist” is an epic three-and-a-half-hour character study about an architect, László Tóth (Adrien Brody), who arrives in the U.S. from Hungary just after World War II.

A Holocaust survivor, Tóth comes to America with hopes of a new start for him and his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), who is still in Europe. Eventually, Tóth gets an opportunity to put his experience in architecture to work. However, he learns over time that there are new hardships in the States he has to face.

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REVIEW: Superb cast lifts ‘A Complete Unknown’

Hey, they finally made a movie about the guy teased at the end of “Inside Llewyn Davis!”

That guy, of course, is Bob Dylan (Timothee Chalamet), who gets the big screen biopic treatment thanks to director James Mangold. While not showing the entire decade, “A Complete Unknown” follows Dylan’s life through most of the 60s, showing his musical evolution in a changing world.

The film picks up in 1961 with the Minnesota musician arriving in New York City. Dylan made the trip to the Big Apple to visit a musical hero of his, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who’s suffering from Huntington’s disease. While meeting Guthrie at a hospital, he also runs into fellow folk singer Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), who helps Dylan launch his career.

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REVIEW: Ronan can’t boost tonally off ‘Blitz’

The Battle of Britain was a harrowing period of conflict for London during World War II and is ripe for good drama. Unfortunately, “Blitz” falls short.

As the name implies, the film takes place during the Blitz, a period of attacks on the United Kingdom by Germany toward the end of the Battle of Britain. That campaign was fought in the air, and included multiple bombing raids which had British residents seeking shelter.

Saoirse Ronan plays Rita in the film, a mother trying to keep her son George (Elliott Heffernan) safe during the bombings. Eventually, Rita decides to send George to the countryside where it will be safer. However, George desires to stay in London and leaps from the train he’s riding in an effort to get back home.

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REVIEW: ‘September 5’ fires on nearly every cylinder

Two decades after playing the editor of a print outlet in 2003’s “Shattered Glass,” Peter Sarsgaard has returned to journalism cinema, now leading a broadcast team.

Like the aforementioned film, Sarsgaard plays a real-life figure here, this time Roone Arledge. News isn’t Arledge’s first focus, though, as his main priority is helming ABC Sports’ coverage of the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany.

Arledge and control room producer Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) are forced to take up the news mantle, though, as the 1972 terrorist attack begins to unfold. Over the course of the next several hours, the ABC team has to adjust and adapt on the fly to cover the increasingly dangerous situation.

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REVIEW: ‘Gladiator II’ retreads familiar ground, but has great action

Once again, I am entertained by a “Gladiator,” Maybe not as moved, though.

“Gladiator II” is set 16 years after the original film from 2000 concluded. Rome is now ruled by a corrupt pair of twins who have let the city state fall into a mess as they enjoy luxuries made possible by ongoing expansion of their empire.

Meanwhile, a warrior, Hanno (Paul Mescal) is captured while fighting for his city in North Africa from a successful Roman invasion. After losing his wife in the battle, he sets his sights on revenge against a Roman general, and gets an opportunity to do so by fighting his way through the Gladiator system.

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REVIEW: Chaotic ‘Saturday Night’ has plenty of ups and downs

An episode of “SNL” usually includes its likable cast performing a plethora of sketches, some good and some bad, for a fairly average experience. In that sense, this movie is pretty similar

A dramatic comedy, “Saturday Night” takes place inside Rockefeller Plaza in New York as producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) prepares to get his new live television show ready for broadcast. Unfortunately, things aren’t going entirely well and NBC doesn’t have much faith in the show.

It’s already considered a long shot, as it’s populated by unknown comedians like Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien) and John Belushi (Matt Wood). The situation is made worse by mishaps on set. However, Lorne remains committed to make sure “Saturday Night” goes live.

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