Historical Drama – Matthew Liedke on Film

REVIEW: ‘Uprising’ is an intense, but largely forgettable dramatization

Is this a Robin Hood origin story? I’m not really sure. I don’t think the filmmakers were sure, either.

The main focus of this picture, written and directed by Paul Greengrass, is a peasant revolt in the late 1300s where a group of farmers and townsfolk descended on London to demand changes from King Richard II. At the time, the king, still a teenager, had a council making many of the decisions, including the levy of higher taxes.

Helping spark the revolt is a farmer who goes by Ploughman (Andrew Garfield), who kills a soldier to protect fellow citizens. The rest of his town and nearby communities rally behind him, as well as former soldier Wat Tyler (Cosmo Jarvis) and priest John Ball (Jamie Bell), with a coalition forming to march on London and ask for relief.

REVIEW: ‘By Any Means’ isn’t deep, but it does entertain

I’m somewhat convinced the creative team watched 2018’s “Green Book” and thought, ‘yeah, but what if we made this into a pseudo-buddy police procedural?’

“By Any Means” is set in 1966 in Mississippi, a few years after the murders of activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. As the movie gets underway, another murder of a Civil Rights activist takes place, and the FBI once again has a case on their hands.

Special agent Wayne Strider (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who knew the victim, is tasked with investigating the killing. To complete the case, the FBI decides to go outside the law, bringing in mafia enforcer Gregory Scarpa (Mark Wahlberg) to assist Strider in the effort. Together, reluctantly, they have to go through rural Mississippi and uncover who was behind the murder.

REVIEW: Aside from Jackman, final tale of ‘Robin Hood’ is mostly mixed

This is far from the first big screen showing of Robin Hood, and it certainly won’t be the last. However, there’s no doubt this one stands apart in its subject matter.

Directed by Michael Sarnoski, Hugh Jackman stars in this film as the legendary outlaw, now in his later years. The film picks up with him living a directionless life, no longer interested in prior adventures, and under threat from old enemies. However, he takes up a new task to help protect the family of Little John (Bill Skarsgard), but is gravely injured in the process.

Badly hurt, Robin Hood finds himself waking up in a monastery where he’s nursed back to health by a nun, Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer). He begins to recover and even finds some peace, but the past still rears its head often.

REVIEW: Seyfried shines in Ann Lee’s mixed ‘Testament’

Amanda Seyfried is continuing to show she’s one of the best actresses working today with this flick, though one wishes the film around her was stronger.

“The Testament of Ann Lee” centers on its titular character, who founded the religious movement that became known as the Shakers. Ann’s story began in England during the 18^th century, where, after several miscarriages and stillbirths, she leaned heavy into faith.

This led to her receiving a vision, which resulted in her taking over a religious group that prayed through continuous movements and shakes. Additionally, knowing what happened with her pregnancies, she makes a decree barring intimacy, seeing it as the ultimate sin.

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REVIEW: ‘Hamnet’ boasts great performances but pacing is off

The life of William Shakespeare is once again explored in this film, but in this movie, the focus is on the playwright’s wife.

Agnes Shakespeare, portrayed by Jessie Buckley, is introduced as a young woman in “Hamnet” when she first meets William (Paul Mescal). Following a short courtship, the two conceive a child and choose to get married.

The movie then picks up with the couple having a family, including two daughters and their son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). As the film goes on, William and Agnes lose Hamnet to the plague and are left in a state of grief. The situation is made even more stressful as William is away from the family in London to write.

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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: 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: 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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