Spring Death Films

RED SPARROW

THRILLER

PLOT:    Young woman is forced to become a spy.

                Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men, Hunger Games franchise) is a ballerina who has to take care of her sick mom.  After a planned accident she can’t dance anymore so of all people her uncle recruits her to become a seductive spy.  The training sequences are tough to watch.  If Hollywood makes Black Widow movie they will clean it up.  It is not Atomic Blonde either.  Not much action but lots of deception like in the real spy world.  Lawrence is brave to do some of stuff she did and she has a passable Russian accent.  It is not making money, not because of star power, but it is grim and not for kids.

DEATH WISH

ACTION

PLOT:    Remake of 1974 classic with Charles Bronson.

                Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) is a trauma surgeon and has a lovely wife, Lucy (Elisabeth Shue) a cute daughter Jordon (Camila Morrone) who is going to college when burglars rob their house and kills his wife and his daughter in a coma.  He can’t sleep, goes to therapy but that is not working.  What does work he shoots a carjacker.  He starts shooting criminals while finding out who killed his wife for the police are not doing anything.  The film is updated but it still asks the question:  Who you kill someone who killed a member of your family?  Downbeat as it sounds there are comic moments in the film.  Minor spoilers:  Some kills you don’t see coming.  If you love action and Bruce Willis you will enjoy this.

TOMB RAIDER

ACTION/ADVENTURE

PLOT:    Reboot of Lara Croft

                Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander Jason Borne, Ex Machina) is aggressive losing her dad as he searched for a grave that if open would destroy all mankind.  She decides to find this grave and the journey begins.  Vikander put on muscle to her lithe frame to do those action sequences and she is good.  The film is grittier than the one with talented Angelina Jolie.  She is not as pretty as Jolie but damn she is fierce!  It is a good popcorn movie.

2018 Post Oscar Wrap Up

DARKEST HOUR

BIOGRAPHY

PLOT:  True story of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

                Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) is the Prime Minister at the worst time in England.  He must decide to surrender to the Germans lead by Hitler or continue to fight.  The cast is brilliant and Oldman is fantastic as Churchill.  He is funny, grumpy, intelligent and unsure what to do in such a desperate time.  Even if you don’t know history you will know an amazing performance by Oldman who must be nominated for an Oscar.

NOMINATED FOR: BEST ACTOR: GARY OLDMAN

ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ.

DRAMA

PLOT:  Defense attorney for the poor wants a better life.

                Roman J. Israel Esq. (Denzel Washington) is an outspoken, smart lawyer but he stayed in the background while his partner got clients.  He becomes ill and he tries to make it on his own but doesn’t succeed.  He gets to work at a very exclusive law firm and feel out of place for he doesn’t dress the part.  He is tired of doing the right thing so he does a very bad thing.  He becomes rich but his conscience bothers him with tragic consequences.  This is a character study about a man who does believe justice but justice doesn’t make you money.  Washington is as great as always and the cast which includes Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo.

NOMINATED FOR: BEST ACTOR: DENZEL WASHINGTON

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI

DRAMA

PLOT:  Angry mother wants the police to solve her daughter’s murder.

                Mildred (Frances McDormand) is upset mother and she buys three billboards to solve her daughter’s rape and murder.  The small town is turns against her even worst when the sheriff commits suicide thinking it is because of the case.  Oh man, this film is very different from other movies of moms wanting to find their child’s killer.  It feels like a sick comedy but when it becomes dramatic it is.  McDormand is not your typing grieving mother!  She is feisty, vengeful and hostile and yet you feel her ongoing frustration.  Dixon (Sam Rockwell, the darling of independent movies and in Iron Man 2) is amazing as a racist cop who loses his job and tries to redeem himself in a strange way.

NOMINATED FOR: BEST ACTRESS FRANCES MCDORMAND

NOMINATED FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  SAM ROCKWELL, WOODY HARRELSON

DUNKIRK

HISTORY/DRAMA

PLOT:    World War 2 England and French soldiers were cut off from help and surrounded by Germans in Dunkirk, France.

                Usually I review movies that were in the theater but I doing something different this year.  There is a saying “war is hell.” This movie proves it!  Military men hungry searching for food, water and shelter and they can be killed at any moment!  There was another Dunkirk movie in 1958 but this was directed by Christopher Nolan who made Batman the Dark Knight so you know what to expect:  a very good movie!  It shows the best and worst of soldiers during May 26 –June 4.  My gripe is it is too beautiful for a war movie.  War is not pretty at all-even for the right reasons.

NONMIATED FOR: BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR