A- Drama Written by Ben Elton Directed by Kenneth Branagh First you must overcome the makeup. He doesn't look like Kenneth Branagh. He looks too much like a portrait of William Shakespeare to believe that he's human. But then he starts talking, with Branagh's voice, and you can suspend your disbelief. All is True takes … Continue reading All is True, but probably not
Category: Drama
Drama
Ramen Shop: Finding family history through food
A- Foodie drama Written by Tan Fong Cheng, Wong Kim Hoh Directed by Eric Khoo As a rule, I hate foodie movies. I have a hard time caring that the chef hero can find the perfect ingredients and techniques to get his work of art a Michelin rating. Which makes Ramen Shop all the more … Continue reading Ramen Shop: Finding family history through food
Ash Is Purest White but love is for the worthy
A- Crime drama Written and directed by Zhangke Jia At first you think this is going to be a gangster movie. At one point you decide it's becoming a revenge flick. Slowly, you realize it's something very different; something much more subtle. For most of Ash Is Purest White's long runtime, there's no conventional plotline. … Continue reading Ash Is Purest White but love is for the worthy
Styx: How many can you save?
A Drama/Thriller Written by Wolfgang Fischer and Ika Künzel Directed by Wolfgang Fischer You can find a lot of movies about a vacation gone wrong, where the protagonist (or protagonists) must fight for their lives and the lives of those they love. But Wolfgang Fischer does something much more interesting in Styx. Aside from one … Continue reading Styx: How many can you save?
This Holiday isn’t much fun
D- Not really quite a thriller Written by Johanne Algren and Isabella Eklöf Directed by Isabella Eklöf The setup feels like a thriller: A beautiful, spoiled, not-too-bright blonde belongs to a gang of drug dealers, and they're all vacationing on the Turkish Riviera. Will a deal go down badly? Will a rival gang attack? Will … Continue reading This Holiday isn’t much fun
Never Look Away…until the last hour
B- Epic historical drama Written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck This three-hour sweeping tale of art, love, Communism, and Nazis starts out strong. You think you're watching an excellent historical drama about how Nationalist Socialism replaced culture with cruelty. It manages to hold that level of quality for a full hour. The … Continue reading Never Look Away…until the last hour
Stan & Ollie: The time two clowns cried
B- Biopic Written by Jeff Pope Directed by Jon S. Baird This is absolutely the least funny Laurel and Hardy movie I have ever seen. Of course, it's not a real Laurel and Hardy movie. It's certainly not a comedy, although it has many laughs. Stan & Ollie is a mostly sad story about the … Continue reading Stan & Ollie: The time two clowns cried
