Tag Archives: Drama

The Long Hot Summer (1958) – Review

An accused barn burner and conman Ben Quick (Paul Newman) arrives in the small Mississippi town of Frenchman’s Bend, before quickly integrating himself with its richest family, the Varners, headed by Will Varner (Orson Welles), who owns just about everything worth owning in the town. Seeing potential in Ben’s ambition and ruthlessness, Will begins to consider him as a suitable match for his daughter, hoping to inject fresh blood into his family. What unfolds is a slow-burning character study of family, power and pride in the deep American south setting. A memorable release stemming back almost seventy years.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
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Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) – Review

Following Tsar Nicholas II (Michael Jayston) and his wife Alexandra (Janet Suzman), Nicholas and Alexandra tells the story of Russia’s last royal family during the years leading up to the Revolution, where their reign crumbled and their family were eventually imprisoned, and consequently executed. The pair struggle to balance their royal duties with the challenges of parenthood, all while becoming increasingly isolated from their own people and the changing world around them. An important and powerful film that captures one of the most pivotal and tragic moments in modern European history.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
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The Tin Star (1957) – Review

When the experienced and equally as tough bounty hunter, Morgan Hickman (Henry Fonda), rides into a small frontier town with an outlaw’s body with him, tensions start to simmer. Initially, he only planned on collecting the reward for his bounty, but quickly crossed paths with Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins), a young and inexperienced sheriff, struggling to find his footing within the town. Together they navigate the threats and moral dilemmas around keeping the town safe. In my eyes, an iconic and somewhat underappreciated classic American western that is certainly worth a watch.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
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Locke (2013) – Review

On the eve of the biggest project of his career, construction manager Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) gets news that changes everything. As he leaves the construction site and begins the long drive from Birmingham to London, he spends the journey making a series of emotional phone calls to his wife, his child, his colleagues, and others connected to his story. During these conversations he is forced to reveal a personal secret he has been carrying for some time, one that threatens not only his family, but also his professional future. A slightly polarising release with strong writing and a strong acting performance.

Rating: 3 out of 5.
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Papillon (1973) – Review

A man known as Papillon (Steve McQueen) is wrongly convicted of murder and sent to a French prison colony in South America, before forging an unlikely friendship with another inmate, Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). The pair begin to plot their escape while simultaneously battling barbaric conditions, harsh punishments and plenty of betrayal along the way. Papillon is rightfully regarded as one of the finer releases of the 1970’s. It’s worth noting that the movie is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
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Nightcrawler (2014) – Review

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a small-time thief, desperate for work in the gritty, underbelly of Los Angeles, California, before barging his way into the fascinating world of crime journalism, consequently becoming the star of his own story, blurring the line between that of an observer and an active participant. Nightcrawler received heaps of praise upon its release and it most certainly worth of a watch.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
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