Set during the British military campaigns in Sudan, British officer Harry Faversham (Anthony Steel) resigns from his post on the eve of his regiment’s deployment. Branded a coward by his friends and the woman he loves, he sets out to prove his courage by traveling to Sudan and disguising himself as a native, embarking on a dangerous mission to redeem his honour. A thoroughly watchable historical drama that relies more on its characters and dialogue than anything else.
Set in 480 BC, the cruel and merciless King Xerxes (David Farrar), leads his two-hundred thousand strong Persian army towards Greece, with hopes of invading and conquering the nation in its entirety. The brave and determined Spartan army, led by King Leonidas (Richard Egan), battle against these forces at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, in an attempt to free the country of Greece. An importantly historic tale that is worth a watch, but somewhat underwhelming in stages.
Two daring Jesuit priests encounter immense persecution when they travel to Japan in the 17th century to spread the word of Christianity, while also attempting to locate their missing mentor, Father Ferreira (Tetsuro Tanba) – a man rumoured to have lost his faith within the country. An emotionally charged, impactful flick that will appeal to some viewers, more than others.
Led by their demanding father, Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), and their more conservative mother, Doris Von Erich (Maura Tierney), the inseparable Von Erich brothers chase championship glory within the brutal world of professional wrestling, while also battling their own personal demons and emotional struggles along the way. As fame, pressure and tragedy begin to consume the family, the cracks slowly start to show. An incredibly well-made, emotional and deeply moving picture that comes highly recommended.
Set within the crime riddled Gotham City, The Batman follows a young Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson), who has spent his early years as a masked vigilante, striking fear into criminals. When a sadistic killer known as the Riddler (Paul Dano) begins targeting important figures across the city, Batman is pulled into a complicated web of corruption that runs deeper than expected. A darker, effective, albeit more grounded take on the Batman character, with this flick leaning heavily into the detective style of filmmaking, rather than outright action and violence.
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.
The DC Review Blog - EST. 2020 