Film Reviews

FILM OF THE WEEK

THE LOST CITY

This is a big break for Brothers Nee – Adam and Adam share the writing credit with Oren Uziel and Dana Fox for this enjoyable update of such adventure films from the eighties like ROMANCING THE STONE and THE JEWEL OF THE NILE. Those films worked tremendously thanks to the winning chemistry between Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Here Sandra Bullock, like Turner, plays a popular but reclusive romantic novelist. She ends up on an exotic destination after she gets kidnapped by eccentric billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), while touring her latest book. He hopes Loretta Sage will lead him to an ancient city’s lost treasure in similar fashion to her latest story. Meanwhile, the handsome but not that heroic cover model of her books Alan (Channing Tatum) is determined to find her and rescue her…
There are wonderful set pieces and clever production designs especially during the first half – Bullock and Tatum share genuine chemistry where sparks begin to fly in the most unexpected circumstances. The second half is more predictable especially in the scenes where the inevitable volcano on this remote Atlantic island is threatening to erupt. But thankfully this comedy adventure never outstays its welcome – see it and make sure you stay until the end of the credits for a couple of extra surprises!

OPERATION MINCEMEAT

Ronald Neame’s THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS, made in 1956, is still one of the most popular war films ever made. It is based on true events about a top secret British Intelligence operation during World War II trying to fool the Germans that Britain is in fact planning to invade Greece rather than Italy. Even though this new film directed by John Madden tells exactly the same story, the makers fail to credit the classic war film and claim that their project is based entirely on Ben Macintyre’s book.
A top British cast including Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen play two of the intelligence officers who come up with the ingenious plan to use a corpse and false papers in order to outsmart the Nazis. It is still a thrilling story but Madden’s routine direction lacks the nail-biting suspense of the original.

DEEP WATER

The novels of the great American writer Patricia Highsmith transfer beautifully to the big screen – most famously STRANGERS ON THE TRAIN and THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY. Curiously, DEEP WATER was only turned into a French movie and a German television series and not by Hollywood until now. The FATAL ATTRACTION director Adrian Lynne is at the helm of this erotic thriller which tells the story of Vic and Melinda Van Allen (Ben Affleck & Ana de Armas), a New Orleans couple, whose marriage is falling apart thanks to Melinda’s numerous affairs. And things get even worse when one of her lovers goes missing…
It is a provocative story which works thanks to the winning chemistry between the two protagonists – who were a couple in real life at the time. It is atmospheric and sexy and keeps you guessing till the end! (Prime Video)

TURNING RED

This adorable Pixar computer animated feature is set in Toronto, Ontario and follows the story of Meilin, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian student whose life turns inside out when she transforms into a giant red panda thanks to a family tradition or curse if you like. In similar fashion to THE INCREDIBLE HULK- when she expresses deep emotions and anger she immediately turns into this cute hairy panda…
It is a fun premise and even though it may not be as memorable as such Pixar classics as TOY STORY and MONSTERS INC it provides solid family entertainment.

THE STARLING

Melissa McCarthy is reunited with one of her BRIDESMAIDS actors Chris O’Dowd for this bitter sweet drama. They play Lilly and Jack, a grieving couple following the devastating death of their baby daughter. Their relationship is shattered – Jack is much more fragile and needs continuous therapy to cope whereas Lilly finds solace in re-building their neglected garden until a starling attacks her…
It is a touching film with strong metaphors about building nests. The ST VINCENT director Theodore Melfi elicits performances from both protagonists and keeps a fine balance between the tears and laughter. Thankfully his highly watchable film never sinks into sentimentality. (Netflix)

SMYRNI MOU AGAPIMENI

Mimi Denissi adapts her stage play for the cinema with a little help from BENT playwright Martin Sherman. It is an epic reconstruction of the events that led to the catastrophe of Smyrna in 1922 with superb production values.
Denissi begins the action a few years earlier and narrates the story in the form of a diary which survives through generations. She eloquently establishes her long list of characters long before the 1922 massacre by the Turkish army. At the centre of the story is the Baltatzis family, a wealthy dynasty working with the local community that includes not only Greeks and Turks but also Armenians. The Baltatzis are also busy socialising with the international community including the British and the Americans which highlights the fact that these foreign communities remained totally apathetic towards the slaughter of their so called friends.
A powerful historical document worth witnessing! (Screening at Cineplex cinemas in Cyprus)

Leave a Reply