Calling upon a Void

A father - William Russell (Bill Skadsgard) - returns from the Solomon Islands, World War 2, traumatized by the experience of killing, out of necessity, a comrade. Sets up a family with a waitress (Charlotte (Haley Bennett)). The devout Will finds his prayers unanswered - his son gets bullied and the wife (in spite of a "dog sacrifice") dies of cancer. And Will in his implacable devoutness takes his life. This begins the life of Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) in the movie The Devil all the Time.. almost a.satire that taunts evangelical faith at every turn. Then there is the serial killer couple (Carl (Jason Clarke) and Sandy (Riley Kelough ) with the protagonist admitting he feels God only when he kills after an act of depravity is committed upon his wife..And then there is Rev. Preston (Robert Pattinson) perhaps the most exploitative of all in the name of faith. these are some of the key characters in this gripping.black drama that'll shake your faith from the roots and make you wonder what dark belief system the creators are actually trying to convey. Gripping, unpredictable, and disturbing

17.5/20

Return to Confrontation

As the apes led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) find peace in what they believe is a world devoid of humans, the latter suddenly emerge – and thus ensues an uneasy face-off between humans and apes. A show of power by the apes, and the inimical hatred for humans borne by Koba (Tony Kebbell) are challenges for the more balanced Caesar as well as for the humans struggling to create a source of electrical power. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a well-executed movie, showcasing ape-human tensions along expected lines, and keeping the viewer reasonably engaged on a well-paced storyline

13.5/20

House Down Part Deux

What were the odds of two near-adjacent posts on this blog, both based on movies about the White House going down? This time it is the disgruntled weapons lobby, led by the US President Sawyer’s (Jamie Foxx) former head of security detail – Martin Walker (James Woods) – and a team of mercenaries – that take over the White House over a series of bombings, gunfights, and hostage-takings. Once again it is up to an underdog – out-of-favour Cale (Channing Tatum), out on an ostensibly harmless White House tour with daughter Emily (Joey King), to save the White House and by implication the world. White House Down is a tad more believable than Olympus Has Fallen, with a lot more detail, and never a dull moment

13/20

The More Things Change

New York, 1922. The delirium of bull markets gone wild. The newly rich Jay Gastby (Leonardo DiCaprio), in the aftermath of the First World War, and a blurry past, throws the biggest parties in town, all to catch the attention of the object of his affections – Daisy (Carey Mulligan) – wedded to old money and deep-rooted pride - Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). The Great Gatsby would be remembered for exceptional cinematography, costume design, perhaps even special effects. What I cannot grant it is creating an exceptional cast of convincing characters that truly capture the essence of their inter-relationships, and the capricious spirit of their time, at a level of skill that does true justice to the iconic novel

11.5/20