Denial starts with with strong subject matter, but falls flat due to fairly poor dialogue and writing. Based on a true story, it stars Rachel Weisz as an author who was sued by David Irving (Timothy Spall) for libel. Irving was (and still is I believe) a Holocaust denier who said jews were not killed on purpose by the Hitler regime. When Weisz’s character calls him out on this in her book, Irving sues, and the trial almost becomes a trial for redemption for the Holocaust survivors. Unfortunately a lot of the dialogue is repitative. There are a multitude of “ah ha!” moments followed by the actors explaining in great detail what they have discovered, and then repeating it again in case the viewer missed it the first time. What could have been a fantastic historical film becomes just standard fare with little to get excited about. I get bored just thinking about the idea of a second viewing.
The Girl on the Train is another so-so movie. Emily Blunt is outstanding as the lead, but she alone can’t save this one. She plays Rachel, a struggling alcoholic who has lost her husband and career, and has become obsessed with her ex’s new life. She drives the train past their old house every day and spies in on him and his new wife, as well as the neighbors surrounding them. When she spots a female neighbor with a new man, and then the girl goes missing, she is forced to try to put together her spotty memories to help the police. I can see elements of what made the book this film is based off so popular, but the movie itself bogs down in cliche plot twists and a rather unremarkable, seen-from-a-mile-off ending.
Trolls is a good one for the family. Unlike my recent viewing of The Secret Life of Pets, which won over kids but offered little for adults, Trolls offers a great balance and can be enjoyed by everyone. It stars those cute little trolls of toy fad from the 60’s through 90’s, and offers up an impressive voice cast. The tiny trolls are almost nauseatingly cute and happy all of the time, and it is discovered that when a big ugly Bergen eats a troll, that normally depressed Bergen becomes happy too. The trolls flee the area so as to avoid being eaten, but are rediscovered 20 years later and a few are captured. The head troll, Princess Poppy, leads the rescue effort, and may just teach the Bergens how to find happiness on their own along the way. A cute film, lots of laughs and a good message for the kids too.
Next up are two of the best films I’ve seen in quite awhile. The first, Arrival, is sci-fi for the masses. The backdrop, of aliens coming to Earth and our inability to communicate with them, is definitely science fiction standard fare, but this film is much more than that. Louise (Amy Adams) and Ian (Jeremy Renner) are brought in to try to learn the language and find out what the aliens want, but of course politics get in the way. With a dozen spaceships spread out all over the world, the individual countries start a war of words with each other, not wanting to share information with each other for the greater good, and leading the world into a possible world war. Sadly, probably not too far off the truth if our planet really would be visited in this day and age. A very tense film, with a truly exciting and surprising ending. I can’t recommend this one enough, even if you think it isn’t a film you’d normally watch.
Hacksaw Ridge is another great one too, this one also much different than what it sets up to be. Initial glances predict a standard war film, taking place in the Japanese front of World War II, but again it surprises you with a lot more. The true story of Desmond Doss, as played by Andrew Garfield, it tells the tale of a man who felt conviction to serve his country in the war, but who refused to even touch a gun due to religious beliefs. He thought he’d enlist as a medic, but learned quickly that he would have to fight his own government first before he ever made it to the war. When he does get to the front, he proves his worth and heroism. The battle scenes are horrific, so it is not for the squeamish, but an engrossing film made all the more touching for the truth behind it.
Jons Movie Takes 
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