Today we’re doing our regular rounding up of the pick of the week’s US cinematic releases to see what’s worth a visit to the local multiplex, what’s probably best left to a later viewing at home and what’s not worth wasting your precious time at all… Love it – or leave it!
THE WITCH dir. Robert Eggers
Set to be one of the horror hits of the year, Sundance award-winner THE WITCH revolves around a family in th 1630s who are torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession. Holly writes that the Film “works on a simplistic formula often employed by horror films with religion as the central theme: unspeakable tragedy + a predisposition to piety = an invitation to the devil” and adding that there’s a “myriad of outstanding performances from every member of the cast” and “a possession scene to rival THE EXORCIST”, whilst complimenting how the film and Eggers on how he “takes us way back to a time before special effects and torture porn, when horror was bred in the mind”. Read her ☆☆☆☆☆ Review from back when the film showed at the BFI London Film Festival.
RISEN – dir. Kevin Reynolds
Creeping closer to that time of year and our George Writes that RISEN “casts the Biblical story of the resurrection as a political thriller” and that it’s “geared toward attracting more mainstream moviegoing tastes”. He compliments a “nice piece of casting” for New Zealander Cliff Curtis and observes that British actor Joseph Fiennes to be in “fine form” and ultimately lands that “though director Kevin Reynolds over does the symbolism at times (Pilate washing his hands, Mary Magdalene bathed in sunbeans), RISEN leans more on intelligence than obedience, and is ultimately more believable for it”. Read his ☆☆☆ review here this rare story of Christ’s resurrection that really works! HARRY POTTER star Tom Felton co-stars in this new project from the filmmaker responsible for guilty pleasures WATERWORLD and ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES.
RACE – dir. Stephen Hopkins
Pulling double-duty this week, George writes of RACE managing “to break convention” of the sports biopic “in subtle but important ways, bring a graceful spotlight to the heroic story of Jesse Owens”. He heaps praise upon lead Stephan James, describing him as delivering a “breakout lead performance” and director Hopkins whose “athletic sequences are often thrilling (the wonderfully panoramic set piece when Owens enters Berlin stadium may elicit goosebumps)” and complimenting the “nuance the film brings to the cozy relationship between nationalism, hypocrisy and oppression.” However, he’s keen to realise that the task ahead of RACE is a “tricky endeavour” bur one that RACE gets “mostly right”. Read his ☆☆☆1/2 review here. In addition to George’s written review, our Cinema Siren has a video review, which you can watch here, and isn’t so kind.
Film Of The Week: THE WITCH
The post Love It Or Leave It? US Cinematic Review Roundup February 19 appeared first on ScreenRelish.
