‘Tis The Season For Movies

Overwhelmed by the number of films released recently? From Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' to Edgar Wright's haunting 'Last Night in Soho,' our members give a glimpse of their thoughts on some of the biggest films of the season.

Spencer

written by Sarah Nash

“Here, in this house, there is no future. Past and the present are the same thing.”

In this adaptation, Anne Boleyn haunts Princess Diana during the winter of 1991. Boleyn, brief Queen of England later left to be beheaded by her husband Henry VIII, parallels Diana’s feeling of betrayal and isolation among royalty. Through strong cinematography, production design, and perhaps most importantly costumes, director Pablo Larraín tells the end of Princess Diana’s marriage. 

Actress Kristen Stewart proved her versatility through her portrayals of suffocation, love, and a search for trust. In my opinion, her performance perfectly captured the image of Lady Di and was most convincing in her more relaxed and loving moments. Stewart’s playful chemistry with Jack Nielen and Freddie Spry (her sons William and Harry) stands out, as did her scenes with “The Shape of Water” star and two-time Oscar nominee, Sally Hawkins, who particularly shines as Diana’s Lady In Waiting, Maggie. No spoilers, but this was a movie sealed most effectively by its ending. Spencer is showing only in theaters, check it out to see why.

The French Dispatch

written by Greta Cross

Wes Anderson’s latest, “The French Dispatch,” has been deemed “a love letter to journalists,” but was the film a tribute or just a beautiful looking piece of art from one of the film industry’s masterminds?

“The French Dispatch” chronicles a fictional American newspaper in the fictional French city, Ennui, all taking place during the 20th century. The audience follows the reporting of three beat journalists, J.K.L Berensen (Tilda Swinton), Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand) and Roebuck Wright (Jeffery Wright). Other notable newsroom staff include Editor-in-Chief Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) and the Cycling Reporter Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson).

Each scene in the hour and 48 minute film is beautifully crafted; it appears this may be Anderson’s most technically pleasing work yet. However, the triptych nature of the storyline and lack of overarching development, left me feeling like I watched three shorts, rather than one, cohesive piece. I suppose the non-traditional format Anderson chose this time represents “art house cinema,” but it really just feels like Anderson lost himself in the style of his sets and mannerisms of his characters. 

Dune

written by Preslee Crowl

Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, the newest adaptation of “Dune” has become one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year. Set thousands of years into the future, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), embarks on a journey to his new home Arrakis (also known as Dune) with his father, Duke Leto (Oscar Issac) and mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). Arrakis is home to highly addictive “spice,” sandworms, and the blue-eyed Freman of the desert. Paul must navigate through a corrupt intergalactic empire and feuding society to protect his family, people, and future. 

Director Denis Villeneuve sets the mood with visually stunning cinematography. Because this movie is split into parts, Villeneuve truly captured the character development of Paul and his inevitable destiny. There were some parts of the movie that felt like they dragged on, but after watching, it’s clear the smaller details were necessary to set the stage for part two of this story set to be released in 2023.  

Belfast

written by Camryn Mahnken

When it was announced that a movie created by director and actor Kenneth Branagh, known for recent titles like Dunkirk, fans were ready to flock to theaters. Though I hadn’t experienced the full repertoire of Branagh’s directive works, the plot of Belfast immediately grabbed my interest. 

The film depicts a family during The Troubles of Northern Ireland through the eyes of 9-year-old schoolkid Buddy (Jude Hill), a reflection of Branagh’s own childhood spent in Belfast. Branagh’s biggest challenge with a plot like this is balancing the nostalgia of his own youth with the reality of the social and political woes of the time: a challenge I think he accomplished.  

Filmed almost entirely in black and white, the nostalgia Branagh intended is laid out for the viewer on a silver platter. We watch Buddy’s experiences with a classroom crush intertwine with riots in the community and barricades surrounding his family’s small neighborhood. Belfast is a very personal display of Branagh’s experience growing up alongside political turmoil through the lense of a child. 

Last Night In Soho

written by Rishita Nannapaneni

“Do you believe in ghosts?”

Edgar Wright’s newest psychological thriller follows Eloise, a fashion school student new to London, as she begins experiencing dreams transporting her into the 1960s. She becomes engrossed in these visions depicting a woman named Sandie and her life as an aspiring performer. The allure of Sandie’s lifestyle starts to crumble as the realities behind it reveal themselves and begin to haunt Eloise’s everyday life. 

This film had stunning performances by Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, with a thrilling rendition of “Downtown”sung by the latter. The first two acts were relatively engaging, containing captivating cinematography. However, the third act is where it began to lose the magic.I felt the deeper topics at play in this film were not examined or depicted as well as they could’ve been, and the ending felt like low-hanging fruit, leaving me a bit unsatisfied. Overall, this film was still one of this year’s best in its genre, and I would recommend seeing it if  just for the fantastic performances by the two leads.

The Unforgivable

written by Hal Lueking

Netflix’s latest drama, “The Unforgivable” based on the 2009 British television series “Unforgiven” by Sally Wainright, follows protagonist Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) as she tries to re-enter society after her 20-year prison sentence for murder.

After Ruth’s father ended his own life, Ruth was left with her 5 year-old little sister, Katie (Aisling Franciosi) and faced threats of eviction from the bank. When confronted by law enforcement for this eviction, she panicked and killed a cop. But Katie barely remembers Ruth, having to deal with trauma flashbacks of the incident. Trying to reconnect with her sister, now in foster care, Ruth is challenged by the system, her parole officer (Rob Morgan as Vince Cross), as well as Katie’s foster parents. 

Director Nora Fingscheidt encapsulates the various struggles Ruth goes through as a convicted felon. She depicts every minute detail down to the T, especially through the desaturated color grading of every second of this film. Filled with plot twists, suspense, and scenes that will most definitely spike your blood pressure, “The Unforgivable” is not for the faint of heart. Tackling serious topics such as these is hard to do successfully in film, but I think Fingscheidt did a great job at doing so.