The Freedom Of The World Rests On "Dunkirk"

Dunkirk (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Fionn Whitehead, Damien Bonnard, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh,

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan

The Story:

Late May 1940, the Allies have been pushed out of Europe and now are desperately bunched up on the beaches of Dunkirk awaiting transportation back to England. Thankfully, Hitler decides to stop the advancement of tanks on their location and this gives the Allies the small window to charter boats (and lots of them!) to cross the channel and save the troops. They hope to get a small fraction out... they end up saving them all.

For those that failed to read up on their history, this is indeed based on the true story of a pivotal moment that saved Europe from completely falling under Hitler's relentless march.

Nolan's three-headed tale bounces between land, sea, and air to show different people trying to escape death or heading straight into it to save lives.

It's a good film, but I didn't find it nearly as great as much of the hype that followed it.

Best war movie ever? That's pretty lofty praise.

I would argue that it wasn't even the best war movie of last year. I'd give that title to yesterday's film that I reviewed, Darkest Hour. They even touch on the Dunkirk evacuation, and I felt in the brief moment of that mission, they almost conveyed it in a better scope than the entirety of this film.

But that's just me, feel free to judge for yourself.

Final Grade: B

Spielberg Does It Again..."The BFG"

The BFG (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Ruby Barnhill, Mark Rylance, Jermaine Clement, Bill Hader,

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The Story:

Sophie (Barnhill) spots a giant (Rylance) outside of the orphanage one night. Since he was seen, he snatches Sophie up and runs away with her back to the land of giants. But this is no ordinary giant that eats kids, he actually befriends Sophie and the two begin to become friends. However, a human in the land of giants soon attracts the unwanted attention of the other giants that live there, and soon they are out to eat the delicious morsel.

It seems like Spielberg only makes two kinds of movies:

Those that become instant classics for generations

or

Those that are beautifully average and overall forgettable in the grand scheme of the movies.

This one falls in the latter category.

It's beautiful to watch, but really doesn't hold any interest for me to see again.

That's not how a family movie should be.

Of course, given Spielberg's own filmography, he doesn't really do "family" films all that often, the last one probably being E.T. back in the early 80s.

The last time he tried one specifically for younger audiences (I assume) would be Hook, and that one was critically and commercially shot down, so maybe he's wise to stay away from this type of movie and concentrate on action films and period dramas.

The voice cast for all of the giants do great work, and Rylance imbues the BFG with a wonderful spirit.

Barnhill will hopefully return in other films as she does a great job leading 85% of the movie for her first time on the big screen.

So the film itself is enjoyable enough, just nothing I feel would be one worth watching again in the future.

Final Grade: C+

Surviving The Cold War..."Bridge Of Spies"

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Rated

Starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, Austin Stowell

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The Story:

James Donovan (Hanks) is selected by the CIA to defend Rudolf Abel (Rylance) who is charged with spying on America and giving intelligence to the Russian government. Naturally, defending a spy during the Cold War isn't the most glamorous position to be in, and Donovan suffers for it. He does provide an intriguing twist to the proceedings when it is time for the sentencing, one that would have repercussions years later when American pilot Franci Gary Powers (Stowell) would be shot down in his U2 plane while flying over Russian airspace.

This is their story.

And, aside from some dramatics, most of the story is roughly true, and condensed for time.

Yet it is always a tense and gripping drama and spy thriller all rolled into one.

Hanks and Spielberg know each other so well and they do exactly what they need to complement the other in what they do.

Mark Rylance however, is quite wonderful as the accused spy. Never bending, never breaking, and always with a bit of wit to his credit, his performance brings much levity and heart to the story.

Now for the second time in as many weeks, I must seriously ask if this was indeed an Oscar worthy performance?

My gut instinct: No.

While he is a great supporting actor in this movie, his support is very minor. I think of all the nominees, he ends up with the least amount of screen time.

I'll get to that review and who should have won soon enough, but I won't begrudge Rylance his statue. It's a very good performance and he would have been my 2nd choice to win of the group mentioned.

Naturally, as with most spy or heist movies, I try not to say too much to avoid any potential spoilers.

Watch this one, you're very likely to enjoy it.

Final Grade: Solid B