Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider

MGM etc.

14 March 2018

Sports Comedy
DVD
D+

I might've given this a C-, like I did Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), but I had to take it down a notch for opening with boxing practice.  Roar Uthaug directed.

Testament of Youth

Testament of Youth

BBC Films

14 October 2014

War Drama

DVD

C+

While I appreciate that this is a war drama that's less about the battles and more about the homefront and nursing, and I can see someone being genuinely moved by, it didn't click for me.  There's too little telling and not showing of things like what Vera Brittain actually does at Oxford and why she's in love with Roland.  (They bicker and fail to write to each other more than they actually share anything.)  Also, why tell us Vera is a talented poet and not actually quote any of her poems?  (Unless that's her poem at the end, but even so, too little, too late.)  Still, worth watching for the English countryside and Alicia Vikander's range of emotions as Vera.

This is based on Brittain's memoir and directed by James Kent.

Money Monster

Money Monster

TriStar etc.

May 13, 2016

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

An obnoxious TV host (the title character, played by Clooney) is held hostage live on the air, and I'm not clear if we're supposed to care.  Still, the little gimmicks of the cable show were cute, so this is bumped up from a D.  Jodie Foster directed.

The Forgotten

The Forgotten

Columbia

September 24, 2004

Mystery, Sci-Fi

DVD
B-

This is a very strange film, in the sense that I didn't even know what genre it was for a long time, early on thinking that the Moore character was being gaslighted by her husband and her psychologist.  She is the anchor of the movie, even carrying us through the increasingly implausible plot, although there are some good supporting performances, Woodard's in particular.  Joseph Ruben directed.