HISTORICAL. “Train Dreams.” / “Robert the Bruce.”

“Train Dreams” (2025, Netflix) drama film based on Denis Johnson's 2011 novella. The film follows the life of a quiet logger in the American Northwest as he witnesses and experiences profound changes from the early 20th century onward, marked by the railroad's advance etcetera. And the tragedy that befell his family. 



       This film received critical acclaim, with praise going to Clint Bentley's direction and Joel Edgerton's performance. It was also named as one of the top ten films of 2025 by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. For his performance, Mr Edgerton was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

       Neatly-crafted, meticulously photographed, and narrated in articulate earnest, this movie reminds me of Terrence Malick's ruminative films. No way to debate their artistry and sensitivity, and that'd also be “Train Dreams.” But these sorts of features easily put us to sleep. Like being enthralled by an awesome painting or put to sleep by flute music. 🎥💻📽


“Robert the Bruce” (2019, Pluto TV) British epic historical fiction. A spin-off/sequel to Mel Gibson's “Braveheart” (1995). Angus Macfadyen reprises his role as Robert the Bruce and his relationship with a peasant family as a galvanising influence on his struggle for independence and his ensuing reign. 



       I was expecting a “Braveheart” parallel battle spectacle and swordplay grandiosity since this story is a real epic. I guess, I raised my expectations so high.

       But although this character-driven drama is superbly acted, notably Anna Hutchinson as Morag Macfie, and the snow photography bites, the tired storytelling still crawls between predictable melodrama and derivative cliché (sic). 🎥💻📽

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BASED on True Story or People: “The Lost Bus.” / “The Stanford Prison Experiment.” / “Escobar: Paradise Lost.” / “Polytechnique.” / “Miss Potter.” / “Last Days.”

Image
“The Lost Bus” (2025, Apple TV+) survival drama film directed by Paul Greengrass , who co-wrote the screenplay with Brad Ingelsby .         This movie is based on a rescue detailed in a section of Lizzie Johnson's book “Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire” about the 2018 Camp Fire , one of the most destructive wildfires in California history, which claimed 85 lives.        Mr Greengrass’ recreation of the disaster is terrifyingly authentic. It'd seem like the film's audience is actually there with the schoolchildren and their teachers and driver, inside the bus. You can almost feel the blazing fire and the searing heat.        Plus an outstanding performance by Matthew McConaughey as the driver Kevin McKee and America Ferrera as the teacher Mary Ludwig.        Recommended weekend family viewing. 🎥💻📽 “The Stanford ...
Read more

NOSFERATU (or Dracula) movies or films inspired by Bram Stoker's 1897 novel “Dracula.”

Image
<>“Nosferatu” (2024, Amazon Prime), written and directed by Robert Eggers . Production design is haunting, photography is disturbingly sinister, sound editing kneads your spine. And, of course, Nicholas Hoult (as Thomas Hutter) expectedly delivers and Lily-Rose Depp (as Ellen Hutter) is a revelation.         Meanwhile, with the prosthetics or masks, it is hard to rate the performance of Bill Skarsgård 's titular Count Orlok but Simon McBurney (as Herr Knock otherwise known as Renfield) is chillingly hilarious although a bit exaggerated, I think. But Aaron Taylor-Johnson (as Arthur Holmwood) is miscast.        Take note that Nosferatu/Count Dracula, Jonathan Harker and Lucy Harker, Abraham Van Helsing, Lucy Westenra, Renfield, John Seward, Arthur Holmwood etcetera assumed different names in this version. 🎥👍📽 <>“Nosferatu The Vampyre” (1979, Tubi), directed and written by Werner Herzog . A remake of...
Read more

“The Alto Knights.” / “The Irish Mob.”

Image
“The Alto Knights” (2025, Max) biographical crime drama. Story: In a failed assassination attempt orchestrated by his ambitious underboss, Vito Genovese , Luciano family boss Frank Costello finds himself at a crossroads. Robert De Niro both portrays Mr Genevese and Mr Costello , which can be confusing a bit because both speak like De Niro and both talk like Mafia bosses. As is though, this is not a bad movie although nothing is really new here. But a tired retelling of what we already knew or watched in so many mob cinema tropes.         Plot: In a failed assassination attempt orchestrated by his ambitious underboss, Vito Genovese , Luciano family boss Frank Costello finds himself at a crossroads. Weary of the constant bloodshed and betrayals that define his life, Costello informs Genovese of his intention to retire and cede control of the Luciano family. However, Vito, a man consumed by ambition and paranoia, refuses to believe Costello's in...
Read more