Colette is the story of a woman fighting over gender-based societal constraints after she writes very successful books under her husband’s name, but decides she wants creative ownership.
Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Eleanor Tomlinson and Fiona Shaw star, while Wash Westmoreland directs.
I’m watching because it’s Knightley and for the true story of an important fight.
Denise Gough, Aiysha Hart and Ray Panthaki also star.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), Mackenzie Foy
The Nutcracker And The Four Realms tells the story of a young girl who is transported into a magical world of gingerbread soldiers and an army of mice.
Directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston; Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman and Mackenzie Foy are among the key cast.
I couldn’t help but think of Alice in Wonderland as this trailer played. I’ve also just realised that I don’t think my childhood featured a moment when I learnt about The Nutcracker story. In which case, I look forward to being surprised by it. It could also be that my memory is just that bad.
I may have shed a tear or two because Collateral Beauty isa story about a father unable to function after his six-year-old daughter passes, but that doesn’t mean it was a ‘weepy’ holiday film done well.
Starring Will Smith, Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Edward Norton, Naomie Harris and Jacob Latimore, the signs that the David Frankel-directed movie wasn’t going to be the best experience overall, started with me finding myself irritated by Smith’s ‘mourning face’ – within the first 20 minutes. Not really great since he spends at least 95% of the film wearing said face.
In addition to my apparent impatience with seemingly prolonged periods of misery, I was disappointed that Collateral Beauty didn’t come together as well as I’d hoped. There’s something about the pace and edit that didn’t sit well with me. Mainly, however, I find myself leaning towards the quality of the story as another reason why my experience was underwhelming. Perhaps I didn’t get to spend enough time with Howard (Smith) before his tragedy. Had I done so, I may have cared more deeply about his distress. Most of the cast, if not all are almost too talented for their performances to be the problem.
The few moments of humour between Winslet, Norton and Pena’s characters is my main highlight. I also liked the dialogue when Knightly’s character is literally on stage and reading her lines to the young man played by Latimore. I was quite taken at this point. Beyond these few brief moments where I’m really engaged, the only other aspect of Collateral Beauty that made me happyis the imagery of New York City. I really do miss that place.
Watch Collateral Beauty if nothing will stop you, just don’t expect great things.
I’d been looking forward to watching Begin Again for a while. Being a big Mark Ruffalo fan is one of the reasons. The other is Keira Knightly; but really, the biggest draw of all is the story about individuals who chance upon a way to start over after things unexpectedly fall apart.
The story is great for anyone who can relate to the subject matter as well as if you’re just after a well executed drama set in New York City and with good music at the heart.
Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, Yasin Bey (better known as Hip/Hop artist Mos Def) and Catherine Keener make up the very competent supporting cast.
Written and directed by John Carney, Begin Again is a universal story beautifully told. The family element, especially the father/daughter relationship between Ruffalo and Steinfeld’s characters is a lovely highlight, as is what James Corden achieves in his role.
Begin Again (2013), Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, James Corden
Watch it because it’s good and because you can’t be in New York City right now but you really want to be. In case you find yourself worrying about Keira Knightley’s singing, it’s admittedly not the best but it also isn’t bad enough to kill the film.
