Greyhound stars Tom Hanks as Ernest Krause the commander of a destroyer, the USS Keeling (its call sign was Greyhound), leading a convoy of 37 Allied ships across the Atlantic in early 1942 (WWII) when the convoy are ambushed and attacked by German U-boats (pack of wolves).
The Outpost tells the incredible true story of the heroic 53 U.S. soldiers stationed at Combat Outpost Keating who battled a force of some 400 enemy insurgents in north-eastern Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom
Director :Sam Mendes Producer(s) : Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall and Brian Oliver
Cast : George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, with Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch
Genre : War/Drama
Release Date : January 17, 2020
Music Director : Thomas Newman
Awesome-O-Metre : 8.0/10
1917 is set at the height of the First World War, where two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given the unenviable task of crossing enemy territory to deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them. 1917 is art…pure art! Sam Mendes has created a classic world war drama that plunges the viewer into the horrors of the war and doesn’t let up for 2 hours straight! War films aren’t a staple of the movie scene as these are technical and complicated to pull off and may not appeal to audiences but Sam Mendes has created a fantastic piece of film making that will appeal to many. When I heard of 1917, I was anxious to see it because I am a fan of war films like Fury, Hacksaw Ridge and Dunkirk and I wasn’t disappointed because it is just so much fun. The first thing you will notice (or not) is that the whole film is shot in one continuous take in real time that spans 48 hours of the mission to deliver the important message to the frontlines. By a “continuous take” I mean that the movie is filmed to appear as one continuous shot with no (obvious) editing or scene transitions. If you are a filmmaker, you will recognize how hard this is to do because any small errors will require a reshoot of a long stretch of film. This may seem insignificant to the ordinary to the average movie goer but the impact of this style of filmmaking is that it immerses the viewer and eliciting a sort of first person Point-of-view perspective to the film. I recall seeing this style of filming from Alfred Hitchock’s 1948 film, Rope. It was used most recently in the famous bear attack scene in The Revenant, as well as the opening sequence of Skyfall (also directed by Sam Mendes). Other than the cinematic style of the film, the acting by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman was exquisite. They basically carried the whole film and held the audience captive for the 2-hour runtime of the film. This is no mean feat because carrying the weight of a film and transmitting varying emotions as the film progresses with little or no help from the peripheral characters can be incredibly difficult. Also, the plot is another highlight of the film because it is very easy to follow thereby allowing the audience to appreciate the hell and peril that the main characters are enduring. Sam Mendes’ 1917 is a cinematic marvel with its unblinking visual style and deserves the 10 Academy (Oscar) nominations- including Best Picture and Cinematography. I really enjoyed my time at the cinema and I am curious to hear what you think, so let me know in the comment section below or reach me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Have an awesome week!
The Maveriq
Director :Christopher Nolan
Producer(s) : Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan
Main Cast : Tom Hardy, Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles and Aneurin Barnard
Genre : War/Drama
Release Date : July 21, 2017
Music Director : Hans Zimmer
Awesome-O-Metre : 7.7/10
Set in WWII, Dunkirk is a retelling of the story when British, French, Belgian, and Canadian troops were surrounded by the Germans who picked them off like fish in a barrel. Dunkirk, tells this story from 3 perspectives; The Mole (the land) the sea, and the air which are all taking place at different times but entwined into one non-linear chronicle of the events of the Dunkirk evacuation.
From the précis above, you can imagine how hard it will be to pull off such a movie but Christopher Nolan in his first non-fantasy film has managed to create a masterpiece because it is not every day you see a movie where the intense action was transmitted largely from acting and with little or no dialogue. I don’t recall hearing any dialogue in the first 15 minutes of the film but you could still feel the peril and danger which pervaded the atmosphere. This sense of peril was further heightened by the masterful violin instrumentation orchestrated by Hans Zimmer, reminisce of his organ rendition in Interstellar. Just like Interstellar, the music becomes almost unbearably loud and suddenly goes quiet and this sudden drop is usually the quiet before the storm hits.
Though this film is a war film it really is more a film about survival set in a war front. (I hope that makes sense). Dunkirk weaves a story of the land, air and sea troops who were just trying to survive and go home. But my favourite thread of this three-pronged perspective approach is that which chronicled the RAF Airman (Tom Hardy) who was singlehandedly fighting an armada of spitfires with a plane which was basically a kite. This film was a story of bravery and survival in the midst of immense adversity.
Despite all I have just said, I have not seen that much hissing and walkouts in a cinema. People were impatient and were streaming out in droves. A cinema goer who overheard me say Dunkirk was great accosted me and accused me of pretending to be “woke”. He said I was trying to pass of as a bourgeois viewer because according to him the film was a pure “waste of time” as Dunkirk was hollow. Though this may be accurate for an average movie goer because the intent of the film is not immediately apparent and may require some contemplation to unearth, I plead that you give it time and believe you me, when you get the direction, you will really appreciate this film. I know this may be a little early, but I see an Oscar nomination for Dunkirk.
I am actually curious to hear what you guys think, so please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below, or on my social media. You do know you can get a movie ticket to see Dunkirk by just clicking here ba?
Trivia. Did you know that Michael Caine has featured in every Chris Nolan film since Batman Begins? In Dunkirk, listen for his distinctive voice giving orders to the pilots.
Enjoy your week!
The Maveriq
Director : Robert Zemeckis
Producer : Graham King, Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis
Cast : Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Simon McBurney, Lizzy Caplan
Genre : War, Thriller
Release Date : November 9, 2016
Music Director : Alan Silvestri
Awesome-o-metre : 6/10
Brad Pitt stars as Max, a Canadian officer who while on a mission in Casablanca in 1942, meets and falls in love with Mariane (Marion Cotillard) a French spy. After their mission, they get married and settle down in London but their work always seems to interfere with their marriage.
I am not sure why I slept on this good movie and took so long to see it. I guess it’s probably because the plot synopsis seems so unassuming but I assure you, as self-effacing as the précis seems, it’s quite the thriller. The movie starts somewhat slowly and never really picks up steam, up until the assassination mission of the spies after which it mellows and the real intrigue and suspense begins.
Brad Pitt was the imperturbable spy and Marion was tranquil and gracious but together, they seemed to lack any real chemistry. I am not sure if this was the intention of the producers but I think this lack of chemistry only further authenticated the lack of trust between the two spies who recognize that they lie for a living. This distance lets the audience feel like even though they were in love, there were still secrets between them which could threaten the very foundation of their marriage.
I have seen some really harsh reviews about the film because of the lack of chemistry between the pivotal characters but I still think it was a really intriguing and emotional movie where love and family ties are tested by allegiances and the past that won’t stay in the past. Another thing I liked was the costume was really authentic for the time.
Allied is an emotional thriller with a tinge of conspiracy and so earns 6/10 on my awesome-o-metre.
The Maveriq
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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="1813" img_size="full" el_class="mgn-bag-img"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Director :Mel Gibson
Producer :Bill Mechanic, David Permut, Terry Benedict
Cast : Andrew Garfield
Genre : War/Biopic
Release Date : November 4, 2016
Music Director :
Awesome-o-metre: 8.9/10[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_empty_space height="10px"][vc_column_text css_animation="right-to-left"]Visit the official site[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Watch Trailer" style="custom" custom_background="#199bf1" custom_text="#ffffff" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Ds2-1hz1juBI||target:%20_blank|"][vc_btn title="Book Tickets " style="custom" custom_background="#199bf1" custom_text="#ffffff" shape="square" align="left" css_animation="right-to-left" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Ftripican.com%2Fmovies%2Fshowtimes%2F754_hacksaw_ridge.html|||"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading source="post_title" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_column_text css_animation="left-to-right"]Set in 1945 during WWII, Andrew Garfield portrays Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector medic who singlehandedly saved 75 wounded men from the Okinawa frontlines, without firing a single shot.
This movie is the embodiment of belief in your faith and standing by your convictions even at the pain of death. Garfield gives an outstanding and award worthy performance because he was so natural that after a while you stopped seeing him altogether, and saw just the character he depicted.
There was so much emotion in the movie that you would be forgiven for being unsure about how to feel about it. The movie starts off with so much humor leaving you in stitches and then suddenly it becomes a romantic film that will leave you going awwwww”. But just as you are gathering your mushy emotions, bullets start whizzing above your head with body parts falling in your lap (and you can trust Mel Gibson to throw in a bucket load of blood and gore).
The film did get me wondering where we draw the line between an unwavering belief in our persuasions and committing suicide. What Desmond Doss did was truly heroic but at the same time it could have ended really badly and we would not be telling this story. As a human, one of the first instincts is that of self-preservation and suppressing this instinct goes against the grain of being human. Why then did he insist on toeing that path? Pride? Stubbornness? Or did he just have a death wish? I know that if I were in that position, I would unashamedly justify my actions, carry my rifle and kick some a**.
Hacksaw Ridge is definitely one of my favorite movies this year because of its blend of emotion, top notch acting and perfect delivery and of course, the action sequence in the frontlines. It also has one of my favorite lines “…lord, just one more”. I know the year is young but believe that it has really raised the bar for the year. This earns it earns an 8.9/10 rating on my awesome-o-metre. Pretty high right? Yes. It was definitely worth it!
Don’t agree with my revue or the rating? Please I am curious to hear what you have to say so feel free to hit me up on Twitter and Facebook
Meanwhile, I have four free movie tickets from Genesis Cinemas to see Hacksaw Ridge, so if you want to see it, just leave your comment and your twitter handle below and I will contact you via twitter.
Good luck!
The Maveriq[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Gallery" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width="6" gap="0" item="masonryGrid_BlurOut" grid_id="vc_gid:1486247489728-640cace5-f250-3" include="1914,1915,1916,1917"][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id="Videos"][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="VIDEOS" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_empty_space height="25px"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][grid_video_sec select_video_type="youtube" video_title_font_size="15px" view_animate="fadeInLeft" youtube_url="s2-1hz1juBI" video_poster_image="1918" video_title="Watch Trailer" video_title_color="#ffffff" video_title_bg_color="#199bf1"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="35px"][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
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