Films / December 18

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) / A Bridge Too Far (1977) / Hillbilly Elegy (2020) / Women In Love (1969) / Ofrenda A La Tormenta (2020) / The Savage Bees (1976) / The Incredible Melting Man (1977) / Ava (2020)

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) From the opening shoot-out to the final, indelible shots, a classically framed tale of power and revenge, so full of the glorious, giddy potential of cinema (picture, sound, design, music) that each viewing is essential. A sun-blasted elegy for the western.

A Bridge Too Far (1977) A grim epic, with expansive, expertly crafted action sequences suffused with a sense of loss amid the blood and bullets. The all-star cast are grounded though the narrative of Allied mistakes and daring in Holland stretches endurance despite the spectacle.

Hillbilly Elegy (2020) Precisely made and told, with impressive, committed performances from Amy Adams and Glenn Close, yet offering nothing new in terms of social or political view, and nothing surprising in narrative or character development. Frustratingly inert and unemotional.

Women In Love (1969) Gorgeously and intelligently mounted, a mix of vibrantly imagined visuals and verbal ruminations on love and life, sometimes pretentious, often self-conscious, always strikingly lit and designed. Funny and beguiling, luminous performances add to the heady atmosphere.

Ofrenda A La Tormenta (2020) Final film in trilogy revolving around Marta Etura's tormented police inspector, a cleverly conceived fusion of the procedural and supernatural culminating with a satisfying conclusion. Amping up the shocks as well as the visual sheen, a seamless and intense thriller that accentuates the emotional.

The Savage Bees (1976) / The Incredible Melting Man (1977) Forever tied together as a UK double-bill release, two films with titles that explain exactly what you get. Minor efforts with little suspense or narrative comprehension though plenty of gratuitous buzzing and melting.

Ava (2020) Nobody sets out to make a poor film and the skill and professionalism of artists and technicians can always be recognised. The frustration is when lack of imagination flattens any narrative or visceral tension. Nothing here is remotely dramatic or believable.