Films: November 10 - 16

Byooti Insaideu (The Beauty Inside) (2015)
Mr Harrigan's Phone (2022)
Gijeok (Miracle: Letters To The President) (2021)
The Vast Of Night (2019)
The Good Nurse (2022)
Starman (1984)
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) ///

Byooti Insaideu (The Beauty Inside) (2015) Stimulating setup creates cursed life where protagonist wakes each day as a different person, man or woman, young or old. Though it sidesteps more textured thought, production is stylish and heartfelt as Han Hyo-joo compellingly sees beyond surface.

Mr Harrigan's Phone (2022) Coming of age drama & supernatural suspense receives polished production as unrepentant Donald Sutherland sends messages from beyond to budding writer Jaeden Martell. Intriguing, yet lack of thrills & thematic connection undermines emotional investment.

Gijeok (Miracle: Letters To The President) (2021) Endearing humor of rural community and need for railway stop provides foundation for unwinding emotion as tentative Park Jeong-min's relationship with taciturn father Lee Sung-min and supportive sister Lee Soo-kyung is revealed. Moving, rewarding conclusion.

The Vast Of Night (2019) Told with austere assurance and inventive visuals, 50s small town atmosphere smartly established as eager Sierra McCormick and confident DJ Jake Horowtiz track down alien audio signal. Effortless style builds quietly enveloping tension that leads to gripping resolution.

The Good Nurse (2022) Made more cruelly disturbing by true story origins, vulnerable nurse Jessica Chastain comes to rely on friendship with considerate colleague Eddie Redmayne, until his empathy unravels to reveal a serial killer. Clinical visuals and performances maintain bleakly effective atmosphere. 

Starman (1984) Tenderly judged storytelling keeps characters and narrative journey effectively simple, as still grieving Karen Allen is visited by alien Jeff Bridges who takes on her late husband's form. Sleek visuals spur chase by authorities, while potent leads develop unusually poignant sci-fi love story.

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017) Languid assassin Samuel L Jackson and agitated security expert Ryan Reynolds cause havoc across Europe, gratuitously synthetic action and pop violence punctuated with self-aware wordplay and a maniacal Gary Oldman. Mild comic interest amid glossy production values.

Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) Fiery Salma Hayek adds some energy to numbing sequel that, despite persuasive visual sheen, never rises above intermittently interesting action and comedy. Bickering Samuel L Jackson and Ryan Reynolds run on dialog fumes with floundering narrative.

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Films: September 23 - 29

Unstoppable  (2010)  Romancing The Stone  (1984) Steirerblut (The Forest Killer) (2013) Landkrimi Tirol: Das Mädchen aus dem Bergsee (Tigh...