Films: November 13 - 19

Moonfall (2022) 
Ice Station Zebra (1968) 
The House Of The Seven Gables (1940) 
Jurassic Park (1995) 
Sabrina (1954) 
Woman Obsessed (1959) 

Switchback (1997) ///

Moonfall (2022) With plotting both simplistic and incomprehensible, fueled by VFX occasionally striking yet mostly messy, commanding Halle Berry and discredited Patrick Wilson head for the moon with conspiracy-minded John Bradley to find alien ancestry and AI threat to end world. Beyond parody, sporadic distraction and visual overload.

Ice Station Zebra (1968) Stoic submarine captain Rock Hudson is sent to rescue stranded scientists at North Pole as well as deliver secretive agents Patrick McGoohan and Ernest Borgnine before Russians arrive. Amid claustrophobia and frigid expanse, polished production and solid structure builds suspense aided by demonstrative Michel Legrand score.

The House Of The Seven Gables (1940) Dialing down Gothic atmosphere, yet stiill conjuring suitaby cursed Pyncheon family, as spirited Vincent Price is wrongly convicted of father's murder by malicious brother George Sanders. Innocence turns to bitter revenge for Margaret Lindsay. Handsomely mounted and effective melodrama.

Jurassic Park (1995) Wonder of reviving majestic and brutal dinosaurs excites millionaire Richard Attenborough, and scientists Laura Dern and Sam Neill, as much as filmmakers intent on action thrill-ride. Cynical Jeff Goldblum supplies sardonic critique of man's God complex and inevitability nature will take revenge. Loose plot provides giddy suspense and chase sequences.

Sabrina (1954) Astute blend of romance and comedy, told with playful literacy, plush visuals and endearing leads, as ignored chauffeur's daughter Audrey Hepburn returns sophisticated from Paris and confuses playboy William Holden and straitlaced Humphrey Bogart. Social fairytale embraces contrary character resolutions.

Woman Obsessed (1959) After husband dies fighting forest fire, tenacious widow Susan Hayward finds help to run remote Canadian farm from damaged Stephen Boyd, relationship as tempestuous as surrounding nature's brutality. Simplistic sexual politics and character psychology amid expansive visuals and stuttering narrative.

Switchback (1997) Initially intriguing character and story strands see obsessed FBI agent Dennis Quaid track serial killer to small town  where sheriff R. Lee Ermey seeks reelection, while dropout Jared Leto hitchhikes with over-friendly Danny Glover. As body count increases, action suspense mechanics lose resonant detail.