Films: July 21 - 27

Independence Day (1998) 
Warfare (2025) 
Picture This (2025)
Persuasion (2022) 
Vicki (1953) 
Ball Of Fire (1941) 
Love And Other Drugs (2010) 
The Life List (2025) 
Awareness (2023) 
The Island Between Tides (2024) ///

Independence Day (1998) Enjoyable alien invasion nonsense luxuriates in chaotic destruction and patriotic adventure, with resolute president Bill Pullman rallying fightback with brainy Jeff Goldblum and bold Will Smith. Ignoring narrative logic, blunt style delivers with snap, humor and soaring David Arnold score.


Warfare (2025) Realized with grit intensity, American soldiers ambushed in 2006 on dusty Iraqi street fight to escape with their wounded. Character definition subsumed by true-life immediacy, real time exposition is undeniably effective and maintains tension though misses lasting resonance.


Picture This (2025) Lightly engaging comedy relies principally on Simone Ashley's charm, frustrated in fancifully old school photographic career and predicted to find lasting love in one of next five unfortunate dates. Broad laughs and patchy rhythm, though package remains solidly comforting.


Persuasion (2022) Fourth wall breaking, emotionally crushed Dakota Johnson provides ironic commentary on dysfunctional family and Regency society as dour Cosmo Jarvis and egotistical Henry Golding vie for affection. Despite persuasive lead, frustrating tonal confusion undermines real involvement.


Vicki (1953) Fevered tale of manipulation and obsession receives functional treatment as dogged detective Richard Boone is determined to prove promoter murdered ambitious model Jean Peters while her sensible sister Jeanne Crain seeks truth. Strong cast can't elevate subdued noir dynamics.


Ball Of Fire (1941) Gorgeously confounding Barbara Stanwyck schemes temporary refuge with staid linguist Gary Cooper and his seven fellow encyclopedia professors to evade cops and gangster Dana Andrews. Energetic staging and consummate cast keeps comedy buzzing with touch of romance.


Love And Other Drugs (2010) Satiric swing at U.S. pharmaceutical sales (and 1990s arrival of Viagra) meets sour medical dramatics while centered on attraction between cynical salesman Jake Gyllenhaal and artistic Anne Hathaway, who suffers Parkinson's disease. Messy, heartfelt contradictions capture relationship and film.


The Life List (2025) Uneasy literary concept of controlling mother Connie Britton's will dictating that floundering daughter Sofia Carson fulfill teenage dreams gradually eases into comic, romantic and emotional narrative beats. Confident production develops suitably unsurprising resolve.


Awareness (2023) Anonymous storytelling sends Carlos Scholz and deceptive María Pedraza on the run from Lela Loren's secret agency when his ability to mould people's mind with projected visuals is exposed. Some intriguing visuals devolve into succession of action set pieces and character twists.


The Island Between Tides (2024) Elegantly crafted design creates dreamy mood both enticing and uneasy as haunted Paloma Kwiatkowski is drawn to area where she was lost as a child, shocked to discover twenty-five years have passed when she returns. Ghostly sense of loss pervades themes of innocence, insularity and family with potent effect.



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Films: September 22 - 28

Barbarian (2022)  Låt den rätte komma in (Let The Right One In) (2008)  Reality (2023)  Scream (2022)  Firestarter (2022)  Howl's Mo...