The Sense of an Ending,
directed by Ritesh Batra
(PG-13, 1 hour, 48 minutes)
Based on Julian Barnes' acclaimed 2011 novel, this tantalizing, sophisticated mystery revolving around time and memories concerns Tony Webster (Jim Broadbent), who leads an uneventful and quiet existence in London until secrets from his past force him to face the flawed recollections of his younger self, the truth about his first love (Charlotte Rampling), and the devastating consequences of decisions made a lifetime ago.
With Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary of Downton Abbey), Emily Mortimer, Harriet Walter; adapted for the screen by playwright Nick Payne. The DVD includes a making-of featurette and another on the challenges of adapting a well-known and highly regarded book into a film.
A Cure for Wellness (R, 2 hours, 26 minutes) An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company's CEO from an idyllic but mysterious wellness center at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. He soon suspects that the spa's miraculous treatments are not what they seem. With Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Lisa Banes, Ivo Nandi; directed by Gore Verbinski.
Aftermath (R, 1 hour, 34 minutes) Two lives entwine after a horrific plane crash in this moody, lumbering psychological drama, leading to a tale of guilt and revenge after an air traffic controller's (Scoot McNairy) error causes the death of a construction foreman's (Arnold Schwarzenegger) wife and daughter. With Martin Donovan, Maggie Grace, Hannah Ware; directed by Elliott Lester.
Land of Mine (R, 1 hour, 40 minutes) Subtlety is nowhere in evidence in this muscular, unsettling drama set in the aftermath of World War II, where a group of surrendered German soldiers are ordered by Allied forces to remove their own landmines from the coast of Denmark. With Roland Moller, Joel Basman, Louis Hofmann; directed by Martin Zandvliet. Subtitled.
Voice From the Stone (NR, 1 hour, 34 minutes) Set in an isolated castle in 1950s Tuscany, this spooky mystery tells the story of Verena, a young nurse hired to help the mute young heir within. But the more she observes him, the more Verena becomes convinced he has fallen under the spell of an otherworldly spirit trapped in the villa's stone walls, one that seems to be rapidly entwining with her own. With Emilia Clarke, Marton Csokas, Caterina Murino; directed by Eric D. Howell.
A United Kingdom (not rated, 1 hour, 51 minutes) In 1947, Seretse Khama, the king of Botswana, meets Ruth Williams, a London office worker. Love is in the air, but their intent to marry is challenged by their families as well as the British and South African governments -- you know, those apartheid people. South African uranium and gold get involved, as does the risk of invading Botswana. What a mess! Based on a true story, with earnest but unspectacular results. With David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton, Jack Davenport; directed by Amma Assante.
The Ticket (not rated, 1 hour, 37 minutes) A measured, forceful and forward-moving parable about love and friendship in which a blind man, who for no clear reason regains his sight, carves out a better life for himself, which strains the relationships he had when he lived simply. With Dan Stevens, Malin Akerman, Oliver Platt; directed by Ido Fluk.
The Last Word (R, 1 hour, 47 minutes) A sluggish comeback comedy that doesn't live up to the talent of its star. Shirley MacLaine is Harriet Lauler, a successful businesswoman who, in her waning years, decides to hire local writer Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried) to write her life's story. When the result doesn't meet Harriet's self-image, she sets out to reshape the way she is remembered. With Thomas Sadoski, Philip Baker Hall, Anne Heche; directed by Mark Pellington.
The Assignment (R, 1 hour, 35 minutes) A run-of-the-mill revenge drama in which murderer-for-hire Frank Kitchen (Michelle Rodriguez, Fast and the Furious franchise) is given a challenging assignment, but after being double-crossed, he discovers he has been surgically altered by a skilled surgeon (Sigourney Weaver) and now has the body of a woman. Imagine his surprise. With Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia; directed by Walter Hill.
MovieStyle on 06/09/2017