Palatkik

Butcher's Crossing [2023] An Ivy League drop-out travels to the Colorado wilderness, where he joins a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts his life and sanity at risk. Based on the highly acclaimed novel by John Williams. This flawed American dream story, based on the massacre of the nation's buffaloes, succeeds with Cage giving a controlled performance. Good old school western.

Ferrari [2023] Set in the summer of 1957, with Enzo Ferrari's auto empire in crisis, the ex-racer turned entrepreneur pushes himself and his drivers to the edge as they launch into the Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy. This is impressive cinema set in Italy, beautiful scenery, fast cars, strong performances, the story-line stalls occasionally but the finish is worth it.

Resistance [2020] The story of mime Marcel Marceau as he works with a group of Jewish boy scouts and the French Resistance to save the lives of ten thousand orphans during World War II. Old school style World War II melodramatics, with the usual cast of cliched baddies, done to wring the heart strings. A story that probably needs telling about the mime artist but needs better.

Passages [2023] A gay couple's marriage is thrown into crisis when one of them impulsively begins a passionate affair with a young woman. Made in France and mostly spoken in English, the lead character in this is both loathsome and fascinating to watch is a disturbing triangle of forbidden bed partners. Well-made unique drama but not to everyone's taste.

Barbie [2023] Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans. The genre won't appeal to everyone but an enjoyable well-made smart comedy with plenty of visuals and modern social critique, more for adults than kids.

Fool Me Once [2024 TV Limited Series] A widowed forces mum is disturbed by an image of her late husband captured on her toddler's nanny cam. Supposedly the most popular NF show on when it came out, does not say much for the competition. The story is a dragged out, contrived and amateurish, but the pace could keep some mind numbingly entertained. The title could be ironic because after watching this you'll be more careful next time.

Napoleon [2023] An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine. As the movie title might suggest, it takes on too wide a scope, despite some well-orchestrated battle scenes the rest is soulless and too wide a brush stroke, leaving us an unimpressed as the expression on the leads face throughout. OK but not great.

Men Up [2023] The story of the first ever drug trial in the world for Viagra, in Swansea, Wales, 1994. Men Up follows the story of a group of new friends who meet on the trial and the effect this revolutionary pill has on their relationships at home. This feel good drama with The Full Monty vibe about it is a worth seeing.

Mr Bates vs. The Post Office [2024 TV Limited Series] One of the great miscarriages of justice in British legal history where hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system. Based on the bizarre true story where the Post Office as a Crown entity is able to prosecute and jail its own workers, this is a compelling new TV series.

A Haunting In Venice [2023] In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer. Another of the Branagh Agatha Christie melodrama reboots, this one has a Halloween paranormal theme applied to it which doesn't really work, mediocre at best.

One Fine Morning [2023] With a father suffering from neurodegenerative disease, a young woman lives with her eight-year-old daughter. While struggling to secure a decent nursing home, she runs into an unavailable friend with whom she embarks on an affair. This old school French family drama is acted to perfection and very moving, despite the slow pace. Worth seeing.

Anatomy Of A Fall [2023] A woman is suspected of her husband's murder, and their blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness. A magnificently crafted French courtroom drama, the language alternates equally from English to French, gripping dialogue, not to be missed.

May December [2023] Twenty years after their notorious illegal childhood/adult romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past. This US fictional drama is intricately woven and cleverly acted to be worth a serious look.

Slow Horses [2022 TV Series] Follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve as a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes under a leader with a penchant for living like a slob and breaking wind. Entertaining spy action drama series, now with three seasons complete and a fourth on the way, based on the Slough House novels, top acting, witty dialogue, Oldman steals every scene. Series three had more action than Oldman which isn't promising but it is one of the best binge watching series out at the moment.

Saltburn [2023] A student at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate, who invites him to his eccentric family's sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten. This wicked tale of privilege and desire is gross out entertaining, some scenes you cannot unsee, and one of the year's best.

Maestro [2023] This story chronicles the lifelong relationship of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. Old school self-indulgent vanity project genres can leave a lot to be desired and this is tiresome, kept alive only by the strong leads gunning for Oscar season. Not for everyone.

Ricky Gervais: Armageddon [2023 TV Special] A stand-up show from the London Palladium that touches on topics such as artificial intelligence, political correctness, family weddings, funerals, and the end of humanity. He's done better before, but this has some laughs and worth a look if you are into dark humor.

Dream Scenario [2023] A hapless family man finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. When his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, he is forced to navigate his newfound stardom. Mildly entertaining oddball black comedy built around the Cage persona again.

Leave The World Behind [2023] A family's getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices, and two strangers appear at their door. For those who like apocalyptic psychological thrillers, this has a good cast that engage the audience, unfortunately portraying horrible characters in an unimpressive story with a dumb ending.

The Holdovers [2023] A cranky history teacher at a remote prep school is forced to remain on campus over the holidays during 1970 with a troubled student who has no place to go. This low key bittersweet US drama is one of the year's best movies.