Young Woman and the Sea

Let me spoil the drama for you: she makes it, eventually. That’s not really much of a spoiler, since Gertrude Ederle accomplished her famous swimming feat a hundred years ago; only the most historically ignorant will go in not knowing the outcome. So any suspense in this film must come from the journey to the moment of triumph. Really, though, there are no surprises here—it’s all very standard sports biopic stuff. There’s humble beginnings, family conflict, obstacles and doubts, allies and enemies, and ultimate success—all the beats you expect from this kind of movie. So why, then, does this seemingly run of the mill flick merit its positive purr? Two reasons: one, the extraordinary nature of Ederle‘s achievement (and its echoing legacy throughout the years and right up to this day in women’s sports); and two, the uplifting presence of daisy Ridley, who seems positioned to corner the market on the “heroic young woman” genre. She captures the essence of her character’s spirit, of the determination that helped her overcome long odds, cruel nature and social rigidity. It all makes for a great story. Dive in on this movie—your viewing experience will indeed go swimmingly.

Thor: The Dark World

Total bubble-gum fluff entertainment. So this is a negative review? Absolutely not. I’m simply acknowledging that this movie aims to be nothing more than a crowd-pleasing diversion, without pretensions of being anything important or significant. And it succeeds. The viewer doesn’t need to think any big thoughts, can let the hokum just pass by without comment, and can enjoy the entertaining visuals and the work by a cast of actors who are clearly having a very good time. More films should be so self-aware; sometimes, mere fun itself can be a lofty goal--and that’s what you get here. Enjoy.

Shallow Grave

My new bumper sticker: "Friends don't let friends bury a dead body in order to keep a suitcase full of cash." You see, this is what happens when people aren't as clever as they think they are. The story is predictable, but the movie stays engaging nonetheless. The tension between the mismatched-but-bound-by-a-secret flatmates (including a very young Ewan McGregor) helps keep the film worthy of your attention. It's not to die for, but it's still entertaining.

28 Days Later

Strangely unengaging for an apocalypse movie. Not to say it doesn't hold the interest, but I really didn't find anything particularly special in this. Plus there's enough seeming inconsistency to make suspension of disbelief that much harder. (I say "seeming" inconsistency, because let's face it, how would you know what such a calamity would really be like?) If you really dig this sort of movie, then go ahead and enjoy. But otherwise, you can skip it.

The Others

Moody and stylish, just the way you like 'em. The twist is obvious, but I don't really care about such things, so I don't take points off for that. It's the journey, not the destination, that matters here.

Elizabeth

One of those cool costume period pieces. Good work by Cate Blanchett as the titular monarch; exceptionally good work by Geoffrey Rush as her cagey counselor.