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Awix (3310 KP) rated West Side Story (1961) in Movies

Feb 22, 2018

West Side Story (1961)

1961 | Drama, Musical, Romance

7.8

(18 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins' toweringly brilliant musical should be ring-fenced for eternity, regardless of what Steven Spielberg thinks. Racial tension and gang violence is rife on New York's west side, but when co-founder of the Jets Tony (Beymer) falls in love with Maria (Wood), sister of the leader of the Sharks, can this bring about peace and understanding between the two street gangs? (Probably not.)

Appealing leads and some soaringly beautiful love songs, but also whip-smart humour and social commentary in many of the other numbers, all superbly directed and choreographed. The darkening of the story into genuine tragedy is masterfully done. One of those transcendentally great films, especially on the big screen; the reason that we have a 10 on the scale.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated The Post (2017) in Movies

Feb 12, 2018

The Post (2017)

2017 | Biography, Drama, Thriller

7.1

(45 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

First class post

Solid historical drama finds Steven Spielberg in serious, awards-trawling mode. Tale of noble, principled people working in the media who find themselves under scurrilous attack from hostile and mendacious president makes you glad you're not living in the 70s; good job this sort of thing couldn't happen nowadays.

Script does a good job of turning a potentially wordy story - various journalists, lawyers, and executives stand around discussing the ethics of publishing news - into a genuinely gripping drama, well performed by Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. Perhaps just a bit simplistic in its presentation of politicians = bad, journalists = good, but that's essentially the message of the film (did I mention what good reviews it's had in all the papers?).

Kudos

Milleen (47 KP) rated The Wife Between Us in Books

Nov 14, 2018

A young woman about to marry her lover, an ex-wife obsessed by her successor, or is everything not quite as it seems? The blurb does warn readers not to make assumptions and it also does a clever job of not giving anything away. This collaboration has produced a taught psychological thriller that has already seen the film rights being snapped up by Steven Spielberg. It’s a slow, absorbing read for the first part but then it turns like a tornado. You will get drawn into a marriage, the compromises, the cover ups and the condescension that can evolve over time. Don’t try to assume anything. Just read and enjoy this (in your own head) before you see the movie.