Cold War

             Co-written and directed by Pawel Pawlikoski, this is a story of obsessive and destructive love set in Poland and France during the years of 1949 to 1964. It is the period known today as the Cold War and musicians Wiktor and Zula , who meet and fall madly in love, struggle for a life together, in a world torn by political unrest between Eastern and Western Europe.

             As the years pass and always unable to really be together, Wiktor and Zula's lives continually cross and their obsessive love for each other always remains. Joanna Kulig plays Zula and Tomasz Kot plays Wiktor. They are excellent together with great chemistry but I found their characters lacking and I couldn't form an emotional attachment to them.

             There is a great deal of music in the film and the songs and score are wonderful. The film is also shot in black and white which really brings great depth to the cinematography. Mr. Pawlikoski has a great eye for the period and the historical details. 

             The film is nominated in the foreign film category at this year's Oscars and there are many good things about it. I just didn't find it as wonderful as many other critics.

Glass

     Strictly for fans of M. Night Shyamalan and his previous films, "Unbreakable" and "Split". Anyone else should stay far, far away. And even the few fans Mr. Shyamalan has left will be disappointed by this weak attempt to create a trilogy out of two films that really had nothing to do with each other.

     By tacking on an ending to "Split", featuring Bruce Willis as the David Dunn character from "Unbreakable", Mr. Shyamalan builds a shaky bridge to "Glass", giving a reason for his three main characters to come together for a big finale. Besides, Mr. Willis recreating his role, James McAvoy returns as Kevin Wendell Crumb, the man with multiple personalities, and Samuel L. Jackson returns as Mr. Glass, the brittle boned villain from "Unbreakable". Also returning from the previous films are Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark, and Charlayne Woodard. Sarah Paulson joins the cast as a psychologist who ends up treating all three major characters.

           Mr. Shyamalan weakly links his characters together with a highly ambitious storyline that collapses in the final act with a disappointing finale. He does however, create an opportunity for another film to further explore the concepts he introduces here.

            The only real value is Mr. McAvoy, who is amazing to watch as he slips in and out of his multiple personalities. Mr. Jackson spends most of the film seemingly tranquilized and he plays it well. Mr. Willis is restrained to the point you imagine he prefer to be anywhere else besides back in his character. 

             Now that Mr. Shyamalan has gotten this "trilogy" out of his system, maybe can concentrate on returning to the form of his earlier work but for now, his "glass" is empty.

the upside

         Based on the French film, "The Untouchables", which itself is based on a true story, this American remake is an unlikely "buddy" story. It tells the story of Phillip LaCasse, a Quadriplegic billionaire, played by Bryan Cranston and his caretaker, Dell Scott, an ex-convict, played by Kevin Hart.

         Phillip's administrative assistant, Yvonne,  is played by Nicole Kidman ( who was probably looking for something lighter after her amazing drama, "Destroyer"). When he rejects all the applicants Yvonne brings him, Dell wins the job when he accidently interviews and Phillip finds him funny and intriguing. 

        The film is a drama but with many comedic moments provided by Mr. Hart. He also does a capable job with the dramatic scenes involving his ex-wife and son. The chemistry between Mr. Cranston and Mr. Hart is terrific and I can only imagine the hilarious outtakes that must exist somewhere. Ms. Kidman is a strange choice for Yvonne but she is a good comedic foil for Mr. Hart.

       While there has been some criticism of Mr. Cranston taking the part of a quadriplegic, his expressive ability with just his head and voice remind you of his excellent acting and how he makes the role his own. The film is predictable but still enjoyable to watch as an unlikely friendship develops between these two opposites. It's a nice "feel good" movie to start the year.

Destroyer

      Nicole Kidman is mesmerizing as a troubled L.A. detective investigating a murder that opens up wounds from an old undercover assignment. Directed by Karyn Kusama, the film is uncompromising in it's grim portrayal of Ms. Kidman's journey through the underbelly of Los Angeles. 

      Ms. Kidman, herself, dives deep into the role of Erin Bell in a level of work that we've never seen before from the talented actress. She loses herself in a character so flawed and unlikable that it makes watching her almost unbearable but at the same time, you can't take your eyes off her. The film jumps back and forth in time to her earlier undercover work and the present, slowly revealing to the audience the events that lead to the changes in Ms. Kidman's character. 

      The film co-stars Sebastian Stan as Erin's undercover partner, Chris, as well as Toby Kebbell, Bradley Whitford, Tatiana Maslany, and Scoot McNairy. Very well cast, it is Ms. Kidman, on screen in almost every scene, that drives the narrative. This is a dark and surprising film on many levels. It is certainly not light entertainment but it is a chance to watch an actress doing her best work, spiraling out of control in this nasty (in a good way) crime drama.