1917

   Co-written (with Krysty Wilson-Cairns) and directed by Sam Mendes, this new World War I war drama is brilliant. While I saw it New Year's day, I'm taking liberties and declaring it one of the best pictures of 2019.

    With subtle but meticulous editing, the film appears to be shot in one long take, following two British soldiers as they embark on a dangerous mission to warn another battalion of a German sneak attack.  Using this technique, the film puts the viewer right in the frame and keeps you glued to the screen for the entire movie. The tension and emotion throughout the film is unbearable. It is just remarkable.

   The two soldiers are played by Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay. Their mission is a perilous journey through No Mans Land and both actors, Mr. MacKay in particular, are just terrific. Expressive and extremely like-able, you can't help but root for them as they cross enemy lines. There are cameos from Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden, Mark Strong and Colin Firth but the film belongs to Chapman and MacKay.

  The music blends beautifully with the incredible cinematography as the camera seamlessly tracks both men across a variety of landscapes. This is a masterful achievement that both entertains and pays tribute to the brave men that lived and died through that "Great War'. Don't miss it and see it in a theater to really appreciate it.