Maestro

 

   Co-written, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper in the title role, this is a wonderful examination of the life and times of Leonard Bernstein, the fabled composer and conductor.

 

   This film is so obviously a work of love for Mr. Cooper. He embodies Mr. Bernstein's life and soul in every scene. You see and feel his honest joy and passion in the various conducting scenes and particularly in one climatic performance piece.

   The heart and soul of the film, however, belongs to Mr. Bernstein's relationship with Felicia Montealegre, his wife and great love. Cary Mulligan plays Felicia in an emotionally strong and yet heartbreaking performance. Their love for each other was great but their marriage was very complicated.

   Co-stars include Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie, Brian Klugman, Sam Nivola, Miriam Shor, Alexa Swinton, and Josh Hamilton.

   Mr. Cooper has shown growth as a director and handles his material very well. I can't imagine the difficulty of directing yourself, especially when you are in almost every scene. He films in color and black & white as well as plays with the film's aspect ratio but it all comes together beautifully.  He uses Mr. Bernstein's music throughout the film and it is magnificent.

    This is a Netflix production and will debut on the streaming service December 20th. However, if you can, I highly recommend seeing it during it's limited theatrical run. There will be an abundance of Oscar nominations.

  

Napoleon

 

 

   Director Ridley Scott reunites with star Joaquin Phoenix to bring Napoleon Bonaparte to vivid life. Mr. Scott's bombastic direction serves him well in the recreated battle scenes and Mr. Phoenix's chemistry with co-star Vanessa Kirby as Napoleon's great love, Josephine combine for an epic story.

   Screenwriter David Scarpa's script is a Reader's Digest condensed version (remember those?) of Napoleon's adult life squeezed into a two and a half hour film. It faithfully recreates famous battles and the complicated love story of Napoleon and Josephine. He does take liberties with timelines and alters certain events for dramatic effect and while not historically accurate, they serve the film well.

   Mr. Phoenix is excellent in the starring role. He coveys Napoleon's complexities well and adds a bit of his own quirkiness to the part. And Ms. Kirby plays Josephine with just the right balance of vulnerability and strength.

    Co-stars include Tahar Rahim (so good in Netflix's "The Serpent"), Ben Miles, Edouard Phillpponnat, Paul Rhys, and Rupert Everett as the Duke of Wellington. These actors stand out in a large cast but with the film's main focus on Napoléon and Josephine, everyone else is really pushed to the background.

   Mr. Scott's battle scenes are amazing, employing thousands of actual actors to wage war. Visual effects and even animation are seamlessly added in to bring the battles to bloody life. I do take issue with the many horses used in the film without the disclaimer that "no animals were harmed in the making of the film". While the credits do mention two veterinarians on set, it seems hard to believe that horses were not injured in many scenes. 

   The film is an Apple production and will eventually find it's way to Apple+ streaming. Due to it's scope though, I highly recommend seeing it on the largest screen possible. It's spectacular in IMAX.

Next Goal Wins

 

   Co-written and directed by Taika Waititi, this new sports underdog film is based on a 2014 documentary about the American Samoan football (Soccer) team. Mr. Waititi also has a small part as a priest.

    Previously the team had lost to Australia 31-0 and they are considered the embarrassment of the FIFA league. A Dutch-American coach, Thomas Rongan is given the nearly impossible task of turning the team around. Rongan is played by Michael Fassbender and while a very good actor, seems miscast in this comedy/drama.

   We meet the various members of the team, typical stereotyped losers and one transgender player that has lots of potential, all of them confused by their new coach. It's a fish out of water story for Coach Rongan who has to first learn the culture before he can bond with his new team.

   The film co-stars Oscar Knightly as Tavita, Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua, David Fane as Ace, Rachel House as Ruth, and in small parts, Elisabeth Moss and Will Arnett. Aside from Coach Rongan, there is little character development which is disappointing as the material could have been mined for much more depth.

   The story comes together pretty much as you would expect with a few twists to keep it interesting. It has a lot of heart and you do get to learn interesting things about American Samoa but it's far from Mr. Waititi's best.

The Marvels

 

    

        It's been a while since we've actually had a new Marvel film and this new adventure serves as a sequel of sorts to "Captain Marvel".  It's really for fans and I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a introduction to the Marvel universe. Bree Larson stars once again as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel and this time we find her, reluctantly at first, joining Monica Rambeau (now grown), played by Teyonah Parris and Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, played by Iman Vellani as "The Marvels.

        After a jump point anomaly in space causes the three women to switch places when using their powers, the trio eventually team up against Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton, a Kree warrior who wants revenge against Captain Marvel, who's actions have accidentally led to the devastation of the Kree home world. 

         There are subplots involving Ms. Marvels family and Nick Fury's involvement as well as a detour to help some Skrull refugees and a dance number on a planet where language is sung which all lead to a less than cohesive plot. The tone of the film is a bit all over as well, juvenile at times, silly (too many cats) , and then suddenly very serious.

         The plentiful CGI and special effects are decent. The best thing about the film though is the solid chemistry between the three leads. They trade fun one-liners and find a true heart and soul between them.

          Of course being a Marvel film, there are two significant scenes at the end and mid-credits that allude to "more to come" for some of the characters.

        

The Killer

 

       Michael Fassbender stars as "The Killer", a hitman for hire in this new drama from director David Fincher. The film is divided into chapters that follow a hit gone wrong.

        The film co-stars Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Tilda Swinton, Sala Baker, Kerry O'Malley and Sophie Charlotte...all in small parts within their given chapters.

         After a botched hit in Paris, we follow "the Killer" through his internal monologue as he jets around the world, trying to proactively "clean up" the repercussions. There is a great on going joke involving the multiple aliases he uses in each country. You can play along and see how many you recognize.

           The film serves as a sort of hitman primer but also as an examination of a man coming to grips with an identity crisis. Mr. Fassbender is excellent in the role but as for directing, it's not Mr. Fincher's best. There are moments that harken back to "Se7en" but they are few and far between.

NYAD

 

   This new drama is the story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad's incredible non-stop swim from Cuba to the Florida keys. It stars Annette Bening as Diana Nyad and Jodie Foster as her best friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll.

   After a failed attempt at age 28, Diana Nyad decides at 60 to try the extremely difficult and dangerous swim again with Bonnie as her coach. It is simply a remarkable achievement, chronicled here in great detail. Ms. Bening is absolutely incredible in the role and kudos to her for even taking on the part in the first place. Ms. Foster is at her most natural in her role as Bonnie. The two real life friends share a wonderful bond that is faithfully recreated by the performance of the film’s two stars.

    The film co-stars Rhys Ifans as navigator John Bartlett, Karley Rothenberg as skipper Dee Brady, Jeena Yi as Angel Yanagihara, Luke Cosgrove as Luke Tipple, Eric T. Miller as Jack Nelson (teenage Diana's swimming coach, seen in flashbacks) and Garland Scott as Jon Rose.

   Dramatic scenes are interspersed with archival footage of the real Ms. Nyad that adds to the overall exuberant experience of the film. It's a must see, both for the performances and for the inspirational story.

 Available on Netflix.

    

   

Anatomy Of A Fall

 

    Co-writer and director Justine Triet has created a masterful film that is both a courtroom procedural and a family drama.

    When her husband is found dead by their blind eleven year old son, right outside their chalet, writer Sandra Voyter's world is turned upside down. Was it an accident, suicide, or murder is the question? And if it is murder, did Sandra actually kill her husband?

    The film stars Sandra Huller as Sandra, Milo Machado-Graner as her son Daniel, and Swann Arland as her lawyer, Vincent Renzi.  The film co-stars Samuel Theis, in flashbacks, as the husband and Antoine Reinartz as the prosecuting attorney when the case goes to trial.

    Both Ms. Huller and young Mr. Machado-Graner are excellent. Ms. Huller, in particular, is riveting, proclaiming her innocence throughout the film.  Did she or didn't she is the question and the writing is so good, you will have a hard time deciding for yourself.

   The film takes place just outside Grenoble, France and the dialogue is in both French and English. Both Ms. Triet and Ms. Huller are at the top of their game and the film is not to be missed.

     

Priscilla

 

  Austin Butler did such an amazing job portraying Elvis Presley that it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the role now. In this new film written and directed by Sophia Coppola, it's not even an issue since the film is about and from the perspective of Priscilla Presley.

   Jacob Elordi plays Elvis to Cailee Spaeny's Priscilla. While Mr. Elordi tries hard (he's no Mr. Butler but then again, he doesn't have to be), it's Ms. Spaeny who shines in the film. She portrays Priscilla from age 14 to age 27 and is wonderful to watch. Ms. Coppola wrote the screenplay based on Ms. Presley's book, "Elvis and Me" so one would assume much of what happens in the film actually took place. Ms. Spaeny captures it all through Ms. Coppola's lens, from her wide eyed innocence to the craziness and isolation of being Mrs. Elvis Presley.

    The film co-stars Dagmara Dominczyk as Ann Beaulieu, Priscilla's mother and Luke Humphrey as Terry West. The rest of the cast are not well known actors who portray other characters in Elvis and Priscilla's orbit.

    Focusing her camera on Priscilla, we don't hear any Elvis music or see any of his performances (except a snippet), and the commanding Colonel Parker is only mentioned off screen. We see his world through Priscilla and it's actually a pretty strange one. She moves into Graceland when she is 16, marries Elvis at 21 and divorces him 6 years later. Elvis insists she always stays at Graceland, forbidding her to take even a part time job, picks out her clothes and makeup and yet is almost never home since he's off making most of his Hollywood movies during this period.

   Ms. Coppola gets the period just right. The clothes are perfect as are the cars, the sets and all the visuals. The film has an ethereal quality throughout which is a trademark with all of Ms. Coppola's films. She takes us into a world we could only imagine and shows us the the one of a kind reality it truly was.

The Holdovers

 

        This new comedy/drama reunites Paul Giamatti with director Alexander Payne, their second film together after "Sideways". They are both at the top of their game.

        Mr. Giamatti plays Paul Hunham, a crusty, curmudgeon of an ancient history teacher at a private boys school.  During Christmas break, he is assigned to watch over a small group of boys that have to stay behind at the school for various reasons.

        With him over the break is the school's cafeteria manager, Mary, played by Da'Vine Joy Randolph, in her best role yet. His young charges are soon reduced to one troubled student, Angus Tully, played by newcomer Dominic Sessa.

         The film is set in 1970 and Mr. Payne goes to great lengths to get the period and look of the film right. From the retro opening MPAA rating and Focus Features logo, you already feel transported back in time. Most of the film takes place at the school with the exception of a few significant sojourns. 

          You may be reminded of "Dead Poets Society" but with that film, Robin Williams was a loveable teacher with an unorthodox method of reaching his students. Mr. Giamatti is a self proclaimed failure who drinks too much and knows that no one at the school, teachers or students, likes him. 

           Forced to spend two weeks together, Hunham, Mary and Angus, all broken souls for different reasons, forge an unusual bond that propels the story. The film is funny, heartbreaking and ultimately endearing with three terrific performances.

Killers of the Flower Moon

 

   Co-writer, producer and director Martin Scorsese has created a masterpiece. It is without a doubt an incredible work of film art and a towering achievement in an illustrious career.

    Working from the book by David Grann, Mr. Scorsese and his co-writer, Eric Roth tell the true story of  horrific crimes against the Osage people in 1920's Oklahoma. Oil was discovered on their land around that time and the Osage became some of the wealthiest people in the country. The land rights were passed down by generation from the Osage women and could eventually land in the hands of non-Osage relatives through marriage. Using this law, white men started marrying Osage women to share their wealth. During a multi-year period, many Osage were murdered for their land rights. This horrific crime is the basis of the film.

   To his credit, Mr. Scorsese met with current members of the Osage people to tell the story honestly from their perspective. He employed many Osage men and women, both as actors and as part of the crew. Already meticulously detailed, this lends an further air of authenticity and truth to the film. 

   Mr. Scorsese's direction is flawless on every level. The cinematography takes your breath away as do all the visuals. The costumes are amazing. From the Osage clothes to men's pajamas, just remarkably detailed. His actors fill the screen with many unrecognizable names but faces you will never forget. And speaking of actors, his three leads, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, and Lily Gladstone have all taken their craft to another level.

    This is the best acting Mr. DeNiro has done in years. For Mr. DiCaprio, it may be his finest role ever. Their scenes together are simply magic. Ms. Gladstone will break your heart with an incredible performance. Other familiar names include Jesse Plemons and in basically cameos, John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser. Mr. Scorsese makes an interesting choice to also employ many well known musicians in various roles. Jason Isbell has a key part as does Pete Yorn and if you look closely you will notice a few others. 

    Completed before his death, Robbie Robertson did the music for the film and the methodic beating rhythm underscores the growing tension of the story perfectly.

    There is some controversy regarding how Mr. Scorsese presents the film's epilog. Personally I had no problem with it and found it very original. The film runs long, three and a half hours but not one minute of film is wasted. It really should be seen on a big screen (IMAX if you can) but if the running time is an issue for you, it will be available on Apple + in a few weeks to watch at your leisure.

    This was a very dark period for the Osage and it was happening around the same time as the Tulsa riot, another stain in American history (which Mr. Scorsese briefly refers to). To bring this story to life in a dramatic and yet, entertaining way is such a credit to this master filmmaker. Expect to see double digit Oscar nominations.

    And as Robert DeNiro reminds us, "The front is the front and the back is the back". I loved that line.

    

       

She Came to Me

 

   Written and directed by Rebecca Miller, this new film can best be described as a romantic drama with comedic moments. You may go in expecting one thing but the film turns conventions on their head and comes out in the most unexpected ways.

    Peter Dinklage stars as Steven, an opera composer with writer's block. His wife Patricia, played by Anne Hathaway, tells him one day to take the dog for a long walk and clear his head. Once he meets Marisa Tomei's character, Katrina, he finds inspiration in the most unusual way. At the same time,  Patricia's teenage son, Julian, is unknowingly dating her cleaning woman's daughter which ends up causing trouble for both families. The circumstances that turn the plot are very original and clever.

    While all the actors are terrific, quirky doesn't even begin to describe their characters. Mr. Dinklage is a gem as the neurotic composer. Ms. Hathaway quietly may be the most quirky of all as the obsessive compulsive therapist who loves to clean. Ms. Tomei is outstanding in a very original role, as Katrina. The film co-stars Evan Ellison as Julian and Harlow Jane as his girlfriend Tereza. Joanna Kulig is Magdalena, the cleaning woman and Brian d'Arcy James is her husband, Trey (another very original character).

      While the framework is familiar, the story is fresh, filled with surprising yet endearing moments. And if you are a Bruce Springsteen fan, there is a new song featured over the end credits.

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

 

       Famed director William Friedkin's last film is a remake of the classic play and film. The story is updated to reference 911 and with a single set and solid cast, Mr. Friedkin does a great job with the material.

       Kiefer Sutherland stars as Lt. Commander Queeg, the captain of the USS Caine. With only two scenes, Mr. Sutherland is terrific, especially in his second appearance as he starts to unravel in the courtroom. Jake Lacy is Lieutenant Maryk who stands accused of the mutiny during a mission in a raging storm. Jason Clarke is Lieutenant Greenwald, Maryk's defense attorney, Monica Raymond plays the lead prosecutor, and in his final role, Lance Reddick plays a commanding presence as Captain Blakely, the head judge.

       While Mr. Sutherland makes the most of his two scenes, Jason Clarke steals the film defending Lt. Maryk. Set completely in the courtroom, this is a potboiler of a story with a surprising and powerful ending. The film is available on Showtime.

Fair Play

 

     Written and directed by Chloe Domont, this is a really fun and nasty piece of work about gender and office politics in the world of high finance.

     Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich star as Emily and Luke, two analysts at a major hedge fund. They live together and plan on getting married but are keeping their relationship secret at work since its against corporate policy. When one is promoted over the other it changes their dynamic at at the office as well as at home, and not for the better.

     Eddie Marsan plays Campbell plays the company's demanding CEO and Rich Somers plays Paul, his right hand man. Ms. Dynevor and Mr. Ehrenreich are dynamite together and figuratively blow up the film.    

     This is a great little feature about sex, power, and corporate greed. In limited theaters and on Netflix.

The Exorcist: Believer

 

      Co-written and directed by David Gordon Green, this new horror film attempts to take the story back to its roots, even bringing Ellen Burstyn back as Chris MacNeil, the mother in the original film.

      The film ups the ante on the original by having two girls possessed at the same time. Lidya Jewett plays Angela and Olivia O'Neill plays Katherine. The two young actress are put through the proverbial ringer as their possession gets stronger and stronger.

      Leslie Odom Jr. plays plays the lead as Angela's father Victor, who as be begins to believe the possession, reaches out to Chris MacNeill for help. Norbert Leo Butz plays Tony, Katherine's father and Ann Dowd plays Ann, a nurse with ties to the church. Ms. Burstyn's role is a gimmick that amounts to not much more than a cameo (although there is very clever scene with her at the end). It's a respectable cast of above average actors adding a distinct pedigree to a horror film than most. 

     The special effects are fairly good but the film fails to deliver real thrills and chills with only a minimum of good scares. It's still fun in a nostalgic way bringing back memories of the original (which was terrifying back in its day).  There are two sequels are planned which I assume will depend on the box office of "Believer".

    

The Creator

     

     Mixing elements of "District 9", "Terminator", "Ex Machina", "I Robot" and "Bladerunner", this is science fiction we've all seen before, but it's never been timelier.

     When a nuclear blast destroys Los Angeles in the near future, it sets off a war between humans and artificially intelligent robots. The United States outlaws AI and creates a flying fortress, USS NOMAD" to scour the earth looking for AI strongholds.

      John David Washington stars as Joshua Taylor, a soldier, undercover in the AI network looking for "The Creator" and the weapon it's built to destroy NOMAD. Mr. Washington brings a tremendous amount of humanity to his part and the film in general. Co-starring are Gemma Chan, Allison Janney (playing against type as a villain), Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Ralph Ineson, Michael Esper, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alpha-O (or Alphie for short).

      The film is co-written and directed by Gareth Edwards. Not only does Mr. Edwards borrow heavily from the aforementioned films, but he also relies on the recent ubiquitous trope of a hero protecting a child.  And while it's got the "been there, done that" feel, the film also manages to feel fresh mostly due to Mr. Washington's heartfelt performance and the stunning visual effects.

   A.I. is here to stay and only becoming more advanced. This film, like the others that have come before it, serves as a warning of what the future may really hold for humans and robots.

    

Reptile

 

       This new Netflix drama is a throwback to the slow burn, crime story that may remind you of the atmospheric feel of "True Detective" on HBO.

       What appears to be a simple, yet brutal murder of a real estate agent turns complex and frankly pretty convoluted but still worth your time if you are a fan of the genre.

        Benicio del Toro stars as Detective Tom Nichols and Alicia Silverstone plays his wife, Judy. Justin Timberlake also stars as Will Grady, a successful real estate agent whose girlfriend is the murder victim. The film also co-stars Eric Bogosian, Ato Essandoh, Domenick Lombardozzi, Michael Pitt, Sky Ferreira, Owen Teague, Mike Pniewski, and Francis Fisher. It's a great cast, not lacking for suspects. Mr. del Toro and Ms. Silverstone are both excellent and fun to watch as they bounce ideas and theories off each other to solve the case.

        The film takes it's time with the investigation, accompanied by a moody score. The plot gets tangled up in its own twists and turns, but Mr. del Toro's magnetic presence keeps you engaged.

Flora & Son

 

   

 Written and directed by John Carney (Once, Begin Again, Swing Street), this is another comic/drama that continues his streak of hits that showcase the power of music.

     Flora is a single mom living in Dublin with Max, her rebellious teenage son. Max acts out his anger issues with petty robberies and is always getting in trouble. Flora finds an old guitar, fixes it up and gives it to Max in hopes a new hobby will help. When Max refuses the guitar, Flora decides to take online lessons to learn to play herself. 

     Sounds simple enough but Flora gets more than she bargained for from her online teacher, Jeff and her discovery of Max's true passion. The story blossoms into something more complex, heartfelt and lyrical.

     Eve Hewson plays Flora, and her star keeps rising with each onscreen appearance. Here, she has top billing, and it is well deserved for both her acting and musical talent. (I guess it doesn't hurt that her dad is Bono, of U2). Jeff, her guitar teacher is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Max is played by Oren Kinlan. Both are terrific. Jack Reynor plays Ian, Flora's Ex, and still an important figure in Max's life.

    As with all his films, Mr. Carney fills the story with great music and at least one memorable song. He always brings an honest and natural performance from his actors. The language in the film is a bit rough at times, (especially in one scene that didn't seem necessary) but realistic to the story. Dublin, itself, is a great backdrop,

     The film is in select theaters and also streaming on Apple TV+. 

     

It Lives Inside

    

    

      Another entry in the recent slate of horror movies,  "It Lives Inside" adds a new element to the tired "teens in danger" storyline. The main character is Sam, a teen girl of Indian origin who must face off against an evil Hindu spirit to protect her friends and family. In her suburban town, Sam denies her Indian origins to "blend in" at school and avoid being alienated. When she unwittingly unleashes the evil spirit possessing her friend Tamira, she must embrace her heritage to fight the demon. 

      Sam is played convincingly by Megan Suri and the rest of the cast includes Neeru Bajwa as her mother, Vik Sahay as her father, Gage Marsh as Russ, her love interest, and Betty Gabriel as Joyce Dixon, a teacher and friend.

      The film is written and directed by Bishal Dutta and while there are some genuine creepy moments, the horror tropes are pretty standard and lack any real scares. The editing is choppy at times, scenes jump from one to the next, seemingly unconnected. And while it is a horror movie, there are irrational elements to the plot that take you out of the film's reality.

      If the film does well, the ending, while definitive, does leave the door open for a sequel. Sadly, I'm still waiting for a new horror film that will send the popcorn flying out of my lap.

Dumb Money

 

 

     Based on a true story, this new film recounts the crazy story of how the "little guy" took on Wall Street Hedge Fund billionaires trading Game Stop shares. While the hedge funds were betting the Game Stop stock would fail, a group of small-time individual investors, following the advice of Keith Gill, kept buying up stock using a site called "WallStreetBets" a subredditt site managed by Robinhood.

     While he had a day job, Mr. Gill, in his spare time had his own internet site offering stock advice as "Roaring Kitty". He did a deep analysis of Game Stop and began watching the stock very closely buying up shares himself. As he gained more and more followers, the stock price began to rise and hedge fund investors looking to "short" the stock took huge losses.

     The film simplifies the story making it easy to follow even if you are stock market ignorant. I'm sure the real story is much more involved and complex, but director Criag Gillespie and writers Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo do a great job breaking it down to its core with humor and unexpected suspense.

     Paul Dano stars as Keith Gill, Shailene Woodley as Caroline, his wife, and Pete Davidson as Keith's brother, Kevin. Also starring as the Hedge fund billionaires are Vincent D'Onofrio as Steve Cohen, Nick Offerman as Kenneth Griffin, and Seth Rogan as Gabe Plotkin. Sebastian Stan and Rushi Kota play the owners of the Robinhood site that causes chaos when they shut down the trading. And while the film can't tell the story of every individual investor, America Ferrera, Anthony Ramos, Myha"la Herrold and Talis Ryder represent the "little guys" that at times, invested their life savings on the advice of "Roaring Kitty".

      The story is unbelievable but true, and the film version, which I'm sure has its fictional elements, is very entertaining. It would make a great double feature with "The Big Short".

A Haunting in Venice

       Directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, this is the third film in the growing series of Hercule Poirot mysteries. Based on the Agatha Christie novel, "Hallowe'en Party", the setting is Venice for this whodunit with supernatural overtones.

      As with his other films in the series, Mr. Branagh surrounds himself with an all-star cast including Camille Cottin, Jamie Doran, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly, Jude Hill, Riccardo Scamarcio and Michele Yeoh. Only Ms. Fey seems miscast, her performance too modern for a 1947 story.

      Her character sets things in motion when she invites Poirot to witness a seance in an attempt to discover the deception of the medium, played by Michele Yeoh. When a murder occurs during the evening, it is up to Poirot to solve the case.

      Venice itself becomes a character with gorgeous cinematography adding to the natural beauty of the city. Mr. Branagh's direction fills the story with creepy visuals, the camera swirling through dark halls, empty rooms, and hidden cellars while all the characters are locked in for the night as Poirot looks for motives and clues.

       The supernatural element may be suspect, but it's done well and adds to a darker tone than the previous films. If you enjoy the series, you will not be disappointed. If you are new to Ms. Christie's famous detective, you should find yourself, at a medium, mildly entertained.