Movies
A very odd little mystery. The premise isn't that original, but I am quite curious how this ended up being a film about a fisherman eager to catch a legendary fish. I understand the analogy and all, but I'm not sure it quite worked for this type of film. In part though, that's what made it stand out, so maybe Knight was onto something after all. Dill is a captain who takes tourists out on fishing trips. There's a big tuna that has escaped him for years, and whenever he runs into the fish, Dill hijacks the trip. He never managed to catch the fish, and he's running low on funds. Then his old girlfriend arrives in town, and she comes with a peculiar request. McConaughey and Hathaway clearly weren't the best actors for the part, but even they can't ruin this otherwise interesting setup. The film looks decent enough, the reveal of the mystery is meticulous (though not too surprising) and the pacing is pleasant. Far from perfect, but an intriguing little experiment nonetheless.Read all
Single-location films aren't that novel anymore, but I don't think I've ever seen a straightforward drama executed like this. There's a sliver of mystery present in Locke, mostly during the first hour when you're still trying to figure out what is going on. Once all the cards are on the table, it's pure drama with only one actor in a car and several others on the phone. Ivan Locke is a construction manager. He's terrific at his work, but on the night before his biggest job ever, he is sitting his his car, driving to London. He is doing his best to brief his next in command while trying to reach his family. There's also another woman calling him from the hospital, who seems to be the reason for Locke's sudden change of plans. Tom Hardy gives a great performance, which was needed too as he's the only one you'll be watching for the entire runtime. The camera remains in the car at all times, others are just heard through the phone. The cinematography is solid considering the limited space, but the drama feels a bit too forced to make a real big impact. A solid film, but not quite the future classic I'd hoped to see. Read all