Movies: Allied, Edge of Seventeen, Manchester by the Sea

Allied

allied

Director Robert Zemeckis delivers a another well crafted film about war operatives in WWII played be Brad Pitt and Marion Cottillard.  It is a throw back to a time when romance and intrigue created a strong foundation for the rest of the story.

Many reviews were mixed, but we loved the old fashioned techniques layered with modern cinematography.  Characters and romantic chemistry you actually care about.  Costume design and cinematography could garner Oscar nominations if not the Award itself.

Rated R for sexually and listed as a Drama/Thriller, the film runs 2 hours and 4 minutes.  Lots of little surprises will tease you, especially the final scene.

Rating  3 globes

Edge of Seventeen

edge

This film does an excellent job of reminding audiences of what it was like being 16 or 17 years old and in high school; awkward, emotional, and torment that can often last years.

Impressive acting by young Hailee Steinfeld giving an authentic performance as the teen, Blake Jenner as her older athletic brother, and Kyra Sedgwick as the Mom.

The script is laser focused on teen topics and spares little angst for the young characters.  But there is also a lighthearted side to the film that helps balance to story line.

Written and Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig with a running time of 1 hour 40 minutes.  Rated R for strong language and sexual content.  Drama/Comedy.

Rating 3 globes

Manchester by the Sea

manchester

This is a story about a working class New England family and the extended reach that death can cause.  Some critics felt the prolonged trauma and the performance by Affleck overpowered the story line.  I thought it contributed to the breadth and depth of the family’s overwhelming endurance.

There are stellar performances, most notably, Casey Affleck, Michele Williams and Lucas Hedges as the son.  There are a dozen other actors, including Kyle Chandler, giving good solid performances.

This film is brilliantly crafted by the Director and Writer Kenneth Lonergan.  Don’t be surprised to see one or more Oscar nominations for this film.

Rated R for violence and language.  (It is not suitable for young children.)  Listed as a Drama.  Run time is 2 hours and 17 minutes.

Rating  3 globes

2 thoughts on “Movies: Allied, Edge of Seventeen, Manchester by the Sea”

  1. I want to see Manchester By the Sea. The coming attractions have lured me in.

    I went to see Allied I liked it but I was confused about one part of the movie. Scenes are usually in movies to help as background about the main story. What was the purpose of the lesbians in the film? They were not the story of the film, only background. Why was it part of the movie?

    1. Stuart, Sorry for the delayed response. We discussed and agree the scene made no contribution to the story line. That said, the actress was playing the sister of Brad Pitt’s character. The reason for the scene is a mystery to us as well. Good observation and question. Thanks.

Leave a Reply to James Hathaway Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.