Movies: Elle, Nocturnal Animals, The Eagle Huntress

Elle

elle

This Drama/Thriller by French Director Paul Verhoeven has been getting a lot of favorable press.  There can be no doubt it is expertly crafted, well acted, unpredictable and provocative.

It can also be described as lurid, controversial, suave perversity.  In any case, it will certainly be a shocker and unconventional.  Not your typical French international import for sure.

All that said, Isabelle Hubbert is fantastic in her role as a divorced owner of a tech game company, driven, confident with a dark sense of humor and not your ordinary housewife, daughter or Mom.

Rated R for violence, language and sexual content.  Run time is 2 hours, 10 minutes.  French with English subtitles.

Rating 2 globes

Nocturnal Animals

nocturnal

This film was Written and Directed by Tom Ford (yes, the fashion designer icon).  It is quite unique in the way it toggles between two stories concurrently, one in real time and one fictional.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams both give superb performances.  Also noteworthy are roles played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon and Karl Glusman.

It is an intriguing mix of a psychological thriller and a dark terrifying crime scene that is visually stunning and unsettling at the same time.  It is truly unique. It has gained praise in Europe but it is too early to see what US audiences think of it.

Rated R for violence and sexual content.  Listed as a Drama/Thriller, 1 hour an 57 minutes.

Rating 4 globes

The Eagle Huntress

eagle

Occasionally a documentary comes along that shines as bright as the best films out there.  This film is about a 13 year old girl named Aishol-pan.  The entire story takes place in Mongolia.  She is determined to compete with the best eagle hunters in all of the country.

What is especially impressive is the historically all male dominated competition process yields to allow Aishol-pan to participate just like any other contestant.

The cinematography is simply stunning.  The peek at the scenery and the lifestyle of these nomadic people is honest and straightforward.  The bond between her and her father is heartwarming.

Rated G as a Sport/Adventure film with a run time of 1 hour, 41 minutes. Mongolian with English subtitles.

Rating  3 globes

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