This week, in cinemas: oceanic disasters in The Finest Hours; dating disasters in How To Be Single; and cannibalistic Western disasters in Bone Tomahawk.
The Finest Hours
★★
What it’s about: The true story – as told by Disney – of the SS Pendleton, an oil tanker which splits in two off the coast of New England during the 1950s, and the daring rescue of some heroic coast guardsman. Not one for landlubbers.
What we thought: “A strong cast and impressive action sequences can’t find subtleties or surprises to enliven a rote period disaster movie."
How To Be Single
★★★
What it’s about: This is a bubbly girls-about-town romantic comedy and not, as the title might suggest, some handy advice on how to remain undateable, lonely, and forlorn.
What we thought: “Aiming squarely at Carries, Mirandas, Charlottes and Samanthas, How To Be Single is familiar but fun.”
Triple 9
★★★
What it’s about: ‘Triple 9’ is the code used by American police when an officer is down – and that is the conceit used in this film by corrupt cops, as a distraction to pull off the heist of a century. Heat meets Ocean’s Eleven, sort of?
What we thought: “There is a lot to like: a great opening, searing action and strong cast. Yet it runs out of steam.”
Bone Tomahawk
★★★★
What it’s about: Part Western, part horror, part thriller, part violent exploitation flick, part opportunity to see Kurt Russell sport some magnificent facial hair and a cowboy hat.
What we thought: “A mash-up of The Searchers and Cannibal Ferox, this is a pretty strong prairie stew.”
Freeheld
★★★
What it’s about: Julianne Moore plays a terminally ill detective who fights for her partner (Ellen Page) to receive benefits after her death, in an emotional and very timely drama. Not to be confused with Freehold, the sci-fi novel by Michael Z. Williamson, which has very little to do with civil rights for lesbians.
What we thought: “Strong subject matter and a superb cast are treated disappointingly with sledgehammer subtlety.”