The Focus Features: 10-Movie Spotlight Collection is a good selection of dramas, some better than others and one that is a personal favorite of mine (Lost in Translation). That being said, this is only worth picking up if you don’t own any of the 10 films, though the cost per movie is reasonable.
Beirut is an uneven yet ultimately engaging enough drama-thriller helped by the charismatic on-screen performance from its star, Jon Hamm. The geo-political story written by Bourne screenwriter Tony Gilroy never quite gels but it’s still worth a rental at least.
7 Days in Entebbe is what I would call a competently made average drama-thriller. The performances from Rosamund Pike (especially) and Daniel Bruhl are both well done and the story in of itself was interesting, but how it was presented never gelled quite right. Even so, it’s probably worthy of a rental if you’re interested in the subject.
Jack Reacher is a well made suspense-thriller featuring a great performance from producer/star Tom Cruise and his supporting cast members. However, while the story starts off with incredible tension the ultimate motives by the villain came off as weak. Even so, this is an entertaining movie with great stunts and action scenes.
Return to Sender is a mixed bag, wanting to be both a revenge film and drama but doesn’t do either very well. However, the acting isn’t half bad led by Rosamund Pike playing well opposite Shiloh Fernandez.
Gone Girl is hardly David Fincher’s strongest film and arguably might not be in his top 5, but there’s much to admire in spite of a momentum killing third act from the performances by Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, the suspension early on and the atmosphere Fincher and company establish.
The World’s End has its moments and I did chuckle more than once but the characters, Pegg’s especially, are mostly un-redeemable twats though since for the most part they’ve worked together in the past, they at least share a friendly comradery with one another and it’s always nice to see Rosamund Pike in a movie…
Jack Reacher is a well made suspense-thriller featuring a great performance from producer/star Tom Cruise and his supporting cast members. However, while the story starts off with incredible tension the ultimate motives by the villain came off as weak. Even so, this is an entertaining movie with great stunts and action scenes.
Overall, Wrath of the Titans isn’t a bad movie, just a poorly made one. It apparently cost $150 million and it seems you can see every penny of it on screen with some decent visual effects, good production design and well made costumes. However, the characters are paper thin, the story unexciting and the action ultimately forgettable.