The Wokingham Word, February 2020

LOCAL REVIEWS
Film Reviews
by
Bill Robinson
1917 (2020)
Put as simply as possible, this film is a
masterpiece. Not only does the gorgeous,
flowing cinematography excel here, it
fully deserves the accolades earned at the
recent Golden Globe Awards.
Much of the hype surrounding “1917”
has centred on its cinematography. Sam
Mendes and legendary cinematographer
Roger Deakins have created a film that
appears to be shot in one take. And this
is not in the same way that “Birdman”
faked this look, the film really was shot in
real time; using exceptionally long takes,
some 10 mins long or more. A painfully
dramatic sense of realism is created by
this astonishing feat of filming; the camera
Star Wars: Episode IX, The Rise of
Skywalker (2019)
My opinion of Episode 8 of the now
enormous Star Wars saga degraded
dramatically since I gave it a generally
positive review in 2017. Whilst it has
redeeming qualities, I now consider
it one of the worst movies in the
franchise for several reasons. And my
overall disappointment with this latest,
“final” instalment makes me dislike its
predecessor even more.
Episode 9 (The Rise of Skywalker)
represents a recovery and a scramble to
resolve the many plot holes that 8 left in
its wake; who are Rey’s real parents? How
was Leia suddenly adept in the ways of the
force? How is Rey so powerful? All these
spends all of the time on its protagonists,
creating a feeling of immersion and realism
I have never experienced watching a film
before.
As the singular, sprawling set is revealed
through the continuous, fluid camera
movement, more and more immaculately
detailed sets, props and costumes are
uncovered, constantly displaying the
grandeur and scale of what Mendes
has achieved. Equally effective are the
moments that aren’t grand, in which the
fine actors highly effectively build their
characters, developing in real-time, right
in front of us. The sheer amount of time
we spend constantly connected with these
characters is unique, and it never allowed
my attention to stray from the action …
questions are resolved by this film, but
not in an entirely smooth or clean way.
Director J.J Abrams was left with a seriously
tough job on his hands with repairing
the damage left by Rian Johnson. Sure,
the wounds are now patched up and the
story has finally been closed off, but if
this film had no mess to clear up from the
previous instalment, it could have shone
far brighter.
All the ingredients are there to make it
shine: the acting is on the charming end
of the cheesy-spectrum, the care and
attention taken to the props, sets and
costumes are as good as ever and there
are some truly epic moments of pure Star
Wars fan service. However, again, the
failings of Episode 8 taint Episode 9 … it is
clear that Disney executives did not want
… Instead my focus was locked onto
“1917” right from the moment that first
long take sets off, to the moment the
camera finally settles at the emotional
and beautiful conclusion.
10/10 in cinemas now.
any surprises or controversy coming from
the final instalment, no real risks are taken
here. More than any other franchise, Star
Wars films are made almost exclusively for
Star Wars fans, and unfortunately, Episode
8 fatigued so many long-time fans of the
series, me included.
This should be
the block-busting,
record-breaking
finale that the
fans deserve,
but because of
the mistakes of
the past, this
film’s task was
impossible.
6/10 in cinemas now
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The Wokingham Word 13 FEBRUARY 2020