Thursday Movie Picks is hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. This week's theme is about disappearances in movies. Here are my picks for the week.
All Good Things - I think this was inspired by the Robert Durst case, where his wife is missing and it chronicles her relationship with her husband before her disappearance. I don't remember much from this except for the last few minutes of the movie, as I think that was the prominent part of the whole thing.
The Girl on the Train - This had Emily Blunt play the lead character who injects herself in a missing persons case because she has observed the couple from her train ride to work. This wasn't a good adaptation but a lot of people loved Blunt's performance her.
Prisoners - This takes two approaches into handling a missing girl's case. The cop tries to do it the legal way - investigates, interviews, deduces facts based on evidence. The father of the missing child narrows his focus to a strange person who he's convinced took his daughter. There were a lot of gritty scenes, some of them that I couldn't forget even if I tried.
I've only seen Prisoners and I love that one. Great pick, there. I hope to see The Girl on the Train pretty soon. Somehow, I just never got around to All Good Things. Sounds like I should change that.
ReplyDeleteI've seen all of these films. Prisoners is my favorite. Love that one.
ReplyDeleteI actually really enjoyed All Good Things despite it's poor reviews from critics...Dunst and Gosling have great chemistry; I'd love to see them in another movie together!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of these but I do want to see the last two even thoughGirl on a Train got mixed reviews. I usually like anything with Hugh Jackman in it.
ReplyDeleteBlunt's performance is basically the only thing I liked about The Girl on the Train. What an awful adaptation.
ReplyDeleteI saw All Good Things, but I barely remember it. Prisoners...wow, that movie was so dark and intense. I didn't see The Girl on a Train, but I read the book. I liked it, but I didn't think it lived up to the hype. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same...the film wasn't amazing but Emily Blunt was. Good picks.
ReplyDeleteI was underwhelmed by All Good Things, it started well had an interesting story to tell and a solid cast but got bogged down about half way through. It wasn't a disaster but considering all the elements in its favor should have been much better.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen Girl on a Train because I wanted to read the book first and haven't gotten to it yet. I've heard it's kind of a mess but Blunt is worth seeing.
I absolutely detested Prisoners. An ugly, distasteful movie.
This is a more narrow theme than the last few have been but it still contains many good films including my first pick which is one of my all time favorites.
Missing (1982)-A young American couple Charlie and Beth Horman (John Shea & Sissy Spacek) are living in Chile while he works as a freelance writer observing the political situation. Suddenly they are caught in a coup and when Beth returns home one day their house is ransacked and Charlie is missing. When word reaches the States his disapproving father Ed (Jack Lemmon) arrives looking for answers. Despite assurances by the authorities that everything is being done an unbelieving Beth and increasingly doubtful Ed begin their own search, as they come to understand each other at last Ed’s eyes are opened to facts that go against everything he believes in. Riveting fact based drama directed by Costa-Gravas earned four Oscar nominations-Best Actor & Actress for Lemmon and Spacek as well as a Best Adaptation and a Best Picture nod.
Without a Trace (1983)-Susan Selky (Kate Nelligan) helps her six year old son Alex get ready and watches him set off on the three block walk to school in their affluent New York City neighborhood but he never makes it. When he doesn’t return home at the appointed hour she slowly comes to the realization that something is terribly wrong and contacts the police. Both she and her husband (David Dukes) are immediately suspected, when it becomes clear they aren’t involved the police follow other leads but the case soon turns cold. For everyone that is but Susan who becomes so determined in her pursuit she pushes almost everyone including her husband and good friend (Stockard Channing) away. However with the assistance of one detective who also won’t give up (Judd Hirsch) she presses on determined to have some resolution whatever that may be. Exceptionally well-acted but a tough watch.
The Seventh Victim (1943)-Mary Gibson (Kim Hunter) arrives in New York City intent on locating her sister Jacqueline who has disappeared. As she starts searching she meets resistance from all quarters including her sister’s husband. As she delves deeper into the mystery she discovers a connection to devil worship and begins to fear for her own safety. Low budget noir produced by Val Lewton has a nice sense of dread and looks at a provocative subject for a forties film. This was future Oscar winner Hunter’s screen debut.
Nice picks! Emily was so good in The Girl on the Train, she made the story worth it to watch at least once.
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