By: Thomas Baker ’18
The Dark Tower
The Dark Tower is a fantasy western starring Idris Elba and Matthew Mcconaughey based on the book series by Stephen King. Although Elba and Mcconaughey are great actors, they failed to save this film. The movie has poor writing, bad character development, a disappointing plot, and is too short for its ambitious ideas. The movie has strong actions scenes which are the only elements saving this movie from being awful. The source material for this movie is very strong and is one of the best fantasy series of all time. Unfortunately, the movie fails to capture the heart and depth of the book series. The plot is fairly simple to follow but there is a lack of motivation for any of the main characters. We are not told why the characters do what they do. The movie is very pretty to look at, New York City is captured well and the fictional world of Mid-World is as barren and dry as it should be.
Dunkirk
Dunkirk is a World War II movie directed by Christopher Nolan who is known for complicated but brilliant plots, smart characters, and great writing. Dunkirk tells the story of 400,000 British and French soldiers surrounded by the German Army in Dunkirk, France. This movie is a departure from the style of his past films. However, this is one of the greatest war movies of all time. This film is not your typical cinematic experience as there is little focus on characters but rather on the event as a whole. When you watch this movie, it doesn’t feel like you are watching a typical movie, it feels like you are watching something out of a history book. This style works very well because of the directing and performances. The soundtrack also deserves to be noted. The way that the soundtrack is used will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire movie. This is a breathtaking movie, not only in its plot, performances, and music, but also in its visuals. It is simply stunning to look at and that adds to the suspense and narrative of the film. Dunkirk effectively conveys the terror of World War II but also shows the decency and courage of the soldiers and civilians at the Dunkirk Evacuation.
