A late 60s/early 70s New Jersey teenager is raised in a mob-affiliated household and neighbourhood. This The Sopranos prequel works as a both an insight into the earlier lives of that series’ main characters, and as a stand-alone movie. Tony Soprano very much a supporting character here: the focus is on his uncle Dickie, played by a never-better Alessandro Nivola.
Here’s the trailer.
A compromised smoke jumper finds herself protecting a boy against a pair of hired assassins. Competent if plasticky thriller with action elements. Strong casting and some badassery helps, but the thin story and a reliance on iffy CG and greenscreen for production value are hindrances.
Here’s the trailer.
A father makes a deal with the DEA and works undercover to save his son. This attempt at gritty drama is hampered with a trite script and a lost cast including a strange choice of lead. The result is reasonably compelling though suffering with a weak final act.
A young man with Down Syndrome escapes his assisted living facility; he teams up with a troubled crab fisherman. A straightforward but nevertheless charming and unsentimental comedy-drama road movie with wrestling and a whiff of Huck and Tom about it. Fine soundtrack, and a cast in depth to die for. No surprises, but fun.
Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles collaborate on a car to take on Ferrari for Ford at Le Mans. Old-fashioned, well-made and undeniably stirring, this is nevertheless a conventional sports drama that can’t quite convince in its attempt to tell an underdog story. Still, it’s fun, has a great if showy Christian Bale performance, and is blokey as hell.
A hunter helps an FBI agent investigate the murder of a young woman. Enthralling snowy contemporary Western, with something to say about grief, the bleakness of reservation life, and life in the mountains, while delivering genre thrills.
A female FBI agent gets in over her head when she volunteers to liaise with an inter-agency anti-drugs team. Smart, bleak and suspenseful thriller with great performances and some standout sequences. Recommended.
![Ford v Ferrari [AKA Le Mans ’66] (2019, dir. James Mangold)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/fordvferrrari.jpg?w=960)
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