Ed's Review Dot Com

Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures, thefyzz,

Sophie Nélisse, Corinne Foxx, Brianne Tju, Sistine Rose Stallone, Brec Bassinger, John Corbett, Nia Long, Axel Mansilla, Khylin Rhambo, Davi Santos

Two step-sisters are trying to get along together while Dad who is a deep sea diver, archeologist, tour guide is trying to pull the family together. But one sister has to put up with a lot of guff from the other girls in their island school. Dad sets them up on a “touristy” sightseeing tour to see the sharks from a glass bottomed boat, but the two sisters along with 2 other friends decide to head out to a remote site where an underwater Aztec cave city is located. Knowing they are not supposed to go in there, the girls decide to take a chance and explore just the opening, but an underwater disaster finds them trapped in the labyrinth of underwater caves with no way out and their supplies and air dwindling. It will take a lot of skill and a lot of luck for anyone of them to survive this disaster as it end up filled with man eating great white sharks as well.

This is not a sequel to the original 47 Meters Down from 2017. See Ed’s Review of 47 Meters Down here: The story is very different and unrelated, although similar in a few ways (i.e. Sharks and running out of air!). This film did go a little too far in the end, and could have had a better ending, (not unlike the killer who gets killed, but gets back up and disappears only to kill again), but it was a really suspenseful film, and the scenery was spectacular. The underwater city was breathtaking. The suspense was super, and the girls did a good job of being capable, yet a bit reckless, teen-age girls, which is what they were supposed to be after all. The photography was outstanding and it really kept us on the edge of our seats. I just did a review for the latest Stephen King film which is a major motion picture, and gave it a 3 rating, where I give this bit of fluff a 4 rating, so I had to stop and think of why I did that. I remember a saying from the Bible where (paraphrased) it says “where is much is given, much is expected” and I think that’s the reason. This is not setting out to be a Hollywood Blockbuster major motion picture, but a simple underwater thriller, and it totally nailed that and was highly enjoyable entertainment. On the other hand, I expected a lot from King’s movie and was disappointed. That is the reason why this film deserves a 4 star rating because it does exactly what it sets out to do and is well worth the time spent having your heart racing while we wonder if any of these poor girls are going to make it. Even with the silly ending where they went a bridge too far, it was a well done film and I do recommend it. Perhaps it was not as suspenseful as the first film, but it was a lot more spectacular to look at. Enjoy it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Fox 2000 Pictures, Sunswept Entertainment, Studio Babelsberg,

Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Sophie Nélisse, Ben Schnetzer, Nico Liersch, Barbara Auer, Levin Liam, Rainer Bock, Carina N. Wiese, Roger Allam

Set in the World War II days in Germany, Liesel (Sophie Nelisse) who was 9 when she was taken to live with her foster family. She steals books and shares them with others, teaching herself to read. Liesel is fascinated by the Jewish man who is hiding in their basement and makes a friendship with him. This is her story of trying to remain civilized in an uncivilized time and place.

This is probably the best World War II story since “The Diary of Anne Frank”. This is a story that young teens and teenagers can appreciate and learn about the holocaust. It is a touching story. It’s nicely done. The pace is not too fast, yet it doesn’t drag. It’s a dark and dreary film, but yet the hope and spirit of Liesel makes you understand that even in the horrible times, there is hope for humanity. This is based on a novel by Markus Zusak, and really turned into a touching film. I was very pleasantly surprised by the depth of this story. This is a really good film, and one I recommend.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

micro_scope,

Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nélisse, Émilien Néron, Marie-Ève Beauregard, Vincent Millard, Seddik Benslimane, Louis-David Leblanc, Gabriel Verdier, Marianne Soucy-Lord, Danielle Proulx, Brigitte Poupart

Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag) is an immigrant to Canada from Algeria. When, at an Elementary School, a teacher commits suicide while the kids are in school, Bachir sees an opening to apply for the role as teacher to the students of the affected class. His own personal trials and agonies help him to assist his students in coping with the loss in this drama based on a play.

This is a heartwarming story. I really enjoyed watching it, but there are a couple things you should know. First, it is based on a play, so there isn’t a lot of scenery or beautiful locations. It simply takes place in the halls and classroom of the school. Secondly, the movie is in French, so you have to devote the time to watch the movie closely to catch the excellent discussion and dialog in subtitles unless you’re lucky enough to be familiar in the old French they speak in Montreal. If you are ready to put these two issues behind you, you’re in for a really well developed story. I’m not sure what makes playwrights different than screenwriters, but it must be the lack of visual queues due to the limitations of the stage that makes them develop richer and fuller dialog. These characters are very well developed. From those who knew the teacher involved and who felt a need to defend and protect her memory, to those who wanted to hold her responsible, to Mr. Lazhar’s view which based on his own back story is more like “S*** Happens”. The back story of his attempts to qualify for permanent residency as due to political asylum and his unique set of circumstances make him an excellent helper to the students affected by the tragedy. He’s had his share himself. But some do not approve of his methods. This is a well told story with great character development, not much action or suspense, but a good dramatic tale that must have been an excellent play before it was a movie. I can recommend this one for those of you who can handle a dramatic story (which is slow sometimes) told in subtitles.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog