DISCREET GENRE MASTER

Hirokazu Koreeda is the man of family drama. Period. Even when he doesn’t produce anything memorable, he still makes a really decent flick for the entire family.

Family is the word for Hirokazu and „After the storm” is no exception. Couple in the middle of the divorce, a child between them, a grandmother trying to patch the things and all that in the wake of another monsoon that ravages the Japanese islands for centuries.

There won’t be awesome memorable quotes or scenes, but the overall sense of warmth, human side of some difficult situations and choices and trademark solid acting of the cast selected will follow the overall strong creative control of the man who writes, directs and produces his films, Mr Hirokazu Koreeda.

„After the storm” is a solid family drama, as it is always when it comes from Hirokazu Koreeda.

AFTER THE STORM – 6/10

FOTO: cdn2.thr.com

INSTANT HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC

Hollywood was built on analytic scripts shedding a light on a chosen subject from every possible angle. This was particularly present in the golden era of journalistic movies, the 1970s, but somehow abandoned along the way. In present Hollywood, every reminiscence of those kind of scripts should be observed with special attention and acclaimed by both average viewers and critics.

„Spotlight” isn't a sensational script and won't give anything more than you already knew about Catholic church and child sexual molestation conducted by its priests. It will ''only'' thoroughly analyze all the aspects of the subject, each and every one of its participants, as well as traces of cover-ups that followed.

Built around the waterproof script, the following story, rhythm and all the actors step without any stutters and holdups. Cast in one of the most balanced ones in the past couple of years, led by reliable Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber and Stanley Tucci, while often sidelined Mark Ruffalo finally takes his place beneath the spotlight.

The only visible and sensible fault of „Spotlight” is the overall „safe” mode and the expected ending without much conclusion attached to it.

Nonetheless, „Spotlight” is one of those scripts that built Hollywood and one of those precious gems in modern quality-slumped cinema industry.

SPOTLIGHT - 8/10

FOTO: blastmagazine.com