Movie of the Week – Creed
We’re well and truly into awards season and this week sees the arrival of three of the main contenders. The best is Creed, the latest installment in the Rocky saga. This one sees Stallone acting as mentor to the son of his original antagonist, Apollo Creed. The film is surprisingly touching and Stallone could well land an Oscar for his outstanding performance.
Room
Room is the worst sort of awards bait, taking a heavy subject and treating it in a crass manner. Our own Lenny Abrahamson directs Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay as a mother and son held captive for years by a Josef Fritzl type kidnapper. This intriguing premise is wasted in a movie that never fully explores its theme with any depth.
The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio will likely win an Oscar for his turn in The Revenant because he ate a live fish on screen. He plays a trapper who sets out for revenge after his son is murdered and he himself is left for dead. The visuals are breath-taking but the story is paper thin.
Labyrinth
Following the passing of David Bowie, the Lighthouse is holding a special screening of Labyrinth Friday night, with all proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society. If you can’t make it there’s a second screening on Sunday.
By Eric Hillis of themoviewaffler.com
