Taylor Sheridan should win the Oscar for best original screenplay for Hell or High Water, a wonderful heist movie set in the dazzling backwaters of Texas. Director David Mackenzie has also to be given great credit for the staging and filming of this little masterpiece. Jeff Bridges is superb as a Texas Ranger near to retirement. The best thing I have seen him do since The Big Lebowski. It will take something special to prize awards away from him come the end of the year. Chris Pine and Ben Foster are also truly believable as the bank robbing brothers. Just one great movie.
The Infiltrator is a decent undercover drugs thriller. Unfortunately the first half hour is all over the place, it was hard to work out who was who. But then it settles down into the dangerous operation to set up high ranking members of the cartel. Bryan Cranston is terrific as real life agent Bob Mazur, a shame that the rest of the cast was disappointing. Maybe that was because of the dodgy script by Ellen Brown Furman and messy direction from her son Brad. But the story was good.
A small budget British post apocalyptic thriller, The Girl with all the Gifts just shows how to spend money wisely. I read the book a couple of years ago and was decidedly underwhelmed. However, it made for a good movie. The zombies are infected with a fungus, but the introduction cleverly avoids telling us too much. Why are all these children strapped to wheelchairs when they leave their prison cells for lessons? we soon find out. Gemma Arterton as their teacher gives a solid, if undramatic performance. That is left to Glen Close and Paddy Considine, both under pressure when the chips are down. Mike (M.R.) Carey has adapted his own book and has been allowed to be faithful to it, even the classy ending. Colm McCarthy has directed with enthusiasm. One more thing to add. The sound design and supervision by Dillon Bennett is absolutely amazing. I was mesmorised by every click of the strap on the wheelchair. Dillon has a long, long list of movies to his credit. This might be his best.
Three good movies in succession, but none at my local Odeon!
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