The third Marvel movie of 2017 is upon us, and even though I preferred the previous two, it was only by a matter of degrees. And you know you’re going to watch it anyway. We all are. It’s fun!
So, to the week’s releases:
Dina: Much as I like the subjects — a middle-aged Philadelphia woman and her younger fiance — I have some real issues with Antonio Santini and Dan Sickle’s documentary.. And so should anyone who knows the first thing about how movies are made.
The Divine Order: Petra Volpe’s seriocomic look at the crusade for suffrage in Switzerland — which didn’t happen until 1971, if you can imagine that — finally reaches Toronto after a strong showing at Tribeca.
God’s Own Country: Francis Lee’s first feature is a bleak, beautiful love story between a Yorkshire farm boy (Josh O’Connor) and a Romanian ranch hand (Alex Secareanu). Honestly, what else do you need to know?
The Killing of a Sacred Deer: Paul is all in on Yorgos Lanthimos’ meta-thriller, the second of this year’s team-ups between Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrell. Apparently things go just about as well for them in this one.
Novitiate: Susan is skeptical about Margaret Betts’ Catholic drama, which appears to feature Melissa Leo going even further over the top than she did in Prisoners. I am unnerved.
The Square: Paul really liked Ruben Ostlund’s latest exercise in scalpel-sharp social satire when he saw it at Cannes; I’m really looking forward to catching up to it myself.
Thor: Ragnarok: Taika Waititi and his cast do a fine job of making the third Thor movie an interstellar joyride, and an overall success for the Marvel machinery; it’s just so much more entertaining when it’s not being a Thor movie, you know?
And that’s everything. Or … is it? Check back later today for a special bonus episode of Someone Else’s Movie!