Empire of Light

Writer/Director Sam Mendes has made some good movies, and his recent "Empire of Light" is now amongst them. This is a multi-faceted drama that seems to take on maybe too large a scope in some ways, but that's a small quibble to what's good in the movie, which is its core focus to love, romance, and friendship between the main characters. Set in England during the 80s, the movie has a great look about it that reflects the past marvelously without focusing too much on it. Its an enhancement. There's also much reflection on time and space in a cyclical way, being older and younger, accomplishments and regrets to name a couple. Michael Ward has star written in bright lights - Mendes and he create an 'Old-Soul' character. I liked the movie with nice accompanying soundtrack. 7/10.

You're trapped inside a world of make believe, where people take their seats to be deceived, lose themselves in fantasy, reels conjure alchemy, this is no paradise or palace, that you perceive. Behind closed doors, torment and distress are at play, where advantages are taken day by day, but you plough your lonely furrow, cage the rage, the pain, the sorrow, then someone new arrives, projects a fresh pathway.

I spent two hours spellbound at the incredible Olivia Coleman, who takes you into the unstable world of Hilary in early 1980s Britain. More than ably supported by Michael Ward, the pair paint a picture of the challenges of the day, from different backgrounds and perspectives, that rollercoast your emotions to extremes. Great story, great direction and great performances - what more do you need from a film?

Empire of Light grapples with a lot of different themes and issues but struggles to do them all justice resulting in a mixed bag that at least offers an emotionally investing love letter to the power of cinema that remembers to show the problems of the time.

Olivia Colman gives a great lead performance that plays to her strengths with plenty of incredibly dramatic moments. Micheal Ward is really good with a calmness and earnestness that makes the romance more believable. Toby Jones is excellent in his small part, with a wholesome nature that hides a real sadness.

Despite a muddled screenplay as first time solo screenwriter, Sam Mendes' direction is still technically impressive with Roger Deakin's gorgeous cinematography enhanced by a typically evocative score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

...Well... at least that's what could have been. When the movie opens and sets us back into the late 70s and early 80s, seeing a classic cinema, with some craftsmanship behind it, that we forgot how to appreciate. With beautiful cinematography and lighting, this really makes you melancholic... that's the good part...

Unfortunately I checked my watch so many times during this movie, wondering when it would finally reach the 2h mark and therefore the end. It's easily 30mins to long and while it has a VERY important message that is still relevant today unfortunately, it somehow get's lost in its own melancholia, but not in a Lars von Trier way, just in "are we there yet?" way.

While it surely has its beautiful moments and lovely dialogues along the way, it did only drag me in for about 2, 3 mins and had me lost in the other scenes for some reason. It feels like this movie wants to be to many things at the same time and can't decide where to put its focus point.

I almost didn't go after reading the marmite reviews, not wanting to be disappointed with a film that the fantastically talented Olivia Coleman was in.

We were booked to see The Menu but due to a last minute technical hitch our tickets were cancelled and we decided since we were there we might as well watch it.

Olivia knocks it out the park again, she's ridiculously good. I loved every little understated detail about this film from the snow crystals on her boots at the beginning to the lipstick on her teeth later on. It was like going to Disneyland and realising there wasn't a crack on the pavement that wasn't meant to be there. The cinematography was exceptional. Such a talented cast - Michael Ward, Toby Jones, Colin Firth all created very credible characters that drew you in and made you sad, happy, and laugh.

Don't believe the negative reviews this is a really beautiful, poignant film. At the end we just kept repeating "I'm so glad we came to see this"