LisaLR1

9/10 (Very Good to Excellent) The most artistic and intellectually stimulating film of the year, all 3 hours and 35 minutes of it. Features brilliant direction from Brady Corbet (Vox Lux) and impeccable acting, particularly from the movie's 3 leads, Adrien Brody (The Pianist), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) and Guy Pearce (L. A. Confidential, Memento). The Brutalist follows 30 years in the life of Hungarian Architect László Tóth played by Brody, a Post World War II Holocaust Survivor who leaves Europe for a new start in America and the numerous challenges faced as an Immigrant. Kudos to the Production Design Team of the film on their flawless and intricate attention to detail and also to the movie's Director of Photography Lol Crawley for his impressive cinematography.

Saw The Convert last night.

4 out of 5 stars: The Convert is a compelling story set in 1830's New Zealand of a British preacher who gets caught up in Maori Wars from Once Were Warriors and Die Another Day director Lee Tamahori. With a screenplay by Lee Tamahori and Michael Bennett (In Dark Places), the film features impeccable acting from a talented cast that includes Australian actors Guy Pearce (Memento, LA Confidential) and Jacqueline McKenzie (Force of Nature: The Dry 2) and newcomer Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne. Breathtaking scenery of New Zealand shot by cinematographer Gin Loane (The Justice of Bunny King).