Friday film roundup: 40-Year Old Film Steals Grace’s Thunder
It’s Friday again, which means it’s time for another film update from Past the Popcorn:
Who’d have thunk it? Going into limited re-release this week, 1964’s Becket, starring Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton, is actually the strongest film opening, according to Greg Wright. This tale of Henry II’s struggle to the death with Archbishop Becket, though old-school in its techniques, presents compelling dialogue, dynamic performances, and timeless analyses of temporal and spiritual powers. Interestingly, Amazing Grace, powerful enough in its own right (also according to Wright), borrows heavily (and successfully) on this old-school style, but doesn’t quite add up to the sum of its excellent parts. Still–what a pair of treats!
Also this week, Billy Bob Thornton’s new effort, The Astronaut Farmer. Jenn Wright didn’t quite warm up to it in the way that the filmmakers would have hoped — even after sitting down to talk to them about it! Likewise, Mike Smith was not overly impressed with The Number 23.
