★★★★
A character as complex, perhaps even contrived, as Joan Castleman must inspire discussion and disagreement. One thing all should agree is that, in Björn Runge’s big screen adaptation of The Wife, she has been brought to breathtaking life by a career-best Glenn Close. Of course, it helps that the tale is compelling and the director assured but there’s no denying that this is an acting masterclass.
This October, we’re celebrating some of the best horror films ever made. Look out for a new classic review daily across the month on The Film Blog, as well as more special treats along the way!
First up is 2005 film The Descent, by British filmmaker Neil Marshall.
#31DaysOfHorror
★★★
An oddly untapped epoch in film, Ireland’s Great Famine is gifted the western treatment in Lance Daly’s Black ‘47. The title refers to 1847, the worst year of the tragedy, in which a million died and a million more emigrated, whilst the film unveils its horrors through the eyes of a renegade ranger. Perhaps at the expense of a more nuanced sociopolitical drama, this is an entertainingly brazen Revenant meets The Road tale of revenge.
The Film Blog 