Movies: Buzz Worthy or Buzzer?
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ENID, OK - We will review many of the top movies being released today. Our goal is to let you know whether a new release is worth the "Buzz" or needs to get hit with the "Buzzer." We will rate each film on a scale of 1-5 Buzz's. If a film only gets 1 Buzz, it's a "Buzzer" and you should avoid it like a zombie neck licking contest. Enjoy the show!
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You can search for other movie reviews by just typing movie review in the search feature in the right sidebar.
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Movie Reviews: The Nightingale
by Jeff Owens
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Parts of The Nightingale are extremely difficult to watch and, although it’s not a horror movie, it has moments of pure terror worse than any found in writer-director Jennifer Kent’s debut film, The Babadook (2014). While evil manifests as an imaginary creature from a pop-up storybook in the latter, it’s demonstrated by the real-life actions of man in the former.
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In 1825 Tasmania, a British officer named Hawkins (Sam Claflin) is as rotten as they come. He rapes a young Irish convict, Clare (Aisling Franciosi), and that’s the least of his sins. Events escalate among him, his cronies, Clare, her husband (Michael Sheasby), and their infant child, leaving Clare to pursue him through the wilderness seeking revenge.
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On the surface, Hawkins doesn’t look bad. In fact, he’s more handsome than most cinematic villains of the kind, which probably makes his atrocities even more unexpected (at first) and horrendous. His journey ahead of Clare, racing to secure a promotion to Captain, provides additional opportunities for him to perform despicable acts.
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If there’s one disappointment in The Nightingale, it may be that the movie spends so much time depicting the evil things Hawkins does, that I’m not sure he ultimately meets the fate he deserves (and we want to see delivered.) Without spoiling what happens, you have to consider that Clare’s revenge may not be the point of the story.
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It’s not that she doesn’t have a much-needed catharsis, but as she goes through it, she must experience something profound about herself… about life… about good vs. evil; I’m not sure which or if it’s all of them. This confirms that the story is more about her and what happens to her than it is about anyone else and what happens to them.
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Hawkins’s figurative ugliness is equaled by the literal ugliness of his travelling companions. They’re a band of misfits, for sure, more overt with their bad behavior. Hawkins doesn’t necessarily encourage them, but neither does he discourage them. It’s almost as if he’s too exhausted to exercise any control over them, even though he’s their superior.
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So, all that is one thing. The other thing is that the story is set against a backdrop of prejudice and racism, a particularly sensitive subject once again in the here and now. The British have invaded the land, displacing the natives and using (and abusing) them when necessary. For example, they’re hired as trackers when they need to travel through the wilderness.
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Hawkins and his men have a tracker, and so does Clare. There’s a heavy focus on the relationship that develops between her and Billy (Baykali Ganambarr). Yes, it’s part Green Book, but it’s also more substantial than that. Again, it’s not about his character, but hers, and the way she evolves as a human being as he subtly influences her on their adventure.
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Everything about the production of The Nightingale is exquisite. Never does its 136 minutes drag. If you’re uneasy with the violence, I’d argue that it’s necessary to demonstrate the evil that devastates Clare and how much she must overcome to achieve any semblance of peace. If you can overcome that, you might achieve some understanding of yourself, as well.
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Buzz Score:
The Nightingale = 4 out of 5
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Jeff Owens
Jeff, a graduate of Enid High School, is the Managing Editor and Senior Movie Critic of Boom Howdy, an entertainment and web culture site featuring news, movies, podcasts, comedy and gaming.
Jeff is also the Movie Buzz Guy for Enid Buzz and a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle. Email Jeff Here or follow his Twitter Page.
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