Something To Watch Tonight

Dead Winter

A woman travels to the snow-covered slopes of northern Minnesota and temporarily prevents the abduction of a teenage girl. With the nearest town miles away and no phone signal, she realizes she is the girl’s only hope. Is it worth your attention?

• Emma Thomson is excellent as always. I expected nothing less.
• The frozen landscape strongly enhances the film’s atmosphere.
• Plenty of action if you are a fan of the genre.
• Realistic storytelling.
• It is tense and suspenseful.
• I liked the ending.
• Strong cinematography.
• Solid direction, with extended shots of the snowy expanses.

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• It does not avoid some genre clichés.
• The plot is predictable, though that did not bother me much.
• The character’s background is missing.
• The story has ambiguities, almost until the end.
• The villain duo feels somewhat schematic, though not overly distracting.
• There are moments of repetition.

The Lost Bus

The film is based on real events from the deadly Camp Fire in California in 2018, considered one of the most lethal wildfires in the state’s history. It destroyed the town of Paradise and caused heavy loss of life. Kevin McKay, a school bus driver, is tasked with picking up 22 children along with their teacher, Mary Ludwig, and getting them to safety. Is it worth your attention?

• Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera deliver very strong performances.
• Greengrass’s direction is impressive and commanding.
• The overall wildfire setting is tense and visually very well executed.
• Excellent, nervous editing.
• It has suspense.
• Very easy and engaging to watch.
• It portrays ordinary people with real problems facing extreme and life-threatening conditions.

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• You could call it a bit old-fashioned, which did not bother me personally.
• The script, although based on a very powerful and interesting subject, is not well developed.
• It includes some clichés.
• It lacks that wow factor that leaves you speechless.
• The intercut scenes showing attempts to rescue other residents can be distracting.