Movie Review - Death on the Nile

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller/ Mystery
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russel Brand, Emma Mackey, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Letitia Wright, Sophie Okonedo
 
    
Description: While on vacation on the Nile, Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh_ must investigate the murder of a young heiress (Gal Gadot).

Review: Detective Hercule Poirot attends a cruise of a newlywed coupe on the Nile River. During this cruise, someone is mysteriously murdered. Who is the culprit?
“Murder on the Orient Express”(2017) was an enjoyable detective-thriller. Based on the book of the same name, director Kenneth Branagh managed to keep the story engaging. It was a solid whodunnit. This stand-alone sequel, “Death on the Nile”, once again features Poirot as a detective (also portrayed by director Branagh) who must solve a new case. This time on the river Nile.
We know what to expect thanks to “Murder on the Orient Express”, so the wait until something actual happens now feels longer. It takes over an hour for the first murder to occur. Before this, the films makes an attempt at character development, but because of the many characters, they all remain superficial. Added to this is the fact that the cast of its predecessor was many times stronger. Unfortunately, the cast of “Death on the Nile” cannot match this.
The film gets off to a slows tart and the final murder mystery is not as strong. One wise choice was to focus on detective Poirot. We see a glimpse of his backstory and tries to highlight the sympathetic side of the man. Kenneth Branagh is also the highlight of the film, because he shines as Poirot. And he also very well directed this film.
“Death on the Nile” is a bit long, the build-up is a slow and the final murder mystery is not as strong as in its predecessor. As a viewer you are also puzzling for answers and these are fairly predictable and obvious. Fun to watch once, but that’s all it is.
Death on the Nile is a bit long, the build-up is slow and the final murder mystery is not as strong as in its predecessor. As a viewer you are also puzzling for answers and these are fairly predictable and obvious, if I say so myself. This is a typical case of a film that is fun to watch once, but that's all it is.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Secret Life of Bees

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo, Paul Bettany, Hilarie Burton

Description: In 1964, a teenage girl (Dakota Fanning) in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 36: A MOVIE WITH A MAINLY FEMALE CAST
 
Review: In “The Secret Life of Bees” we follow teenager Lily, who lives with her abusive father after her mother died. The only good thing in her life is housekeeper Rosaleen, who has to deal with her own fair share of abuse, given she is a black woman who wants to register to vote in 1960s Southern US. When Rosaleen ends up in the hospital after being beat up, Lily helps her and they both run away.
They end up in Tilburon, the town name she find in one of her mother’s belongings. She also found the label of a honey jar, which brings Lily and Rosaleen to August. She is a beekeeper who lives together with her sisters May and June. August welcomes both with open arms and they van stay with her for as long as they need.
The story share many events with us. Like Lily’s personal quest to come to terms with herself and to find out more about her mother. But also the issues like developments in the race issue.
Dakota Fanning plays Lily and does that very well. She is one of those child actors that we still here of frequently, which is good, because Fanning is a very talented actress. She is surrounded by a strong cast: Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Paul Bettany, Sophie Okonedo and Hilarie Burton. There is no weak link, but most of the praise goes to Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo.
What we see in “The Secret Life of Bees” is not completely credible. The Boatwright sisters’ home seems like a paradise in race-born hotbed America. This makes the movie less realistic. The colorful, warm cinematography and matching music also contribute to that magical, dreamlike setting. But believability or reality is not what this is about. “The Secret Life of Bees” is above all an enchanting story about hope and love in difficult times.

Rating: 3,5 / 5