Tag: Keira Knightley

THE AFTERMATH: A Sizzling Drama Lacking Originality

The Aftermath Review

The Aftermath directed by James Kent, is a tale focused on an estranged couple with the backdrop of post-World War II Germany serving as a metaphor for their troubled marriage. When Rachael (Keira Knightley) is instructed to live with a German widower (Alexander Skarsgård) and his daughter at the behest of her husband (Jason Clarke), their marriage is put to the test, as Rachael is tempted by the unexpected bond she forms with this German man. While this tale of lust and betrayal is clever in the way the state of the couple’s marriage closely mirrors the political climate that surrounds them, it is ultimately hindered by a lack of ingenuity as the moral of the story has long been exhausted by practically every story set during any historical war.

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The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Film Review

The Nutcracker Review

1.5 out of 4 stars (1.5 / 4)

Disney’s attempt at expanding on the mythology of the classic “Nutcracker” story is needlessly convoluted, with an overly familiar story that feels more like a big-budget holiday cash-grab than a creative re-imagination. Unlike the toy solider at the center of the story, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms never comes to life.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms follows in the footsteps of other edgy attempts from Disney to reinterpret beloved classics into original live-action versions. In an article I wrote earlier this week, I stated that Disney live-adaptations can fall into one of two categories – a straight retelling of a classic story or a creative expansion of the original. Apparently, I was wrong, as The Nutcracker manages not to fit into either category. It is essentially 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, repackaged with a blanket of fake snow and a Santa cap thrown on top for the holidays.

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