Photo: Universal Pictures
Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan in 'She Said'
Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan in 'She Said'
“Amazing Grace: Country Stars Sing Songs of Faith and Hope”
(TimeLife DVD)
Americana fans may want to take a look at this multi-disc set featuring 153 live songs by a gamut of country artists including George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Dolly Parton and more. Of special interest are the two bonus DVDs of “Opry Gospel Classics,” documenting performances by Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Porter Wagoner and others from the Grand Ole’ Opry archives. A booklet of photos and liner notes is also included. (David Luhrssen)
Amazing Grace: Country Stars Sing Songs of Faith and Hope
The Burned Barns
(Cohen Film Collection)
Jean-Michel Jarre’s spooky electronic score for this 1973 French film sets a mood reminiscent of giallo, the Italian gothic crime genre reaching its peak at that time. The story circles around a beautiful woman from Paris, her body found at a rural crossroads on a snowy night. An investigating judge arrives in the farm village and detects loose threads in the tightly knit community. In an especially strong performance, Simone Signoret plays the mother of a shifty-looking suspect. She is concerned, wary, protective. The cinematography and sound design under director Jean Chapot catch the snowbound beauty of a remote place in winter, the crunch of ice, the persistent chill. (David Luhrssen)
The Menu
(In Theaters November 18)
Eating at Chef Slowik’s (Ralph Fiennes) coastal island restaurant rings up at $1,250 per guest, who reserve seats months in advance. On the evening in question, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a last-minute diner, the guest of wealthy foodie Tyler (Nicholas Hoult). While Tyler worships the ground Chef Slowik walks on, Margot is neither wealthy nor a foodie. The evening’s other patrons include an actor (John Leguizamo) and his assistant (Aimee Carrero), a pretentious food critic (Janet McTeer) and her editor (Paul Adelstein), a wealthy couple (Judith Light and Reed Birney), and the restaurant’s financial backers, a trio of tech wizards (Rob Yang, Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr.)
Margot is put off by her boyfriend’s culinary obsessing and fails to appreciate the arrogant Chef Slowik’s menu. A satire, thriller and horror, eventually there’s a comeuppance for the entitlement on display that leaves viewers to ponder which genre dominates. Some of the film’s most captivating scenes document the precision necessary to create a high-end dining experience. Director Mark Mylod contrasts a drab color palette against warm-glow lighting that hints something’s not right. Viewers may want to bring a sandwich. (Lisa Miller)
She Said
(In Theaters November 18)
Based on the book of the same title by a pair of female investigative New York Times reporters, this story unfolds in 2016, as the women struggle to expose abusive practices by Miramax movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Jodie Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) find dozens of victims either too frightened to go “on the record,” or who took settlements that prohibit them from relaying their experiences. The NY Times editors are portrayed by Andre Braugher and Patricia Clarkson, as increasingly determined to feature the story, once all its i’s are dotted. The film depicts the struggle of working moms as Kantor and Twohey try to raise children while working tirelessly to complete their story. Director Maria Schrader elects not to show Weinstein (or the actor playing him), except briefly from behind; as if to say that it’s the victims, rather than their perpetrator, who finally deserve to be seen and heard. (Lisa Miller)
