Director spotlight

Director spotlight

Christopher Nolan K icking off the first Director Appreciation spotlight, I thought I’d start off with one of my favorites. Christopher Nolan has directed and penned many successful films that I have grown to love over the years.

Most notably, the themes often seen in his movies revolve around existential questions about identity and perception. Nolan has a few awards to back up his credentials such as winning five Academy Awards, six Golden Globes, and five BAFTAs.

Nolan has a knack for getting a charismatic ensemble cast together for each movie. Big names draw big crowds, but it’s the intricately woven storyline that makes re -watching Nolan’s films enticing. A re-watch is high recommended because each time a small piece of the puzzle is discovered. This happens every time I decide to watch “Inception” or “The Prestige” which both use narrative misdirection to lead the audience’s attention elsewhere.

A crafty sleight of hand may be missed on the first watch but it’s these little parts of the movies that make it come together in the end. Usually on the first viewing, the audience’s attention is captured by trying to figure out the plot, remembering who the characters are, and keeping up with the conversation. It doesn’t leave much room for your brain to notice the minor pieces playing in the background. Then, come the ending, it feels like an epiphany when you realize what has just played out in front of you.

To me, the movies Nolan has directed and wrote are genius. A few others think so too. According to Rotten Tomatoes, most of Nolan’s movies were rated at 85% or higher.

So the best audience for a Nolan movie? His movies tend to go over the two hour mark and sometimes it’s best to “go with the flow” with confusing plots. If you don’t mind these two details then there is a chance Nolan may become one of your favorite directors, too.

Written by Oisín Ó Ruacháinn A gatha Christie. The name is famous in literary circles as the monarch of mystery, and for good reason, too. Her novels have sold millions of copies since she began publishing in the early 20th century.

There have been a plethora of retellings and adaptations of Agatha Christie’s most popular novels, based on her crimesolving leads Mary Marple and Hercule Poirot, the latest of which focuses on the latter.

Released on Nov. 10, 2017 “Murder on the Orient Express” features the story of mysterysolving detective Poirot traveling aboard the Orient Express, seeking only to rest back in London.

On the way there, however, a passenger is found murdered, and Poirot, “probably the world’s greatest detective,” is called into action.

Throughout the story, Poirot applies deduction, sentiment, and wit to reveal the killer. A sudden avalanche allows for Poirot to work on the case with ample time, and the story focuses on the cross-examination of key witnesses. The case is eventually solved, and the train is set in motion once more without further misadventures.

The 2017 film adaption of “Murder on the Orient Express” portrayed the original narrative with a focus on the stereotypical mystery-novel tropes, such as a locked-room murder, crossexamining of witnesses, false testimonies and scanty evidence.

In theory and on paper, the film hits all the right marks for a good mystery— but on the big screen, the plot takes a sure turn into drama.

Well before the halfway mark of the film, there was a moment that I became conspicuously aware that I was no longer watching a film about solving a classic locked -room ‘whodunit,’ but rather a character-driven drama, complete with intertwined backstories, love

With the cinematic success of “Murder on the Orient Express”,

“Death on the Nile” seems to be a promising film for 2020. The setting for “Death on the Nile”, however, is sure to steal the show. The novella takes place in Egypt, with the focus of the action on the Nile itself; with the recent 'resurrection' of interest in the Egyptian setting having had time settle in, a new plot in Egypt is ripe for the taking.

EXPRESS continued on page 19

From books to film: anticipated releases

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

by Suzanne Collins This recent release is set as a spinoff and prequel to the popular “Hunger Games” series. This story follows President Cornelius Snow 64 years earlier and takes place on the morning of the reaping for the Tenth Hunger Games.

China Rich Girlfriend

by Kevin Kwan The sequel to the wildly successful “Crazy Rich Asians” was slated to premiere in 2021 but with COVID-19, filming has been pushed back.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah A tale of love, courage, and sisterhood sets the tone of this historical fiction set during World War II Paris. The Fanning sisters have been cast in the lead roles.