Happy New Year and welcome to 2026 for all my readers. Yes your boy Andy has been absent for a while but he is back to review some new film releases over the summer…
Nuremburg (2025)
Director: James Vanderbilt
The film Nuremberg recounts the real world story of the Nuremberg trials in the aftermath of World War II, in which senior leaders and officials of the Nazis were put on trial under international law for their war crimes. In particular, the film’s protagonist is Reichsmarshall Herman Goring (Russell Crowe) – their de facto leader after the death of Hitler.
As a historical thriller, the film overall is engrossing and brilliantly told with with excellent production values and serious but prescient themes for the future. Crowe’s performance is particularly captivating and brilliant as Goring – his character dominates the screen with a striking resemblance in speech, manner and body, and is surely worthy of an Oscar nomination. Michael Shannon is also brilliant as Robert H. Jackson, an associate justice of the US Supreme court and the trial’s chief prosecutor. The film’s major letdown however, is Rami Malek’s stilted and miscast acting as psychiatrist Douglas Kelly – we’re not really sure what his real motivations are or what goes on in his mind or character. The film also feels rather rushed – there is a lot to cover and many historical facts/events/characters are condensed – despite its 2.5 hr runtime, with a rather underwhelming ending.
Rating: 7/10
En Fanfare (The Marching Band) (2024)
Director: Emmannuel Courcol
This one’s for the lovers of drama and classical (or orchestral music). Acclaimed orchestrial conductor Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe) is diagnosed with cancer, he is reunited with his long-lost brother Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), a cook in a mining facility. Their shared love of music will create a bond which is tested to the limits as both experience personal challenges and difficulties in life.
What a brilliantly made music drama this is. This is a rich and brilliantly made French drama – led by some brilliant acting perfomances and choreographed scenes of music and hope, sprinkled with humour throughout. The film’s core theme of the importance of music in our lives, and its importance and value to the community is brilliantly and beautifully dramatised in the face of hardship and difficulty. The characters are also brillantly written and developed throughout – feeling like real people with real quirks and mannerisms you could meet. A particular highlight is the performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23.
Rating: 9/10 – Highly recommended.
The Choral (2025)
Director: Nicholas Hynter
Another music movie here – this one with less success unfortunately…
The Choral is another historical drama film set during World War I which focuses on a small English town’s choral society, and their performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius – a work for voice and orchestra.
This one is a tad more challenging to review – being a rather obscure work and film – so I will divide it into three categories below:
The good – Ralph Fiennes is excellent as choralmaster Henry Guthrie. His personality and character shine throughout the film, particularly his strict attitude and devotion to music and his preference for German culture and works (which was considered taboo at the time due to the war and is subject to several good jokes). The English village setting and locations are also authentic and well realised, as are costumes. There are also some beautiful moments of music – particularly from Mary (Amara Okerere) – as an outstanding soprano vocalist.
The bad – Unfortunately, the script is rather formulaic and pedestrian. There is little tension or drama, or even danger or intrigue – especially given the dangerous time setting of World War I. Most of the cast are thinly scripted with little background or development to make the audience relate. There is potential for greatness – particularly from the cast – but the writing is a major disappointment.
The ugly – the film’s core musical work is a performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius – a rather obscure work about an old man’s soul from death to divine judgement and Purgatory. Whilst it may perhaps be a suitable work for the times of WWI – unfortunately this will be a rather inaccessible work to most audiences today, and will most likely not endear or encourage audiences to explore Elgar’s music.
Rating: 5/10 – Enjoyable but average.
Marty Supreme (2025)
Director: Josh Safdie
The best way I can describe Marty Supreme its that its basically Goodfellas but instead of mobster violence you have a sports comedy film. Easily the most enjoyable film I’ve watched in months, it is an intoxicating and engrossing tale fuelled by nothing but aspiration, ego and madness.
The plot is simple – Marty Mausner (Timothee Chalamet), a shoe salesman, decides to be a professional table tennis player with aspirations to reach the top and become world champion. Easier said than done mate, but good try…
I dont want to give too much of the plot away for those who haven’t seen it. This is not your average sports film and Marty is no ordinary protagonist. Needless to say, the film is endlessly entertaining, engrossing, hilarious and mad all at the same time, with the audience never quite sure what Marty will do next. Timothy Chalamet is brilliant as Marty – a role that is very intense and out there – a bit like Leo DiCaprio in Wolf of Wall Street – and quite unlike anything he’s done before in previous films like Dune or The King or Wonka. The guy will do anything – steal, gamble, cheat, scrape, evade – to get through in life to achieve his goals. Damn. Some performance that is.
There are also some hilarious jokes sprinkled throughout the film which is complemented by a brilliant contemporary score by composer Daniel Lepotin. Some iconic 80s pop songs are also appear throughout.
Definately worth a watch.
Rating: 8/10
Andrew Reviews 