Moon Film Reviews: Only the Brave and Murder on the Orient Express


Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) thinks that 'Only the Brave' is one of the best films they've seen for a very long time and that it will be a very long time before they see a film as good again. If it does not get an Oscar nomination, Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) will, for one, be OUT-RAGED.

A fantastic script, absolutely superb acting, not least from the very excellent Mr Josh Brolin, and bromantic chemistry between the relevant players, resulted in a scene in the theatre similar to the one when Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) went to see 'Finding Neverland': much sniffing and snuffling. A special mention must be made here of the man sat next to Your Cultural Correspondent (Film). There with his pre-teen son, Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) resisted the temptation to offer him a tissue both when Brendan first held his daughter and when the film came to its end. As if all that were not enough, there was the soundtrack, and above all else this from Mr Dierks Bentley. Wonderful!



Now as you may know, or may be able to work out, Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) feels very strongly that once perfection has been attained, it ought to be left as it is and no change made to it. Thus, for instance, once Dame Shirley Bassey has sung a song, no-one else should ever sing it, and any previous versions should be erased from the record. It was with that set of mind that Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) went to see 'Murder on the Orient Express'.

Having long thought that the definitive performances of Dame Agatha's creations have been given by Joan Hickson and David Suchet, Your Cultural Correspondent (Film) was prepared to loathe the film, thinking they would come away from the cinema dubbing it 'Murder of the Orient Express'. Imagine Your Cultural Correspondent's surprise, therefore, when, in fact, they rather enjoyed the movie. Despite the moustache and the tendency to pantomime (a nod to the forthcoming season, perhaps?), it was saved, above all else, by the excellence of the acting, in particular that of Miss Michelle Pfeiffer, and the eyes of Sir Kenneth Branagh. And no review of the film can be brought to a conclusion without mentioning the soundtrack and in particular the stunning song below.

Who knew? Now we do, let's all come together as one to demand that Sir Kenneth's next project is the penning of an album for the aforementioned Dame Shirley Bassey.


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