Double Feature: Hope & The Uprising

Two big-canvas films back to back, and I walked out of both with a lot to think about.

Hope · 7.5/10

I left impressed and a little exhausted, in a good way. At almost three hours, Hope packs in comedy, epic sequences, and relentless action. It balances spectacle with a real dramatic core, though the spectacle is clearly in the driver's seat. It's an easy film to recommend widely. Without giving anything away, I'll just say this: I'm ready for more.

The Uprising · 6.5/10

Paul Greengrass's retelling of England's 1381 Peasants' Revolt is rugged, grounded, classic medieval drama, and Andrew Garfield carries it completely. Greengrass's signature handheld style is the big creative swing. At times the shaky cam pulled me out of the immersion, but I understand the choice, since it gives everything a raw, rugged texture that a polished approach might have lost. Speaking as a filmmaker, I'd have saved it for a few key sequences, but to each their own. It's still a phenomenal film. And its story of ordinary people pushed to a breaking point feels extremely relevant to today, in nearly every way. I'll let you draw your own conclusions there.

The verdict: Hope was the bigger night at the movies. The Uprising is the pick if you're in the mood for something grounded and gritty.