ben wheatley – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

NORMAL – Review by April Neale

April 7, 2026April 9, 2026 April Neale ben wheatley, Bob Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Normal

Normal is a bone-crunching, darkly funny action film that understands exactly what makes Bob Odenkirk such a compelling presence. He was never the obvious choice. That is why he works. The balance struck by the writer, the relentless action, and his very real imperfections create something rare. An everyman hero who bleeds, struggles, and still pushes forward. Paired with a partner who proves just as capable, the film hints at something bigger. Not just a sequel, but a franchise built on relatable heroes who don’t wear prosthetic makeup or tights, rooted in everyday smalltown, USA, as we feel helpless watching our country drowning in unchecked graft and corruption.

Reviews

IN THE EARTH (Sundance2021) – Review by Leslie Combemale

January 28, 2021January 31, 2021 Leslie Combemale ben wheatley, ella torchia, in the earth, joel, Sundance Film Festival 2021

In the Earth is a cinematic cautionary tale that suggests getting back to nature can be more dangerous than a pandemic, and encountering a seemingly friendly, hermetic forest-dweller can be more dangerous still.

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REBECCA – Review by Susan Granger

October 28, 2020October 31, 2020 Susan Granger 0 Comments armie hammer, ben wheatley, da[hne du maurier, kristin scott thomas, Lily James, netflix, rebecca

Too bad this revised adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s novel is so inferior to Alfred Hitchock’s Oscar-winning 1940 version (the only Hitchcock movie ever to win Best Picture), starring Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier and Judith Anderson. On the plus side, it’s beautifully photographed by Laurie Rose, who makes the most of the spectacular seaside scenery, stylish period costumes, and historic Hatfield House, former home to Queen Elizabeth I – the same mansion that director Yorgos Lanthimos featured in The Favorite.

Reviews

REBECCA – Review by Leslie Combemale

October 22, 2020October 23, 2020 Leslie Combemale 0 Comments armie hammer, ben wheatley, da[hne du maurier, kristin scott thomas, Lily James, netflix, rebecca

Director Ben Wheatley’s new incarnation of Rebecca is a valiant reinterpretation that is truer to Daphne Du Maurier’s book than it is to the Hitchcock film. While some might argue that a new version of the story is unnecessary, it fills the holes in our imagination as to how the tale plays out, etching into our minds how the flawed romantic characters get out of a jam.

Reviews

REBECCA – Review by Martha K Baker

October 22, 2020October 25, 2020 Martha K. Baker (Archived Contributor) 0 Comments armie hammer, ben wheatley, da[hne du maurier, kristin scott thomas, Lily James, netflix, rebecca

It took three scriptwriters — Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse — to render Du Maurier’s gothic plot into cinematic Hamburger Helper. Here’s how: They retained the 1935 setting. They held the Depression but retained one depressed widower, a Mr. de Winter (note symbolic name á la Jung). He married a plain Jane (not her name — she’s too low-class for one).