New in Home Entertainment
July 17, 2017
The Lost City of Z
Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, brief strong language and some nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Based on the non-fiction best-seller by David Grann, The Lost City of Z follows the legacy left by British officer and explorer Percy Fawcett, as he attempts to discover a mythical city off of the unexplored Amazon in the early twentieth century. Charlie Hunnam turns in a solid performance as the adventurer, but Sienna Miller as his wife shines in a stellar supporting role. While the film is disjointed and largely unfocused, historically it has value and helps us better understand the lives of those who first explored South America. B
The Promise
Rated PG-13 for thematic material including war atrocities, violence and disturbing images, and for some sexuality
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%
Inspired by true events, The Promise carries a bad title but an impressive resume, as it tells the story of a sort-of love triangle between an Armenian medical student (Oscar Isaac), an AP journalist (Christian Bale) and a young woman caught in the middle (Charlotte Le Bon), all set against the Armenian genocide in the early 20th century. Written and directed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), the film plays like a big saga, but with little chemistry between any of its leads, and a story that lacks the emotional punch it should carry, you end up with an historical epic that is much better at the history part than the actual story-telling. It could have been, and should have been, great. C+