Watch ’71, an excellent British war film, on Netflix or Amazon

Every Monday, Art House Film Wire looks for great movies that you can watch from home, and with Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” storming into theatres on July 21, let’s look at another excellent British war film, “’71” (2015).   “’71” (2015) – Tensions between Ireland and Great Britain, of course, have been well-documented for hundreds of years, but director Yann Demange focuses his time on a conflict just 46 years into the past. A ground-level street war in the battered and beaten down brick of Belfast brings violence and anger between Catholics and…

‘A Ghost Story’ does not scare, but it deeply haunts

“A Ghost Story” – “Enjoy life.  There’s plenty of time to be dead.” – Hans Christian Anderson Although writer/director David Lowery’s new film contains one arguably scary moment – in which several dishes fly around an ordinary kitchen – ironically, “A Ghost Story” is not a horror film.  Not at all. Instead, it best resembles a 1-hour 32-minute lesson:  to embrace, savor and enjoy the time that we have on this planet…while we are alive.  Heaven forbid if one carries significant, unfinished business at the time of death, because the…

Remember Martin Landau in ‘Remember’ on Amazon Prime

Oscar winner Martin Landau passed away on July 15 at the age of 89, and his long, distinguished career spanned 64 years and over 170 roles in film and television.  A character actor by trade, he always seem to add intrigue to a picture by bringing a distinct flair of gravitas to his supporting performances.  One usually sat up a bit more in the theatre seat and paid stricter attention to the words spoken, when Landau appeared on screen.  Typically, his characters seem to carry more knowledge and comprehension of the given cinematic surroundings than…