VIFF ’21 Review: ‘Benediction’ is a heartbreaking portrait of poet Siegfried Sassoon

Benediction

How does one determine ones own worth? This is one of the questions at the heart of Benediction, Terrance Davies new biopic of English poet Sigfried Sassoon. Sassoon lived through the first world war, and as a commissioned officer, won himself the Military Cross for gallantry, but he opposed the war and wrote poems of the hell that was the trenches. This is just the start of the contradictions and the self loathing Davies portrays of his life, and the result is a heartbreaking look at a man who was never able to answer that question satisfactorily.

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‘Dunkirk’ Review: Christopher Nolan’s best film to date

Dunkirk

It has been three days since I saw _Dunkirk_ and I cannot stop thinking about it. That alone should be enough to tell you that the movie is great and that you should see it, so if an affirmation that it is worth seeing is what you are looking for you can stop reading now. Let me say this clearly and concisely right up front: _Dunkirk_ is Christopher Nolan’s best film to date and you should absolutely seek it out on the biggest screen you can find.

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