Hi Carl, I’ve got two movies that opened on December 25. First up: “News of the World” based on the bestselling 2017 book by Paulette Kay Jiles. After reading this great book, I thought this would be an excellent movie, and sure enough, it is! Streaming now on Netflix.
The film stars Tom Hanks as a retired Civil War Captain, Jefferson Kyle Kidd. Helena Zengel, as Johanna Leonberger, plays a 10-year old girl he is paid to deliver to her aunt and uncle; she had been living with the Kiowa people for the past four years after they kidnapped her and murdered her parents.
Other cast includes Michael Covino as Mark Edgefield. Fred Hechinger as John Calley. Neil Sandilands as Wilhelm Leonberger, Thomas Francis Murphy as Merritt Farley, Mare Winningham as Jane, and Elizabeth Marvel as Ella Gannett.
Their long journey turns into a fight for survival as they encounter danger from both humans and natural elements.
Clip: “Captain, why are you doing this? She needs to laugh and dream; she needs new memories.”
I’m way in four stars out of four screenplay writer, and director Paul Greenhouse presents a story of compassion, love, and family. “News of the World” is my favorite movie of 2020. Tom Hanks’ acting is phenomenal—he is the reason to see the film along with a break-out performance of Helena Zengel.
Sarah Knight Adamson© December 27, 2020
Check out my Radio Review on Hollywood 360 Radio Network: http://bit.ly/NewsoftheworldH360