[Anchor] It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.

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While Dr. Strange will likely keep its tight hold on the Korean box office this weekend, there are two new games in town to consider if you’re looking for something smaller and a little more closer to home.


Hell or High Water has already opened in other territories, and is looking like it will finish the year as one of the best-reviewed films in recent memory.


Next, The Man Who Knew Infinity is a fascinating biographical drama that seeks to inspire.


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Mike Laidman


Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.


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Hell or High Water (2016, David Mackenzie)
Two brothers hatch a scheme to save their family's ranch.


Hell or High Water is a western. A crime drama that’s gritty, raw, and real. But this is something with real heart which, in this day and age, is enough to set it apart.


Texas brothers Toby and Tanner come together after years divided to rob branches of the bank threatening to foreclose on their family land. Justice seems to be theirs, until they find themselves on the radar of Texas Ranger Marcus, who is looking for one last grand pursuit on the eve of his retirement. As the brothers plot a final bank heist to complete their scheme, a showdown looms at the crossroads of the Old and New West.


Instead of full-bore gunplay, Hell or High Water focuses on a well-crafted story and full-bodied characters. And there’s terrific acting to watch here, with Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and Ben Foster all on point. The narrative is nothing new, but its pacing and the small changes littered within are what make this such a joy to watch.




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The Man Who Knew Infinity (2016, Matt Brown)
The story of a brilliant Indian mathematician.


The Man Who Knew Infinity is the true story of a friendship that forever changed mathematics. In 1913, S. Ramanujan, a self-taught Indian mathematics genius, traveled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where over the course of five years, he forged a bond with his mentor, the brilliant and eccentric professor, G.H. Hardy. Here, he fought against prejudice to reveal his mathematical genius to the world.


Overall, the story is rather conventional, and the steps are predictable. The film works to pull at your heart strings without going overboard, but what helps to elevate it are the performances of Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons steal the show here, elevating what is essentially a biopic to something more grand.