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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There’s no denying it - it’s getting colder and colder outside. Enough that we can probably finally say that winter is here. There will be no more warm days until the spring.

So head to the theatre to stay warm - whether that means taking advantage of the inside heating, the warmth of someone else, or the blood-pressure raising hits that light up the screen.

This week, Kidnap, with Halle Berry, goes up against Loving Vincent, which is, to not put too fine a point on it, one of the most visually interesting films to come out in years.

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Mike Laidman

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

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Kidnap (2017, Luis Prieto)
A mother stops at nothing to recover her kidnapped son.

A typical afternoon in the park turns into a nightmare for single mom Karla Dyson when her son suddenly disappears. Without a cell phone and knowing she has no time to wait for police help, Karla jumps in her own car and sets off in pursuit of the kidnappers. A relentless, edge-of-your seat chase ensues, where Karla must risk everything to not lose sight of her son.

So, Halle Berry is a very talented actress, and she deserves more than the pulpy premise she gets here. A quick look at the trailer is enough for anyone to realise what’s going on here: A woman’s son is kidnapped, and rather than sit around and wait for the police, she’s going to take matters into her own hands and do things that only a movie mother can do. And that’s exactly what happens.

If you’re looking for pure Taken-style action, then this will satisfy, but it’s sure not going to make you rediscover the action genre.

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Loving Vincent (2017, Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman)
An oil-painting animation exploring van Gogh’s final days.

A year after the death of the artist Vincent van Gogh, a postman tasks his son, Armand, with hand-delivering the artist's final letter to his late brother to a worthy recipient. Dr. Gachet, a close companion of van Gogh’s, is chosen, and upon traveling to his village, Armand meets the townspeople - many of whom not only knew Vincent, but were also models and the inspiration for his art. Armand becomes increasingly fascinated in the fate of Van Gogh, and comes to realize that Vincent's troubled life was linked to his paintings in a way that might only be appreciated in the future.

The voice actors are top-notch, but it’s truly the animation that is something to behold. Each frame is an individual oil painting, which leads to many scenes roiling about, reflecting the tumult of the life of the man which they represent.

The story itself, however, isn’t as even or consistent as it could be, and so the real reason to see Loving Vincent is for the extraordinary animation.