Ivor Davis – Google

December 2024–All of a sudden Holocaust movies are back. Yesterday I saw A Real Pain—a definite comedy and today Treasure with the superb actor Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham playing his journalist daughter, who return to Fry’s roots and his home in Poland on sentimental journey. There have already been reviews of the film on these pages. All I can add is that the movie is a powerful father daughter wry drama—which sounds contradictory. The movie is emotional, powerful and personal so much so that my daughter suggested we do a similar trek: to visit the Polish town where my late father grew up in before fleeing the Nazis to England where I was born. The movie should definitely be in contention when awards including Oscars are handed out in 2025–ivor davis

Sept 2024–I went to see this movie after reading some reviews which described it as a hagiography which to some extent it was. But full disclosure—as a foreign correspondent I was one of the Boys on the Bus when Reagan ran for governor and went to Sacramento and came away with a bowl full Of jelly beans. I also interviewed him at the Santa Barbara Ranch —Shortly after the Queen of England visited—when it was obvious that dementia had set in. He was a still a charming man on the media plane and walked down the aisle entertaining us. Nancy was a savvy political asset although she became obsessed with her astronomy pals which resulted in woo woo obsessions! Oh the film. Yes it couldn’t cover everything although Ron Jr and Maureen were invisible. Dennis Quaid got the Reagan delivery pitch pretty accurately. But for me what was disturbing was the premise: The Reagan life story told through the eyes of Jon Voight and his fractured Soviet KGB accent. Maybe it sounded like a good idea at the time but it was so clumsy and quite absurd. I also felt it was in part Republican Party pitch which made it heavily propagandized particularly in view of the current political climate of nasty nasty name calling . Of course packing Reagan’s life in a shortish film is impossible to do it this unbiased and hateful period. It seems to be capitalizing on this savagely divided nation. But the movie released in this hateful climate seems like it was a deliberate ploy to divide us even further . Ivor Davis \Ventura County

Aug 2024–I came a bit late to this film via Netflix—but it is laugh out loud wickedly funny. I grew up in Britain during the peak of such British …Boulting Brothers comedies with Alec Guinness and the genius Peter Sellers—(the Lavender Hill Mob and I’m All Right Jack.) The fact it was set even before those hilarious movies added to the old-fashioned favor. Terrific versatile oddball cast added impact and enjoyment. It made me feel like I had taken a movie journey back in time. —- Ivor davis—in California

Okay. So Sharper—and who came up with such an appalling title should be banned from film title college. And yes the story from the get go was full of holes. But I stuck with it.,.actually in a bizarre way enjoyed it and some sterling Lithgow and Moore performances. Sebastian Stan is one to watch as is Brianna Middleton. A wonderful con game with the audience being fascinatingly conned from start to finish. By the end “who done wot to who”—it didn’t matter because when the end titles rolled I was happily confused. Supremely conned. And I loved it. I think. Made a pleasant change from the avalanche of super/hero/monsters that are todays bread and butter movies. Alas. Maybe my age is showing. But will tell friends to sample this captivating amuse Bouche—ivor davis

My original review may have been lost in internet space; so repeat. Powerful film superbly shot.! Fiennes as ever is immaculate with his boorish superiority—a kind of English Patient performance with awards written all over it. Film captures that colonial rich and arrogant foreign superiority that I read did exist in Morocco before they excelled in World Cup soccer. Pardon my diversion. The father of the dead boy was impeccable—a wonderfully low key nuanced performance. Chastains role was nicely hussified! What wife would permit her husband to head off into the baking desert without a word of protest. A plot line that disturbed me. But of course without that there would be no finale. A disturbing but provocative movie that should score well at awards time.