October• 2018 | 129READER’S DIGEST
Journey’s End (Drm)
S
et during WWI on the eve of
the 1918 Spring Ofensive in
Northern France, this film is
a candid insight into the desperate
days as British soldiers braced for
the onslaught of enemy forces on
the Western Front. This fifth
cinematic adaptation of the
famous play by R. C. Sherif is
confronting to watch because
of the characters, rather than
the battle scenes. British actor
Sam Claflin gives a standout
performance as boozed-up Captain
Stanhope who survives day-to-day
on the frontline trenches with the
help of whisky. The British soldiers’
mission is almost certainly suicidal
as a German onslaught is imminent
and the Brits know there’s no
chance of reinforcements or
evacuation. The terror is
inexplicable. A fascinating film
which pivots on a few people
stuck in an impossible situation.Goosebumps 2:
Haunted Halloween
(Adventure, Comedy, Fmily)T
he sequel to 2015’s horror-
comedy, Goosebumps, this
is a great movie to take in
with the grandkids. When two
young friends, Sam (Caleel
Harris) and Sonny (Jeremy Ray
Taylor) open a manuscript they
find in an old abandoned house,
Slappy, a walking, talking and
evil ventriloquist’s dummy
(voiced by Jack Black), comes to
life. Slappy plans to wreak havoc
on a small American town, using
his powers to unleash a
Halloween night apocalypse.
So, what’s all the drama about?
Slappy and his monster allies
must be stopped and the young
boys along with Sonny’s big
sister Sarah (Madison Iseman)
have to work together to thwart
Slappy’s plans before all is lost.
Based on the books by R.L. Stine.