Death on the Nile (2022) – Matt Lynn Digital

Continuing with the final part of our year in review, Matt Lynn Digital invites you to look back at the last year in reviews of books, movies, music and television. We look at these with individual categories, one per day through today. Today we share the forty-seven (47) movies from nine (9) decades reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital in 2023.

The top rated movie we watched in 2023 was The Godfather (1972). Earning 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5, the film presented solid exposition of the power dynamics and traditions for the family as established by the family patriarch Vito, along with the command-and-control structure of the working the business.

Four movies earned 4.5-stars in 2023, including the movie Oppenheimer (2023). The movie detailed the role American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer had in the development of the atomic bomb. The further movie Gone Girl (2014) was joined by There Will Be Blood (2007) and the movie Mystic River (2003).

(The 2023 movie **Killers of the Flower Moon**).

The movie Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) leads a dozen movies that earned 4.25-stars from Matt Lynn Digital. The ongoing murders of members of an affluent Native American tribe for profitable mineral rights, under the guise of marriage and love, made for a somber yet at times poignant movie. Other films to earn 4.25 stars included the movie The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), the biopic King Richard (2021), the biopic The Aviator (2004), the animated movie The Incredibles (2004), the pandemic-fueled horror movie 28 Days Later (2002), the alcoholism-fueled movie Leaving Las Vegas (1995), the coming-of-age movie The Breakfast Club (1985), the supernatural comedy Ghostbusters (1984), the political history movie Reds (1981), the independently released Friday the 13th (1980) and, finally, the movie Apocalypse Now (1979).

The mastermind detective movie Death on the Nile (2022) leads a group of nine (9) movies to earn 4.0-stars from Matt Lynn Digital in 2023. Other quality movies in this group include the movie The Hateful Eight (2015), the biopic Walk the Line (2005), the historical drama Gladiator (2000), the movie The Big Lebowski (1998), the psychological horror movie The Silence of the Lambs (1991), the comedy Home Alone (1990), the science fiction movie Planet of the Apes (1968) and, finally, the film noir movie The Maltese Falcon (1941).

(The 2019 movie **El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie**).

Eighteen (18) movies earned the 3.75-stars rating for 2023, led by El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019). That coda to the Breaking Bad (2008-2013) television series spells out what happened with character Jesse Pinkman. Other movies earning 3.75 stars include the science fiction movie Alien: Covenant (2017), the animated movie The Secret Life of Pets (2016), the animated movie Inside Out (2015), the live-action animated movie Paddington (2014), the movie Chef (2014), the supernatural horror movie Oculus (2013), the biopic The Express (2008), the comedic movie Clerks II (2006), the science fiction blockbuster War of the Worlds (2005), the comedy Freaky Friday (2003), the movie Frequency (2000), the science fiction movie The Fifth Element (1997), the crime drama Absolute Power (1997), the family movie Hocus Pocus (1993), the neo-noir movie Blow Out (1981), the dystopian crime movie A Clockwork Orange (1971) and, finally, the animated movie Cinderella (1950).

A pair of movies led by the western movie Cry Macho (2021) earned 3.5-stars from Matt Lynn Digital. The other is the fantasy comedy Jack Frost (1998).

Alleged demonic possession was in play for the movie Nefarious (2023), which at 3.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 completes our reviewed movies for the year. Having felt manipulated by this film to make a political point, our feeling was that we could have enjoyed this movie more if the presentation had taken a different approach.

Matt Lynn Digital appreciates your continued interest in the content we offer. Should you have albums that you’d like us to review, or similar work to that mentioned above, please be sure to let us know.

Matt – Sunday, December 31, 2023

Agatha Christie is perhaps best known for her detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. The remake of the Poirot mystery Murder on the Orient Express (2017) was reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital in 2018. Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as director and star of the movie Death on the Nile (2022), based on the Christie book Death on the Nile, published in the United Kingdom in 1937 and in the United States in 1938.

(From left, Annette Bening as Euphemia and Tom Bateman as Bouc in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The movie Death on the Nile opens with an explanation for the signature mustache worn by Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The mustache dates back to Poirot‘s service in World War One. While serving his country in the military, a hidden trap kills many of the men while mutilating Poirot‘s face. Poirot‘s nurse and lover, Katherine as portrayed by Susannah Fielding, suggests the detective grow a mustache to camouflage the scars. While Katherine unfortunately dies in the war, born is Poirot’s signature mustache.

(Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

It is 1937 that we next encounter our fair detective in a club in London, England, enjoying the singing of blues performer Salome Otterbourne. Poirot witnesses the introduction of Simon Doyle as Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort’s fiancé to de Bellefort’s childhood friend, heiress Linnet ‘Linny’ Ridgeway. Ridgeway agrees to enter into a business arrangement with Doyle that evening. Sophie Okonedo, Armie Hammer, Emma Mackey and Gal Gadot portrayed Otterbourne, Doyle, de Bellefort and Ridgeway, respectively.

(From left, Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle and Gal Gadot as Linnet ‘Linny’ Ridgeway-Doyle in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

It’s six weeks later that, while traveling in Egypt, Poirot encounters his friend Bouc with Euphemia, Bouc’s mother. Bouc invited Poirot to his hotel to attend the wedding of Linnet and Simon, which naturally comes as a surprise given the introductions witnessed back in London. Bouc and Euphemia were portrayed by Tom Bateman and Annette Bening, respectively.

(From left, Jennifer Saunders as Marie Van Schuyler and Dawn French as Mrs. Bowers in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

Linnet and Simon are enjoying a honeymoon trip on the Nile River. Linnet’s maid, Louise Bourget, Linnet’s schoolfriend Rosalie, traveling as manager with her aunt, Salome Otterbourne, and Linnet’s godmother, Marie Van Schuyler with her nurse, Mrs. Bowers, all join the trip. Dr. Linus Windlesham, Linnet’s former fiancé who renounced his wealthy background, and Linnet’s cousin and financial manager, Andrew Katchadourian, also have joined the trip. Linnet asks Poirot to protect her from Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort, Simon Doyle’s former fiancé, who has followed the couple to Egypt out of presumed feelings of scorn. Bourget, Rosalie, Van Schuyler, Bowers, Windlesham and Katchadourian were portrayed by Rose Leslie, Letitia Wright, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Russell Brand and Ali Fazal, respectively.

(From left, Rose Leslie as Louise Bourget, Emma Mackey as Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort and Ali Fazal as Andrew Katchadourian in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The vacationing party boards a cruise ship, Linnet confides to Poirot that she distrusts her guests, too. During an excursion to Abu Simbel, Egypt, Bouc reveals that he is dating Rosalie, against his mother’s wishes. With additional heat on the lives of Linnet and Simon while on excursion, the new bride feels worse when it is learned that Jackie has boarded the cruise ship. Linnet’s death eventually follows, with the apparent instrument of that death found with an investigation to follow, revealing several avenues for who could have committed the crime. Besides investigating the crime, confronting the death, and the further and final motivations for all revealed, the story of Poirot‘s only thoughts for his own romantic feelings, too, are made known.

(From left, Russell Brand as Dr. Linus Windlesham, Sophie Okonedo as Salome Otterbourne and Letitia Wright as Rosalie ‘Rosie’ Otterbourne in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The story that we witness with the movie Death on the Nile harkens back to a top notch book by Agatha Christie. The screenplay by Michael Green served us well in providing an entertaining story. The added production of both Kenneth Branagh and Ridley Scott, among others, likely improved the movie. I grant Death on the Nile as directed by Kenneth Branagh 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Category: Death on the Nile (2022)

The Year 2023 in Movies

Tom Bateman, Annette Bening and Kenneth Branagh in the Kenneth Branagh movie ‘Death on the Nile’