Dunkirk (2017 Christopher Nolan & scr)

This is much better, a terse, gripping, image-driven evocation of the historical evacuation, with equal focus between the soldiers on the shore (Fionn Whitehead, Anuerin Barnard, Harry Styles), a group of rescuers (Mark Rylance, Bobby Lockwood, Barry Keoghan and stranded Cillian Murphy) and pilots Tom Hardy and Jack Lowden.

Hoyte van Hoytema's cinematography is shot (on 65mm IMAX celluloid) as much in-camera as possible, hand held and using natural light - it has a creepy hue, reminiscent of Deliverance's green and brown. Thus the aerial fights are all live. It was a little confusing to see the changes of aspect ratio between air (16:9) and land (2.39:1) something to do with chronology?

With Kenneth Branagh, James D'Arcy (Broadchurch, Anthony Perkins in Hitchcock).

Edited by Lee Smith. Inspired use of Elgar. Sound design will undoubtedly get Oscar nod.