“Darkest Hour” (*** out of four) was a powerfully done historical melodrama set in the early days of World War II in which the fate of Western Europe rested upon the newly appointed Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman unrecognizable under mounds of latex and padding) who had to decide whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight on against incredible odds at risk of losing the war and the gradual fate of the whole world. Not a great film but Oldman’s commanding and compelling performance takes center stage and a strong history lesson for those unfamiliar with this time in world history. Brian Cox did a similarly impressive job in the same role in “Churchill” earlier on this year.