Here we have a younger and earlier Jay Swan, played now by Mark Coles Smith, who, while still young, has formal acting training, and a career dating back to 2003. He is sufficiently talented, and quite strong in the role. Clearly, Aaron Pedersen will now be moving on to other opportunities (and out of success, he was excellent in his establishment of the Jay Swan character). My first take, not all the way through yet, is that this series with its new, younger star and supporting cast, could play out for many years to come. I so much prefer this kind of story to the slick shoot-em-ups that are so widespread (and overdone) in American movies and television. These are stories driven by characters and relationships. Action, being secondary, is actually more engaging and harder hitting. In fact, there's plenty of action as well, including some very original ideas, but it's not what engages you. The action supports the story, and doesn't drive it. This is a promising start to what I hope will be years more of the Mystery Road franchise. Easy 10 star rating in my opinion.
Reviews
72 Reviews
Avatar: The Way of Water
(2022)
The ecosystem and harmonious way of life are the best parts!
22 December 2022
I've just finished watching Avatar: The Way of Water at the Harkins Cine Capri at the Scottsdale 101 Theaters in Arizona (the screen is on the scale of IMAX if not larger; the film shows at 8K & 48 fps; and the sound system is the best that Dolby Atmos has to offer).
No one has ever done special effects and digital motion capture like this before, including facial expressions and body movements. It feels so real that suspending disbelief isn't hard (which is one of the major problems I had with Avatar I, I kept seeing it as a cartoon all the way through --- well, that problem is gone!).
The part I liked best was the first hour, where the film just illustrated how the inhabitants live happily within a balanced and intact ecosystem. Of course, the last hour (of the 3-hour show) descends into conflict, and that is much less enjoyable from my point of view. Why not just devote 3 hours to happy beings living fulfilling lives on a bounteous and nurturing moon? (Pandora is a planetary moon, not technically a planet. The floating islands in the sky go back to Philip Jose Farmer, a scifi writer whom I used to read extensively.)
All of this said, it's still very much a great movie --- I'm just the wrong person to drag through extended battle scenes, since I consistently find peace and harmony much more interesting and entertaining.
WIthout digging into every corner of the plot, I think Mr Cameron definitely has an agenda he wants to drive home about machines vs. Nature. Despite the fact that he uses very fancy machines to make his films, he clearly sees nature as generally good, and machines as prone to be bad, so the idea that the natural world could overcome machines (in a battle-like way) seems to be attractive to him. However, I don't really follow along with him on that line of thinking!
My view is quite different. I believe that machines and nature can coexist in harmony. I'll agree we're not very good at it yet, but I quite like machines and nature both --- in fact, I believe that well-designed machines can protect nature and make it more secure, integrated and beautiful.
Despite my criticisms, Avatar: The Way of Water is quite a success as a film overall. I rated it 8/10, with the 2 points off for its overemphasis on violence and conflict.
No one has ever done special effects and digital motion capture like this before, including facial expressions and body movements. It feels so real that suspending disbelief isn't hard (which is one of the major problems I had with Avatar I, I kept seeing it as a cartoon all the way through --- well, that problem is gone!).
The part I liked best was the first hour, where the film just illustrated how the inhabitants live happily within a balanced and intact ecosystem. Of course, the last hour (of the 3-hour show) descends into conflict, and that is much less enjoyable from my point of view. Why not just devote 3 hours to happy beings living fulfilling lives on a bounteous and nurturing moon? (Pandora is a planetary moon, not technically a planet. The floating islands in the sky go back to Philip Jose Farmer, a scifi writer whom I used to read extensively.)
All of this said, it's still very much a great movie --- I'm just the wrong person to drag through extended battle scenes, since I consistently find peace and harmony much more interesting and entertaining.
WIthout digging into every corner of the plot, I think Mr Cameron definitely has an agenda he wants to drive home about machines vs. Nature. Despite the fact that he uses very fancy machines to make his films, he clearly sees nature as generally good, and machines as prone to be bad, so the idea that the natural world could overcome machines (in a battle-like way) seems to be attractive to him. However, I don't really follow along with him on that line of thinking!
My view is quite different. I believe that machines and nature can coexist in harmony. I'll agree we're not very good at it yet, but I quite like machines and nature both --- in fact, I believe that well-designed machines can protect nature and make it more secure, integrated and beautiful.
Despite my criticisms, Avatar: The Way of Water is quite a success as a film overall. I rated it 8/10, with the 2 points off for its overemphasis on violence and conflict.
Slash/Back
(2022)
A wildly creative and insightful arctic summer treat
21 December 2022
Slash/Back has fun with a very standard alien invasion/body snatcher plot, and then lets it run wild in a subarctic Inuit setting (Pangnirtung Hamlet, Baffin Island, Nunavut). The plot is afforded depth through an interplay (and clash) of characters that highlights the wild generational divergences (but also some underlying harmonies) of younger and older village members living out their daily lives in overlapping but starkly contrasting cultural worlds.
The young people are very much caught up in their connected, always-on, electronically-augmented relationships, in which their elders are almost always non-participants. Nonetheless, the teachings of the elders very soon emerge as critically important to the plot. For example, the young people know that a hunter must be observant and study her prey to be able to feed and supply her family. Hunting is an analytical process based on techniques acquired and passed down through countless generations. It's not just about being proficient with tools and weapons - there is much more to it than that!
In fact, the film is densely packed with important cultural observations, though they are illustrated and played out entirely matter-of-factly, and no special attention is drawn to them (making them all that much more impactful). For example, the children are not to go out on "the land" without adult permission and supervision (and rightly so). What, then, is "the land?" It's the vast surrounding territory that is not, and does not include the comparatively modern village, where daily life is played out in a much less traditional way.
Interestingly, it is "on the land" where the threat is first detected, and the children are the first to understand and appreciate this. While the adults are preoccupied by a square dance and a house party, it's the young people who stand alert, and in fact, fully prepared, to detect, analyze and fashion a response to the threat. It seems they have been listening to their elders after all, and that they already know full well what do to. The modern lifestyle of the village recedes into the background, and the children quickly adopt the behaviours and strategies that ensured their ancestors' survival for countless thousands of years before them.
The absence of the adults is in part a cultural statement as well, in fact, at many levels. But the overwhelming lesson is - by far - that the children are already fully mature and in possession of the survival skills that an entirely unexpected situation on the land requires of them. That is, they are alert, observant, strategically engaged, and ready for action on very short notice. There are not wanting for readiness in anything no matter how unprecedented the looming danger may be.
Take notice, then, all invading aliens. You will find this Inuit village fully prepared for your otherworldly aggressions and cunning deceptions!
The young people are very much caught up in their connected, always-on, electronically-augmented relationships, in which their elders are almost always non-participants. Nonetheless, the teachings of the elders very soon emerge as critically important to the plot. For example, the young people know that a hunter must be observant and study her prey to be able to feed and supply her family. Hunting is an analytical process based on techniques acquired and passed down through countless generations. It's not just about being proficient with tools and weapons - there is much more to it than that!
In fact, the film is densely packed with important cultural observations, though they are illustrated and played out entirely matter-of-factly, and no special attention is drawn to them (making them all that much more impactful). For example, the children are not to go out on "the land" without adult permission and supervision (and rightly so). What, then, is "the land?" It's the vast surrounding territory that is not, and does not include the comparatively modern village, where daily life is played out in a much less traditional way.
Interestingly, it is "on the land" where the threat is first detected, and the children are the first to understand and appreciate this. While the adults are preoccupied by a square dance and a house party, it's the young people who stand alert, and in fact, fully prepared, to detect, analyze and fashion a response to the threat. It seems they have been listening to their elders after all, and that they already know full well what do to. The modern lifestyle of the village recedes into the background, and the children quickly adopt the behaviours and strategies that ensured their ancestors' survival for countless thousands of years before them.
The absence of the adults is in part a cultural statement as well, in fact, at many levels. But the overwhelming lesson is - by far - that the children are already fully mature and in possession of the survival skills that an entirely unexpected situation on the land requires of them. That is, they are alert, observant, strategically engaged, and ready for action on very short notice. There are not wanting for readiness in anything no matter how unprecedented the looming danger may be.
Take notice, then, all invading aliens. You will find this Inuit village fully prepared for your otherworldly aggressions and cunning deceptions!
The Lincoln Lawyer
(2022– )
If the film and Bosch are 10s, then this is close with a 9
24 May 2022
To start, you can't beat a Connelly story for script, and add in the classic jazz-loving lead looking out on a starlit Los Angeles night from a little bit above (I was just there in December). The acting in this take on the Lincoln Lawyer story is a bit more stagelike than we've seen in the other Connelly adaptations (hence the 9 vs 10). That said, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo really pulls it off in the lead, and there is ample depth of field in the supporting cast. I hope this series continues for many years to come! I'm a fan and in for the long haul.
Sundays and Cybèle
(1962)
Authentic and Gripping - Still
4 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This film was made before the sexual dimensions of relationships between adults and children came under such scrutiny as they receive today. Increased social openness has confirmed that our current cautions are well-warranted. Strikingly, within the movie, those who are suspicious or critical of the relationship are not viewing it sexually at all, and they are proven correct in that respect. Sundays and Cybèle is not a story about an adult-child sexual relationship - in any way. The film is deep and complex enough that to explore such issues thoroughly in a review is probably not possible. I will try to establish a few key points, and there will be some light spoilers in my review:
(1) This is not a portrayal of a "healthy" relationship. Both characters are present in the relationship as damaged humans. The relationship is further marred by concealment, hidden feelings, deceptions, etc. This story is not about life as it should be; rather, about life as it sometimes actually is. (2) The healthiest potential role for the adult (Pierre) would (ideally) have been to take on an open, surrogate parental relationship, along with his loving, faithful and devoted partner (Madeleine), towards Cybèle, a needy, abandoned child. Further, he should have acted decisively to remove any ambiguity that might have confused or troubled her. On the face of it, an outcome such as an adoption might easily have proceeded, had our adult protagonist been able to exercise healthier choices. This did not occur, and, tragically, could not have. (3) Importantly, Pierre is too traumatized and damaged to have taken on such a responsible and in fact more deeply nurturing adult role. An alternative, more socially acceptable story framework was really not possible, given the initial premises. (4) Acknowledging the above, what actually occurs is that Pierre permits the child to fantasize about a developing and implied future romantic relationship. He allows this because he both loves and is in love with the child. His love for her is deeply flawed, but is also true to his character and to the realistic human story that is being told here. Importantly, Cybèle receives his attention to her as love, establishing that this is a reciprocal relationship. If there is unequal power, it is certainly not in all respects on the side of the adult. (5) Very critically, the supporting characters in the film gradually grow to understand the nature of the relationship between Pierre and Cybèle, and those who know the protagonists respect and accept them as they are, recognizing that both are limited by their circumstances, and that there remains a healing aspect within this damaged relationship. That this story could be told was remarkable in 1962, and remains equally remarkable now.
Importantly, and this is a credit to the art and enduring merit of the film, I think that acceptance of the characters as they are, rather than as we think they should be, remains the correct response today, which is to say that the moral and ethical backbone of the film is of enduring authenticity. In fact, Sundays and Cybèle compels us to question our contemporary certainties just as much as it did the different but still limiting presumptions and prejudices of its time.
To be clear, I found the film often disturbing and tough to watch, as well as engaging and sympathetic, as it navigated some extremely difficult human territory. This was obviously the director's intent. In the end, I concur that Sundays and Cybèle remains a masterpiece of authenticity, as others have already judged this (Academy Award-winning) film to be.
NOTE: There is an interview with Patricia Gozzi in the "making of" features that come with the Criterion edition. This is well worth watching.
(1) This is not a portrayal of a "healthy" relationship. Both characters are present in the relationship as damaged humans. The relationship is further marred by concealment, hidden feelings, deceptions, etc. This story is not about life as it should be; rather, about life as it sometimes actually is. (2) The healthiest potential role for the adult (Pierre) would (ideally) have been to take on an open, surrogate parental relationship, along with his loving, faithful and devoted partner (Madeleine), towards Cybèle, a needy, abandoned child. Further, he should have acted decisively to remove any ambiguity that might have confused or troubled her. On the face of it, an outcome such as an adoption might easily have proceeded, had our adult protagonist been able to exercise healthier choices. This did not occur, and, tragically, could not have. (3) Importantly, Pierre is too traumatized and damaged to have taken on such a responsible and in fact more deeply nurturing adult role. An alternative, more socially acceptable story framework was really not possible, given the initial premises. (4) Acknowledging the above, what actually occurs is that Pierre permits the child to fantasize about a developing and implied future romantic relationship. He allows this because he both loves and is in love with the child. His love for her is deeply flawed, but is also true to his character and to the realistic human story that is being told here. Importantly, Cybèle receives his attention to her as love, establishing that this is a reciprocal relationship. If there is unequal power, it is certainly not in all respects on the side of the adult. (5) Very critically, the supporting characters in the film gradually grow to understand the nature of the relationship between Pierre and Cybèle, and those who know the protagonists respect and accept them as they are, recognizing that both are limited by their circumstances, and that there remains a healing aspect within this damaged relationship. That this story could be told was remarkable in 1962, and remains equally remarkable now.
Importantly, and this is a credit to the art and enduring merit of the film, I think that acceptance of the characters as they are, rather than as we think they should be, remains the correct response today, which is to say that the moral and ethical backbone of the film is of enduring authenticity. In fact, Sundays and Cybèle compels us to question our contemporary certainties just as much as it did the different but still limiting presumptions and prejudices of its time.
To be clear, I found the film often disturbing and tough to watch, as well as engaging and sympathetic, as it navigated some extremely difficult human territory. This was obviously the director's intent. In the end, I concur that Sundays and Cybèle remains a masterpiece of authenticity, as others have already judged this (Academy Award-winning) film to be.
NOTE: There is an interview with Patricia Gozzi in the "making of" features that come with the Criterion edition. This is well worth watching.
Kes
(1969)
What are we about as humans? Many of the answers are here: focus, intensity, perseverance, passion.
21 March 2022
KES, about a young boy training a Kestrel, based on a novel by Barry Hines (A Kestrel for a Knave), was recognized as one of the ten most important British films of the 20th century. I'll second that motion. The story resonates at many levels. The moral is pretty straightforward: Do what you love. Every moment of the film, created naturalistically with mostly untrained actors in their authentic settings, is as perfect as can be imagined. Inspiring, uplifting and penetrating to the soul and marrow of existence, including both tragic and elevating aspects. At the time, the film was intended to be political. The message at that time stands. Simple acts of beauty matter most of all.
The Matrix Resurrections
(I) (2021)
Works splendidly for me
19 March 2022
I watched all the originals when they were released. This chapter fits well as a continuation of the original storyline, including further development of the conceptual scifi aspect. Resurrections is equal in its execution, and is far superior in its settings, special effects and development of the mythology. The supporting cast are deep and fabulous. Keanu Reeves chose to underplay vs. Overplay his character, and it worked beautifully. Bugs emerges as a significant new protagonist. I'd love to see more of her in this role. I literally loved every minute. A complete success in my judgement.
Dune
(2021)
A landmark cinematic event
21 February 2022
I'm writing this assuming that readers have already done their diligence as to the Denis Villeneuve story, how producing the Dune saga has been a lifelong dream for him. Having read the original novel and then seen the Lynch version, I'm reminded that this is in many ways a sad and difficult story, with themes of loss and betrayal at its core. Herbert also made clear in interviews that the narrative was meant to be an arguemnt against the charismatic hero, although Paul Atreides is certainly one of those.
I most wanted to comment on the high production values. I have a large screen 4K home theatre with Atmos sound at home, and this movie makes full use of the large screen, the fine details, and the classically theatrical sound. I've tended to use Sicario: Day of the Soldado as my demo disc for the home theatre, but Villeneuve's Dune can now take on that function. I originally saw the film at our local theatre, and it's honestly far better at home on the 4K disc, almost a different movie, with up close 4K picture and Atmos sound.
Note that there is somehting going on in the sound track almsot conintuously. You could flip to just about any scene and capture a marvelous cinematic event. It goes without saying that Villeneuve worked with a talented cast, but it should be added that he was able to bring out the best in them.
In brief, Dune 4K is a milestone accomplisment as an at-home product! There is literally nothing else like it.
I most wanted to comment on the high production values. I have a large screen 4K home theatre with Atmos sound at home, and this movie makes full use of the large screen, the fine details, and the classically theatrical sound. I've tended to use Sicario: Day of the Soldado as my demo disc for the home theatre, but Villeneuve's Dune can now take on that function. I originally saw the film at our local theatre, and it's honestly far better at home on the 4K disc, almost a different movie, with up close 4K picture and Atmos sound.
Note that there is somehting going on in the sound track almsot conintuously. You could flip to just about any scene and capture a marvelous cinematic event. It goes without saying that Villeneuve worked with a talented cast, but it should be added that he was able to bring out the best in them.
In brief, Dune 4K is a milestone accomplisment as an at-home product! There is literally nothing else like it.
Mystery Road
(2018– )
Actually flawless
16 August 2021
Just finished Mystery Road (2013). Should have caught it earlier. Set in a nondescript, hardscrabble Outback town, this feature has everything "else" going for it... story, pacing, dramatic tension building to a quiet crescendo, and unyielding emotional intensity. There is not a slow second anywhere in the film, but the pace is always measured and steady. Action is mostly implied, and no one tells you what to think about the tough topics treated at any point.
10/10.
10/10.
News of the World
(2020)
Best Film of 2021
30 May 2021
Of the films I have seen this year, News of the World is easily the best. The premise is interesting --- the protagonist (Hanks) makes his living from his literacy, obtaining newspapers and reading them to far-flung audiences assembled in a series of towns along his route in the post-Civil War South (mostly Texas). He is a military veteran, affording him the skills necessary to survive in the postwar landscape, which can be extremely dangerous at times. He is on a mission, reluctantly taken at first, to return a German-American girl to her surviving relatives after first her parents, and then her adoptive Kiowa parents, had been killed.
While the Kiowa are treated sympathetically, opportunities were available, but missed, to tell the story from their perspective as well. They are literally presented as ghostly figures on the periphery of the landscape in all but one scene. I live in an area with a high population of indigenous people, and I guess I'm used to hearing our first people's points of view on most topics (I emphasize the plural --- it's not just one viewpoint), so the omission was noticeable.
However, the film stands on its own as a great achievement, even if much more could have been done to tell the Kiowa story. Helena Zengel plays the twice-orphaned girl, and is convincing in portraying a confused and ambivalent approach to her ever-changing guardians. The film finishes by developing her character further, and in retrospect, that is actually what this film is about!
While the Kiowa are treated sympathetically, opportunities were available, but missed, to tell the story from their perspective as well. They are literally presented as ghostly figures on the periphery of the landscape in all but one scene. I live in an area with a high population of indigenous people, and I guess I'm used to hearing our first people's points of view on most topics (I emphasize the plural --- it's not just one viewpoint), so the omission was noticeable.
However, the film stands on its own as a great achievement, even if much more could have been done to tell the Kiowa story. Helena Zengel plays the twice-orphaned girl, and is convincing in portraying a confused and ambivalent approach to her ever-changing guardians. The film finishes by developing her character further, and in retrospect, that is actually what this film is about!
12 Strong
(2018)
America at its best!
27 December 2020
A true story of authentic heroism. The film only spends a little time reminding us of the deep evils of the Taliban --- it was enough. However, much attention is given to the key partnership with the indigenous Northern Alliance and how the tactical collaboration developed which wrested Mazari Sharif from Taliban hands. I have never been prouder of America's soldiers in combat (and we are not always right). This is an inspiring and rewatchable film!
Ford v Ferrari
(2019)
Magnum Opus
24 December 2020
This is absolutely a great film. I'll leave it to others to dig into the details.
This is top tier for (1) story; (2) character development; (3) acting; (4) technical presentation; and (5) immersion in the total experience.
I couldn't stop watching. Love this film. It really stands out.
One last comment. This film, secondarily, teaches a lot about the American auto business --- and what's wrong with it: How Ford could have been a real standout, long-term winner --- but literally chose not to be (in the long run). The story depicted represented a real win and technical advance for Ford, as a global automaker, but also reveals why Ford couldn't stay at it and keep winning into the future, whereas Ferrari could come back and carry on.
It's a lesson in business that Tom Peters wouldn't be ashamed to teach, in brief: "Don't do what Ford did --- except for one brief shining moment (when Ford broke its own rules and succeeded against all odds)!"
This is top tier for (1) story; (2) character development; (3) acting; (4) technical presentation; and (5) immersion in the total experience.
I couldn't stop watching. Love this film. It really stands out.
One last comment. This film, secondarily, teaches a lot about the American auto business --- and what's wrong with it: How Ford could have been a real standout, long-term winner --- but literally chose not to be (in the long run). The story depicted represented a real win and technical advance for Ford, as a global automaker, but also reveals why Ford couldn't stay at it and keep winning into the future, whereas Ferrari could come back and carry on.
It's a lesson in business that Tom Peters wouldn't be ashamed to teach, in brief: "Don't do what Ford did --- except for one brief shining moment (when Ford broke its own rules and succeeded against all odds)!"
Tenet
(2020)
Nolan's best since Memento
24 December 2020
Interestingly, Mr. Nolan returns to many of the themes of Memento here, obviously with an unimaginably higher budget, far more action and technical events, and an even more complicated story line (Memento was mind twisting enough!). I watch all movies with subtitles, and will agree with other viewers that I would have had no idea what anybody was talking about without them. I also watched about ten Tenet overviews before watching the film, many with "heavy spoilers." Believe me, the spoilers don't matter. The film is so challenging to figure out, that even with a printed plot outline in your hands, it would still be tricky to decipher the action and intrigue the first time through. Despite this, there is plenty I still don't understand --- though this is in itself no concern at all.
That is, this is an astoundingly finely crafted film. As many have commented, Tenet is certainly never boring. Despite the overwhelming complexity, it actually does still mostly make sense, as far as I can make out.
But most importantly, and in conclusion: (1) this is an absolutely epic scifi story --- these come along rarely, and there are none most years; (2) the characters are developed sufficiently in my view (their backgrounds are intentionally left mysterious, so don't get led off base by that plot device); (3) the concepts are logically and even scientifically interesting (I thought this was the problem with Interstellar, as the central premise was not even remotely scientific, it was a fantasy movie, not a science movie); (4) the time travel concept is unique, innovative, and requires some scientific awareness, even if the premise is, again, not itself a scientific one; (5) the acting is tier one all around; and (6) the total experience is immersive, substantial, engaging, thought-provoking, and humanly interesting.
Nolan has therefore knocked it out of the park with Tenet. This will stand for years as one of the great science fiction movies. It will probably be taught in film schools and other venues far into the future. Bravo, and congratulations, Christopher Nolan!
A truly great film....
That is, this is an astoundingly finely crafted film. As many have commented, Tenet is certainly never boring. Despite the overwhelming complexity, it actually does still mostly make sense, as far as I can make out.
But most importantly, and in conclusion: (1) this is an absolutely epic scifi story --- these come along rarely, and there are none most years; (2) the characters are developed sufficiently in my view (their backgrounds are intentionally left mysterious, so don't get led off base by that plot device); (3) the concepts are logically and even scientifically interesting (I thought this was the problem with Interstellar, as the central premise was not even remotely scientific, it was a fantasy movie, not a science movie); (4) the time travel concept is unique, innovative, and requires some scientific awareness, even if the premise is, again, not itself a scientific one; (5) the acting is tier one all around; and (6) the total experience is immersive, substantial, engaging, thought-provoking, and humanly interesting.
Nolan has therefore knocked it out of the park with Tenet. This will stand for years as one of the great science fiction movies. It will probably be taught in film schools and other venues far into the future. Bravo, and congratulations, Christopher Nolan!
A truly great film....
This one caught me by surprise
3 August 2020
I wasn't planning to watch this episode, but the premise was so simple and gripping, I got hooked immediately. How does an addiction develop? What are its origins and history? Are there critical moments that drive a person down the path? What are the dilemmas... the ways out... the sealed exits? This episode got a lot accomplished in a short timeframe, classically, "doing more with less," which is, I think, what Room 104 is all about. Jillian Bell gets huge credit for her ability to occupy this character and tell us the story from the inside out. One of the best short features I've ever seen. Written by Mark Duplass. And I think it's fair to mention the hamster. I will never forget this one.
I saw this as a theatrical release in 1968
20 April 2020
I can't say much, as it's been over 50 years. I loved this as a small-theatre movie in (about 1968-69). I have been unable to track down a physical copy anywhere, and would pay a premium price to get it. It was full of spirit and verve, and made me interested in Joyce as well as in Irish culture.
Ad Astra
(2019)
Maybe this is a film for (extreme) introverts?
24 February 2020
Scifi is my preferred genre in film, and this one had some great sets and effects, but it pretty well stops there. I was put off by some of the ill-considered special effects, for example, a chase scene on the lunar surface, kicking up moon dust all over the place. Moon dust is like shards of glass and razors, you would not want this stuff fouling up your machinery. That said, and similarly to many others, I'm a fan of Brad Pitt, but he is not playing a character you will recognize here. The film is based almost entirely on inner dialogue, and it is slow moving and painfully deliberative. So things proceed slowly, and we're mostly listening in on the main character's conflicted and indecisive thoughts. I could just barely stand to watch it to the unsatisfying and (to me) incomprehensible finish. This, sadly, is a really bad movie.
Iron Sky: The Coming Race
(2019)
Satire many layers deep + successful scifi B movie in the classic tradition
12 February 2020
They really did this one right. I think it's better than the original. The satire reaches far beyond the obvious, and much of what is funniest is entirely downplayed or left in the background, waiting to be detected by an attentive eye. This is intelligent, snappy, hilarious, and, forget everything else --- the characters are sympathetic and likeable. In the tradition of the great scifi B movies, but also totally up there for political satire and commentary on the human condition. Extremely easy to watch --- in fact, I was going to watch something else, but within a couple of minutes, I couldn't switch it off. Nearly perfect. I love this movie.
The Girl in the Spider's Web
(2018)
A work of art....
13 January 2020
I have just got through The Girl in the Spider's Web with Claire Foy in the lead role. I think she proved herself a genius at breaking out of her prior character stereotypes and demonstrating both her versatility and her ability to inhabit a character from the inside out. I think the direction by Fede Alvarez, a relative newcomer, is the most remarkable aspect of the film, and then you have set design, lighting, cinematography, pacing and transitions. This is a work of art. So many good decisions came together in this package, including the decision to place Ms. Foy at the centre of the narrative....
Prospect
(2018)
PROSPECT: Back to the roots of what science fiction is supposed to be....
9 July 2019
The best science fiction helps us to imagine how different versions of a real future world might possibly play out. I am absolutely thrilled that Netflix is currently featuring a truly excellent, modestly-budgeted "hard" scifi film with virtually no digital special effects (just old-fashioned acting and character development) that permits the suspension of disbelief and gives us a feeling for a gritty future in which getting by might still be as hard as it is now....
Sophie Thatcher kills it as a typical but bright teenage kid marooned on an alien moon that looks a lot like earth (due to the low budget), but with some minor though important differences. Pedro Pascal (otherwise recognizable as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones) backs her up as an atypically articulate bad guy and no-account grifter. The story is about how neither one has a chance without the other.
White this is not a "great" film, it is certainly much closer to the spirit of what science fiction ought to be than the big-budget overkill out there that has basically destroyed the magic of science fiction (Star Wars: This means you!). Most all of my preferred science fiction films these days are on the low budget side.
Prospect is also available on disc.
More like this, please!
Sophie Thatcher kills it as a typical but bright teenage kid marooned on an alien moon that looks a lot like earth (due to the low budget), but with some minor though important differences. Pedro Pascal (otherwise recognizable as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones) backs her up as an atypically articulate bad guy and no-account grifter. The story is about how neither one has a chance without the other.
White this is not a "great" film, it is certainly much closer to the spirit of what science fiction ought to be than the big-budget overkill out there that has basically destroyed the magic of science fiction (Star Wars: This means you!). Most all of my preferred science fiction films these days are on the low budget side.
Prospect is also available on disc.
More like this, please!
Lira's Forest
(2017)
Hits all the right notes
26 April 2019
I caught this by chance on cable, and was pleasantly surprised. The two-person drama shot on real Kodak film in 2017 captures a mood associated with an intensely internal personal and spiritual place. The aim was to communicate about the secret magic of every person's identity. It's subtle and delicate. I thought it was just right, and thus that it succeeded.
Merantau
(2009)
Surely this is a modern classic of the genre
11 March 2019
Iko Uwais has achieved star status in Hollywood, now. Merantau was his first film, and it was ultra low budget. Reminiscent of early Bruce Lee. Uwais practices the traditional Indonesian martial art of Silat, which is like nothing else I've seen --- among other features, it combines gymnastics and incredible speed and agility with martial arts moves. I had first seen him in Mile 22, and when I saw Merantau listed as a new option on Netflix, I tuned in. Don't let the budget throw you off. Yes this is a martial arts movie, and yes, it's also a work of art. The acting is just fine --- no one skipped a beat. The final action scene is set against red shipping containers. In fact, it's a rich feast for the camera crew. Credit to Gareth Evans, the Welsh director.
The First
(2018)
Sean Penn has rediscovered the forgotten optimism about science and space exploration and redefined it for a new generation
11 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I was prepared not to like "The First," which is a series whose starting narrative is about a team of astronauts who didn't make it to Mars, and what follows from such a disastrous start. I've gotten worn down by decades of pessimism about fundamental and applied science, and their presumed inability to make the future a better place than the present. After having been raised in the "space age," I was unprepared for the public's ensuing loss of interest in almost all things science. Thus, most popular stories about science are now pessimistic ones --- about science failing, causing disasters, unleashing horrors of a thousand kinds.... I was afraid that The First would just be another of those shopworn, pessimistic stories. Thus, I was surprised when it turned out that it wasn't.
So, fifty years since men walked on the moon (they didn't send women in those days --- but now we don't send anybody at all, so what is actually better about now?), I was shocked to discover that this is a story about men and women who love the challenge of science, who are not deterred by failure, and who have hope, passion and commitment that we can still construct a future that might be better than the time we presently inhabit. In other words, this series turned out to be my kind of story after all --- and, since Apollo ended in 1972, that has almost never happened!
And... let me wrap up with a shout-out to Sean Penn, who is another one of the truly outstanding actors of our age. When Mr Penn does optimism, it's not squeaky clean, utopian happy, or naively hopeful. It's tough and resilient optimism, counting the cost optimism, knowing the odds optimism.... that is the kind of optimism that works for me, and few actors other than Sean Penn could have delivered that as he did --- it's a tough place to get to and then to communicate back to the world. Well --- Sean Penn found the place. I am grateful once again --- how long has it been? ...to be inspired.
Added after completing season one: The cancellation of this program in January (2019) is is terribly disappointing. I've given positive reviews to quite a few series over the past year. In the category of dramas, this was hands-down the best of them all --- no real competition. Sadly, the cancellation of this topnotch production reinforces my view about the absence of a market for true science fiction (yes, this is both authentic science fiction and hard drama). If The First was "not" something, it was not formulaic. Unfortunately, it seems to have disappointed those looking for a formula. Not a space opera, not a melodrama, not a love story, not a feel-good production. It was an exploration of human truth. I'm bumping this to the top of my list for all-time best science fiction productions, but it's also near the top for character-driven drama. And Sean Penn has so impressed me, I'm sure I'll be back, studying more of his past work. But Penn was in good company, a powerful ensemble cast, who carried the intricate storyline forward. Just wow.
So, fifty years since men walked on the moon (they didn't send women in those days --- but now we don't send anybody at all, so what is actually better about now?), I was shocked to discover that this is a story about men and women who love the challenge of science, who are not deterred by failure, and who have hope, passion and commitment that we can still construct a future that might be better than the time we presently inhabit. In other words, this series turned out to be my kind of story after all --- and, since Apollo ended in 1972, that has almost never happened!
And... let me wrap up with a shout-out to Sean Penn, who is another one of the truly outstanding actors of our age. When Mr Penn does optimism, it's not squeaky clean, utopian happy, or naively hopeful. It's tough and resilient optimism, counting the cost optimism, knowing the odds optimism.... that is the kind of optimism that works for me, and few actors other than Sean Penn could have delivered that as he did --- it's a tough place to get to and then to communicate back to the world. Well --- Sean Penn found the place. I am grateful once again --- how long has it been? ...to be inspired.
Added after completing season one: The cancellation of this program in January (2019) is is terribly disappointing. I've given positive reviews to quite a few series over the past year. In the category of dramas, this was hands-down the best of them all --- no real competition. Sadly, the cancellation of this topnotch production reinforces my view about the absence of a market for true science fiction (yes, this is both authentic science fiction and hard drama). If The First was "not" something, it was not formulaic. Unfortunately, it seems to have disappointed those looking for a formula. Not a space opera, not a melodrama, not a love story, not a feel-good production. It was an exploration of human truth. I'm bumping this to the top of my list for all-time best science fiction productions, but it's also near the top for character-driven drama. And Sean Penn has so impressed me, I'm sure I'll be back, studying more of his past work. But Penn was in good company, a powerful ensemble cast, who carried the intricate storyline forward. Just wow.
Harry Brown
(2009)
All you need to know is "Michael Caine"
8 February 2019
This is, frankly, a pretty low-budget British movie, filmed mostly in the dark in a seamy underclass British apartment block and the immediately-surrounding neighbourhood. The cinematography is unremarkable, and the story gets off to a pretty slow start (though this follows a shock opening). The setting is meant to be drab and uninspiring, and it is certainly that. I suppose this is what Mike Leigh would do, if Mike Leigh made thrillers. All of this said, none of the preceding words matter. Michael Caine is at the absolute peak of his form --- understated, emotionally resonant, never a missed moment or ill-timed response, perfect in this role. Even though the first 15 minutes or so of the story didn't grab me at all, I couldn't stop watching, because Caine's behaviour and responses were so rich, deep and potent, even when the events around him seemed to move at a slowed, even difficult, pace. When it's Michael Caine, he is in total command from the very first minute. Add to that, a deep supporting cast (including at least three familiar characters from Game of Thrones --- which was made well after this 2009 film was released). The seamy low-life bad guys were stunningly real and convincing. I'm sure even Theodore Dalrymple would offer the film a certificate of authenticity! So, yeah, the uncomplicated plot is about a neighbourhood vigilante, who happens to be Michael Caine, but when Mr. Caine is doing it, the plot is pretty secondary. The story is not remarkable for its originality, but it is breathtaking in the clarity it manages to achieve, due to Michael Caine's vivid portrayal of the title character. Yet another stunning achievement for Michael Caine. Nothing lacking here.
Pine Gap
(2018)
Finely crafted, highly contemporary thriller
23 December 2018
There is an obvious draw for stories about the aspects of our world that are changing. Aerial surveillance and drone warfare are a prime example. This theme was tackled well by Eye in the Sky, but of course, it was a feature film with a necessary resolution at the end of the story. Pine Gap digs further into this new technology, and sets the story in Australia, which opens the door to exploring the theme of international cooperation as well. So, what is life like when you're in the business of aerial surveillance, drone warfare, and risk assessment? Not unexpectedly, the characters' lives are very much like others' lives, but with this wild card factored in. Thus, much of their work is confidential. Secrecy is necessary, and may become habitual. There is always the possibility of intrusion, sabotage, mixed motives, conflicting policies. Add to that blend well-drawn and deeply sympathetic characters, and set it in an already cross-cultural Australian context (in Alice Springs). That will bring you to Pine Gap, a most compelling production, and well worth further seasons.... This is a great show well-tailored to our age.
Kiss Me First
(2018)
A myth for a new era; this story defies categories
23 December 2018
Kiss Me First is certainly not a romance, so don't be fooled by the title. However, I've been running through my mental catalogue of genres, and it's not any of those either. It is a dark show, with themes built around mental illness, suicide and psychopathy. However, it's not really about that either. I suppose it is scifi, but that would be secondary. If you pinned me down, I'd just have to call it a character-driven drama, and the artistry of character creation and evolution is topnotch. Probably it's a thriller, too. There is a definite bad guy, and time keeps being important in thwarting or attempting to thwart his work. I guess what I like about the show is that it is densely populated with heroes, and they are improbable heroes drawn from every walk of life. I think Joseph Campbell, who wrote "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," would definitely like this. This is definitely a mythic journey. Each of the many heroes is issued a call, and struggles to find a way to respond. So, yes, this is a story about heroes. Mythic heroes. It is well-scripted, well-acted, and well-conceived. Yes, I recommend this one, on the condition that you're ready to accept the reality of, and take on, life's darker side. Heroically.
Tell Your Friends