Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve provides a bleak world view in "Sicario," which means hit man in Spanish. There's not much difference between the good guys and the bad and while he definitely posits to the audience, 'Does the ends justify the means,' his story seems to answer the question in the affirmative. FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) believes in the concepts of justice and jurisdiction. She and her partner, Reggie (Daniel Kaluuya), are among the dwindling number of true believers, a fact that becomes evident when they join a cross-agency task force led by the shady Matt (Josh Brolin) and the even more shady Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). These two earn Kate's trust by claiming that their goal is to stop a terrorist whose bombs are killing her people. This isn't a lie, but what they don't tell her is that their methods will challenge her morals to the core. From Matt and Alejandro's perspective, there's no such thing as an 'innocent' bystander, only collateral damage.
Emily Blunt has appeared in all genres of movies, including the 2014 Tom Cruise thriller Edge of Tomorrow and she has been effective in all. Never has she been asked to take a character as far into darkness as she is with Kate. It's an arresting performance as she becomes the audience's surrogate in this ethical minefield. The character is a little naive and she learns some hard lessons. Brolin plays a role he's played before, a seemingly easy-going nice guy with a ice in his veins. Del Toro s frightening as the steely-eyed Alejandro who has an agenda that might not jive with the others. "Sicario" deserves Oscar recognition, but it's not an easy film to watch. It should be on the must-see list for anyone who appreciates films that dare to explore the moral gray areas.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
The Martian - 4 smilesa
I can't fault "The Martian" for its melodramatic ending. Over-the-top? Yes. But the rest of the movie, starring a wonderful Matt Damon, is just about perfect. And director Ridley Scott keeps the tone light without detracting from the seriousness of the situation with moments of low-key comedy. Accidentally abandoned on Mars, astronaut and botanist Mark Watney is challenged to survive on an inhospitable planet where communication with Earth is virtually nonexistent, his food supply dangerously low and rescue, at best, years away. It proves to be an examination of how necessity can really be the mother of invention, not only for Watney, but for those on Earth seeking to find a way to save him. Although the concept of a modern day Robinson Crusoe marooned on Mars might sound depressing, Watney's introspective video journals illustrate not only his practically and innovation but his wry sense of humor. For Matt Damon, this is an opportunity to show his range. This is his movie and it's hard to find a flaw in the way he brings Watney to life. The fear, the anguish, the loneliness, the desperation and the joy - they're all there. The secondary cast is impressive as well, with names like Jessica Chasten, Kristin Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels and Sean Bean lending their talents.
The events of "The Martian" transpire in the near future although an exact date isn't given. As the movie opens, the six-person crew of the Ares 3 mission are on the planet's surface conducting experiments and gathering samples. In addition to Watney (Damon) and mission Captain Melissa Lewis (Chasten), the crew includes pilot Rick Martinez (Michael Pena), chemist Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie) and specialists Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara) and Chris Beck (Sebastian Stan). The approach of a major storm forces Lewis to order an emergency evacuation. In the race to the escape craft, Watney is struck by a piece of flying debris, lost and presumed dead. He is reluctantly left behind. When NASA receives the news, director Teddy Sanders (Daniels) an Mars mission controller Vincent Kapoor (Ejiofor) make the news of the death public.Although "The Martian" takes some liberties with the science, it presents one of the most accurate screen depictions of space travel to date. This authenticity is one of the factors that brought NASA on board. "The Martian" has my vote for a Best Picture and Best Actor nominations (at the very least. There should also be a lot of technical nominations.) This is science fiction for a sophisticated audience, providing a fulfilling and satisfying experience.
The events of "The Martian" transpire in the near future although an exact date isn't given. As the movie opens, the six-person crew of the Ares 3 mission are on the planet's surface conducting experiments and gathering samples. In addition to Watney (Damon) and mission Captain Melissa Lewis (Chasten), the crew includes pilot Rick Martinez (Michael Pena), chemist Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie) and specialists Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara) and Chris Beck (Sebastian Stan). The approach of a major storm forces Lewis to order an emergency evacuation. In the race to the escape craft, Watney is struck by a piece of flying debris, lost and presumed dead. He is reluctantly left behind. When NASA receives the news, director Teddy Sanders (Daniels) an Mars mission controller Vincent Kapoor (Ejiofor) make the news of the death public.Although "The Martian" takes some liberties with the science, it presents one of the most accurate screen depictions of space travel to date. This authenticity is one of the factors that brought NASA on board. "The Martian" has my vote for a Best Picture and Best Actor nominations (at the very least. There should also be a lot of technical nominations.) This is science fiction for a sophisticated audience, providing a fulfilling and satisfying experience.
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