House of Cards (2013-8)

It's the show that put Netflix on the map. And I think that's why they kept it around for so long; they just couldn't bear to see their firstborn go. But since then, Netflix has introduced a full slate of original programming. Some of it is bad, some of it is good, and some of it is excellent. House of Cards was all those things. Season 1 was excellent. House of Cards dove deep into the most obscure clauses of the Constitution to make interesting drama. But after a certain point, it got so ridiculous and aimless that it was hard to care anymore. Each season introduced new characters that I could neither keep straight nor invest in. I think it's when Frank finally became President that it really became unredeemable. That would have been a fine place to stop; he achieved the pinnacle and the show could end. But they kept going and in the subsequent seasons, there's only one moment that stood out for me. It was the scene at the Democratic Convention with the rousing music from the titles. Even good acting can't save this one. And when they got rid of Kevin Spacey, they another perfectly good opportunity to call it quits. But they kept going and I didn't follow any of the final season. One thing worth noting is House of Cards brought much needed jobs to Baltimore and more shows taking place in the Beltway should consider filming in Charm City.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Magnificent. It is an epic three hour artistic feast. It is a visually stunning movie, surely to win the long overdue master Roger Deakins an Oscar. The colors! The futuristic production design that borrows from and yet somehow also modernizes the original. The epicness of each frame is enough to take your breath away. If you can't tell, I loved the look of the movie.

But of course, the strength and beauty of Blade Runner (perhaps of science fiction generally) is its ability to ask the tough questions. What does it mean to be human? In my opinion, this movie is a very natural sequel to the original. It builds off the established themes and pushes the boundary to the next logical steps. The character, less obviously but very effectively, advances this question of humanity. She is a computer program, pure software. She obeys orders. She is made to order. But does her capacity to love make her human? Does the capacity to love make a replicant more human? Does the ability to reproduce make you human? Is there a more abstract idea of a soul that makes us human? It asks the tough philosophical questions.

Denis Villeneuve has proven himself a phenomenal director of science fiction following Arrival. And in the same style, he has a way with reveals that shocks the audience. I won't give that bit away, but the reveal allows the viewer to discover another theme, and that is insignificance. We may find ourselves very important, but is it possible that our stories are insignificant in the arc of history? It's this willingness to tackle grandiose ideas that makes this sweeping movie a pure epic.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Wonder Woman is really quite good. The superhero genre has gotten pretty worn out, but this movie feels fresh. This is loads brighter and happier and better than those other dark, brooding DC movies. I find myself watching a lot of those superhero movies and just not caring about the characters. But these characters are well developed, they're likable and interesting. Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have great chemistry. Admitted, the movie's special effects are kind of cheesy and weak. Whereas superhero movies tend to rely on special effects, this movie has plenty other merits.

The story and production design (and some nice lighting) recreate the WWI battlefront. Much like X-Men and the first Captain America, this movie steeps itself in history. History and quasi-mythology interact in an intriguing way here. They serve as the backdrop for some deeper themes than we're used to. And perhaps most refreshing of all, it stands alone as a singular movie. Yes, it's part of a franchise, but it doesn't just feel like it's building to another movie. It's not just advertising for a brand.  

Everest (2015)

Everest is a film about torture.  These mountaineers inexplicably put themselves through misery for a steep $65,000 per summit. Climbing the highest mountain in the world does not look like fun. It is unbearably cold, the air is inhumanely thin, and everyone is perpetually exhausted.  I thought Jake Gyllenhaal would have a larger part in the movie, but he was hardly in it.  The visuals are incredible though.  You actually feel as miserable as the trekkers and you feel like you're on the side of the mountain.  You feel the snow pouring down as it becomes more difficult to breathe.  It is a truly immersive experience that probably would've been great in IMAX. Nothing ever goes right in the expedition doomed to fail.  It is a dangerous adventure disaster movie.  And it is done quite well. One of the scariest moments is crossing a ladder bridged across a deep crevasse in the ice.  It is a flimsy looking ladder and there is nothing protecting them from falling down into the depths.  The aerial shot over the bottomless pit is a dizzying visual.  These are some terrifying shots.

The Congress (2013)

Ari Folman's follow-up to his acclaimed animated documentary once again delves into the world of animation, this time using animation as a plot device.  The latter half of the film is animated in a style that is notably different from the cut-out comic book animation style of Waltz with Bashir.  It starts out sort of psychedelic in a Yellow Submarine-esque feel, preparing the audience for a funky ride through cuckoo town.  This is a seriously wacky movie.  Folman animates recognizable figures in pop culture and art--the animated scenes genuinely look like something straight from Cartoon Network.

The premise of the movie is very interesting, but there is simply too much going on.  The first premise of the film is Robin Wright playing a version of herself, an aging actress who is getting less work, and resorts to selling her image.  Her likeness is captured by computers and the computers make movies starring their manipulation of Robin Wright.  In exchange she promises to quit acting, so the computerized version of her can be used in movies.  The movie is a critique of Hollywood and the studio system.  Folman clearly supports actors and their art, which cannot be replaced by computers.  But this is not just mere theory--recently the Hunger Games director decided to not use a computerized Philip Seymour Hoffman in the final film, opting to simply remove him from their unfinished scenes.  Marlon Brando attempted to preserve his head and emotions digitally for use in performance in the future, as detailed in the documentary Listen to Me Marlon.

But this storyline, which could stand alone to make a formidable movie, is seemingly abandoned in the second half of the movie.  The plot gets more convoluted and the movie moves on to explore other issues about denying reality and living in a fantasy of one's own kooky creation.  There's just so much going on, that it is easy to get confused.  But the movie is very interesting and its a pleasure to watch the animations.  Robin Wright is excellent acting live and voice-acting.  She reveals her mastery of her emotions in the scene in which the computer is capturing her range of facial expressions.  This movie is less personal and less powerful than Waltz with Bashir, but it is a brave foray into narrative film.

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

This is not your James Bond/Jason Bourne kind of spy movie.  There is little-to-no action, just the slow burn of an espionage thriller.  Real spy work is not glamorous, it is unrewarding and requires patience.  This movie requires the same of the audience--but patience is not my strong suit.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent in his final role as a contemplative Gunther, a veteran in the spy game grappling with failure with the best German accent.  Compare this to Rachel McAdam's German accent that almost sounds dubbed. I don't think it sounds like her at all.  Robin Wright perfectly plays a role that is similar in demeanor to her House of Cards character.