Detroit (2017)

Kathryn Bigelow's last couplef ilms have been about war, the war over there. This film is only slightly different; it's about the war right here, at home in the USA, whether in 1967 or today. "It looks like 'Nam," he says of Detroit, he being a young white police officer who has never been to Vietnam. For him, the Detroit riot is like war (he who abuses and disbelieves a black Vietnam veteran--and it is not lost that the original incident that sets off the riot is a welcome back party for black veterans). But for the African Americans who call this country home, every day is a war, a losing battle, every encounter with the police can result in an illogical death, and in a brazen disregard for civil rights. They are second class citizens, gunned down in the street without reason. It is infuriating listening to the excuses of the white police officers. And what really bothered me was of course, the complicity, of John Boyega's character thinking he's doing the right thing and of the State Police and the National Guard, etc. They choose to save themselves and turn away. A riot is no excuse for ignoring civil rights. The message from Bigelow is clear, that these problems persist in our society today. This movie is a visceral experience, necessary in our current political climate.

I did the film was too long. I understand the point. That the entire system is designed to disadvantage African Americans, from the very beginnings (the interesting animated opening scene) through to the riot, the policing, and the trial. I don't think the trial was really necessary though. The drama was in the Algiers Motel. The trial was just beating us over the head with it. It could have been done more subtly in text. The movie could've ended there, in my opinion.

The Revenant (2015)

This is a monstrosity of a movie. Grueling, uncompromising, and incredibly painful--to film and to watch. We feel their pain too. It is a visionary achievement in film making with breathtaking nature shots and violence galore. The characters are crazy and the filmmakers are a little crazy too for being so ambitious. This movie is two and a half hours of agony and torture but you can't look away because it is beautiful and visually stunning. Though the run time is way too long. I could have done without the Powaqa subplot. I think the subplot tries to give motivation for all the killing but at the same time I got the sense that the film uses the wild west as an excuse for the violence.

Let's start with the opening battle. Inarritu and Lubezki have already proved that they are masters at the tracking shot (see Birdman) and this super complex battle scene looks like one long bloody take. The shot moves fluidly between the forest and the river, even dipping in and out of the water. I happened to notice some really intricate sound mixing as well. The ambient score sort of just waits in the background, and all of sudden maybe a few minutes before the end of the scene, the music overcomes the dialogue and the sound effects and this music is the epitome of the sound of bloodshed. And then the music fades back. Throughout the film, the music enhances the atmosphere of doom and the untame wildnerness. And there is an excellent balance between the music and the dialogue and the sounds of nature, each alternating their turn in the limelight. The strict use of natural light and colors enhances the outdoors-y wildnerness aura. You see Leo's warm breath in the cold air fog up the camera lens

Then there is the bear scene we have all heard so much about. It is excruciatingly painful to watch. And Leonardo DiCaprio wails and screams like there was a real bear mauling him (it is so lifelike and he is tossed around so violently that you really think twice about this bear). This scene is devoid of music. You hear just the natural surroundings. You feel like you are in the scene, being attacked by a grizzly bear. And if there is any mistaking the audience being entrenched in the action, in the final shot Leo stares right into the camera, and we hear his familiar labored breathing.

Leo is a man unmistakably dedicated to his craft. For much of the movie he acts without words, just enduring pain in his eyes. He went through hell and back, rising from the dead to portray this character. He ate the raw livers and slept in the dead carcasses. He suffered for his role visibly. And the whole cast and crew suffered great pains to make this vision a reality, to fulfill Inarritu's insane and indeed monstrous vision. 

The Maze Runner (2014)

The latest dystopian teen drama based on a book series has an intriguing premise.  A group of teenaged boys is trapped in the center of a giant maze and a few designated runners are tasked with mapping the maze to find an exit.  Immediately the audience is thrust into this world with Dylan O'Brien as Thomas knowing just as little as he does.  Is this some social experiment, or sadistic torture, we have no idea.  Who is he--well, not even Thomas can answer that.  Its one downfall is that this is just the first in a series of films and so it answers very few questions and leaves the audience wondering.  This movie is missing some closure, though I suppose if the goal was to leave me wanting more then they succeeded in what the latest Hunger Games movie failed to do, entice me.  The grievers are fantastic creations as part-robot, part-scorpion monsters.  And the most refreshing thing this movie has to offer is diversity.  Though the protagonist is a white male, the leader of the community is black, and the leader of the runners is Korean.  They both have roles with plenty of lines and authority and their characters kick ass.