Eye in the Sky (2015)

This is a sleek modern intense war thriller. War has changed in the modern era. There is arguably no war in the film. But there is military activity. Our soldiers may not be on the ground, but there is a profound presence around the world with the new usage of drones. The technology is incredible clear and precise. And this film is thought provoking. It does its best to be unbiased, presenting and defending vigorously each side of the argument, exploring multiple issues regarding drones. War thrillers are always in the moment, and that is how they build intensity. But this movie is intense because it actually drags out the drama. We are forced to constantly wait and delay because that is how war is now. There are legal issues, political issues and a whole chain of command that must be consulted--and we see it all. 

Finding Dory (2016)

This is Pixar's long promised sequel to the classic Finding Nemo. The film is actually very similar to its predecessor; similar but not a copy like the new Star Wars. This movie makes much more use of flashbacks. This is partially due to the nature of Dory's short term memory loss, but it also capitalizes on cute baby Dory whose eyes make up more than half of the entire fish. The story is familiar but very well executed by once again moving from the open ocean to the an aquatic environment in a human context. Ellen is fantastic as a forgetful fish. But Ed O'Neill steals the show, essentially playing his usual curmudgeon character as an octopus. And there's a great cameo by Sigourney Weaver's voice.

What is so incredible about this movie is the advances in animation made over at Pixar. The octopus is such an intricate character to animate. Movement and camouflage involve several moving tentacles and a body that moves like nothing else does. Further, the under water scenes better reflect the lighting of the ocean. The sea floor is dark and scary and murky and the effect that you would normally get with a camera comes through in the animation.

As with all Pixar movies, it preys on emotion. There is always that moment about three-fourths in to the movie that is supposed to make you cry. But I felt like that moment, in comparison to other Pixar movies, is a little too predictable and a bit too cutesy to be as powerful. It relies on you feeling bad for baby Dory, rather than stemming from pure emotion.

The short film preceding Finding Dory was Piper. The animation is incredible, it looks absolutely real. The birds and the sand and the beach and the water are so lifelike. The story is simple and sweet. It makes you smile. And what more can you ask for from a short film than to evoke genuine emotion.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay--Part 2 (2015)

This is a much darker film than other blockbuster series. And that tone matches the the book but I didn't really like the last book. The Hunger Games series was great because of the hunger games. But the last two films don't feature a hunger games. They focus instead on rebellion, which is complicated, cynical and messy. Much of this final movie is spent filming propaganda. And there is no glamour in propaganda. There is no glamour in war. It makes you long for the extravagance of the earlier films. Jennifer Lawrence can do no wrong-- she'll forever be known as The Girl on Fire. The novelty has kind of worn off now that dystopian teen fiction is everywhere, only exacerbated by splitting the final book (arguably the worst one) into two films.

Confirmation (2016)

HBO continues to make dramas of our recent political history, following Recount and Game Change. As always, HBO attracts an all-star ensemble cast that is given plenty of room to shine. Kerry Washington brilliantly plays Anita Hill. She is smart and calm in the face of unimaginable adversity. This is accentuated by juxtaposing her with Jennifer Hudson's more fiery Angela Wright. Wendell Pierce from Treme is angry and defensive as Clarence Thomas.

The film makes a lot of use of actual news footage. It gives the film more authenticity. It gives the viewer insight into what people were thinking at the time, while also portraying a perspective in the film with hindsight. The film takes a pretty negative stance on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the hearings. Particularly, Senator Biden comes off rather weak. But ultimately the film is about Anita Hill. It is about female empowerment. It is about confronting sexual harassment. And it does all these things quite well.

Midnight Special (2016)

This movie has a Steven Spielberg feel to it. It is his brand of science fiction. It is a little bit Close Encounters and a little bit Super 8--all very prominently feature the night. It is about a young boy with mysterious powers who needs to get to the right place at the right time for something. It is all shrouded in mystery. There are three parties who have competing stakes. One party is the FBI, joined by Adam Driver from the NSA. Adam Driver is a little subdued, he kind of under acts. It is the same bland delivery of lines as in Paterson and Star Wars. Sure, I guess it fits the role but it's always the same with him. Another party is a religious cult that reads prophecies from the boy's powers. And the third party is made up of Michael Shannon, Kirsten Dunst, and Joel Edgerton. All three of them are excellent. I particularly liked Shannon's intense performance as a concerned father. The movie is engaging and mysterious, not to mention visually striking. 

The Puppetmaster (1993)

The Puppetmaster is a gorgeous epic tale. It is an extraordinary tale, that is unbelievably autobiographical. Li Tian-lu, master puppeteer, narrates his own life story as an artist living under the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. Periodically, we cut to talking head interviews with the aging Li that give his story an air of authenticity like a documentary. The scenes typically start in the moment and we watch history unfold. Meanwhile, a narrator tells the audience what is occurring (it is difficult to tell who is speaking, whether it is someone inside the frame, someone outside the frame, or more often the narrator) while we see a slight variation on screen. The movie provokes questions about history versus memory.

The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Interior doors and walls create a framing device within the frame of the camera such that we only see a fraction of the action. The characters move in and out of the frame as if life exceeds the boundaries of the film, and we are just observing it. We are reminded of this in the mesmerizing puppet scenes, in which the focus is not simply what we see on stage but also the characters acting and viewing the show. When we do see people on screen, they are always occupied with something, as if they were standing on stage exposed to the audience doing choreography. The movie is characterized by long master takes (vignettes) beginning with a fade-in and ending with a fade-out filmed by a single still camera. When the camera does move in rare circumstances, it is striking.The wide shots of the Taiwanese countryside are beautiful with small silhouettes of working people accentuating the scenery.

The music is also notable, including both traditional Chinese instruments and western style epic soundtracks. And Li has a sense of humor that is actually quite funny though sometimes the movie is a little slow. It is a heartwarming story about an artist who mastered his craft told in a greater historical context. 

Ant-Man (2015)

Paul Rudd stars in this Marvel flick, which was actually quite funny. It is more traditional humor, unlike the riskier Deadpool. Quite frankly, I think Ant-Man works better. Michael Pena is hilarious as Rudd's sidekick. And Paul Rudd, as a comedian, is naturally funny and charming whereas sometimes you feel like Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool tries too hard. What is really great about this movie is that Ant-Man is human. He is not "super" like some other Marvel heroes. And as a human, he has human problems, family problems, mundane problems. This human element grounds the film in reality. The powers come from science, which though it is unrealistic, is hypothetically believable. It does not take itself too seriously, while not being a total joke like Deadpool.