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Some would say - and quite astutely at that - there's plenty of madness to go around these days, and they'd be right. But where and when did this begin? A good place to start looking would be the COVID-19 Pandemic, a time when fear was ratcheted up, conspiracy theories ran amok, "protective" measures slid into excessive overreach, neighbors routinely spied on (and often made unsupported accusations about) neighbors, and people's imaginations were let loose without restraint. What began as an alleged but widely legitimized public health crisis soon spilled over into myriad other areas of life as tempers, paranoia and disinformation flared to new heights. So why did this happen? As we look back now with the benefit of hindsight, it's gradually become clearer what unfolded, although many of us still don't acknowledge it or discuss it much. Thankfully, this is where writer-director Ari Aster has stepped in, gobsmacking us out of our indifference, denial and complacency with his fourth feature outing, a no-holds-barred cinematic essay on that time of profound and rampant insanity in May 2020 as depicted through the lives of the citizens of the fictional small desert town of Eddington, New Mexico. This cross-genre blend of comedy, drama, modern-day Western and social satire shoves its content squarely in our faces, forcing us to take a critical look at it, no matter how much many of us would rather not do so. The result is an incisive, insightful, incendiary multifaceted examination of what can happen when all sense of reason is recklessly cast to the winds. While the film covers a wide range of material and numerous story threads, its primary plotline follows the simmering feud between longtime well-liked mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), a by-the-book supporter of community welfare and official public health and safety policies, and sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix), a commonsense law enforcement professional who urges the public to assess their circumstances realistically and with an acute degree of discernment. But that's just the beginning: when matters grow increasingly heated and inherently more unpredictable between them, Cross challenges Garcia in the upcoming mayoral race in which the incumbent had been running unopposed. And, as tensions mount in the wake of the stress caused by both the COVID outbreak, the local political discord and the emergence of inflamed social disturbances (such as the protests that broke out nationwide, including in Eddington, in the wake of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis), conditions erode further, going from bad to worse, reaching an eventual breaking point, both for Garcia and Cross, as well as the entire local population. The filmmaker employs an intriguing approach in telling this epic saga, examining the prevailing conditions without judgment but pointedly depicting all of them with equal degrees of inspired and unfiltered lunacy, incorporating a narrative style that in some ways recalls the work of director Yorgos Lanthimos. In accomplishing this, the picture maximizes its impact through skillful cinematography and film editing, bitingly scathing writing, and an excellent ensemble including both leads and a host of colorful supporting performances from the likes of Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Deirdre O'Connell, Michael Ward, Cameron Mann, Matt Gomez Hidaka, Luke Grimes, Amèlie Hoeferle and William Belieau, among others. While the film's final act is admittedly somewhat overlong and periodically unhinged, the finished product overall nevertheless represents quite an accomplished work of filmmaking. To be sure, this offering won't appeal to everyone and is likely to generate divisive reactions among both avid cinephiles and casual moviegoers. But, for those unafraid of confronting issues that have largely been swept under the rug, this one is right up your alley. As Mark Twain once wisely observed, "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled," and Aster draws on that sentiment frequently throughout this work. No matter what one may believe about the events of five years ago, the director skillfully spotlights the chaos of that time and how it often manifested as an exercise in deception, control and a loss of common sense in so many areas of everyday life. Let's sincerely hope we learn our lesson from this film so that we needn't go through an experience like that ever again.

For those seeking sanctuary and the prospects of a better life, the hope of reaching a promised land holds an abiding attraction. That's particularly true for those who are desperate to change their fates, and perhaps no one understands this better than refugees seeking to flee their circumstances. Unfortunately, that promise is often just that - a promise - and one that's frequently and perpetually out of reach. Such are the conditions addressed in writer-director Mahdi Fleifel's narrative feature debut, the story of Palestinian cousins Chatila (Mahmoud Bakri) and Reda (Aram Sabbah), who, like many Middle Eastern migrants, have left behind their lives in Lebanese refugee camps for the hope of a better future in Europe. Their goal is to relocate to Germany, but, as with many of their peers, their journey stalls in Greece, the gateway to the heart of the continent and their eventual destination. The cousins lack the funds to pay smugglers for counterfeit documents and passage, so they live on the streets of Athens, struggling to find ways to get by, including theft, hustling and taking advantage of others. Their plight is a frustrating one, a scenario made more complicated by Reda's on-again/off-again drug use, a condition that repeatedly results in financial fits and starts and growing anxiety over the duo's inability to move forward. This, in turn, launches them into pursuing an array of increasingly dangerous schemes to fulfill their plans, but will these questionable ploys pan out? The film thus plumbs the desperation that they, like many refugees, often repeatedly experience, especially under present-day conditions. In doing so, the film earnestly evokes a profound degree of empathy for the characters' exasperating circumstances and generally without judgment, outcomes made possible in large part by the compelling performances of the picture's two leads. The mood underlying this story is further enhanced by its aptly employed grainy, suitably gritty 16mm cinematography, visually reinforcing the nature of everyday living experienced by the beleaguered protagonists. What's more, this offering draws heavily from the narratives of "Midnight Cowboy" (1969) and "Casablanca" (1942), including many plot elements that pay fitting homages to these storied Oscar winners. However, for all its strengths, this release tends to meander at times, with some sequences that go insufficiently resolved and others that feel more than a little convoluted. Moreover, on occasion it feels as if the filmmaker was ambivalent about which storyline choices he wanted to make - those of a truly original cinematic tale or those of a picture aimed at giving well-intentioned but somewhat underdeveloped nods to the screen classics from which it derived much of its influence, resulting in something of a mixed bag. Those modest shortcomings aside, however, "To a Land Unknown" effectively provides viewers with a look inside a world that most of us never see but to which we seriously need to have our eyes opened.

Sometimes movies have a way of surprising us in unexpectedly pleasant ways. And this latest installment in the "Jurassic" franchise is just such a case. Admittedly, I had more than a few reservations going into this one; I couldn't help but think that this was a cinematic commodity that had run its course, that it was essentially out of gas to offer anything new of genuine value, and, to a certain degree, that's true, at least where originality is concerned. However, despite the picture's expected plunge into familiar territory, director Gareth Edwards's latest feature offering is nevertheless highly entertaining, even if not particularly groundbreaking. Perhaps that rests with the fact that this is arguably the most Spielbergian installment in the series, in many ways reflective of the iconic production that launched the franchise in 1993. In yet another story involving self-serving agenda-driven characters placing themselves in tremendous peril by venturing into a world of dangerous, genetically manipulated dinosaurs recklessly brought back to life for profit and entertainment purposes, the film follows a narrative formula that most viewers will find more than a little recognizable. But what helps to set this installment apart from many of its predecessors is the quality of the filmmaking itself, specifically its ability to effectively build and maintain tension, its capacity for presenting story arc elements in fresh and inventive ways, and its overall production values, most notably its fine (and occasionally unanticipated) special effects and its efforts in upping the talent quotient of the cast with such commendable additions as Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali. Most importantly, though, this offering is to be applauded for its continuity in staying on track in terms of tone, self-aware of what kind of a movie it truly wants to be. This differentiates "Rebirth" from many of its previous releases, which often couldn't decide whether they wanted to tell bona fide sci-fi-based tales or present themselves as campy romps (as seen, for example, in the now-famous (or is it infamous?) Bryce Dallas Howard high heel sequences in the first "Jurassic World" offering (2015)). What's more, Spielberg's influence in bringing this production to life is clearly present in the finished product, both in terms of honoring the merits of the series' premiere installment, as well as in its respectful homages to the auteur's classic 1975 offering, "Jaws." To be sure, there are some aspects here that are wholly predictable (such as little doubt as to which characters will be offed and when), and there are times when the pacing could stand to be brisker, particularly when the film strives (sometimes a little too hard) to invoke a greater degree of character depth and development than what has typically been the case in previous "Jurassic" releases. In addition, the picture suffers from occasional plot holes, several contrived narrative devices (including one egregiously silly element near the film's outset that nearly cost me my hopes for the remainder of the release) and more than a little blatantly shameless product placement shots. On balance, though, this is a surprisingly good picture in a series that's now seven installments deep, an accomplishment that few franchises (other than the "Star Trek" and "007" series) can boast. Don't be too quick to sell this one short; it may not be perfect, but it's certainly enjoyable summertime action-adventure fare that makes for a good time on a lazy Saturday afternoon when you don't feel like going outside to brave the heat.