dhunjiwadia

Civil War is a 'what if' scenario where the USA could be if their divisive politics continue as they have over the past decade. It could very easily happen in other parts of the world too. In my opinion this movie seems to be where the world is headed.

Everyone should see this film. It is terrifying because it is a future that is possible. Collapse of government happens quickly. It is not limited to the US at all. It has some truly wild implications.

The United States is at civil war against its own rebellious states. Famous war photojournalist Lee Smith, along with her colleagues Joel and Sammy makes a plan to drive to Washington D. C. to capture the moment when the city falls and conduct a final interview of the president. Along the way she also saves Jessie, a newbie photojournalist, from a suicide bombing. Jessie decides to join the group. How they bond over the short period of time and how they take photographs so that others can ask the right questions, forms the rest of the story.

A truly immersive experience into what a civil war in America could be and feel like. A particular stand out of the film is the sound design. The movie uses its surround sound space as a vital part of its story telling. The gunshots surround you and rock the viewer. The soundtrack has explosive moments that remind you that you are in a place of chaos and instability.

All the technical departments are in sync.

Alex Garland is one of my favourite writers but his style is not for everyone. He is also the director here.

Kirsten Dunst is phenomenal. This is amongst her best work. The whole movie plays out through her reactions. Wagner Moura is equally brilliant. Stephen McKinley Henderson's beautifully wise tone and Cailee Spaeny's reverse mirroring her idol's journey add to the team's acting strength. Jesse Plemons (in an uncredited role) heavily evokes a character that could be straight out of Khmer Rouge.

Civil War and Kirsten Dunst are top contenders for best film and actor of this year.

Civil War is not an easy watch.

There's something about the character Ripley. From the original 1955 novel by Patricia Highsmith to its many film adaptations, every adaptation, including the 1960 movie Plein Soleil (Purple Noon) takes artistic licence to put their own spin on the story. Anthony Minghella's 1999 version is a colourful feast well acted by Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and the brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman.

But this version in stark, gorgeous black and white is more psychological and stunning. The plot of this version is truer to the novel than the 1999 adaptation. The black and white works well with this movie making it a more moody and sinister version.

We find ourselves rooting for Ripley, a detestable human being. He's got no redeeming features whatsoever. Yet as we grow to passionately detest him, we are hoping against hope that he'll get away with it all.

Steven Zaillian, the brilliant writer behind Schindler's List and The Night Of, writes and directs this truly wonderful version. We are used to seeing beautiful people playing their roles in gloriously, glamorous locations. However, this version is stark and Andrew Scott is like a replicant. Not even a hint of emotions. Invisible. As a consequence we do all the work. While we gasp or look away, he just goes on.

Andrew Scott is absolutely perfect for this role (probably a bit older than Tom Ripley of the novel). Dakota Fanning is perfect and more like Marge of the novel.

The real star of this mini-series is the cinematography by Robert Elswit, which conveys both the mood and atmosphere of the story. In addition, the interesting camera angles work well to highlight the beauty of Italian architecture and the coast. Each shot is like a photo you wished you had snapped - total eye candy.

The noticeable lack of music helps to connect with the characters and the sounds in their environment. The sound is like an additional character in the story.

I didn't want to see a remake of the 1999 version but rather a unique vision of the original story. And on that level this version succeeds big time.

This is the truest, most beautiful piece of art I've seen in a long time.

It's rare to see a first time director get it all right on his first attempt. At the same time he has created something that has the potential to be discussed and debated for generations to come.

Jeffrey Wright does a great job in the role of Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison. He is a Harvard educated, California University literature professor, author of several books that no one, other than adoring academic critics, reads. Monk is placed on mandatory leave by his university for frequently arguing with his students on racial issues.

This draws him back to his family roots in Boston. That's where his writing career takes an unexpected turn. What starts as a prank protest of 'authentic' portrayal of black people in mainstream culture inadvertently transforms Monk into a caricature himself. He dumbs down every element of his otherwise intelligent story-telling technique. Which, to his dismay, is the path to the literary glory he has spent his entire life chasing. An intelligent man like Monk cannot wrap his head around the fact that black books pandering to white readers who are trying to follow the rules is the new path to success.

'The dumber I behave the richer I get', Monk complains to his agent. (This is not a spoiler - it's in the trailer.) Considering how intelligent the script is, it's ironic how a single word plays a crucial and hilarious role summing things up. You know the word, the unpublishable one that begins with an 'F'.

American Fiction stands as one of the best written, most damning satire about racial stereotypes. It's a brilliant commentary on a society that has twisted things to the point no one knows what to say and how to say it.

Filmmaker Cord Jefferson delivers the message in a smart, funny movie featuring a wonderful lead performance by Jeffrey Wright. With American Fiction, Jefferson has now established himself as a filmmaker to watch.