Camp X-Ray

After watching "American Sniper" I swerved I would never again watch anything from USA related to their most recent military campaigns, cause I couldn't stand another buying false facts and fiction as a truth. But boy, this movie blew me away.

It does carry a strong message, it has to go a great lengths, it cant be too direct, but it delivers when it really matters.

Kristen in her recent works shows that she can act and that shes willing to do more artistically challenging titles now that shes done with that teen garbage.

But real star is Peyman Moaadi, heart-aching performance. Just brilliant.

Im still wondering how this movie happened, I truly believed that "American Sniper" defined what USA market want to see, judging by it Oscar nominations and positive reviews based only on patriotism.

Camp X-Ray is not at all apolitical as some of reviewers say - nah, it is political statement, cleverly submerged under story about human species, friendship and love.

Don't miss this one!

"Give me Azkaban instead" "Is that one of the Arab books?"

This very first short and amazing conversation between the soldier Amy Cole and the intern Ali Amir starts something heartfelt all lasts all the way to the end.

"Camp Xray" is a complex movie with complex characters. Neither is good or bad, they're just ordinary people in difficult circumstances. Sometimes Amy and Ali are unsympathetic and sometimes they're the absolute opposite. They're human. At all these different times, their reactions are understandable.

It can be toxic to be in such a hyper masculine environment as the army. Especially as a woman. Or, in any working place with just male colleges, to be real. It affects us all, man or woman, but as a woman you may face sexism, be distrusted, not be acknowledged like your colleges, and not believed to be able to do your job as good as a man.

Kristen Stewart's character faces these things, and she's also conflicted between her army duties and her friendship with Ali, and their slow mutual understanding. There are several power imbalances - the male soldiers have power over Amy, and Amy has power over Ali, by the structures that our society exists by.

i love Kristen Stewart, and I think she gets too little credit for her acting. It might not be very variated, but she has a way of acting that is unlike other actors, something I cannot quite put my finger on. Many of her characters suffer in silence, and how she portrays that in this film works so well. She's just so great and convincing as Amy Cole.

Moving and emotionally charged performances by both Stewart and Moaadi from beginning to end. I was completely surprised by the subject matter of Gitmo, expecting a political message as the underlying theme, but it turned out to be a study of humanity and relationships within extreme circumstances. Impressive directorial debut of Sattler.

Stewart plays guard Amy Cole, a young marine from a small town who joined the military to escape her life. The movie centers around the conflict of her growing relationship with a prisoner, Moaadi, who has been in Gitmo for eight years. Both actors do justice to the storyline and these complex characters without building caricatures of military and extremist personalities. I'm not one for heavy military story lines, but I was pleasantly surprised by this film's twist to the Gitmo plot with a narrow lens on the people, not the politics. It's not all heavy subject matter....Moaadi adds some appreciated humor. Bottom line: worth my time.

To my understanding this movie is about a human connection, which despite the unconducive circumstances can and should be made. Kristen Stewart is so young & unsophisticated here, that it makes her portrayal of a naive and innocent character very raw and touching.

The directorial debut of Peter Sattler is infused with a strong moral ambiguity that will make you question your own beliefs. Anchored by two magnificent performances by Kristen Stewart and Peyman Moaadi, "Camp X-Ray" is a flawed yet very affecting portrait of a relationship that develops in the most unlikeliest of places.

"Camp X-Ray" tells the story of a soldier named by Amy Cole, who is assigned to watch detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Her whole outlook on the military and life are changed when she befriends one of the detainees named Ali Amir.

From an honest filmmaking standpoint, writer/director Sattler hits many of his cinematic cues that you'd expect in a movie like this. It's full of emotion, tension, and moral questions that keep you thinking. However, the questions and emotional high-points are few and far between. At times, the film can feel awfully bloated, with fluff, and seemingly unimportant subplots that do nothing for the overall theme. There was a unique opportunity to explore queries regarding war, prison, and other things regarding politics that can be very frustrating when watching, especially since it has 117 minute run time. With all that said, when Sattler does it right, he nails it. I would be remiss if I didn't say, I'm not looking forward to see what he has up his sleeve next.

The cinematic world tends to forget that Kristen Stewart showed such immense promise pre-"Twilight" days. A complete standout in Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" in 2007, for which she was nominated alongside the cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Even in between the vampire franchise, she subtly delivered in "Adventureland," "The Runaways," and "On the Road." Stewart revives her glory days as Private Amy Cole, and makes us believe in a brighter future for the tween icon. Sattler knows her limitations, strengths, and puts them both to stunning use. Emotionally charged, Stewart may have delivered her finest performance yet, even one of the best by an actress this year.

As Asghar Farhadi enthusiasts will remember the talented Peyman Moaadi from the Oscar-winning "A Separation," the rest of the world that hasn't had the pleasure yet will start becoming well acquainted. Moaadi ignites a fire throughout the film, balancing his inquisitive and charismatic demeanor against a deep-rooted anger that will explode at any moment. I implore all writer and directors to utilize him over the next few years/decades.

Overall, "Camp X-Ray" has many things to offer an audience member. Some of which will make you curious, some of which that will undoubtedly disappoint you. Consequently, the film will get a dialogue going between those who have seen the film. I'm excited to see how Sattler's experience will be interpreted by the viewing public. At bare minimum, you can relish in the bravura turns of Kristen Stewart and Peyman Moaadi, two actors that are well worth the watch.