Man Down

First Hit:  This film powerfully brings the point home about PTSD through one soldiers experience.

Writer Adam G. Simon and Director Dito Montiel effectively brings together the effects of war through one soldiers eyes by using three visual amalgamated stories.

It is important to note that every night there are 200,000 vets sleeping on the streets in the United States. And that there are 20 US veterans committing suicide every single day. This film sheds light on the cause.

Gabriel Drummer (Shia LeBeouf) and best lifelong buddy Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney) join the Marines together. They suffer and succeed together. Gabriel is married to Natalie (Kate Mara) and have a son Johnathan (Charlie Shotwell) who Gabriel loves dearly.

The film's stories are interesting and effective. But, until I connected the dots, about two-thirds the way through, the post war apocalyptic scenes didn’t work for me. I was initially frustrated and questioned these scenes, until the clarity came.

The interview scenes with Counselor Payton (Gary Oldman) were excellent. The use of this as a vehicle to share the knowledge that our government knows we have a problem and doesn't necessarily have the best tools to help soldiers was fantastic.

The scenes of the actual firefight were very strong in that they showed the bravery and risk soldiers take in a war such as the ones we fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. To have made a possible error with lives on the line is difficult to accept. To learn of a betrayal while overseas only compounded and added tinder to the raging bull within him.

LeBeouf was outstanding. To show the audience internal rage inside, while controlling the exterior of his face is a rare skill and here it was amazing. I felt the on-the-edge of bursting so much my heart ached. Courtney was excellent as his close friend. Having his back in war and in the apocalyptic world despite the betrayal, was perfect. Mara was wonderful in her role. The way she wanted and needed Gabriel to be there for her was palpable. Oldman was very good as the Marine counselor who worked on getting Gabriel to share his story and feelings. Shotwell was great as the young boy who loved and idolized his dad through it all. Simon wrote a very engaging and strong script. Using “Man Down” as the title and Gabriel and Johnathan’s code words – really worked for me as it expressed it all. Montiel had a great handle on this film. The lighting, sets, and sounds were very effective and he got powerful performances while telling a “need to hear” story.

Overall:  This film is haunting and important.

Elle

First Hit:  An excellent, detailed and complex study of a woman who has had a life filled with misfortune.

Michele Leblanc (Isabelle Huppert) is strong, independent and lives in a large home in Paris. Although there is a hint of compassion in her eyes, she is a coldish acting company owner that creates video games. There is a power struggle with one of her game developers but she’s supported by her assistant Anna (Anne Consigny) who is a longtime friend.

To develop Michele’s character, we witness her being raped and the filmmakers choose to show us this multiple times from slightly different perspectives in the first third of the film. She is having an affair. She supports her mom Irene (Judith Magre), who continues to have plastic surgery and courts young men to sleep with. Her son Vincent (Jonas Bloquet) is in a relationship with Josie (Alice Isaaz), a woman she doesn’t approve of because this girl is somewhat abusive of her son.

There are other things going on in her life, but it is the slow unfolding about her childhood and reason her father is in jail that provides context to her direct coolness in dealing with the people in her life.

As the film winds towards its end, Michele learns more about herself and the deep-rooted feelings residing within while beginning to change what needs to be changed.

The reuse of the rape scene, although difficult to watch, was effective because each time she (and we the audience) learns something about herself. It was a risky film making move and it worked. The work environment felt current in that the way the staff interacted. Each scene in this film had a place and a reason although, at times when the scene played out, it seemed over done or misplaced.

Huppert was excellent in this role. Her intelligence, beauty, and clarity in this role came through powerfully. She was the film. Cosingy was very good as Michele’s best friend and work partner. Magre was funny and excellent as the woman who wanted to defy what happened to her family. Bloquet was interesting as the son that was ruled by his mom and wanted to begin to define his own territory. Laurent Lafitte was really good as the neighbor who had things to hide. Isaaz was perfect as the on-edge girlfriend with a power chip on her shoulder. David Birke wrote a complex screenplay that was effectively film and directed by Paul Verhoeven.

Overall:  This was a complex film as reflected by the complex character.

Allied

First Hit:  Although interesting and at times good, the acting and/or storyline didn’t really hold up well for the life of the film.

This WWII based film is about two agents Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) and Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) who are charged with assassinating the German Ambassador to Morocco. Although he’s Canadian and she’s European when they meet they must act like they're married and that he’s been in Paris working and is finally taking a little time off to visit his wife in Morocco. They meet for the first time in a restaurant in front of her friends and it goes off well, with everyone believing they were a couple.

The film spends a nice amount of time letting the audience see them learn about each other. They each learn about the other's skill sets including their marksmanship. Nearing the time for the party where they expect to assassinate the Ambassador, they head out to the desert. After gazing out across the massive sand dunes, back in the car they consummate their relationship with lovemaking.

I bring this up because this scene was one of the best scenes in this film and one of the best, in a car lovemaking scenes, I’ve ever witnessed. The use of a revolving camera and the wind and sand swirling around the car in an ever-rising intensity. It was very effective and it sealed their relationship.

After the job, they head to England together with plans to marry. However, there are complications and that is where the film feels a bit forced. The head of “V” tells him that they think that his wife Marianne is a spy for Germany and that she took the identity of the real Marianne Beausejour.

The remaining part of the film is about Max trying to find out if this story is true or not. In doing so he breaks military rules. There are times that following Max is enjoyable and interesting and other times where it was either overkill or I didn’t believe the character’s (and actor) actions.

Lots of the period items were wonderfully well done, but interestingly I felt that the main actor’s clothing was too well done. It had the feeling of being staged.

Pitt was good, but it was not great by any stretch. Cotillard was one of the best things about this film. She was consistently strong and created an interesting role. Steven Knight wrote a good screenplay and there was some interesting banter and dialogue between the main characters. Robert Zemeckis directed this film and it felt very old style in the way it was presented. Some of the scenes seemed a bit too staged for my liking. In the end, the film didn't seem to know what it wanted to be, was it  Drama, Suspense, Thriller, Romance, or Action?

Overall:  It was engaging most of the time, but quickly left my consciousness after leaving the theater.

Manchester by the Sea

First Hit:  A powerful and emotionally impactful story about learning how to care again.

This film tells a deeply moving story is about how tragedy changes the complexion of relationships and finding a way to move forward.

The backdrop is a small north east coastal town in Massachusetts called "Manchester by the Sea" or Manchester for short. As the film opens we find Lee and Joe Chandler (Casey Affleck and Kyle Chandler respectively) fishing with young Patrick Chandler (Ben O’Brian) who is Joe’s son. The tone of this scene is wonderful as Patrick is playfully being asked who is a better all-around man, his uncle Lee or his dad. Patrick of course answers “Dad”, and it is the close playfulness of this scene that sets the table for this story.

About ten years have passed and Lee is working as a maintenance man in residential buildings. He is living alone and in solitude, has a noticeable chip on his shoulder, and seems disengaged from life. He gets a call and must return to Manchester because his brother Joe is dying.

He’s met at the hospital by lifelong friend George (C.J. Wilson) and discovers that Joe has already passed. Clearly sad, he and George speak about whom to contact and what needs to be done. Speaking in matter of fact tones, his pain and sadness is being buried within.

During the reading of the will, he’s informed that he has been appointed guardian for, the now 16-year-old, Patrick (Lucas Hedges – older Patrick). The audience feels his resistance. What is obvious is that the resistance is not because of Patrick but because he must move back to Manchester. But why?

It is here that the film begins to unfold letting the audience into the story as to why Lee is so unhappy and sad and why he left Manchester for the life of a loner.

Each scene is shot with exquisite taste while parceling out just a little bit more of the deeply rooted angst carried by Lee. We get scenes of his happier days with his buddies. We get a glimpse of his previous marriage to Randi (Michelle Williams), and his children. We get a scene expressing his deep self-hatred in police station. We see the depth of his caring for Patrick and friend George. We have an amazing scene with Randi and see the difficulty he has in forgiving himself.

Not only was the dialogue in these scenes amazing, the feel of the community and each scene was extremely well shot with impeccable backdrops and sets like the downstairs where the guys were playing ping-pong - guy fun. The coziness of Patrick’s home - filled with family intimacy. The neighborhoods and town center of Manchester, the docks and bay, and the bar scenes were wonderfully real, gritty and engaging.

Affleck was sublime. His portrayal of this character was incredible, and wonderfully delivered. He will get an award nomination for this performance. Williams in her brief and powerful scenes was extraordinarily amazing. The scene with Affleck on the street haunts me days after seeing the film. She will probably receive a supporting award nomination for this role. Hedges shows a nice range from angst, to joy, to smart-alecky, to kindly thoughtful in this role. Wilson is very good and delivers a wonderful performance as a lifelong friend of Lee. The scene of him on the boat with Patrick and Lee explaining why he cannot be Patrick's guardian is spot on perfect. Kenneth Lonergan wrote and directed this amazing film and although the actors were amazingly great, his vision and the delivery of this vision will earn him an award nomination. This was a very finely crafted film.

Overall:  The screenplay, direction, and acting in this deeply moving film was exquisite.

Nocturnal Animals

First Hit:  Outstanding acting in a film that lives to the feeling of its name.

The opening credits are viewed on the backdrop of one of the oddest art displays I’ve ever seen. The display is of very large and overweight naked women dancing live. The rest of the exhibit is of live heavy women in various positions on platforms in the gallery.

The art gallery owner is Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) who lives with her husband in an amazingly large modern house in the LA/Hollywood hills. Her husband Hutton (Armie Hammer) is distant from her, appears to be wealthy, but also indicates there’s money trouble. His illusive and distant behavior points to something else going on in his life and then he abruptly tells Susan he has to go back to New York for business.

Susan receives a package from her ex-husband Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal) and it is a book he’s written. She opens the book and sees that it is dedicated to her and the title, “Nocturnal Animal”, was Edward’s nickname for her. As she lies awake in bed, she begins reading the book hoping to help her sleep. However, the story is very intense and it peaks her interest immediately.

From here the film slips in and out of the book’s story, the present time of her reading the book, and past reflections of her former husband and their life together. The past story is about how much she loved Edward and finding that her mom, Anne Sutton (Laura Linney), may have been right that eventually Susan would seek out someone more financially successful and strong than Edward.

The book’s story is very intense as it describes Tony Hastings (Jake Gyllenhaal in a different role), his wife Laura (Isla Fisher) and daughter India (Ellie Bamber) being driven off the road during a road trip through Texas. The men shoving them off the road Ray, Lou and Turk (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Karl Glusman and Robert Aramayo respectively) are local miscreants known for having a slightly troubled past.

The story continues where they give the Hasting family a hard time and end up separating Tony from his wife and daughter. Eventually finding assistance, Sherriff Bobby Andes (Michael Shannon) takes the case to help Tony find his family. Finding them raped and killed, Tony is crushed while Andes makes it his focused mission to find the killers.

As the film slips from the present of Susan reading the book, to her memories of her relationship with Edward and then to the intense book she’s reading, you can tell that she’s unhappy with her current lot in life, and wants to accept an invitation offered to her by Edward to meet for dinner.

She says yes to the dinner invitation and doesn’t seemed surprised by the outcome.

I really liked the way this film moved between the three different sets and scenes. The coolness and sadness of the current time, the intensity and fury of the book’s story of Tony, and the ideal and joy in Susan and Edward’s budding relationship of the past. These stories and their settings were wonderfully choreographed and  delivered. Additionally, the  transitions between them were wonderfully done.

Gyllenhaal continues to deliver top notch performances. The way he delivers his two characters which have a common theme was excellent. This is an Award worthy performance. Adams, is divine. She’s perfect as the hauntingly beautiful “Nocturnal Animal”. Sitting in the theater, I could feel her struggle. Just as with her role in “Arrival”, Adams is showing everyone why she is so good. Shannon is really on his game here. I’ve really come to appreciate his work and here as an intense, "I don’t give a fuck" sheriff, he’s wonderful. He is this role. Fisher and Bamber were wonderful as Tony’s wife and daughter. I also loved how director Tom Ford used their red hair to tie in Adams’ character as well. It created connections and a tie between the book and Susan’s current life. Hammer was perfect in this small role. Taylor-Johnson, Glusman and Aramayo were great as the books antagonists and the way for Tom to express his rage and gain strength in the end. Linney is perfect as Susan’s well-healed mother. Her look and use of language was great. Ford wrote and directed this film with a clear vision for what he wanted. His effort is worthy for Award consideration to say the least.

Overall:  This is a dark moody, thriller that really worked.