12 Strong

   A military action drama based on the true story of the U.S. first response against the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9/11. A month after the Twin Towers were brought down, an elite squad of 12 soldiers were sent to Afghanistan to work with the local freedom fighters against a Taliban stronghold. 

       Chris Hemsworth stars as Mitch Nelson, the leader of the squad that includes Michael Pena and Michael Shannon. The film also co-stars Rob Riggle and William Fichtner as Nelson's superior officers and Naved Negahban as General Abdul Dostum, the leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance. There is no denying that Mr. Hemsworth is a dashing hero but rather than playing the mythical Thor, here he represents a real American hero and he is just terrific.

        The film is gritty and very realistic. The battle sequences are very exciting and what really sets the film aside is the horses that the soldiers find themselves needing to carry out their mission. The film is based on a book called "Horse Soldiers", written about the classified mission. It is amazing to watch the unit fight on horseback and even more amazing to know that the animals were't harmed during the making of the film. In the credits we learn there was an animation unit as well as a puppetry unit  that I'm sure were used to simulate the horses when they were in danger (and they are quite a bit).

        The story is thrilling and patriotic and you can't help but rally around Nelson and his men. What makes it even more remarkable is realizing that the film is a recreation of a real mission, carried out by real soldiers.  It's stories like this that reinforce an appreciation of our military and how they put their lives on the line every day protecting our freedom.

Call Me by Your Name

            A coming of age, romantic drama set in 1983, this is a story of first love and sexual awakening. It is beautifully filmed and extremely well acted by it's two leads, Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet.

           Michael Stuhlbarg is Dr. Perlman, a Professor of Archaeology who spends the summer at a house in Northern Italy with his wife (played by Amira Casar) and seventeen year old son, Elio, played by Mr. Chalamet. Every summer, Professor Perlman enlists the assistance of a student aid and when the film opens we meet Oliver (Mr. Hammer) who slowly awakens confusing feelings in Elio. What starts as a friendship soon turns to much more.

            The setting of the film is just exquisite. I found myself wanting to leap into the film and enjoy a summer, outdoor dinner among the fruit trees of the property. The film is a lush visual treat. Oliver and Elio begin their romance in a slow, subtle "dance" of mutual attraction and Elio is eventually totally smitten with the older Oliver. Mr. Hammer does his best work to date, showing a vulnerability underneath a confident exterior. Mr. Chalamet is simply amazing as he wrestles with his feelings and ultimately acts upon them. The closing moments of the film show a remarkable range in a dialog free scene for the young actor.

             Luca Guadagnino directs from a script by James Ivory. Mr. Guadagnino purposes limits the nudity and the sex scenes in the film to hopefully broaden it's audience. He prefers to leave much to the audience's imagination cutting away from the protagonists in their most intimate moments. He blends this tender, romantic story with a wonderful combination of acting, writing, music (by Sufjan Stevens) and cinematography.

Darkest Hour

        Directed by Joe Wright and starring Gary Oldman, this is a British war drama focusing on the early days of Winston Churchill. Having just won the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Mr. Churchill, Gary Oldman is now the front runner for a well deserved  Best Actor Oscar as well.

           The film is set in May 1940,  Mr. Churchill has just become the new Prime Minister just as Hitler's forces are occupying most of Europe and bearing down on England. The British forces are trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk and Mr. Churchill is faced with ultimate decisions affecting the troops, England and the outcome of the war. 

            Portraying Winston Churchill may very well be the pinnacle of Mr. Oldman's career. It is a towering performance that presides over the entire film. Praise must be given to his co-stars as well though, including Kristen Scott Thomas as Mrs. Churchill, Ben Mendelsohn as King George, and a wonderful Lily James as Elizabeth Layton, Mr. Churchill's loyal secretary.

            Mr.  Wright's direction moves the film along at a brisk clip with wonderful sets and cinematography, faithfully recreating  wartime London. I didn't want to see it end. The film makes a great companion piece to Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" as history is seen from both sides in what was truly a darkest time for England.

In The Fade

           Written and directed by Fatih Akin, this new German foreign language film is sadly based on incidents taking place worldwide everywhere that hate and prejudice continue to fester. 

          It is the story of Katja, a German woman, who's husband and son are killed by a bomb at the onset of the film. It's a difficult but important story anchored by an incredible performance.

           Katja is played by Diane Kruger, who is simply amazing in the role. Her grief, anger, guilt and all the emotions tumbling around in her head in the aftermath are brutally honest. Every note of her performance is raw and her outrage and hatred is so intense, the audience is on edge wondering how this will all play out. 

          What the police initially believe is drug related violence, turns out to be something far more sinister, when it is discovered the people responsible are a neo-nazi group targeting minorities in Germany (Katja's husband is Turkish). The film parallels an episode of Law & Order, first the crime and then the trial but the consequences are unexpected and the drama far exceeds anything done on a weekly TV show.

          The title of the film is taken from a song by Josh Homme (who composed the music for the film). It represents Katja's state of being after the bombing. Ms. Kruger has done fine work in many American movies and television shows (find "The Bridge" on Fox demand or Netflix) but this represents a new high for her in her native German.

The Square

          An avant garde dark comedy from writer/director Ruben Ostlund (Force Majeure), this new film, while set in an art museum, covers more ground than just tearing down the pretentiousness of the art world.

           The film stars Claes Bang as Christian, the curator of a contemporary  art museum in Sweden. Early in the film Christian is the victim of a pickpocket scam and loses his phone, wallet, and cufflinks. This incidence reverberates throughout the film impacting everything that follows. It co-stars Elisabeth Moss as Ann, an American journalist and Dominic West as Julian, an artist with an exhibition in the museum. Both are small but significant roles. Terry Notary also co-stars as Oleg, a performance artist, in a prolonged dinner sequence that is surreal, humorous and frightening all at the same time.

           Mr. Ostlund skewers the art world with various set pieces but also has a lot to say about class prejudice, trust (sexual and otherwise), freedom of speech, and equal rights. He deliberately sets up uncomfortable and absurist situations that force a reaction from the audience. There are moments that  will make you laugh or shudder and others that will clearly have you scratching your head. 

            A film like this is not meant to simply entertain. It forces an audience to pay attention and really digest what you are watching.  It's a bold film that takes a lot of risks and probably won't appeal to a mainstream American audience but if you like offbeat and even challenging film, "The Square" is a good choice. The film is in Swedish (with subtitles) and English.