• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Film
  • DVD
  • Editorial
  • About ScreenFish

ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • News
  • OtherFish
  • Podcast
  • Give

Ben Mendelsohn

Captain Marvel – Putting the Super in Human

March 7, 2019 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“There is nothing more dangerous for a warrior than emotion.” (Yon-Rogg)

A new superhero comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain Marvel brings us the MCU’s first woman superhero, a soldier in the midst of an intergalactic war who ends up on earth and becomes ground zero for that war. Ah, but all may not be as it seems at first.

We first meet Vers (rhymes with fears, played by Brie Larson) in her dream. She seems to be haunted by some dreams that come from her past, which she doesn’t remember. All she knows is that the last six years she has been training as a warrior for the Kree. She trains with her commander and mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) who keeps pushing her to not use her ability to throw proton beams, except when needed.

She is being sent on her first mission to rescue another soldier from the enemy Skrull. But before she goes, she has to meet with the Kree’s Supreme Intelligence (Annette Benning). Vers ends up captured, tortured as the Skrull leader Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) seems to mine her mind for information from her past (which triggers bits of memory in her), escapes from their ship and crash lands in a Blockbuster store on earth in 1995.

Once she communicates with Yon-Rogg, who starts a rescue mission, she is discovered by young S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Eventually Vers realizes that she must team up with Fury to trace back the mystery of her past. She discovers she was an Air Force pilot named Carol Danvers who was part of a secret project and was killed in a crash. She traces down her friend Maria (Lashana Lynch) who was also a pilot. But Talos is also trying to find Vers again. At this point the twists start coming into play. Oh, and there’s a cat (sort of).

The journey from Vers to Captain Marvel requires her to rediscover who she is and what she is. It also requires that she come to terms with the very emotions that Yon-Rogg has been trying to have her bury. It is only after she finds her human side that she is able to make the transition from soldier to superhero. It is not so much a matter of power as it is of confidence, attitude, and compassion.

A part of that transformation is not just discovering her humanity, but embracing it. That means accepting the emotions that come so naturally to her—including fear, compassion, and even love. These are things that Yon-Rogg tried to suppress in her, but they become a kind of liberation as Vers becomes more than she knew she could be—and discovers that she has already been more that she knew.

The phrase “only human” comes up at one point, but for Captain Marvel the idea of being human is not about being “only” human. Her humanity opens up for her a new range of possibilities. It is only in being human that she becomes superhuman. This is emphasized visually near the end when Captain Marvel hangs in space in a pose very similar to paintings of the Ascension.

Within the Judeo-Christian creation story, humankind is created in the image of God. It just seems wrong to think “just human” when we have that understanding. Instead we should consider that fully understanding our humanity allows us to see the divine within ourselves—the superhuman.

Note: There are two scenes embedded in the credits. The first, midway through the credits, sets the stage for Avengers: Endgame. The second, at the very end, is a humorous scene, which may or may not have something to do with Endgame. There is also a montage of Stan Lee at the very beginning of the film, which got a bit of applause at the screening I attended.

Photos courtesy Marvel Studios

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Annette Binning, Ben Mendelsohn, Brie Larson, Clark Gregg, Jude Law, Lashana Lynch, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios, S.H.I.E.L.D., Samuel L. Jackson, science fiction, superhero film

Ready Player One: Real Life

July 19, 2018 by J. Alan Sharrer 1 Comment

I have completely forgotten the title of the story. I have forgotten what magazine I read it in. I have even forgotten most of its plot.

All I remember is the protagonist visiting another character she met online, only to discover her initial thoughts were completely incorrect.  The other person lived in a very small studio apartment and spent nearly his entire waking existence ‘living’ inside virtual worlds via cartridges he inserted into a head mounted device he wore. What was a reality to him was a virtual existence to others.*

Every time I think about virtual reality and the possibilities it can hold for our quickly deteriorating planet, I come back to the story I don’t fully remember. Simply put, life isn’t meant to be lived that way.

As the strains of Van Halen’s hit song ‘Jump’ welcome viewers to the world of Ready Player One, a camera snakes through an apartment complex created out of trailers crudely stacked like Jenga blocks (see picture above).  It focuses on the top trailer before panning down to reveal individuals playing tennis, shadow boxing, and pole dancing while wearing virtual reality goggles. The dystopian nightmare revealed in the last paragraphs of the story I can’t fully remember is on full display.

But is there hope?

Ernest Cline’s book Ready Player One, a massively geeky love letter about the 1980s wrapped in virtuality, sold so well that Steven Spielberg chose to direct a big-budget film based on it.  The end result is a movie that is noticeably different from the book yet somehow works well enough that people will come in droves to watch.

Here’s the basic premise: An eccentric video game programmer named James Halladay (Mark Rylance) created a virtual society called the Oasis, a place where anyone’s dreams could come true with a VR suit. Before he died, he hid three virtual keys that, when acquired, would lead one individual to an Easter egg and control of his company, valued at over a trillion dollars. For over a decade, nobody could find the first key.  But after Wade Watts (known in the Oasis as Parzival and played in the film by Tye Sheridan) is successful, it’s a race to complete the task before a company called IOI succeeds and takes Halladay’s company over for themselves. Along the way, Wade is helped by his online friends Aech (Lena Waithe), Sho (Philip Zhao), and Daito (Win Morisaki).  Then there’s Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), a wild but successful gunter (slang for egg hunter) who steals Wade’s heart. But are they who their unique avatars make them out to be?

Wade’s devoted most of his life to claiming the Easter egg, living the virtual life I read about in the story I opened this review with.  But when virtual blends with reality, real consequences happen. IOI discovers his real persona and attempts, through the wiles of Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn), to convince Wade to join their team (known as the Sixers).  When he refuses, Sorrento blows up his real house, killing his aunt—and potentially others—in the process.  It is only then that Wade realizes physical life and virtual life aren’t the same.

As for the main aspects of the film . . . The virtual world was typical Spielberg, that is to say: well-polished, well-designed, and well-executed.  It was chock full of 1980s references that will take multiple viewings (or somebody putting it in a YouTube video) to catch. In the first five minutes, I picked up on Marvin the Martian and Hello Kitty.  Halladay’s library was incredible, as was the race for the first key (although the book is completely different in this aspect).

The real world was a mixed bag. I loved Rylance’s portrayal of the eccentric, quirky, yet charming Halladay. Cook does a great job with Art3mis, blending passion with feistiness and hidden charm.  My one issue comes with Wade.  Sheridan feels wooden and forced playing the real-life version of Parzival, giving him an unrealistic quality. However, his blonde haired-avatar fits in perfectly as a leader to the virtual world, unfettered by size or power.  Give Spielberg credit there. Regardless, this is a film that deserves to be seen regardless of what generation you come from.

There are a number of themes that can be discussed here (Halladay’s attempt at playing God [Genesis 1]; escaping one’s past; games people play; being one’s real self; people will rally to the right cause), but I’ll go with one.  There is a reason we need to be connected with others in real life.  VR isn’t as good as the Oasis (and may never be), but that doesn’t mean we need to spend every minute of every day staring at a phone or other form of technology. It might be fun to chat and mingle with people virtually, but in the end, all that’s left are memories. We were not designed by God to live 24/7 by ourselves (after all; he made Eve because it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone).  We need real people around us to support, encourage, and enjoy life with.  No matter how good VR graphics get, it’s simply not the same experience. Living life can be quite fun and invigorating.

Besides, in online communication, we have the ability to be who we want to be, not what we are in real life.  It’s why I get so frustrated with people on Facebook who always seem to have it perfectly together with constant selfies and successes. Real life is messy and struggles are as common as the sunrise.  A community allows us to be real, be honest, be ourselves.

Real life, with all of its challenges, trumps a virtual life every time.  And you don’t have to read a story to know that.

* If you know what story I’m referring to, let me know in the comments.

The Warner Bros.’ Blu-ray Combo Pack contains special features that take us back to the ’80s (“The ’80’s: You’re the Inspiration”) as well as a series of featurettes going over ninety minutes into details about how Spielberg made the film, like “Game Changer: Cracking the Code,” “Effects for a Brave New World,”  “Level Up: Sound for the Future,” “High Score: Endgame,” and “Ernie & Tye’s Excellent Adventure.”

Filed Under: Current Events, DVD, Reviews Tagged With: Aech, Art3mis, Ben Mendelsohn, Daito, Ernest Cline, Eve, Genesis, James Halladay, Lena Waithe, Mark Rylance, Olivia Cooke, Parzival, Philip Zhao, Ready Player One, Real Life, Sho, Stephen Spielberg, tye sheridan, Virtual Life, Wade Watts, Win Morisaki

4.15 Finding your Oasis in READY PLAYER ONE

April 8, 2018 by Steve Norton 1 Comment

https://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/4.15-Ready-Player-One.mp3

Set in the year 2045, the global population seeks solace in the OASIS, a digital haven with limitless possibilities. However, when the creator dies, he challenges the world to unlock an Easter egg hidden somewhere in the game, giving them total control over the system itself.

Filled with pop culture references and stunning visual effects, READY PLAYER ONE heralds a return to the adventure genre for Steven Spielberg. Though one could argue the film is primarily a nostalgia bonanza, Spielberg imbeds his story with his own Easter eggs of truth. This week, Steve welcomes Jeff Baker and Benjamin Porter to discuss about the nature of identity in the digital world and the relationship between Creator and his creation.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

4.15 Ready Player One

Thanks Jeff and Benjamin for joining us!

Filed Under: Film, Podcast Tagged With: Ben Mendelsohn, Delorean, King Kong, Mark Rylance, nostalgia, Olivia Cooke, Parzival, Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg, TJ Miller, tye sheridan, Zemekis

Mississippi Grind: Addiction Is Never Pretty

December 1, 2015 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

mississippigrind

Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn regularly play characters on the opposite end of the ‘cool’ spectrum. In Mississippi Grind, they are two (somewhat) lovable losers who end up joining forces on a gambling road trip that will either leave them even more broke than they were initially or send them into a new stratosphere of wealth and financial independence. Along the way, hopefully they’ll uncover what friendship looks like and maybe even kick the self-destructive gambling habit for good.

Or… not.

When Curtis (Reynolds) blows into a game of chance, he draws all eyes and attention to himself. But he’s quickly sucked into the quieter, more passive vortex of Gerry (Mendelsohn) who has all of the earmarks of a longstanding addict – he lies, cheats, steals, begs, and manipulates to get money or out of trouble. Curtis seems like a good guy trying to compassionately respond to the troubles of a reasonably sad Gerry, but the end result appears to be mutual destruction for much of the film.

While the portrayals by Reynolds and Mendelsohn are solid and entertaining, the film seems to be a reasonably ‘southern’ facsimile of Rounders or The Gambler. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the ultimate lesson there — both Curtis and Gerry have terrible habits but everything works out for them in the end!

The sad truth I’ve seen and heard from others is that a gambling addiction doesn’t sort itself out. It’s not beautiful or positively powerful, but it destroys lives, families, and relationships. That’s the sad shame that this parable doesn’t convey.

The special feature is the “Two of a Kind: On the Road with Mississippi Grind.”

Filed Under: DVD, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Fleck, Ryan Reynolds, Sienna Miller

Star Wars Rogue One: Stars Announced

May 13, 2015 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

rogue oneHere’s a little bit of Star Wars news to satiate you until the next trailer is released (and we can endlessly pick it apart for clues to the real thing). However, it’s not for The Force Awakens.

Per Variety, the director of Star Wars: Rogue One, Gareth Edwards, has announced some casting for the film that’s set to debut on December 16th, 2016. We already knew Felicity Jones and Riz Ahmed were going to be in lead roles, but we’ve now learned that Diego Luna (Y tu mamá también) will play the role of a rebel fighter in the film. Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises; Bloodline) will play the main villain.

So far, Edwards has mentioned that the plot will involve the acquisition of the Death Star plans by the Rebellion. The film will take place between Episodes III and IV, but will be closer to the latter.

The struggle between good and evil will be quite interesting if Edwards can pull off the delicate balancing act of re-bridging the prequels to the main trilogy.

To get caught up, here’s AMC’s Movie Talk on what Rogue One means:

Filed Under: Current Events, Film, News Tagged With: Ben Mendelsohn, Diego Luna, Felicity Jones, Gareth Edwards, Rogue One

Primary Sidebar

THE SF NEWS

Get a special look, just for you.

sf podcast

Hot Off the Press

  • WandaVision: Reviving the MCU in the Past
  • Good News: 1on1 with Paul Greengrass (News of the World)
  • From Dreamland to Jungleland, Pursuing Dreams
  • The World’s Still Ending; At Least There’s Good TV
  • Blizzard of Souls – Latvian Pride
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

Footer

ScreenFish Articles

WandaVision: Reviving the MCU in the Past

Good News: 1on1 with Paul Greengrass (News of the World)

  • About ScreenFish
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 · ScreenFish.net · Built by Aaron Lee