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Jeremy Renner

Wind River – Hunting for Justice

August 4, 2017 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

The modern American frontier has been a subject that Taylor Sheridan has been coming to from different angles in recent films. Wind River represents his “conclusion of a thematic trilogy” that includes Sicario and Hell or High Water. Three very different films, but each considers the discrepancies between the myth of the American West and the realities of modern America. In Wind River he confronts us with what he calls “America’s greatest failure—the Native American reservation.”

When professional hunter/tracker Cody Lambert (Jeremy Renner) discovers a young Native American woman’s body in the snow, he becomes involved along with the Reservation police chief (Graham Greene) and rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) in the murder investigation. Cody has personal connections on the reservation and a history of a murdered daughter that haunts him. He is not the law. His interest is not so much an arrest as justice—perhaps even personal satisfaction and revenge.

The film concentrates on the dark side of life on the reservation: drug addiction, hopelessness, poverty, exploitation by corporations and whites. Yet it also points to the humanity that is seen even amidst the suffering. That is especially true with Cody’s interactions with the victim’s father (Gil Birmingham) as they share the pain of grieving.

But it is also heavy with the dark side of humanity. This is a film that is filled with flawed men and women. That is not to say there is no nobility demonstrated, but even when that appears, it is tinged with anger and revenge. The film seems to see humanity as basically deprived, that only rarely rises about our animal nature to act more virtuously.

Since this is part of Sheridan’s American Frontier trilogy, what does this film say about his view of the modern American life and the underlying myth of the American Dream? All three of the films deal with different aspects of the flaws in our society: violence, the inequality of wealth and power, exploitation and victimization. There is something of a prophetic voice in the films that calls us to pay attention to the sinfulness of our culture—not so much in our actions as in what we are willing to overlook all around us.

Yet, taken as a whole, they do offer a glimpse of hope that perhaps we can overcome these flaws that the films show as systemic to our culture. There are people who are not satisfied with society’s problems going unaddressed. Perhaps the ways they choose to address those issues may be equally as flawed, but they still are working toward an ideal of justice. It is that absence of justice which represents the trilogy’s greatest indictment against American culture.

Photos courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Graham Greene, Jeremy Renner, Native Americans, Taylor Sheridan, trilogy

ARRIVAL: Guess Who’s Coming to Earth?

February 14, 2017 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

amyadamsarrival

America needs Arrival.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Arrival begins on the day that (the latest) aliens appear over major cities around the world. Resting silently and still above the earth, these objects send the population into a moment of fear as everyone awaits what will happen next. When the military begins the process of communicating with their visitors, they assemble a team led by linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams), theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), and US Army Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker). As humankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks, Donnelly and Weber take a chance that could threaten their lives, and quite possibly, humanity.

Despite the familiar premise, Arrival is far from your traditional ‘alien invasion’ film. While films of this genre generally play out with intergalactic space battles or wanton destruction (yes, I’m looking at you Independence Day: Resurgence), Arrival carves out it’s own unique and compelling place amongst the very best of science fiction by focusing on the pratfalls of language.

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Caution: Potential spoilers ahead…

Playing out like a sci-fi vision of the Cold War, humans and aliens wait anxiously to see who will make the next move. Will it be an act of aggression? An offer of peace? Unlike other sci-fi entries, the real tension within this film exists in the realities of learning how to communicate with another who you neither understand nor trust. Of course, the obvious implications of this are between human and alien… however, the film reveals that similar issues lie amongst the people of Earth themselves.

Having first seen the film at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, I found myself struck by the boldness of this film. However, to be honest, I could never have predicted how timely it would become. Living in the shadow of the Presidential election, it has become frighteningly clear of the breadth of the divide amongst the American people. As thousands of people protest the election results in rallies across the country, philosophical differences have never been more apparent and anger and fear appear rampant amongst the people. The ability to humble ourselves and have conversation has given way to bitterness and resentment.

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As a pastor, I wonder where ideas like either ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged’ or ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ have gone in a moment like this.

But Arrival hasn’t forgotten.

Here, as military officers increase the pressure to attack their visitors, linguist Banks cries out for patience, even when the communication seems as though it’s gone awry. As the challenges of communication increase, Banks and her team recognize the value in the other and fight for the reality that words matter. They understand that one narrative doesn’t tell the whole story—and that that builds bridges.

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In a time where American culture seems primed to rip itself in two, the notion of seeing beyond our own views and truly listening to one another couldn’t seem more poignant.

In the end, Arrival is a film about risking our lives not for a cause, but for the benefit of others. It’s a film about leaning into suffering for the sake of receiving blessings along the way.

It’s a film that shows that every life matters and that communication requires humility on our behalf to connect us.

America needs Arrival.

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Special features include a look at language (“Xenolinguistics: Understanding Arrival”), sound and score (“Acoustic Signatures: Sound Design”, “Eternal Recurrence”), the editing (“Nonlinear Thinking”), and time (“Principles of Time, Memory & Language”), all the main elements (in addition to Adams) that make the film great. 

Filed Under: Film, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: aliens, Amy Adams, Arrival, Denis Villeneuve, Forest Whitaker, Independence Day, invasion, Jeremy Renner, science fiction, SciFi, TIFF, TIFF16, Toronto, Toronto International Film Festival

tiff16: ARRIVAL

September 18, 2016 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

arrive

When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team, led by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams), is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers — and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and, quite possibly, humanity.

With ARRIVAL, Denis Villeneuve takes his first steps into the science fiction genre (he is currently filming the highly-anticipated sequel to BLADE RUNNER) and manages to surprise us in the best of ways.  Rather than succumbing to the temptation to develop the more traditional ‘alien invasion’ piece, Villeneuve opts for a more poignant approach by focusing the story on character development and relationships.  In doing so, Villeneuve creates an atmosphere of tension and intrigue as communication between the alien species and human race unfolds like an intense game of chess with the future of the earth hanging in the balance.

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What’s more, the film is anchored by an incredible performance by Adams as she seamlessly moves between hearts of both courage and emotional trauma.  With strong outings in both ARRIVAL and Tom Ford’s NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, she could very well finally be poised for recognition come Oscar time.  Although it also features solid performances from its supporting cast (Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker), there’s little question that this is Adams’ film and she seizes the opportunity.

Without giving away any spoilers, Villeneuve also has much to say within the film about the nature of language and communication.  Is communication what brings us together or a roadblock?  Or is it possible that truth can get lost in translation?  These questions, in addition to the theme of ‘leaning into fear’ provide more than enough content to  lift ARRIVAL beyond your run-of-the-mill sci-fi piece.

Without question, this was one of my favourite films of the fest this year and could receive significant notoriety come awards season.

Trust me.  The film is not what you expect.

And that is a very good thing.

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Filed Under: Film, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: aliens, Amy Adams, Arrival, Denis Villeneuve, drama, Future, Jeremy Renner, language, SciFi

Captain America: Civil War — Conflict Breeds Catastrophe

May 5, 2016 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

#TeamCap FightsLet’s get the basic questions out of the way before we begin the review.

Is Captain America: Civil War any good?  You bet it is!
Is it a perfect film? 
Nope.
Is there lots of fighting? Oh yes. And then some.
How’s Spider Man?
Well . . . He needs some practice.
Does the film leave the door open for future movies?
I think you know the answer to that one.
So who wins the Civil War?
Uh . . . I’m not going to tell you that. Why are you asking me?

Feel better?  No? Okay, then let’s review the film (with minor spoilers, if that).

If you’ve been under a rock for the last few years, Marvel Studios has been building a comic book-based empire on the strength of The Avengers, Iron Man, and Captain America. Captain America: Civil War adds to and builds on the previous movies, offering moviegoers a rollicking, fast-paced thrill ride that may take more than one viewing to adequately enjoy.

The story begins with the Avengers attempting to ward off a potential crisis in Nigeria.  However, something goes awry and innocent lives are lost.  This seems to be a theme of past films (New York and Sokovia, for example), so the governments of the world have decided it’s time for those with superpowers to have limits. Thus, the Sokovia Accords are drafted, giving the Avengers a choice: submit to governmental control or retire.

Avengers at Headquarters

If you’re a fan of the comics, you know there will be disagreements as to what should be done. Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) feels that limits will only breed more limits and make their jobs more difficult. Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) says that without limitations, they’re “no better than the bad guys.” Both are stubborn and won’t budge on their positions, gathering various Avengers to their separate points of view. Your favorite characters are all here: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johnasson), Vision (Paul Bettany), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Ant-Man (Paul Ruud), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and War Machine (Don Cheadle).  The addition of Black Panther/T’Challa (Chad Boseman) makes the situation more difficult (but man, is he an incredible character to watch on screen).

Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is dealing with a lot of things that spin the other part of the plot in motion. Captain America has a tie to him and this comes into play as the film advances to an inevitable clash held at the airport in Berlin. There’s lots of fighting, lots of gadgetry, and a few surprises along the way. But as Vision notes, “Conflict breeds catastrophe.” The question is whether the Avengers, Captain America, and Iron Man will figure this out before it’s too late.

Captain America Meets Spider-ManOh yeah, and there’s Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland).  He has a role in the fight in Berlin, but seems more in awe of the others than anything.  He’s also learning about his superpowers—with mixed results. One part of the film that irked me involved Aunt May (Marisa Tomei)—don’t go in expecting her to be old like in the comics. In fact, guys might even be smitten by her.

In the end, the themes of vengeance, love, family, and loyalty come into play, though I’ll leave it to you to figure out how and in what manner it happens. Suffice it to say that the words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 mean something in Civil War.

The film is nearly 2 ½ hours long, but it doesn’t feel that way due to the hyperkinetic pacing by directors Anthony and Joe Russo. Fight sequences are everywhere, surprises abound, and details are peppered throughout that help drive the plot forward. I do wish the villain (played by Martin Freeman) had been fleshed out a little bit more, but that’s nitpicking when events are unfolding so rapidly. The music isn’t overpowering but adds little to the whole scheme of affairs.  You’re there for the action, so that’s what you’re going to get.

And you’re going to like it.

(PS – Stay for the credits, as there are not one but two additional scenes that will leave you talking on the way out of the theater.)

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ant-Man, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Russo, Aunt May, Avengers, Berlin, Black Widow, Bucky Barnes, Captain America, Captain America: Civil War, Chris Evans, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Falcon, Family, Government, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Jeremy Renner, Joe Russo, Love, Loyalty, Marisa Tomei, Martin Freeman, New York, Nigeria, Paul Betteny, Paul Ruud, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlet Witch, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Sokovia, spider-man, tom holland, vengeance, Vision, War Machine, Winter Soldier

Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation: Cruising or Crushing?

December 15, 2015 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

Ethan Hawke and Ilsa Faust team upWith apologies to Fantastic Four and The Maze Runner:The Scorch Trials, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is the biggest film to hit Blu-ray and DVD between now and Christmas… and it’s not even close.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back in his fifth MI film, this time directed from a screenplay written by his collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (Edge of Tomorrow, Jack Reacher, just to name two). In a plot paralleling that of Spectre, Hunt and his posse find themselves up against an unbelievably knowledgeable super team of villains who the CIA doesn’t believe exists, putting pressure on the IMF team to prove not only the Syndicate’s existence but also their own reliability. But as we’ve come to expect from Cruise and his MI films, this one stands out in a field of spy flicks and high tech shenanigans. [Seriously, even the Furious series has moved into the high tech/stunt arena, foregoing simpler car chases and bombastic fistfights.]

Ethan Hawke runs on the wing of a planeThe MI differ from the Bourne or Bond movies in two major ways. The first is that Hunt is not a lone wolf. While Cruise might be the face that sells the films, he’s joined by the goofy analyst Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the serious, by-the-book chief William Brandt (Jeremy Renner, he of the failed Bourne film), and the deep-throated Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames). These three represent the team approach from the classic television series and resemble more of a mirror to The A-Team than one of these lone spy flicks.

The second difference is the level of humor. While the Syndicate proves to be deadly serious immediately, and Cruise appears to risk life and limb riding on the outside of jets, the MI films still find a way (thanks often to Pegg) to lighten things up. Whether it’s the operatic manner in which Hunt lures Pegg into helping his clandestine and highly illegal mission to track down the Bone Doctor (Jens Hulten), or the banter that occurs in the midst of the team’s missions, there’s more than the average wit to spice this up. [Surprisingly enough, the special features focus on various elements of “Cruise” like “Cruise Control” and “Cruising Altitude” or some kind of vehicle stunt, rather than the humor. I might’ve gone with a twenty minute gag reel!]

Ethan Hawke searches for an underwater portalWhile this wasn’t my standalone favorite MI film, it’s high points are worthy of re-watching. There’s the death-defying plane ride, of course, made much brighter by not seeing it over and over for a month prior to rewatching. There’s the beautiful water-entry sabotage scene toward the end of the flick that sets up some seriously tense moments. And there are the new entrants into the MI canon like Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) as an undercover agent with the Syndicate who adds the necessary feminine heroine to a testosterone-dominated film, and the comedic ‘villain’ in the person of Alec Baldwin’s CIA director Alan Hundley, the consummate politician.

But let’s be clear: this is an ode to Cruise, a middle-finger-extending caption to his stunts and spectacularly explosive career. It’s just as much about Cruise saying to the media and detractors, “I ain’t dead yet,” as it is about the IMF proving to the CIA that there’s still room in the world for this group of people with a specific set of deadly skills. Cruise has been about doing things his own way – from Scientology to the way he does stunts – and while I disagree with his religious position, I must begrudgingly admit that his films still dominate the screen. Just don’t ask us to agree on the baptismal imagery of that long, last dive.

Filed Under: DVD, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Christopher McQuarrie, Jeremy Renner, Mission Impossible, Rebecca Ferguson, Rogue Nation, Simon Pegg, Syndicate, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames

Mission Impossible: Cruise Control #TBT

July 31, 2015 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-tom-cruise

You can almost hear the theme song now.

With the release of this week’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, it’s time once again for Tom Cruise to jump back into the spotlight as larger-than-life action hero, Ethan Hunt, an agent in the IMF (Impossible Mission Federation… I know. IMF sounds much cooler.) Spanning almost two decades and five films, the franchise has become synonymous with over-the- top action sequences and adventure. Often (and correctly) viewed as the ‘American James Bond’, Hunt travels the globe defeating the forces of evil with high-tech gadgetry and Cruise’s wry smile. While not known for their intricate plots, the franchise has become defined by its death-defying stunt work, much of which was performed by Cruise himself.

Interestingly though, if you pull back the lens a little further, we soon discover that the journey of the M:I franchise also seems to mirror the career of Cruise himself. Over the nineteen years since the first film’s release, we have watched first-hand as Cruise’s public life and career have been emphasized almost as much as his films. This collision between personal and public sphere also creates an alternate reading of each film that I would suggest reveals the heart of the man himself.

Still not convinced?

When the first film was released in 1996, Cruise was literally Hollywood’s Golden Boy. Every film he released was a hit. His cocky smile and hard working attitude was a perfect fit for Brian DePalma’s smug, young IMF maverick. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Nowhere else in the franchise does Ethan (or Cruise) appear more brash and confident, even in the face of ‘impossible’ odds. While every film involves incredible stunts, Mission: Impossible reveals him as a young man with swagger and energy that isn’t found in other entries.

By M:I-2, Cruise’s career was still on an upswing. Coming off an Oscar nomination the year prior (Magnolia, 1999), we find him to be a man who is attempting to stretch himself as an actor. Bringing in the legendary John Woo as a director brought an Eastern flavor that allowed the franchise to set itself apart as well. Also, around this time, as his Ethan Hunt-type ‘superman’ character had started to become stale in our culture, this entry features a sense of self-awareness and parody within it. (Hunt is even described in the film as ‘grinning like an idiot every fifteen minutes’.) Cruise was now the man who didn’t have to take himself too seriously and continued to top the box office.

mission

But things changed dramatically in 2005.

By the release of M:I-iii in Summer 2006, Cruise had not only married Katie Holmes but also fathered his first biological daughter. (He had adopted twice in his previous marriage.) In his personal life, Cruise wanted to be a family man… and, all of a sudden, so did Ethan Hunt, who’s character had taken a wife. Like Cruise himself, Hunt’s character suddenly yearned for something more important than the mission itself, making this entry arguably the most grounded of the franchise.

At the same time, however, Cruise’s career had taken a major downturn as well. After his legendary ‘couch-jumping’ incident on Oprah while proclaiming his love for Holmes, his fan base seemed less unanimous about his cultural importance. Add to this the bizarre rumors surrounding his involvement with Scientology and one could argue that Cruise had worn out his welcome. While a few movies of mixed reviews over the next few years kept him in the spotlight, he became better known for his personal life than his ability to drum up box office dollars. What’s more, this trend continued until the release of the fourth entry into the franchise – Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

Released in Summer 2011, Ghost Protocol seemed like the sequel no one really wanted. With his career seemingly dead, there were rumors that Paramount wanted to continue the series without Cruise, bringing in Jeremy Renner to take up the mantle in future entries. Interestingly though, Protocol actually depicts Hunt in the same manner. As the film opens, Hunt lies ‘disavowed’ in a European prison, broken and forgotten by the IMF. Even Renner’s character seems suspicious of whether or not this ‘wild card’ still has what it takes to lead the team.

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What surprised everyone the most though was the fact that the film was not only a hit at the box office, but a critical success as well. Like Hunt’s character, Cruise’s life was restored as a viable—and bankable—success.

To Hollywood, that meant he had value again.

Is that really fair? In a culture where value is determined based solely on achievement and cultural idolization, Cruise is an example of the ‘celebrity machine’. It’s a fairly simple equation: When you’ve proven that you can sell tickets, you matter. If not, you don’t. Value lies solely in achievement. As a Christian, I recognize that this is faulty logic. Whether or not I agree with his theological position or liked his last film, I recognize that Cruise has value to God simply because he was made in His image. Like all of us, he’s human. He both loves his family and makes poor choices.

While Ethan Hunt may seem invincible, Tom Cruise isn’t.

He, too, is a man on a journey where God wants to meet him and, I believe, he wants to meet God as well. His value lies beyond Oscar noms and couch-jumping. It lies in the heart of the God of the universe, whether he recognizes it or not.

It’s that back and forth journey of discovery that sometimes feels like the real impossible Mission.

still-of-tom-cruise-in-mission--impossible-(1996)-large-picture

Filed Under: #tbt, DVD, Editorial, Featured, Film Tagged With: Jeremy Renner, Katie Holmes, Mission Impossible, Rogue, Tom Cruise

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