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Oscar Isaac

Moon Knight: Marvel’s Wildest Experiment… and it Works

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Once again, Marvel has proven that they aren’t the most successful franchise in history by accident. With each entry into their massive (and ever-expanding) canon, they continue to flex their influence by releasing increasingly risky characters and stories that somehow still fit their brand.

A world entirely translated by generations of television.

Multiple Spider-Men from the past 20 years of film franchises.

A giant purple titan who wields an all-powerful gauntlet.

No matter how (doctor) strange their continuity becomes, Marvel somehow manages to make it work. (Yes, there are franchises that are better than others… but the percentage of quality in their cinematic storytelling is surprisingly high, especially considering how long they’ve been doing this.)

Now, here comes what is arguably the most insane story of all: Moon Knight.

Streaming on Disney+, Moon Knight tells the story of Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift shop employee who is struggling with bizarre dreams. Every night, he fears falling asleep as he finds himself transported to exotic locations and dangerous situations. As his dreams begin to blur with reality, Steven discovers his inner mercenary (literally) as an alternate persona known as Marc Spector battles for control of his body. Fierce and ferocious, Spector is under the servitude of the Egyptian god, Khonshu, who demands that he fight on his behalf. As Steven/Marc begin to unravel their complicated relationship, so too must they defend themselves against a mysterious Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke), an acolye of the goddess Ammit.

Moon Knight is ridiculous on almost every level… but it’s also ridiculously fun

Spearheaded by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, Moon Knight is stylish and well-executed. Billed as a ‘horror comedy’, the series is a wild blend of the terrifying and goofy. Known for their work on Synchronic and She Dies Tomorrow, Moorehead and Benson have a background in psychological horror and the put those talents to work here. Flashing hallways, demonic jackals and psychological breakdowns all work together create an unsettling atmosphere of terror. However, the best example of their horror influence comes through the depiction of Khonshu. Voiced by F. Murray Abraham, Khonshu’s bird skull and long, bony physique pushes the boundaries of what Marvel has offered by creating an intimating ghostly figure that ominously follows Spector/Grant. (Note to parents, while it keeps to its PG rating, this image may intimidate younger ones so use caution.)

At the same time though, Knight is also genuinely funny. Although the series features Marvel’s trademark silliness (such as a car chase in a cupcake truck), much of the credit here falls on a stellar performance by Isaac who is absolutely erratic as the psychologically-divided hero. From the Coen Brothers to Star Wars, Isaacs has always been willing to balance his independent work with big franchises. 

But his performance in Moon Knight is truly unique.

As Marc Spector, Isaac is allow to engage his dark side. A mercenary indebted to Khonshu, Spector remains calm, collected and often brutal. However, as Steven Grant, Isaac is practically bouncing off the walls with erratic energy. Armed with a British accent and high anxiety, Grant is constantly in motion as he attempts to figure out what’s taking place around—and within—him. Together, Spector/Grant have a tension reminiscent of the Hulk & Banner as both men battle for control of the same person. When you add in the demanding demonic voice of Khonshu, Disney has invariably created an ‘Odd Throuple’ with each persona attempting to dominate the other. (In fact, the relationship between these characters echoes Sony’s recent rom-com superhero franchise Venom which features a similar silliness between Eddie Brock and his alien symbiote.)

At its heart, Moon Knight feels interested in addressing the nature of justice. Whereas Spector is more than prepared to exact vengeance and violence when called upon, Grant has a gentler approach. To Grant, violence is never the answer and there is always a better way to solve his problems. However, Spector’s strength is often required in order to defeat the baddies that go bump in the night. There is a tension between their styles that creates some interesting conversations about the definition of justice and what sorts of methods are required. (Admittedly, Knight often favours Spector’s brutality as necessary yet, as the series progresses, one gets the sense that Grant’s humility will become important to Spector’s growth.)

Held in juxtaposition to this internal battle is the villainous Harrow who believes that the sins of man require judgment. Committed to the goddess Ammit, Harrow believes that humanity can be judged for actions that they haven’t yet been committed if there is darkness in their hearts. Whether it’s an elderly woman or infants, Harrow is relentless in his belief that those who (may) create suffering should be eliminated before they have the chance to do so. 

When held up against Spector/Grant, the series creates some space for what it truly means to create a safe space for others. To Harrow, man’s sins are inevitable and therefore justifiably erased. For Grant, man cannot be blamed until the actions come to life and then invited to change. Finally, Spector argues that those who threaten peace are justifiably stopped by any means necessary. Between the three of voices, the series highlights the breadth of opinions on justice and tries to hold them all in tension together.

How Moon Knight fits in with Marvel continuity is not yet known. Set in its own space and time, Knight very much feels like a standalone series. (Although, it’s fair to say that we know that’s not the case. Nothing in Marvel ever exits on its own.) However, anchored by a phenomenal performance by Isaac, Knight manages to carve itself its own corner of the Marvel Universe. Once again, Marvel has taken an insane premise and created something infinitely watchable and engaging.

Somehow, they’ve managed to let this Knight shine.

Moon Knight begins streaming on Disney+ on Thursday, March 31st, 2022.

GIVEAWAY: Digital Copy of STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

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When it’s discovered that the evil Emperor Palpatine did not die at the hands of Darth Vader, the rebels must race against the clock to find out his whereabouts. Finn and Poe lead the Resistance to put a stop to the First Order’s plans to form a new Empire, while Rey anticipates her inevitable confrontation with Kylo Ren. (Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.)

To enter, tell us your favourite force power and why. For a bonus entry, like or share the post on Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram.

The winner will receive a digital copy of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on iTunes.

All entries must be completed by 11:59pm on Thursday, April 2nd, 2020.

To hear ScreenFish Radio’s episode on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, click here.

6.14 Family and Fans in STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

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In Star Wars: RISE OF SKYWALKER, Director JJ Abrams returns to attempt to wrap up a story 42 years in the making. As Resistance Heroes Poe Dameron and Finn attempt to wage ware agains the darkness of the First Order, young Jedi Rey ventures into the far reaches of space to face a deeper evil who has returned from the grave ready to expose secrets from her past. This week, Jedi Master Greg Banik and Mando Arnaldo Reyes return to the show to do battle about fan expectations, the nature of family and redemption from our past. 

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

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.

6.14 Star Wars: Rise of SkywalkerDownload

At Eternity’s Gate – Van Gogh’s Calling

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“God is nature, and nature is beauty.”

The life of Vincent Van Gogh with all its spiritual and psychological challenges is well known. In At Heaven’s Gate, from artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel, we see scenes from his life—some based on his letters, some from legends, some (as Schnabel notes) “just plain invented”. It is not meant to be viewed as a straight biography. Rather it is an examination of what it means to be driven to produce art—especially art that is as personal and out of the ordinary as was Van Gogh’s.

The film covers many years of Van Gogh’s (Willem Dafoe) life, from his days in Paris, to Arles, and Saint-Rémy where he was hospitalized, and Auvers, where he died. Along the way we meet others in his circle: his brother Theo (Rupert Friend), Paul Gauguin (Oscar Issac), and some of the people immortalized in his paintings such as Joseph Roulin (Laurent Bateau) and Dr. Gachet (Mathieu Almaric).  But it is Van Gogh’s art and his making of the art that is more important than plot per se.

It is of import that Schnabel is himself a painter. His approach to the Van Gogh story includes a great deal of subjectivity. He tells the story as it has affected him. The scenes are often based in his reactions to Van Gogh’s works. And his concern for the need to make art is very evident in the way this story is told. Van Gogh often speaks in the film of how much he needs to paint. In one important scene while he is hospitalized, Van Gogh talks with a priest (Mads Mikkelsen) about his art and how he sees the world he paints. The priest thinks his work is ugly and offensive. But Van Gogh sees his vision and his talent as a gift from God. And asks the priest why God would give him a gift to show the ugliness of the world.

There is throughout the film a sense that for Van Gogh painting was in many ways a spiritual exercise. He has a deep connection to nature, immersing himself in the very soil of a field before starting to paint it. And in that connection to nature he feels a connection to God. He expands on this as he talks to the priest and brings in theological insight and scripture to expand on his ideas. (Van Gogh was the son of a pastor and at one time began to study for the ministry.) For Van Gogh in this film, painting is a calling to share his vision of God’s creation. For him that vision is about the beauty that God shares with us.

That conversation with the priest give me pause because there are times in the film that I react to Schnabel’s directing in much the same way the priest reacts to Van Gogh’s art. Some of the camera work and editing at times seem to work against watching the film. A case in point is the use of a lens for some shots that seems to be looking through bifocal glasses. It may be that he is trying to visualize the sense of madness going on in Van Gogh, but it was so off-putting for me that it made the film hard to watch and appreciate fully.

Photos courtesy of CBS Films

Operation Finale – Capturing a War Criminal

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“We’re all animals fighting for scraps on the Serengeti.”

One of the most celebrated trials of the twentieth century was when Israel put Adolph Eichmann on trial. Eichmann headed the SS Office for Jewish Affairs and was one of the key architects of the Holocaust. But before they could put him on trial, they had to find him and get him to Israel. Operation Finale is the Mission Impossible style account his capture.

In 1960, Eichmann (Sir Ben Kingsley) is living with his family under an assumed name in Argentina. There is a community of Nazi supporters there, including many in the Catholic Church. When a young Jewish girl connects that this person is Eichmann, word gets to Israel. In the past Israel has looked for Eichmann to assassinate him, but now the government wants him captured to be put on trial for his crimes. A select group of Mossad (intelligence) and Shin Bet (security) agents develop a daring and dangerous plan to capture him and smuggle him out of the country on a special El Al plane.

Among the Israelis on this team is Peter Malkin (Oscar Issac). Malkin had taken part in an earlier assassination attempt that targeted the wrong man. As the plan develops, Malkin is the man who actually grabs Eichamnn just a few yards from his house. But after the capture things get complicated. The team is now told that they must get Eichmann to sign a document saying he agrees to be tried in Israel. At the same time, the right-wing Argentine security forces begin the hunt to rescue Eichmann.

As the time for the getaway draws near, Eichmann is understandably reluctant to cooperate. He says he should be tried in Germany. He says he could never get a fair trial in Israel. Only one person on the team was to negotiate with Eichmann, but when no progress was made, Malkin offered a different approach. Over a period of days Malkin and Eichmann discuss the realities of war, of nationalism, of human nature. Finally, Eichmann agrees, but they must still get him out of the country before being found.

Much of the film is a thriller—both the plan to capture Eichmann and the cat-and-mouse game between the Israelis and Argentinians. But what elevates this over other such films is the near philosophical discussion between Malkin and Eichmann. Both men have agendas that they bring to this dialogue, but in their back-and-forth they move each other to deeper levels of understanding. Eichmann strives to manipulate Malkin by pushing him on a personal level.

That seems to be a major difference between the two men. For Malkin (and the other Israelis) this is something that touches their lives. All had lost people in the Holocaust. For Eichmann it is about massive numbers. There is a sense in which 6 million Jews may overwhelm us, but there is more power in the knowledge of a single person we know. Eichmann did not know those whose death he oversaw. They were annoyances to be exterminated.

The actual trial of Eichmann is something of an anti-climax in the film. It is shown briefly, but the real testimony of the film is in these scenes of speaking about victims, justification, and our common human nature.

While the film doesn’t accept Eichmann’s rationalizations for his crimes, it does show him to be a man who cared for his family and his country, just as Malkin and the other Israelis cared for their families and nation. It is this humanizing factor that serves to point out the basis for all of Eichmann’s sins in the Holocaust—the failure to see that humanity in others.

Photos courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures

4.13 Rebirth in ANNIHILATION

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With ANNIHILATION, director Alex Garland has created a film which both dazzles its audience while dividing them at the same time. Starring Natalie Portman, the film offers gorgeous visuals yet it’s wild ending has polarized critics and science fiction fans alike. This week, Steve welcomes Patrick Hicks (co-host, Feelin’ Film podcast) to wrestle through Garland’s vision while discussing the nature of repentance and new life.

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.

4.13 Annihilation

Thanks Patrick for joining us!

For those of you in Canada who are interested, you can donate to ScreenFish by clicking the link below and simply selecting ‘ScreenFish’ from the ‘Apply Your Donation…’ area. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/connect-city/

Star Wars: The Last Jedi -The Force of Hope

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“That’s how we’re going to win. Not by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love.”

Okay, so millions of people are going to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the newest installment of the Skywalker saga. They will go for many reasons: They’ve been following this story for forty years. It is such a piece of popular culture that to not see it would be unthinkable. There are amazing special effects and battles. It is the last film for Carrie Fisher, who died nearly a year ago. Some will go to nitpick the physics. Others will want to consider the mythology around the Force and how that relates to our own ideas of philosophy and religion. This review is primarily directed to that last group.

The film carries the story on from The Force Awakens. The First Order is seeking to eliminate the last of the Resistance. Leia (Carrie Fisher) manages to evacuate their planet just before the First Order ships arrive, but soon the First Order finds them and puts them under siege. Fighter pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac), who is undisciplined and hotheaded, continues to break all the rules as he tries to fight against the enemy.  Meanwhile Rey (Daisy Ridley), a young woman who has an affinity for the Force, tracked down Luke (Mark Hamill) on a remote island. She wants Luke to come back and bring hope to the rebels. Luke refuses, saying the Jedi need to die off. Yet Rey persists to learn more of the Force. And so the battle goes on between the good and evil, but of course, when the Force is involved, light and dark are often at war within the characters more than they are between the armies.

Ever since the series began with what was later named A New Hope, the Force has been the main spiritual aspect of the series. It has a very mystical element.  The description that Luke gives to Rey about the nature of the Force is very close to panentheism—not that God is within all things, but that all things are within God. (But of course the Force is really a religion without a divine being.) Even though some of the characters are more connected to the Force, in reality, all live within the spiritual system of the Force. And so when each character steps up for their time of heroism or villainy, they are acting out their understanding of the Force. It allows even minor characters to bring enlightenment.

There has often been an almost monastic quality to the Jedi. Luke, like Obi-wan Kenobi in A New Hope wears hooded robes. The shelters on Luke’s solitary island are like the stone bee-hive shaped cells of an Irish monastery. Luke has become very like an anchorite, having separated himself from the world. Perhaps this hermit life is a form of penance. He had brought others here to train as Jedi, but when Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), son of Leia and Han Solo, went to the dark side, Luke’s faith in the Jedi philosophy was broken.

In this film, the real Force-related conflict is centered on Rey and Ren. Both have a special affinity for the Force. They are both in a struggle about how the Force is to be used. That good and evil exist in parallel within the Force is part of what makes the Force an interesting examination of the spiritual/theological realm.

Rey and Ren also seem to be connected in some way. While Rey in on the island with Luke, she and Ren begin to see each other remotely and have conversations. Rey recognizes that Ren is deeply conflicted. Ren sees in Rey a person who is searching. Both think the other can be brought over to the other side. There is a complexity to this relationship that opens many possibilities, both for this film and future episodes.

This film spends a good deal of time talking about hope. When Rey finds Luke, it is because she sees him as the embodiment of hope, even though he has essentially lost hope. The Resistance is trying to survive so that they can be the hope to others throughout the galaxy. Hope, in this film, is best seen in the darkest of times. It is not always easy to live in hope. Poe has not learned to hope, so he often acts impulsively. It is hope that sustains the rebels, even as they face sure annihilation. And hope that gives them new insights. It is also the need for hope that opens the door for Episode IX.

For me, the key part of the Star Wars franchise has been the web relationships. Going back to A New Hope, the links between Luke and Leia, Luke and Obi-wan, Han Solo and Leia, Darth Vader and both Luke and Obi-Wan, and R2-D2 and C3PO. In the current set of films (going back to the Force Awakens) new relationships are forming: Rey and Finn (John Boyega), Rey and Poe, Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), and in this film Finn and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran). At the same time some of the older relationships are running their course to a finale. One of my complaints about the Star War series as it’s progressed is that the technological advances in effects has taken the fore and the relationship aspect of the stories has been diminished. As I said, some will go to the film to relish the battle scenes and CGI special effects. Although that is a legitimate reason, I’m not in that group. For me the amount of time blowing each other up is time away from the people and the connections that was so important in creating this franchise.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Suburbicon: Neighbourhood Disturbance

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There goes the neighbourhood…

Directed by George Clooney, Suburbicon is a satirical look at the suburban world of the late 50s, as racial integration was truly beginning to break down social barriers.  The film tells the story of Garner Lodge (Matt Damon), a family man who lives with his wife, paralyzed as a result of a car accident, and adolescent son.  When a home invasion turns tragic, the Lodge family is thrown into turmoil.  However, as the truth begins to reveal itself, the family—and the neighbourhood—begins to unravel in unexpected ways.

Written by Joel and Ethan Coen, Suburbicon is filled with their signature brand of dark humor and violence yet Clooney very much puts his own stamp on the film as well.  Through his use of framing and lighting, the film might be the best example of 50s-style film noir in years.  What’s more, he wisely remains behind the camera for this film, resisting the obligatory cameo.  In doing so, he allows the script and cast to bring the film to life on their own, which they do so successfully.  Damon hasn’t appeared this menacing since The Talented Mr. Ripley while Moore plays the stereotypical housewife with a subversive edge.  (Meanwhile, Oscar Issacs almost steals the film in his brief cameo as an insurance adjuster.)

Clooney portrays Suburbicon as a city of ‘diversity’, yet the set design and entirely Caucasian cast remind us of the myth of that claim.  (This reality is emphasized from the very beginning through the film’s opening credit sequence, which hilariously mimics classic promotional films.)  This town is one that believes it has ‘bettered itself’ and has ‘opportunities for prosperity for all’ yet refuses to recognize its unspoken flaws.  Image is everything in Suburbicon but what happens when the seething cesspool of injustice and murder underneath begins to bubble to the surface?

In fact, one of the most interesting facets of Suburbicon is its interest in exploring racial tensions, without that narrative becoming the primary focus of the film.  By focusing on the gradual destruction of the Lodge family, Clooney somehow manages to allow the racial issues to gain prominence.  In other words, through its emphasis on the murderous intrigue, it is a reminder of how often the real social injustices of our culture get either swept aside or misplace blame.  Although it takes place in the late 50s, there is a timeliness and urgency to Suburbicon that give it a much-needed satirical bite.  It’s hard to watch Suburbicon and remain comfortable, which is to its credit.  The film knows what it wants to say and it does so efficiently and effectively.

But, if you decide to move there, just don’t drink the tea.

This year, ScreenFish was invited to the TIFF17 press conference for SUBURBICON! Narrated by George Strombolopolous, this revealing conversation includes director George Clooney, writer Grant Heslov, and stars Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Karimah Westbrook.  You can stream the audio from the event here:

 

 

The Promise – Love in a Time of Genocide

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“Our revenge will be to survive.”

The modern concept of genocide did not begin with the Holocaust; it started with the attempted extermination of the Armenians during the early years of World War I. The Promise tells the horrifying tale through the story of a love triangle (or perhaps quadrangle). It is a story of heroism, but also of flawed people who are face dire circumstances. They must not only seek to save themselves, but to try to save the identity of their community.

In 1914, at the dawn of World War I, Michael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac) leaves his village in Southern Turkey to study medicine in Constantinople. Turks and Armenians live and study side by side. Michael is staying with his well-to-do merchant uncle. There he meets the beautiful Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), who is from a village near his, but she has been traveling the world for many years. She is with an American journalist, Chris Myers (Christian Bale) who has come to cover the Ottoman Empire’s place within the war. Although Ana and Chris have a life together, there are certainly sparks between Ana and Michael. But Michael, too, has someone in his life. In his village awaits his fiancée Maral (Angela Sarafyan), whose dowry he is using to study medicine.

When the Ottoman Empire allies itself with Germany, they begin trying to destroy the Christian Armenian population. Many are jailed and slaughtered. Whole villages are destroyed. Michael is arrested and used for slave labor, but in time escapes, returns to his village and marries Maral before going into hiding. Meanwhile Chris and Ana are trying to help an American pastor smuggle orphans out of the country. Later Chris runs afoul of the authorities, is imprisoned, and expelled from the country. The dynamics of the Michael/Ana/Chris relationship shift throughout the story.

The love story serves to humanize this story of an atrocity. The promises that are made between them (some spoken, others not) sustain them in difficult times. But sometimes those promises are not kept. And sometimes those promises are ripped away by the circumstances.

Even though the story is set over a century ago, it is extremely timely. There continue to be those who flee persecutions and genocides. Director Terry George has previously dealt with genocide as the writer and director of Hotel Rwanda. Many of the scenes in the current film ominously reflect what we have seen on the news the last few years: swimmers in the Mediterranean seeking to escape to freedom, piles of dead bodies—even a dead baby beside the water.

This film serves to teach us history (because the Armenian Genocide really gets little attention outside the Armenian community. (The US and UK have never officially recognized the genocide because Turkey is such a strategic ally. Turkey refuses to acknowledge it at all.) But it also speaks to events happening in the world today. European and American politics struggle to respond to the refugee crises, especially dealing with people from the Middle East—the same region that this film is set in. This film reminds us that saving others is a courageous act. It may not always be safe, but it demands to be done.

Photos courtesy of Open Road

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (NON-SPOILER): Visiting a Good Friend Once Again

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Rey and Finn runThe internet is a fickle place. A good amount of the time, people are doing everything they can to get you to respond in a specific way to a picture, an article, or an attempt by someone else to troll. However, when it comes to the launch of a film that is beloved across many generations, a unique thing happens: the Internet goes on self-policed lockdown.  People don’t want to know what happens.  They prefer to remain in blissful ignorance until they see it for themselves and make their own evaluations. And woe be to the individual who chooses to violate that unwritten code!

(Don’t worry; I’m not going to be that person)

Han Solo and ChewbaccaSuffice it to say that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a grand return to the galaxy far, far away that we all have come to love over the last thirty-seven years. Director and co-writer JJ Abrams knew he had to accomplish three main things: 1) bridge the unseen gap between Return of the Jedi and his film; 2) instill a powerful story that beats true to the Star Wars ethos; and 3) not tick off legions of die-hard fans in doing so. Mission accomplished.

There’s a nice blend of old and new in the film, from the planet sequences to the familiar faces (Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Leia—all of whom need zero introduction) and an inevitable new cast of characters, led by John Boyega (Finn), Daisy Ridley (Rey), and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron). In fact, if I have a quibble about the movie, it’s that it plays a little too much to the nostalgia side at times. But that aside, this is an extremely fun ride, filled with a nice mix of action, humor, and things you just need to see for yourself.  One of the bonuses is that Star Wars: The Force Awakens feels more organic in nature than CGI-laden.  The film is filled with lush environments, sweltering deserts, and icy climes that feel out of place in the first three prequels (note: this is a good thing). It tends to draw the viewer into the film more.

Kylo RenWhen it comes to the faith aspects of the film, there’s a lot to talk about in regard to good and evil—as well as a number of other themes.  But I’ll mercifully save that for a more in-depth look at the film next week—when a good number of people have seen it and an online discussion can legitimately take place. Until then, it’s best to follow the crowds to the cinema, find a seat, grab a snack (if you so choose), and prepare to be entertained for a few hours.  With the state of the world right now, it’s a nice thing to look forward to.