Category Archives: Thought provoking

2008, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Ethical struggles, Family Conflict, Fascists, German, German History, Instructive, Psychological Drama, School Teacher, Suspense, Teenagers, Thought provoking

The Wave (2008)

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From IMDB:

A high school teacher’s experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.

From Netflix I could get the DVD for this German film whose German title is “Die Welle”. There are English subtitles available.

Jürgen Vogel, who plays the teacher Rainer Wenger, is well-known in Germany. Rainer must lead a classroom of students through a project called “Autocracy”.  He begins innocently to have the students experiment with disciplined unity: they decide to all wear white shirts to school instead of sloppy casual clothing; they adopt a hand signal that mimics a wave in the ocean; they create a logo for the group which they then stencil all over the town, to the point of vandalism; they militate against anyone who is not in the group. Finally the project snowballs out of control with some disastrous results.

In our current sad era of Donald Trumpet, the film teaches a worthwhile lesson in the rise of Fascism.

2015, Acceptable for children, Airline pilot, Based on true facts, CIA, Cold War, Communists, DO NOT MISS, Feel Good For All, German History, International thriler, KGB, Lawyers, Military, Prison, Spy Theme, Steven Spielberg, Suspense, Thought provoking, True Story

Bridge of Spies (2015)

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From NetFlix:

At the height of the Cold War in 1960, the downing of an American spy plane and the pilot’s subsequent capture by the Soviets draws Brooklyn attorney James Donovan into the middle of an intense effort to secure the aviator’s release.

Steven Spielberg’s films tell stories in a straight forward manner often including quite a bit of schmalz (the German word for “lard”). In this excellent and true Cold War portrayal, Spielberg’s style is unmistakable with a minimum of schmalz.

After watching the 142 minutes continue to stay for the credits because the follow-up explanations are as meaningful as the story itself. Probably because you have accompanied these characters through a very difficult spy exchange negotiation,  you will want to know what happened to them after the film story ended.

Not all young film stars mature into fine older actors. Clearly Tom Hanks is a standout.

Throughout the film there are many subtle facial expressions and gestures. As one example, at the very end the East German high official concludes a swap and extends his hand for a handshake because above all else the East Germans wanted recognition as something other than Russian lackeys. But the American agent refuses the handshake and whisks the swapped prisoner away to American safety.

James Donovan’s insistence on due process as part of what defines the United States, even for a foreign spy, was a thought-provoking and essential point of the story.

Bravo Steven Spielberg! DO NOT MISS!

 

 

 

 

2015, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Complicated, Corruption, Finance, Financial malfeasance, Thought provoking

The Big Short (2015)

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From IMDB:

Four denizens in the world of high-finance predict the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s, and decide to take on the big banks for their greed and lack of foresight.

Although this scary (because it is a true story) film tries to explain the financial concepts involved, it may help to read the Wikipedia summary which contains a link to Credit Default Swaps (CDS).

Plot moves quickly, acting is good, and the lineup of stars is promising.

If you or your financial adviser rely on the rating agencies (who knowingly lied about the worthiness of the mortgage backed instruments), how safe do you feel?

Not only is there not a happy ending, but the same corrupt practices are continuing even as you read this review.

2015, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, Based on true facts, Bolivia, Political Campaigning, Possibly depressing, Thought provoking, Violent

Our Brand Is Crisis (2015)

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From IMDB:

A battle-hardened American political consultant is sent to help re-elect a controversial president in Bolivia, where she must compete with a long-term rival working for another candidate.

Oddly enough there is a 2005 documentary with the exact same title that discusses American political campaign marketing tactics and their consequences.

Up to now I always thought of Sandra Bullock as a comedian. In this film, however, there is nothing funny about her role as Jane who is a take-no-prisoners stop-at-nothing campaign consultant.

Jane is additionally motivated to win because her opposing campaign consultant is her arch enemy from earlier campaigns, Pat Candy played by Billy Bob Thorton. Just the fact that Thorton is in this film makes it very likely that this film is worth seeing.

Joaquim de Almeida plays the Bolivian candiate that Jane is promoting. You have seen this Portuguese actor in many presentations but I suspect you do not know his name. In fact, I found him in an IMDB list of “Most underrated European actors in hollywood”.

However, the film is rightfully depressing because it rings so true. It is almost as if the film was motivated by our current presidential campaign with its almost entirely negative atmosphere.

As a drama the film could easily have more of an effect than a documentary. At the very least, it will reach a larger audience.

Expect no happy ending.

2015, Adultery, Alcoholism, Depression, Drama, Flirting, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Nothing special, Philosophic Discussions, Self-Deception, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Thought provoking, Unusual

Irrational Man (2015)

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From NetFlix:

A middle-aged professor at a small Rhode Island college edges close to his breaking point, until he finds renewed purpose in his life after embarking on an unusual relationship with one of his students.

When Joaquin Phoenix is in a film, I will at least start to watch the film. For awhile his character Abe spends a fair amount of time whining about his despairing life even after meeting his student Jill, played by Emma Stone. Indeed the “talking heads” do ramble on about philosophic theories until one day in a restaurant — oops!, no spoilers allowed. “Irrational Man” is somewhat ordinary but good enough that I had to see what happens next, especially after that day in the restaurant — oops!

Eventually you will see that the film is well named. Meantime keep the faith.

2014, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Artificial Intelligence, Clever Plot, Explicit sexual discussion, Love Story, Netflix Streaming, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Sex Scenes, Strange Ending, Suspense, Thought provoking, Unusual, Young Adults

Uncanny (2014)

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From NetFlix:

For ten years, inventor David Kressen has lived in seclusion with his inventions, including Adam, a robot with incredible lifelike human qualities. When reporter Joy Andrews is given access to their unconventional facility, she is alternately repelled and attracted to the scientist and his creation.

From NetFlix you can watch instantly or get a DVD for this film.

In this clever low-budget sci-fi yarn I did not recognize a single actor. Probably that is because the three main actors are very young. Do not assume this is just some ordinary AI humanoid android robot story. Despite much “talking heads”, there is a growing tension that leads to an incredible plot twist that I certainly never expected. Never mind the likelihood of the circumstances, the conclusion is clever.

Sex is involved in a dry scientific manner, which is part of the cleverness. There is some minimal violence.

Worked for me, while still leaving some intriguing unanswered questions.

2015, Artificial Intelligence, Clever Plot, DO NOT MISS, Ethical struggles, Explicit sexual discussion, Nudity, Plot Twist, Psychological Drama, Quiet, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Thought provoking

Ex Machina (2015)

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From NetFlix:

After winning a chance to spend a week at his boss’s Alaskan compound, tech whiz Caleb Smith finds he’s been selected to help evaluate a sentient humanoid dubbed Ava — whose feminine wiles prove more formidable than expected.

Probably I should have guessed the surprise ending of this film. Hopefully the story will also fool you. And what a well-written, intelligent script! Science fiction stories such as this one are not only entertaining, but also thought-provoking. Do you have a soul?

Not a single of the well-chosen actors was familiar to me. Besides being American born, the actors were born in Ireland, Guatemala, Sweden, and Japan to mention a few. At first the character Nathan seems a bit rough, but his character fits, as do all the others.

Be aware that there is non-prurient female nakedness.

This film presents slow, calm, quiet, unspectacular science fiction at its best. If that appeals, then DO NOT MISS!

2011, 2013, Abduction, British, Child abduction and murder, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crude Talk, Dysfunctional Lives, Dystopia, Ethical struggles, Gritty, Netflix Streaming, Pessimistic, Prozac appropriate, Psychological Drama, Psychological Internet Damage, Sadism, Sci-Fi, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Thought provoking, Torture, Unusual, Valium appropriate, Violent, Vulgar

Black Mirror (2011)

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From Netflix:

This sci-fi anthology series in the vein of “The Twilight Zone” reflects on the darker side of technology and human nature.

UPDATE: January 2018. Netflix now offers Season Four with 6 more upsetting episodes. At the suggestion of a neighbor, I have introduced two new categories: “Prozac appropriate” is for depressing stories and “Valium appropriate” is for anxiety producing stories. For “Black Mirror” I would apply both categories. You are warned!

UPDATE: October 2016. Netflix now offers Season Three which is similar to and just as brilliant and disturbing as the first two seasons. Sometimes a known actor appears in an episode. For example in the first episode of Season Three the bother of the main character is played by James Norton of “Happy Valley” fame.

“Black Mirror” is probably the darkest and most disturbing TV series I have ever seen. Both season one (2011) and season two (2013) of this British series offer 3 episodes, all of which can be streamed from Netflix. If not just to be daring or sensational, supposedly the aim of the 6 episodes is to show the mind-numbing effects and other emotional dangers stemming from the internet and especially from our umbilical connection with our smartphones and other technologies. In any case the stories are clever and attention-grabbing.

Let me describe a few episodes in an effort to dissuade you from watching.

Episode 1 “The National Anthem” shows an effort to blackmail the British Prime Minister into saving the life of a kidnapped princess by appearing on TV while having sex with a pig. Of course you never see the sex act itself, but the idea is initially shocking and appalling (undoubtedly the intent). There is a point to the story which makes sense.

Episode 2 “Fifteen Million Merits” is an episode I could not finish because it seemed to show us as numb automatons.

Episode 5 “Black Bear” is just plain sadistic. Here we humans watch on our smartphones or capture film on our smartphones of the mental torture of a convicted killer. But you don’t know what it going on until the very end.

If you have a strong stomach and such entertainment appeals, then you will at least never be bored.

2014, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Bloody scenes, Dancing, Dystopia, Gloomy, Human spirit, Imperfect, Pessimistic, Sci-Fi, Somewhat ridiculous plot, Suspense, Thought provoking, Violent

Automata (2014)

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From Netflix:

This futuristic thriller stars Antonio Banderas as Jacq Vaucan, an insurance investigator for a robotics company. While looking into a case involving a robot malfunction, he uncovers a massive threat to all of humanity.

Despite enough logic holes to sink a space ship, a lot of imagination went into this intelligent sci-fi dystopian thriller. Moreover you get to watch a bald Antonio Banderas playing what for him is a very uncharacteristic role. He even gets to dance with a robot.

Plot and action are important, but the underlying theme is very thought provoking: Would the universe care if human life, owing to its self-destructive mentality, ceased but a more intelligent race of self-creating robots survived?

Who were the heroes and who were the villains? You might notice that your loyalties shift by the end of the film.

Note that this film got poor reviews. Nonetheless I was glued to the screen without any idea of how this plot could ever end. But end it did with one symbolic gesture that for me was one of those gooseflesh moments.

Not perfect, but quite passable.

2014, Acceptable Sci-Fi, Love Story, Nothing special, Pseudo Utopia, Psychological Drama, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Thought provoking

The Giver (2014)

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From Netflix:

In a future society called The Community, pain, war and disease have been eradicated, as have individuality and free will. When a teenager named Jonas learns the truth about the real world, he must decide whether to reveal all or remain quiet.

Let’s have three cheers for population mind control!

Good visuals, clever use of color, and a few thought-provoking ideas make this sci-fi film watchable.

Jeff Bridges is the Giver and looks a lot like Jeff Bridges. Meryl Streep’s appearance is appropriate and not what she usually looks like. We can suppose that neither of these two well-know actors would appear in a film that was not in some way worthwhile (unless they really needed the money).

Don’t forget “Logan’s Run”, “Brave New World”, “THX 1138”, “Fahrenheit 451” and other similar pseudo-utopian presentations.

‘Nuff said!