The Circle disappoints, but asks compelling questions

Movie Title:  

The Circle [Bluray + DVD] [Blu-ray]

Grade:  C

Rating:   PG-13

In a Nutshell: Everyone loves Tom Hanks, right?  And who doesn’t adore Hermione, also known as Emma Watson?  Surely, the loveable Patton Oswalt could make fans smile. It sounds like a recipe for an awesome movie, right?  

Unfortunately, it didn’t do that well at the box office and audiences are just saying, “Meh” as it heads out to Redbox and DVD.

It’s kind of an even higher tech version of a Big Brother thriller, but while the movie doesn’t fully develop the intriguing ideas it tackles, it’s a great opportunity to talk about privacy vs. transparency with others…even if you have to Tweet it.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Do you think you behave better now that you know you’re being watched?” – Bailey (Tom Hanks)
• “I am a believer in the perfectability of human beings.  When we are our best selves, the possibilities are endless.  There isn’t a problem that we cannot solve.” - Bailey
• “Without secrets, without the hording of knowledge and information, we can finally realize our potential.” – Bailey
• ‘Knowledge is a basic human right.” – Mae
• Privacy vs. protection

Things I liked:

• SeeChange and the other tools The Circle company invents would be great ideas if they only tracked terrorists and human rights violators, but it would trample all over everyone else’s right to privacy.  It would be nice if politicians’ transactions were open and accountable though, right?  We simply can’t have it both ways.  Benjamin Franklin stated, “Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”  The subject matter is fascinating and could have been an extremely compelling movie if written a little better.
• This movie might be a helpful reminder to the younger generation that loves to post Selfies and Tweet about what they ate for breakfast, that personal privacy is something to be protected.
• I like both Bill Paxton and Glenne Headley, who play Mae’s parents.  Sadly, they both passed away the year the film was released (2017).
• I’m not a huge Doctor Who fan, so I hadn’t seen Karen Gillan in anything before.  I love her cute Scottish accent and would like to see more of her.  Mae mentions her long legs, which was an Easter Egg shout-out for Doctor Who (2005): The Complete 5th Series (Blu-ray) fans who might remember when a character in that show described her as being “made of legs, the most legs on any living human.”

Things I didn’t like:

• Emma Watson’s American accent goes in and out.  I adore her as an actress, but sometimes I couldn’t tell if her character, Mae, was drinking the Koolaid or repelled by the personal invasion her company was promoting.  Maybe the audience wasn’t supposed to know. Maybe it was intentional that we weren’t supposed to be able to read her emotions?
• Group Think mentality can easily and quickly go awry.
• I have not read the book The Circle by Dave Eggers, but I have heard that the ending in the movie is different than in the book.
• John Boyega’s character, Ty, could have been explored more.  The events that followed Mercer (Ellar Coltrane) could have had even more impact if we had learned more about him too.
• Not much humor.

Interesting lines:

• “Knowing is good.  But knowing everything is better.” – Bailey
• “Introspection or communication?” - Mae's job interviewer
• “Needs of the society or needs of the individual?” – job interviewer

“It should be the same.” – Mae

• “Greatest fear?” – job interviewer

“Unfulfilled potential.” – Mae

• “Secrets are lies.  Secrets are what make lies possible.  We behave worse when we’re not accountable.” – Mae
• “Fugitive of friendship…” Mae

Funny lines:

• “I want to thank you already for this.  I love following strangers down dark corridors. This is the best.” - Mae

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity, including an F-bomb.
• A scene with Mae’s parents in a “situation” in their bedroom, although clothing is on.
• There is not very much action, so children will be bored.

@trinaboice 

Snowden movie will make you wonder how much privacy you really have

Movie Title:   Snowden            

Grade:  B

Rating:  R, 134 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a solid, thought-provoking performance in this controversial Oliver Stone biopic of an equally controversial man who affected how we view national security and personal privacy today.  Was Edward Snowden a hero or hacker?

If you don’t know much about Edward Snowden, this film will give you some background, as well as a fairly slanted view.

Uplifting theme: 

•  “The internet is technology that has the power to help everyone in the world understand each other.” – Snowden
• “One man can stop the motor of the world.” – Ayn Rand
• “I’m questioning our government.  That’s what we do in this country. That is the principle we’re founded on.” – Lindsay
• “Sometimes the more you look, the less you see.” - Hank Forrester
• What is justifiable for the greater good?
• Edward and Lindsay visit a Theodore Roosevelt memorial where this quote is etched, “A man’s usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals in so far as he can. It’s hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.  All daring and courage, all iron endurance of misfortune make for a finer, nobler type of manhood.” 

Things I liked:

• It’s a fascinating look at Edward Snowden’s life as it moves from being in the military to being recruited into secretive government agencies.  Laura Poitras won an Oscar for her 2014 documentary “Citizenfour”, which has been touted as being more straightforward, while Oliver Stone’s film has a softer touch, designed to inspire.
• It will make you think twice before you click on the terms and policy agreement of web sites and cell phones services. 
• You’ll probably put a small piece of paper on your computer web camera.
• You get to see video footage of the real Edward Snowden at the end, as well as some photographs of him and Lindsay.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt nails Edward Snowden's voice and physical characteristics.

Things I didn’t like:

• Some good actors play very small roles, such as Shailene Woodley, Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Timothy Olyphant, and Zachary Quinto.
• Oliver Stone paints a picture of an idealistic hero without any flaws.
• It’s truly frightening what is being tracked by many of the governments in the world and the power they have over our lives.
• Oliver Stone sets patriotic music to the moment when Snowden betrays his country and leaks classified information to the press, an interesting choice for reflecting on the First Amendment.

The real Edward Snowden said about this trailer, "For two minutes and thirty-nine seconds, everybody at NSA just stopped working."

Interesting lines:

• “Bombs don’t stop terrorists; only brains will and we don’t have millions of them.” – Corban O’Brian
• “Where is your sin of choice?” – Hank Forrester
• “Ah, computers.” - Snowden

 Well then, Snowden.  You’ve come to the right little whorehouse.” – Hank Forrester

• “No matter what justification you’re selling yourself, this is not about terrorism.  Terrorism is the excuse.  This is about economic and social control.  And the only thing you’re really protecting is the supremacy of your government.” – Snowden

Funny lines:

• “Why do you want to join the CIA Corban O’Brian

“Ah, frankly, Sir, it sounds really cool to have top security clearance.” – Snowden

• In the movie, Snowden is asked about influences on his life.  He answers, “I’d say Joseph Campbell, Star Wars, Thoreau, Ayn Rand.”

Tips for parents:   

• Several F-bombs and other profanity.
• This movie is Rated R, because of the F-bombs and scenes with a lady in her underwear, topless photos on a computer screen, and an “exotic” dancer on a pole.
• Nudity during a pretty graphic sex scene.
• Snowden is shown having epileptic seizures.
• Two people shoot birds with hunting rifles.
• Social drinking and smoking.

Jason Bourne franchise still alive

Movie Title:     Jason Bourne

  

Grade:  B

Rating:  PG-13, 123 minutes

In a Nutshell:   If you’re a fan of the Bourne movie franchise, then you will want to see this movie, regardless of any critic’s review.  

I love Jason Bourne and Matt Damon, so I was looking forward to it, although I wondered what more the writers could possibly say or do to the story line.  The fact that it is “more of the same” is its strength AND weakness.

So, is this 4^th installment the last?  Who knows.  If this one makes any money, then you can bet there will be another one.   Who knew Robert Ludlum’s “The Bourne Trilogy” series would keep going?

Themes: 

• Personal rights vs. public safety
• Revenge
• “Privacy means freedom.” – Aaron Kalloor (Riz Ahmed)
• Cyber security
• Family

Things I liked:

• I love Jason Bourne kicking bad guy butt.  Forty-five year old Matt Damon produced the film.  You see a lot of pictures and even clips of him in his younger days.
• Tommy Lee Jones can always be counted on to do a great job playing a good/bad Sherriff/Director/agent in any film.
• Alicia Vikander is beautiful to watch.  She started out with a bit of a British accent, but then it quickly toned down to a believable American one.  She’s actually Swedish and a very good singer!  She won the “Rising Star Award” at the 2010 Film Festival in Sweden and even won the role of a Danish queen in a 2012 movie without knowing any Danish.  Her career is definitely one to watch.
• It was nice to see Julia Stiles again.
• I wanted to beat the crap out of Vincent Cassel, who plays a brutal, vengeful agent with Jason Bourne in his sights…literally.
• The car chase scene down the famous Las Vegas Strip was pretty doggone impressive.  The most unbelievable thing about that scene, however, is that it is absolutely impossible to drive down Las Vegas Boulevard that fast.  I live in Vegas and can tell you that it is ALWAYS crowded and cars inch slowly along the road bumper to bumper.  Ha ha  At one point, cars crash into the Riviera Hotel, which no longer exists.  Las Vegas is the Capital of Implosions and just demolished the "Riv" in June.  Check out this clip from the real life implosion. 
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• The film begins with some old clips from past movies in case you forgot what happened 9 years ago in the last flick.
• One thing I love about the Bourne franchise is that you get to travel all over the world in the movies.

Things I didn’t like:

• Does anyone actually like the “shaky cam” effect?  Every time there was a close-up, the jiggling around would begin.  That’s so annoying.
• Sometimes you have to read really fast to catch written words on computer screens or other documents.

·       At some point, almost every character in the movie says “Understood.”

·       The same flashback gets played over and over.

·       The same tense music and drum beats during almost the entire
         movie.
*       Some lines in the trailer weren't in the actual movie.

       

Interesting lines:

• “I remember.  I remember everything.” – Jason Bourne
•  “He’s seen things.  He knows things.” -  Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander)
• “What if he’s not coming for us.  What if it’s something else?”   Heather Lee
• “I know who I am.  I remember everything.” – Jason Bourne

“Remembering everything doesn’t mean you know everything.” – Nicky Parsons

“Tell me.”  - Jason Bourne

• “I volunteered because of a lie.” – Jason Bourne

“No, you volunteered because of who you are.” – Director Dewey

• “We’ve just been hacked.” – Craig Jeffers (Ato Essandoh)

“How bad?” – Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones)

“Could be worse than Snowden.” – Craig      - By the way, there is a movie about Snowden that hits theaters on September 9, 2016.

• “He is involved in this somehow.  I can feel it.” – Director Dewey
• “You don’t know the truth about what they did to you.” – Nicky
• “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.” – Director Dewey
• “I’m trying to find another way.” – Jason Bourne

“And how’s that working out for you?” – Director Dewey

Tips for parents:   

• LOTS of shooting, killing, crashes, riots, and bloody hand-to-hand combat.  This is a very violent movie.
• Some profanity.