Polar opposites

Two movies this week, one a scary look at California style liberalism spreading like wildfire around the world. The other is an earthy look at the real world.

The Circle

Shades of George Orwell’s novel “1984.” Big Brother is watching you, only this time around it’s The Circle, a Silicon Valley technological giant, whose goal is to eventually monitor every person’s private life, making all of us “transparent and accountable” for every single thing we do. Emma Watson stars as Mae Holland, who lands an entry-level job thanks to a good friend, and we watch as she eventually becomes a shining star. Her trip up the ladder is fascinating to watch, but also unnerving as she is literally seduced by the technology and its capabilities.

The first thing that comes to mind as the story unfolds is Apple. The Circle’s campus is strangely similar to the new site Apple is moving into (as we speak) and the culture no doubt similar. Tom Hanks plays Eamon Bailey, the CEO, who not surprisingly emulates Steve Jobs, and most of his time on screen is spent in the company auditorium on stage in front of his adoring employees, introducing new products and or concepts.

Emma Watson is great, a talent to be reckoned with down the road. Tom Hanks’ role is limited and his character doesn’t need or use his immense acting talents. The millennials who work at The Circle are the heart and soul of this movie. They of course are blinded by the super technology at their fingertips, and don’t see the gradual move toward Fascism. We can sum up the theme of this movie with The Circle’s favorite saying, “Secrets are lies.”

DisneyNature: Born in China

This is a phenomenal movie, I’ve never seen one quite like it. The spectacular scenery, the film editing and cinematography rival anything I’ve come across before. Director Chuan Lu and five photographers spent three years in the wild, documenting the lives, times, trials and tribulations of three animal families, all native to China. Narrator John Krasinski is the perfect voice over as we share intriguing and adventurous moments with these amazing animals.

You can take your pick of which family you are most enamored with, the Panda Bear and her cub, the Snow Leopard and her two cubs, or the Golden Monkey family, with their babies. The film editing takes us seamlessly from one family to another, and we watch as they deal with the elements and their predators over a fifteen-month period. I can tell you the scenery from the ground level and the air is breathtaking; I doubt there is anything to rival it anywhere.

The most remarkable aspects of the film however, are the close-ups of the animals in their habitat. Obviously, the photographers had the best equipment available, but camera placement and endless patience on their part resulted in remarkable, in some cases almost unbelievable shots. Some of the best footage came at the end as the credits rolled. No one in the theatre moved until the lights came on. You will most likely love this movie, with or without grandkids in tow.

tsansom2002@gmail.com

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