In this episode we discuss the latest film by Alex Garland, which is co-directed and co-written with retired Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza. The movie recounts real events from Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006. We delve into its character development and its portrayal of military operations. We get into the emotional intensity of the storytelling and why this may not be a “war film”.

In this episode we dive deep into Steven Soderbergh’s latest project 'Black Bag.' The conversation extends to the storytelling prowess of screenwriter David Koepp, the complexities of character development, and the nuances of the film's cinematography and editing. We also touch on other upcoming movies from directors like Paul Thomas Anderson and Spike Lee, and examine performances by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett.

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for Upcoming Movies

03:50 Character Analysis and Performances

05:38 Cinematic Techniques and Directorial Style

11:09 Spoilers

32:50 Cate Blanchett's Character Study

37:27 Screenplay Precision

39:40 Directorial Styles and Constraints

43:27 Stephen Soderbergh's Approach

49:02 Modern Masterpieces and Recency Bias

52:35 Final Thoughts

Join us for a special episode of Actor and the Engineer where we break down our top 5 films of the year! From directing debuts to unexpected thrillers, and Oscar-worthy performances, we cover it all.