Ready Player One (2018)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast:

Tye Sheridan – Parzival

Olivia Cooke – Art3mis

Ben Mendelsohn – Sorrento

Lena Waithe – Aech

T.J. Miller – I-R0k

Mark Rylance – Halliday

Summary:

“Ready Player One” is directed by Steven Spielberg and is based on the popular book of the same name. Set in the near future, the world has become isolated from reality thanks in huge part to the creator of the OASIS, James Halliday. The OASIS is a VR world comprised of everything pop culture that connects everyone globally. The film stars Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts, our hero who is a skilled player in the OASIS that is well versed in pop culture that includes “Back to the Future”, “Tron”, and “The Iron Giant.” With Spielberg involved, you get the pop culture and the spectacle. Ernest Cline and Zak Penn penned the script and they threw a ton of pop culture references in the film and Spielberg does a great job at capturing them all. As for the spectacle side, he knocks it out of the park with brilliant visuals and tremendous sound design. There is a gigantic race that pushes you to the edge of your seat and a fantastic battle in the third act. In the real world, America is a dystopian society that is being overseen by I.O.I. (Innovative Online Industries), led by Nolan Sorrento. Ben Mendelsohn’s portrayal of Sorrento was very good but had the potential for greatness. Opposite Tye Sheridan is Olivia Cooke. She plays Art3mis, another skilled player in the OASIS who becomes a fixation for Watts’ ‘Parzival.’ Their relationship was strong and believable. The supporting cast that rounds out the film include Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, T.J. Miller, and Lena Waithe. The camaraderie between Sheridan and Waithe was well played and the crew assembled by Parzival in the OASIS had great chemistry. “Ready Player One” is a return to form for Spielberg as he captures the spectacle of a VR world.

Score: 4.3/5

The Post (2017)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast:

Meryl Streep – Kay Graham

Tom Hanks – Ben Bradlee

Bob Odenkirk – Ben Bagdikian

Tracy Letts – Fritz Beebe

Summary:

It’s Oscar season which means there is a new Steven Spielberg film in theaters. Directed by Spielberg, “The Post” tells the true story of how the Washington Post released documents containing info on the Vietnam War. Meryl Streep plays Kay Graham, owner of the Post and she delivers a performance only Streep could do. Opposite Streep is Tom Hanks who portrays Ben Bradlee, an employee of Graham’s who works close with her to get the papers. These two play extremely well off of each other. Spielberg has once again directed a well made film but one that is a bore. “The Post” merrily runs through its two hour runtime with no excitement or tension to go along with. Streep and Hanks are given opportunities to show off their talent and it helps elevate the film. The film boasts an excellent supporting cast which includes Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk and Bradley Whitford. “The Post” is another example of Oscar-bait films with a great team behind them.

Score: 3/5