Though not his best work, director Alex Gibney’s latest documentary is another stellar effort that is as captivating as it is fascinating. Focusing on the polarizing figure that is Julian Assange and the impact that his website WikiLeaks has had on the world, this 130 minute documentary had me pinned to my seat for the entire runtime.
Admittedly, I wasn’t too familiar with Assange and WikiLeaks before watching this film. I mean, I knew who the guy was (how could you not?) and I knew about WikiLeaks and the controversy surrounding it, but aside from the basics of it all I really didn’t know a whole lot.
Gibney’s eye-opener definitely provided a wake up call for me though as it explored the ins and outs of all the key players and events in this ongoing saga. Assange, Bradley Manning, Adrian Lamo, the leaks, the sexual assault charges, it’s all on display here and it all makes for some incredibly riveting viewing material.
We Steal Secrets: The Story Of WikiLeaks is a thoughtful and absorbing look into one of the most controversial news topics in recent memory and it is a documentary that should not be missed.
Maybe this isn’t a fair choice as this particular series does have quite a large fanbase, but I think it’s still safe to say that your average, everyday moviegoer probably hasn’t checked out Before Midnight yet.
Fans of the first two films (Before Sunrise and Before Sunset) have undoubtedly already begun singing the praises of the third film in this now trilogy but if you’re a newcomer to Jesse and Celine’s story, then chances are you weren’t lining up at the theatre to check out Before Midnight.
Before I digress too much though, let me explain. Before Midnight is the third film in a trilogy that started back in 1995 with Before Sunrise and then continued in 2004 with Before Sunset. The series is universally adored by those who have seen it but being independent films, they’ve struggled to catch mainstream exposure.
While I wouldn’t suggest going into Before Midnight blind, I would definitely suggest seeing it. It’s one of 2013’s best films and features some fantastic dialogue that is delivered by two wonderful performers (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy). Check out Before Sunrise and Before Sunset first and given that you enjoy both, which I don’t see why you wouldn’t, give Before Midnight a watch as well.
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