Doctor Strange (2016)

The latest in Marvel's ever-expanding film universe, Doctor Strange explores the magical side of the Marvel universe.  Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a gifted surgeon, but has an attitude on par with someone like Dr. Gregory House.  His only concern is maintaining his own renown in medicine and keeping up with his lavish lifestyle.  After his hands are badly damaged in a car accident, Strange is forced to search for alternatives to medicine to cure his ailment.  This search leads him to Nepal, where he learn the secrets of magic and mysticism under a mysterious woman known as The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton).  Meanwhile, Keacilius (Mads Mikkelsen), a former student of The Ancient One, has discovered forbidden knowledge and is acting on it in the most dangerous way.  Together with his teachers, and some clever manipulation of time and space, Doctor Strange must fight the forces of chaos in order to protect the Earth from the destructive entity known as Dormammu.
For comics fans and newcomers alike, Doctor Strange is a great entry in the Marvel filmography.  The story follows the fairly traditional path of classic Samurai films, with a bit of the fantastic added to the mix.  The plot may feel familiar to some, but it's so well done, only the most jaded of movie fans will feel bored by it.  Benedict Cumberbatch plays Doctor Strange very well.  Over the course of the film, we see him change from arrogant to angry, and finally to a man in command and control of himself.  His personal transformation is believable, and it's what drives this film forward.  In particular, his scenes with Rachel McAdams (as love interest Christine Palmer) illustrate this change of character fully.  During the scenes of Strange's training, Tilda Swinton also has some good moments as the wise master figure.
This film has a lot of very cleverly done visuals.  The 3D effects are particularly well executed, with many kaleidoscopic transformations of ordinary settings.  I'm not certain how well these effects translate to non-3D, but they were impressive in the format I saw them in.  One of the things I appreciated most as a comics fan was the film's depiction of Dormammu and his chaotic dimension.  They are shown in an abstract way, yet the evil they represent is made very clear.
Doctor Strange is a breath of fresh air for the Marvel movies, showing the audience something a little different than the usual super-science or simple fist-fighting heroes.  It will be interesting to see how Doctor Strange will fit into a team setting, although one of the post-credits scenes hints at a possible ally.  If you're a fan of the comics, or just bored with traditional superhero films, Doctor Strange is a great way to see a new side of the superhero genre.

Snowpiercer (2013)

Snowpiercer takes place in the not-too-distant future, in a world where attempts to stop global warming have gone horribly wrong, and the Earth as we know it has been frozen solid.  What remains of humanity has been left to circle the globe (for generations) on a gargantuan train named Snowpiercer.  In the time the the train has been in operation, the system of government has become corrupt and murderous.  While passengers in the rear of the train are beaten and served slabs of black gelatin, the elite people towards the front are treated to the luxuries of steam baths and sushi. When low-class citizens Curtis (Chris Evans) and his friend Edgar (Jamie Bell) decide they've seen enough, they organize a revolutionary group to get to the front of the train in order to confront Wilford (Ed Harris), the mysterious figurehead and operator of Snowpiercer.  Along the way, they encounter both political and physical resistance, until they are finally faced with the monstrous realities of how the train operates, as well as being faced with an impossible choice that affects all the lives on board.
The production design of Snowpiercer is brilliant from top to bottom.  It makes great use of the techno-industrial ghetto aesthetic used in such films as the Matrix and Alien franchises.  Almost immediately, the film gives you a very clear sense of place.  This feeling also serves to reinforce the ideals of the characters.  We understand why they want out of the place they're in because we're shown how awful it is.
Equally important to this theming is the costume design.  The uniforms of the train guards call to mind soldiers of Nazi Germany.  Train overseer Mason (Tilda Swinton), on the other hand, wears clothing that would have been highly fashionable in the 1980s.  John Hurt's Gilliam wears patched, sooty clothing, concealing his artificial limbs, which are themselves cobbled together from canes and various scrap metal.  These costume choices are not only wonderfully made, but they solidify the idea of the class system, which is a key theme of the film.
Snowpiercer is just as well made behind the camera.  Director Joon-ho Bong (credited as Bong Joon Ho) brings a totally unique combination of techniques to this film.  Both the camera work and lighting seem to magnify the emotion of the actors, which makes the story all the more thrilling.
The acting is brilliant across the board.  Chris Evans is a picture of grim determination, in a performance which only gets more intense as we approach the ending.  Tilda Swinton displays a bureaucratic tyranny that might remind one of Margaret Thatcher's iron-clad vision for England in her time as Prime Minister.  While John Hurt's role has less screen time, he plays it with a depth and believability that is unmatched.  Also of note is Kang-ho Song as Namgoong Nimsoo, the drug addicted security expert who is drafted to get Curtis' team to the front of the train.
I was somewhat surprised at the amount of violence in Snowpiercer, but I found that it was well handled, if slightly graphic.  This approach to violence works in much the same way it does in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.  The violence serves to drive the plot forward, as well as reinforce the grander themes in play.
Snowpiercer is a film with many faces.  You can watch it as a thoughtful art film, or simply as a great piece of sci-fi action.  It's thrilling in its originality, and in my opinion, it is one of the most smartest sci-fi films made in the past decade.  If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favour and check it out today!