“September 5”

(Period Drama/History: 1 hour, 35 minutes)

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Leonie Benesch and Ben Chaplin

Director: Tim Fehlbaum

Rated: R (Strong language)

Movie Review:

“Munich,” directed by Steven Spielberg, debuted in 2005. It allowed audiences to see what happened after the Munich Massacre at the 1972 Olympics in Germany when Black September murdered Israeli athletes and coaches. “September 5” captures the same event from the perspective of the media, an ABC sports broadcasting team. More people watched their live coverage than the moon landing, and it was a pitiable change in how the media operates during a crisis using television. “September 5” is a fascinating capture of real-life events that uses archival footage and good intense moments.

After hearing nearby gunfire, several behind-the-scenes personnel, directors, tech specialists, and a translator, jump into action to cover a major story at the 1972 Olympics in Munich Germany. The ABC team is there to cover the Olympics, but they must find a way to cover a news story that goes far beyond who is winning gold medals. The newsroom team must determine how to cover the killing of two and the hostage-taking of nine others of the Israeli Olympic team.

The Munich Massacre led to the death of 17 people. This movie shows what media personnel go through and the ethical dilemma when considering whether to show executions on live television. “September 5” also shows how the German government handled the situation. The operational guidelines for the media, the ABC team, is the main feature of this movie.

People often hold the media to a higher standard than government leaders. The media should always maintain professional standards and unbiased reporting, but they are not bound by some law to do so. Our politicians, however, are. People forget that the media lets us know about events. The Munich Massacre would probably be thought of differently if not for the media’s reporting of how the German government handled the event.

“September 5,” while reminding us of a tragic day, also reminds us of the job that media personnel do daily, including endangering their own lives to relay the news. This movie offers fine performances, even if we don’t get to know all the characters as thoroughly as possible. The screenplay is plot-based. The nearly 12-minute interview at the end with the cast, the director and the casting director does not help, is lackluster, and does nothing to facilitate the movie or offer insight into the characters.

For those of age, this movie features some familiar names, including Peter Jennings and Jim McKay. “September 5” chronicles history engagingly. It uses plenty of archival footage of the 1972 Olympics hostage crisis via ABC live broadcasting to simulate near real-time coverage of events. This tactic creates a familiar setting and a sense of presence during the events. This actuality is sound moviemaking by Tim Fehlbaum (“The Colony,” 2021) and his team.

Grade: B (A memorable date.)

“Love Me”

(Romantic Drama/Science-Fiction: 1 hour, 32 minutes)

Starring: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun

Directors: Andrew Zuchero and Sam Zuchero

Rated: R (Sexuality and animated nudity)

Movie Review:

“Love Me” is a thought-provoking romance between artificial intelligence programs housed in a weather buoy in the ocean and an in-orbit satellite. The SB 350 Smart Bouy adopts the persona Me, mimicking the human Daja (Stewart) and the Earth greeter satellite floating above Earth becomes Iam, imitating the human Liam (Yeun). The two machines form a bond as the last two known thinking beings on the planet after a major postapocalyptic event. Their friendship develops into a romance, and the two cohabit in a virtual reality. Cyberspace becomes their home for self-discovery

Other than people seen in internet videos and other online media posts and clips, this movie only features two characters played by Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun. They offer fine performances and make their romance an intimate affair that is easy to watch. Their acting is better than the script in which they exist.

The two AI beings they portray eventually come to terms with reality and who they are over billions of years. Andrew and Sam Zuchero, a husband-wife team, are the writers of this futuristic romance, their directorial debut for a full-length feature. They approach their subject philosophically, where their characters embark on self-discovery in a cyberspace version of the Garden of Eden.

The Zucheros attempt to make a deeply philosophical movie. What is the meaning of life? What qualifies as a life form? Who and what grants it? How should life forms interact? A profusion of questions exists. The problem is “Love Me” goes beyond the distance most audiences want to contemplate characters’ existence.

Me and Iam are emerging beings, and they take audiences along with their life of discovery. As they grow, so does the story but not of the same parallel caliber, even if the narrative is affable throughout.

The billions of years that pass are iffy; these devices have some superior solar batteries. The energy devices are only outstretched by the Zucheros’ imagination.

Grade: B- (Easy to love for moviegoers favoring cerebral concepts.)