Thursday 22 September 2016

Leadership in Films lives on

I am hooked as I can't seem to give up seeing the leadership themes in contemporary movies... (but I am going to stick to the short form posts!)

Jason Bourne is rather tedious and left me rather unsatisfied: it just didn't have the edge of the original films. The narrative seemed engineered to tick various boxes. A sequel too far. Leadership theme: beware distractions.

Suicide Squad has been rather burned by the critics and so I was not expecting much (the film was my son's choice!) But actually I quite enjoyed it. Even though the narrative is somewhat predictable and chaotic (can it be both?), it was satisfying in a schlock dark super hero kind of way. Leadership theme: given the right context, all people can discover their integrity and leadership potential.

Hell or High Water is a crisply made film with some excellent cinematography and superlative acting. It feels very authentic: you can almost taste the dust and smell the sweat. This is an unforgiving film about anti-heroes and unaccountable villains. Go see when you get a chance. Leadership theme: sometimes there can be no closure no matter how much it is needed.

Court is an intriguing film set amid the Indian legal system, although maybe system is stretching it to a level of coherence and logic that maybe makes the word inapplicable. Like the legal processes in India (as depicted) this is a slow film, but also an intensely engrossing one as well. The acting is understated but all the more powerful because of it. Leadership theme: never underestimate the power of patience.

Captain Fantastic is an unsettling film that will make you question what you think you know about parenting. It is a quirky story about a man and his six children who live in a dense Oregon wood from which they have to emerge into the screaming daylight of suburban America. Acting and narrative is top notch: you will not forget this film. Leadership theme: it isn't just conventions that hold society together, it is far far more than that.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a sublime peach of a movie that will have you crying, laughing and gripping the edge of your seat in equal measures. Fabulous acting by all concerned. This is a must, must see film! Again the core themes are parenting and challenging conventions. And New Zealand looks amazing! Leadership theme: to arrive somewhere, you have to leave somewhere else first.

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Blogs 196 to 201: in my 2014/15/16 series of blogs about leadership ideas to be found in the movies of our time. You can read here as why I began doing this (with updates at the end of 2014 and 2015). Please subscribe to this blog if you want to read more. Thanks. Click the label 'film' to see all the others.

#leadershipinfilms

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