Eye in the Sky is a deceptively simple "war movie": it's not about the people at the front lines, it's about the people making life and death decisions from hundreds, thousands of miles away. But the film is a stunning nail-biter that forces us to confront the complex moral decisions involved in drone warfare: how do you minimize collateral damage while trying to save as many lives as possible? The film's main characters are on different continents and in different countries from each other, only communicating through phone and vidcam. It's a terrific ensemble, with Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul and (in his final film role) Alan Rickman giving urgent but controlled performances. This movie seems to be flying under the radar for whatever reason, but it's a really terrific film that would likely have entered into awards conversations if it was released later in the year. A-

An enyoyable little procedural with both a dry sense of humor and a measured poignancy. *A-*

( I would write more, but I suspect there may be an insect survellance drone in my room.)

In Eye in the Sky, a tense situation—a group of high-level East African extremists and two suicide vests in a small house, an armed U.S. drone in the air—draws together military leaders, pilots, and politicians in a race-against-time moral crisis. Exploring a topical and controversial subject with biting cynicism and a not-too-heavy-handed dose of sentimentality, this film is a small triumph of acting, editing, and writing. Whether in England, Kenya, or the United States, almost every character remains static in front of a computer screen (they observe, and they argue over collateral damage, propaganda potential, rules-of-engagement ambiguity, etc.), but the experience itself is never static or tedious. Tension steadily mounts from start to finish due to fiery performances (including a regal turn by the late Alan Rickman in his final live-action role) and intricate, rhythmic parallel editing.

B+

Brilliant use of its small budget and turning an edge-of-your-seats thriller with a heart-warming end. The biggest asset of the movie is that it makes you care for characters. Shows the psyche of the decision-makers and what they have to bear with in their day-to-day lives. The acting is top-notch across the board. I wanted to learn more what happens to Mirren's character and it was delight to see Rickman on screen in his final role.

8/10. A

Yeah this was well done. Pretty tense due to tight editing and direction, and solid acting from the ensemble. I appreciate how the moral issues were presented with a semblance of ambiguity. The last shot -- seeing the two drone pilots walking away from the hangar, seemingly a world apart from the carnage and mayhem in Africa, reflects the disparate yet interconnected worlds we inhabit in modern civilization.

Despite the praise, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a really good episode of a TV show. B+