The movie of the month: 'Civil War'

A lot of viewers go into the theater thinking British screenwriter/director Alex Garland's latest movie is a foreboding glimpse into the inevitable result of our current polarization. It is not about that at all. It is a newspaper movie, and one that's fairly probing. Built around a news team covering a future American civil war, the movie is unique in exploring the price journalists pay for the profession's standard of covering the news dispassionately. With an earlier life that included time spent as an activist photographer, Garland's take is far from dispassionate. As traditionalists, we do not endorse his cynicism toward objectivity nor some clear flaws in his plot, but we are fascinated by the thoughts his drama provokes. Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Maura and Cailee Spaeny. Go see it.