Welcome to The Morning After, where I share with you what movies I’ve seen over the past week. Below, you will find short reviews of those movies along with a star rating. Full length reviews may come at a later date.

So, here is what I watched this past week:

Snowpiercer

After nearly all life on Earth is eradicated by a man-made ecological disaster, the only survivors are housed on a speeding bullet train designed to run forever with a closed ecosystem that means the refugees who boarded the train shortly before the global catastrophe took place had to be kept segregated and controlled to avoid undue trauma to the rich guests further forward in the train, establishing a class hierarchy that has persisted for 17 years.

Joon-ho Bong’s science fiction masterpiece explores class warfare as it might exist on a crowded train with limited resources. The disinterest of those in control to understand those who have sought refuge in the safety of their home. It asks the audience to adventure forward with a brave group of the downtrodden as they lay siege to the train hoping to reach the engine and create a better life for all of them.

The film is a stark, brutal glimpse at war, guilt, recrimination, desperation and determination. It’s at once both a celebration and indictment of human nature, the flaws of the human psyche and the grim determination of those with nothing left to lose. The film features a wealth of terrific performances including those of Chris Evans who leads the poor on their rally against their oppressors, Tilda Swinton as the general representative of the train’s conductor, Jamie Bell as Evans’ young second-in-command and Octavia Spencer as the mother who will do anything to get her son back. Others give fine performances, but these are the stand-outs. Bong’s film is rich with color and style, proving that some of the best filmmaking is being done by directors not native to the English-speaking world.