Watching “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” — and Hearing Damian Lewis Bring Orwell to Life

“Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” – George Orwell, 1984

Big congratulations to Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5, which just took home two wins at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards — Best Score for Alexei Aigui and Best Narration by Damian Lewis. You can now rent this powerful documentary on Amazon and see exactly why it’s earning so much praise. And please read my full review below and find out what makes Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 such an unforgettable watch. Continue reading “Watching “Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” — and Hearing Damian Lewis Bring Orwell to Life”

REVIEW: Damian Lewis is Orwell in ‘Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5’

“Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” – George Orwell, 1984

I was lucky to attend a screening of Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 at the IFC Center in New York, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, Raoul Peck. After seeing Damian’s recent Instagram post, I knew he was proud to be part of this project—and now I completely understand why. The documentary is timely, smart, and deeply inspiring.

But I do have one minor disagreement with Damian’s post. He says he is the voice of Orwell, but I would argue that he is Orwell in the film. I’ll explain more about that later. Continue reading “REVIEW: Damian Lewis is Orwell in ‘Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5’”