One of my favorite things about life in New York City is the regular availability of really special events. Recently I attended a screening of Kristen Stewart’s forthcoming movie, Camp X-Ray at NYU Law School.

The film is about the relationship that Stewart‘s Army Private First Class develops with longtime Guantanamo Bay detainee Ali, played by Peyman Moaadi.

This is the official trailer:

I saw a few tweets about Stewart and/or the movie being anti-U.S. military. I didn’t take that away from Camp X-Ray at all. On the contrary, I thought the film was sympathetic toward those stationed in places like Gitmo showing the monotony, isolation and challenge of policing the detainees while also keeping them safe.

Of course, Camp X-Ray also reminds viewers of the horrible situation that exists to this day in Guantanamo: detainees held for years without trial and almost certainly without hope of freedom. This is a timely and affecting movie with strong performances across the board. Don’t miss it.

Post-screening, we were treated by discussion with Stewart, Sattler and [an odd] moderator from NYU. It was terrific to hear about the filmmaking process. Less terrific to hear the moderator opine about romantic vibes between Stewart’s and Moaadi’s characters.

Still, excellent film and cool experience. What movie should I see next?