Having stayed rigorously close to his native New
York for much of his career, writer-director James
Gray has lately been making up for lost time.
His last film, “The Lost City of Z,” journeyed into
the Amazon, circa early 20th century. His latest,
“Ad Astra,” skitters across the solar system like a
stone skipped through space.
Both films aren’t merely changes in setting.
They’re inherently about leaving home — the
sacrifice entailed, the wonders to be discovered,
the cost of obsessions that require pursuit. It’s
fitting that they follow Gray’s masterpiece, “The
Immigrant,” a profound and melancholic tale of
passage. Whether orbiting New York or Neptune,
Gray has been on the move for some time.