I liked the movie. The message, carried most ably by Pacino, completely overshadowed the movie-making trappings that are usually the stock and trade of Hollywood critics. There is a lot of complaint about Meadow Williams performance but I thought she was cast well as a vulnerable, unremarkable, abused war "survivor." These are folks that are usually seen as opportunists rather than victims and get their heads shaved. If I had sat on the jury today I would have let her go; however, I doubt I would have done so at the time - and that was the message of the movie for me. Show trials are likely to be unjust and in the dint of history they are often overturned.
Reviews
9 Reviews
Little Women
(2019)
Stay home and leave it for Ladies Night Out.
5 January 2020
I enjoy about half the chick flicks I watch but this torpid and tedious chronicle is best left for those who revel in the search for and adoration of leading ladies. That's nice but my female side just wouldn't come out to play while watching this one. It was painful. However, my wife liked it enough to earn me enough points to get my wife in to see Ford vs. Ferrari. She liked that too.
Truth
(I) (2015)
Only Hollywood can take a lie and call it Truth
28 August 2016
Spoiler Alert! The movie's acting is good but I couldn't get over the story's title and message schizophrenia. In the end, I saw this story telling as mostly a big lie making excuses for Mapes. One scene during her investigation and interrogation is strung out seemingly to make a point that her credibility was unassailable and her information on the "OETR" report wellresearched. However, The forged letter with the modern fonts was incontrovertible proof of a big lie from my perspective and as someone with many years of technology experience I understand this better than most. Yet they still called the movie "Truth"? In the end, Mapes seems to be lionized by the story which adds to the confusion. What are the writers trying to tell us? Is the Truth a Lie? Did you think she was she telling the truth? My conclusion - she didn't deserve any kudos and she was nothing but a bigot. Good acting, disjointed story and, no, it's not the Truth.
The Whistleblower
(2010)
Nice story but they blew it all up at the close
22 July 2016
I would have given it a higher rating but the closing statement completely blew up the meaning of the entire story and causes of the trafficking. The closing comments stated that the government continues to do business with private contractors as though they were the primary problem.
Did they forget about all the government and quasi-government organizations including the UN that were not just involved but were complicit in the scandal? In fact Bolkovac worked for a private organization. Her work would have never come forward if she worked for the government and in fact she would have never even been on the scene. I suppose if she had been paid out of some government coffer the misdeeds would never have happened in the first place or would have been more excusable.
This type of guilt by association is quite common by press, entertainment and government types. Can't they ever get at the real root causes rather than demonizing and the injection of their socialist bombast?
Did they forget about all the government and quasi-government organizations including the UN that were not just involved but were complicit in the scandal? In fact Bolkovac worked for a private organization. Her work would have never come forward if she worked for the government and in fact she would have never even been on the scene. I suppose if she had been paid out of some government coffer the misdeeds would never have happened in the first place or would have been more excusable.
This type of guilt by association is quite common by press, entertainment and government types. Can't they ever get at the real root causes rather than demonizing and the injection of their socialist bombast?
Trumbo
(2015)
There were no villains or heroes
13 June 2016
In full disclosure, I grew up during the post WW2 era when communism meant you duck under your desk to avoid nuclear attack. There was also Stalin's executions and famine of 20 million, the iron curtain, Mao's China and the fear other countries would fall under this scourge. Much of this was well known by the 1940's when Trumbo became a communist. More came later with Russian tanks in Budapest and Khrushchev banging his shoe at the U.N. So, I find it hard to sympathize with Trumbo on his politics. It seemed he may also have been a personally arrogant and self-absorbed individual. In addition there are some of the typical Hollywood scenes demonizing anti-communists that injected additional invective in this story for today's audience.
However, working hard to get beyond all that, the movie is really about the reasonable pursuit of freedom where those limits were hard to find and understand by the general public back then. Trumbo's remarks at the end were the most important - that there were no villains or heroes in what happened but everyone was injured. Unfortunately, the lesson seems lost. It looks like this problem never ends with political correctness gone wild on campus, Inquisition era tactics applied to climate "deniers" and more. All in all I found it to be an OK story but need to deduct 3 points for the fluff and stuff.
However, working hard to get beyond all that, the movie is really about the reasonable pursuit of freedom where those limits were hard to find and understand by the general public back then. Trumbo's remarks at the end were the most important - that there were no villains or heroes in what happened but everyone was injured. Unfortunately, the lesson seems lost. It looks like this problem never ends with political correctness gone wild on campus, Inquisition era tactics applied to climate "deniers" and more. All in all I found it to be an OK story but need to deduct 3 points for the fluff and stuff.
The Special Relationship
(2010 TV Movie)
Surprisingly good!
13 June 2010
It seems movie reviews of this work are subject to the politics and realities of the event rather than the recreation and acting of this surprisingly good story. Dennis Quaid, who I've never seen do anything above mediocre work usually just mirroring himself, was just outstanding as Bill Clinton. I think it is by far his best piece of acting to date. Equally so for Michael Sheen who I am less familiar with. Both men did a good job of presenting the personalities, complexities and subtleties of each leader. "Hillary Clinton" didn't just look the part - she was Hillary (at least what we know of her). Bill was presented as the smart politician sleaze ball and failed leader of lost promise that he was. Tony Blair is presented as both a promising leader and sympathetic character doomed to eventual destruction. The story was able to project all this in its short 90 minutes. On top of that it was educational to boot. Good job!
The Painted Veil
(2006)
There is more to this movie than meets the eye
7 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I liked this movie a lot. I am not completely surprised that others did not but my guess is they like special effects, fast-paced shoot-em-up and action packed drama. This story is much more subtle and as a result more powerful in its message. That message is that people can learn to love each other for their goodness even if that notion is outside their comfort zone.
Both Ed Norton and Naomi Watts did an excellent job with their acting. Before this flick I thought Naomi Watts was just King Kong's girlfriend, but she was something of a surprise and kept up with Norton throughout. Another blogger identified Norton, as "stiff" so they just didn't get it. He was supposed to be exactly that and he did it well. He combined that stiffness, common in those days, with the sensitivity of someone with unqualified love. Aside from the fact that he ultimately killed himself for loving his selfish wife, he comes out as and an enlightened romantic who committed his life to doing good. But he changed her in the process. In the end, his wife came to realize that too late; a tragic but quite human outcome.
The supporting cast of Toby Jones (Waddington) added a lot to the story. He played a big part in reinforcing the movie message and was most convincing. His unusual stature and sincerity in an unusual place made made the story all the more believable.
Kitty Fane, the philandering wife's opium-induced remark "as if a women has ever loved a man for his virtue" was a turning point for her, though she didn't it know it yet. This marked the beginning of the end of her selfishness as one who came to appreciate "virtue" as most worthy of love; a surprise realization for her for sure. This is a powerful message, well acted and the kind of notion and story foundation long lost from the past in the action-packed, FX and paranormal dramas we see in many movies today.
Thanks to Somerset Maugham for one more of his everlasting and well done stories.
Both Ed Norton and Naomi Watts did an excellent job with their acting. Before this flick I thought Naomi Watts was just King Kong's girlfriend, but she was something of a surprise and kept up with Norton throughout. Another blogger identified Norton, as "stiff" so they just didn't get it. He was supposed to be exactly that and he did it well. He combined that stiffness, common in those days, with the sensitivity of someone with unqualified love. Aside from the fact that he ultimately killed himself for loving his selfish wife, he comes out as and an enlightened romantic who committed his life to doing good. But he changed her in the process. In the end, his wife came to realize that too late; a tragic but quite human outcome.
The supporting cast of Toby Jones (Waddington) added a lot to the story. He played a big part in reinforcing the movie message and was most convincing. His unusual stature and sincerity in an unusual place made made the story all the more believable.
Kitty Fane, the philandering wife's opium-induced remark "as if a women has ever loved a man for his virtue" was a turning point for her, though she didn't it know it yet. This marked the beginning of the end of her selfishness as one who came to appreciate "virtue" as most worthy of love; a surprise realization for her for sure. This is a powerful message, well acted and the kind of notion and story foundation long lost from the past in the action-packed, FX and paranormal dramas we see in many movies today.
Thanks to Somerset Maugham for one more of his everlasting and well done stories.
Shepherd's Pie
(1978– )
Gene Shephard - A master of a lost art
24 December 2006
It is 2006 and I am doing a search about "A Christmas Story." While browsing, I have this flashback as I come across a reference to Gene Shephard's TV series work he did in the mid-seventies.
I cannot remember any of the specifics of the short-lived series but I do know I never missed one of them - and it really doesn't matter that I can't recall the subject matter anyway. This was GREAT stuff; off beat enough to keep your interest and, in Shephard's own specially entertaining way, you felt like he was sitting in the same room telling you what you just couldn't wait to here.
There seems to be very few storytellers today who, like the radio MC's of the 30's, have that recognizable voice, command of the language, and project that flashback kind of excitement that you know is coming and can't wait to hear. It seems Shephard may have been one of the last masters of this format in our time.
I would just love to see his stuff re-released to re-live some of those moments. On the other hand, maybe keeping the memories might be better than a re-release of some of this minimalist TV. I'm not sure but I'll risk it.
Let's have Gene's stuff back for one last mini-series.
I cannot remember any of the specifics of the short-lived series but I do know I never missed one of them - and it really doesn't matter that I can't recall the subject matter anyway. This was GREAT stuff; off beat enough to keep your interest and, in Shephard's own specially entertaining way, you felt like he was sitting in the same room telling you what you just couldn't wait to here.
There seems to be very few storytellers today who, like the radio MC's of the 30's, have that recognizable voice, command of the language, and project that flashback kind of excitement that you know is coming and can't wait to hear. It seems Shephard may have been one of the last masters of this format in our time.
I would just love to see his stuff re-released to re-live some of those moments. On the other hand, maybe keeping the memories might be better than a re-release of some of this minimalist TV. I'm not sure but I'll risk it.
Let's have Gene's stuff back for one last mini-series.
The Spirit of St. Louis
(1957)
It is amazing that in the 100th year of flight you can't get this on DVD! (But you can now)
13 August 2003
Update: I finally got it on DVD!
This is a great story. Although there are some Jimmy Stewart cornball parts, for the most part it is a compelling tale about an individual with a compelling drive, vision and sense of adventure - to say the least. The bottom line is it is one of my favorites to watch and I've done so dozens to times -- that is until someone stole it out of the flight bag I briefly left on a plane on a flight to California!
Some have commented about too many flashbacks but I don't know a better way to keep a long flight interesting. For those of us who actually fly, flight can be hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror and the movie served up those. I wouldn't have wanted to see the flight shortened at all. The oppressive need for sleep and the drone and surrounding loneliness is part of the story.
There are many parts that I particularly like including the takeoff from Long Island and the landing at night in Paris (Wow, things have really changed with us and the French since then!). The airplane building scenes and the record-breaking flight from San Diego are interesting as is the incident over the Atlantic with engine ice (which I understand is not completely true but did happen on the San Diego flight).
One gets the sense that one of Lindbergh's biggest assets are his enlightened financiers as well as his persistence.
Some of the lines that ring in my head now and then include "Pull the chocks!" on the exciting takeoff scene and "I hope I don't have to use it that way" meaning under water when describing the submarine-like "periscope" to the lady who lent him a mirror so he could better see his overhead instruments.
It's a fine movie for the aviation enthusiast as well as others who like movies based on true stories.
This is a great story. Although there are some Jimmy Stewart cornball parts, for the most part it is a compelling tale about an individual with a compelling drive, vision and sense of adventure - to say the least. The bottom line is it is one of my favorites to watch and I've done so dozens to times -- that is until someone stole it out of the flight bag I briefly left on a plane on a flight to California!
Some have commented about too many flashbacks but I don't know a better way to keep a long flight interesting. For those of us who actually fly, flight can be hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror and the movie served up those. I wouldn't have wanted to see the flight shortened at all. The oppressive need for sleep and the drone and surrounding loneliness is part of the story.
There are many parts that I particularly like including the takeoff from Long Island and the landing at night in Paris (Wow, things have really changed with us and the French since then!). The airplane building scenes and the record-breaking flight from San Diego are interesting as is the incident over the Atlantic with engine ice (which I understand is not completely true but did happen on the San Diego flight).
One gets the sense that one of Lindbergh's biggest assets are his enlightened financiers as well as his persistence.
Some of the lines that ring in my head now and then include "Pull the chocks!" on the exciting takeoff scene and "I hope I don't have to use it that way" meaning under water when describing the submarine-like "periscope" to the lady who lent him a mirror so he could better see his overhead instruments.
It's a fine movie for the aviation enthusiast as well as others who like movies based on true stories.
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