I am writing this in my home office today where I do most of my writing. I'm looking out the window at a perfectly sunny Veterans Day afternoon. If Veterans Day has a look, at least in my minds eye.... it's today. Nice and sunny, crisp.... just a nice mid-fall afternoon. And don't the Veterans deserve it? No doubt.
Veterans Day has been around now for almost a century. It's gone through some changes, including a name change. But one thing about Veterans Day hasn't changed and I feel will never change. Veterans Day has the right idea. It's the kind of holiday we need more of. It's rare that a holiday is brought to light, where virtually everyone agrees that there is a certain sect of our society that deserves to be recognized and honored. Those that decided that their love of liberty, freedom, and this country are more important than anything else. No matter what your political ideology is, tough to find fault in that.
Think about it. Most holidays involve some form of gift giving, card sending, or some form of stress induced preparation beforehand. Even seemingly simple birthdays over the past 20 years or so have become major productions, with real planning, complications, and major money flying out a door to nowhere. Even unassuming Thanksgiving can be stressful. With the planning, the invites going out, and the pressure to "get it right." But not Veterans Day.
Veterans day is among the most important, and good holidays we have. It's a day we all can agree on and participate in. It is inherently good, because all it involves is the exchange of human kindness between the lot of us, and the few of them. Simply remembering, and thanking a Veteran is all that's required. How good is that? Taking the time to go slow, and show......appreciation for a job, not just well done, but for a life decision... that was done well.
Truth is most of us are not Veterans. And that's OK. We do great things too, we volunteer, help others, and be good neighbors. All commendable. But it's good that there is one day a year that we set aside to really put some thought into those with a different calling. That there was a single day in their lives that they sat down, and signed over their lives to something far larger than themselves. We throw around the term "awesome" in popular speech all the time, but we seldom mean it literally, and seldom does it really apply. But the commitment Veterans chose to make, and subsequently do, and did make? I think "awesome" applies....literally.
My father was a WWII Veteran. Enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, after giving up a full-ride football scholarship to Duke University. I am looking at this framed letter right now from the athletic director at Duke dated May 6, 1943 wishing him well, and asking he report back to Duke "after all this mess is over" (WWII). He was a tail-gunner in a B-25 bomber in the South Pacific for the wars duration, and even was in occupied Japan after the bombing of Hiroshima. He came back in one piece and went to Ohio University, and never played football again. He graduated at 28 years old. Too old to start a possible career in the up and coming NFL. Something he dreamed of. Sacrifice. Just one small story in a sea of huge stories Veterans have to tell from wars and eras still with us.... and gone by.
Amazing people these Veterans. Who through the years and the changes in our world, never cease to amaze us with their love of country, their pursuit of the good, and their sacrifice for the many. It's not everyone that has the wherewithal to search far within themselves, and so willingly give theirs...... so the rest of us...can have ours.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW - The Box
Cameron Diaz stars in the new mystery thriller The Box.
The Box is the story of a young couple in 1976 living in Richmond, Virginia with their young son. They get by, but are not rich by any means. One day out of the blue, they are presented with a very strange proposition. A small box is left on their front porch with a red button. Attached is a note. A man named Mr. Steward will visit you at 5pm to discuss this box.
When he shows up, he presents them with an option. If they push the button, someone on earth with die that they do not know. And they will receive 1 million dollars for their effort. Decline and the box is picked back up in 24 hours, and the offer will go to someone else. So it's a choice of conscience movie. What would you do? And who on earth would make such an offer? These are the predicaments to The Box.
This movie is based on a short story called Button, Button. And you can certainly tell that while watching The Box. It's a rather compelling story and a real good idea. But to be honest there just isn't enough here for a 2 hour movie. The Box struggles with it's pacing badly. Slow, slow, slow...sheesh let's go here. Some real disjointed plot lines, and lousy dialogue really put a drag on The Box. It was so slow I was trying to push the button hoping it would movie this thing along.
One real bright spot though, Frank Langella as Mr Steward is remarkable. Langella is a fine, fine actor, and in his important but limited role, he is really the movie bright spot. I think Langella would be great in whatever movie he would choose. And in a movie that is really not very good, he is splendidly good.
The Box. It's a short story, and too long a movie. Rent this movie over the winter is you wish, when Netflix is running low on ....everything else. Or wait till it's on TNT 5 times a week in 3 years.
The Box is the story of a young couple in 1976 living in Richmond, Virginia with their young son. They get by, but are not rich by any means. One day out of the blue, they are presented with a very strange proposition. A small box is left on their front porch with a red button. Attached is a note. A man named Mr. Steward will visit you at 5pm to discuss this box.
When he shows up, he presents them with an option. If they push the button, someone on earth with die that they do not know. And they will receive 1 million dollars for their effort. Decline and the box is picked back up in 24 hours, and the offer will go to someone else. So it's a choice of conscience movie. What would you do? And who on earth would make such an offer? These are the predicaments to The Box.
This movie is based on a short story called Button, Button. And you can certainly tell that while watching The Box. It's a rather compelling story and a real good idea. But to be honest there just isn't enough here for a 2 hour movie. The Box struggles with it's pacing badly. Slow, slow, slow...sheesh let's go here. Some real disjointed plot lines, and lousy dialogue really put a drag on The Box. It was so slow I was trying to push the button hoping it would movie this thing along.
One real bright spot though, Frank Langella as Mr Steward is remarkable. Langella is a fine, fine actor, and in his important but limited role, he is really the movie bright spot. I think Langella would be great in whatever movie he would choose. And in a movie that is really not very good, he is splendidly good.
The Box. It's a short story, and too long a movie. Rent this movie over the winter is you wish, when Netflix is running low on ....everything else. Or wait till it's on TNT 5 times a week in 3 years.
Monday, November 9, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW - The Fourth Kind
On the heals of Paranormal Activity, is another "out of this world" story with The Fourth Kind. To be honest with you, I don't really know what to make of this movie. It is such a mixed bag of the good and not so good. Let's look it over.
This is the supposedly true story of Dr. Abigail Emily Tyler. She was a Psychologist that uses hypnosis to help her clients see their way through their difficulties. Her practice is in Nome, Alaska. Using government statistics, Nome has had more visits from the Federal Government over the past few years than any other city in the country. Strange disappearances, murders, and flat of unexplained happenings a plenty. After the mysterious death of her husband, she goes on with her life, and finds that many of her clients are having strange sleep habits. and are seeing the same terrifying images that come out in her therapy sessions. What is the root of it? I'll stop there in case you are going.
But there is murder, abductions, and downright terror going on in this town, and some seem to think that this trouble is following her. Is she to blame, or not?
TFK, is a bio-pic/docudrama that has allows you to make the call on whether you believe this story or not. And they make no apologies for it. It's a mixture of Hollywood drama scenes in the true movie form, and a mixture of "actual footage" from Dr. Tyler's sessions with her clients. There is also plenty of actual audio footage plus supposed footage from police dashboard cameras as well. Also there is tons of footage of the actual Dr.Tyler mixed in throughout during an in depth interview with her on some network somewhere. Troubling and convenient too, some of the "actual footage" that would be the most compelling is "distorted" and not discernible at all. To their credit, they don't apologize for it, but it doesn't help the case for being real. That is The Fourth Kind.
This is actually pretty interesting movie making. I'm not at odds with the style of this movie, or the performances. But I have to admit, I can't help but wonder if we're not all getting taken here. Are we being introduced to a sympathetic soul in Dr Tyler and her horrible ordeal, or are we being bamboozled by and incredibly insane mad woman, who is now making a buck off other peoples horrible misfortune? They actually say, "You be the judge" at the movies end. As interesting as some of this movie was in the movie making sense, I am uncomfortable with the motivation of the real Dr. Tyler for bringing this story to the screen. There's just something not right here with me on this one.
The Fourth Kind. I'm just not buying it. I'm leaning heavily towards bamboozled.
This is the supposedly true story of Dr. Abigail Emily Tyler. She was a Psychologist that uses hypnosis to help her clients see their way through their difficulties. Her practice is in Nome, Alaska. Using government statistics, Nome has had more visits from the Federal Government over the past few years than any other city in the country. Strange disappearances, murders, and flat of unexplained happenings a plenty. After the mysterious death of her husband, she goes on with her life, and finds that many of her clients are having strange sleep habits. and are seeing the same terrifying images that come out in her therapy sessions. What is the root of it? I'll stop there in case you are going.
But there is murder, abductions, and downright terror going on in this town, and some seem to think that this trouble is following her. Is she to blame, or not?
TFK, is a bio-pic/docudrama that has allows you to make the call on whether you believe this story or not. And they make no apologies for it. It's a mixture of Hollywood drama scenes in the true movie form, and a mixture of "actual footage" from Dr. Tyler's sessions with her clients. There is also plenty of actual audio footage plus supposed footage from police dashboard cameras as well. Also there is tons of footage of the actual Dr.Tyler mixed in throughout during an in depth interview with her on some network somewhere. Troubling and convenient too, some of the "actual footage" that would be the most compelling is "distorted" and not discernible at all. To their credit, they don't apologize for it, but it doesn't help the case for being real. That is The Fourth Kind.
This is actually pretty interesting movie making. I'm not at odds with the style of this movie, or the performances. But I have to admit, I can't help but wonder if we're not all getting taken here. Are we being introduced to a sympathetic soul in Dr Tyler and her horrible ordeal, or are we being bamboozled by and incredibly insane mad woman, who is now making a buck off other peoples horrible misfortune? They actually say, "You be the judge" at the movies end. As interesting as some of this movie was in the movie making sense, I am uncomfortable with the motivation of the real Dr. Tyler for bringing this story to the screen. There's just something not right here with me on this one.
The Fourth Kind. I'm just not buying it. I'm leaning heavily towards bamboozled.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW - The Men Who Stare At Goats
The Men Who Stare At Goats may be the strangest movie title of the year, and it's a rather strange story to boot. A real nice cast here, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey. Ewan MacGregor, and Jeff Bridges star in this bizarre story based of true events. Very "out there" events in our nation involving our military.
We go back to the early 80's. The United States Army has begun a psychic division of the Army. "Super Soldiers" or "Jedi Warriors" they will be called, who use psychic powers to get the upper hand on our enemies. This is an officially sanctioned and functioning branch of the army that existed and eventually disbanded.
But now we flash forward to 2003. The war in Iraq is on, and reporters are flocking to get there to report on the new conflict. This is the story of one reporter who goes to Iraq, and meets up with one of the former psychics, who claims he is there and has been redeployed to join the war effort.
From there it is a deeply complicated plot line that needs more seeing, than reading. But I will tell you this movie does a lot of things really, really right. Clooney, Spacey and Bridges play some of these strange-o guys, with MacGregor as the Midwestern reporter that finds himself in the middle of all this in the Middle East. A very funny story with great performances, snappy dialogue and a real nice soundtrack. "Goats" is an adult comedy, but you don't need a masters degree to get it. You always have to remember that this movie is based on true events, and not a true story...word for word.
The Men Who Stare At Goats. Very entertaining, fun, and eye opening. A real good night at the moves, as a real good story ends up in the hands of four big stars and delivers a real nice movie. Good....real good.
We go back to the early 80's. The United States Army has begun a psychic division of the Army. "Super Soldiers" or "Jedi Warriors" they will be called, who use psychic powers to get the upper hand on our enemies. This is an officially sanctioned and functioning branch of the army that existed and eventually disbanded.
But now we flash forward to 2003. The war in Iraq is on, and reporters are flocking to get there to report on the new conflict. This is the story of one reporter who goes to Iraq, and meets up with one of the former psychics, who claims he is there and has been redeployed to join the war effort.
From there it is a deeply complicated plot line that needs more seeing, than reading. But I will tell you this movie does a lot of things really, really right. Clooney, Spacey and Bridges play some of these strange-o guys, with MacGregor as the Midwestern reporter that finds himself in the middle of all this in the Middle East. A very funny story with great performances, snappy dialogue and a real nice soundtrack. "Goats" is an adult comedy, but you don't need a masters degree to get it. You always have to remember that this movie is based on true events, and not a true story...word for word.
The Men Who Stare At Goats. Very entertaining, fun, and eye opening. A real good night at the moves, as a real good story ends up in the hands of four big stars and delivers a real nice movie. Good....real good.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Movie Review - This Is It
It's been a number of months since the death of Michael Jackson, and now the movie many have been waiting for is here, This Is It!
No doubt you've heard about this movie. What it is, of course is the footage of the rehearsals and such from what was to be his huge concert tour, This Is It. Of course, it never happened. I purposely waited to see this movie. I wanted to see it with a small crowd and I did. I really wanted to see this movie for what it is. And to be honest, this is a real good movie.
Now let's not get carried away here. You've heard some Oscar buzz for this movie, and I suppose in some category there could be nominations, and maybe a win or two. But let's get a hold of ourselves here. This is not the best movie of the year, and shouldn't even be in that conversation. TII though is a very interesting movie that shows you once and for all, the sheer talent MJ was. You may have to divorce yourself from what you think of him personally and watch only what is on the screen. Fans of MJ will see this movie again and again. If you're a curious bystander, once will suffice.
With all that he was, good, bad, weird, strange, and all of that. MJ was certainly a monster talent. Even at 50 years old, his performance in this movie under candid footage is terrific. He appears to have great vision for his show, energy, and of course he still movies like he was 30.
I can't sit here and tell you I'm a MJ fan either. When he was in his prime, I was more focused on country music and true rock-n-roll, which he was not. MJ was the King Of Pop...period! I was aware he was around, but overall the music was too soft for me. But his legacy in stage show presence, and video making will go down in history as truly revolutionary. And if you were into MJ or not in the 80's, TII will remind you of his hey day and just how remarkably talented he was.
This Is It. This is supposedly a short two week run. Up front, you may have no interest in this movie whatsoever, and that's OK. But not being a real fan either, I will say this movie is real good...... for what it is. I'm still not a real fan even ofter seeing it, but he was a talent unlike very many others before or since.
No doubt you've heard about this movie. What it is, of course is the footage of the rehearsals and such from what was to be his huge concert tour, This Is It. Of course, it never happened. I purposely waited to see this movie. I wanted to see it with a small crowd and I did. I really wanted to see this movie for what it is. And to be honest, this is a real good movie.
Now let's not get carried away here. You've heard some Oscar buzz for this movie, and I suppose in some category there could be nominations, and maybe a win or two. But let's get a hold of ourselves here. This is not the best movie of the year, and shouldn't even be in that conversation. TII though is a very interesting movie that shows you once and for all, the sheer talent MJ was. You may have to divorce yourself from what you think of him personally and watch only what is on the screen. Fans of MJ will see this movie again and again. If you're a curious bystander, once will suffice.
With all that he was, good, bad, weird, strange, and all of that. MJ was certainly a monster talent. Even at 50 years old, his performance in this movie under candid footage is terrific. He appears to have great vision for his show, energy, and of course he still movies like he was 30.
I can't sit here and tell you I'm a MJ fan either. When he was in his prime, I was more focused on country music and true rock-n-roll, which he was not. MJ was the King Of Pop...period! I was aware he was around, but overall the music was too soft for me. But his legacy in stage show presence, and video making will go down in history as truly revolutionary. And if you were into MJ or not in the 80's, TII will remind you of his hey day and just how remarkably talented he was.
This Is It. This is supposedly a short two week run. Up front, you may have no interest in this movie whatsoever, and that's OK. But not being a real fan either, I will say this movie is real good...... for what it is. I'm still not a real fan even ofter seeing it, but he was a talent unlike very many others before or since.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Throw New York OUT!
I am not writing this from a point of anger or bitterness. Quite the contrary. I am writing and suggesting this from a point of passion for the game of baseball. More directly, Major League Baseball. It's simple, if you ever want to see your team win the World Series again, we have to throw the New York teams out of the league! Sound funny? Not as funny as the joke MLB is playing on us fans!
The New York Yankees are going to win their 27th World Series this year. And this is news to who? I knew this in June. I think most did. And this is a sad fact of the national pastime. Because of MLB's players and owners not putting in a salary cap for it's players, The Yankees can just buy this time after time. To me, the Yankees may be the worst franchise in baseball. They've been doing this for decades and only won 26 World Series in 100 or so years. To be honest, they should win it every year or at least half the time. And the Mets are even worse. They've spent zillions of dollars too and only have a couple of titles in almost 50 years!
Think about this. Players like CC Sabathia were signed in the off season by the Yankees. The Indians offered him a measly 80 million or so..... a few times. But that's not enough for a 26 year old who already has a number of million dollars. Sad. Why should he accept such a paultry dollar amount? When the Yankees will pay him twice that .. and did. I mean a mans gotta feed his family, ya know?
If this continues, in 15 to 20 years MLB will be in real trouble. Kansas City, Cleveland, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and tons of other cities will lose their fan base, and throw in the towel, being sick of being a farm club for the New York teams. Couple that with the fact that many new young fans don't want to be associated with anything less than championships. Why root for the home team, they always lose. They will jump ship to become front runners and be fans of teams like the Yankees. Not because they are the best team, but because they have the most money to buy the best team year after year. Great example huh?
So if MLB and it's completely non-caring about the game players won't cap this thing and do what is right, we should just throw the New York teams out the the Major League's to SAVE the league as a whole. Just kick them the heck out. No team in NYC! And maybe those crybabies in Boston too while were at it! If those three teams weren't around to pay off all of the great players, the competition would be better and fans would be re-energized all over the league. Then CC would be forced to somehow choke down the foul taste of a scrawny 80 million dollars!
Isn't is sad that on opening day that virtually 27 teams or so know, right then, they have no chance to compete, let alone win a title! Ridiculous. I heard some Yankee fan this summer whining that the Yankees haven't won the Word Series since 2001. Oh, grow up! Not our fault. You should have with all the money you've spent, and all the smaller teams you've raided and attempted to put of business with your cash. The majority of MLB teams haven't won it in 20, 30, or 40 years. How many great cities would love just a visit to the fall classic? Most I'm guessing.
Sad too, the Yankees will win it again and in reality, no one will care. Oh the 15 million or so supposed fans of New York will. BTW the vast majority of which can NEVER afford to go to a Yankee or Met game. I certainly could never be fan of a team that thinks so little of me that tickets were literally in the hundreds if not thousands of dollars per game. But the last time I checked we're a nation of about 350 million, and we don't care that they'll win at all. How can you? It's a total joke. Another BTW, have you watched any of the World Series this week? Didn't think so.
Like the hecklers at ball games yell, "Throw the bums out!" And do you know who would care? It's simple math.. About 15 million people. Oops, finally we win. 335 million of us to 15 million of you. Sad for you Yankee fans........you just can't compete with those numbers.
Sorry!
The New York Yankees are going to win their 27th World Series this year. And this is news to who? I knew this in June. I think most did. And this is a sad fact of the national pastime. Because of MLB's players and owners not putting in a salary cap for it's players, The Yankees can just buy this time after time. To me, the Yankees may be the worst franchise in baseball. They've been doing this for decades and only won 26 World Series in 100 or so years. To be honest, they should win it every year or at least half the time. And the Mets are even worse. They've spent zillions of dollars too and only have a couple of titles in almost 50 years!
Think about this. Players like CC Sabathia were signed in the off season by the Yankees. The Indians offered him a measly 80 million or so..... a few times. But that's not enough for a 26 year old who already has a number of million dollars. Sad. Why should he accept such a paultry dollar amount? When the Yankees will pay him twice that .. and did. I mean a mans gotta feed his family, ya know?
If this continues, in 15 to 20 years MLB will be in real trouble. Kansas City, Cleveland, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and tons of other cities will lose their fan base, and throw in the towel, being sick of being a farm club for the New York teams. Couple that with the fact that many new young fans don't want to be associated with anything less than championships. Why root for the home team, they always lose. They will jump ship to become front runners and be fans of teams like the Yankees. Not because they are the best team, but because they have the most money to buy the best team year after year. Great example huh?
So if MLB and it's completely non-caring about the game players won't cap this thing and do what is right, we should just throw the New York teams out the the Major League's to SAVE the league as a whole. Just kick them the heck out. No team in NYC! And maybe those crybabies in Boston too while were at it! If those three teams weren't around to pay off all of the great players, the competition would be better and fans would be re-energized all over the league. Then CC would be forced to somehow choke down the foul taste of a scrawny 80 million dollars!
Isn't is sad that on opening day that virtually 27 teams or so know, right then, they have no chance to compete, let alone win a title! Ridiculous. I heard some Yankee fan this summer whining that the Yankees haven't won the Word Series since 2001. Oh, grow up! Not our fault. You should have with all the money you've spent, and all the smaller teams you've raided and attempted to put of business with your cash. The majority of MLB teams haven't won it in 20, 30, or 40 years. How many great cities would love just a visit to the fall classic? Most I'm guessing.
Sad too, the Yankees will win it again and in reality, no one will care. Oh the 15 million or so supposed fans of New York will. BTW the vast majority of which can NEVER afford to go to a Yankee or Met game. I certainly could never be fan of a team that thinks so little of me that tickets were literally in the hundreds if not thousands of dollars per game. But the last time I checked we're a nation of about 350 million, and we don't care that they'll win at all. How can you? It's a total joke. Another BTW, have you watched any of the World Series this week? Didn't think so.
Like the hecklers at ball games yell, "Throw the bums out!" And do you know who would care? It's simple math.. About 15 million people. Oops, finally we win. 335 million of us to 15 million of you. Sad for you Yankee fans........you just can't compete with those numbers.
Sorry!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW - Amelia
Hillary Swank is back and has everyone wondering if she can pick up a third Oscar with this new bio-pic, Amelia.
Amelia is the story of the legendary Amelia Earhart, the pioneering aviator from the 1920's and 30's. In addition to her many incredible aviation feats, is just as well known for being lost forever somewhere in the Pacific during her attempt to circumnavigate the world. A feat that no one had ever done in 1937, the year of her death at 40 years old.
Amelia stars Swank and Richard Gere as her long time lover and husband. This movie walks you through her years as a young pilot, and then into real adulthood as a pilot, pioneer, wife, friend and lover. Amelia attempts to show the complete woman that Earhart was both in the cockpit and in her personal life. And for the most part is very interesting.
Amelia doesn't wear out it's welcome, it is a tidy one hour and forty-five minutes. So that's not the trouble. Amelia starts off very faced paced, and with great energy. It does get a bit bogged down around it's middle, and we fly off to a love triangle that involves her, her husband and another aviator. Although this is compelling for a while, we stay there far too long. And it never really recovers completely. Ironically, just as Amelia ran out of gas in real life, Amelia sort of runs out of gas at the movie theater 72 years later.
But it's not a wash out. Swank is fantastic again in a major motion picture. Her portrayal as Earhart in uncanny in both look and speech. It is a command performance of the first order. Interesting for her, she can do a lot with a little. Amelia is not loaded down with long speechy, preachy dialogue as many bio-pics can from their main character. But it is a simple portrayal with a to the point script where she can shine, and Swank is magnificent yet again.
There is a wonderful display too of fantastic vintage aircraft to marvel at, and the costuming is really great. If there had been a stronger musical soundtrack from the era, it would have transported you back to the 30's much easier, I thought they really came up short there. Gere and the supporting cast though are great, and Amelia survives....at least here.
Amelia. Good night at the movies. I thought it would, it could, and probably should have been better a little better. But Swank if terrific. Will she win again? She'll be in the conversation, but not a lock like Million Dollar Baby. But she is worth the ticket. - Every time!
Amelia is the story of the legendary Amelia Earhart, the pioneering aviator from the 1920's and 30's. In addition to her many incredible aviation feats, is just as well known for being lost forever somewhere in the Pacific during her attempt to circumnavigate the world. A feat that no one had ever done in 1937, the year of her death at 40 years old.
Amelia stars Swank and Richard Gere as her long time lover and husband. This movie walks you through her years as a young pilot, and then into real adulthood as a pilot, pioneer, wife, friend and lover. Amelia attempts to show the complete woman that Earhart was both in the cockpit and in her personal life. And for the most part is very interesting.
Amelia doesn't wear out it's welcome, it is a tidy one hour and forty-five minutes. So that's not the trouble. Amelia starts off very faced paced, and with great energy. It does get a bit bogged down around it's middle, and we fly off to a love triangle that involves her, her husband and another aviator. Although this is compelling for a while, we stay there far too long. And it never really recovers completely. Ironically, just as Amelia ran out of gas in real life, Amelia sort of runs out of gas at the movie theater 72 years later.
But it's not a wash out. Swank is fantastic again in a major motion picture. Her portrayal as Earhart in uncanny in both look and speech. It is a command performance of the first order. Interesting for her, she can do a lot with a little. Amelia is not loaded down with long speechy, preachy dialogue as many bio-pics can from their main character. But it is a simple portrayal with a to the point script where she can shine, and Swank is magnificent yet again.
There is a wonderful display too of fantastic vintage aircraft to marvel at, and the costuming is really great. If there had been a stronger musical soundtrack from the era, it would have transported you back to the 30's much easier, I thought they really came up short there. Gere and the supporting cast though are great, and Amelia survives....at least here.
Amelia. Good night at the movies. I thought it would, it could, and probably should have been better a little better. But Swank if terrific. Will she win again? She'll be in the conversation, but not a lock like Million Dollar Baby. But she is worth the ticket. - Every time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
