Why We Fight

Documentary films are sometimes slow and dry, and when that happens the audience loses interest, then the movie is swept under the rug. The current political administration had high hopes that this would have been the resulting situation for Why We Fight, but unfortunately this movie is so stirring and has so much true information that you can't help but be drawn into it. The big question that is asked by the film is why does America engage in war? And the answer is so strong and overpowering that while you're watching the film your amazed at the situations that have been going on threw most of our lives.The examination of America's militarism, and how ideological factors with their connections to its political and economic interests have been driving the military machine since WWII. Filmed in 2005 there is a lot of footage of the early part of the Iraq war that many of us have never seen, is at times shocking, and along with personal accounts from soldiers to journalists, from government officials to innocent victims the stories are chilling but need to be heard. Hearing some of the reasoning behind conflicts from 1945 to the present is like listening to a megalomaniac and to believe that some of these people are actually running our country and military is terrifying.
When I first saw the trailer for this film and I decided right away that I had to see it, and I was so happy that I saw it when I did. There is so much eye opening information in the film that its amazing that its only an hour and thirty-five minutes, it moves along very nicely but gives you many things to think about. I'd recommend this film to anyone who is wondering about the current situation we're in, and how exactly we got there. I would also say that any American who believes in freedom should see this film, to know exactly what has been going with this country since the Eisenhower administration.

The Hindenburg

Out of all the disaster films that came out in the seventies the majority were based on worst case scenarios but at least one was based on fact, The Hindenburg. In 1937, when the disaster happened, there were many theories about what happened, from natural causes to sabotage, this film takes the approach that the explosion that destroyed the airship was a bomb. The all-star cast is headed by George C. Scott, who demonstrates why he was such an accomplished actor with the commanding personality that he had.When a message is received by Nazi Germany that their great airship Hindenburg will be destroyed on its trip to America, an investigation turns up more red herrings then plots of destruction. This movie was made in 1975, a time that if you wanted a blimp in your film you either made a model or used a real blimp. Both were used here and it comes across without any problems. The other thing that helps this film is the blending of archival footage of the actual crash spliced in with film from the movie. The movie is in color but once the explosion happens the film goes to black and white, so that it will work seamlessly with the original footage from 1937.
It's not your usual disaster film, and part of it is a mystery, but its completely enjoyable and seeing some of these actors and actresses together on the screen is a blast. The digital transfer is not a complete success, there are parts that are fuzzy, and it's not from the fog banks that the ship is going through, but you can get by it. If you like disaster films and haven't seen this one, it's worth a viewing, it's probably not the total destruction that you'd be use to but it does have its moments with a strong story.

Shipwrecked

Disney has a long history of making adventure films that the whole family can enjoy, and these include live action as well as animated movies. But even Disney can be accused of rehashing old stories if it seems like a good idea at the time. The story itself is based on a book by O.V. Falck-Ytter titled "Haakon Haakonsen", but movie is a combination of several different stories, and that's not to say that it's a bad film for this approach, its a very good film but the story just seems stale and worn out. This movie blends the stories of Kidnapped, Swiss Family Robinson, and Treasure Island into an enjoyable film that the kids will enjoy and parents wont mind sitting through.A young boy sets out to sea to pay his families debt at home and runs into pirates, gets shipwrecked, and finds a treasure to answer all his dreams. The island that is for the scenes after the shipwreck is an actual island in the Fiji chain, so its as authentic as can be for a deserted island. The time and effort put into this film to make it as authentic to the time period is very evident from the ship and how the crew handles her to the costumes for all of the characters that come from locations that range from Norway to Fiji. The only real recognizable actor in this film is Gabriel Byrne; he plays the pirate Captain Merrick and plays it very well.
This is not a real well known Disney film, when it originally came out there wasn't much fan fare for it and now the only way you can get a copy of this film is through the Disney Movie Club. But its worth the time and effort to get it, its clean harmless fun for young boys who are into pirates and sailing. With the ideas that there is buried treasure out there somewhere, pirate movies will always have a special place in our hearts.

Sleeper

At this time of year when looking into the past to see how we've dealt with things and gazing into the future to contemplate the coming events, I've sat down and watched one of the more inventive sci-fi time travel movies from the seventies. Woody Allen's Sleeper shows that even going two hundred years into the future you still end up with the same political, social and personal problems as we have today. Allen plays a perfect free thinking neurotic from the twentieth century to Diane Keaton's sensible futuristic artist drone that believes everything that the government is telling the public.After going into the hospital for ulcer surgery, Miles Monroe wakes up two hundred years in the future to a society that is being run by a military police state. The so-called advancements in technology that are on display in the movie show that in some cases technology just goes to far in making our lives better, the orgasmitron is one example. There is also a scene where the scientists ask Miles to explain what some items are because they have no record of them, and here he adds his own misinterpretation to the explanation and the scientists take it as law. The physical comedy that runs rampant throughout the film is great, it reminds you of the old chase scenes from the silent era of movies.
Hopefully as the future becomes more real every day, the idea that we will be under control by a militaristic police state with a dictator holding the reigns is pure fantasy. But like so many people have said time and again, the future is not written in stone, it can't truly be predicted and we see that as evidence every time we wake up and move forward through our lives. Yet, with a film like this we can imagine that the future can be fantastic and the human spirit, no matter what the circumstances, will triumph over any injustice in the world.

Finding Neverland

Its films like this one that show us the magic that can come from children and this magic can show any adult, who is willing to see it, that there is magic all around us every day. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet play wonderfully opposite each other in this film, it's a shame that they haven't done other projects together, it just comes across on the screen as pure enchantment. The movie leaves you completely happy and sad at the same time and a little weepy to top off the emotional ride that you travel. When J.M. Barrie cannot come up with a new idea for a play, he is inspired by a family that he befriends and comes up with the story of a lifetime, Peter Pan. The blending of the fantasy world with reality is done very well, it seems like the imaginations of Barrie and the children just take over the film. One of the funnier moments is when Dustin Hoffman is reading the list of character names for the play when he gets to Captain Hook he calls it a ridicules name, funny because he played Hook in Spielberg's movie. The sets and costumes are wonderfully done to help transport you to the early 1900's, and with the flawless accents used by the cast members that had to use them, worked perfectly. The limited effects that are used just makes the film even more enjoyable, as Barrie escapes into his own fantasy world we're more than willing too follow along and we're also sorry when we have to return.
Seeing the story of Peter Pan done on the 1904 London stage is great, up to this point I had not known that this story was a play before it became a children's book. As you watch the film you're left with the idea that the children were Barrie's true muse and not their mother, for the soul reason that the story of Peter Pan is for the children realize the magic that is in their own hearts. This film is a nice addition to the Pan mythos and should be watched by any adult who believes, or use to believe, in the magic that happens every day.

Ultimate Avengers 1 & 2

When Marvel Comics announced that they were going to restart a number of their long running titles for the new generation of fans some people were skeptical if it would work or just destroy the story. But with the Ultimate line of titles they got it right and have opened an avenue that can reach more people who may not have the access to the comics. The first two movies to come out of this whirlwind of an idea is the Ultimate Avengers, and they hit a grand slam coming out of the gate. You don't need to know all of the characters involved but you'll recognize the names from your childhood. Both movies should be watched back to back, the storyline in 2 is a complete continuation of the storyline from the first movie and makes the whole experience more enjoyable. After being lost at the end of World War II, Captain America is found frozen inside of a glacier and thawed out just in time to fight against an alien invasion. When the alien's master plan becomes evident and the main attack is directed at a small African nation the Avengers spring into action. The action that is laid out throughout the story is great, some of it you could only have done in an animated movie, which is fine for the world that the heroes live in. The characters that are introduced here read like a who's who of the Marvel universe, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther and the Incredible Hulk, just to name a few.
Updating the characters that most of us have grown up with was a good idea for Marvel, and the development of the animated movie line can only get better from this point forward. Some of these characters haven't seen on the screen in years and with the new life that has been breathed into this storyline hopefully this wont be the last. As I've said, you need to watch the two films together, and the whole amazing story unfolds and by the end you just can't wait for the next installment.

Rat Race

When movies are remade, the idea at the time of conception sounds good and when you add in the names of the actors to be involved you get the feeling that you could have a hit. Unfortunately what we have here is a good idea gone badly. With the original movie, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the comedic talent is what carried the movie and makes the whole trip hilarious and side splitting, but with Rat Race you have every actor trying their hardest to be funny and most of the time its just stupid. A Las Vegas casino owner picks six different people to take part in a race where they could win two million dollars. The comedy actors that are in the film try their hardest to keep the jokes going, but who ever told Cuba Gooding, Jr. he was a comedian should be shot, his acting here is the worst out of the troop. Even though some of the situations that are set up for the characters are funny, you would think that they could have come up with at least a few that would produce more than a chuckle. You can see some of the jokes coming from a mile away and by the time they get to you they're staler than week out bread.
If you want to watch a funny chase film, rent the original movie, you'll enjoy yourself a whole lot more. Even though some of the actors do a very good job in the movie, Jon Lovitz for one, it's not the kind of movie that you can watch repeatedly, unless of course you've had your lobotomy and like the self-torture.