Tag: reposts

My Rating: 10/10 – The largest act of domestic terrorism is the Oklahoma City bombing. It’s a travesty and a tragedy we must never forget lest it happen again. If you don’t know how or why this happened, this documentary would be an excellent way to find out. It’s streaming now on Netflix.

Oklahoma City

“The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April 1995 is the worst act…” -IMDB

Cast

Directed by

Barak Goodman

Written by

Barak Goodman

Other Info

Documentary, History
Not Rated
2017
102min
IMDB Rating: 7.5

This was a History Channel documentary that was acquired by Netflix and is now streaming. I found it to be very well directed and edited. Putting thousands of clips together for a film like this has to be painstaking. They do an excellent job of interspersing time from the present to before the bombing to the events and climate that led up to Timothy McVeigh’s unspeakable act.

With a Republican in the White House now, it can seem trite to discuss gun rights. It’s a Republican interest and has been for centuries. But in the 90’s, there was a Democrat in the White House and for some odd unknown reasons, Republicans felt Bill Clinton and the system were determined to take their guns. This caused racist gun-rights focused groups to rise up. One religious based group was the following of David Koresh. I’m not equating Republicans with psychotics but they lay out how the climate started a spark that became a bomb.

Most people over 40 will remember WACO and the Koresh cult standoff. This event is played out in detail through interviews, narration, news clips of the day, diagrams, maps, and animation.

People who are old enough but have forgotten the bombing should see this film. It shows how a twisted mind can nurture its own hate and how conspiracy theorist groups can nurture that mind to do unspeakable terrorism. I think we live in a time where we should all study these reasons. If we can find out the reasons, maybe we can spot the terrorists before they strike.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I was disturbed yet also very entertained by some aspects of this film. At the same time, it was educational in seeing into the mind of hate. The way it uses media to tell the story is remarkable. I know Republicans as a whole moan about their right to have assault weapons as such but I think this film will make them see this is not the best banner argument for freedom in our time. On the other hand, my wife noted to me that it would be scary if the government didn’t allow us to protect ourselves at all. So, I think there are neutral positions in the film that allow the viewer to make her/his own decisions. I recommend this or anyone over say 9 or 10 years old. Even still, kids that young should see it with a parent handy to explain some of the twisted violent stuff.

10/10

It’s a rural crime thriller where Michael Shannon plays the detective in a dusty desert town. But that’s just one part. The other half is something else. That’s right, a movie within a book … or something like that.

Nocturnal Animals

“A wealthy art gallery owner receives a draft of her ex-husband’s new novel, and once she starts reading it she just cannot put it down.” -IMDB

Cast

Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Directed by

Tom Ford

Written by

Tom Ford, Austin Wright

Other Info

Drama, Thriller
R
Fri 09 Dec 2016 UTC
116min
IMDB Rating: 7.5

I like weird films when they come together well. This one does as good as could be expected. The real fin is the world Michael Shannon’s character inhabits. He’s a man on a mission and he’ll do whatever is needed to see justice is enforced. Gyllenhaal is a character in the same story. He’s a sort of “softie” in a hellish situation. In this film, the unthinkable happens to him and he’s forced to deal with it. This is a brutal situation, did I mention that?

Amy Adams character is almost reclusive. She has a job and friends it seems so she probably isn’t a reclusive in all truth. Still, she sits and READS and feels the things that no one should feel. I don’t even think she should feel them. But this is a vengeance film. It’s not the kind you’d think but it is vengeance just the same. If all is fair in love and war, then how about crime on a deserted road? Perhaps the title is the hey, I’m not saying that. I am saying you’ll have to make up your mind. It’s the age-old question of what makes us moral creatures, or are we? Are some among us so cold that they could do these things and do these creatures continue unaffected.

In the end, in love and war, should we step aside and ask second guess ourselves? The truth is so brutal, maybe we shouldn’t. Maybe we’re all nocturnal animals? This is something to think about when you see this film.

Tom Hanks once again plays an average American and gives the world someone to believe in. Captain Sully is a decorated pilot who has to crash-land an airplane in the Hudson river. It’s a compelling story for sure but some viewers may find it dull and mundane. If you were ever curious about what happened in this news story, filmmaker Clint Eastwood has a video tale to tale you.

Sully

Cast

Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Valerie Mahaffey

Directed by

Clint Eastwood

Written by

Todd Komarnicki, Chesley Sullenberger

Other Info

Biography, Drama
PG-13
Fri 09 Sep 2016 UTC
96min
IMDB Rating: 7.5

The rest of this review contains spoilers.

To borrow from David Spade: I liked this movie better when it was Flight. One thing I notice with older film makers like Clint Eastwood is that they tend to make movies they think will make a historical contribution. This is admirable but be advised these types of films are often not exciting. In fact, they can be quite boring.

There is great acting in this film but that’s not enough to justify this story being a movie. I think a tv special would have been a better suited genre. I did like the ending, it surprised me. When the panel somehow had a paradigm shift and suspended all judgement of Sully, it was gratifying. Just like in Flight, he is in a lot of trouble the entire length of the film. Unfortunately for me, I feel the story dragged on and I just didn’t find the science that makes up at least 50% of the investigation and the movie interesting. I can’t recommend this film for anyone but that’s not to say pilots and fans of the real sully won’t like it.