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Reviews
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Worth seeing.
Interesting profile of a "down home" boy from Texas whose desire to help Afghanis fight the Russians is balanced by his reprobate lifestyle. I found that how Charlie escapes one criminal investigation that could end his career hilarious. His interaction with his all-female staff is very amusing as well.
The movie was fast-paced, and had great dialogue. It's a good thing that it seemed too sort, though it glossed over years of warfare, focusing on Charlie's interactions with the CIA agent Gus, Pakistan's Prime Minister Zia and his aides, and the wealthy Joanne, "sixth richest woman in Texas, which is still pretty good."
If you want to find out more about why Afghanistan is such a mess today, contrast Charlie's his ability to find the right financial, military, and human resources to shoot down the Soviet aircraft razing Afghanistan's population versus the lack of funding for basic infrastructure today.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Surprisingly, really good.
We watched this film during the preview, and it seemed like almost everybody had a great time with a lot of howling laughs from the opening to ending scenes.
From the trailer, I was expecting pure, brute-force slapstick stupidity, but the comedy surprised me with its unpredictability. From the trailer and a few outtakes during the credits, it looks like the actors did many takes of most scenes. Don't envy the trailer editor; most of the quirky jokes are hilarious within the context of the relevant scene and or the movie only.
Will Ferrell was a lot of fun, and the supporting actors make it worthwhile to see too. Gary Cole is great as the scoundrel father, and the scenes with the kids are funny too.
Miller's Crossing (1990)
Thought-provoking and funny movie.
I hardly watch any movies more than once, but "Miller's Crossing" draws some of its intrigue from the main character's ambiguous intentions. Each time I watch it I keep looking for clues as to when Joe changes his mind. Who can keep their eyes off Gabriel Byrne here?
It's a high compliment that with the sheer volume of movies from the U.S. and abroad available today, this one has left an unforgettable imprint on my mind over the years. Hardly any Coen brothers' film fails to leave an impression. It's hard to forget a film where the main character gets beaten up a few times, loses his best friend, and loses the girl, but wins the peace.
Definitely a favourite.
In Search of the Trojan War (1985)
Archaeological Search for the Truth Behind the Iliad
Friend rented this DVD from a local eclectic video shop. The title made it sound very dry, but we started with the special feature of Michael Wood's commentary on the making of the original television series. His enthusiasm was contagious, and the series proved to be very satisfying.
Wood started in Berlin where some artifacts from Troy remained after the devastation of World War II. From there he traveled to the Mediterranean, Turkey, and Wales to explore how much truth was in the oral story told by Homer in the Iliad. Even for non-archeology buffs, Wood brings to life the heartbreak and duplicity of Schliemann, the first to excavate (and possibly destroy portions of) Troy. This is followed by Wilhelm Dörpfeld, Schliemann's heir, who explored further around the site, exposing what might be the Troy described by Homer. Thirdly discussed is the influential Britan, Arthur Evans, who unearthed Minos at Minos at Knossos. Lastly, we learn about Carl Blagan, an American who extracted further evidence from Troy.
This series includes a fascinating look into a young science, archeology, and the role that speculation and interpretation plays in archaeological investigations. It is interesting to hear that some of Wood's speculation has since become accepted as a probable historical version.
I was a little disappointed that the series did not venture further into the 'cracking' of the Linear B hieroglyphics. However, it does a great job of proving that the Iliad was based upon fact: There was a Trojan society, and that for example, Hector and Paris were real people. From the written history of the Hittites, we gain a tantalizing first- and second-hand documentation of Greek and Trojan history. Who knew that cuneiform writing could be so interesting?