My Movie Reviews: The Prestige and Flags Of Our Fathers
Beth and I enjoyed a rare Friday night "date night" and treated ourselves to not one but two movies. (We had some free passes to the new Grande Theater in W-S!!!)
The Prestige
The Prestige is a masterful film with terrific storytelling and powerful performances by the cast. Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins)has once again demonstrated why he is one of the film world's brightest up and coming directors.
Told in a narrative that jumps between various points along its time line, playing out like a magic act itself, the story is that of two magicians on the rise in their careers. The first, played by Christian Bale, is an expert in understanding the fundamentals of any trick, but lacks showmanship. The second, played by Hugh Jackman, is a master showman who is more entertaining than technical. A tragic series of events pits the two performers against each other in a battle of wits that spirals further and further out of control, consuming both of them and everything and everyone they care about. What also was intriguing about the two lead characters was that there is no right or wrong, no hero or villain. It's always a shade of grey in what they do. Beth and I "debated" the whole way home as to which character was right. The whole movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and the ending was one of the best I have seen in a long, long time. I will definitely own this movie when it comes out on DVD. 4 Stars!!
Flags Of Our Fathers
Flags Of Our Fathers is based on the book of the same name by James Bradley and Ron Powers. The film is about the battle at Iwo Jima and about the lives of the soldiers who raised the American flag on the hill that later became a famous photograph. The film shows the lives of these soldiers during the battle, afterward dealing with being heroes and later on as they get older. Beth and I have been watching "Band of Brothers" on DVD so to me this felt like one long 2 1/2 hour episode of it. The movie was really good at telling the story and of course with Spielberg involved the battle scenes were top notch. The thing about the movie for me was I left angry. Angry at our government for the way our troops were exploited, honors mishandled, and the "what have you done for me lately" attitude not only our military took but civilians as well. It still blows my mind that we have the same 19 year old kids fighting in wars that we would'nt even trust working on our car. I can't begin to imagine what the kids who have and will fight on wars go through. If nothing more, movies like this have opened my eyes and heart to the young men and women we have defending this counrty. Like "Saving Private Ryan" and most war movies, it was great to see on the big screen but I doubt I'll ever watch it again. Not because it was a bad movie but because it's not the type of thing you want to keep reminding yourself happened. 3 Stars
The Prestige
The Prestige is a masterful film with terrific storytelling and powerful performances by the cast. Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins)has once again demonstrated why he is one of the film world's brightest up and coming directors.
Told in a narrative that jumps between various points along its time line, playing out like a magic act itself, the story is that of two magicians on the rise in their careers. The first, played by Christian Bale, is an expert in understanding the fundamentals of any trick, but lacks showmanship. The second, played by Hugh Jackman, is a master showman who is more entertaining than technical. A tragic series of events pits the two performers against each other in a battle of wits that spirals further and further out of control, consuming both of them and everything and everyone they care about. What also was intriguing about the two lead characters was that there is no right or wrong, no hero or villain. It's always a shade of grey in what they do. Beth and I "debated" the whole way home as to which character was right. The whole movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and the ending was one of the best I have seen in a long, long time. I will definitely own this movie when it comes out on DVD. 4 Stars!!
Flags Of Our Fathers
Flags Of Our Fathers is based on the book of the same name by James Bradley and Ron Powers. The film is about the battle at Iwo Jima and about the lives of the soldiers who raised the American flag on the hill that later became a famous photograph. The film shows the lives of these soldiers during the battle, afterward dealing with being heroes and later on as they get older. Beth and I have been watching "Band of Brothers" on DVD so to me this felt like one long 2 1/2 hour episode of it. The movie was really good at telling the story and of course with Spielberg involved the battle scenes were top notch. The thing about the movie for me was I left angry. Angry at our government for the way our troops were exploited, honors mishandled, and the "what have you done for me lately" attitude not only our military took but civilians as well. It still blows my mind that we have the same 19 year old kids fighting in wars that we would'nt even trust working on our car. I can't begin to imagine what the kids who have and will fight on wars go through. If nothing more, movies like this have opened my eyes and heart to the young men and women we have defending this counrty. Like "Saving Private Ryan" and most war movies, it was great to see on the big screen but I doubt I'll ever watch it again. Not because it was a bad movie but because it's not the type of thing you want to keep reminding yourself happened. 3 Stars
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