Lovely in every way, including unlisted Magic Flute after the flowers
May 7, 2010
Cecilia Bartoli, Bryn Terfel
I am not an opera expert, but I like opera and I especially like duets, and that is why I ordered this knowing little of the stars.
The other reviews are more expert, for me this was a hit on voices; on beautifully timed focus on specific instruments and specific musicians contributing to the larger event (a third of the DVD); and finally, not listed and after the flowers, an “unscheduled” duet, Mozart's Magic Flute, Pan Pan…etcetera.
I will certainly use this totally satisfactory offering to search for “more like this.”
I take with great seriousness some of the critical reviews, but on balance have to come down in favor of five stars and an enthusiastic recommendation of this movie and its actors. While I know little of current military casualty notification procedures, over-all this movie resonates with my own past as a Marine Corps infantry officer (40 years ago) and I found several things compelling:
1) America does not see enough of the down side of war. From 935 documented lies by the Bush-Cheney Administration to stark ignorance and corruption as the Obama-Biden Administration sells out to the military-intelligence-industrial pork complex, to the absolute and utterly immoral concealment from the public of the actual number of amputees including many many multiple amputees and the rising number of suicides, I find the disconnect between the public and reality to be catastrophic.
2) For me, these two characters are portrayed superbly, in detail. In my own life as a former spy we were obscenely proud of having the highest rates of alcoholism, adultery, divorce, and suicide in the US Government, and I have 19 professional suicides and 1 personal suicide in my life to date. The depth of the pain felt by those who survive was well-portrayed here.
3) The humanity of the protagonist and of the surviving widow, and the nuances of how that developed, were fully developed and expertly acted. This movie held my attention in detail for the duration.
Great as far as it goes not as good as Walk the Line, May 1, 2010
Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges is indeed gifted in his portrayal of the alcoholic song writer and guitarist, but the script is a bit too simple and starts in the middle of the story–would have been much more engaging if we had seen him at his height, even if only an opening scence and then “six years later,”–so I personally was somewhat disappointed.
The female supporting star is absolutely wonderful, comes into the film not a second too late.
There wasn't enough music for my taste–same song over and over, and I could not hear the words for the so-called great song that got him back on his feet financially.
Every actor a star including the kids, superb script, April 28, 2010
Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser
Sure, there are tear-jerker moments in this movie, but it is a true story and I give very high marks to the script writer that condensed a much more complicated history into a very smooth movie.
Every single person in this movie is a star down to the kids and especially the young lady playing the oldest child with the disease, and shame on the sponsors of this movie for not giving Keri Russell more credit–she added class and grace and femininity with a touch of family love and sex that was much needed, or this would have been a fat guy and an angry guy taking on the money vultures.
Super movie, take the negative reviews with a huge grain of salt or even better, ignore them.
I absolutely do not agree with any of the negative reviews. I received this as a gift and can only say that it exceeded my expectations. Travolta surprised, and for a guy that has done as much as he has, that is saying a great deal.
This is a five star movie, each of the actors is solid as a rock, the ending is a complete surprise, and overall I found the story line, the scripting, and the action scenes to be totally coherent and extremely well-executed.
Five for the Star Power and the Convergence, April 26, 2010
Other reviews offer more detail, this is just a record review to ensure this DVD joins my list of DVDs recommended for people that normally stick to non-fiction reading.
Captures the Essence, Leaves Out a Lot, April 26, 2010
Matt Damon
I have mixed feelings about the movie, having read and reviewed most of the books on Dick Cheney's treason and our going into Iraq on the basis of 935 lies to the public and the United Nations, but on reflection it captures the essence:
1) The intelligence given to one and all was false
2) CIA was not at fault–CIA (not George “Slam Dunk” Tenet, himself guilty of treason)–got it right right from both the defector son in law and the line crossers that Charlie Allen demanded: kept the cook-books, disposed of all stocks, bluffing for regional power sake.
3) Bremer was a world-class idiot in disbanding the army and ending the Baath Party
4) DIA played along–the current US military leadership has lost all of its integrity (and Panetta is not much better than Tenet was, which really surprised me)–and was all too willing to kiss up while kicking down.
There is so much left out of this (Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Ahmed Chaliba Iranian agent of influence) that I was tempted to go with four stars but had to go with five–for what it set out to do, this movie is spectacular.
See all my non-fiction book reviews on Iraq via Phi Beta Iota, the Public Intelligence Blog.
If you like this movie, I also recommend all the 9-11 Truth Movement DVDs. What our government does in our name is nothing short of treason and a betrayal of the public trust.
Lovely in every way, including unlisted Magic Flute after the flowers
Great as far as it goes not as good as Walk the Line, May 1, 2010
