The Post shows that the power of the press is still relevant in a day of fake news

Movie Title:      The Post

Grade:  B+

Rating: PG-13,

In a Nutshell: Spielberg, Hanks, Streep.  Powerhouse combination that reminds us why they’re the masters of their trade. 

Surprisingly, this is the first time all three have worked together on a film. 

Oscar bait?  Yeah, probably.  It has already received several nominations by the Golden Globes and National Board of Review.  Is an Academy Award next?  Probably not.  We’ll see.

                                        

Tips for parents: 

• Children and teens will be bored out of their minds.
• Some profanity.
• As more and more traditional newspapers die a slow death due to the internet, kids might think the film is irrelevant, but there is much to be learned about the Constitution as the Pentagon Papers are introduced to this younger generation.  As talk of “fake news” has become a part of everyday conversation, director Steven Spielberg raced to finish this film with unprecedented speed.  Clearly, he thought the content was extremely relevant.  Spielberg thought it was ironic that the pendulum has swung in journalism from ’71 to ’17.

Uplifting theme: 

• Women in  business.  The film is dedicated to a woman, Nora Ephron, who helped  uncover the Watergate scandal in 1972.
• Freedom of the press vs. government security
• “The Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy.  The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.”  Justice Black’s opinion
• Power, politics, truth

                                            

Things I liked:

• I loved how the last scene bleeds into the Watergate scandal.
• Nixon’s actual voice is used when he’s talking from the Oval office.
• Interested in this topic?  You’ll want to see the movie All The President's Men.  In fact, the last scene of this movie is almost shot for shot the same as the first scene in All The President's Men.
• I always get a kick out of Bradley Whitford in everything.
• Usually the comic relief, it was interesting to see David Cross as a serious journalist.

Things I didn’t like:

• The first half of the movie moves very slowly.
• It's a bit heavy-handed.
• It can get confusing with lots of names to try to keep straight.

Funny lines:

• “It must be precious cargo.” – Flight attendant

“Yeah.  It’s just government secrets.” – Bob Odenkirk (Howard Simons)

Interesting lines:

• “The only way to protect the right to publish is to publish.” – Ben Bradlee   (Tom Hanks)
• “I always wanted to be part of a small rebellion.” – Bob Odenkirk
• “Whatever happens tomorrow, we are not a little paper anymore.” – Ben Bradlee 
• “You know what my husband used to say about the newspaper?  He called it the first rough draft of history.” -  Kay Graham  (Meryl Streep)

Other good movies about the freedom and power of the press:

             

                                        @trinaboice

The Circle disappoints, but asks compelling questions

Movie Title:  

The Circle [Bluray + DVD] [Blu-ray]

Grade:  C

Rating:   PG-13

In a Nutshell: Everyone loves Tom Hanks, right?  And who doesn’t adore Hermione, also known as Emma Watson?  Surely, the loveable Patton Oswalt could make fans smile. It sounds like a recipe for an awesome movie, right?  

Unfortunately, it didn’t do that well at the box office and audiences are just saying, “Meh” as it heads out to Redbox and DVD.

It’s kind of an even higher tech version of a Big Brother thriller, but while the movie doesn’t fully develop the intriguing ideas it tackles, it’s a great opportunity to talk about privacy vs. transparency with others…even if you have to Tweet it.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Do you think you behave better now that you know you’re being watched?” – Bailey (Tom Hanks)
• “I am a believer in the perfectability of human beings.  When we are our best selves, the possibilities are endless.  There isn’t a problem that we cannot solve.” - Bailey
• “Without secrets, without the hording of knowledge and information, we can finally realize our potential.” – Bailey
• ‘Knowledge is a basic human right.” – Mae
• Privacy vs. protection

Things I liked:

• SeeChange and the other tools The Circle company invents would be great ideas if they only tracked terrorists and human rights violators, but it would trample all over everyone else’s right to privacy.  It would be nice if politicians’ transactions were open and accountable though, right?  We simply can’t have it both ways.  Benjamin Franklin stated, “Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”  The subject matter is fascinating and could have been an extremely compelling movie if written a little better.
• This movie might be a helpful reminder to the younger generation that loves to post Selfies and Tweet about what they ate for breakfast, that personal privacy is something to be protected.
• I like both Bill Paxton and Glenne Headley, who play Mae’s parents.  Sadly, they both passed away the year the film was released (2017).
• I’m not a huge Doctor Who fan, so I hadn’t seen Karen Gillan in anything before.  I love her cute Scottish accent and would like to see more of her.  Mae mentions her long legs, which was an Easter Egg shout-out for Doctor Who (2005): The Complete 5th Series (Blu-ray) fans who might remember when a character in that show described her as being “made of legs, the most legs on any living human.”

Things I didn’t like:

• Emma Watson’s American accent goes in and out.  I adore her as an actress, but sometimes I couldn’t tell if her character, Mae, was drinking the Koolaid or repelled by the personal invasion her company was promoting.  Maybe the audience wasn’t supposed to know. Maybe it was intentional that we weren’t supposed to be able to read her emotions?
• Group Think mentality can easily and quickly go awry.
• I have not read the book The Circle by Dave Eggers, but I have heard that the ending in the movie is different than in the book.
• John Boyega’s character, Ty, could have been explored more.  The events that followed Mercer (Ellar Coltrane) could have had even more impact if we had learned more about him too.
• Not much humor.

Interesting lines:

• “Knowing is good.  But knowing everything is better.” – Bailey
• “Introspection or communication?” - Mae's job interviewer
• “Needs of the society or needs of the individual?” – job interviewer

“It should be the same.” – Mae

• “Greatest fear?” – job interviewer

“Unfulfilled potential.” – Mae

• “Secrets are lies.  Secrets are what make lies possible.  We behave worse when we’re not accountable.” – Mae
• “Fugitive of friendship…” Mae

Funny lines:

• “I want to thank you already for this.  I love following strangers down dark corridors. This is the best.” - Mae

Tips for parents: 

• Some profanity, including an F-bomb.
• A scene with Mae’s parents in a “situation” in their bedroom, although clothing is on.
• There is not very much action, so children will be bored.

@trinaboice 

Inferno doesn't light the box office on fire

Movie Title:   Inferno

Grade:  B

Rating:  PG-13, 121 minutes

In a Nutshell:  I really enjoyed Dan Brown’s book a few years ago when I read it.  Yeah, I know…it’s not high-brow literature, but more of a guilty pleasure.  

It has been 10 years since the last Dan Brown movie and, unfortunately, this one is getting mediocre reviews like that last two action films in the series.

After the rolling credits, right before the words “Columbia Pictures,” it says in bold letters, “Be Moved.”  You might or might not.

Uplifting theme: 

• Cerca trova.   Seek and find.
• The intriguing question asked is: “If you could flip a switch, half of the population dies, or if you don’t do it, mankind will be extinct in 100 years…what would you do?”
• “Things fall apart if you don’t look after them.” – Robert
• “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.” – Dante Alighieri
• Create your life.  Don’t let life pull you apart from the one you love, like Dante and Beatrice and two other people in the movie (NO spoiler alert.)

Things I liked:

• Who doesn’t love Tom Hanks?  What was up with his hair in this movie though?
• I LOVE Italy.  I was in Florence and Venice just a couple of years ago. We walked right by Dante’s actual house in Florence.  One thing I love about the Dan Brown books and movies is that you get to traipse around Europe.  While bullets fly around Tom Hanks, it’s fun to do some sightseeing. The set piece in Istanbul is stunning. 
• Felicity Jones does all of the same stunts Tom Hanks does, but in high heels.  I’m excited to see her in the upcoming Star Wars movie “Rogue One.”  She’s always great in everything.

Things I didn’t like:

• If you haven’t read the book, you’ll probably be confused for the first 30 minutes.  The movie starts with a mixture of reality and visions, making it difficult for even fans of the book to know what’s going on.
• The time stamp in various scenes lends a sense of urgency, but the timing of events are pretty unrealistic.
• One of the most compelling things about the character Robert Langdon is his ability to solve complex puzzles.  Unfortunately, he spends the majority of the movie experiencing amnesia and hallucinations, so that people have to tell him what’s happening, making the unraveling of the mystery less than satisfying.
• It takes a really long time for Felicity Jones’ character to have a reason for her to be with Tom Hanks’ character.
• The script writing definitely doesn’t provide the details that the book does. There were some inconsistencies and plot holes that were frustrating.

Interesting lines:

• “Maybe pain can save us.” – Bertrand Zobrist
• “Mankind is its own cancer.” – Bertrand
• “There’s always a way out.” – Robert
• “I’m not afraid to act, but doing nothing terrifies me.” – Sienna
• “Beauty awakens the soul to act.” – Dante
• “The most interesting things happen in doorways.” – Robert
• “Genius doesn’t come with extra rights.” – Robert

Funny lines:

• “Weird kid.  Did I say that out loud?” – Robert
• “I’m sorry.  I’m not like this.” – Robert

“You kind of are.” – Sienna Brooks

• “I studied Dante when I was younger.” – Sienna

“Probably in Kindergarten.” – Robert

• “Young people are disappointing.” – Harry Sims (Irrfan Khan)

Tips for parents: 

• There is a lot of blood, violence, death, beating, stabbing, and scary images.
• 1 F-bomb and some other profanity. 
• 
  

Fun books by Dan Brown that I really got a kick out of:

   


Read Dante's original work:


 

Sully soars at the box office

Movie Title:    Sully

Grade:  A-

Rating:   PG-13, 96 minutes

In a Nutshell:  This is an inspiring, true story of Captain Chesley Sullenberger III, who saved 155 souls by landing a US Airways airplane on the Hudson River in 2009 when both engines failed.  

Known as “Miracle on the Hudson,” the story dramatically measures numbers and facts against human frailties and instinct.

Combine the legendary Clint Eastwood (who directs the film) with Tom Hanks’ excellent performance and you get solid tribute to a deserving hero.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Everything is unprecedented until it has happened.” – Sully
• “A pilot never stops acquiring knowledge.” – Sully’s crop-dusting trainer when he was young
• Here’s to the hard-working, unsung heroes who do their best every day without fanfare or awards.  Sully explained, “I don’t feel like a hero.  I was just a man doing my job.” - Sully
• "A delay is better than a disaster." - Sully's Chinese fortune cookie

Things I liked:

• I wondered how this story would be stretched into a feature film and what we might learn that we hadn’t already heard in the news when it happened.  Clint Eastwood does an outstanding job building tension and drama by looping forwards and backwards through the story, creating a powerful end to the movie that we didn’t know.
• Great cinematography and CGI work.
• Fans of disaster movies will get a few glimpses of what kind of destruction could have happened if the plane had crashed differently, as imagined by Sully in nightmares and flashbacks.
• Anna Gun from Breaking Bad and Mike O’Malley from Glee do a great job as the critical investigators who questioned Sully’s decision to land on the Hudson River.
• Audiences will likely compare Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Sully with his role as Captain Phillips in that award-winning movie.  Tom Hanks delivers powerful and stirring performances in both.  How is it he has only received two Oscars so far?  Even stranger is that they were both back in the ‘90’s.  He’s everything we want in an actor and truly carries this understated film.
• Hollywood often glamorizes “bad boys” as heroes, so it’s truly refreshing to see an honest, hard-working “good guy” win the praises and adoration he deserves.
• Don’t leave the theater after the last scene.  Keep watching during the final credits and you’ll be rewarded with photos and videos of the wreckage, rescue, and reunion of the passengers from Flight 1549.  You get to hear the real Sully announce, "This is your captain speaking."
• You can never go wrong when you add New York City as a character in your movie.

Things I didn’t like:

• Laura Linney plays Lorrie Sullenberger who withers under the pressure and spends the entire movie walking around her house on the phone. 
• Aaron Eckhart had the most gigantic, distracting mustache I’ve ever seen on him.  I normally love him (he has my son’s eyes), but all I could see when he talked was that super bushy mustache.
• Because the film is pretty short, there simply isn’t enough time to develop any characters other than Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Captain Sullenberger.  We don’t even learn anything about his co-pilot played by Aaron Eckhart.
• I thought it was almost creepy when the flight attendants started chanting “Brace for impact!  Heads down! Stay down!”  Obviously, that’s what they’re trained to do in a crash-landing scenario, but it seems like that would make the situation even more stressful and scary.
• I wish the camera had stayed on Tom Hanks' face longer when he was given the news in the hospital that 155 souls were saved that day.  That was a missed opportunity for what could have been an incredible performance by Hanks.  He started to deliver powerful emotion, but then the camera moved away!

Interesting tidbits:

• The movie was filmed with IMAX cameras.
• The famous aircraft carrier Intrepid is featured in the movie.
• A local bar in New York City created a drink they called “The Sully” which has some Grey Goose with a “splash” of water.
• The water in the Hudson River was an icy 36 degrees that day.  A few passengers jumped in the water and could have easily been frozen to death if rescue workers hadn’t quickly arrived on the scene.  Sully never took credit for saving all the people on the plane day; instead, he attributed the combined efforts of his entire crew and all of the rescue workers to their survival that day.
• Chelsey Sullenberger III was included in Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons” of 2009.
• The aircraft for Flight 1549 was recovered and is now on display at the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Sully has received several awards and authored two books since that fateful day.  He was hired as an aviation and safety expert by CBS News and currently gives speeches.

Funny lines:

• “I’ve never been so happy to be in New York in my life.” – Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart)
• “It’s our job to investigate how the plane ended up in the Hudson.” – Charles Porter (Mike O’Malley)

“ON the river.” – Jeff

• “You know the only way to get out of La Guardia on time?” – flight attendant #1

“What’s that?” – flight attendant #2

“Go to JFK.” – flight attendant #1

• “I’m thinking about running over the press with a car.  Self-defense.  Do you think a jury would convict?” – Lorraine Sullenberger (Laura Linney)
• “Can you believe they charge $5 for a Snickers?  I could bankrupt the airline in 5 bites.” – Jeff Skiles

• Interesting lines:

• "It's been awhile since New York had news this good, especially with an airplane in it." - US Airways representative
• “Life’s easier in the air.” – Jeff Skiles
• “They should pin the medal and put you back to work.” – Jeff Skiles
• “I don’t like not being in control of the process.  I’d like myself back.” – Sully
• "There was no calculating.  I had to rely on my experience." - Sully

Parent tips:

• 1 F-bomb, which is actually surprising, considering how many people could have easily lost their lives that dramatic, stressful day.
• It’s a little slow-moving and boring for children.

   

Bridge of Spies blends history with drama and a touch of Spielberg magic

Movie:    Bridge of Spies

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 15 minutes

Grade:   A

In a Nutshell:    “1957.  The height of the Cold War.  The United States and the Soviet Union fear each other’s nuclear capabilities – and intentions.  Both sides deploy spies – and hunt for them.”  And so the movie begins.

This is not a bang-bang, shoot ‘em up James Bond kind of spy film, but a thinking-man’s movie.  It’s a true story, which gives it all the “wow factor” the movie needs.  Thank you, Steven Spielberg, for another powerful movie.  He and Tom Hanks know how to do it right.  

Uplifting Theme:

·         Justice

·         “It doesn’t matter what other people think.  You know what you did.” – James Donovan

·         Good vs. Bad vs. something in between…
-     Patriotism comes in many colors.
                                                                        -    Which is more important: the ends or the means?
                                                                        -     What do YOU stand for?

Things I liked:

·         Written by the Coen brothers.   Humor.  Tension.  Historical drama.  Great job!

·         Good for Amy Ryan for starring in two movies in theaters at the same time!  (Goosebumps)
-     I loved the contrast between the 2 scenes that showed people jumping over a fence.
-     Some of the most powerful statements were never spoken.  Tom Hanks is the master of subtlety.
      Donovan was such a great negotiator that even when he got robbed, he was able to get directions from the guys who stole his coat!
      Check out the amazing statistics at the end of the movie that showcase Donovan's talents.
      SPOILER ALERT:  The scene on the bridge towards the end of the movie is a masterpiece.  Watch the camera angles and the contrast between light and dark.

Things I didn’t like:

·         It’s a little slow-moving at times.  Those who require non-stop action in their movie-going will get a good nap.

Funny lines:  

·         “You don’t look worried.” – James Donovan

“Would it help?” – Rudolph Abel

·         “I’m not afraid to die, Mr. Donovan, although it wouldn’t be my first choice.” – Rudolph Abel (played extremely well by Mark Rylance.  Best Supporting Actor Oscar?)

·          

Interesting lines:

·         “We need to have a conversation our governments can’t.”   James Donovan

·         “Everyone deserves a defense.  Every person matters.” - Donovan

Tips for Parents:

·         1 F-bomb by Tom Hanks.  Aw, doggonit.
-    Children will snooze and not be interested.  Teens might snooze, but will be rewarded if they can stick it out until the end.

·         You see innocent people being gunned down as they try to get over the East Berlin Wall.  Your children may not know about this point in history and the dangers of the Cold War after WWII.  I remember watching in utter amazement when the Berlin Wall finally came down.  I never thought it would happen.
- “Checkpoint Charlie” is also shown in the film.  Talk to your kids or grandkids about what life was like back then.   George Santayana is quoted as saying "Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it. Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them."

Want to learn more about this point in history?

 

Saving Mr. Banks movie review

Movie Title:  Saving Mr. Banks

Grade: A-

In a Nutshell:  This is an absolutely lovely film that wraps a perfect Disney bow around your heart.  It’s the untold back-story of how the beloved movie Mary Poppins came to be.  Walt Disney is vividly brought to life by two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks.  Until now, very few fans knew that Disney spent 20 years trying to convince the curmudgeonly author of the Mary Poppins books to allow him to turn her stories into the iconic film that we all adore today.  The fantastic Emma Thompson, also a two-time Oscar winner perfectly portrays P.L. Travers, the author who struggles with her hidden fears and the ghosts of her past and who is the one who ultimately saves Mr. Banks in the end.  Hopefully, this should be Emma Thompson’s third well-deserved Academy win…

Uplifting theme:  This spoonful of sugar touched a sensitive spot on aging Baby Boomers in the audience who cried like babies in the end. (weak grin)  While P.L. Travers reviews in her mind the tormented life of her charming father’s addictions, she too is caged by her personal demons.  SPOILER ALERT: It wasn’t until Walt Disney and P.L. Travers chose to change their painful childhood memories, focusing on the good and allowing the anger to melt away, that Mr. Banks was saved. We would be wise to do the same.

Things I liked:  While her prickly personality battles against the Disney machine during the day, she cuddles with the soft mouse at night in her hotel room.  I loved the moment when a giant Mickie Mouse offers to escort a hesitant P.L. Travers into the debut screening of the movie.  An underused gem, I loved Bradley Whitford in “The West Wing” and “The Good Guys”, so it was great to see him again.  The handsome Colin Farrell and talented character actor Paul Giamatti added nicely to the star-studded cast.

Things I didn’t like:  The medicine that was spoon-fed included a dose of Disney branding that was a bit self-serving on the eve of the half-century anniversary of Mary Poppins 50th Anniversary Edition , albeit clever marketing.  I was surprised to learn that P.L. Travers didn’t want actor Dick Van Dyke in the Mary Poppins movie…I LOVE him and thought he was truly magical in the film!

Funny line: Walt Disney says to P.L. Travers who sits awkwardly on a carousel “I had a wager I couldn’t get you on a ride.  I just won twenty bucks!”  The author of a children’s book about a flying nanny ironically questions Disney by asking “Where is the gravitas?”

Insightful quotes:

“Live a life that isn’t dictated by the past.”   - Disney

“We restore order with imagination.”  - Disney

“A leisurely stroll is a gift.”  Ralph

“A mouse is family.”  - Disney

“This world is just an illusion.”  - Robert Goff Travers

Things to look for:  
* Notice who says “Don’t leave me”, “Never.  I promise” and how it is fulfilled.
* Apparently, Walt Disney smoked like a chimney and was rarely seen without a cigarette.  It was decided in this movie to remove that portrayal, but there is one quick mention of it when Walt, himself, stamps out a cigarette to protect the children’s sensitive eyes. 

Tips for parents: Saving Mr. Banks is a bit slow-moving for children, without big action scenes to make up for it.  While it is about Walt Disney’s magical world, the film is more about character development and the magic of creating one’s future, rather than dwelling on the past.  

Interesting books to read on the subject:
How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney

Mary Poppins - The Complete Collection

Captain Phillips receives heroic praise

Movie Title:  Captain Phillips

In a Nutshell:  This intense docudrama of the Maersk Alabama hijacking keeps you on the edge of your seat, an especially impressive feat, considering the movie is over two hours long.  I kept imagining myself in each situation, wondering what I would have done, sure I would have been toast in mere minutes.  Each decision has consequences and turns the direction of the outcome.  Even if you remember the news story from 2009, you’ll feel like you’re experiencing the dramatic ordeal for the first time.

Things I liked:  I absolutely adore Tom Hanks.  Who doesn’t?  His emotion at the end brought tears to my eyes.  So powerful.  (SPOILER ALERT:  I wanted to be that nurse and give him a big hug.)  Some of the close-ups were SO close that you could see the pores of the skin on people’s faces.  Not that I’ve ever actually met a real Somali, but the actors seemed very authentic.  You hate the pirates, yet feel sorry for them at the same time.  (SPOILER ALERT: The audience I sat with cheered at the end when the words on the screen revealed that Captain Phillips returned to work on ships after the terrifying ordeal.)  The human spirit is inspiring.

Things I didn’t like:  I wish there had been more character development of the crew on both sides – good guys and bad guys.  The beginning scenes in the flick were a bit choppy…perhaps intentional to reflect the movement of the water that was to come?   

Uplifting theme: Heroism is doing scary things with courage.  Navy Seals are total studs.  In the words of Captain Phillips, “You gotta be strong to survive out there.”

Funny line:  Not really funny, but true:  “I got bosses" says the leader of the Somali pirates.  Captain Phillips replies "We all got bosses.”

Tips for parents: Violence and blood, but not as much swearing as you would expect from a ship’s burly crew.  The Somalis constantly feed on a stimulant called Khat.

Grade: A-