January 23, 2012

One more holiday film, plus ----

---a few from the last 2 years:

Mrs. Miracle (2009 TV) Christmas film. Doris Roberts in the title role puts everything to rights by the end. 6/10  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431115/

A Single Man (2009) A bore. A car crash kills a young man. The news is devastating to his life partner, a college professor. He mopes and contemplates suicide. Does he? Or does he find new love? I was just about to go to sleep because by the time we get to the point of him getting his second wind, I was bored out of my mind. And fast forwarding during the looooong gazes. To each his own... 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1315981/

Fair Game (2010/I) Naomi Watts, Sean Penn. Story of Valerie Plame who works deep undercover for the CIA, and her husband Diplomat Joe Wilson, who served in various African countries, and how they got involved with the lead up to Bush 2 invading Iraq under false data. Very well done, showing the toll taken on both and their marriage. Both careers smashed by false accusations, they are under so much pressure they separate for a time. But as the truth begins to get out, they both decide the only way to survive is to tell their story wherever and whenever they can. Good film about double dealing by our government. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0977855/

The Company Men (2010) Ben Afflack, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello. What happens at a conglomerate corporation that began as a ship-building company and is now all about keeping the share-holders happy. So downsizing is the order of the day. One of the men sent packing is Bobby Walker, with a wife and kids, and big house, fancy sports car - in other words the American dream. Country club, golf, vacations. And then - bingo - you are called in, sat down, and told we don't need you anymore. Same story for Gene (Jones), who is one of the original owners of the company so has more stock and better able to make it through. Phil (Cooper) is just devastated and in pain. Very well done story of the upper management men and what happens to them. It is the same for all except the 1% who own everything and don't feel at all bad to not be sharing. Greed - not envy, is the biggest sin. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1172991/

Catching up but still not up to date.  Cold here in the Heartland USA.

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