Category: Movies

The Promise

It is a bit odd to see such a powerful story about the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians at the end of World War I mixed with the romance of a love triangle.

While watching I kept thinking ‘didn’t we just see this movie’?  And we were right, The Ottoman Lieutenant was released and we reviewed March of this year.  Same story, just genocide light.  That is not uncommon in Hollywood.

This production by Open Road Films has a bigger budget, $90 million and a much bigger cast.  Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Jean Reno, and James Cromwell are the most notable actors but there are at least as many more who gave strong performances.

Yet this film seems to have stirred up more chatter than usual.  Romance versus brutality, genocide versus melodrama.  It is a story that is still controversial today.

It is rated PG-13 but we caution it is not suitable for young children.  It is listed as a Drama/History and runs a long 2 hours 15 minutes.

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Lost City of Z

This movie was based on true events about the British Major and Explorer, Percy Fawcett who made three attempts to find a lost city in the Amazon.  The last trip in 1925.

The acting is quite good, highlighted by Charlie Hunnam as the Major, Robert Patterson as the fellow explorer, Sienna Miller as the wife.

There is a surprise ending that we will not share in this review.  Once again, true stories are often the most powerful.  This one is interesting, unique and worth a watch.  Rated PG-13 with some cautions.  It is another long film running 140 minutes.

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Cezanne and I (Cezanne et Moi)

This film is about the turbulent friendship between the writer Emile Zola and the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne from the time they were young schoolboys together until late in life when both enjoyed a global reputation.

The production toggles from sumptuous and sensuous to indifference and protagonist.  Cezanne, played by Guillaume Gallienne, is often moody and hateful.  In balance, Zola is played by Guillaume Canet, whose character is patient, supportive and tolerant.

The critics were impressed, audiences not so much.  It is really a shame.  It is beautifully filmed but the brash, mostly hateful and often cruel Cezanne character was annoying in most scenes.  In the end it was difficult to marvel at his life’s work.  Now considered a visionary and a genius, I will remember the mean and tortured artist that was Paul Cezanne.

Rated R for language, sexual references and nudity, listed as a Drama, it runs 117 minutes.  French with English subtitles.

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Ghost in a Shell

This film is set in the near future where humans are “cyber-enhanced”.  The lead character is named Major, played by Scarlett Johansson.  She is the most advanced “model” now on a crusade to stop the bad guys until she discovers most of the guys are bad guys.

The other actors include Takeshi Kitano as a warlord, Juliette Binoche as the Doctor, and Michael Pitt as one of a dozen bad guys.

The story is thought provoking but the production is excessively futuristic. It is cluttered with too many future tech concepts seemingly intended to draw a cyber savvy audience.

It is the product of  $110 million budget by Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks. It is rated PG13 and listed as a Fantasy/Mystery running 2 hours long.

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Norman  (The full title is Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer)

It seems most people and many critics loved this film.  It was entertaining and unique but there was something about the characters that just didn’t work for me.  I found the lead character sad and desperate.

Richard Gere plays the lead character to great fan fare, as Norman Oppenheimer, a “fixer” of sorts for all things apparently broken.  I wanted to scream at Norman:  “Get a real job”, better yet “get a life!”.  There was no shortage of talented actors: Michael Sheen, Dan Stevens, Steve Buscemi, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lior Ashkenazi and many more deliver good to excellent performances.

It is listed as a Drama/Thriller by Sony Pictures Classics.  Rated R and runs 1 hour, 57 minutes.

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Born in China

This is our pick of the week!  It is visually stunning.  It exposes areas of China rarely seen by most humans.  It focuses mainly on three different animal “families”; a mother Panda and her cub, a snow leopard and her two growing cubs, and a snub nosed golden monkey family.

There are plenty of other visuals as well but the focus on these three family groups are core to the films appeal.  It is narrated by John Krasinski, produced by Disneynature and Directed by Lu Chuan.

It is rated G and listed as a documentary with a run time of 1 hour 16 minutes.

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In Search of Israeli Cuisine

This unique documentary explores foods of Israel from many different perspectives:  French, Italian, Russian, Lebanese, Persian, Moroccan and others.  It is also an inside tour of the diverse peoples, histories and their culinary cultures and evolution.

Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov leads the audience on a whirl wind tour of Israel to explore the origins and future of the ever changing food scene and its frontier state of mind.

If you are a foodie or a food focused international traveler you will enjoy this film.  It is not rated and runs a hefty 2 hours.

 

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Boss Baby

We had low expectations when we first saw the preview of this film.  Our screening in the theater casted a very different opine with us.  We were struck by the sophisticated screenplay, the quick witted narration that young and old in the audience instantly reacted to.

The cast is surprisingly small.  Alec Balwin is the perfect Boss Baby, Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel are the parents.  Steve Buscemi and Tobey Maguire round out the key characters.

Critics place this movie in the middle of the pack.  Sometimes funny, sometimes generic, often detached from reality.  Newsflash, it is, duh, a twist on cartoons!  We found it inventive and refreshing and most importantly, consistently funny.

Genre is Comedy/Animation, rated PG.  Run time is 1 hour, 38 minutes.

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Going in Style

This is yet another whimsical farce about retired workers confronted with evaporating pension benefits who then decide to rob a bank to get even.  If it were not for the great cast, including Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin it would be just another formula mish mash.

There were also a few scenes that added a little sparkle including bit parts from Christopher Lloyd, Matt Dillion and an outrageously funny cameo by Ann-Margret.

Listed as a Crime/Comedy running 1 hour, 36 minutes.

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Wilson

We all know a Wilson or two.  That overly chatty, often foulmouthed person that just spews every thought that comes into his/her mind.  Some thoughts sound reasonable, others range from absurd to vulgar to virtually insane.

This film is a character study of the Wilson’s out there in the world.  Bobbling through life like corks in a river.  No filters, some thoughts profound and truthful, others caustic and insensitive.

Woody Harrelson is Wilson.  Laura Dern plays his ex-wife whose world seems like one long train wreck.  Judy Greer is the young love interest that ultimately brings stability to the Wilson character.

On the down side, Wilson is his own worst enemy.  One poor decision follows another to the point where this viewer really lost interest in the character.  It is listed as a comedy but it is really a retrospective on so many of the sad, lonely misguided Wilson’s out there in the world.  Run time is 1 hour, 40 minutes.

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The Sense of an Ending

We were looking forward to this film.  We are both long time fans of Jim Broadbent and British themed movies.  Others in the cast were Charlotte Rampling whose performance was a bit lackluster.  On the bright side, Emily Walter was superb as the ex-wife.

By the end of the movie it wasn’t clear who had done what to whom, why, or when.  There was intrigue and emotional content but we are guessing the book read better than the film.

It is rated PG-13 and the genre is listed as a Drama that runs 1 hour, 48 minutes.

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The Zookeeper’s Wife

Our favorite film of the week.  First, it is a true story about the Jewish people of Warsaw, Poland towards the end of World War II where the zoo owners saved over 300 people from Nazi death camps.  A serious topic to be sure, softened by great acting and talented film making by Director Niki Caro.

Jessica Chastain is brilliant as the Zookeeper’s wife.  The German actor Daniel Bruhl plays the sinister German Commander.  The zookeeper’s husband is played by Belgian (actor, playwright, screenwriter, theater and film director) Johan Heldenbergh.

Of course, there is another cast of characters that fill a needed gap, the animals. There is just the right mix of tension, terror and the chemistry between critters and people.

It is rated PG-13, listed as a Drama/History.  It runs 2 hours, 6 minutes.

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In Search of Israeli Cuisine

This documentary film is focused on the current food trends in Israel.  Israeli- born chef of Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia, Michael Solomonov, takes us on a tour of the vast and diverse food scene that is catching the worlds attention.

The film is like taking a mini journey to Israel through the kitchens of chefs from Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, France, Italy and Russia.  It is a unique look at contemporary Israel through fresh eyes: farm to table and sustainable, organic food as a universal neutral zone.  It is a fascinating peek behind the curtain of Israel from a perspective we can all relate to.  It made us want to travel back to Israel too!

The film runs two hours.  Good news, it is mostly in English but there are a few excerpts in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles.

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Hi everyone!!

It has been a busy couple of weeks since London.  Two big museum shows. Monet: the Early Years at the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park was outstanding, made better by enjoying it with new friends from our recent trip to India.

Next was the Diebenkorn and Matisse exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and was a delight.  If you are in the area, both are well worth a look.

We are still getting caught up on films.  Here are the first few.  More tomorrow.

We will hit the road again on Monday for a family visit in Wisconsin and a quick trip to Costa Rica.  We will post from the road as time permits.  Enjoy!

J&J

T2 Trainspotting

Remember Trainspotting from 20 years ago?  It was touted as “visionary” and “groundbreaking”.  Perhaps, but I recall it was confusing.  Well T2 is hateful, sad, self destructive and caustic.

It is set twenty years later and this chapter is produced with an modern energetic look.  Still listed as a Drama/Comedy.  OK, Drama, yes (wayyy too much drama); comedy, well maybe to some viewers.  We found very little to laugh at and most of the time we did not know what on earth was happening, nor why.  More importantly, we didn’t really care.  We were relieved when it was over.

On the upside, the cast was good:  Ewan McGregor headlined, Johnny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner and Anjela Nedyalkova all giving solid performances.  Unfortunately, we didn’t care much for the characters themselves.

Let’s wrap it up by saying ‘This is not the Britain we know and love!’  Rated R for violence and language. Two hours running time.

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Frantz

Wow!  Clearly this is our pick of the week.  Set in Germany (and Paris) in post World War I, a young German woman and his parents grieve the loss of her fiance and their son when a young French soldier comes looking for Frantz’s grave.

During this period, the anguish of war is still fresh and painful.  The French and Germans did not like each other much and at times it was difficult, even uncomfortable, to watch.

It is a beautiful film by the prolific French Director, Francois Ozon.  There is an excellent cast including Pierre Niney, the French soldier; Paula Beer, the Fiance; Ernst Stotzner as Doktor (the father), Marie Gruber (the mother); and a bit part by Anton von Lucke  as Frantz.

Overall, it is an instant classic period film with fascinating twists and turns. The genre is Drama/History and runs 1 hour, 53 minutes.  French and German with English subtitles.  Rated PG-13.

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Raw

The critics overall LOVED this film.  Comments like “classy looking” (translation: shocking and gross), and “deliciously fevered” (translation: cannibal horror).  My favorite “playfully queasy and artfully gory” (translation: “it’s fun to have your stomach turn” and “blood and guts can be appealing under the right conditions…not”).

This is a French language film about two sisters attending veterinary college. The exhaustive hazing of new students is expansive and gross beyond anything we have seen at the movies before.  Granted, this is unique.  In fact, it makes one want to be a different species.

It does have a good cast of talented young actors. It was written and directed by a talented young female director Julia Ducournau.  I’m thinking we were not meant to take it seriously.  Rated R for gross images, violence, and lots and lots of blood.  Listed as a Drama/Horror and runs 1 hour, 39 minutes with s surprise ending.

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Kedi

This is a charming documentary about the thousands of cats that have roamed the streets of Istanbul for centuries.  (It is also a delightful reminder of how nice Istanbul can be in good weather and calm political periods.)

Cat people will find this movie enchanting since it showcases the behavior cats demonstrate when they co-exist with people in the broader society rather than being kept as mere pets.

It is also a social commentary about the people who exhibit random acts of kindness caring for these independent yet dependent felines.

It is unrated and runs 1 hour, 20 minutes.  The cinematography and musical score make it worth a look.

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The Belko Experiment

This is a horrific film!  If you like the recent The Purge trio of slash movies you will undoubtedly love this movie too.  This one is set in a remote area of Bogata, Columbia in a midrise office building where the 80 employees are suddenly trapped inside.

It is rated R for extreme violence and gruesome scenes for gore sake.  The violence is relentless and meaningless.  It is listed as an Action/Thriller and runs an exhausting 1 hour and 28 minutes.

Critics have noted commentaries of social behavior and Corporate banality but I say poppycock.  Blood and gore for shock effect is simply just a waste of time and resources.  John gets a big raspberry for picking this one!

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Life

Hmm…Astronauts aboard an International Space Station discover a new life form for the first time ever!  They quickly realize this life form is dangerous and evolving rapidly.  Duh!  I’m not a scientist or an astronaut and I could have told you that, and more.

It is a shame really because this was a well acted, well produced film about a relevant topic that just missed its target.

Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Furguson, Hiroyuki Sanada and Ariyon Bakare round out a good solid cast.

Fortunately there are enough surprises to make it worth while and a surprise ending that is thought provoking.  It is listed as a SciFi/Thriller.  Rated R for some unnerving scenes and may not be suitable for little ones.  It runs 1 hour 50 minutes.

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WE’RE BACK!!  We had a great time in London.  Watch for our recap under TRAVEL in the next few days.

That said, we saw all three of these films in London. Two at the state of the art VUE Theaters in Shepard’s Bush and Beauty and the Beast at the historic Ritzy built in 1911 in the southern neighborhood of Brixton, but upgraded with new digital equipment.

Another observation: you would expect children at Beauty and the Beast but we completely underestimated how many children.  Upon arrival, there were children running everywhere, some climbing over row after row of the seating like a jungle gym.  The good news: the moment the movie started every single one of them was in their seat and not a peep through the entire show.  Amazing.

Beauty and the Beast

The long awaited ‘live action’ hybrid of this Disney classic hit the theaters like a thunderbolt.  It is brilliantly made, blending all the elements of the original cartoon with just the right mix of modern technology and respect for authenticity of the story itself.

The cast is stunning.  Emma Watson shines as Belle.  Dan Stevens is an awesome Beast.  Luke Evans is both a goofy and sinister Gaston.  Josh Gad is a so-so LeFeu.  There is also Ian McKellen as Cogworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts and Ewan McGregor as the Candelabra.

It is rated PG but some scenes are rather intense.  We heard more than one parent consoling little ones now and then.  It is listed as a Fantasy Romance and runs a whopping two hours, 10 minutes.  We loved it and thought it was near genius.

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Viceroy’s House

This is the complex story of the final months of British rule in 1947 India, the haggling for a new government and the ultimate partitioning of India and Pakistan.  It also speaks to the social divisions between the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities, 500 of whom were servants to the British rulers in India at the time.

There is also a fascinating peek at the then political elite including Lord Mountbatton, his remarkable wife, and power brokers, Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah.

It is well made, directed by Gurinder Chadha and written by Paul Mayeda Berges and Moira Buddin.  There is a huge cast featuring H ugh Bonneville as Lord Mountbatten, Gillian Anderson as Edwina Mountbatton, Manish Dayal as Jeet, and Huma Qureshi as the love interest.

Some critics felt the film tried to tell too many stories in the same film.  We agree to some extent but there is also a lot to tell.  It is well worth a look at an extraordinary time in history.

The Genre is noted as Drama/History running 1 hour, 46 minutes.

Note:  it was fun watching a British film, with a British audience, regarding a topic that was not necessarily Britain’s finest hour.

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Personal Shopper

This is a thriller, suspense and mystery, sometimes all at the same time.  It is also one of the best performances of Kristen Stewart’s career to date.  It is the product of French Director Olivier Assayas.

Stewart’s character is an American in Paris as a personal shopper for a celebrity.  She also believes she can communicate with spirits including her recently deceased twin brother.

It is a unique film with an infectious style.  Sometimes confusing, sometimes mysterious.  It has a fresh international cast and a seductive vibe to it.

It is listed as a Mystery/Drama film.  It is rated R for some nudity and adult images.  The run time is 1 hour, 50 minutes.  If you are looking for something unique and suspenseful, give this film a look.

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Kong: Skull Island

We opted for a 10 AM showing of this film only because it fit our schedule for a busy Saturday.  Based only on the audience size of a couple of hundred people one would expect this to be a blockbuster and time will tell if this movie can go the distance.

That said, this is a bold and brawny updated Kong.  At first angry about having his corner of the world invaded once again until he goes googoo-eyes for Brie Larson.  Additional star power is provided by a really evil Samuel Jockson, a sinister Tom Hiddleston, a trimmed down John Goodman and an over the top John C. Reilly.

Don’t look for any award material here, but the production value is actually pretty good.  Rated PG-13 and listed as a Fantasy/Science fiction.  Run time is 2 hours.

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The Last Word

Shirley MacLaine is back with a script and performance ready made for her.  Playing a grizzled, grumpy once successful businesswoman getting up there in years, she decides to have her obituary written to her liking while she is still alive.

At first blush the story and the characters are not very likable, but before long Shirley forms her posse and the story finally comes alive.  The writing and the acting bring this film back from the brink.  Many of the scenes are an absolute hoot.

Rated R for language, this is listed as a Drama/Comedy with a run time of 1 hour, 48 minutes.

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The Ottoman Lieutenant

This film did not get very impressive reviews from most critics.  We are not sure why because it is a good solid story about a time and place in history very much deserving of an audience.

It is set in Eastern Turkey in 1914 as World War I starts to boil over into Russia and Armenia.  Christian versus Muslim topics are carefully juggled between the exotic and dangerous cultural balancing act.

Michiel Huisman plays the Turkish Lieutenant, Josh Hartnett is the Christian doctor, Hera Hilmarsdottir is the nurse/love interest and Ben Kingsley shines as the senior physician.

Rated R for violence and adult subject matter.  It is listed as a Drama/War film.  It runs 1 hour, 46 minutes.  It is our pick of the week.  Having traveled to that part of Eastern Turkey in recent years, this film might peek your interest in history of geo-politics of the time.

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I am Not Your Negro

This is an extraordinary film about what was called “race relations” in the 1960s.  It is, in fact, about the life work of James Baldwin and his personal account of the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.  It is important to note that Mr. Baldwin died in 1987 only having completed 30 pages of his manuscript.

It is no less than a history of black and white relations in the US spanning over 400 years but with a sharp focus on the last 50 years.  It is a compelling and powerful reminder of the historic and current racial divide that still exists today.

Samuel L. Jackson narrates the story.  The screenplay is creditied to James Baldwin and Raoul Peck.  It was Oscar nominated as Best Documentary Film for 2016.  It is rated PG-13 and runs 1 hour, 35 minute.  Don’t miss this one!

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2017 Oscar Nominated Short Subject Films, Live Action

All of these films are particularly good this year.  As you know by now, Sing won the Oscar in this category.  The Short Subject, Live Action Films and Animated Films were released later than usual and some are still in the theaters.

Sing (Hungary)

This 25 minute film about a children’s school choir is challenged when the teacher tells some of the children to mouth the words and not sing.  When the competition begins, the children have a different idea on the situation with stunning results.  Hungarian with English subtitles.

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Silent Nights (Denmark)

A Danish shelter worker befriends a homeless Ghanian refugee and forge an attraction for each other.  With time, the truth comes to light about the refugee’s life and family in Ghana with shattering effects.  This is a compelling and compassionate story with a powerful message in a 30 minute film.  Danish and some Ghanian with English subtitles.

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Timecode (Spain)

This is an unusual story about a parking garage and its two shift workers who barely speak to each other and yet incrementally create an extraordinary modern dance that delights the viewers.  It is charming, surprising and creative.  Spanish with English subtitles.  15 minutes.

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Ennemis Interieurs (France)

An Algerian born man is seeking French citizenship in this intense story.  It takes place as the French examiner presses the Algerian on social, political and religous issues to a breaking point.  It is intense, insightful and challenging.  French and Arabic with English sustitles.  28 minutes.

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La Femme Et Le TGV (Switzerland)

This is a charming story about an old widow whose only pleasure is to greet a TGV train every morning from her house only a few yards away from the train tracks.  It is a colorful film, and has a fairy tale quality about it.  It is apparently based on true events.  French with English subtitles.  30 minutes.

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The Salesman

You may recall we predicted this film would win the 2017 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.  Our prediction notwithstanding, this was the first time we viewed an Oscar winning foreign film a month after the Academy Awards with a two globe rating.  Go figure.

This film is about an Iranian couple struggling after a home invasion results in an assult on the wife.  The after effects ripple through their lives with devistating impact.

Director Asghar Farhadi is an accomplished film maker who also won an Oscar for his 2012 film A Separation.  Leading the cast is Shahab Hosseini as the husband, Taraneh Alidoosti as the wife, with Mina Sadati and Mehdi Koushki to round out the leading characters.

It is rated PG-13 and is listed as a Drama/Thriller with a run time of 2 hours, 5 minutes.  Farsi with English subtitles.

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Before I Fall

This is an unusal and thought provoking story about four young high school girls from the “IN” crowd.  One of them suddenly dies in a car crash only to restart the day all over again and again.  It sounds a bit corny but it quickly becomes thought provoking.

Good acting, directing and screenplay come together to make this work, or at least intriguing enough to keep you interested.  The cast includes a dozen teen girls and four boys, none of whom I am familiar with.

It is listed as a Mystery/Drama with a PG13 rating, although there is a repetitive scene that is not appropriate for children.  Run time is 1 hour, 39 minutes.

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Land of Mine

This sleeper of a movie seems to be lost in the Spring crop of releases.  It is a shame because it is based on true events at the end of WWII in Denmark where the German miltary left over 2 million land mines buried on Denmark’s Western beaches.

As the war ended, Denmark captured German POWs, many of them young recruits.  These young soldiers were forced to clear these beaches by hand, one landmine at a time.

It is well acted, well written and sometimes difficult to watch.  But is a story that had to be told.  This was nominated for Best Foreign Film and was Denmark’s formal submission for the Oscars.

It is rated R for violence and adult topics.  It is listed as Drama/History and runs 1 hour 41 minutes.

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A United Kingdom

Fox Searchlight Films released this film about the birth of present day Botswana in the 1940s.  It is another true story.  This one about a deeply divided native Royal family, the trappings of British rule as their global empire was fading away and the healing of a soon to be new country.  Oh, did I forget to mention the black King fell in love with a white women who he married much to the distain from both counties.

It has a great cast starting with David Oyelowo as the King and Rosamund Pike as his wife.  The story follows the history pretty close.  Critics and audiences liked this movie a lot.

The rating was a mild PG-13 and is listed as a Drama/Romance running 1 hour, 51 minutes.  If you are in the mood for a feel good movie about real history, do seek this one out.

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