The Freedom Of The World Rests On "Dunkirk"

Dunkirk (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Fionn Whitehead, Damien Bonnard, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh,

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan

The Story:

Late May 1940, the Allies have been pushed out of Europe and now are desperately bunched up on the beaches of Dunkirk awaiting transportation back to England. Thankfully, Hitler decides to stop the advancement of tanks on their location and this gives the Allies the small window to charter boats (and lots of them!) to cross the channel and save the troops. They hope to get a small fraction out... they end up saving them all.

For those that failed to read up on their history, this is indeed based on the true story of a pivotal moment that saved Europe from completely falling under Hitler's relentless march.

Nolan's three-headed tale bounces between land, sea, and air to show different people trying to escape death or heading straight into it to save lives.

It's a good film, but I didn't find it nearly as great as much of the hype that followed it.

Best war movie ever? That's pretty lofty praise.

I would argue that it wasn't even the best war movie of last year. I'd give that title to yesterday's film that I reviewed, Darkest Hour. They even touch on the Dunkirk evacuation, and I felt in the brief moment of that mission, they almost conveyed it in a better scope than the entirety of this film.

But that's just me, feel free to judge for yourself.

Final Grade: B

The Right Man For The Job..."Darkest Hour"

Darkest Hour (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Stephen Dillane,

Directed by Joe Wright

The Story:

As the Nazis roll through Europe, Great Britain is facing an internal crisis of their own as Chamberlain (Pickup) resigns as Prime Minister and recommends Winston Churchill (Oldman) instead. However while the majority seem to want to forge a peace with Germany, Churchill seems determined that England draw a line in the sand, and fight!

It's rare to have the 2 hour biographical drama that you wish would have kept going, or might get a sequel, but then, Winston Churchill is the rare subject that likely deserves it.

Oldman disappears into the role and carries the picture that pretty much is a short snapshot of him getting selected as Prime Minister and the first weeks in office.

But that's because quite a bit of events kept churning up in that window of opportunity.

The movie blazes through this time period, while also giving a brief look at his life at home with his wife (Thomas) as well as Churchill breaking in a new secretary (James).

Having read and watched other Churchill biographies, this one hits most of the high points of that crucial time period and thanks to the spectacular work of Oldman, leaves you wanting more.

Definitely worth a look.

Final Grade: B+

How The East Was Won..."Railroad Tigers"

Railroad Tigers (2017)

Not Rated

Starring Jackie Chan, Jaycee Chane, Zitao Huang, Kai Wang,

Directed by Ding Sheng

The Story:

Ma Yuan (Chan) and a group of ragtag railroad workers decide that to get much needed supplies to the poor, they are going to have to start robbing the supply trains that China is heavily guarding as they roll through Japan.

Going into a Jackie Chan movie, you pretty much know what to expect at this point.

Humorous situations. Great stunts.

You'll get all of that here in this movie.

The problem, it's a very slow film that has lots of boredom crammed around those fight scenes.

Creaking in at over 2 hours, the movie is just too long, and the pacing so uneven, that it's hard to gain a vested interest in what is happening onscreen.

Still, Jackie's still bringing it after all these years, and you get to see him team up with his son Jaycee, and see that the master has a willing protege to follow in his footsteps if/when he decides to finally retire.

It has since been added to the Netflix streaming library since I watched it, and is currently available to stream as of this writing.

Final Grade: C/C+ range

Against All Odds..."Into The White"

Into The White (2012)

Rated R

Starring Florian Lukas, David Kross, Stig Henrik Hoff, Lachlan Nieboer, Rupert Grint

Directed by Petter Naess

The Story:

In the early days of World War II, the Allies and Nazis were hoping to gain access to the mineral deposits in Norway. As both sides waged aerial battles for dominance, on one mission, a German bomber is shot down as well as a British aircraft. The 3 Nazis (Lukas, Kross, Hoff) find an abandoned cabin to wait for the weather to die down and allow them to march back to the sea. The next day two British (Niebor, Grint) arrive and are taken prisoner. To survive the elements, and each other, both sides will need to work together to outlast a severe Norwegian storm.

Yes, it's based on a true story.

Not nearly an action or war film, it's a drama about 5 men who are thrust together in a desperate situation and forced to survive.

As the time in the cabin stretches, so do the nerves of the men as they must put aside their differences if they have any hope of survival.

This keeps the movie running at a slow pace, though it does attempt to keep you riveted as the situation becomes more and more desperate and the men become less hostile to one another.

Naturally, there will be a few curveballs thrown at everyone along the way.

Humanizing the faces of war, you'll find these are likely the 3 "best" Nazis to appear on screen in likely forever.

Nice to see this true story of men overcoming the element and each other brought to the screen.

Final Grade: B-

Shooting The War With A Camera..."Five Came Back"

Five Came Back (2017)

Not Rated

Starring William Wyler, George Stevens, John Huston, John Ford, Frank Capra

Based on the book by Mark Harris

The Story:

In World War II, 5 acclaimed Hollywood directors willingly gave up their careers and joined the military. Their job was to document and present what they saw and what was happening at the time. In harms way, and with no guarantee that they would even survive their experiences, these directors answered the call of their country.

Presented by 5 acclaimed directors of today, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Greengrass, Guillermo Del Toro, and Laurence Kasdan and narrated by Meryl Streep, this documentary chronicles briefly their successful careers pre-WWII and everything they were tasked to do for the allied war efforts during the war.

It's a 3 hour documentary split into 3 hour-long episodes that works as a chronological effort of before the war/early war, the main war effort, and the conclusion of the war and life afterwards.

What they saw, what they shot forever changed each of them.

Upon their return from service, they went back to Hollywood and all turned in what is arguably the best work of their career, though in the case of Capra, his work was not appreciated until generations later when It's A Wonderful Life became a staple on television during the holidays.

Highly recommended, especially if you're a film or history lover, and if you're both, this is right up your alley.

It's a Netflix Original series and one you shouldn't miss.

Final Grade: A

Spy vs. Spy "Allied"

Allied (2016)

Rated R

Starring Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard,

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

The Story:

Max Vatan (Pitt), a Canadian spy parachutes into Casablanca to meet the lovely French resistance ally Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard). Their mission: to assassinate a German ambassador. While their cover as a married couple was very convincing, Max decided that he wanted it to be real. So after enduring months of vetting and background checks, Marianne finally comes to England, the two are wed, and happiness abounds. Until suspicions arise that Marianne may not be all that she seems.

Cue the ominous music!

In 2005, Brad Pitt makes a movie about being a spy, and having a wife who is also a spy.

He later divorces Jennifer Aniston and marries Angelina Jolie.

In 2016, Brad Pitt makes a movie about being a spy, and having a wife who is a spy.

He later divorces Angelina Jolie...

Clearly, Brad Pitt needs to stay away from this type of role, as he's obviously being typecast!!

:)

That said, this one is not the rip-roaring adrenaline thrill-ride that Mr. & Mrs. Smith was.

It's an action/thriller/drama that keeps you engaged in the is she/isn't she and what happens next as every bit of the story unfolds.

Zemeckis keeps the audience dazzled with action set pieces as well as dramatic tension-filled character moments.

It's not perfect, but it's a pretty solid viewing.

I won't say much more than that, because it's a spy film, you need surprises!

 Final Grade: B-

War Is Hell... "Hacksaw Ridge"

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Rated R

Starring Andrew Garfield, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington,

Directed by Mel Gibson

The Story:

Desmond Doss (Garfield) is a conscientious objector who still feels the need to serve his country during World War II. He enlists but refuses to carry a weapon. He simply wants to be a medic and do his part by saving people.

This is his true story.

The actions and decisions by Doss at an early age shape his beliefs as he grows older. He makes a fateful mistake one day that has nearly tragic consequences.

His parents (Weaving and Griffiths) are of course a huge influence on the man he would become. His father served in The Great War, and Desmond watches as everyone around him grows up and goes off to war.

He feels the need to make the sacrifice as well, even if it means losing the love of his life (Palmer) while in combat.

Of course the second half of the movie details Doss' training and the fact that the Army really didn't care to have someone unwilling to pick up a rifle take up their time and energy during basic training.

The movie establishes the rest of the characters at this point that will be a part of Doss' life until the fateful day on Hacksaw Ridge.

The horrors of war that Gibson portrays on film are just as effective as Spielberg's D-Day Invasion for Saving Private Ryan.

What Doss does once he gets to the top of Hacksaw Ridge is nothing short of miraculous.

It's an inspirational story, more than worth your time.

Final Grade: A-

The Fate Of History Decided In Court... "Denial"

Denial (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall

Directed by Mick Jackson

The Story:

Historian and author Deborah Lipstadt (Weisz) is accused of libel by historian David Irving (Spall). He makes the accusation in England, where Deborah is forced to prove that Irving's claims are false. With Richard Rampton (Wilkinson) and his team on her side, she must prove that Irving's claims that the Holocaust never happened are patently false.

If she should fail, then the British government will be forced to rule that the Holocaust never happened.

How's that for a high stakes game of  Law & Order?

It's a fascinating, and sad, story to be told.

How anyone could deny what happened during World War II is unfathomable to begin with. To do so as an author and historian seems incredible to believe.  But here it is.

And did I mention it was based on the real court case that happened in the late 90s?

Because if I didn't, well, it was.

The entire existence of whether or not the Holocaust ever occurred was played out in an English courtroom.

To make things even more challenging, Rampton refused to let Leipstadt or any Holocaust survivors even testify.

They refused to give Irving any ability to question, interrogate, harass and belittle any survivor, as he was very much a "shock and awe" public speaker.

Instead, they would use his own words against him whenever possible, and rely on historical fact and inaccuracies in Irving's own published words against him to win the case.

If you're up for a good legal thriller, look no further.

Final Grade:  B

His Will Remained "Unbroken"

Unbroken (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Miyavi,

Directed by Angelina Jolie

The Story:

Louis Zamperini (O'Connell) went from being an Olympic medalist in Berlin to a POW in World War II in just the span of a few short years. When his plane crashes in the Pacific, Louis makes God a deal that he'll dedicate his life to following God if he surives. Louis and Phil endure 47 long, arduous days on a life raft with his friend Phil (Gleeson) before they are picked up by the Japanese and interned into a prison camp. There, he receives even more punishment under the brutal reign of the camp warden (Miyavi) but Zamperini's spirit remains...

wait for it...

Unbroken.

Cheesy, I know.

But then, this movie sometimes felt the same way.

On paper, it's one of those amazing but true, true life stories brought to life by Hollywood.

In practice, it was nearly 2 1/2 hours, and you literally feel every minute of it.

Zamperini suffered at the hands of the Japanese because he was a famous athlete. He was then given a chance to broadcast that he was alive and well back to America, much to the relief of his family.

When he refused to broadcast anti-American propaganda, he was returned back to the Japanese where further brutality awaited.

Again, there's nothing inherently wrong with the story, the actors, the direction, it just seemed like it was missing some key ingredient or two to make this film feel special.

If I'm going to devote over 2 hours of my life watching a film, I need that spark to keep me interested, and sometimes more importantly with movies, wanting to come back in the future to see it again.

This one was okay, but could have, and should have been so much more.

Final Grade: C+

He's The Man..."WInston Churchill: Walking With Destiny"

Winston Churchill: Walking With Destiny (2010)

Not Rated

Narrated by Ben Kingsley

Directed by Richard Trank

The Story:

This documentary / biography of Winston Churchill takes a look at his life and his legacy of leadership to Great Britain and the World.  Biographers, historians and others look at what he did to help stop the Nazis in World War II and touches on many of the stands Churchill had attempted to make prior to the war that could have severely impacted the Nazi influence and if properly heeded could have, perhaps, stopped or severely limited the Holocaust.

I'm sure arguments could be made for the most influential political figures of the 20th century, but any conversation that doesn't include Churchill is incorrect.

My opinion, any argument that doesn't conclude that Churchill was THE most important political figure of the 20th Century is flat out wrong.

In addition to Churchill's early worries and concerns over Nazi Germany, long before the war had even started, the history as laid out in this program show that were it not for a few tactical errors on the part of Hitler, it is possible, perhaps even probable that Britain too would have fallen to the Germans.

It will touch on the importance of Churchill being seen among the people and the rubble after each German bombing during the raids by Germany. His resolve kept the people strong and rebuilding, and it was of great concern and consternation by the Germans.

The film does wander away from Churchill exclusively on several occasions, but it all falls under the scope of his leadership and what was going on in the world at the time.

So while not a thorough, extensive biography on Churchill, it does hit all of the main points of interest as a very good example of World War II history, and Churchill's important role in world events.

This is currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

'Eleven Hundred Men Went Into The Water'... "U.S.S. Indianapolis: Men of Courage"

U.S.S. Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016)

Rated R

Starring Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane, Matt Lanter, James Remar, Brian Presley, Yutaka Takeuchi,

Directed by Mario Van Peebles

The Story:

Captain McVay (Cage) receives orders to deliver a Top Secret cargo which will help end World War II. Because of the secrecy, nobody is tracking the departures and arrivals of the U.S.S. Indianapolis. Once the cargo is delivered, McVay requests their tracking to be announced, but he is told since they "never officially arrived, how can they officially depart?" As they return home, they are torpedoed and sank in the Phillipine Sea. No rescue efforts were mounted, as no ship was presumed missing.

Naturally, this one is based on the true story of the U.S. Navy's single worst disaster in history.

If you've seen the movie Jaws, then you've heard this story encapsulated into one of the best monologues ever delivered in cinematic history, that of Quint's recount of surviving the sinking and the subsequent days of shark attacks on the survivors.

This movie stretches that 5 minute scene into 2 hours, but the film divides the storyline very well.

We get to know the Captain and the crew in the first half, so that when the attack and subsequent sinking occur, we feel sympathy and sadness as each character meets their fate, whether they survive the initial sinking or perish days later due to a shark or exposure.

Of the 1,100 men that went into the water, days later just a little over 300 came out alive when they were finally rescued.

The film ends with the court martial of Captain McVay, the only Naval commander to be court martialed for losing a ship during the war. Even the enemy submarine commander (Takeuchi) testified on whether or not McVay's decision of not to zig zag the ship played any part in the attack.

The attack haunted McVay in the years that followed. Families of those that lost someone called him for years and said hateful things to him until he could take it no longer.

It's a good, but not great account of the tragedy.

If you don't have the time though, spend 5 minutes and look up Quint's speech on YouTube if you've never seen Jaws before, or it's been years, and you'll save a few hours instead.

Final Grade: C

Time To Enlist..."Dad's Army"

Dad's Army (2016) 

Not Rated

Starring Bill Nighy, Toby Jones, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Gambon, Bill Paterson, Tom Courtenay, Blake Harrison, Daniel Mays,

Directed by Oliver Parker

The Story:

The small town Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard is patrolling their town and keeping everyone safe from Nazi intruders during the closing of World War II. Under the leadership of Captain Mainwaring (Jones) and Sgt. Wilson (Nighy) they keep their motley band as ship-shape as possible. However, with the threat of a Nazi spy infiltrating their town at the same time a lovely journalist (Zeta-Jones) arrives, the crew will have to really mind their manners if they don't want to spoil the D-Day mission!

As I was completely unaware that this is a remake of the beloved late 1960s BBC comedy of the same name, I have no comparison with which to make between this movie and that show.

Which means, unlike that segment of the audience, I quite liked this film.

Those that were familiar, well, they pretty much savaged the very existence of this one, whether it seems they saw it or not.

So apparently Americans aren't the only ones who hate remakes of their childhood favorites.

:)

Anway, the movie is humorous, not gut-bustingly funny, so plan your viewing accordingly.

It's a slow, deliberate build and you can pretty much figure out what is going to happen and when, but it's still an enjoyable experience.


Final Grade: B-

When Art Students Go Mad..."The Rape Of Europa"

The Rape of Europa (2006)

Not Rated

Written and Directed by Richard Berge & Bonni Cohen

The Story:

The incredible true story of the Nazis who basically plundered or destroyed thousands of pieces of artwork throughout Europe before and during World War II.

After watching this documentary, it almost lays out the entire timeline of World War II as one big exercise by the Nazis to obtain or eradicate the largest art collection in the entire world. Hitler and Goering, among others, were art collectors who kept the very best pieces for their own personal collection, but the grand design was to open the greatest art museum the world had ever seen.

Well, we know how well that worked out, but it was still a costly battle to stop a museum from being built!

The countless pieces that have possibly been lost to time are sickening.

However, many pieces are still being discovered with each passing generation, many of whom don't even realize what treasures they have been hiding, either hanging on a wall or actually still in a hiding place.

The documentary naturally discusses the Monuments Men operation that was launched by the United States to try and save as much of the art as they could find, and that became the basis for the movie of the same name a few years ago.

Most impressive was the complete and total evacuation of the Louvre museum and their attempts to keep those treasures out of the hands of the advancing Germany army.

A really entertaining, yet somber, documentary.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Solid B

Righting History's Wrongs..."Woman In Gold"

Woman In Gold (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl, Katie Holmes, Tatiana Maslany, Max Irons

Directed by Simon Curtis

The Story:

Maria Altmann (Mirren) decides after the passing of her sister that she should attempt to reclaim a painting of her aunt that was stolen by the Nazis during WWII. The problem, it's been hanging in a museum in Austria for decades, and they aren't interested in giving it back. She enlists a young lawyer (Reynolds) to help her. The two set out on an uphill battle to reclaim what was stolen from them decades earlier.

Here's a sweet little movie that's base on a true story.

Through flashbacks that show Maria (Maslany) attempting to escape the Nazis after they invaded Austria, the viewers get to know her and her family's story.

That the portrait of her aunt was stolen by the Nazis is criminal, what the Austrian government did with the painting in the decades that followed was genuinely unforgivable as well.

That's where this movie shines, in the David vs. Goliath scenarios where they take on the Austrian government to correct this historical inaccuracy.

I wanted to like this movie more than I did, but the pacing of the film is a bit on the slow side, which is saying something for a movie that goes past the 90 minute mark of most movies but falls short of the 2 hour running time for most dramas.

Still an enjoyable movie to say the least, and the performances are very well done, which is always the case with Mirren. It's nice, if odd, to see Reynolds as a bit of a timid nerd who doesn't have the snarky comebacks that we've come to expect of Ryan Reynolds, or any character played by Ryan Reynolds.

Plus, I know I badmouth other films for excessive use of language which makes movies that could be PG-13 into R rated films, so I would like to commend the writers/director here for dropping only 1 f-bomb in the movie, and when it hits, it resonates. You can feel the frustration of the character.

That's how language is supposed to work, and shows how effective a good script that doesn't consider profanity as necessary as nouns and verbs can be.

Bravo.

Final Grade: B

Never Doubt The Persistence Of A "Little Boy"

Little Boy (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jakob Salvati, Emily Watson, Kevin James, Michael Rapaport, Tom Wilkinson, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa,

Written and Directed by Alejandro Monteverde

The Story:

Pepper (Salvati) loves his dad (Rappaport) so very much. The two are inseparable, which helps Pepper because the poor kid is kind of not really growing, thus earning him the "Little Boy" nickname. When his dad gets drafted into the war, Little Boy is alone and wants nothing more than his dad to come home. He consults the local priest (Wilkinson) on what he should do to bring his dad home safely, and he gives him a "to-do" list which centers around a local Japanese-American (Tagawa) who is facing the brunt of racism from the locals.  Naturally, all of these stories are going to converge before the movie comes to a close.

Handkerchiefs are optional.

Based, somewhat, on a true story, those of you that remember your history will know what is and isn't true.

For the non-history buff, watch the willingness of a boy believe that if he does the right thing, God will bring his daddy home safe from WWII.

And watch the worry in Wilkinson's eyes when he realizes that this boy has more than the faith of a mustard seed, but what if even that is not enough?

The only thing that seems slightly off in the movie is the Doctor (Kevin James) who is all kinds of creepy.  It's hard to see James in a serious role as you almost expect to see him say or do something funny, but he's trying to branch out into a serious role, and that's fine.  But with the moustache and creepy overtures towards the mom (Watson), like I said... :: shudder :: stranger danger alert time!

:)

Still, a pretty decent flick that's worth a viewing.

Final Grade: B

That Was A Close One! "Hitler's Secret Attack On America"

Hitler's Secret Attack on America (2012)

N/R

Directed by Devon Chivvis

The Story:

The National Geographic Channel offers up a documentary about Operation Drumbeat, one of the most successful, yet unknown battles of World War II.

Why?

Because it was waged right off of the Atlantic seaboard of America and the government did not want Americans to panic!

Now, settle in and learn a few things.

This is the story of how Germany sailed U-boats right off the East coast just days after Pearl Harbor, and then began sinking American (and other) boats.

Using recreated footage, file footage and speculation, the tale unfolds fairly fast in this 45 minute documentary.

Much of the documentary also unfolds in the present, as divers attempt to locate and actually dive shipwrecks of some of the ships lost by the U-boat attacks, and perhaps a German sub as well.

Some pretty interesting things to learn in the documentary, one of which is how close the Germans came to coming ashore for some diabolical plots to unfold.

If you've got an hour to spare, you can stream this on Netflix as of this writing.

Be advised, a little over halfway through, the audio went out on this program.  I attempted to watch it again for 3 or 4 days until the problem finally corrected itself for me.

Hopefully your audio experience is better.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nah, this is a one-time visit.  Interesting subject to be sure, but not interesting enough to come back to on multiple visits.

The Race To Recover History..."The Monuments Men"

The Monuments Men (2014)
Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban

Directed by George Clooney

The Story:

Frank Stokes (Clooney) convinces FDR that finding all of the stolen art that the Nazis have made disappear across Europe is a noble pursuit.  Allowing him to assemble his own team, Frank recruits some of the finest art historians of the time and asks them to go in harm's way in search of thousands of years worth of world history.  They will mostly succeed, but there will be casualties along the way.

But of course, it is based on a true story.

This is an odd duck of a story.

The truth behind the assignment should have been more than enough to make this movie work.

And yet...

As noted by the trailer, much humor is attempted to be infused into the situations.

Some of the jokes work better than others.

Essentially, the team splinters into 1 or 2 man teams in search of clues to the whereabouts of thousands of missing paintinings, sculptures and other works of art.

As the war draws to a close, the team reunites to get to the large cache of art before the Nazis can destroy it all.

For the most part, the team succeeds.

They also recount the more famous finding: the millions of gold bars also hidden in the mines.

Everyone in the cast does a fine job.  Some characters seem less fleshed out than others.  You can probably figure out which characters are more likely to not survive the war than their counterparts.

It was good.

It should have been better.

Final Grade: Going with a B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I wanted to like this one more than I did, and add it to the World War II library of films.  Maybe someday, but no real hurry.

Life On The Homefront... "Foyle's War"

Foyle's War (2002)
N/R

Starring Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell

Created by Anthony Horowitz

The Story:

It's 1940 and World War II is in full swing.  Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle (Kitchen) had requested a transfer to join the war effort, but was denied.  Instead, he is going to have to keep the Hastings Police on the south coast of England safe from crime.  Given a driver (Weeks) and a wounded veteran (Howell) to round out his team, Foyle soon comes to realize that crime doesn't stop just because war has engulfed the region.

Well, this was certainly a step in the right direction compared to Downtown Abbey.

I have only watched the first episode, and there were some slow spots, as the show seems to run just a bit long.

It seems like a slightly shorter run-time and the show could be tightened up considerably.

However, things actually happened during the entire running time of the episode unlike Abbey.

That said, it is an interesting concept: a police procedural set at the onset of World War II, in one of the regions most affected by war.

I definitely won't be marathoning this anytime soon, but I can see dusting off an episode now and again if I've got nothing else to watch.

The dilemma:  it seems like I've ALWAYS got something else to watch.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Seemed to be a B- range... but I'm going to end up with a C+.  It means well, but I'll have to see if it tightens up in a 2nd episode.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Definitely no to a purchase, but I will probably watch a few more episodes.

10 Days That Shaped the Future of the World... "Emperor"

What is the price for peace?

The Story:

It's 1945 and the Japanese have surrendered.  General MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) has 10 days to report back to Washington whether Emperor Hirohito was responsible for starting the war and should be tried (and executed) as a war criminal or is he should be spared.  MacArthur turns to General Fellers (Matthew Fox), an expert on Japanese culture to do the research.  What follows is Fellers race against time to find out if the Emperor was involved or was forced, but Fellers has a secret of his own that will also occupy his time and efforts.

This was better than I thought it would be.

Based on the true story, I have no idea how much of course is fact or how far the truth is stretched, but it's not bad.

Fellers secret: there was a girl he loved in Japan, and he wanted to find out if she was alive.  It turns out, he may have also done some behind the scenes planning attempting to ensure her survival in Japan.

The flashbacks to his life pre-war in Japan, and his quest to find her were the slow parts for me in this movie.

It was much more fascinating to see what kind of timetable the Generals were working on to wrap up everything for the President.

In the end, the decisions are based on sound logic and evidence that will never be known.

It's hard to say if those choices were right or wrong, but the importance of the occupation and rebuilding were hinging on that very thing, so the decision to let the Emperor live was the correct one to make.

Regardless of the Emperor's starting of the war, he was directly responsible for ending it before anymore blood was shed, and should be recognized for that.


Tommy Lee Jones carries his MacArthur with much swagger and bravado, sadly he is hardly in the movie.  The bulk of the movie is Fox attempting to find out what happened to the girl, and questioning officials on what the Emperor did and did not know.

Director Peter Webber balances out the two interweaving tales rather well.  When I felt the story was dragging under the search for the girl, he would bring it back with a shot of Tommy Lee Jones to recharge the movie. :)  I'm not familiar with his other 2 feature films, but so far I'd say he's a solid, if not spectacular, director.

The movie is definitely worth a look when you get the chance.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would have no problem watching it again, but I won't be out actively trying to purchase it.

Be Careful On Your Next Cruise..."Bermuda Triangle Exposed"

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

The Story:

A lot of things have gone into the Bermuda Triangle.  Many of them never returned.

This is a fascinating attempt to explain many of the disappearances in the Triangle since the first major loss of the flying squadron in WWII.  Tackling several of the bigger mysteries, the documentary uses scientific advances to peel back the ocean and see what's underneath.  The geological formations apparently play a huge part in creating part of the mystique of the area.

From magnetism to freak waves, The Discovery Channel ensures that all of the logical explanations that are presented not only are extremely possible, but also highly plausible.

The weirdest one to explain is the last one, where apparently a freak time warp has appeared a few times in the triangle, and literally has moved craft through time and space through an electrical cloud.

Strange...but true?

It's a pretty good documentary, and makes me wish they would go look for that squadron of planes where they think the wound up.

Here's a hint:  It's not in the ocean.

Now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Cool to watch once, but I'm good now.