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The Echo of Thunder (1998)
Very generous movie
It starts like a soap opera, or like one of those moralistic movies we see on Lifetime Channel... It promises to be just a little family movie.
However - it soon becomes an enriching experience, created with lots of generosity. True, without the setting in the Australian outback, and without the isolated family of farmers dealing with unique hardships, probably the movie would have been just a well-done small drama.
But the Australian charm and directness make all the difference. Definitely a "must see"!
The Pentagon Papers (2003)
Very timely!
Although it places a "black and white" label on today's pro-war vs. anti-war attitudes, this film is an excellent insight into the mechanisms of political maneuvering. It is the truth told by one side - therefore a very good "half truth". Even if it is so authentic, and it refers to Vietnam, the intended analogy with today's issues is very obvious. Definitely a "Must See" for anyone concerned with what's going on with the Iraq war and other political priorities - regardless of one's individual position. (I only wish that the "other side" was intelligent enough to make a case as compelling at this - but that's another issue.)
As a film - it's quite good - maybe an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. All in all - definitely worth your time, and worth recommending it to friends and kids.
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Bad education
Compared to the real possibility of such a disaster, this movie will look like "The Towering Inferno" dwarfed by the real-life "911".
The movie is just OK - worth a rental, not a trip to the theater. What bugs me is the lack of imagination in creating characters with huge responsibilities - including the two Presidents - whose decisions are partially determined by petty personal motivations. Morgan Freeman's character is the only one that breaks out of this cliche - and therefore it is more credible.
Although Hollywood's primary business is pure entertainment, there are subjects where filmmakers should assume an educational role as well, where one should see a more scientific approach to life. This was a mediocre story, with naive conventions (such as the drill at the beginning), targeting the lowest common denominator in its audiences.
Training Day (2001)
A very realistic taste of L.A.
For someone who lives in L.A., it is easy to overlook the "holes" in the story, including the forced coincidences or the flawed final. There's too much emotion in this daring story to leave room for cool, logical judgment. This created a paradox: the story may be flawed, but still 100% realistic. Welcome to L.A., where the most dangerous killer gang is the police, and where half of the city's officials belong in jail. Both crowds share the same contempt for anything straight, and see the public as enemy.
I can fully understand why the authors may have been too carried away by emotion (by their "beef" with the cops and corrupt officials) to analyze their own story in detail. Denzel is one of the nicest, straightest guys you can imagine in real life - and so are most of the others. Yes, even the rap singers. Previous critics said all that needed to be said about this movie, excepting its amazing realism outside the story. That's because most critics live outside Southern California. Planning a visit to L.A.? You don't need it - just rent this movie and save a few bucks for a trip somewhere else. The joke with the snail, in the movie, sums it up. Don't visit L.A. unless you "get it" - otherwise it may be quite a dangerous trip.