Reviews

This is an extraordinary aviation history movie where the outcome is a mystery even while the viewers understand the emotional impact of the Flight 1549 "Miracle on the Hudson". Again, Tom Hanks gives as exceptional a performance as the expert aviator Captain Chesley Sullenberger as he did when he portrayed the hero in "Captain Phillips". A wonderful supporting role performance, perhaps co-star is a better description, was given by Aaron Eckhart as Sully's co-pilot Jeff Skiles. Excellent heroics in "Sully" were directed by Clint Eastwood and it is probably his best movie; Oscar nominations all around will be well deserved. This is a timeless movie to be enjoyed for generations because the characters are real people who are bonded by a heroic man, husband, father, positive role model and dedicated aviator. Highly recommended as a movie worth an encore viewing.

Several social themes are cleverly woven into "Among the Few", in the highly entertaining Foyle's War, starring the charming Michael Kitchen as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, in Hastings, England. Foyle applies intuitive logic to solving murders, while World War II is consuming all of England's resources. This episode is among the best in the excellent series, because of the realistic human conditions underlying several of the sub-plots. This particular story puts Foyle's driver Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks) at risk when she volunteers to go underground to help determine how fuel thefts are being heisted from a highly strategic depot. At the same time, Foyle's son, an RAF pilot, is involved by association in the death of a female depot driver, who happens to be the roommate of his sweetheart. But, that's just the plot. "Among the Few" reveals contemporary themes far beyond the situations in the story. As with all the Foyle's War stories, the authentic 1940s sets are as captivating as trying to figure out how the story's untimely death will be solved. I was especially smitten with the RAF scenes and the use of several World War II vintage English fighter planes. Everything about "Among the Few" is well done. This episode is interesting, well directed, expertly acted and a tribute to the sophisticated talent of writer Anthony Horowitz. If you can only watch one episode of Foyle's War, this is one I would recommend, but all episodes are superb.

The Russian House is the first Foyle's War episode my husband and I have seen and enjoyed. Unfortunately, we missed all of these well developed history mystery stories when they were on Masterpiece Theater. This particularly well acted story takes place at the end of World War II, when surviving prisoners of war (POWs) were in the process of being exchanged. It turned out, the captured Russians who had fought with the Germans, in reality, were sent back to Odessa where the dictator Stalin had them executed, as traitors. Obviously, the Russian POWs were desperate to escape their deportation, preferring, instead, to hide in England. Michael Kitchen as Foyle, the master police inspector of Hastings, England, is an absolutely superb and intellectual sleuth. His low key investigative intuition portrays the subtle charm of a psychic with the patience of a scientist. In The Russian House story, it's Foyle's job to figures out how one desperate Russian POW was caught in a vice of deception by his own countrymen. A murder of a local artist is blamed on the POW, although it's not really clear why the victim was sympathetic to the accused murderer. This interesting mystery series leaves the viewer with a thirst for knowledge about the politics of post WWII Europe, a time when the world was experiencing a deceptive euphoria about peace before the advent of the Cold War. All three of the Series 6 Foyle's War episodes are excellent, with The Russian House being the first in the entertaining trilogy. The Russian House is educational, with terrific period sets and well acted by Kitchen with the cast.

Secondhand Lions has lasting entertainment appeal. It's a good movie the entire family can repeatedly enjoy watching. Michael Caine, Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osmint are a magnetic acting trio, carrying the simple coming of age story, about an insecure young man, to heroic heights. Delightfully acted, the movie's appeal is enhanced by the wonderful cast of animals, especially the loving "secondhand lion". This charming story deserves 8 stars because it provides delightful entertainment in a timeless story about love, male bonding and the importance of role modeling. Unlike the characters played by Caine and Duvall, who fight against their inevitable aging, this movie will live beyond the careers of all the three leads.

This movie is fun! Marigolds are a variety of colorful flowers, some are tall,some short. Likewise, the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has multiple enjoyable story lines and social messages. First and foremost, this wonderfully entertaining movie is like a coming of age movie for seniors who may believe the best years of their lives are behind them. Not so! When a group of English seniors seek value in their retirement years, they independently find themselves drawn to an internet ad for the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, in India. Anyone who travels in Asia will relate to the plot, the culture shock of living in civilized England compared to an exotic India resort - it's a surreal transition, to say the least. Yet, the plot is so superbly acted by the entire cast, (starring Dame Judy Dench as the lead Mrs. Greenslade with Maggie Smith as a principle character Muriel Donnelly) it doesn't take any time at all before we're transposed into one or more of the story's characters and fantasy our lives as aged baby boomer's through them. But, this isn't only a story about baby boomer's - there's something in the plot to satisfy all audience ages. There's an especially enjoyable love story between a beautiful Indian couple who yearn to shed old world social norms to find happiness in a marriage that's not been pre-arranged but based upon their mutual love. This is a best of India movie, the old and the modern, juxtaposed over a coming of age story about seniors who are too young to give up on living life to the fullest. This should be a 10 star movie, with Maggie Smith giving an Oscar worthy performance. But, I give it a 9 because the plot thins about how Smith's character Donnelly comes to realize how she can make change happen for the better and save the Exotic Marigold Hotel from bankruptcy. This is a terrific movie and a sleeper must see hit!

Fans of mystery writer John LeCarre will be delighted with this artistic "film noir" style interpretation of his best selling spy novel "Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy". Performances by Gary Oldman as the quietly brilliant George Smiley and Colin Firth as a mysterious leading character create all the viewer should need to enjoy this movie; but, having read LeCarre's book helps, as watching the artistry of the film goes only so far. Eventually, the viewer must come to an understanding of the plot- a story about the way clandestine operations were executed, figuratively and otherwise, in the days post Cold War. Lots of Sherlock Holmes ponder- thinking goes into Smiley's ultimate conclusions, which makes this story a classic. Oldman is the perfect Smiley, so he kept the often confusing script together, simply by bringing LeCarre's lead spy to life. I recommend this movie but also suggest the viewer enjoy LeCarre's book prior to viewing. Wonderful performances throughout the film.

War Horse is a wonderful story about the ordinary people and the important horses who suffered in World War I. We saw the movie when it opened on Christmas Day. We viewed it in a theater where practically every seat was occupied to watch the heroics of Joey, the amazing horse that became a survivor of The War to End All Wars in Europe. This movie provides a renewed opportunity to remember just how tragic the inhumane orders issued by a few powerful men created horror for animals and men. What's particularly meaningful in "War Horse" is how World War I forever impacted on the lives and the horses for both the Allies and the Germans. Horses are the stars of "War Horse" as they realistically take on human emotions. Thankfully, no horses were harmed during the filming and Joey, the hero, survives the War. This movie will be greatly enjoyed by history enthusiasts because of the realistic portrayal of World War I trench warfare and the strategic use of Infantry horses. Only one scene seemed an outlier, when an Allied and a German enter No Man's Land to rescue Joey. Although rare situations of cooperation probably occurred in World War I, the transactions probably didn't transpire in perfect English. Nonetheless, I loved "War Horse", thanks Mr. Spielberg for such a wonderful movie, hope to see it again soon.

There is no more fascinating way to present mental illness and its treatment than in a fog of uncertainty and ambiguity. Shutter Island adds mystery and even horror to the mix to create a hit movie from a well crafted novel suspense thriller by Dennis Lehane. Terrific acting by a talented cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio keeps the attention of the movie watcher even as we cannot fathom what it is we are watching. Is this a fantasy? Is it flashbacks to traumatic events? Is this a dream sequence? Certainly, nightmares are included, right? In the end, the well kept secret of Shutter Island, a hospital for the criminally mentally ill, is ambiguously revealed. Like mental illness itself, the story drives home the brutal reality about mental illness, because the causes and hit or miss treatments are often mysterious.