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"CAPTAIN MARVEL" (2019) Review
Posted on October 20, 2019 by ladylavinia1932
For several years, many movie fans, critics and feminists have criticized Disney Studios and Marvel Films for failing to green light a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film that starred a person of color or simply a woman. And for years, producer Kevin Feige have assured these critics that the studio was planning such a film for the franchise. Ironically, it took the plans of a comic book film from another studio for Feige to fulfill his promise.
Sometime in 2014 or 2015, Warner Brothers Studios announced it plans for a solo film featuring one of D.C. Comics' more famous characters, Wonder Woman. The character had first appeared in the 2016 movie, "BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE" before moving on to a solo film. This decision by Warner Brothers and the success of the Wonder Woman film eventually led Feige to push forward his plans for a film about the Marvel Comics character, Black Panther aka King T'Challa of Wakanda. The character first appeared in the 2016 movie, "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR", followed by a solo movie released in early 2018. Following the success of "BLACK PANTHER", Feige immediately set in motions for the MCU's first film with a female lead – "CAPTAIN MARVEL".
The comic book origin of Captain Marvel is decidedly complex and a bit controversial. The first Captain Marvel was a Kree military officer named Mar-Vell, who becomes an ally of Earth. The second Captain Marvel was Monica Rambeau, an African-American police officer from New Orleans. She eventually became another costume heroine named Spectrum. Four more characters served the role as Captain Marvel – all of them aliens – before an Air Force officer named Carol Danvers became the sixth and most recent character to fill the role. Feige and Disney Studios had selected Danvers to be the first cinematic Captain Marvel.
Directed and co-written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, "CAPTAIN MARVEL" begins in the Kree Empire's capital planet of Hala in 1995, where a member of the Empire's Starforce, Vers, suffer from amnesia and recurring nightmares involving an older woman. Both her mentor and commander, Yon-Rogg; and the empire's ruler, an artificial intelligence named Supreme Intelligence her mentor and commander, trains her to control her abilities while the Supreme Intelligence, the artificial intelligence that rules the Kree, urges her to keep her emotions in check. During a Starforce mission to rescue an undercover operative from the Skrulls, a shape-shifting race that are engaged in a war against the Kree, Vers is captured. The Skrulls' commander, Talos, probes Vers's memories and discover that the individual they are looking for might be on Earth. Vers escapes and crash-lands in Los Angeles, where she meets S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Nick Fury and Phil Coulson. Vers recovers a crystal containing her extracted memories, which leads her and Fury to an Air Force base. There, they learn that the mysterious woman that Vers had been dreaming of and for whom the Skrulls are searching is a Doctor Wendy Lawson, a woman who was working on a S.H.I.E.L.D. project known as Project Pegasus (one of the Infinity Stones – the Tesseract). They also discover that Vers is actually a Human Air Force officer named Carol Danvers, who was also working on Project Pegasus . . . and who was reported dead six years earlier in 1989. Vers (or Danvers) and Fury set out to keep the Space Stone out of the Skrulls' hands and to learn more about her past and how she had ended up with the Kree.
Many critics and fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) were doubtful that "CAPTAIN MARVEL" would prove to be a hit. After all, the movie's lead was a woman and the actress portraying her, Brie Larson, had a reputation for left-wing politics. Nevertheless, these doubting Thomases were proven wrong. "CAPTAIN MARVEL" went on to earn over one billion dollars at the box office. Did the movie deserve this kind of success? Hmmm . . . that is a good question.
"CAPTAIN MARVEL" did not strike me as one of the best MCU movies I have seen. I could say that it is your typical comic book hero origin story. Somewhat. "CAPTAIN MARVEL" had the unusual distinction of starting midway into Carol Danvers' tale. In fact, screenwriters, which include directors Anna Fleck and Ryan Fleck; along with "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" co-writer Nicole Perlman; made the unusual choice of wrapping Carol's past and the circumstances of her amnesia in a cloud of mystery. Movie audiences were first given the peep into Carol's past during Talos' probe of her memories. Between the Project Pegasus file and Carol's reunion with her former best friend, former Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau, the mystery was finally cleared. A part of me admired the screenwriters' attempt to utilize this different narrative device to convey Carol's past. At least four other MCU films have utilized the flashback device (limited or otherwise) for their narratives. But "CAPTAIN MARVEL" is the only MCU movie in which the protagonist's past is written as a mystery. Another twist that the screenwriters had revealed concerned the identities of the film's antagonists – the Skrulls and their leader Talos. All I can say is that their goal turned out to be something of a surprise.
"CAPTAIN MARVEL" featured some well done action sequences. I thought Boden and Fleck provided solid direction for most of the film's action scenes. I enjoyed such scenes like the Starforce's rescue attempt of their spy from the Skrulls, Carol and Fury's escape from the Air Force base and the Skrulls, and the film's final action sequence involving Carol, Fury, Maria Rambeau, the Starforce team and the Skrulls. But if I had to choose my favorite action sequence, it would be the Los Angeles chase sequence in which Carol encounters Fury, Coulson and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, while chasing the Skrulls. My head tells me that I should be more impressed by the final action sequence. But I simply found myself more impressed by that chase sequence in the movie's first half.
What can I say about the performances in the movie? They were pretty solid. I seem to use that word a lot in describing my feelings about "CAPTAIN MARVEL". Well . . . I thought Brie Larson's performance as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel was more than solid. She seemed to take control of the character rather easily. And I thought she did a great job in combining certain aspects of Carol's personality – her ruthlessness, dry humor and flashes of insecurity. Although he had a brief appearance in the 2018 movie, "THE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR", Samuel L. Jackson returned in full force as former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury for the first time in nearly four years. Only in this film, he is a mere agent. Jackson's performance in this film proved to be a lot more humorous than in his previous MCU appearances. I also noticed that he and Larson, who had first appeared together in the 2017 movie, "KONG: SKULL ISLAND", managed to create a very strong screen chemistry. Another memorable performance came from Ben Mendelsohn, who portrayed the Skulls' leader, Talos. Thanks to Mendelsohn's skillful performance, Talos proved to be one of the most subtle and manipulative antagonists in the MCU franchise.
Other performances that caught my eye came from Lashana Lynch, who portrayed Carol's oldest friends and former Air Force pilot, Maria Rambeau. Does that name sound familiar? It should. In the movie, Maria is the mother of Monica Rambeau, the first woman Captain Marvel . . . at least in the comics. Lynch gave a subtle and skillful performance that portrayed Maria as a pragmatic and reserve woman with a dry sense of humor. Jude Law was convincingly intense as Carol's Starforce commander and mentor, Yon-Rogg, who was unfailingly devoted to the Kree Empire and who also happened to be searching for the missing Carol. "CAPTAIN MARVEL" also featured competent performances from the likes of Clark Gregg as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson, Gemma Chan as Starforce sniper Minn-Erva, Vik Sahay as Hero Torfan and Annette Bening, who portrayed Kree scientist Mar-Vell aka Dr. Wendy Lawson and provided the voice for the Kree Supreme Intelligence A.I. Akira and Azari Akbar portrayed the young and feisty Monica Rambeau at ages eleven and five respectively. Also, Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace (both who had been in 2014's "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY") reprised their roles as Korath the Pursuer and Ronan the Accuser. Only in this film, Korath was a member of Starforce and Ronan had yet to become a homicidal political extremist.
Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed "CAPTAIN MARVEL". And I do plan to purchase a DVD copy as soon as possible. But . . . it is not perfect. And it is not one of my favorite MCU films. One, I wish this movie had not been set in the past. I do not think that Andy Nicholson's production designs, along with Lauri Gaffin's set decorations and the art direction team had convincingly recaptured the late 1980s and the mid 1990s. Honestly, I have seen other movies and television shows that did a better job. I understand that Carol Danvers was an Air Force officer before she became Vers and later Captain Marvel. But I found the movie's pro-military atmosphere a bit jarring and uncomfortable. I do not understand why Disney Studios thought it was necessary to allow the U.S. Air Force to have so much influence on the film. I understand that the filmmakers had hired Kenneth Mitchell to portray Carol's father, Joseph Danvers. Why did they even bother? Mitchell was wasted in this film. He was for at least a second or two in a montage featuring Carol's memories. And he had one or two lines. What a waste of a good actor! And if I must be brutally honest, I found the movie's pacing rather uneven . . . especially in the firs thirty minutes and in the last half hour. And as much as I enjoyed some of the action sequences, my enjoyment was limited by the film's confusing editing, which has become typical of the MCU. Despite being a woman – and a progressive one at that – I found that entire moment with Captain Marvel kicking ass to the tune of Gwen Stefani's 1995 song, "Just a Girl" rather cringe worthy. The MCU has proven lately that when it comes to promoting feminine empowerment, the franchise can be rather shallow and subtle as a sledge hammer.
My biggest problems with "CAPTAIN MARVEL" proved to be its inconsistent writing – a trait that has become a hallmark of the MCU in the past several years. On "AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D." Phil Coulson had informed his team that Nick Fury had recruited him into the agency, while he was in college. That should have occurred at least 10 years before this film's setting. Yet, Clark Gregg had portrayed Coulson as if the latter was a newbie agent. And to be brutally honest, Gregg's presence in the movie proved to be rather limited. Unfortunately. Speaking of S.H.I.E.L.D., why did Fury, Coulson and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents appear at that Radio Shack store after a security guard had reported her presence? Why? Before Fury's discovery of the Skrulls' presence, S.H.I.E.L.D. was more focused on unusual scientific projects. There is also the matter of the Tesseract aka the Space Stone. Apparently, the Infinity stone, which was discovered and lost by HYDRA leader Johann Schmidt in 1942 and 1945 respectively, was discovered by S.S.R. scientist and future S.H.I.E.L.D. founder Howard Stark in 1945. S.H.I.E.L.D. kept that stone for over 40 years until it became part of a joint S.H.I.E.L.D./Air Force operation in the late 1980s called Project Pegasus. Seriously? Why would such a secretive agency like S.H.I.E.L.D. even share knowledge of the Tesseract with the U.S. Air Force, let alone allow a non-S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist (Dr. Lawson) and two junior test pilots (Carol and Maria) be the main participants in this project?
Movie audiences also discover how Nick Fury had lost his eye. I want to state how his eye was lost, but I am too disgusted to do so. Okay . . . Dr. Lawson aka Mar-Vell's space cat (or whatever the hell it is) named Goose had scratched out his left eye. That is correct. Fury's speech about trust issues in "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER" originated with a space cat that scratched out his eye, because he got too friendly with it. Jesus Christ! Talk about taking an important character moment for Fury in one film and transforming it into a joke in another, five years later. In doing so, both Boden and Fleck came dangerously close to neutering his character. They, along with Kevin Feige, actually managed to accomplish this with the Monica Rambeau character. They took Marvel Comics' first female Captain Marvel and transformed her into a child, who happened to be the daughter of Carol Danvers' best friend. I found this both frustrating and disturbing.
Earlier, I had complained about the movie's 1989-1995 setting. I have a few questions in regard to portraying Captain Marvel's origin during this setting. If Captain Marvel had been around since 1995, why did Nick Fury wait so long to summon her? He did not summon her until the chaos surrounding Thanos' Snap in "THE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR" began to manifest . . . twenty-three years later, as shown in one of the film's post-credit scenes. If Captain Marvel had been saving the universe during those past twenty-three years, where was she when Ronan the Accuser had threatened to destroy Xandar in "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY"? Where was she when Ego had threatened the universe in "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2"? Where was she when the Dark Elves had attacked both Asgard and Earth in order to get their hands on the Aether (or Reality Stone) in "THOR: THE DARK WORLD"? Where was she when Loki and the Chitauri attempted to invade Earth in "THE AVENGERS"? Where was she when Ultron threatened the Earth in "THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON"? Where was she during all of these major galactic crisis? The more I think about this, the more I realize that Carol's origin story should have been set after the recent MCU film, "THE AVENGERS: ENDGAME".
Despite my complaints about "CAPTAIN MARVEL", I did enjoy it. The movie had enough virtues for me to do so, especially an entertaining adventure set in both outer space and on Earth. I also thought the screenwriters, which included directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck had created an engaging and interesting mystery that surrounded the protagonist's past and origin of her abilities. "CAPTAIN MARVEL" also featured some impressive action sequences and first-rate performances from a cast led by Brie Larson. I do look forward to seeing this movie again.
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Below is my current list of favorite movies set in the 1860s:
1. "Lincoln" (2012) – Steven Spielberg directed this highly acclaimed film about President Abraham Lincoln's last four months in office and his efforts to pass the 13th Amendment to end slavery. Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis, Oscar nominee Sally Field and Oscar nominee Tommy Lee Jones starred.
2. "Shenandoah"(1965) – James Stewart starred in this bittersweet tale about how a Virginia farmer's efforts to keep his family out of the Civil War failed when his youngest son is mistaken as a Confederate soldier by Union troops and taken prisoner. Andrew V. McLaglen directed.
3. "Angels & Insects" (1995) – Philip Haas directed this adaptation of A.S. Byatt's 1992 novella, "Morpho Eugenia" about a Victorian naturalist who marries into the English landed gentry. Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott-Thomas and Patsy Kensit starred.
4. "Class of '61" (1993) – Dan Futterman and Clive Owen co-starred in this television movie about recent West Point graduates and their experiences during the first months of the Civil War. Produced by Steven Spielberg, the movie was directed by Gregory Hoblit.
5. "The Tall Target" (1951) – Anthony Mann directed this suspenseful tale about a New York City Police sergeant who stumbles across a plot to kill President-elect Lincoln and travels aboard the train carrying the latter to stop the assassination attempt. Dick Powell starred.
6. "Far From the Madding Crowd" (1967) – John Schlesinger directed this adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1874 novel about a young Victorian woman torn between three men. The movie starred Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Terence Stamp and Peter Finch.
7. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966) – Sergio Leone directed this epic Spaghetti Western about three gunslingers in search of a cache of Confederate gold in New Mexico, during the Civil War. Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach starred.
8. "Cold Mountain" (2003) – Anthony Minghella directed this poignant adaptation of Charles Fraizer's 1997 novel about a Confederate Army deserter, who embarks upon a long journey to return home to his sweetheart, who is struggling to maintain her farm, following the death of her father. The movie starred Oscar nominees Jude Law and Nicole Kidman, along with Oscar winner Renee Zellweger.
9. "Little Women" (1994) – Gillian Armstrong directed this adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel about four sisters from an impoverished, yet genteel New England family. The movie starred Winona Ryder, Trini Alvarado, Christian Bale and Susan Sarandon.
10. "The Beguiled" (1971) – Clint Eastwood starred in this atmospheric adaptation of Thomas Cullinan's 1966 novel about a wounded Union soldier who finds refuge at an all-girl boarding school in 1863 Mississippi. Directed by Don Siegel, the movie co-starred Geraldine Page and Elizabeth Hartman.
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"GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" (2014) Review
Most of the films featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been set on Earth – mainly in the United States – and featured human characters. There have been exceptions – namely the two "THOR" movies that were partly set in the realm of Asgard and 2012's "THE AVENGERS", which featured an alien invasion. For the first time, the MCU released a movie mainly set in worlds other than Earth. And it is called "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY".
Directed by James Gunn, who wrote the film with Nicole Perlman, "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" told the story about an uneasy alliance between a group of extraterrestrial misfits, who find themselves on the run after one of them steals a coveted orb. The movie, ironically, begins on Earth in 1988, when a kid named Peter Quill is abducted by a group of space pirates called the Ravagers led by a mercenary named Yondu Udonta, following his mother's death. Twenty-six years later, Quill steals a valuable orb from the abandoned planet of Morag. Before he can get away, Quill is intercepted by Korath, a subordinate to the fanatical Kree, Ronan. Although Quill escapes with the orb, Yondu discovers his theft and issues a bounty for his capture. Meanwhile Ronan, who originally agreed to acquire the orb on behalf of the villainous titan Thanos, sends an assassin named Gamora after the orb. In return for getting the orb for Thanos, Ronan wants the latter to destroy the Nova Empire.
Quill attempts to sell the orb on the Nova Empire's capital world, Xandar, when Gamora ambushes him and steals it. A fight ensues, which attracts a pair of bounty hunters – the genetically engineered raccoon Rocket and his tree-like companion, the humanoid Groot. All four are arrested by the Nova Corps and they are sentenced to a prison called Kyln. The four form an alliance to profit from a sale of the orb to a buyer that Gamora knows on an outpost called Nowhere, once Rocket informs them that he knows how to break out of prison. They acquire a new ally named Drax the Destroyer, who wants revenge against Ronan for killing his family. Drax tried to kill Gamora, due to her past association with the Kree, but Quill talks him out of it after Gamora reveals that she never intended to hand over the orb to Ronan. Gamora is willing to betray Ronan, because she is unwilling to allow him to use the orb's power to destroy the Nova Empire and other worlds. The five misfits eventually discover from Gamora's buyer, Taneleer Tivan aka the Collector that the orb contains a powerful stone known as one of the Infinity Stones, a collection of gems of immeasurable power that destroys all but the most powerful beings who wield them. Fearful that Ronan might destroy the Universe if he gains possession of the orb, the five friends become determined to stop him from gaining possession of it.
At first glance, "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" seemed to come out of nowhere and with no connection to the other films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the end, there were quite a few connections to the other films. One, other Infinity Stones – mentioned by Tivan – were featured in other films. "IRON MAN 2", "THOR", "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER" and "THE AVENGERS" all featured the Tesseract. And "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" featured the Aether, which found itself in Tivan's possession by the end of that film. The character Thanos was revealed to be the one behind the Chitauri invasion in "THE AVENGERS" The character Tivan aka the Collector was featured in a mid-credit scene in "THOR: THE DARK WORLD". Also, the Ronan character is not the only Kree character to appear in a MCU production. The corpse of a dead Kree was featured in an episode of "AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.". So, the connections between "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" and the other MCU films are pretty strong. Many had doubted the success of"GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY", due to its unknown factor of the major characters. Although the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" comic book was first published by Marvel in 1969, the following publications of the title have been far and few. In fact, Marvel had to revamp the title in 2008.
Marvel and Disney's fears proved to be groundless in the end. "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" became a major hit during the late summer of 2014. It even managed to surpass (slightly) the major success of the previous MCU movie,"CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER". I understand why "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" became such a success. It is a first-rate film that proved to be the gem of the summer. Thanks to Nicole Perlman and James Gunn's screenplay, the movie expertly set up the movie's narrative – first with Peter Quill's kidnapping and later, his theft of the orb. Mind you, there is nothing particularly original about the narrative for "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY". I cannot recall the numerous films or television productions about a group of outsiders who struggle to form an alliance or friendship in order to overcome an enemy or problem. Hell, this even sounds like the narrative backbone for "THE AVENGERS". But I have never come across a movie or television that allowed this narrative to play out with such caustic wit and humor. Perlman and Gunn also did an excellent job in allowing the five protagonists to form both an alliance and later, a strong friendship, in a timely manner. In fact, friendship seemed to be the main theme of"GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY". And the focus of that friendship centered around the Peter Quill character, who abandoned one set of friends – the Ravengers under Yondu Udonta – that proved to be rather questionable, and formed a more solid friendship with his four new companions.
"GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" benefited from some very strong characterizations. Peter Quill – at first glance – seemed like some minor variation of the Tony Stark character. Although adept at defending himself in a fight, Quill never struck me as the aggressive type. I enjoyed how actor Chris Pratt portrayed him as someone who would prefer stealth and charm over action. Some of his facial reactions alone were a joy to watch. Gamora, the assassin who had been trained by Thanos . . . after he wiped out her family, proved to be a surprisingly moral character. In fact, I would say that she possessed the strongest moral center out of the five major characters. And that is an ironic thing to say about an assassin. Thankfully, Zoe Saldana did an excellent job of conveying Gamora's moral center . . . and dangerous nature at the same time. I never thought I would become attached to a CGI animal described as a genetically-altered raccoon. But I must say that the character Rocket provided a great deal of sharp wit and verbosity that infused a lot of energy into the story. And a lot of that energy came from Bradley Cooper's voice performance. Another dangerous, yet fascinating character proved to be the vengeful Drax the Destroyer. In fact, I can honestly say that Drax was probably the most chaotic character in Marvel's Cinematic Universe. But what else can you say about a character who is not only seeking revenge, but does not understand the meaning of metaphors. And I have to say that professional wrestler-turned-actor Dave Batista did a marvelous job in portraying a ferocious, yet humorless character with such sharp comic timing. And finally we have – "I am Groot.". Ah yes, the talking and walking tree. Rocket's companion. What can I say? I adored that warm, compassionate and loyal walking piece of timber. And I have to give kudos to Vin Diesel, who only had one line to speak over again, throughout the movie, do so with different inflections.
But there were other interesting characters featured in "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY". Audiences saw the return of Taneleer Tivan aka The Collector, who was last seen in "THOR: THE DARK WORLD". And once again, Benicio del Toro gave an eccentric, yet very interesting performance of the interstellar collector. Nebula, who was raised as Gamora's sibling by Thanos, certainly proved to be a character I will never forget. Although not the main villain, Nebula proved to be a scary and intimidating character in her own right, whose own ambiguity is dictated by feelings of jealousy toward Gamora. And actress Karen Gillian did an excellent job in conveying these aspects of Nebula's character. Despite the presence of Thanos, the movie's main villain proved to be a Kree fanatic named Ronan the Accuser. The fanatical Ronan refuses to accept a peace treaty between the Kree and the Nova Empire and seeks Thanos' help in destroying Xandar. In the end, he proved to be something of a one-dimensional character lacking any eccentricities or ambiguities whatsoever. And honestly, one has to thank Lee Pace's intense performance that managed to maintain my interest in Ronan. Another character that proved to be a minor disappointment was Korath, one of Ronan's subordinates. And like Ronan, he also struck me as a bit one-dimensional, yet rather intense. However . . . the character had one scene that proved to be rather funny – his first meeting with Quill on Morag, in which he failed to recognized the latter's nickname. And one has to thank Djimon Hounsou's performance for making that scene work. It seemed a pity that Hounsou did not have a larger role in the film.
The characters from Xandar struck me as solid, but not particularly memorable. There were two exceptions – Corpsman Rhomann Dey, a professional member of Xandar's military/police force and whose dry sense of humor strongly reminded me of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson; and Nova Prime Irani Rael, the slightly intimidating and righteous leader of the Nova Corps. And both John C. Reilly and Glenn Close gave outstanding performances in their roles. The most fascinating supporting character for me proved to be Yondu Udonta, the temperamental, yet occasionally decent leader of the Ravagers, who had served as Quill's guardian after snatching him. There were times when I could not tell whether he was a bad guy, a good guy or simply another self-absorbed rogue after his own interest. And I must say that Michael Rooker gave a very entertaining and flamboyant portrayal of the character. I look forward to seeing him in future films.
I have to be honest. Most of the visual effects for "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY" did not blow my mind. But there were a few scenes that I found noteworthy. I liked the idea of the Nowhere outpost being set inside the floating head of a Celestial corpse. Very original. And the wide exterior shot of the colony upon the protagonists' arrival is very impressive, as shown the following image:
The scene was enhanced by Ben Davis' photography. I also enjoyed his work in the movie's final action sequence that featured Ronan's attempt to destroy Xandar. Gunn's direction, along with the visual effects made the scene breathtaking. To a certain degree. Some of the aerial action involving Rocket and the Nova Corps struck me as somewhat confusing. I also enjoyed Alexandra Byrne's costumes, but like the visual effects, they did not take my breath away. I was not expecting anything out of the ordinary, but . . . I found them at best, solid.
The summer of 2014 proved to be very dismal for me, aside from a few films. One of those films that provided some realentertainment was "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY". If it were not for the work of director James Gunn, the exciting and witty screenplay he co-wrote with Nicole Perlman and the first-rate performances from a cast led by Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, the 2014 summer could have ended on a bad note for me.
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"LINCOLN" (2012) Review
When I first heard of Steven Spielberg's decision to make a biographical film about the 16th president of the United States, I ended up harboring a good deal of assumptions about the movie. I heard Spielberg had planned to focus on Abraham Lincoln's last year in office and assumed the movie would be set between the spring of 1864 and April 1865. I had assumed the movie would be about Lincoln's various problems with his military generals and other politicians. I thought it would be a more focused similarity to the 1998 miniseries of the same name.
In the end, "LINCOLN" proved to be something quite different. Partly based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's 2005 biography of Lincoln and his Cabinet members, "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln", the movie mainly focused on Lincoln's efforts in January 1865 to have slavery abolished in the country, by getting theThirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the House of Representatives. According to Tony Kutchner's screenplay, Lincoln expected the Civil War to end within a month. He felt concerned that his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation may be discarded by the courts at the war's conclusion and the 13th Amendment defeated by the returning slave states. To ensure that the 13th Amendment is added to the Constitution, Lincoln wanted it passed by the end of January in order to remove any possibility of those slaves who had already been freed, being re-enslaved. To reach his goal, Lincoln needed Republican party founder Francis Blair to garner support from the more conservative Republicans and support from Democratic congressmen, who would ordinarily vote against such an amendment. In order to acquire Blair's support, Lincoln was forced to consider a peace conference with three political representatives from the Confederacy. And his Secretary of State, William Seward, recruits three lobbyists – William N. Bilbo, Colonel Robert Latham and Richard Schell – to convince lame duck Democratic congressmen to support the amendment.
I am surprised that the movie went through a great deal in crediting Doris Kearns Goodwin's book as a major source for the movie. Very surprised. I own a copy of the book and know for a fact that only four-and-a-half pages are devoted to the Thirteenth Amendment and five-and-half pages are devoted to the Peace Conference with Confederate political leaders. If so little came from Goodwin's book, where did Tony Kutchner receive most of his historical information for the movie? And if he did use other historical sources, why did Spielberg failed to credit other historical sources for the movie?
I recall watching the trailer for "LINCOLN" and found myself slightly repelled by it. As someone who had to endure a great deal of pompous and self-righteous dialogue in a good number of historical dramas, I noticed that the trailer seemed to be full it. Fortunately, the movie was only tainted by a few scenes featuring pompous dialogue. One of those scenes turned out to be Lincoln's meeting with four Union soldiers – two blacks and two whites. Of the four soldiers, only the first black soldier – portrayed by Colman Domingo – managed to engage in a relaxed conversation with the President. The two white soldiers behaved like ardent fanboys in Lincoln's presence and one of them – portrayed by actor Luke Haas – ended up reciting the Gettysburg Address. The scene ended with the other black soldier – portrayed by British actor David Oyelowo – also reciting the speech. Not only did I find this slightly pompous, but also choked with Spielberg's brand of sentimentality, something I have never really cared for. Following Lincoln's death, Spielberg and Kutchner ended the movie with a flashback of the President reciting his second inaugural address. I cannot say how the pair should have ended the movie. But I wish they had not done with a speech. All it did was urge me to leave the movie theater as soon as possible. Janusz Kamiński is a first-rate cinematographer, but I can honestly say that I found his photography in "LINCOLN" not particularly impressive. In fact, I found it rather drab. Drab colors in a costume picture is not something I usually look forward to.
The movie also featured a few historical inaccuracies. Usually, I have nothing against this if it works for the story. The problem is that the inaccuracies in "LINCOLN" did not serve the story. I found them unnecessary. Lincoln's meeting with the four Union soldiers allowed Oyelowo's character to expressed his displeasure at the U.S. Army's lack of black officers and the indignity of pay lower than white soldiers. The problem with this rant is that before January 1865, the U.S. Army had at least 100 to 200 black officers. And Congress had granted equal pay and benefits to black troops by June 1864. Thirty-three year-old actor Lee Pace portrayed Democratic New York Congressman Fernando Wood, an ardent opponent of abolition. In reality, Wood was at least 52 years old in January 1865. Another scene featured a White House reception that featured a meeting between First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and some of the Radical Republicans like Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner. Kutchner had Mary face Senator Sumner with a warm greeting, before she deliberately cut him off to face Congressman Stevens. The movie made it clear that the First Lady disliked the Radical Republicans, whom she viewed as personal enemies of her husband. Yet, the manner in which she disregarded Senator Sumner was completely misleading . . . especially since the senator and the First Lady had been close friends since the early months of Lincoln's presidency. In reality, Mary Lincoln's political views were more radical than her husband's. But due to her background as the daughter of a Kentucky slaveowner, most of the Radical Republicans viewed her as soft on abolition and a possible Confederate sympathizer.
Thankfully, the good in "LINCOLN" outweighed the bad. More than outweighed the bad. Recalling my original assumption that "LINCOLN" would turn out to be some pretentious film weighed down by boring dialogue and speeches, I can happily say that the movie's look at American politics during the Civil War proved to be a great deal more lively. Yes, the movie did feature a few pretentious scenes. However, "LINCOLN" turned out to be a tightly woven tale about the 16th President's efforts to get the Thirteenth Amendment passed by the end of January 1865. In many ways, the movie's plot reminded me of the 2007 film, "AMAZING GRACE", which featured William Wilberforce's effort to abolish Britain's slave trade during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Unlike the 2007, "LINCOLN" proved to be more tightly focused and featured a more earthy and sometimes humorous look at American politics at play. One of the movie's successes proved to be its focus on the efforts of the three lobbyists, whom I ended up dubbing the "Three Musketeers", to recruit lame duck Democrats to vote for passage of the amendment. In fact these scenes featuring James Spader, John Hawkes and Tim Blake Nelson proved to be among the funniest in the film. The movie also featured the tribulations Lincoln experienced with his immediate family – namely the volatile behavior of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and his oldest son Robert Lincoln's determination to join the Army – during this difficult period in which his attention toward the amendment's passage. More importantly, the movie on a political situation rarely mentioned in movies about Lincoln – namely the political conflicts that nearly divided the Republican Party during the Civil War. Not only did Lincoln find himself at odds with leading Democrats such as Fernando Wood of New York and George Pendleton of Ohio; but also with Radical Republicans such as Thaddeus Stevens who distrusted Lincoln's moderate stance on abolition and even his fellow conservative Republicans like Frances and Montgomery Blair, whose push for reconciliation with the Confederates threatened the amendment.
Now one might say that is a lot for a 150 minutes film about the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. And they would be right. But for some reason, it worked, thanks to Spielberg's direction and Kutchner's screenplay. One, for a movie with a running time between two to three hours, I found it well paced. Not once did the pacing dragged to a halt or put me to sleep. "LINCOLN" also attracted a good number of criticism from certain circles. Some have pointed out that the film seemed to claim that Lincoln kick started the campaign for the amendment. The movie never really made this claim. Historians know that the Republican controlled U.S. Senate had already passed the amendment back in April 1864. But the Republicans did not control the House of Representatives and it took another nine-and-a-half months to get the House to pass it. For reasons that still baffle many historians, Lincoln suddenly became interested in getting the amendment passed before his second inauguration – something that would have been unnecessary if he had waited for a Republican controlled Congress two months later.
Many had complained about the film's oversimplification of African-Americans' roles in the abolition of slavery. I would have agreed if the film's focus on abolition had been a little more broad and had began during the war's first year; or if it had been about the role of blacks in the abolition of slavery during the war. Actually, I am still looking forward to a Hollywood production on Frederick Douglass, but something tells me I will be holding my breath. But with the movie mainly focused on the final passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, I suspect this would not have been possible. Some claimed that the African-American merely hung around and waited for the amendment's passage. I would have agreed if it were not for Lincoln's encounter with the Union soldiers at the beginning of the film; Lincoln valet William Slade's day-to-day dealings with the First Family, and the film's focus on Elizabeth Keckley's attention to the political wrangling surrounding the amendment. One scene focused on Mrs. Keckley's conversation with Lincoln on the consequences of the amendment and another featured a tense moment in which she walked out on the proceedings after Thaddeus Stevens was forced to refute his earlier claims about equality between the races in order to win further Democratic support.
Aside from my complaints about the movie's drab photography, I can honestly say that from a visual point of view, "LINCOLN" did an excellent job in re-creating Washington D.C. during the last year of the Civil War. Production designer Rick Carter really had his work cut out and as far as I am concerned, he did a superb job. He was ably assisted by the art direction team of Curt Beech, David Crank and Leslie McDonald, who still helped to make 1865 Washington D.C. rather colorful, despite the drab photography; along with Jim Erickson and Peter T. Frank's set decorations. And I found Joanna Johnston's costumes absolutely exquisite. The scene featuring the Lincolns' reception at the White House was a perfect opportunity to admire Johnston's re-creation of mid 19th century fashion. I can honestly say that I did not find John Williams' score for the movie particularly memorable. But I cannot deny that it blended very well with the story and not a note seemed out of place.
"LINCOLN" not only featured a very large cast, but also a great number of first-rate performances. It would take me forever to point out the good performances one-by one, so I will focus on those that really caught my attention. The man of the hour is Daniel Day-Lewis, who has deservedly won accolades for his portrayal of the 16th President. I could go into rapture over his performance, but what is the point? It is easy to see that Abraham Lincoln could be viewed as one of his best roles and that he is a shoe-in for an Oscar nod. If Day-Lewis is the man of the hour, then I can honestly say that Sally Field came out of this film as "the woman of the hour. She did a beautiful job in recapturing not only Mary Todd Lincoln's volatile nature, but political shrewdness. Like Day-Lewis, she seemed to be a shoe-in for an Oscar nod. Congressman Thaddeus Stevens has been featured as a character in at least three Hollywood productions. In pro-conservative movies like 1915's "BIRTH OF A NATION" (upon which the Austin Stoneman character is based) and the 1942 movie on Andrew Johnson called"TENNESSEE JOHNSON", he has been portrayed as a villain. But in "LINCOLN", he is portrayed as a fierce and courageous abolitionist by the always wonderful Tommy Lee Jones. The actor did a superb job in capturing the Pennsylvania congressman's well-known sarcastic wit and determination to end slavery in the U.S. for all time. I would be very surprised if he does not early an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor.
But there were other first-rate performances that also caught my attention. David Strathairn did an excellent and subtle job in capturing the politically savy Secretary of State William H. Seward. Joseph Gordon-Levitt managed to impress me for the third time this year, in his tense and emotional portrayal of the oldest Lincoln sibling, Robert Lincoln, who resented his father's cool behavior toward him and his mother's determination to keep him out of the Army. Hal Holbrook, who portrayed Lincoln in two television productions) gave a colorful performance as Lincoln crony, Francis Blair. Gloria Reuben gave a subtle performance as Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker and companion, Elizabeth Keckley, who displayed an intense interest in the amendment's passage. James Spader, John Hawkes and Tim Blake Nelson gave hilarious performances as the three lobbyists hired by Lincoln and Seward to recruit support of the amendment from lame duck Democrats. Stephen Henderson was deliciously sarcastic as Lincoln's long suffering valet, William Slade. Lee Pace gave a surprisingly effective performance as long-time abolition opponent, Fernando Wood. And I was also impressed by Jackie Earle Haley's cool portrayal of Alexander Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederacy.
As I had stated earlier, I was not really prepared to enjoy "LINCOLN", despite its Civil War setting. To be honest, the last Spielberg movie I had really enjoyed was 2005's "MUNICH". And after the 2011 movie, "WAR HORSE", I wondered if he had lost his touch. I am happy to say that with "LINCOLN", he has not. Spielberg could have easily laden this film with over-the-top sentimentality and pretentious rhetoric. Thankfully, his portrayal of pre-20th century American politics proved to be not only exciting, but also colorful. And he had great support from a first-rate production team, Tony Kutchner's superb screenplay, and excellent performances from a cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis. The Civil War had not been this interesting in quite a while.
Filed under: Movies | Tagged: abraham lincoln, adam driver, bruce mcgill, chase edmunds, civil war, colman domingo, dakin matthews, dane dehaan, daniel day-lewis, david oyelowo, david strathairn, elizabeth marvel, gloria reuben, gregory itzin, hal holbrook, history, jackie earle haley, jared harris, john hawkes, joseph gordon-levitt, lee pace, luke haas, michael stuhlbarg, politics, sally field, steven spielberg, tommy lee jones, walton goggins, wayne duvall, william camp |	Leave a comment »
List of Favorite Movies and Television Miniseries About SLAVERY
With the recent release of Steven Spielberg's new movie, "LINCOLN" and Quentin Tarrantino's latest film, "DJANGO UNCHAINED", I found myself thinking about movies I have seen about slavery – especially slavery practiced in the United States. Below is a list of my favorite movies on the subject in chronological order:
"Skin Game" (1971) – James Garner and Lou Gossett Jr. co-starred in this unusual comedy about two antebellum drifter who pull the "skin game" – a con that involves one of them selling the other as a slave for money before the pair can escape and pull the same con in another town. Paul Bogart directed.
"Mandingo" (1975) – Reviled by many critics as melodramatic sleaze, this 1975 adaptation of Kyle Onstott's 1957 novel revealed one of the most uncompromising peeks into slave breeding in the American South, two decades before the Civil War. Directed by Richard Fleischer, the movie starred James Mason, Perry King, Brenda Sykes, Susan George and Ken Norton.
"Roots" (1977) – David Wolper produced this television miniseries adaptation of Alex Haley's 1976 about his mother's family history as American slaves during a century long period between the mid-18th century and the end of the Civil War. LeVar Burton, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, Georg Sanford Brown and Lou Gossett Jr. starred.
"Half-Slave, Half-Free: Solomon Northup's Odyssey" (1984) – Avery Brooks starred in this television adaptation of free born Solomon Northup's 1853 autobiography about his twelve years as a slave in antebellum Louisiana. Gordon Parks directed.
"North and South" (1985) – David Wolper produced this television adaptation of John Jakes' 1982 novel about the experiences of two American families and the growing discord over slavery during the twenty years before the American Civil War. Patrick Swayze and James Read starred.
"Race to Freedom: The Story of the Underground Railroad" (1994) – This made-for-television movie told the story about four North Carolina slaves' escape to Canada, following the passage of the Compromise of 1850. Janet Bailey and Courtney B. Vance starred.
"The Journey of August King" (1996) – Jason Patric and Thandie Newton starred in this adaptation of John Ehle's 1971 novel about an early 19th century North Carolina farmer who finds himself helping a female slave escape from her master and slave catchers. John Duigan directed.
"A Respectable Trade" (1998) – Emma Fielding, Ariyon Bakare and Warren Clarke starred in this television adaptation of Philippa Gregory's 1992 novel about the forbidden love affair between an African born slave and the wife of his English master in 18th century Bristol. Suri Krishnamma directed.
"Mansfield Park" (1999) – Slavery is heavily emphasized in Patricia Rozema's adaptation of Jane Austen's 1814 novel about a young English woman's stay with her rich relatives during the first decade of the 19th century. Frances O'Connor and Jonny Lee Miller starred.
"Human Trafficking" (2005) – Mira Sorvino starred in this miniseries about the experiences of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent investigating the modern day sex slave trafficking business. Donald Sutherland and Robert Caryle co-starred.
"Amazing Grace" (2007) – Michael Apted directed this account of William Wilberforce's campaign against the slave trade throughout the British Empire in Parliament. Ioan Gruffudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Romola Garai Rufus Sewell and Albert Finney starred.
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (2012) – History and the supernatural merged in this interesting adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 novel about the 16th president's activities as a vampire hunter. Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie and Mary Elizabeth Winstead starred.
"Lincoln" (2012) – Daniel Day-Lewis portrayed the 16th president in Steven Spielberg's fascinating account of Lincoln's efforts to end U.S. slavery, by having Congress pass the 13th Amendment of the Constitution. Sally Field, David Strathairn and Tommy Lee Jones co-starred.
"Django Unchained" (2012) – Quentin Tarantino directed this take on Spaghetti Westerns about a slave-turned-bounty hunter and his mentor, who sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo Di Caprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson starred.
Filed under: Book Review, Essay, History, Movies, Television | Tagged: abraham lincoln, adam drive, alessandro nivola, american revolution, andrew duggan, antebellum, anthony mackie, art evans, ato essandoh, avery brooks, ben masters, ben vereen, benedict cumberbatch, benjamin walker, brenda sykes, british empire, bruce dern, chase edmunds, christoph waltz, chuck connors, ciarán hinds, cicely tyson, civil war, colman domingo, colonial america, cooper huckabee, courtney b. vance, dakin matthews, dana gourrier, dane dehaan, daniel day-lewis, david carradine, david oyelowo, david strathairn, dawnn lewis, dominic cooper, don johnson, donald sutherland, doug mclure, early america, edward asner, elizabeth taylor, embeth davidtz, erica gimpel, forest whitaker, frances o'connor, georg stanford brown, gilded age, gloria reuben, glynn turman, gulliver mcgrath, hal holbrook, history, ioan gruffudd, j.c. quinn, jackie earle haley, james garner, james mason, james purefoy, james read, james russo, jamie foxx, jane austen, janet league, jared harris, jason patric, jay mcmillan, jean simmons, jeremy swift, ji-tu cumbuka, jim metzler, joe seneca, john hawkes, john jakes, john saxon, jonny lee miller, joseph gordon-levitt, ken broadhurst, ken norton, kerry washington, kirstie alley, larry drake, lee bryant, lee horsley, lee pace, lesley anne down, lesley uggams, levar burton, lewis smith, lillian hayman, lindsay duncan, literary, lloyd bridges, lou gossett jr., mary elizabeth winstead, mason adams, mexican-american war, michael gambon, michael parks, mira sorvino, movies, music, nicholas farrell, north and south, old hollywood, old west, olivia cole, patrick swayze, paul benedict, perry king, petronia paley, philip casnoff, politics, quentin tarantino, rhetta greene, richard roundtree, richard ward, robert carlyle, robert carradine, romola garai, ron white, roots, rufus sewell, sally field, sam waterston, samuel l. jackson, seth grahame-smith, slavery, solomon northup, sports, steven spielberg, susan clark, susan george, sylvestra de tourzel, television, thandie newton, tim burton, toby jones, tom fisher, tommy lee jones, travel, victoria hamilton, walton goggins, warren clarke, wayne duvall, william camp |	1 Comment »
"THE GOOD SHEPHERD" (2006) Review
As far as I know, Academy Award winning actor Robert De Niro has directed at least two movies during his long career. One of them was the 1992 movie, "A BRONX'S TALE", which I have yet to see. The other was the 2006 espionage epic called "THE GOOD SHEPHERD".
Starring Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" told the fictionalized story about the birth of the Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.) and counter-intelligence through the eyes of one man named Edward Wilson. Edward, the product of an East Coast aristocratic family and a C.I.A. official, has received an anonymous package during the spring of 1961. The famous C.I.A operation, the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba had just failed. Inside the package is a reel-to-reel tape that reveals two unidentifiable people engaged in sex. Suspecting that the tape might reveal leads to the failure behind the Cuban operation, Edward has the tape investigated. The results lead to a possibility that the operation's failure may have originated very close to home. During Edward's investigation of the reel tape and the failure behind the Bay of Pigs, the movie reveals the history of his personal life and his career in both the C.I.A. and the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) during World War II.
Many film critics and historians believe that the Edward Wilson character in "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" is loosely based upon the lives and careers of American intelligence officers, James Jesus Angelton and Richard M. Bissell, Jr.. And there might be some truth in this observation. But if I must be frank, I was never really concerned if the movie was a loose biography of anyone associated with the C.I.A. My concerns mainly focused on whether "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" is a good movie. Mind you, I had a few quibbles with it, but in the end I thought it was an above-average movie that gave moviegoers a peek into the operations of the C.I.A. and this country's history between 1939 and 1961.
It is a pity that "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" was marred by a handful of prominent flaws. It really had the potential to be a well-made and memorable film. One of the problems I had were most of the characters' emotional repression. Are we really supposed to believe that nearly every member of the upper-class in the country's Northeast region are incapable of expressing overt emotion? I am not claiming that the performances were bad. Frankly, I was very impress by the performances featured in the movie. But the idea of nearly every major character – especially those born with a silver spoon – barely speaking above an audible whisper, due to his or her priviledged background, strikes me as more of a cliché than interesting and/or original characterization. I never understood what led Edward to finally realize that the man he believed was the genuine KGB defector Valentin Mironov, was actually a double agent. He should have realized this when the real Mironov had arrived several years earlier. The circumstances that led Edward to seek evidence inside one of the fake defector's struck me as rather vague and far-reaching on screenwriter Eric Roth's part. My main problem with "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" was its pacing. It was simply TOO DAMN SLOW. The movie has an interesting story, but De Niro's snail-like pacing made it difficult for me to maintain my interest in one sitting. Thank goodness for DVDs. I feel that the only way to truly appreciate "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" without falling asleep is to watch a DVD copy in installments.
However, thanks to Eric Roth's screenplay and Robert De Niro's direction, "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" offered plenty of scenes and moments to enjoy. The moment of seduction at a Skull and Bones gathering that led Edward into a loveless marriage with Margaret 'Clover' Russell struck me as fascinating. It was a moment filled with passion and sex. Yet, the circumstances – namely Margaret's pregnancy – forced Edward to give up a college love and marry a woman he did not truly love. I also enjoyed how De Niro and Roth used flashbacks to reveal the incidents in Edward's post-college life and C.I.A. career, while he persisted into his investigation of the mysterious tape in the movie's present day (1961). I was especially impressed by De Niro's smooth ability to handle the transition from the present, to the past and back without missing a beat.
There were two scenes really stood out for me. One involved the Agency's interrogation of the real Soviet defector, Valentin Mironov. I found it brutal, somewhat bloody and rather tragic in a perverse way. The other scene featured a loud and emotional quarrel between Edward and Margaret over the latter's demand that Edward should convince his son not to join the C.I.A. What made this quarrel interesting is that after twenty years of a quiet and repressive marriage, the two finally revealed their true feelings for each other. But the best aspect of "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" was its depiction of how a decent, yet flawed allowed his work in intelligence and his position of power within the intelligence community warp his character. The higher Edward rose within the ranks of the C.I.A., the more he distanced himself from his family with his lies and secrets, and the more he was willing to corrupt himself in the name of national security . . . even to the extent of disrupting his son's chance for happiness.
"THE GOOD SHEPHERD" must be one of the few large-scale movie productions, whose photography and production designs failed to give the impression of an epic. I found Robert Richardson's photography rather limited, despite the numerous settings featured in the plot. So much of the movie's scenes featured an interior setting. Yet, even most of the exterior scenes seemed to reflect a limited view. In the end, it was up to the movie's 167 minute running time and 22 years time span that gave "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" an epic feel to it.
Robert De Niro and the casting team did a pretty good job in their selection of the cast. The only one I had a problem with was actor Lee Pace, who portrayed a fictionalized version of C.I.A. director Richard Helms named . . . Richard Hayes. I have always viewed Pace as an outstanding actor, but he spent most of his scenes smirking on the sidelines or making slightly insidious comments to the Edward Wilson character. I believe Roth's screenplay had failed to give substance to his role. But there were plenty of other good supporting performances. I was especially impressed by Oleg Shtefanko's subtle, yet insidious portryal of Edward's KGB counterpart, Stas Siyanko aka Ulysses. Director Robert De Niro, John Sessions, Alec Baldwin, William Hurt, Billy Crudup, Joe Pesci and Tammy Blanchard all gave solid performances. Eddie Redmayne held his own with both Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie as the Wilsons' intimidated and resentful son, Edward Wilson, Jr. Michael Gambon was his usual competent self as an MI-6 spymaster named Dr. Fredricks. Gambon was also lucky to give one of the best lines in the movie.
At least three performances impressed me. John Tuturro was very memorable as Edward's tough and ruthless deputy, Ray Brocco. For once, De Niro's insistence upon minimilist acting worked very well in Tuturro's favor. The actor did an excellent job in portraying Brocco's aggression with a very subtle performance, producing an interesting contrast in the character's personality. I realize that Angelina Jolie had won her Oscar for "GIRL, INTERRUPTED", a movie that had been released at least seven years before "THE GOOD SHEPHERD". But I sincerely believe that her portryal of Edward's long suffering wife, Margaret, was the first role in which she truly impressed me. She tossed away her usual habits and little tricks in order to give a very mature and subtle performance as a woman slowly sinking under the weight of a loveless and repressive marriage. And I believe that Jolie has not looked back, since. The task of carrying the 167-minute film fell upon the shoulders of Matt Damon and as usual, he was more than up to the job. And while there were times when his performance seemed a bit too subtle, I cannot deny that he did a superb job of developing the Edward Wilson character from a priviledge, yet inexperienced college student to a mature and emotionally repressed man who was willing to live with the negative aspects of his profession.
I do not believe that "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" will ever be considered as a great film. It has a small number of flaws, but those flaws were not as minor as they should have been – especially the slow pacing that threatened to put me to sleep. But I cannot deny it is damn good movie, thanks to Robert De Niro's direction, Eric Roth's screenplay and a talented cast led by Matt Damon. Five years have passed since its release. It seems a pity that De Niro has not directed a movie since.
Filed under: History, Movies | Tagged: alec baldwin, angelina jolie, bay of pigs, billy crudup, cold war, eddie redmayne, french colonial empire, history, joe pesci, john sessions, lee bryant, lee pace, matt damon, michael gambon, movies, politics, robert deniro, soviet bloc, william hurt, world war 2 |	Leave a comment »


1. Data entry and analysis for project information into ERP System.
2. Create master document schedule as per contract requirement.
3. Record, tracking and update status of document flow through and from client and the company.
4.Provide all necessary information requested by Project Team members.
1. Possess SPM or certificate in any related field.
2. Computer literate in Microsoft Work, Excel and Powerpoint.


text:
Many elected officials within the Township are proud members of the Randolph Republican Club.
Joanne Veech
Deputy Mayor Joanne Veech was selected August 4, 2011 to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of former council member Gary Algeier and then was elected for a full term beginning in 2013 and then was re-elected in 2016. Veech, who served as deputy mayor in 2014 and mayor in 2015, is a long time volunteer who has been a commissioner on the board of adjustment for over a decade and chaired Randolph Township's Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC), bringing statewide recognition for Randolph's lead on teen driver safety. She developed and delivered the modified "Alive at 25" program to thousands of adults, police officers and teens and co-authored a "How to Guide" for municipalities to start their own TAC and conduct high school parent and teen programs. Councilwoman Veech was awarded the New Jersey Safety Council's Distinguished Service Award, "The Beacon Award," in 2009 and was named a "New Jersey State GDL Champion 2011." She has served as liaison to the following boards and committees: recreation, parks, library, board of health, safety, planning board, traffic advisory, environmental and is currently working with the newly formed community garden subcommittee. She has a long history of service with recreation and high school sports' booster clubs. She has a BS in accounting, an MBA, and is a NJ Certified Internal Auditor in inactive status. A member of Resurrection Parish and an FDU graduate, she is a director of global human capital at Pricewaterhouse Coopers and resides with her husband Skip on Tammy Hill Trail. Her two grown sons Billy and Blaise live near by.
Lance Tkacs
Lance Tkacs was elected to the Randolph Township Council in November of 2016. He's entering his seventh year on the township's planning board and was a member of the economic development committee for five years. He is vice president of the Randolph County Committee, has been vice president of the Randolph Republican Club and is a County College of Morris trustee. He has a BS in mechanical engineering technology from NJIT and is the director of operations at Protameen Chemicals Inc. A member of Hilltop Presbyterian Church, Lance and his wife Kim have been Randolph residents for almost two decades and reside in the Ironia section of the township. They have three adult children—Jessica, Erik and Monica.
Christine Carey
Mayor Christine Carey was elected to the Randolph Township Council in November of 2012. During calendar year 2016, she was the township's deputy mayor, followed by a stint as mayor in 2017 and then deputy mayor again in 2019. She is a long time volunteer in the Randolph community who has served on the board of adjustment, the planning board, parks committee, recreation committee, library board of trustees, Center Grove PTA and Randolph PTA Council. Chris was previously elected to three terms on the Randolph Board of Education and served as president for four years. She has also been active in Resurrection Parish and on the board of the Friends of Jersey Battered Women's Services. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Golden Gate University Law School, Chris has worked for many years in the pharmaceutical industry and is currently a vice president at WebMD. A township resident for more than twenty years, Chris resides on Wilkeshire Boulevard with her husband Frank Brenner. They have three children—Kelsey, Nick and Joey.
Lou Nisivoccia
Lou Nisivoccia was elected to the Randolph Township Council in November of 2018. Lou has served as president of the Randolph Area Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the following Randolph Township committees: economic development committee, recreation advisory committee, advisory environmental and landmark committee, board of health, and a trustee on Randolph Township's library board. He is also a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Morris County Airport Advisory Committee, First Bank Advisory Board and the Randolph Football Alumni Association and serves as a co-catechist at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish. He is a past president of The 200 Club of Morris County, a non-profit organization supporting the families of fallen police officers and firefighters. A graduate of Randolph schools and Cornell University, Lou is the founder and managing director of Nisivoccia Consulting LLC. A lifelong Randolph resident, Lou resides on Heritage Court with his wife (and best friend!) Jackie and their two children who attend Randolph schools.
Jim Loveys
Jim Loveys was selected August 30, 2010 to serve out the term of former council member Jay Alpert and then was elected for a full term beginning in 2011. He previously served as deputy mayor in 2013 and then mayor in 2014 and 2019. He is a long time volunteer who has served on the landmarks committee, several recreation committees, and has coached baseball, football, hockey and soccer. He serves as an usher at St. Matthew's Parish where he was formerly a member of its building committee. A graduate of Middlebury College with a BA in economics, Jim has been a partner in a Parsippany real estate management firm for the past twenty-nine years. A Randolph resident for over twenty-five years, Jim resides on Fieldcrest Court in Ironia with his wife Karen and their four children.
Mark H. Forstenhausler
Mark H. Forstenhausler was appointed in February of 2014 to fill the council seat left vacant by Thomas MacArthur and then was elected for full terms beginning in 2015. Mark, who was mayor in 2018, has been a long-time volunteer, serving as a volunteer firefighter in Randolph for 25 years. He served as Millbrook Company #2 chief in 1999 – 2000 and Randolph Township Fire Department Chief in 2005 – 2006. Mark has also served as a commissioner on the Randolph Township Board of Adjustment for three years. Since joining the council he has also served as council liaison to the recreation committee, safety committee, environmental commission, municipal alliance committee, wildlife management advisory committee and the board of education, in addition to many other work groups and committees. He is a parishioner of Resurrection Parish. Before moving to Randolph he was a volunteer firefighter in North Caldwell for 17 years. There he served in many roles including president and assistant fire chief. After achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, Mark volunteered as an assistant scout master. He is a graduate of Montclair State University. He is currently employed as a fire protection consultant with City Fire Equipment Company in East Hanover. A township resident for 25 years, Mark resides on Heather Lane with his wife Susan and daughter Lauren, who recently graduated from Randolph High School and currently attends Cornell University.
Marie Potter
Marie Potter was elected to the Randolph Township Council in November of 2018. As a volunteer in Randolph, Marie has served on the Randolph Township Board of Adjustment for four years, several recreation committees, and coached girls' basketball. Marie has been on the board of Center Grove Elementary School and chaired the build of the playground. As a previous Randolph Education Foundation (REF) board member, Marie founded the "Randolph Rocks 5K" race and she initiated REF's "Second Pair" project to provide warm clothing for Randolph students in need. Marie is an active member of St. Matthew's parish in Randolph, where she formerly served as a trustee. Marie earned a bachelor's degree in engineering and master's degree in computer science, both from Stevens Institute of Technology. As Randolph residents for over twenty years, Marie and her husband John reside on Shadowbrook Way where they are raising their four children—Sean, Katie, Matthew and Caroline.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Dark Was The Night - The Music of Blind Willie Johnson
Recently, I picked up a copy of Dark Was The Night, a collection of the gospel-blues recordings of slide guitarist Blind Willie Johnson, a Texas street-corner evangelist whose amazing guitar work was a major influence on scores of guitarists since his heyday in the early 1930's. Many of his songs, including most of the sixteen tracks on this CD, have become standards and have been covered by many of today's guitarists.
I first heard Johnson on another collection that I bought in the early 90's when I first started exploring pre-war blues, via the Roots 'n Blues series of recordings released by Columbia/Legacy in the early 90's. Legends of the Blues, Vol. 1 had 20 fantastic tracks and is an excellent way to start listening to pre-war blues. Johnson's "Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying" was on that set, along with a lot of other great songs that really helped open up the early blues world for me.
It was Johnson's song that really grabbed me though. The fierce slide guitar and his passionate, gruff vocals were unlike anything I'd ever heard at that time. I wasn't really sure what to do with it. I remember listening to it over and over again. A few weeks earlier, I had gotten a copy of Yazoo Records mail order catalog and I remembered seeing an album of Johnson's, but I wasn't sure whether to get it or not. His music was that heavy. It was so emotional, heartfelt, and intense.
Eventually, Columbia/Legacy released a two-album set (The Complete Blind Willie Johnson) which captured all of Johnson's recordings that have been found. I picked up a cassette copy of it in the mid 90's. By then, I was able to take it all in. His guitar work is truly astounding at times, and his vocals brought chills.
Though Johnson played gospel music, his life was as close to the stereotype of a blues man as you can probably get. He was born near Temple, Texas, in a community called Pendleton, around the turn of the century (dates vary from 1897 to 1902). His mother died when he was very young and his father remarried. When Johnson was about seven years old, his father and stepmother were in a fight. He caught her going out with another man and beat her. Out of spite, she threw lye water at Willie's father, but the lye got in the youngster's eyes and blinded him.
As Johnson got older, he began playing guitar to earn money. When he was five, he had wanted to be a preacher and had constructed his own cigar box guitar. It was said Johnson played slide guitar using a pocketknife instead of a bottleneck. However, the only known picture of Johnson shows him with a bottleneck on the pinky finger of his left hand. Sometimes he did play without a slide. His guitar work showed elements of gospel and blues influences, but Johnson didn't want to be a blues man.
Playing music was one of the few ways a blind man could earn a living of any kind back in those days, so his father would leave him on street corners to sing. Samuel Charters relayed a story about Johnson nearly starting a riot at a New Orleans court house when he sang "If I Had My Way I'd Tear The Building Down," which was about the story of Samson and Delilah. He was arrested by a New Orleans policeman for incitement while singing the song in front of the Customs House. Apparently, the police officer took the title lyric literally.
In 1927, Johnson recorded the first six of 30 songs for Columbia Records. They included "If I Had My Way," "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time," which is also known as "Motherless Children," and "It's Nobody's Fault But Mine," all of which are recognized classics that have been covered by numerous blues men over the years. He also recorded "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed," "I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole," and the spellbinding "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground,"
"Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground" was about the crucifixion of Christ, and consists of Johnson's beautiful, otherworldly slide guitar and his wordless, passionate moaning. It sends chills down your spine, even if you don't know the basis for the song. If you do know, it will hit you straight through the heart.
Johnson recorded for Columbia several more times between 1927 and 1930, sometimes accompanied by his first wife, Willie B. Harris, who had also performed with him on the streets in the areas between Dallas and Waco, where Johnson mixed sermons (he became a Baptist preacher) and music during his performances. Some of the standouts of those sessions included "I Just Can't Keep From Cryin'," "God Don't Never Change," "You'll Need Someone On Your Bond," and "John The Revelator." Johnson was one of Columbia's best-selling artists in his genre, but never recorded again after 1930.
Still, he continued to perform on the streets during the 30's and 40's, singing and preaching the gospel. By the mid-40's, he had settled in Beaumont, TX, where he served at the House of Prayer. In the late summer of 1945, his house burned to the ground. Johnson and his second wife, Angeline, lived in the burned-out remains of their house because they had nowhere else to go and slept on a wet bed in the searing Texas summer heat. Johnson contracted pneumonia and died just a couple of weeks later.
Artists from Eric Clapton to Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, to Peter, Paul, and Mary and Robert Randolph have recorded Johnson's songs. "Dark Was The Night" was included as one of the music tracks placed on the unmanned Voyager space probe. It was the primary influence of Ry Cooder's soundtrack to the movie Paris, Texas. It's appeared on several TV shows, including The West Wing and The Walking Dead, and was one of the featured tunes on the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line.
Recently, Alligator Records issued a tribute album to Johnson, called God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson, featuring Johnson's songs as interpreted by artists such as Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, the Cowboy Junkies, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi, Luther Dickinson, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and others.
There are several fine sources for Johnson's music. Yazoo Records collected these songs on two albums, Praise God I'm Satisfied and Sweeter as the Years Go By in 1989 and 1990. Columbia released The Complete Blind Willie Johnson in 1993 with slightly improved sound, then released Dark Was The Night about five years later, a more concise set of 16 songs, which is the best place for a new listener to start.
Posted by Graham at 12:01 AM
Ten Questions With.....Eddie Turner
New Blues For You - Summer, 2016 Edition (Part 4)
Ten Questions With......Ed Baldwin, Author of Slid...
Dark Was The Night - The Music of Blind Willie Joh...


text:
Bombardópolis (em crioulo, Bonbadopolis), é uma comuna do Haiti, situada no departamento do Noroeste e no arrondissement de Môle Saint-Nicolas. De acordo com o censo de 2003, sua população total é de 27.000 habitantes.

Ver também
 Comunas do Haiti

Ligações externas

Comunas do arrondissement de Môle Saint-Nicolas

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The library houses an assistive technology room on the south end of the 2nd floor. Please read the library's Assistive Technology Policy (PDF) and see a librarian the 2nd floor Research Desk for assistance with accessing the equipment.
CCTV: a device provides magnification of materials, reverse imaging, changeable combinations of text and background, and margin adjustments.
Kurzweil 3000: Kurzweil is a comprehensive software package including synthesized reading, OCR, digital annotation, test-taking, and word-processing capabilities. Kurzweil 3000 presents material in either visual or auditory formats. It may be able to help students with visual impairments, learning differences or disabilities, ESL concerns, difficulty reading, or test anxiety.
OpenBook: OPENBook is an optical character recognition (OCR) scanning software used for scanning and reading printed text. Books or papers are placed on the scanner, scanned, and translated into speech. Users "listen" to the scanned text with headphones. The text is also displayed on the monitor and can be considerably enlarged. A yellow cursor movers over each word as the text is "read" into the headset. Because the text is displayed on the screen, it may also improve reading skills.
Zoom Text screen magnification software: Zoom Text is a computer program that magnifies the computer screen and is designed to assist the visually impaired. The software can increase the size of the screen from two to 16 times it's normal size and includes the ability to modify display colors to increase contrast, invert colors (i.e. white letters on a black background), or switch to a grayscale display.
Dragon Naturally Speaking/Dictate: This software allows a patron to create documents by dictation and to operate Windows with a set of vocal commands. The advantage of this software is that it "learns" to understand an individual's voice as he/she speaks naturally. With Dragon Naturally Speaking/Dictate a user can compose documents in Word by vocal commands.
JAWS (Job Access With Success): This software reads the computer screen to users. It is particularly useful for reading web pages as well as windows and menus that appear on-screen. Headphones are provided so that other library users are not disturbed.
Ask at the 1st floor Service Desk.