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Showing: November 7

It’s that time of the year again—when we get Oscar Contenders and Christmas-y movies thrown at us by the hundreds. I exaggerate, but you get what I mean. Here’s a movie of the Oscar Contender variety.

Two determined Political Science majors, Arian and Earnest, are inspired by their idealistic professor, Dr. Malley, to make a difference in the world. They decide that the best way to do this is to join the battle in Afghanistan. Now, as they struggle to survive in the battlefield, Malley uses their story to reach a brilliant but disaffected student. Meanwhile, an ambitious senator has granted an interview to a probing journalist about his plans on the conflict in Afghanistan, plans that directly affect the fates of Arian and Earnest. Their stories are woven together in a tale that shows how each of these characters has an impact on the each other.

Clearly, you don’t go to see this one to spend a leisurely time at the movies. There’s nothing popcorn about this flick. Maybe I shouldn’t even be calling it “flick”! Now before you go start getting hives and thinking, “Well, that’s one movie I’m staying away from”, you should know that it is a good movie and worth seeing. It makes you think about what’s going on in the world today. Sure, it’s as American as milkshake and fries but being a savvy woman of the world, you know that the decisions made on the other side of the world, affect our lives just the same as if it happened in our own backyard.

I must say though, it felt more like a two-hour discourse on America’s war on terror than anything else. It’s easy enough to follow what’s going on, despite the interwoven storylines. I just don’t like the parts between the professor and his star pupil. I get it…and it makes sense, and has a place in the whole context of the movie but it just feels too much like the movie trying to explain itself.

I’m not a huge fan of He-who-jumps-on-couches-to-profess-his-love-for-a-former-Dawson’s-Creek-er. But he and his single-minded intensity work well in the role of an ambitious politician who will do “whatever it takes” to win the war on terror. Speaking of terror, he was terrifying in this movie. Are all politicians like his Jasper Irving? *Shudder*

And then there’s Meryl Streep. The woman once again shows us why she is The. Acting. Godess. (Cate Blanchette is a v. close runner-up.) I would watch a two-hour movie of nothing but Meryl Streep brushing her hair, she’s that good. Watch for that scene where she talks to her editor in his office about the responsibilities of journalists…and she keeps harping on about how hot it is in the room. She makes her character so human and so real.

I’d say watch it and have a debate with someone afterwards. Sometimes it’s healthy to talk about something other than that new pair of shoes that you’ve been eyeing and what happened on last night’s episode of PBB. Or just watch it for the compelling performances…at least you’ll know what they got nominated for come Oscar time.

P.S. So did the student come back to class?

This entry was posted on Monday, November 12th, 2007 at 6:00 am and is filed under Media (Books, CDs, DVDs, Movies). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.