The Terminal

This is almost a story about nothing. But if you have patience, and if you allow yourself to become part of this story, it becomes much more. It is a very personal, very real, story of integrity, loyalty, and faith.

If you have ever been stuck in an airport in a foreign country, alone, with nothing to do but wait for your next flight, you should be able to relate to the main character of this story. His wait was only a year-long struggle for survival and battle of wits against the airport administrator.

Director Steven Spielberg does a commendable job here in not over-telling the story. There are no special effects. There are no Hollywood moments. There are only good actors doing their job and making it very fun for us to watch.

Tom Hanks plays a man who's country falls into chaos just as he flies to New York to lovingly comply with a Father's wish. When he lands, customs and airport security cannot accept his visa and passport from a country that no longer exists. So he must wait in the terminal until the wheels of bureaucracy turn. While there, he learns to eek out a living in various ways, all of them creative and entertaining. World travelers take note, and take pity.

Stanley Tucci (Big Night, Lucky Number Sleven, and The Devil Wears Prada) very acutely sums up the airport administrator. We learn yet again that Tucci is much better at comedy than he is at being a bad guy. But, when he is both, it's pure magic.

Catherine Zeta-Jones (Mask of Zorro, Entrapment, and the film version of Chicago) plays a Flight Attendant for whom our stranded tourist has a hankering. His overtures to her are both clumsy and magnificent. The mosaic is my personal favorite.

It appears the people either love or hate this movie. I loved it. Call it a Litmus test to see how close you movie tastes are with mine. The music is top notch and it does not hurt that the sub plot is totally about Jazz greats of the 1950's. If you skipped this movie back in 2004 for whatever reason, please give it a second chance.

Watch it with someone who loves their father.

Space Cowboys

Clint Eastwood stars in and directs this very fun story based on the old axiom "Age and treachery with always overcome youth and vigor".

With the popularity of Senator John Glenn's geriatric space experiments in 1998 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, timing of Space Cowboys was perfect.

Eastwood was able to bring huge talent to the project with the expected magical results.

Tommy Lee Jones (Coal Miner's Daughter, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Fugitive) plays yet another role he seemed born to play. A very touching scene sums it up for him late in the film when he lovingly compares himself to an aging aircraft. This type of writing and acting is throughout the movie. Each character has a Hollywood moment.

Donald Sutherland (Kelly's Heroes, M*A*S*H, Backdraft, and Kiefer's father) plays the role every man over 60 dreams of. He is an uber-hip ex-astronaut who designs roller coasters. Who would not want this guy as a Grandfather?

James Garner (The Great Escape, Support Your Local Sheriff, and Victor Victoria) rounds the group of senior ex-jet-jockeys brought back into service to save the planet from sure destruction from antiquated nuclear weapons in decaying earth orbit.

Marcia Gay Harden (First Wives Club, Meet Joe Black, and recently Into the Wild) adds enough feminine touch to the main character group to keep things in balance.

Other names of note who come and go in the story are James Cromwell, Blair Brown, Jay Leno, William Devane, Loren Dean, and Rade Serbedijza.

Watch it with someone who is older and wiser.

Legend of 1900

Okay movie buffs, what do the films Cinema Paradiso, Rob Roy, and Nobody's Fool have in common? Right, good guess. The Legend of 1900. Each movie contributed key players to this amazing project.

Director Giuseppe Tornatore, puts this amazing story to film 10 years after his Cinema Paradise triumph. This movie raises the bar of "a good story well told" very high.

Pruitt Taylor Vince (Nobody's Fool, JFK, CSI and Deadwood series) plays a down and out jazz musician with an unlikely story to tell. He know of the greatest jazz pianist who ever lived. He was born and 99% of his life aboard a cruise ship. The ship is about to be decommissioned and sunk to make an artificial reef, and Vince's character thinks the pianist is still living aboard the abandoned ship.

Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Rob Roy) plays the pianist, named 1900, because that is the year folks think he was born aboard a cruise ship. The shy a-social kid grows up listening to the rhythm of the ship, and the many entertainers who come and go.

Terrance Williams III (Mod Squad, TJ Hooker, and Twin Peaks - for you small screen fans) plays Jelly Roll Morton. For you jazz neophytes, Jelly Roll Morton is credited with being the father, the originator, of jazz music. His blues riffs, stomps, and rags can still be heard in traditional and cutting edge jazz. But that is way off topic.

In our story, the the fame of a great jazz pianist who lives on a cruise ship reaches the ears of Jelly Roll Morton. Mr. Morton considers himself the greatest jazz player of all time and books a cruise to meet and out-play the young, white, relatively unknown, upstart. What ensues is a delightful round of dueling jazz pianos.

Even if you are not a huge fan of 1920's jazz and blues, I recommend this movie for one of my top-10 movie magic scenes of all time. Late one night, while a storm rages and the ships pitches and rolls in the ocean, 1900 plays in concert with the storm. The magic happens when he releases the brakes on his piano and is rolls around the room while he plays, never hitting the walls, or anything else. Pure Hollywood razzle dazzle.

Watch this movie with someone who will dance with you during the great music scenes.

Walk The Line - Extended Version

A new special edition, extended version, 2-disc set of this magical movie is well worth the rental or purchase price. The Bonus Features disc alone is an entertaining, education, walk down memory lane.

Can you imagine what it must have been like to be on tour, in a single automobile with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash? All of them on the Sun Records label and in their early 20's. That is clearly not what the movie is about, but does a super job of depicting that portion of the story.

The bonus features disc is not so much about the movie as it is about the life and times of the characters in the story. Interviews with those who played the roles and those who lived the adventure.

How are your music trivia skills? What monster country music group was the warm-up act for Cash's comeback show at Folsom Prison in 1968? And, what country music legend was part of the incarcerated audience at that show?

The extended version of this movie does exactly what an extended version should do. It makes for a better telling of the story. In a bio-pic, that can be critical. They have done a wonderful job with this version.

Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Signs, and Brother Bear) captured the essence of Johnny Cash, and actually had Cash's approval to play the role. But he still had to learn how to play the guitar. Cash was well known for his integrity and honesty in an industry full of folks who prefer the opposite. Phoenix's portrayal of the legend measures up, and will most likely remain among his finest performances. This earned him a Best Actor nominee in 2006.

Reese Witherspoon (The Man on the Moon, Pleasantville, and Just Like Heaven) earned Best Actress honors for her outstanding performance as June Carter Cash. This too will, no doubt, be among her best lifetime performances. She too "became" June, Johnny's personal Angel, anchor, and lifeline.

Many have said the music industry could not be what it is today with the influences of Johnny Cash. Those same people say Johnny Cash could not have been who he was without June Carter Cash. This movie is really about their passion for music and each other.

Watch it with someone who is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.

Man on Fire

Director Tony Scott (Top Gun, The Last Boy Scout, and Crimson Tide) has a gift. First, he attracts great talent to work for him. Second, he tells a story in a way that pulls you in and makes you feel very much a part of it. Most his work is the kind of stuff where you may actually stand up and cheer at certain key moments. Man on Fire is no exception.

A significant chunk of Central America's economy is based in the ransoming of people from wealthy families. Some of these families are native, but most are from other countries. This is not news. But every year, this growth industry gets bigger. While this movie is told in that environment, it is not so much about that environment.

Denzel Washington (too many great ones to list here) has worked with Director Scott before, and always with brilliant success. I hesitate to say this is another of the redemption movies I like so well, but there is an element of that. Washington's character is depressed and at a self-esteem low water mark. He is offered and takes a second chance.

Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds - 2005, and Charlotte's Web - 2006) plays the only daughter of a wealthy family in Mexico. The family hires Washington's character to protect her. See the plot? Yup, the bad guys get her, and he has to get her back.

While the story is really all about Washington's character evolution, there are some wonderful surprise appearances from the likes of Mickey Rourke (Diner, 9 1/2 Weeks, and Angel Heart), and equally oddball Christopher Walken (Deer Hunter, Milagro Beanfield War, and Catch Me if You Can). I always enjoy it when someone I don't expect pops in to spice up a story.

This is a great popcorn movie. Watch it with someone who who needs to reignite their life's mission.

The Hunting Party

Only the most ridiculous parts of this story are true. What a great way to start telling a story. It's almost as if Sam Clemens had returned to write a screenplay. Hey, let a guy dream.

Richard Gere (An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman, and Shall We Dance) picks up a fairly preachy script and, by not taking it too seriously, pulls off a very entertaining movie. This tongue-in-cheek story is well done. Even the sound track will surprise you. Ugly things happen in beautiful places.

Terrance Howard (Ray, Crash, and Four Brothers) has a knack for picking good projects. This one must have been fun for him. As both narrator and strong supporting role, he is not only the only sane character in the story, but a solid common thread.

The question is, can a small group of under-funded, badly prepared journalists, acting on bad information, find one of the world's most wanted war criminals while a host of international military organizations cannot? Remember, only the most ridiculous parts are true. The donuts are fictional.

Let's just say that this story is a conspiracy theorists flight of fancy.

Watch it with someone who "gets" international irony.

As Good As It Gets

It may not get much better than this. Jack Nicholson (too many great roles to list here) won Best Actor for this role in 1998, and it still stands as one of his personal best. While I have been told by many that I resemble his character in this movie, it has no bearing on my high regard for the film. Enough said?

Helen Hunt (Twister, Castaway, and What Women Want) earned Best Actress honors for her role here. Can you name how many other stars have earned an Oscar for playing a Waitress? I thought so.

Even if this movie were just these two fine performances, it would be enough. But wait, there is more great, noteworthy, work to discuss.

Greg Kinnear (Sabrina, We Were Soldiers, and The Matador) was nominated for his supporting role but somehow did not win. Robin Williams did however that year? Was it perhaps because Kinnear's character is flagrantly, tragically, gay? Again, I vector off topic.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (A Few Good Men, Jerry Maquire, and What Dreams May Come) brings his now famous smirk into full power as Kinner's best friend and only defender.

And then there is the little dog, who really does carry this movie. Jill the Dog was wonderful. Why isn't there a category for Best Animal Performance?

This movie has almost everything. Big names. Great one-liners. Social taboos. Children. Animals. Characters you hate to love, and some you love to hate. Social commentary.

Does it really get much better than this? Why didn't it win Best Picture that year? Because Titanic did.

Watch it with someone who can't see how their OCD impacts others.

Gone Baby Gone

No this is absolutely not a Dr. Seuss story. That would be something more like "Spitzer Hires A Ho". But I digress.

In his first directorial outing, Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Shakespeare In Love, and Sum of All Fears), shows that he can write AND direct, and on occasion, act. In this movie however, he just writes and directs. He is not yet a Streisand or Eastwood.

Ben's baby brother Casey (Oceans 11,12, and 13) does an outstanding job here. Acting opposite Michelle Monaghan (Bourne Supremacy, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith), how could you not do your best? The two play a couple of underestimated private investigators hired by a family to find a lost girl. Of course I can't tell you WHAT they find, but it's way more than one might expect.

Morgan Freeman plays a totally different kind of character than I expected. And I loved it. Another favorite of mine, Ed Harris (The Right Stuff, The Abyss, China Moon, and on an on) proves he can still howl with the big dogs.

There are a few other very worthy supporting actors, but I fear if I get into them all, I will by default, give away too much of the plot, which is by no means, predictable. This is much more of a "Who Done What?", than a "Who Done It?"

Watch it with someone who enjoys guessing what will happen next.

Margot At the Wedding

I know I said I would no negative reviews, but I have to make an exception here. One would think that a movie with names like Nicole Kidman, Jack Black, Jennifer Jason Lee, and John Turturro would be a winner. In this case, one would be wrong.

To steal a very good line from the movie, "It's not that he is ugly. He's just completely unattractive." That is exactly how I feel about this movie.

Perhaps this dark comedy was beyond my comprehension. Perhaps the time change has my humor threshold off kilter. I don't know. But I do know that I hated this movie enough to warn you all.

I don't see any value in telling a story about depressed, delusional, self-absorbed New Yorkers, who come together as dysfunctional family and neighbors for a wedding in the Hamptons. It's almost like a "R"-rated version of a Seinfeld episode without the good plot lines, the likable characters, the funny turn of events, and the 22 minute time limit.

I kept waiting for it to get good and worth the watch. It never came. I was very disappointed. I felt sorry for the kids in the story and loathed everyone else. That is not the emotions I think a worthy watch should evoke from us.

No doubt the producers would consider it a success that I'm making this much fuss. They clearly got to me. I don't mind it when a movie makes me angry. That is a valid emotion from a film. This one did not make me angry, it made me sick of the type of people depicted here.

Okay. Enough. Watch this one at your own risk. But please, don't spend good money on it.

The Natural

This is on my top 10 list of favorite movies.

Master story teller and Director Barry Levinson (High Anxiety, Good Morning Vietnam, and Rain Man) gives us a tender family drama mixed with my old redemption factor. He uses larger than life characters to get it done, and delivers us a classic, even for a sports movie. I once met Mr. Levinson in the Laguna Beach Albertsons. As we looked at each other over one of the produce tables, all I could say to him was "Damn fine story-telling. Thank you." He seemed to appreciate my comment, but he has not done anything I like since then. Oh well.

Robert Redford (too many great ones to list here) plays a young AND old baseball player who is haunted as much by his past as he is by the present. Redford is such a stud, he gets not one, but two leading ladies in this film. One good, one bad. Glenn Close (Jagged Edge, Fatal Attraction, and Mel Gibson's Hamlet to list but a few) is as close to angelic as she is likely to be on screen. Kim Basinger (a Bond girl in Connery's final 007 film, 9 1/2 weeks, and Batman) is as deliciously sultry as you'd want in this flawed character role.

Wilford Brimley (Absence of Malice, the Cocoon series, and The Firm) is as enjoyable as Tom Hanks in the role of a broken down, everything to lose, general manager of a baseball team. Richard Farnsworth (Tom Horn, The Grey Fox, and Anne of Green Gables) is basically himself as Brimley's alter-ego assistant manager.

Robert Duvall (M*A*S*H the movie not the series, the Godfather series, Apocalypse Now and too many more to mention) is the only common thread between Redford's past and present, he just does not know it.

If you skipped this movie because it was a sports movie, or about baseball, I recommend watching it for the non-sports themes. Yes, it is set around baseball, but it is not about baseball. It is about fitting into the shoes one is wearing. It is about owning up to who we are.

Memorable moments abound in this well scripted journey. It was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Score, and Glenn Close was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. How could that happen in a sports movie?

Watch it with someone who will go out and play catch with you afterwards.

The Love Letter

What would you think if you found a very romantic love letter, neither addressed nor signed? Would you assume it was for you? Would you tell anyone about it? Would you search for the true author and intended recipient?

Kate Capshaw (Indiana Jones 1 & 2, and Black Rain) leads this very funny romantic romp. Somehow a letter is misplaced, multiple times, and everyone who finds it thinks it is written to them. They also assume they know who wrote it. All in a lovely small New England fishing town where everyone knows everyones business. Nice.

Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do) takes off his shirt and seduces all the employees of the local bookstore especially the owner. Ellen DeGeneres (Finding Nemo and multiple fun TV projects) tries to seduce Tom Selleck (Three Men & A Baby series, Quigley Down Under, and a variety of TV projects). But his character is busy trying to recover from divorce and reconnect with Capshaw's character who is too busy playing the cougar role. Round and round they go. if you have ever lived in a small town, you will recognize many of these characters.

While it may be a chick flick, it is still a fun watch. It's a very clever concept and very well written and acted. Surprise characters and ending may leave you scratching your head, but I would not change a thing about this movie.

Watch it with someone who may be oblivious to your overtures.

Meaningless Milestones

At the opening of the Simpson's 100th episode, Bart is writing on the school chalkboard "I will not celebrate meaningless milestones". If Bart won't, neither will I.

But I will thank you all for the many visits and comments. Since early December, we've had over 500 visitors. I know, I know, that is not exactly party worthy, but it far surpasses any of my expectations.

Special thanks for Jaime for pushing me off the cliff.

Face/Off

Part Sci-Fi, part crime drama, part action adventure, this movie has a little something for everyone. The main characters, representing absolute good and evil, literally and figuratively reverse roles in a fantastic way. While they fail miserably to actually become their enemy, they succeed in convincing everyone else all is well. Almost.

John Travola, the comeback bad guy version (Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, and Swordfish), plays an FBI chief obsessed with a single villain. Nicholas Cage (Con Air, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Lord of War) is at his bad-guy best in this movie. Cage's acting is totally over the top and it's perfect for the role.

Each bad boy has his good girl, and Joan Allen (Peggy Sue Got Married - also with Cage, Bourne series, and Off the Map) is solid as the long-suffering FBI wife. Gina Gershon (Syriana and Kettle of Fish plus tons of other iffy stuff) is the equally long-suffered criminal moll. Only they know for sure who is who.

As thriller movies go, this is a good one. AFI ranks it in the top 100 of all time.

Watch it with someone with at least 2 personalities, and see what happens.

Bubba Ho-Tep

This is not a hoax. There really is a movie called Bubba Ho-Tep. And no, it's not part of the Blue Collar Comedy series. It is however, a very funny movie, albeit a little campy.

Director Don Coscarelli is much better known for his Beastmaster and Phantasm series. I hope he does more comedies in the future. This movie is very much along the lines of "Sean of the Dead". If you liked Sean, and you know I did, you'll also probably like this movie.

Ready for the story line? Okay, stay with me on this. Elvis is not dead. And you know I believe that too. Neither is JFK. This story answers the question of where they both are and what they've been up to. If that does not hook you, please read on.

Elvis and JFK team up to take on the reanimated Im-Ho-Tep, ala the Mummy series. As Ho-Tep's remains are on tour of the US, thieves make off with them but then lose them during the getaway. Somewhere in east Texas, Ho-Tep comes back and starts gobbling up residents of a old folks home. He dons the boots and cowboy hat of his first snack and goes along his merry way with Elvis and JFK hot on his trail. That's all I can tell you.

Bruce Campbell (The Majestic, the Spiderman series, and TV's Xena series) is the perfect Elvis. Ossie Davis (Grumpy Old Men, Do The Right Thing, and TV's Roots) is very convincing as JFK. Trust me on that.

Be prepared to suspend belief and let the concept of this well told story wash over you like a foam party. You know it's wrong, but it's too much fun to stop.

Watch it with someone who is unsure is Elvis is really gone.

Map of the Human Heart

This may be one of the strangest movies I've ever seen, but it is also one of the most satisfying. Director Vincent Ward (What Dreams May Come) has a knack for presenting stories in a unique way. Some people like that, and some don't.

Jason Scott Lee (Jungle Book and Lilo & Stitch) plays in Inuit with a gift for navigation. This finds him favor with a mapmaker and with the US Air Force during World War II. While all this is going on, Lee's character has a running competitive love affair with a girl he meets in a tuberculosis hospital.

Anne Parillaud (Little Nikita and Man In The Iron Mask) plays the girl who deals with attentions from both Lee's character and the mapmaker who brings him to the hospital, played by John Cusack.

What keeps love alive over the years and across the many miles? Do migratory birds need a map to return to the same nesting grounds thousands of miles from their summer homes? Do our hearts know why they feel what they do? Who knows? This movie provides no answers. But, it is a very fun, quirky, love story.

Be prepared for the unexpected and improbable. But Director Ward makes it work. It is difficult to not root for Lee's character regardless of how much you may or may not like him.

Watch this movie with someone who likes maps.

Rendition

Call it whatever you want, it's hard to watch on a screen of any size. Director Gavin Hood (this is the best thing he has done unless you are a big fan of the Stargate series) spins a tale that is almost too confusing. Following an old Hollywood trick, this story is not told in the order it all happens. But, Hood does it so well, you don't mind, and you may not even realize. This earns his effort the "well told" honor.

Now we have to decide if it is a good story. I have to admit to being a bit on the fence about it at this point. It totally depends on your point of view.

Meryl Streep (arguably the best actor of my generation) is at her evil best here. Her character reminds me of way too many people I met during my tenure in DC. Bad memories. I expect you may add this character to your list of top 10 movies villains of all time.

Alan Arkin (The Russians Are Coming, Catch 22, and Little Miss Sunshine) is perfect as a U. S. Senator caught in the middle with a tough choice to make. As a Senator I know once put it "Some of my friends are for it. Some of my friends are against it. Me? I stand by my friends."

Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead, Brokeback Mountain, and Zodiac) does a solid job as a government drone who is put in an awkward and unfamiliar position of having to make a choice and a difference. Trust me, the federal payroll is chock full of folks just like this character.

But the best acting in this movie has go to Omar Metwally. This is his first role in a US movie as far as I know. Please let it not be his last. Maybe his character is telling the truth, maybe he is not. Metwally's acting was so good, I forgot it was acting.

Why have I saved Reese Witherspoon (Pleasantville, Just Like Heaven, and Walk The Line) for last? As much as I like her, I didn't like her in this role. She left me feeling flat. She inspired neither sympathy nor passion like she did in "Walk The Line". It looks like she was just going through the motions here. I know she can do better.

Watch this movie with someone who understands how government works, if that is possible.

The Last Samurai

Generally speaking, Tom Cruise movies are over-hyped. This movie however was the most under-rated movie of 2003. Not only is Cruise (if you don't know, never mind) fantastic as the drunken mess of a civil war hero, but his supporting cast is literally world class.

Ken Watanabe of Japan (Batman Begins, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Letters from Iwo Jima) was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in this film, but did not win. It was a tough year to be nominated. While Watanabe appears to play the same type character in each movie he does, he does it do well, nobody cares. You can't help but like this guy regardless of which character he is playing.

Billy Connolly of Scotland (Disney's Pocahontas, Muppet Treasure Island, and The Boondock Saints) is Cruise's comic sidekick. Connolly is funny as a stand-up comic and is fun to watch in every film he does. His voice is also in high demand in animated movies.

Other familiar American and Asian faces are found throughout this story. It is a gritty telling of how the U. S. government sometimes does more harm than good when it goes messing with the domestic policies of other countries. Sound familiar?

This movie was also nominated for art, sound, and costumes, winning none. Regardless, each is a treasure for the audience. Director Edward Zwick (Legends of the Fall and Blood Diamond) does a faithful job of telling this story. If you didn't know the difference between a Ninja and a Samurai before, you will after watching this movie.

The action is worthy. The emotions are deep. The characters are human, and the scenes are complete.

Watch this movie with someone who knows the difference between blind patriotism and true heroic loyalty.

Under The Tuscan Sun

Have you ever dreamed of living in a villa in Tuscany? Are you the DIY type? Do you like metaphors? If you can answer yes to at least 2 of these, you will most likely enjoy this movie.

Yes, it is a romantic comedy. Yes, it has sappy bits. But, it is a beautiful thing to watch.

Diane Lane (Cotton Club, Lonesome Dove series, and presently in Jumper) does a wonderful job making her character likable, believable, and enjoyable to watch. She goes to Tuscany and buys a run down villa determined to rebuild. She IS the house. Both are a mess. Both require TLC and the touch of a master's hand.

The journey of rebuilding is fun. The supporting cast are perfect for the story. Especially her band of misfit contractors who don't speak English.

Take care to observe the use of the color red in this movie. You will seldom see it, but when you do it means something. European cinema loves to do that. I hope you have noticed?

This is a good movie to watch with someone you have done home projects with. Feel free to laugh at and with each other.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

What genre should we put this movie in? Action Adventure. Okay, it fits there. Period Drama. There too. Military Drama. Okay, that too. I loved this movie because it is all those things plus more. It is good literature. It is a very good story, very well told.

Russell Crowe (LA Confidential, Proof of Life, 3:10 to Yuma) plays the master and commander of HMS Surprise during the Napoleonic Wars. If you think the only exciting chase scene is one with two fast moving cars, think again. If you liked the maritime chases in POTC, you'll love those in this movie as well.

Paul Bettany (A Knight's Tale, A Beautiful Mind, and the evil monk in The Da Vinci Code) plays the ship's doctor and amateur scientist. My favorite scenes revolve around the dilemma these two characters face when chasing another ship around the Galapagos Islands. Bettany discovers finds all the new species decades before Darwin set foot on the islands. Should they fight the good fight or make scientific history? Because they are close friends they want what is best for each other, but they are also loyal subjects of the crown. This makes for good drama.

This movie was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, and won 2. These 2 might not be important to you, but I think the make the whole movie experience complete when they are good, and miserable when they are not. Cinematography and Sound Editing are paramount to good story telling. Director Peter Weir (Gallipoli and Dead Poets Society) knows how to tell a compelling story. This is one of his best.

Watch it with someone with someone who will enjoy Crowe's goofy puns.