RNMorton

So a huge problem of modern civilization, foreseen long ago, is dealing with terror groups that infest themselves within ordinary popuations. They do so without regard to their impact on innocent civilians, or even wishing for civilian casualties to further their cause, like Hamas.

I am assuming that this movie accurately portrays street fighting in Iraq in the new millenium. The actors were unknown to me (but very good), the action was literally non-stop from say ten minutes into the movie until the end.

There is no manual or explanation provided with this movie. What you see is what you get. Which seemed to be the deliberate nesting of coordinated units in various homes in a target Iraqi city and waiting for the bad guys to attack. I'm not sure of this strategy based on this movie, but then again I don't know of any better idea.

It's not a fault to say the basics of this movie have been done many times before. Most of those can't match the intensity of this one. And one unique aspect is that the location of the camera never changes from the residence and the street outside.

So I thought it was really good, I don't think it will have nearly the same impact on television. Just grab on to the arms of your chair in the theater when the unit orders in a "show of force".

Chamalet takes Bob Dylan and makes him his own. Never a huge Dylan fan (except for Tangled up in Blue) but I could see becoming one now. We follow young Bob from his arrival in the Big Apple through his first albums and the Monterrey and Newport festivals. Lots of good supporting characters, including Pete Seeger (excellently and gently played by Ed Norton), and Fanning as the part-time girlfriend. It appears The Bard himself had some veto power on certain aspects of the film. The focus is Dylan's success up to the electric transition (which I can recall even as a ten year old). You are flawlessly engulfed In the culture of the early 60's in and around NYC, and the actors become the real people. Quality cinema is few and far between now, but this really shines. Deserving at least of Oscars for Timothy and Picture. The movie went a little long but it was all good stuff, enjoy..

Which is not necessarily a bad thing, at least in this case. I welcome modern movies and series being a little simpler to follow, like Gilligan's Island. And that actually talk about the real God in a respectful way. But I digress. This is really more of a Hollywood-ized (although I doubt it was anything Hollywood) tribute to a good American president. If it weren't for being drowned in the Hollywood and mass-media left for the last many years I would be tougher on the only-the-good-part angle. Dennis Quaid, who's often a stiff, does a career performance as Dutch, along with Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy (maybe the best performance of the movie). Nice to see Jon Voight in an over-used and likely madeup role as a Soviet spy explaining how Reagen brought down the USSR. But then again, hundreds of millions of Eastern Europeans have Dutch to thank for being free rather than under the Russian thumb. Maybe some special people earn a tribute rather than an expose. Enjoy.

P. S., for all the complainers about the "accuracy" of this movie, just remember we've had to put up with all your political media fantasies for the past 8 years that far outdo anything here.