Calios

Like someone says in the movie about poetry, look behind the words. There are so many issues one has read in the newspaper in the last few years that are displayed in this movie as to make it a joke. There's a water torture, there's gay guy who's murdered, there's a forced marriage, there's domestic spying, there's fraternity initiation that get's crazy, there's a scene where a jilted wife finds out about her cheating husband and in a social group and throws the photos at him, there's some sex, there's a twist at the end, there's nudity, there's an interracial relationship, gee all that's left is someone being thrown from an airplane... hum.

This movie lost me when the old gay former professor is beaten to death and one hear's cries and screaming and realistically that would not be the case as it would be done very quietly, maybe some dull sounds like someone pounding a rock. The makeup on Alec Baldwin in his first scene was too much as I guess they were trying to make him look pale and close to death. Matt Damon basically plays the role very much like his Mr. Ripley character, showing very little personality. Angelina Jolie acting is passable, but she's no Meryl Streep or Sally Field.

The pace of the movie makes up for Matt Damon's underplaying his role. The switching back and forth over a couple of decades is sometimes dizzying, and Damon's character never seems to age.

Of course this movie attacks the "military industrial business", but like all left wing based movies does not recognize that this business was to keep the USA one step ahead of the USSR, who kept putting the pressure on, via, Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, Angola, etc.

Of course every movie of this caliber depends on stupid, naive people and there's a lot in this one.

This was very well done despite being on a small budget. I was shaking through most of it as I was reliving the experience through the actors and events. The acting and writing was excellent and though the real people surely looked different this movie put faces with the names. The characterizations were done very convincingly and I now want to see photos of the real people to see how well the casting was. I know I will never take for granted my next flight and will be aware of those around me and what they are doing. I found myself wondering during the movie, why hasn't more been done to avenge this day as I still have a empty feeling that those that would attack our country have not been hurt enough for what happened on this day so that they or their children won't attack again. There can be no secret of what happens in the end, but it was very interesting how they figured out what the overheard "Let's roll" quote was for. This movie did make me totally forget everything and I was glued to the television. The "I love you" scenes were nicely done. The movie was not boring, though it could have easily have been. But like the movie "Blackhawk Down" it's a very powerful emotional movie and seeing it more than once can be exhausting, but it's a valuable and enlightening movie and needs to be seen by those that can handle it.

This is so obviously a spin off of Sixth Sense, except the boy is now a girl and grown up. I found the first episode interesting and touching. The characters are realistic and done well. Tyler's best friend is solid and makes me sad that she probably won't be on CSI, because she has such a great role here. The husband is portrayed the weakest, but it's so obvious with his issues and inner struggle he's going to be killed off in a future episode and Hewitt's character will deal with it, probably during sweeps month. I was nervous that the subject with the first episode would be politically slanted, but it treated the Army fairly and even though the son acted like an ass at one point, you can see how someone in his position may behave and he makes up for it later.

The fact that she has this "gift" is explained early (her grandmother had the gift), but I wonder if she will begin to be like Russell Crowe's character in "A Beautiful Mind" and talk to people others can't see. Hewitt does instill confidence that her character is strong and could live with her "gift". If the writing is good and the subjects are taken from the wealth of possibilities this show could be just like Quantum Leap, but it's going to be interesting if Hewitt has that staying power, it looks like a challenging role. Maybe Bruce Willis or Halley Joe Osement will make guest appearances. I hope Shyamalan is paid royalties for this idea.