papamac630

I remember when this movie was first shown on HBO...it had the kind of gripping action that made you sit, watch, and fear for your life...the actors did a great job of realistically portraying their roles...with special kudos to Patrick Watson as Don Tobin and Helen Shaver as Dorian Waldorf...Watson's uneasiness at the end of the movie does not spoil the ending, which will set the hair on your neck straight up and send chills down your spine...but it does provide a view into what might face the American public should the unthinkable occur...add this movie to the growing list of selections that should have been out on DVD way before now...it is dated to some extent, but the overall premise still rings true...and will scare the daylights out of you...

One of the more difficult tasks when filming a subject whose outcome is already known is making it believable and exciting...Ron Howard did it in "Apollo 13", and this movie accomplishes the same goal...the story never really stops, with fast-moving discussions and back-and-forth scenes between America and the USSR...the producers excelled at presenting an all-star cast for this movie, with Martin Sheen an eerie choice as Bobby Kennedy...who knew the West Wing was in his future...an intriguing element to this topic is watching this version, and then viewing "Thirteen Days"...the differences are striking, with some characters in either film not showing up in the other...and you won't seen LBJ at all in "Missiles"...while only in two or three scenes in "Thirteen Days"...an amazing occurrence when you consider that most of the documents and info on the Cuban missile crisis have been declassified...this movie is available on video...I purchased it online...so get it and enjoy a look back at how close we really came...

Shia LaBeouf has impressed me before with his acting ability, but I can honestly say that I very much look forward to his next efforts...his portrayal of Francis Ouimet, a 20 year old caddy who ignores his father's insistence that golf is not his place in life and enters the 1913 US Open tournament in his hometown...the beginning of the movie does drag a bit, but it's necessary to set up the underdog subplot that Shia works so well...the entire cast is well-chosen and they work very well together in a story that, based on the actual event, has an ending everyone can discover before seeing the movie...but even knowing that information doesn't spoil the fun...Josh Flitter is delightful as Eddie Lowery, Francis' caddy, who keeps him grounded and loose while at the same time proving to be an invaluable part of Francis' effort...Stephen Delane is outstanding as Harry Vardon, the legendary British golfer who Francis idolizes yet does not fear...and who knows the background Francis comes from as he, too, had humble beginnings...Bill Paxton takes a formulaic movie and makes it worthwhile...bravo Mr. Paxton, and bravo to the cast...from the imagery to the story to the people who bring it alive, this is a movie to get, enjoy, and revel in...it's nice to have movies like this that we can feel good watching...