Category Archives: Docudrama

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Airline pilot, Boating, British History, Docudrama, Father-son relations, French Soldiers, Grim, Human spirit, Mental Illness, Military, Navy, Sea Rescue, Suspense, True Story, War

Dunkirk (2017)

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From IMDB:

Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German Army, and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

British Airways offered this film along with subtitles.

Dunkirk is famous for the heroism of the small British boats that came to the rescue of the surrounded allied soldiers. In this regard I hope you can someday read the beautiful short story “The Snow Goose”.

HOWEVER, this particular film, far from any romanticizing, shows all the horror and death associated with the Dunkirk rescue. There were also large rescue ships. But several ships and passengers perished. Sometimes a sinking ship left a cover of oil on the water which then caught fire and burned soldiers to death. All in all, the scenes are difficult to watch.

As a human-interest note in the film, one British small boat owner and his sons are featured. Along the way they rescue a shell-shocked soldier, further showing the horror of war.

Also featured are the British pilots who tried to battle the German planes that came to bomb the marooned soldiers.

Inspiring, terrifying, but worth the watch.

2016, Acceptable Science, Astronauts, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Black History, Civil Rights, Docudrama, Human spirit, Love Story, Mathematician, NASA, Netflix DVD, Race Relations, Racism, True Story

Hidden Figures (2016)

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From IMDB:

The story of a team of African-American women mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the US space program.

For a synopsis of the film read the Wikipedia account.  Recall that the events take place in the 1960’s and that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 supposedly ended racial segregation. If anything, this film is exactly about racial segregation in the government. For example, the main character, Katherine Goble, worked in a NASA building which had no bathroom for non-whites so that in order to go the bathroom, she had to leave her building and travel to another building.  Black Katherine’s calculations were project-saving whereas white John Glen received all the admiration. Be sure to read the final screen notes which explain how Kathering was finally honored. For example, to quote Wikipedia:

In 2015, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a new 40,000-square-foot Computational Research Facility at the Langley Research Center was renamed the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility in her honor the following year.[

Here the facts are more important than the entertainment value of the film.

 

2015, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, British, British History, Cambridge University, Culture of India, DO NOT MISS, Docudrama, Drama, Mathematician, Racism, Religious Theme, Wasp Snobs

The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)

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From IMDB:

The story of the life and academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.

Dev Patel (who played Sonny Kapoor in “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”) as Ramanujan and Jeremy Irons as Hardy team up to present a wonderful screen telling of the emergence of one brilliant mathematician with the help of another.

For a definitive discussion of Ramanujan see the Wikepedia article. For information on G.H.Harding Wikepedia again offers an article. From this last article on Harding I found the important quote:

Hardy was extremely shy as a child, and was socially awkward, cold and eccentric throughout his life. During his school years he was top of his class in most subjects, and won many prizes and awards but hated having to receive them in front of the entire school. He was uncomfortable being introduced to new people, and could not bear to look at his own reflection in a mirror. It is said that, when staying in hotels, he would cover all the mirrors with towels.[

This quote captures the tone of the film. Harding did not relate to people. For Ramanujan this was another difficulty on top of his unhappy social position at Cambridge where the British racist snobs sneered at the “wog”.

As regards Ramanujan, one essential point is that he was very intuitive and had brilliant insights but was unable or reluctant to provide proofs. It took years to verify his results. Hardings task was to persistently demand proofs for the Indian’s assertions.

For you adults out there, this film is a MUST SEE!

2016, Action Film, Action Hero, Adventure, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Coast Guard, Docudrama, Drama, Love Story, Sea Rescue, Suspense, True Story

The Finest Hours (2016)

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From IMDB:

The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

Those of you familiar with Cape Cod in Massachusetts may feel a personal connection with this gripping reenactment of a Coast Guard rescue off Chatham harbor. From the Wikipedia article comes this quote:

The Finest Hours is a 2016 American historical disaster drama–thriller film directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana, and chronicles the true account of the 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the SS Pendleton, after it split apart during a nor’easter off the New England coast.[

Do not be put off by the start of the film where Bernie Webber (played by Chris Pines) begins his romance with his wife to be, Miriam (played by Holliday Grainger). Much of the film is involved with this romance.

More than any other theme, the notion of true leadership plays an important part. For the rescue to succeed Bernie Webber risked his life while at times disobeying orders. Equally important was the fact that Ray Sybert (played by Casey Affleck) had to transform himself from a super expert reclusive naval engineer geek into a leader after the tanker split in half.

Try to read the final screen notes, but the Wikipedia article also helps.

Just the harrowing scenes of the rescue  in a raging sea make watching this film an exciting adventure.

Catholic Church Corruption, Catholic culture, Child abuse, Docudrama, Emotional child abuse, Gay theme, Pedophilia, Priest Pedophiles, Suspense, True Story

Spotlight (2015)

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From IMDB:

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

For more than 2 hours Kathy and I sat glued to the screen waiting to see if the Boston Globe could get the goods on Cardinal Law. We here in Boston have a more immediate connection with the proceedings and can better appreciate the Omertà (Italian for “conspiracy of silence”) that was Catholic Boston and especially South Boston.  Would the film have been so compelling if the plot had been merely fiction? In my opinion, it is the sad truth of the situation that makes the viewing so powerful. On the other hand, the film could have been poorly done and could have become a boring sermon. Instead the entire construction is flawless. Some Catholics to this day cannot bring themselves to watch this film.

There are NO sex scenes in the film.

When the film is over, be sure to stay for the follow-up history that appears on the screen.  You will be horrified. For example, you will learn that the Pope rewarded Cardinal Law with a prestigious position in Rome which Law resigned when he (Law) reached 80 years of age. If you read the Wikipedia article, you will read:

In May 2012 MSNBC reported that Law was “the person in Rome most forcefully supporting” the Vatican response to Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori‘s petition to investigate and crack down on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a large group of American nuns seeking a greater role in the Church.

According to mere word of mouth, Law once bragged he would be the first American pope. Instead he will probably be canonized as the “Patron Saint of Pedophiles.”

For me one striking visual experience was my trying to recognize the aging male actors from earlier films and TV shows (Rachel McAdams is too young to have changed much) :

  • Mark Ruffalo as Mike Rezendes still looks reasonably young.
  • Michael Keaton as Walter Robinson  is a far cry from his character in “Beetlejuice”.
  • Liev Schreiber as soft-spoken Marty Baron completely fooled me with his beard.
  • John Slattery as Ben Bradlee will always be one of the senior partners from “Mad Men”.
  • Will you recognize Stanley Tucci as the eccentric Mitchell Grabedian?
  • Jamey Sheridan as Jim Sullivan in the past played Captain James Deakins in “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”. But do not miss him in “Handsome Harry“.
  • Paul Guilfoyle as Pete Conely will always be Capt. Jim Brass in “CSI”.
  • Do you suppose Len Criou (who plays Henry Reagan in “Blue Bloods”) was embarrassed to play Cardinal Law?

DO NOT MISS this film to remember.

2012, Abduction, Addiction, Based on true facts, Creepy, Detective, Docudrama, Forensics, Military, Murder Investigation, Netflix Streaming, Nothing special, Profiler, Royal Canadian Air Force, Serial Killer, Sociopath, Stalker, Suspense, True Story

An Officer and a Murderer (2012)

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From NetFlix Streaming:

The true story of Royal Canadian Air Force officer Russell Williams’ progress from respected military commander to deranged murderer.

This film can be streamed from NetFlix, but there is no DVD available.

Were it not for the fact that this chilling story is true, nothing makes this film special. Consider the film an enacted documentary. All the acting is good, but Gary Cole as the serial killer is particularly creepy because of his lack of affect, especially on occasions when extreme affect would be appropriate. Moreover, I don’t consider this bad acting because, in fact, some sociopaths don’t share our normal empathetic feelings.

Possibly a dry police procedural, nonetheless I was drawn to watching the hard detailed detective work finally pay off. Imagine accusing a commander of a base of 3000 Royal Canadian Air Force personnel of being a serial killer who starts off just stealing (and wearing) ladies underwear and little by little escalates into murder.

Give this story a B+.

2014, Acceptable for children, Art Treasures, Based on true facts, Corny at times, Docudrama, Military, Nazis, Suspense, War

The Monuments Men (2014)

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From Netflix:

In a race against time, a crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renowned works of art stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them. Written, directed and starring George Clooney.

As you can read in the Wikipedia article, the critics can boo and the historians can tsk-tsk, but that did not stop Kathy and me from enjoying this film.

At the very least the film made me appreciate that all those art works were worth the danger, the lost lives, and the effort. You and I may be forgotten but for a while at least our civilization is recorded in part in those pieces of art. According to another Wikipedia article, we have art works dating from the Paleolithic period (25 000-8000 BCE). Do you think the world should forget Hitler?

Hats off to George Clooney for telling a good story. There were even moments of suspense, for example, racing to retrieve the Ghent altar piece and Michelangelo’s Madonna before the Russians could steal them.

For awhile I did not recognize Cate Blanchette cleverly disguised as an art librarian and French Resistance fighter. But you will probably recognize Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and John Goodman.

If you are up for a not very violent and just a bit corny story about art works, you might enjoy this film based on true events (but DO check that Wikipedia article for fact fanatics.)

Action Film, Adventure, Catholic culture, Coarse manners, Conspiracy, DO NOT MISS, Docudrama, Father-son relations, Greed, Human spirit, Marital Infidelity, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Occasional gore, Psychological Drama, Rape, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Slavery, Suspense, Torture, Vikings, Violent, Wonderful acting

Vikings (2013)

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2014-2015 REVISION:

November 2015: Netflix offers season 3 but only on DVD, no streaming.

The release date for season 4 is not yet settled. Season 3 was at least as good as the previous two seasons with some very clever surprises at the very end of season 3 which makes the audience ever more eager to see season 4.

For more information about the Viking raid on Paris in 845 see the Wikipedia article. On that occasion the French king was Charles the Bald, one of Charlemagne’s grandsons. By the Treaty of Verdun in 843, Charles became king of what was for the most part modern day France.

Now from Amazon Prime you can stream both season 1 and season 2. Season 2 is at least as good as Season 1. Wonderful but violent!

FORMER REVIEW:

Netflix offers Season 1 on DVD. However, I streamed from Amazon for free because we bought Amazon Prime. Jan 2015 – Now you can stream Season 2 from Amazon. Somehow the story just gets better and better. DO NOT MISS all the VIOLENCE!

From Netflix:

Set in medieval Scandinavia, this gritty drama charts the adventures of renowned Viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok as he extends the Norse reach by challenging the rule of an unfit leader who lacks vision.

Merely appreciating the finesse and details that went into making this remarkable TV series just gives me chills.

His ambiguous smile is mostly that of the fox waiting for its opportunity. Eventually you come to accept and even identify that constant smile with the character Ragnar Lothbrok played to dazzling perfection by the Australian-born Travis Fimmel.

Gabriel Byrne as Earl Haraldson is the only actor I recognized. You may remember him as Dr. Paul Weston in the TV series “In Treatment”. Here he is a brooding, vicious bully.

In order to enter Valhalla a Viking must die in battle. Similar to the ancient Greek culture, violence and personal bravery are everything. Whatever riches a Viking can bury will be his in the next life. Hence the need for plunder. In other words, by its nature this film had to be very VIOLENT!

Perhaps some history will set the scene. Roughly speaking as Rome abandoned England in the 400s, she invited in German mercenaries among which were the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They liked what they saw and oppressed the original inhabitants, the Celts. After centuries their many dialects would eventually congeal into Anglo Saxon. In the 600s Christianity appeared and the Anglo Saxons converted. In the 800s the Danes, i.e. the Vikings, reached England and were trouble for the Anglo Saxons until that famous year 1066 in which no sooner had Edward Confessor defeated the Danes then the Normans conquered the Anglo Saxons.

In regard to the previous mini-history, in the scenes in which the Vikings speak to the Anglo Saxons, the Vikings speak old Norse and supposedly the “English” speak Anglo Saxon.

Also in regard to that mini-history, probably the most important theme of the series is religion. Ragnar Lothbrok, in attacking his first monastery, brings back as a slave a young Christian monk Athelstan (thoughtfully played by George Blagden). No episode goes by without some discussion, confrontation, or comparison (call it what you like) between the “pagan” religion and the Christian. Odd how violent, vicious, and untrustworthy the Christians are. There are aspects of the Viking religion that may disturb your sleep.

Fighting is really a small part of the story. Interpersonal relations and conflicts are equally important. There is true character development.

And of course you cannot help to notice how these Viking men wore their hair. Let’s hope the costume department got it historically accurate. Needless to say there are many tattoos.

If you can stand the violence, DO NOT MISS !

2012, Based on true facts, Docudrama, Philosophic Discussions, Political statement, Talking Heads, Terrible acting, Thought provoking, True Story

Hannah Arendt (2012)

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From Netflix:

After fleeing Nazi Germany for the United States, a Jewish-German philosopher accepts an assignment from the New Yorker to cover the trial of an infamous war criminal, resulting in an article that ignites controversy all over the world.

According to Wikipedia:

In 2012 a German film titled Hannah Arendt was released, directed by Margarethe von Trotta, and with Barbara Sukowa in the role of Arendt. The film concentrates on the Eichmann trial, and the controversy caused by Arendt’s book, which at the time was widely misunderstood as defending Eichmann and blaming Jewish leaders for the Holocaust.

Perhaps “talking heads” best describes this philosophical, talkative, historical non-action film in which the characters endlessly discuss (argue?) the nature of evil, the involvement of the Jewish leaders during the Nazi regime, group versus individual culpability, Eichmann’s trial, etc. etc. etc.

Most of the dialog is in German. Subtitles are for all spoken words, German and otherwise. Perhaps the fact that this is a German film explains why so many of the lines spoken in English sound like something out of a high school drama class.

As the film often reminds us, it is not fair to criticize the ideas of Hannah Arendt without first having the fortitude to read what she wrote.

Try and keep watching up to the point in which Hannah defends her ideas before a large student body. Her speech is moving and in direct opposition to the irrational, emotional, and completely understandable reaction of many Jews.

2012, Acceptable for children, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Biographical, Corny, Docudrama, Manic depression, Military, Politicians, Race Relations, Slavery, Steven Spielberg, True Story, War

Lincoln (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Director Steven Spielberg takes on the towering legacy of Abraham Lincoln, focusing on his stewardship of the Union during the Civil War years. The biographical saga also reveals the conflicts within Lincoln’s cabinet regarding the war and abolition.

As soon as the film started I knew this was directed by Steven Spielberg even though I hadn’t realized that before the film started. How could I possibly criticize the work of a great director? However, taking advantage of my American freedom of speech I cannot fail to notice that his films are: long (this one logs in at two hours and thirty minutes), grandiose, possibly long-winded, and wear their hearts on their sleeves (dare I say “corny”?).

Once you get past that first scene in which black union soldiers personally berate Lincoln for the U.S. military discrimination against black soldiers and then walk away reciting by heart Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (honestly, I am not joking), then you will begin to realize that this film concerns almost exclusively the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment which abolished slavery.

Please read the rather long Wikipedia article which talks about Doris Kearns Goodwin and her wonderful book “Team of Rivals” which was the inspiration for the film. In fact you might want to read “Team of Rivals” which my wife Kathy read twice and still talks about. You might then appreciate more all those scenes of roundtable meetings with Lincoln talking to (arguing with ?, confronting ?) groups of importantly-dressed men. Lincoln cleverly surrounded himself with men who were not only his rivals but were adversaries with their other cabinet members. That is the point of “Team of Rivals”.

Listen to the language these politicians used. Although it may seem flowery, that is how educated people back then actually spoke. Words were important then as opposed to our current twitter-dumb manner of speaking.

At first I squirmed and then settled down to watch 2.5 hours that really zoomed by. As an capsule introduction to Lincoln and his times this film is worth watching.