The Post Review

3.5 Stars

 

The Vietnam War was a 20-year long war in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from 1955 to 1975.  In 1965, American military analyst Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) reported with disgust to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Bruce Greenwood) that no progress was being made.  McNamara commented that his findings meant that things were actually getting worse.  Almost immediately after their conversation, McNamara spoke with the press reporting falsely that the situation was getting better in the War.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C. in 1971, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) took over operations of The Washington Post newspaper after her husband Phillip died.  Their competitor New York Times published reports on cover-ups about the Vietnam War and were quickly silenced by President Richard Nixon.  Ben Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk), a journalist for the Post got a meeting with Ellsberg who gave him 1000 copied classified documents confirming the cover-ups.  

The Post is the true story about the first U.S. female newspaper publisher Kay Graham as she and her Chief Editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) struggle between their duties as journalists to expose the truth about the White House cover-ups about the Vietnam War and their responsibilities to their employees to keep them safe when they are threatened by the White House to stay away from the story.  

The Post was nominated for 9 Golden Globes, though it didn't walk away with any wins.  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri beat The Post for Best Picture Drama, Guillermo Del Toro took home the award for Best Director for The Shape of Water, Gary Oldman beat out Tom Hanks for Best Actor for his role as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, and Frances McDormand beat out Meryl Streep for her performance in Three Billboards.

 

Most are familiar with the story, at least with the highlights.  But The Post goes deep into the behind the scenes efforts and struggles that went into exposing the lies being told by the White House spanning 4 Presidents about the Vietnam War.  But it was about more than just the War.  It was about one of the core tenants of what makes America unique: the freedom of the press.  Journalists have both an obligation and a responsibility to share the truth, and they have a right to do so without obstruction.  Streep and Hanks were both brilliant, as you would expect.  I have yet to see Hanks in something I haven't enjoyed and both should be nominated for an Oscar for their performances.  The Post was directed by Stephen Spielberg and the music was composed by John Williams to round out the posse of Hollywood A-listers involved in this film. I anticipated 4 solid Stars from The Post.  It looked like it would be exciting, intense, upsetting, infuriating, inspiring and rewarding as we were given an inside look to a pivotal time in our nation's history regarding politics and the press, something that is as relevant as ever in our current political climate.  

 

I am lowering my rating slightly.  Spielberg did a great job keeping the story moving.  Not staying in one scene too long, keeping the characters straight so the viewer can follow along with all the players involved in the cover-up and the exposure, using angles to help emote feelings of power and doubt and inferiority.  Hanks was fantastic as Editor Ben Bradlee.  He was equally dedicated to his boss Kay Graham as he was to his employees when threatened by the government as he was to his paper The Post and getting the truth out there.  Streep was brilliant as the first female newspaper publisher Kay Graham who struggled with the transition from the wife of a publisher who hosted parties and lived on the sidelines to taking over complete control and having to make important decisions on her own, decisions that impacted her family's legacy as well as the many people who worked under her.  You definitely felt the anguish over her decisions, the doubt in herself, you cheered when she mustered up the courage to stand up for what was right and not cave in to what was safe. 

 

This is one of those difficult films to rate based on my personal ranking scale.  Remember, there are three main facets to my rankings.  First, how accurately does the preview lead you into the film?  In this case, you get exactly what the preview sells.  Second, the film itself.  This is a great movie, well told, superbly acted and deserving of nominations and awards.  And third, and most importantly, the likelihood of me owning the movie in my personal collection.  And this is why the rating drops slightly.  For me, The Post was entertaining, insightful, and extremely well done from directing to acting to story-telling; however, seeing it once was enough.  While I may watch it again when it comes to the pay channels, it most likely won't be something I'm rushing out to own.  Therefore, I'm lowing my rating to 3.5 Stars.   So, movie will be on my mind next?  We shall see. 

 

The Post Preview

The Vietnam War was a 20-year long war in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from 1955 to 1975.  In 1965, American military analyst Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) reported with disgust to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Bruce Greenwood) that no progress was being made.  McNamara commented that his findings meant that things were actually getting worse.  Almost immediately after their conversation, McNamara spoke with the press reporting falsely that the situation was getting better in the War.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C. in 1971, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) took over operations of The Washington Post newspaper after her husband Phillip died.  Their competitor New York Times published reports on cover-ups about the Vietnam War and were quickly silenced by President Richard Nixon.  Ben Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk), a journalist for the Post got a meeting with Ellsberg who gave him 1000 copied classified documents confirming the cover-ups.  

The Post is the true story about the first U.S. female newspaper publisher Kay Graham as she and her Chief Editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) struggle between their duties as journalists to expose the truth about the White House cover-ups about the Vietnam War and their responsibilities to their employees to keep them safe when they are threatened by the White House to stay away from the story.  

The Post was nominated for 9 Golden Globes, though it didn't walk away with any wins.  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri beat The Post for Best Picture Drama, Guillermo Del Toro took home the award for Best Director for The Shape of Water, Gary Oldman beat out Tom Hanks for Best Actor for his role as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, and Frances McDormand beat out Meryl Streep for her performance in Three Billboards.

The preview tells a story that most are familiar with, at least the highlights.  But The Post goes deep into the behind the scenes efforts and struggles that went into exposing the lies being told by the White House about the Vietnam War.  But it was about more than just the War.  It was about one of the core tenants of what makes America unique: the freedom of the press.  Journalists have both an obligation and a responsibility to share the truth, and they have a right to do so without obstruction.  Streep and Hanks look to be brilliant, as you would expect.  I have yet to see Hanks in something I haven't enjoyed and both should be nominated for an Oscar for their performances.  The Post was directed by Stephen Spielberg and the music was composed by John Williams to round out the posse of Hollywood A-listers involved in this film. I am anticipating 4 solid Stars from The Post.  It looks like it will be exciting, intense, upsetting, infuriating, inspiring and rewarding as we are given an inside look to a pivotal time in our nation's history regarding politics and the press, something that is as relevant as ever in our current political climate.  I think it will be something I want to watch again and will have a strong chance of making it to my home collection.  So, am I right?  We shall see.

Bridge of Spies Review

3.5 Stars

Set in the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Bridge of Spies is based on the true story of New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is called upon by the CIA to try to negotiate a prisoner trade.  The Americans have a prisoner Rudolf Abel who is a convicted Soviet spy that they are willing to exchange for the release of pilot Francis Gary Powers who was shot down and captured while spying on the Soviets.  The reason why Donovan would be the logical choice for the assignment: he defended the Soviet Abel in court.

This is the fourth collaboration between Hanks and director Stephen Spielberg.  Previously, the two worked on Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal and Saving Private Ryan.  Spielberg won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars and Hanks won Best Actor for Saving Private Ryan and all the early speculation says these two are front-runners for another sweep when it comes to handing out trophies.

Well, I predicted 4.5 stars based on previous collaborations between Hanks and Spielberg.  I knocked it down a full star, not because I didn't enjoy the movie, not because I thought Hanks didn't perform well, but because I was underwhelmed and it's one of those "once is enough" kind of movies. It was an interesting story, well told, but it tended to drag and Hanks was Hanks.  What I mean by that is he was absolutely brilliant, but he was himself.  In Saving Mr. Banks, I didn't see Tom Hanks, I saw Walt Disney.  In Captain Phillips, I saw the Captain of a captive ship.  In Bridge of Spies, I saw Hanks as James Donovan.  He was great, but he was himself.  Now, Mark Rylance (who played the Russian Spy Rudolf Abel) was absolutely endearing and entertaining and completely deserves an Oscar Nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  However, if he doesn't get one, don't be surprised if he's not upset.  If you ask him why, he'll simply ask you in return, "Would it help?"  You'll get it when you see the movie, which I recommend renting or waiting until it's on TV, but I doubt it will make it to my home collection.  So, what movie will be on my mind next?  We shall see.

Bridge of Spies Preview

Set in the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Bridge of Spies is based on the true story of New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is called upon by the CIA to try to negotiate a prisoner trade.  The Americans have a prisoner Rudolf Abel who is a convicted Soviet spy that they are willing to exchange for the release of pilot Francis Gary Powers who was shot down and captured while spying on the Soviets.  The reason why Donovan would be the logical choice for the assignment: he defended the Soviet Abel in court.

This is the fourth collaboration between Hanks and director Stephen Spielberg.  Previously, the two worked on Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal and Saving Private Ryan.  Spielberg won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars and Hanks won Best Actor for Saving Private Ryan and all the early speculation says these two are front-runners for another sweep when it comes to handing out trophies.

While there does not appear to be a lot of action in the movie, the performances alone look to be riveting and entrancing to hold audiences captive throughout.  Hanks was most recently snubbed by the Oscars for his roles in both Saving Mr. Banks where he played Walt Disney in the story of Mary Poppins, and in Captain Phillips as he bravely surrendered himself to Somali pirates.  Matthew McConaughey won Best Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers' Club.  I'm not disagreeing with who won, but most everyone felt it wrong that Hanks did not even get nominated for either role.  I don't think that will be a problem this year.  I'm predicted another Oscar-worthy performance from Hanks and another Oscar-worthy film from Spielberg and am predicting 4.5 stars.  Am I right?  We shall see.

Oscars Results

Well, the Oscars Awards Ceremony is over and the trophies have been given.  So how did I do in my predictions?  Below are all the nominees.  My predictions are in Bold and Underlined.  The actual winners are colored red.

BEST PICTURE:

• Amour
• Argo
• Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Django Unchained
• Les Miserables
• Life of Pi
• Lincoln
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Zero Dark Thirty

BEST DIRECTOR:

• Amour – Michael Haneke
• Beasts of the Southern Wild – Benh Zeitlin
• Life of Pi – Ang Lee
• Lincoln – Stephen Spielberg
• Silver Linings Playbook – David O. Russell

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:

• Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
• Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
• Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables
• Joaquin Phoenix – The Master
• Denzel Washington – Flight

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

• Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty
• Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
• Emmanuelle Riva – Amour
• Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Naomi Watts – The Impossible

 BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

• Alan Arkin – Argo
• Robert DeNiro – Silver Linings Playbook
• Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master
• Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln
• Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

• Amy Adams – The Master
• Sally Field – Lincoln
• Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables
• Helen Hunt – The Sessions
• Jacki Weaver – Silver Linings Playbook

WRITING ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

• Amour
• Django Unchained
• Flight
• Moonrise Kingdom
• Zero Dark Thirty

WRITING ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

• Argo
• Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Life of Pi
• Lincoln
• Silver Linings Playbook

Not too bad, six out of eight correct.  As my friends will attest, though I believed Lincoln to deserve Best Picture and Director awards, I told them not to count Argo out of the race, especially after taking home first place at nearly every other awards ceremony that exists for motion pictures.  Many have felt that Director Ben Affleck was actually snubbed by the Academy for not being nominated for Best Director.  That could be one of the downfalls of expanding the Best Picture category to nine nominees and keeping the Director category at only five. In fact, over the last 25 years, only 5 times has the Best Picture not guaranteed the Best Director awards.  2013 marks the 6th historic time this has occurred, and it certainly won't be the last.  

Lincoln Review

4.5 Stars

Through the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln granted freedom to the slaves in our nation's history as the Civil War continued to divide and threaten to destroy our young country.  Lincoln faced fierce opposition to his declaration and so he set out to make his decision permanent by passing a thirteenth amendment to the Constitution.  Stephen Spielberg directs Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln in the story of the trials he faced to get that Amendment passed, to bring an end to the Civil War, bring peace to the United States, and bring freedom to the slaves.

Spielberg has struck gold once again with Lincoln. Astounding from start to finish.  I don't know if it's comforting or disturbing to see that our House of Representatives is just as effective now as it was even in the 1860's; however, I wonder what happened to the way our meetings of the Representatives are run.  It looks like it used to be a lot more interesting and entertaining 150 years ago.  I also wonder what happened to our way of speaking and communicating.  It used to be so much more colorful and bold and effective:

Thaddeus Stevens: "How can I hold that all men are created equal when here before me stands stinking the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio? . . . You are more reptile than man George, so low and flat that the foot of man is incapable of crushing you."

Thaddeus Stevens:  to Fernando Wood "Some of us breathe oxygen and we find the mephitic fumes of his oratory a lethal challenge to our pulmonary capabilities."

And not only was Lincoln a great orator, he loved to tell stories (seemed to have one for every occasion) and had an amazing sense of humor, which is quite impressive considering all he endured.  While talking to enlisted black soldiers from the north:

 

Private Harold Green: You got springy hair for a white man.
Abraham Lincoln: Yes, I do. My last barber hanged himself. And the one before that. Left me his scissors in his will.

Not once during this masterpiece did I see Daniel Day-Lewis.  He was Abraham Lincoln, flawlessly.  Sally Field made brave and strong choices as Mary Lincoln.  Most people only remember her to be increasingly insane from the death of their firstborn son to the trials and tribulations of being First Lady to the Civil War President of the United States.  Field was able to bring to light a caring, emotional and sharp Mary Lincoln.  Tommy Lee Jones was full of memorable quotes as Lincoln's Vice President Thaddeus Stevens.  Oh to have such smart, determined, effective and quick-witted Vice Presidents as was Stevens!  And James Spader as W. N. Bilbo, attorney, journalist, and cunningly crafty supporter of the Thirteenth Amendment was genius. 

The movie was not action-packed with bloody war scenes like Saving Private Ryan, but this movie was not so much about the Civil War as it was about Lincoln's crusade to pass the Thirteenth Amendment and free the slaves.  And this movie didn't need the action to keep the plot rolling.  It focused on a very specific topic and a very short period in the life of President Lincoln, but it was riveting as a story.  And with perfect performances by every cast member, Spielberg made it feel as though we were actually being given the gift of watching this historic period in our nation's history, rather than watching a movie about it 150 years later.  I give Lincoln 4.5 stars and cannot wait to see it again and own this film that is sure to be front contender at the Oscars.  So what movie will be on my mind next?  We shall see.

Lincoln Preview

Through the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln granted freedom to the slaves in our nation's history as the Civil War continued to divide and threaten to destroy our young country.  Lincoln faced fierce opposition to his declaration and so he set out to make his decision permanent by passing a thirteenth amendment to the Constitution.  Stephen Spielberg directs Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln in the story of the trials he faced to get that Amendment passed, to bring an end to the Civil War, bring peace to the United States, and bring freedom to the slaves.

This is Stephen Spielberg's fifteenth nomination for an Oscar, though it's been a while since he's won.  His last trophy was awarded him for his Direction of Saving Private Ryan (1998), although the Best Picture honors went to Shakespeare In Love. And he's not the only Oscar winner associated with this movie.  Daniel Day-Lewis has won twice, Sally Field has won twice, and Tommy Lee Jones has won once.

So, the movie shouldn't be filled with any twists and turns that I don't see coming. It's the story of Abraham Lincoln.  Civil War President, freed the slaves, and was shot and killed while attending the theatre by John Wilkes Booth.  Sorry if that was a spoiler for anyone out there.     He has the opportunity to end the war and bring peace to the South, but he feels the need to end slavery.  With so much hostile opposition, his fellow politicians, his closest advisers, even his family tell him that he can do one or the other and that he should give up on freeing the slaves.  So since we all know the story, it's going to be about how it's told, and there's not many better than Spielberg to do so.  The preview looks like a perfect time period movie that will bring Lincoln to life in a way that's never been done before.  And with an all-star cast like Day-Lewis, Field and Jones (and many others), this has all the makings of an Oscar-sweeping film.  I'm predicting at least 4 stars.  Am I right?  We shall see.