Back to the movies!

This is a little, well, a lot late. I took a two-week vacation to Phoenix, so much was put on hold. Still (again,) better late than never! And maybe the number of movies will make up for the lateness.

FEBRUARY

Feb 1 - Anthropoid (2016)
Based on the extraordinary true story of Operation Anthropoid, the WWII mission to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution and the Reich's third in command after Hitler and Himmler.
Director: Sean Ellis
Stars: Jamie Dornan, Cillian Murphy, Brian Caspe

I’m amazed that I’d never heard of this. While some of the story might be the screenwriter’s imagination, it’s well done, and doesn’t overpower the main story of the mission. A good, solid movie.

Feb 2 - Safe House (2012)
A young CIA agent is tasked with looking after a fugitive in a safe house. But when the safe house is attacked, he finds himself on the run with his charge.
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Robert Patrick, Sam Shepard, Rubén Blades

I was hoping that this movie would be a cut above the usual shoot-em-ups. It is. A solid plot, and a great cast.

Feb 8 - Criminal (2016)
In a last-ditch effort to stop a diabolical plot, a dead CIA operative's memories, secrets, and skills are implanted into a death-row inmate in hopes that he will complete the operative's mission.
Director: Ariel Vromen
Stars: Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones

An interesting movie that tries to deal with all the ramifications of someone receiving someone else’s memories, while keeping the plot going. It manages nicely.


Feb 9 - The Birth of a Nation (2016)
Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising.
Director: Nate Parker
Stars: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller

Knowing how it all turns out doesn’t detract from this intense, often troubling movie.


Feb 10 - White Light/Black Rain (2007)
Using extensive interviews with survivors and archival footage, an examination reveals the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Director: Steven Okazaki
Stars: Harold Agnew, Shuntaro Hida, Kiyoko Imori

An in-depth look at what is usually a little discussed topic.

Feb 15 - Grave Of the Fireflies (1988)
A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.
Director: Isao Takahata
Stars: Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Akemi Yamaguchi

Not exactly what I thought it would be, but an interesting movie, nevertheless. I always assumed that, once the war was over, Japan, like Europe, would be given aid in order to feed its people.

Feb 15 - The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.
Directors: Chris Renaud, Yarrow Cheney
Stars: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Albert Brooks, Dana Carey

Silly, but mildly amusing, too.

Feb 17 - Edge of Winter (2016)
When two brothers are stranded by a brutal winter storm with an unpredictable father they barely know, the boys begin to suspect their supposed protector may be their biggest threat.
Director: Rob Connolly
Stars: Shaun Benson, Shiloh Fernandez, Patrick Garrow

By the end, you can certainly understand why the mother divorced the man. The movie is short, but, considering its intensity, that might be a good thing.

Feb 22 - Sully (2016)
The story of Chesley Sullenberger, an American pilot who became a hero after landing his damaged plane on the Hudson River in order to save the flight's passengers and crew.
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney

I like that the movie really focuses on Sullenberger, especially when it covers what he was put through before they accept that what he did was the only solution.

Feb 22 - Lego Justice League: Gotham City Breakout (2016)
Batman goes on vacation and chaos erupts in Gotham.
Directors: Matt Peters, Melchior Zwyer
Stars: Sarah Hyland, Tara Strong, Troy Baker

Batman with Nightwing, what more could I ask for? That it’s a funny movie is just the icing on the cake.

Feb 23 - The Loving Story (2011)
A racially-charged criminal trial and a heart-rending love story converge in this documentary about Richard and Mildred Loving, set during the turbulent Civil Rights era. Long Way Home: The Loving Story is a story of love and the struggle for dignity set against a backdrop of historic anti-miscegenation sentiments in the U.S. The Lovings, an interracial couple, fell in love and married at a critical time in American history, and, because of a confluence of social and political turmoil our reluctant heroes bring about change where previously no one else could. They are paired with two young and ambitious lawyers who are driven to pave the way for Civil Rights and social justice through an historic Supreme Court ruling, changing the country's story forever.
Director: Nancy Buirski
Stars: Jane Alexander, Lindsay Almond Jr., Edward L. Ayers

Much of this documentary is reenacted with actors, bringing the story to life. It’s hard to imagine that this took place not that long ago.

Feb 23 - Hiroshima (2005)
Documentary with dramatic reenactments with actors to describe what dropping the bomb on Hiroshima was like.
Director: Paul Wilmshurst
Stars: John Hurt, Shuntaro Hida, George Elsey

Not as well done as most, but still interesting.

Feb 24 - Lego Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! (2015)
Get ready for the bricks to fly when Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League face off against the world's greatest super villains!
Director: Rick Morales
Stars: Dee Bradley Baker, Troy Baker, John DiMaggio

Batman without Robin/Nightwing? It’s just not the same. Or as funny.