Eye in the Sky, Allegiant, Hello My name is Doris

Eye in the Sky

eye

This film exposes the ethical dilemmas of drone warfare and the collateral damage it may cause.  The story is set in rural Nairobi Kenya where British intelligence sources have identified top terrorist targets in the process of preparing for new a suicide attack.  The military needs the government leaders approval to launch the drone attack.  The British authorities defer to the US authorities who control the drone.

The political process creates tension between the British Colonel, played by Helen Mirren and her boss, played by Alan Rickman, as the decision ball is bounced back and forth.

There is a great performance by Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) as the on-the-ground operative.  Lots of subtle and overt conflicts and contempt over what is right under all the circumstances.  Plenty of angst for the audience as well.

Footnote: Alan Rickman was fighting cancer during the filming of this movie.  He died shortly after filming was completed.  He will be missed.

Rating: 3 globes

Allegiant

allegiant

Allegiant is the next to the last in the Divergent Series and is based on the first half of the final novel by Veronica Roth. Heroine Tris and love interest Four decide it is time to escape the walled city of Chicago in a quest to find a fix for their broken system.

They quickly discover an advanced society beyond the wall that has been manipulating the “factions” in Chicago in a hopes of correcting failed genetic engineering.  Jeff Daniels plays a good bad guy as the top mastermind of the advanced entity.

The storyline gets a bit goofy with sidebar stories about this character and that character but the overall action and plot is good entertainment and visually pleasing.  Early reactions to the film were not glowing but we still had a good time.

Rating: 3 globes

Hello My Name is Doris

doris

Sally Fields bursts onto the big screen with an Oscar worthy performance as the aging worker accounting clerk in a youth centric company and complicated by her struggles with personal life issues.

Ultimately it is a focus on some very difficult life challenges for the Fields character but brightened by the unfulfilled fantasies of Doris.  At times it is laugh out loud hilarious (the techno music concert alone is worth the price of admission) but in the next scene there can be some heart wrenching issues front and center.

The balance of comedy and drama is perfect.  This film should attract a broad audience but most folks in our theater seemed on the more senior side.  I predict this will become a modern classic.

Rating: 4 globes

One thought on “Eye in the Sky, Allegiant, Hello My name is Doris”

  1. I love Alan Rickman. Confession: Watch LOVE ACTUALLY every Christmas and each year wonder why he still can’t get Christmas Love right! Thanks for the thoughtful insights.

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