Author: James Hathaway

Movie 1: The 12th Man

This fascinating movie is based on real events about 12 resistance fighters in Norway during the end of World War II. It’s a riveting story about espionage and survival. It’s unique, often beautiful but also sometimes difficult to watch. A must watch for history buffs. Norwegian and German with English subtitles.

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Movie 2: Mosul

This Netflix film is laser focused on the last days of the Isis attempt to conquer Iraq. Overall, it’s a mixed bag. Often confusing, intense and difficult to absorb. It’s also revealing, destructive and quite overwhelming. Arabic with English subtitles.

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Movie 3: Hillbilly Elegy

This is a fascinating and riveting film about three generations of a family’s life set in rural Kentucky and Ohio. It boasts a great cast including Glen Close, Amy Adams along with dozens of others.

It’s based on the bestselling book by the same name. It can be difficult to watch at times and occasionally overwhelming but the excellent acting compensates.

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Movie 1: A Yellow Bird

This 2016 production is now re-released on Netflix. It’s an odd but intriguing story about a Singaporean-Indian ex-convict and an illegal Chinese sex worker. It’s often concurrently confusing, convincing, gritty and difficult to watch. That said, it’s also unique and insightful. English and Tamil with English subtitles.

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Movie 2: Rogue City

This just released Netflix film starts with a bang but soon becomes confusing. The core cast become “Bad Cops”. That means the French Cops are crooked, gangster characters. It gets confusing fast followed by lots of drama and trauma.. French dubbed in English.

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Movie 3: His House

This film is unique. It’s the tale of a couple from South Sudan who immigrate to a new life in a small English town. It soon becomes a horror film with lots of unexpected twists and turns. That said there is also a soft commentary on the trauma of immigration.

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WOW!  It’s quite rare to enjoy a week with THREE films!!  All Netflix films, all riveting, all powerful, all instant classics!  Enjoy!!  J&J

P.S.  Please vote.  Thanks if you have already done so.

Movie 1: Rebecca

This film is based on the Daphne du Maurier novel with overtones of Alfred Hitchcock… It boasts a great cast, a retro vibe and classic contrast between the 1940s and 2020. Beautiful sets and cinematography. Don’t miss it!

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Movie 2: The Exception

This period romance is also a war drama featuring Christopher Plummer and an impressive supporting cast. It’s a riveting production with filled with history, a bit of nudity and brief violence.

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Movie 3: The Eichmann Show

It’s the story of the four month long trial of Nazi Adolf Eichmann in 1961 Jerusalem for war crimes. The “behind the scenes” true story is riveting and exhausting. It’s set one year after Eichmann was apprehended from Argentina.

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Movie 1: The Trial of the Chicago 7

This film is a timely throw back to the infamous 1969 trials of seven defendants charged by the government with conspiracy to undermine the government. Sound familiar?!? Given our current events, this is a must see film currently available on Netflix. The Oscar race starts NOW.

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Movie 2: Oloture

Well now…where does one start to describe this film? In general it’s based on sex trafficking in Lagos, Nigeria. It’s quite gritty and difficult to watch. It is often brutally violent and frankly quite hard to tolerate. That said, it’s based on real situations. This film is in heavily accented English so the English subtitles are most helpful.

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Movie 3: War Machine

This film is “loosely” based on real events. It’s set in Afghanistan with US and NATO forces. It’s supposed to be a satirical portrait of the region’s war. It ends up being a commentary on global conflict and failed multinational management. That said, Brad Pitt’s portrayal as General McCrystal is surprisingly realistic!

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Movie 1: Welcome to Sudden Death

It has been called “the latest low rent action film”, “disposable”. Yes it’s a campy throw back to Claude Van Damme’s idea of an action film. It’s actually a bit too campy. The best thing to be said about this movie is it gave several very bad actors temporary employment.

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Movie 2: The Siege of Jadotville

Now we are talking!! It’s the true story about the “Congo Crisis” in September 1961 where 157 Irishmen routed a force of 3,000 attackers. Ireland remarkably suffered no fatalities. It’s an incredible story.

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Movie 3: Sand Castle

Here is another good film. This film is set in the early years of the “American-Iraqi conflict”. It’s not a children appropriate film due to “actual footage”, “snipers”, “massive explosions, hand-to-hand combat and so on”. That said, it’s a powerful reminder of recent history.

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Movie 1: The Boys in the Band

This remake based on the 1968 original is updated by an all star cast, including Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer and Andrew Rannells. It’s pretty true to the original with an extra “bite” in the script. Kudos to Netflix for this one!

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Movie 2: The Outpost

This film is based on the book “The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor”. It takes place in the deep interior of Afghanistan where American soldiers battled Taliban fighters over a 19 year period. It’s painful to watch but important history.

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Movie 3: The Invisible Guest

This Spanish production is a Thriller/Mystery filled with more ‘who did what to whom’ than your ordinary whodunnit. The story line zips along at a rabid pace! It’s quite unique and inventive. Spanish with English subtitles.

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Movie 1: The Social Dilemma

Let’s face it…in our heart of hearts we all probably suspected that social media might some day leverage too much influence in our lives; i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on. The reality is these icons of modern social media manipulate human behavior and then deliver fresh crops of new consumers to advertisers, propagandists and such. This is a MUST WATCH documentary. Available on Netflix and other social media.

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Movie 2: In The Shadow of Iris

Oh my!! How shall one describe this most unusual film?! Mostly set in Paris it’s an erotic thriller that does not hold much back from the audience. That said…we found it often difficult to watch. Sometimes less is more…….. French with English subtitles.

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Movie 3: Calibre

This mystery thriller is set mostly in the remote Scotland Highlands. It gets confusing and confounding at the same time. It’s also thought provoking and somewhat insightful in an odd way. Overall, its worth watching.

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First a BIG HELLO to our readers.  Its been quite a crazy several months…Yes!?  We hope this note finds everyone of our viewers in GOOD HEALTH and surrounded by love and support!!

We have had several readers ask about our movie sources.  NO we have not been to a conventional theater since March 2020.  Our primary source is Comcast on Demand with a heavy reliance on Netflix.  Occasionally, friends suggest sources they have discovered.  Those are often our favorites.  This week is a good example.

BE WELL, STAY SAFE, REMEMBER TO ALWAYS WEAR A MASK WHENEVER YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME!

Best wishes and much love,

J&J 

PS….We are Great Uncles….again!!  Adam and Jennifer Rusniak have new baby Mila.  She’s quite a cutie!! 

Movie 1 Title: The Take (Bastille Day)

First…please allow us to clarify…the film we viewed under the title The Take was released in the US on Netflix. The same British Spy movie was released in Europe under the title Bastille Day.

That said we found the story intriguing. The acting holds the storyline in place. Idris Elba shines in the leading role. It succeeds as a thriller.

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Movie 2 Title: Enola Holmes

First, this story is told from Sherlock Holmes sister’s perspective. That’s a twist on the usual Sherlock Holmes point of view. It’s an updated approach with excellent cinematography. It’s easy to watch. It’s a mixed bag of mystery, activism, romance and history with just the right touch of energy.

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Movie 3 Title: The Crimes That Bind

It’s filmed in Buenos Aires, with Spanish dubbed in English. (Also available in English with Spanish subtitles.) Ultimately it’s the story about the age old struggle for dominance between the sexes and family conflict.

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Movie 1: Project Power

Here’s an action suspense film filled with violence, plenty of blood and intrigue. Set in New Orleans with an excellent cast of characters. It will challenge traditional logic and stereotypes making it inventive and thought provoking.

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Movie 2: The Devil All The Time

One part thriller, one part mystery, it has a Southern Gothic film noir quality. It’s not always easy to watch. It’s set in a town where corruption and sinister characters are plentiful.

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Movie 3: The Paramedic

Our pick of the week is filled with intrigue, deceit, a failing relationship and so much more. It’s hard to tell whose character is worse, his or hers. It’s unique with a good Spanish production. Dubbed in English from the original Spanish.

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Movie 1: Alone in Berlin

This 2016 film release is based on real events set in the 1940’s. Excellent acting coupled with gripping real experiences. It is a powerful reminder of the world not so long ago. It’s not always easy to watch. See it anyway. Netflix.

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Movie 2 : The Operative

It’s a extraordinary twist where a rogue spy from Israel’s formidable intelligence force Mossad casts broad suspicion. It’s sometimes baffling, sometimes confusing, but consistently entertaining with excellent acting. English, French, Hebrew and German with English subtitles.

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