Mississippi Burning (1988)

Genre: Historical / Thriller
Directed by: Alan Parker
Cast: Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand
Time: 128 minutes

 

Loosely based on an actual murder investigation from 1964, this historical thriller has two very different FBI agents, Anderson and Ward, travel to fictional Jessup County, Mississippi, to investigate the disappearance of three civil rights workers – one black, and two white. While there, the two agents and their staff are met with hostility from the locals, the law enforcement and Ku Klux Klan.

This film has been accused of whitewashing history and of romanticizing actual murders to create a thriller. That critique is not totally unjustified. Still, the on-screen product delivers a strong message about the evils of racism. In the process, it kept me hooked, thanks in large part to the great acting work done by the likes of Hackman, Dafoe and McDormand. To think that this was all rooted in reality made it that much more sad.

Rating: ««««

The Flowers of War (2011)

Genre: Historical / Drama
Directed by: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi
Running Time: 146 minutes

 

Inspired by the true events of the attack on the Chinese city of Nanking by the Japanese Army, in 1937, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, this film tells the story of John Miller, an American mortician that takes refuge in a Nanking church with a group of young escapees, mostly girls, and a group of prostitutes. Acting as a priest, Miller tries his best to protect the other people in the church from the Japanese.

In spite of the fact that this movie relied a whole lot on young inexperienced actors and actresses, the acting here was superb. Beyond the language barrier, the emotions carried through. Christian Bale, as usual, is absolutely convincing as John Miller. This is a very difficult film to take. The war scenes are well done. The violence of some of the acts perpetrated are shocking. This film stayed with me long after it was done. I even had to take a break at one point to catch my emotional breath.

I could nitpick and find faults here, but, really, I love this film for what it is.

 Rating: «««««

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Genre: Historical / Drama

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn

Running time: 133 minutes

Based on the novella of the same name written by Jim Harrison, Legends of the Fall tells the story of Colonel William Ludlow, who left the army over his distrust of the US government to move to a remote area of Montana and raise his three sons, mostly by himself, with hired help, after his wife leaves for the East Coast. The sons grow up, as the story takes us from World War I to the years of Prohibition.

The cinematography here is majestic. This film is beautifully shot, with great scenery and a very authentic look for the era it portrays. Brad Pitt really comes off the screen in this one, so much so that everybody else comes off as kind of bland. Many of the performances felt wooden, and I almost lost interest a few times, but the end saved it for me. It is overly melodramatic at times, but it is still a very compelling tale about family.

Rating: «««

Gladiator (2000)

Genre: Drama / Historical

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen

Time: 155 minutes

In AD 180, General Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army in its fight against the Germanic tribes. At the end of this war, he intends to return home to his wife and his son, but Emperor Marcus Aurelius wants him to replace him as ruler of Rome to save it from corruption. After being told of this, Aurelius’ son Commodus kills his father, assumes power and has Meridius arrested. The former General kills his captors and escapes, but finds his wife and son murdered. Being taken as a slave, he has to fight his way back to Rome to seek revenge.

This is truly an epic film, which is loosely based on true events. Stories about gladiators, knights and such things are not my cup of tea, but, in spite of this, I really loved this movie. It is beautifully shot, the writing is well done, the story is compelling and the acting is solid. Crowe and Phoenix are especially superb as Meridius and Commodus. They truly were invested in their respective characters and the viewer cannot help being pulled in.

Gladiator is very long, but, nonetheless, it’s a masterpiece that is well worth watching.

Rating: «««««

La Bataille d'Alger (1966)

Genre: Franco / Historical

Réalisateur: Gillo Pontecorvo

Distribution: Brahim Haggiag, Jean Martin, Yacef Saadi

Running time: 124 minutes

Ce drame historique est en quelque sorte une reconstitution de la Bataille d’Alger de 1957, où la population algérienne musulmane s’est soulevée, par l’entremise des efforts du FLN, contre le colonialisme français.

Ce film étant tourné dans un style rappelant fortement le documentaire, le spectateur est transporté directement au milieu de l’action, ce qui donne au tout beaucoup de réalisme. Le jeu des comédiens contribue aussi énormément à ce sentiment.

Somme toute, La Bataille d’Alger est un film à voir.

Rating: «««««

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Genre: Historical / Drama

Directed by: Steve McQueen

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’O, Sarah Paulson

Running time: 134 minutes

Based on the slave narrative memoirs of Solomon Northup, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of how a free African-American man living with his wife and kids in the New York area was enslaved for over a decade. Northup, who was making a living as a violinist, was invited to perform in Washington by two white men, who then drugged him and sold him to a slave pen. It would take 12 years of hardships before he would get his freedom back. Solomon Northup would then become an advocate for the abolition of slavery.

This film is not for the faint of heart. Some scenes can be hard to take, as the violence is very graphic and feels quite real. That being said, the subject matter demanded such realism. As it was long ago, we tend to forget about the atrocity that was slavery, but, at least, a movie like 12 Years a Slave did a great job shining a bright light on it.

All of the actors involved did a solid job here carrying their respective characters. The makers of 12 Years a Slave had a loaded cast to work with, with names such as Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti and Brad Pitt. In some cases, these actors had smaller roles. Fortunately, in all cases, the appearance of these well-known actors did not feel like cameos and they did not take away from the whole package.

12 Years a Slave is a film that has to be seen, at least once, if not more. I highly recommend it.

Rating: «««««

Amistad (1997)

Genre: Drama / Historical

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Matthew McConaughey

Running time: 154 minutes

Based on true story, Amistad tells the tale of a group of black men who were bought as slaves by Spanish folks in 1839. On a ship called La Amistad, off the coast of Cuba, the enslaved men freed themselves of their chains and took over control of the boat, before being arrested by the US authorities further down the line. Their recapture was followed by an American court case, to determine the men’s fate, that went up to the Supreme Court.

First off, what a team we have here. As director, we have Steven Spielberg, a man well known for being able to weave a compelling story on screen. Once again, he did not disappoint here. Also, we have a loaded cast of talented actors, all in top form. When you can count on people like Anthony Hopkins, Matthew McConaughey and Morgan Freeman to play roles and you feed them good material, it is bound to make a solid film.

While the historical accuracy of this film has been justifiably disputed (heck, this is Hollywood we are talking about), Amistad is still a very good movie about a truly ugly part of American history. In spite of the liberties taken by the filmmakers, the essence is there, and it is packages in a very compelling movie. The cinematography was great; some of the scenes can be hard to take, but it was necessary to show the violence that some people had to go through to be free.

All things considered, Amistad is a film I highly recommend. It is a little long, but it well worth it.

Rating: ««««

The Untouchables (1987)

Genre: Historical / Thriller

Directed by: Brian De Palma

Cast: Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Sean Connery

Time: 119 minutes

This 1987 historical gangster film is inspired by the battle waged by Government Agent Eliot Ness and his group of Untouchables against crime boss Al Capone, who had taken control of the distribution of illegal alcohol in Chicago during Prohibition.

Considering the cast involved here, I should have enjoyed this movie a little more. I mean, Robert De Niro remains one of my favorite actors. Here, as Al Capone, he is overall very lackluster and ordinary in his performance. Same goes for Sean Connery; the out-of-place accent did not help either. As for Kevin Costner, while I sometimes find him good, he is not one of my favorites. It may also be a case of personal perception affecting my appreciation of Costner’s performance. I find it hard to root for a character such as Eliot Ness as a great hero fighting on the side of Prohibition. It goes against the grain for me.

I found some of the action scenes in The Untouchables very laughable in the way they were carried out on screen; in a gangster film, that is not the desired effect.

Overall, this film had its moments, but, for me, they were few and far between.

Rating: ««

John Adams (2008)

Genre: TV / Historical

Directed by: Tom Hooper

Cast: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Stephen Dillane

Number of episodes: 7

This seven episode TV miniseries covers the life and times of John Adams, the second president of the United States of America. Over the course of approximately 500 hours, we are taken through a long journey that starts in the Boston colony, where Adams is a lawyer who sticks to his principles in spite of outside pressures. Then, we see his role in the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the road that lead to him becoming the first vice-president of the US, under George Washington, and then the second president.

John Adams has been a controversial figure in American history and his importance in the signing of the Declaration of Independence has been somewhat eclipsed by characters such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. I feel that the point of this miniseries was in large part to fix that. In doing so, it seems that a lot of poetic license has been taken by the makers, which is unfortunate. It is especially ironic since, in a scene, we have John Adams complaining about people revising history.

Nonetheless, in spite of the few historical inaccuracies in this TV miniseries, the subject matter is a very important part of American history and the performances offered by Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, as John Adams and his wife Abigail, was magnificent enough to carry this historical drama to greatness. The sets and costumes also made this work of art very realistic; it feels as if you are transported back in time.

Overall, for people interested in history and for those who appreciate great actors at work, I recommend John Adams.

Rating: ««««

Paradise Road (1997)

Genre: Historical / Drama

Directed by: Bruce Beresford

Cast: Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, Pauline Collins

Running time: 122 minutes

Based on true events, Paradise Road tells the story of a group of women who are made prisoner in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. To better survive the daily hardships of their precarious situation, they decide to create a vocal orchestra and perform music that will garner them more and more attention.

With a loaded cast and a compelling story to tell, Paradise Road is a very good movie. As you can imagine, as the story takes place in an internment camp during a war, some scenes can be hard to take. The filmmakers did not shy away from the hard realities of it, all the while not going overboard with it. This is not a film about blood and death, but one about resilience and survival.

I must admit that having well-known actresses perform foreign accents can sometimes take you away from the story for a bit. It was really the case here with Frances McDormand playing an Irish doctor. Once I got over the initial shock, I could still appreciate her performance, as well as everyone else’s; not a bad one to mention. Overall, this was a very good movie.

Rating: ««««

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Genre: Historical / Drama

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan

Running time: 141 minutes

This film is based on the 1960 U-2 incident. In the midst of the Cold War, lawyer James B. Donovan (Hanks) is asked to handle the defense of Rudolph Abel, a suspected Russian spy arrested in the US. The authorities want to give the impression that the accused is going to get a fair trial in the States, but they are clearly intent on railroading him. Despite the pressures and hatred he gets in his home country for doing it, Donovan takes his job seriously and manages to at the very least save Abel from the death penalty. When Francis Gary Powers, an American pilot on a spying mission, gets shot down and arrested in the Soviet Union, the American lawyer is then sent to negotiate his release in exchange for the imprisoned Russian spy.

What could have been a very dark and dry movie was made so much more pleasant by the use of small doses of humor throughout the film. The dialogue was full of those little humorous moments that would make you smile and laugh. Rudolph Abel countering the questions of why he’s not more nervous in light of the charges against him with the words “Would it help?” made me chuckle each time.

Tom Hanks’ dedication to movie roles needs to be commended. Once again, in Bridge of Spies, he delves right into his character and makes you care for that man who will do his job to the best of his ability no matter the pressures around him. All the other actors and actresses also carry their respective roles with great talent. No false note here.

Bridge of Spies gets a little sentimental towards the end. Once the music starts in that final scene, you can clearly envision a piano filled with heartstrings, in a ploy to make you cry. Nonetheless, this is a solid film about a major part of history that has not been overexploited in cinema. The story is compelling and told in a very efficient manner, keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats and leaving them satisfied in the end.

Rating: ««««

A Dangerous Method (2011)

Genre: Historical

Directed by: David Cronenberg

Starring: Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender

Running time: 99 minutes

This 2011 historical film covers the relationship between Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud and Sabina Spielrein. The movie starts when Ms. Spielrein is brought into a psychiatric hospital, in Zurich, for a case of hysteria. Through analysis, young doctor Carl Jung comes to realize that the young lady is feeling that way because of the corporal punishment administered to her by her father as a kid. Her humiliation comes from the fact that she felt aroused whenever it occurred. Jung seeks the help of fellow doctor, Freud, in treating his new patient, but the two don’t agree on the way to get there, and the young woman will play one against the other to get her way.

This movie brings to the screen a very compelling story about the power of taboos and sex on the human mind. The conflict between Jung and Freud is particularly well played-out. Freud believes sex is the underlying factor in everything, but Jung likes to think there is more to it, and would like to delve more into the issues of spirituality. Fassbender and Mortensen do a superb job working off each other as the tension builds between the two doctors. They have some very good scenes together.

Keira Knightley also shows some great intensity as a young woman trying to learn how to control her emotions towards her burgeoning sexuality. She looked totally invested into this role and it paid off in the end.

A Dangerous Method is a riveting and compelling movie. Highly recommended.

Rating: ««««

The Imitation Game (2014)

Genre: Historical / Thriller
Directed by: Morten Tyldum
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode
Running Time: 114 minutes

The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician who was a major part of the efforts to crack Nazi Germany’s naval Enigma Code. In his efforts, he greatly helped the Allied Forces win the Second World War. His life after the war was a hard one due to his homosexuality, which was illegal back then in Britain.

Benedict Cumberbatch did a magnificent acting job here. He was simply excellent. He inhabited that character fully and made us believe it. All the other actors and actresses involved were also solid.

I must also commend the director for his work. This movie covers three different periods of Turing’s life and does so in a non-linear fashion. In spite of that, the transition between these three eras is fluid as we go back and forth.

This film fully deserves the commercial and critical success it has received. Here is a line from the movie that stayed with me long after I exited the theater: "Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of that do the things no one can imagine"

 

Rating: «««««