50 Dead Men Walking (2009)
Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess star in Kari Skogland’s 50 Dead Men Walking, a film based on a true life story about the Irish Republican Army. As a drama, I felt it was a good film … realistic and will keep your interest. My main problem with the film was that it didn’t make the IRA situation and Northern Ireland understandable, in fact to me it make it a little more convoluted.
I didn’t mind the violence, or the torture, or the profanity, it was all a well done part of a captivating movie. It did leave you feeling sad for the guy who seemed destined to have only one option in life and he did not have the opportunity to make a choice.
It is a well-done, almost recommendable piece, that those who are drawn to this subject matter will probably like.
Rated R. 117 minutes (1 hour 57 minutes). Violence – and realisticly done. Profanity. Plus given the Irish dialect, there may have been more profanity than I realized or maybe you’ll actually pick up on less!
Hachiko: A Dog’s Story (2009)
Tonight’s feature was Hachiko: A Dog’s Story, starring Richard Gere, Joan Allen, and Jason Alexander. But the real actor was the Akita dog! This movie is based off a true story in Japan about a dog who who meet his owner at the train station each evening and even after the owner’s death the dog would still wait for him. Read about it here on Wikipedia. And now that I’ve just spoiled the story… LOL.
I really enjoyed this thing. I’m not much for sappy stories, and this one there really isn’t much that happens. It just underlines for us the importance of love and loyalty. That the people in your life are very important and should not be overlooked but instead valued and treated as they deserve, or better. It is a touching story and especially sad when you realize the part about how if you love someone sometimes you have to let them go, that trying to hold on doesn’t help.
That is one cute puppy! Expressive dog that can’t help but pull on your emotions.
Rated G. It’s very rated G. I didn’t know what this was rated before I started watching and I wonder how long it has been since I’ve seen a G movie. It may upset the little kids, still.