Messenger Born on the Fourth Passenger

This rainy weekend was fairly productive for me.  I got my hand wash laundry and ironing done.  I also baked some blueberry bread, ran errands, read some of my library books, went for two short runs, did “warm” yoga, cleaned the bathroom, and other things I can’t remember. 

 

Let me jump back to that “warm” yoga before I move on.  This yoga class was not just warm it was freaking hot!  The gym makes a distinction between warm and hot classes.  Anyway, I think someone hit the “hot” button instead of the “warm” button.

 

I also watched three movies.

 

1) The Messenger (2009):  Good – worth seeing.  US citizens are sheltered even from seeing the caskets of the dead coming back from the current “wars.”  This movie takes it a step further and actually shows you the reactions of the loved ones who must be notified, even though this is dramatized.  At the same time you hear and understand the story of someone who was there, injured, and returned in one piece – physically.  Oh, I also thought Woody Harrelson did a great job but that Samantha Morton was underutilized.

2) Passengers (2008) – Horrible, avoid it. I was surprised at the cast – Patrick Wilson (his role in Little Children was well done), Diane Wiest, Clea DuVall – why did they choose to be in this movie?  Anne Hathaway was not the right lead.  

 

This is the Netflix description:

After a plane crash, a young therapist, Claire, is assigned to counsel the flight's five survivors. When they share their recollections of the incident some of them say it included an explosion that the airline claims never happened. Claire is intrigued by Eric, the most secretive of the passengers. Just as Claire's professional relationship with Eric blossoms into a romance, the survivors begin to disappear mysteriously. Claire suspects that Eric may hold all the answers and becomes determined to uncover the truth, no matter the consequences.

I’m not sure what drew me to this particular movie but I wish it hadn’t.

3) Born on the Fourth of July (1989) – Yep, looks like a classic, though cheesy in several part (esp. the beginning 15 min).  I never saw this around the time it came out and it’s been on my list since I watched those Academy Awards documentaries.  Ron Kovic’s life was adequately portrayed as a long, arduous, and sad, but palpable, journey.

 

It was interesting seeing this movie so closely after The Messenger.  Totally different times and reactions to the two wars.  I kept wondering why there isn’t more reaction now like there was then, in the protests of the Vietnam War.  But, then, what have I done to protest the recent “wars”?

 

There was a big surprise though - Tom Cruise seemed to actually act!  He received an Academy Award nomination for this movie but did not win.  The cameos by Lilly Taylor, Willem Dafoe, and Tom Berenger, and others were interesting to see.