War Horse (2011)

Tom Hiddleston, Geoff Bell, Joey, Jeremy Irvine, and Peter Mullan

After a rather lengthy hiatus, the Movies for Lunch Guys are back! Thanks to Dan for switching offices this blog has suffered greatly, and for that we make no apologies but merely set a new goal for reviewing two movies per month. For our return we watched War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of war violence. It was nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Dan -
I have never tried to hide the fact that I love Steven Spielberg movies. I think I’ve seen almost every one of them. And hearing that he was making a movie like this, it should go without saying that I was excited to see it. I had no idea what the story of this movie was since the preview only seemed to show a horse running in various locations during World War I. What I did know was that the play War Horse won 5 Tony Awards last year, including best play, and I thought the movie was an adaptation of the play. I have since learned that both the play and the movie are based on a book. So with an award-winning play already adapted and a supremely talented director set to take the reins, I had very high hopes for War Horse.

This is the story of a remarkably strong and smart thoroughbred horse named Joey who is purchased (unwisely it first seems) to work on a farm in Northern England just prior to World War I. After the Great War begins, the horse is sold to the British infantry, and then changes hands/owners several more times throughout the movie. Meanwhile the boy who trained him, Albert, joins the army and longs to be reunited with Joey.

I am not an animal person. I've never had a pet, and between my wife and I we are allergic to just about every domesticated animal. That being said, the best thing this movie has going for it is Joey and, surprisingly, I found myself emotionally attached to him. I was rooting for him. Each time Joey changes owners is practically an emotional travesty - he is sold to the British Army by Albert’s father in order for them to keep their farm and is subsequently captured by the Germans. He is then discovered by a young French girl and is captured again by the Germans when they march through her farmland, and then ultimately escapes from the grueling clutches of the German army to what would seem almost a worse fate. Simply stated: Joey is put through the ringer, and so was I as I watched this horse endure trial after trial.

If I had one complaint about this movie it is that it feels, for lack of a better word, stagy at times. Not to the point of excess, but rather in the feel of it. For example, the lighting in the first half hour of the movie seemed phony and didn’t look natural at all. There is also a scene toward the end of the movie where a German soldier and a British soldier meet in No Man’s Land and carry on a rather polite conversation. This unlikely situation almost took me out of the movie if it wasn't for the scenes with Joey leading up to it that completely invested me emotionally in the outcome. But it serves the plot and artistic license must be taken (after all, it’s only a movie).

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. I wanted to love it more than I actually did, so there was a slight letdown. It took a while to get into it, but as soon as the war started I was hooked. This is a good movie and is in my top ten for the year 2011, but I was expecting and hoping for more.

Nerd Note: This is the second movie released in 2011 (the other is The Adventures of Tintin) that composer John Williams wrote the music for with director Steven Spielberg and the 25^th in total that the two have worked on together. Williams was nominated for an Oscar for the music for both War Horse and Tintin, raising his total Oscar nominations to 47! He is second only to Walt Disney who has 59 nominations. The next closest living nominee: Woody Allen with 23.

Mark-
War Horse tells the story of an amazing horse named Joey.  The film tells the story of Joey’s interactions with a number of individuals during a few months preceding World War I, and following through the duration of the war.  Joey’s journey begins when Ted Narracott ,a lowly farmer, sees great promise in Joey and purchases him for an above average price at auction.  Ted‘s son Albert shares in the faith of Joey, and takes it upon himself to train Joey into the horse that lives up to, and exceeds, expectations.  Due to unfortunate circumstances, Joey is forced into the war, with the hope and promise that Joey will be well taken care of, and returned to Albert when the war is over.  The events of the war bring Joey into contact with a variety of individuals, finding promise in the eyes of the English, German, and French.

Luck, for lack of any better term to use, is a prevalent theme throughout this film.  Unfortunately not all of the luck is good.  From the very beginning it could be argued that Joey had good luck in being bought by the Narracott‘s, but the Narracott‘s dire circumstances could also be termed as the bad luck that forced Joey into the war.  Throughout the war it could be termed good luck for Joey that in each of his interactions, he comes into contact with individuals who continue to see promise and respect in Joey.  The unfortunate bad luck in these circumstances is that many of these new interactions come about because of the demise of the previous interactor(s).

A clearly conveyed message of this film is that of support, and that each of the characters that came into contact with Joey were made better for it; not only better, but Joey was able to bring out the best in them.  Joey is also able to learn from each of the characters that care for him, and thus the support and kindness is shown between each of the characters and Joey.

The one thing I found somewhat interesting prior to viewing the film, is the notion that Steven Spielberg made a big budget film with virtually no star actors or actresses.  Granted there are plenty of distinguished supporting actors in the cast, but the absence of any big names actually helps the film more than any other detail in my opinion.  By having lesser known stars, and primarily only minor characters; the film is able to show and maintain that the major focus and star of the film is Joey.

Overall I enjoyed this film, to the extent that I would likely put in my top 10 movies for 2011, but not so much that it would make it in my top 5.  There are unfortunately a few parts that are slow, but there are also extremely compelling and gripping moments (my favorite being the meeting of the English and German soldiers between enemy lines).  4 *’s out of 5.  

My Random Thought For War Horse: My random thought for this film is really more of a random bit of trivia, courtesy of imdb.com.  There were a total of 14 horses that portrayed Joey in this film with the main horse, Finder, also having starred as Seabiscuit in its film.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Ed Burns

Here for your reading is our review of Saving Private Ryan. This is the first movie that both of us gave the same star-rating. It is rated R for intense, prolonged, and realistically graphic sequences of war violence, and for language. It is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. The violence does not exist for a gross-out factor, but is meant to accurately depict the ravages of war.

Mark -
It’s very difficult to write a review for a film where regardless of what you write it will never really do it justice. If nothing else this film has given me an even greater appreciation for the individuals who have fought for the freedom of this country and freedom around the world. I have no military experience myself, and as such I am certain that I don’t fully understand or appreciate the sacrifices as much as I probably should.

This film portrays events surrounding the invasion of Normandy and its nearby areas. After storming the beaches of Normandy, a small group of soldiers are asked to perform a locate and rescue mission for one specific soldier.

Its difficult, if not impossible, to not cringe at the realistic nature that Spielberg portrays in this film. There have been many films made about war, but none have shown the brutality in quite the same way as this film. It’s not only the images that are disturbing, but in order to capture the full effect, the sounds that accompany the images intensify each horrific scene.

I have no idea how this film got so lucky, but it definitely did with its casting. Each of the actors in this film plays their character remarkably, and you get the sense that each of them realized that there really were no true stars in this film, but that the entirety of it was for a greater good.

Although this isn’t a film that was necessarily enjoyable to watch, I’m glad that I have seen it, and have a little bit more of an understanding of the hardships that took place during WWII. I can’t imagine most people wanting to watch this film on a regular basis, and can support those who wish not to see the graphic nature of this film altogether. 5 *’s out of 5

My Random Thought For Saving Private Ryan: If you were to look at this one role in particular, its hard to image that Vin Diesel would become what he did after this film. Hard to imagine the possibilities of what may have been, just as it is hard for me to imagine that is actually 44.

Dan -
I should preface this review that it will further solidify my standing as a movie nerd. I am not ashamed to admit it, but rather have come to embrace it. I’d like to think it helps me understand movies better, but I could be completely wrong and I come across as an obsessive geek in the worst sense of the word. Either way I submit the following review.

I don’t know where to begin, so I will start randomly with my adoration of this movie. It is technically amazing in every way. The most memorable aspect to me is the cinematography. It seems like this was the first movie to introduce the shaky-cam technique, giving you the feeling that you are actually in the thick of the action. This is one of the few movies that it actually works but is not overused. I heard when this movie was first released that the opening sequence was so realistically portrayed that it was triggering post traumatic stress disorder for some veterans that had similar experiences.

One scene that stands out to me technically speaking is where the rain begins to fall at the beginning of the mission to find Private Ryan as the men come upon their first battle. I didn’t notice at first, but each drop of rain coincided with a gunshot. It was faint at first with only a few drops and pops here and there, but as the rain came down harder the gunfire picked up the pace as well and you begin to hear machine guns instead of single shot rifles. This was simply masterful editing and sound mixing that deserved the Oscars they earned for it. While I didn’t get to watch this in surround sound, I did the next best thing and watched it with headphones (so as not to offend co-workers with the foul language and loud violence). It created such a close feeling that I almost felt like I was dodging bullets with the guys on screen.

I am a huge fan of movie soundtracks, specifically the scores of movies, and John Williams is one of my favorites. The guy has written some of the most famous movie music there is from Star Wars to Superman to Indiana Jones. There is not a whole lot of music in this movie and it is subtle when it does appear. Until the end credits. The track is called Hymn to the Fallen, it runs only during the end credits, and it is one of the most stirring pieces of music ever in a movie. It just seems like such a payoff to the emotions I felt throughout the movie.

This happens to be one (of admittedly many) movie that makes me cry. The strange thing is that each time I’ve watched it I cried at different parts. This time the emotion came just after the beach invasion when Private Mellish finally releases his own emotion and has a chance to relax. I thought of how I would react in a similar situation. Another time was when Medic Wade had been shot, everyone was trying to save him, and he begins to cry out for his mom.

This movie did an incredible job of getting me to feel just what the men of the movie feel. They question why they must risk their own lives for someone that they have never met and hasn’t done anything to "earn" his ticket home. From the anger of the men sent to get Private Ryan to the frustration and confusion of Ryan himself as he hears that he is supposed to go home I swear I felt every emotion the characters were feeling.

In addition to the unforgettable battle scenes, there are several quiet moments that give this movie the depth required to make it great. There is a scene right before the final battle where the men are sharing stories of their lives at home with each other and laughing about them. It seems unremarkable and almost out of place until I realized the point of it was to illustrate that these were ordinary people asked to do extraordinary things. I think of a similar scene in the church after finding the wrong Private Ryan. And in the brief exchange of a look between Ed Burns and Matt Damon before the first shots are fired of the final stand. No words, but an understanding that they will fight together against the enemy.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars. I still wonder how Shakespeare in Love could have won Best Picture over this movie. Without question this is not only the best movie about World War II, but it is the best war movie period. I saw this the summer I turned 18 and remember being completely affected by it. Having seen it a few times since then, I have grown to love and appreciate it more upon each subsequent viewing. This movie also helped me appreciate more fully the sacrifice made by the men and women of the Armed Forces.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio

Here for your reading pleasure is our take on Catch Me If You Can. It is rated PG-13 for language, including 1 F-bomb (the delivery of which is hilarious), and some sexual situations/content.

Mark -
This is one of those movies that I actually seem to enjoy the more times I watch it. Obviously any movie that Steven Spielberg directs is a big deal, and when you have his reputation you can be selective in what you want your name tied to. Seeing that every movie begins with the script, it would seem fairly obvious to assume that many people thought this project had a lot of promise.
Not all big movies with major actors are a success, but it definitely helps to have the odds in your favor by having a number of stars appearing in the same film. Any filmmaker would love to have either Leonardo DiCaprio or Tom Hanks as the star in their movie, and to have both in the same movie must have been a dream come true. Add in the appearances of Christopher Walken, and Martin Sheen and the cast keeps getting easier and easier to work with it must seem. Its fun to watch this movie and see the likes of relatively unknown actresses, at the time, Amy Adams, Elizabeth Banks, and Jennifer Garner (granted she had received some notoriety before this film thanks to Alias).
The film focuses on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr (DiCaprio), and his early crime spree life. Abagnale Jr is considered to be one of the youngest and most clever criminals in our history. Starting in his late teens Abagnale Jr discovers the simplicity of passing fraudulent checks and impersonates a pilot, doctor, and attorney. The second focus of the film is that of Detective Carl Hanratty (Hanks) attempting to catch Abagnale Jr. Hanratty seems to be a great agent behind a desk, but in his attempts to catch Abagnale Jr it seems he becomes completely oblivious to the most obvious of circumstances.
This film is fun to watch as you see Abagnale Jr take on these different identities, and wonder how he could pull off the credibility to perform such skilled professions. It is equally fun to watch Hanratty and his agents' attempts to track down Abagnale Jr, and the realization of what moves are being taken to always keep Abagnale Jr one step ahead.
Last of all is the fact that I love the music from this movie. John Williams did an amazing job with the score for the film and is something that will stay in your head for hours at a time. The score truly brings to mind the thoughts of a criminal sneaking around and avoiding capture.
While the whole movie seems so far fetched, you are always wondering how someone could possibly pull off all the schemes that Abagnale Jr does. A large part of the fun of this movie is in wondering how much of it truly did happen. 4 stars out of 5.
My Random Thought For Catch Me If You Can: I wonder how many people have told Carl Hanratty's knock knock joke from this movie.


The real Frank Abagnale, Jr.

Dan-
Who knew that check fraud could be this interesting and entertaining? Having worked at two different banks and now in the legal system, I have some basis to say that check fraud is extremely boring and tedious. So a big pat on the back to the screenwriter Jeff Nathanson and director Steven Spielberg for cutting out all the boring day to day stuff and sticking to the exciting stuff. I'm hoping this review does not come across as biased, but I'll be up front in saying that I am a Steven Spielberg fan.

This movie is first and foremost about characters. I know, I know, there are characters in every movie, but not every movie is about characters. Sometimes they just facilitate the story or the action taking place. This movie was about people. Yes some of the circumstances were outrageous and hard to believe, but I always knew the motivations behind their choices. And it didn't have to be spelled to me either. I saw it in a lingering camera shot or facial expression. DiCaprio's entire motivation for his actions is because he is trying to run away from the problem that his parent's divorce will create for him.

When you have good actors, it makes watching the movie that much better. It seems like a dream cast now to see Hanks, DiCaprio, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, and Jennifer Garner (no matter how brief her role is here) together for one movie. I think DiCaprio was slightly miscast, but only because he of his boyish looks. Based on the above picture the real Frank looked much older than he was, which probably made it easier to pass off as a doctor, lawyer, and pilot, but DiCaprio more than makes up for it with his acting. I know some of the credit goes to the screenwriter, but simple reactions to the new situations effectively convey the age of the character. The take-off of his first flight comes to mind, as does his first date.

The relationship between the two Franks (DiCaprio and Walken) is possibly the strongest thing this movie has going for it, and where I think the realy heart of the movie is. Walken deserved to be nominated for an Oscar for this subtle performance. I love the scene where father and son meet up at a fancy restaurant and Frank Jr. only wants to impress his father. Frank Sr. sees through the facade that his son has put up, but is still moved by the gesture. They come across as like father, like son in their behaviors. I saw in one of the special features on the DVD that this scene was fabricated and that once Frank Jr. ran away from home he never saw his father again. I know that Hollywood has a strong tendency to stretch the truth when it comes to "based on a true story", but the scene still worked well and resonated with me.

This movie made my top ten list of 2002, and overall I'd give this movie 4½ stars out of five.