Tag: Movie

‘The Last Full Measure’ is full of emotional supporting performances

Jeff Mitchell

“The Last Full Measure” – “The Vietnam War was arguably the most traumatic experience for the United States in the 20th century.” – author Donald M. Goldstein “There was only one man on the ground that day that would have turned down a ride out of that hellhole – at that man was Pitsenbarger.” – F. David Peters, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division The year is 1999.  The tech boom was in full bloom, and so were The Backstreet Boys.  Lance Armstrong won his first Tour…

Surprise! Oscar-nominated ‘Les Misérables’ is a gritty, non-musical crime drama

Jeff Mitchell

“Les Misérables” – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” – Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities” Quoting – or to be more precise, partially-quoting – Dickens to kick off a “Les Misérables” movie review might be brazen, foolish and a bit sacrilegious, but after watching director Ladj Ly’s gutsy, modern take on Victor Hugo’s celebrated novel, it also feels apropos. For Issa (Issa Perica), a young Parisian teen, life is the best of times and also the worst.  France just won the 2018…

Woodard commands the screen with steely and hazy gazes on capital punishment in ‘Clemency’

Jeff Mitchell

“Clemency” – For Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge), his days in prison are lengthy and torturous.  Each drab minute feels exactly like the next, because sitting in a 10-by-10 foot cell day after day, week after week, and month after month does nothing to spur joy or optimism. Time has become his sworn enemy, packaged as a double-edged sword, because the seemingly endless moments are also brutally finite. Anthony is on death row, and he unenviably stands next in line. Warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) is enduring troubling days of her…