Birth of a Nation

Birth of a Nation

The momentum of this movie was sluggish, especially the first third. The problem with doing a true story, the ending (for the most part) is known.  The lead up to the climax drags on a bit and anticipation can be a distraction.  Early scenes were a combination of benevolent treatment of young Nat by his masters interspersed with brutalization of slaves by their owners. These horrible acts molded Turner’s character and would serve as a catalyst later on.

 His elders’ saw Nat Turner as a scared child and a future leader. Early on he was tutored to read, but the Bible was the only book slaves were permitted to read. In turn he became a slave preacher. To make money his owner took him to different plantations to preach to the slaves. The real purpose was not religious instruction but another form of control. At these plantations, the cruelties he witnessed seared his mind.  

We (most of us) have seen the brutality of slavery from films like” Twelve Years a Slave” and “Roots”, nevertheless some scenes depicted were hard to watch (I closed my eyes during one shot). If the “N” word bothers you or seeing lots and lots of lynchings disturbs you, this not your movie. I do not wish to diminish the historical importance the Nat Turner’s revolt but reading about it and seeing it are two different things. This is a heroic movie, but tough to watch.

The lead actor is Nate Parker. The director is Nate Parker; the author is Nate Parker and the producer is Nate Parker. His work is commendable; but perhaps another set of eyes would have brought a different perspective. Parker’s acting was commendable and in the horrific last scenes more demanding. He was more effective as an avenging messianic leader than a soft-spoken preacher.

Armie Hammer plays Turner’s master. They go from boyhood friends to beneficent master to slave whipping owner. Hammer is so laid back he sleeps in most scenes. He portrays the dilemmas of befriending a slave and holding him accountable for transgressions required in ways dictated at the time. Penelope Ann Miller played the wife of the slave owner, I did not recognize her. Time is a cruel master.

If you are not familiar with the Nat Turner revolt of 1831, see the movie first. The Nat Turner revolt is pivotal in American history; it portends the Civil War.

p.s.-This movie has nothing to do with W.D. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation”-1915.

The Man from Uncle

The Man from Uncle

In the early 60’s I use to faithfully watch the TV show The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. It was fun, the gadgets were great, the chicks were plentiful and trying to understand the heavy Russian accented voice of Lllya Kuryakin as uttered by a Scotsman was a challenge. The geopolitics of the Cold War were lost on a thirteen year old boy, but the Russian Missile Crisis scared the crap out of me. 

The movie is set during the hot period of the Cold War. Our boys are trying to stop renegade Nazis’s from making a nuclear bomb. The USA and USSR work together with fingers crossed behind their back. The movie recreates the 60’s feeling with clothes, make up and cars. Most of the action takes place in Italy near Rome. Lots of Italian is spoken in the movie and large yellow subtitles are used, which are unnecessary for us native speakers. 

The 2015 Man from Uncle movie has little to do with the TV show aside from using the same names for the protagonists. Henry Cavell is Napoleon Solo, played by Henry Cavill, who is proto Bond; very debonair and a chick magnet. Amie Hammer plays Lllya Kuryakin. Compared to the original petite T.V. actor, Armie looks like a refrigerator with shoes. Hugh Grant plays Waverly who is the movie’s equivalent of the incomparable Leo C. Carroll. Grant comes in at the tail end of the movie with his patented grin and effortless style. The villainesses is a tall glass of water named the Countessa Victoria Vinciguerra (which in English means “wina the war”). She wore so much eye make, raccoons were jealous. The Countessa looked like Twiggy only forty pounds heavier and twelve inches taller.  The heroine is Alicia Vikander who plays a key role as Gabriella Telller. Teller is cute, smart and the lynch pin of the operation. After many false starts there is a near kiss with the shy Kuryakin (regrettably there is absolutely no sex). In the credits I noticed t David Beckham played the projectionist. I had no idea he was in the movie. Sporting too many tattoos he blended in with wallpaper.

The actors were marvelous together. In the beginning there was that American Russian distrust which evolves into coexistence, but not quite friendship. This movie is hilarious. It is an action/comedy. The audience laughed out loud more than once. The director is Guy Ritchie who has this great talent for mixing violence and comedy (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and the Sherlock Holmes films). This is a simple movie with 1960’s sensibilities. It is fun, which is good enough.

Ciao