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The Post (2017)

To be honest, I did not realize (or had a momentary lapse and forgot) who was the director of The Post was until I saw the closing credits. But there was a part me that was not wholly surprised. More on that a bit later …

The Post (2017)

Based on the legal and journalistic drama behind the release of the Pentagon Papers, The Post threads a very thin narrative line – it is part political thriller (the DNA of All the President’s Men is quite evident) and part human interest/personal drama, centered on The Washington Post’s owner Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep). It also explores the evolving relationship between her and editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks).

Now, I am not going to give too much of the story away, because frankly a quick internet search will tell the tale of the Pentagon Papers. While I am not a spring chicken, I am surprised that I did not recall this story from my history classes during my school days. I could offer more commentary in that regard, but I digress. Back to the film.

Ah yes, the performances. Not much to say in this regard except what else do you expect? Streep, Hanks and a wonderful collection of supporting actors who made this a true ensemble piece.

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Tuesday’s Overlooked Film: The Burbs (1989)

Directed by Joe Dante (“Gremlins”), The ‘Burbs was a slightly subversive look into the inhabitants of a cul-de-sac community, the fictional Hinkley Hills. A new family, the Klopeks has moved into the neighborhood. SURE –they are ‘strange’ by conventional (or any other standards but exactly what is going on behind closed doors and down in that basement is a mystery that Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) wants to uncover. Despite pleas appealing for reason and ‘neighborly-ness’ from his wife, Carol (Carrie Fisher), Ray and his buddies (Bruce Dern and Rick Ducommun) are not convinced. Conveniently, Carol and her son leave to visit her sister out of town, thus allowing Ray and company to pursue their quest to reveal their neighbors to be murderous psychopaths.

I know this will not work for everyone, but for me the slapstick nature of several of the scenes was enough to make this for fun (if slightly dark) family viewing.

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Tuesday’s Overlooked Film: Starter for Ten

For this week’s overlooked selection, I have chosen a film from 2007 – Tom Vaughan’s Starter for Ten. The screenplay is adapted by David Nicholls, who also wrote the novel.

This film has many elements to its credit:

  • It is a lighthearted coming of age story
  • It is set in the mid-1980’s in Thatcher’s Great Britain
  • It has an awesome cast: James McAvoy, Dominic Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Rebecca Hall and a well-played Catherine Tate.
  • The soundtrack is equally awesome and is currently in rotation on my iPod

If you are from the States like me, you may have to look past the rather obscure title (I have since figured out what it means). I suspect in many circles the title did not do it any great favors in broadening its appeal. This despite the fact that Tom Hanks is one of the producers of the film.

Here is the U.S. trailer:

Unfortunately the voice over in this trailer is rather annoying and it is obvious to that the film was marketed to the American audience with a strong “rom-com” emphasis. Of course, these are some of the thematic elements which run through the film, but this is not a fair or complete representation of the film. Take a look and judge it for yourself.

 

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