The Conspirator

Every February, children all across the United States learn about Abraham Lincoln. We learn that he was the 16th president; that he was born in a log cabin, and was a lawyer before he entered politics. We are also taught that he hated slavery and fought to keep the country together during the War Between the States. But unless you go on to college and study history this is the extent of your knowledge, you never really get to know what he meant to the country at the time. That’s why films like The Conspirator are so important.
 
When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated just before the conclusion of the Civil War, the country reeled. It was just as inconceivable and shocking to them as 9/11 was to us. The Secretary of War (Kevin Kline) was so intent on bringing swift justice that he vigorously pursued the collaborators and tried them in military court. One of these alleged collaborators was Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) a widow and mother.
 
Mary Surratt was a southerner who ran a boarding house. Her son John (Johnny Simmons) was a known confederate of John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) and based on proximity alone she was arrested. Like the Patriot Act is sometimes used today her rights were circumvented and she appealed to a well-known southern senator (Tom Wilkinson) for help. He in turned enlisted the assistance of a Union war hero (James McAvoy). This young officer was recently discharged for wounds received in action and was now returning to his law practice. He wanted nothing to do with this case, but after meeting the client and seeing how much her rights were being violated, his love of the law overcame his resentment and bitterness towards the south.
 
As directed by Robert Redford there are a lot of parallels between what happened then and what is happening now. Like Gautama Bay, anyone associated with the assassination attempt was thrown into prison without counsel until the military was ready to prosecute. According to the film, one detail that surprised and shocked me was that the actors in the play were arrested too. Just because they were there and some of them knew Booth as an actor they were suspected too. And another fact that was ignored during my grade school education was that Lincoln was not the only target. Three assignation attempts were made that night. This was a major plot.
 
The Conspirator is an excellent film in and of itself. The acting is great and the subject matter is compelling. But what makes this film even greater is that is will enlighten you as well. After seeing this movie I have become intrigued and want to learn more about that night. That is the sign of a good movie. You carry it with you and think about it long after. There is so much more to Abraham Lincoln than what we learned in elementary school. This film just scratches the surface. What an exciting provocative story. And as far as its parallels as to what is happening today, I only hope that we have more people like Frederick Aiken. I challenge you to read his defense of Mary Surratt and not be moved. (http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lincolnconspiracy/defenseofsurratt.html)

Rating: First Run An important film in many ways

Wrecked

A man opens his eyes (Adrien Brody) and he finds himself at the bottom of a ravine. He is strapped to his seat by a seatbelt and he is in tremendous pain. Through the broken glass he blinks and attempts to focus, another man lies dead just beyond in the woods. He must have gone through the windshield. As his gaze now travels to the rearview mirror, the man is shocked by what he sees. Not only is his face cut and bruised, the man does not recognize himself, nor does he remember his name or how he got there. There is another dead body in the backseat. The man groans and passes out.
 
When the man awakens again, he tries to take inventory of his situation. He is thirsty, hungry, in pain and cold. His vision is compromised and his memory is still gone. He tries to free himself but he is trapped. His leg is pinned by the dashboard. He tries to pull it out but he doesn’t have the strength. Then he spots a piece of candy on the floor. He reaches for it but it is just beyond his grasp. In frustration he slams his body against the passenger side door. No luck, he sleeps again. Who is he and how did he get there?
 
As we journey with this solitary man in and out of consciousness, we struggle with him to discover the truth of his puzzling situation. His memory comes back in little flashes, but his mind is also playing tricks on him. At times he is delirious, at other times he dreams. What is real, what is fantasy, and why has no one come? Both the man and the viewer are in the dark. Together we will solve this mystery.
 
Wrecked is a fascinating tale of survival by first-time feature director Michael Greenspan. Like 127 Hours the story revolves around a solitary man trapped in a confining situation, but unlike that movie we know nothing about this man or how he got there. Like a film noir, there is a sinister element here, and a dark menacing quality. Should we care about this character or has he gotten what he deserves? Your eyes will search for every detail.
 
This film is executed with a languid pace, yet it draws you in and can be very thrilling. It is hard to describe the myriad of emotions that you will be going through without giving any of the story away. Suffice it to say that if you enjoy mysteries, puzzles and the fine acting of Adrien Brody, then you’ll love this film. I was fascinated throughout and found the film very exciting. I look forward to what this director will do next.

Rating: First Run An excellent and moody thriller
 
 

Soul Surfer

When you are too close to something it is hard to see things clearly, but when you take a step back and gain some perspective, suddenly things make sense. This is the basic message in Soul Surfer and it tells the story of Bethany Hamilton, a champion surfer who gained international attention when a shark bit off her left arm. With the help of a healthy attitude, a loving family, hard work and an abiding faith, Bethany summands the courage to return to the water and become a professional surfer.
 
Soul Surfer is a faith-based film but it tries so hard to be mainstream that in the beginning I found it bland and watered down. But somewhere in the middle it found its emotional footing and ended up being a decent film. I just wish it could have been stronger from the beginning. Bethany’s recovery was so quick and her success is so amazing that we take for granted all the pain, doubts and insecurities she went through. Faith is a gift, but it must be exercised. I’m afraid that sometimes the film made it look too easy.
 
Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt play a surfing couple that raised their family on the beach in Hawaii. Bethany portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb started surfing at an early age and won her first competition at age eight. At age thirteen and about to go pro, Bethany loses her arm, but within a month, she is back on her surfboard and the following year wins her first national championship.
 
Bethany Hamilton wrote a book about her life, which is fairly straightforward and talks a lot about her Christian faith, but in the film director Sean McNamara when out of his way to find conflict within the family in order to add edge to the production and make it more accessible to a secular audience. But the truth is that this is a Christian family with Christian values and it is this foundation and faith that gives them the strength to endure through this situation. I’m not going to call it a tragedy, because I don’t believe the family ever saw it that way. The fact that their daughter and sister was still alive was a miracle. Learning to live life without an arm was just a challenge.

The film alludes to this by the behavior and attitudes portrayed by the family in the film. Of course there were doubts, flare-ups, and cross words, even Bethany lost her footing a few times, but that is the beauty of the film. The family talked it out, reached out to each other and accepted the support system within their church. They even had a support system within the surfing community. Bethany did not have to go through this alone.

Carrie Underwood makes her film debut as Bethany’s youth pastor and she is an example of someone outside the family that Bethany could share her pain and mis-givings with. The parents had a doctor friend, Craig T. Nelson and Bethany’s surfing coach Kevin Sorbo. All these people contributed to Bethany’s recovery, but I’m sure that Bethany’s relationship with Jesus Christ played the strongest part. Her poise and positive attitude literally saved her life, but it is her faith and courage that got her back on that surfboard. To paraphrase Bethany, “I have learned to embrace more things with one arm than I could ever have with two.” This is a film about victory and a remarkable young woman.

Rating: Bargain Matinee A film about faith and courage