Robert Zemeckis has been a master at directing light entertainment: Romancing the Stone (1984), the Back to the Future series, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1989), Forrest Gump (1994), Cast Away (2000). He stepped out of his comfort zone to tackle the serious issues of addiction, faith and redemption in Flight (2012), and created a solid, if flawed work. Denzel Washington stars as a pilot whose heroic maneuvers limit the deaths of passengers and crew to a handful. The main drawback of the film is that it asks the viewer to believe the main character was able perform these marvels while legally drunk, while, it is later revealed, ten other sober pilots crashed, killing everyone on board, while performing mere simulations. And it is also proved that the plane was unfit for flight, which removes ambiguity, the element that makes for the most compelling story lines. It is a good film that might have been great had the participants been more daring. Perhaps it was believed the character would be too unsympathetic without these props. Hey, it’s Denzel Washington -- it's a given that he’ll do the right thing in the end. There is no surprise. Still, it is a noble effort on the star's part, as the character behaves despicably, and the supporting cast is stellar: Don Cheadle, the ubiquitous Bruce Greenwood, Tamara Tunie ( the ME on Law & Order SUV); Melissa Leo; and John Goodman, adding another notch to his long list of oddballs, a drug dealer, who I suspect was used as comic relief from the somber overall tone. On a scale of five, I rate Flight 3.25. It is rated 7.3 of ten at IMDb.
In 1981 Kathy Boudin served as the getaway driver in a robbery in which a Brinks guard and two NYC police officers were murdered. It is also alleged that she participated in a dozen bombings nationwide. Still, she was granted parole a few years ago after serving 22 years. The outrage continues, as she has been named an adjunct professor at Columbia University. There’s only one good thing to be said about this -- she fits right in with all the other jerk-offs on the staff. I've have not heard a single member of the faculty lodge a protest. They're all guilty by implication of gross injustice.
Dallas Mavericks flamboyant owner, Mark Cuban, says he is thinking of using the team’s second round draft pick on female All-America Brittney Griner of Baylor University. I’d love to see what would happen. I doubt she’d make it. It’s hard to imagine she'd be a better player than those who miss out on the precious 400 or so slots in the NBA. It’s not golf. It’s mano a mano physical play. Then again, I’ve never seen her in action. She is six feet-eight.
The weather moderated a bit today but business deteriorated, no sales, no book donations.
Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
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