,,,,,,,,,starring Bradley Cooper and directed by Clint Eastwood.
The Link
My wife and I joined an almost full house of 250 or so viewers at our local multi-plex at 2:00 last Friday afternoon.
Reportedly, several showings during the previous week turned away a number of expectant movie goers and I've noticed that six starting times are scheduled daily at least through the next weekend.
Our audience seemed very interested and remained quite attentive with frequent hushed murmurs, sudden gasps and other quiet sounds indicating apprehension, shock and/or empathy as Bradley Cooper portrayed Navy Seal Chris Kyle growing up with his Texas family, meeting and marrying his wife, serving with his comrades in arms in Iraq and trying to adjust to his life back home after each of his four tours.
The only thing that didn't seem real and true to me in this entire film was a single doll held by new father Kyle which fell noticeably short of being an actual baby.
Cooper gives a believable, well studied and thoughtful, objective and nuanced, cinematic portrait of a soldier serving his country and doing his specific duty to protect his brothers in arms from those trying to do them harm.
Kyle was skillful, sensitive to the responsibilities of his mission, used good judgement in the field and was brave.
Clint Eastwood delivers an accurate and balanced film about the harsh brutality of war and the different realities of returning home.
I appreciated this flick much as I do "Sergeant York," with Gary Cooper, and "We Were Soldiers," featuring Mel Gibson.
Each of those excellent motion pictures gives a vivid and honest representation of war, both on the field of battle and on the home front.
Thanks to all those (and their families) who have served, over there and over here.
IMO, Chris Kyle and his comrades are American heroes.
And I was proud that the audience at my theater in Marble Falls paid such close attention and when many clapped before filing out.
In my review of "Unbroken" I noted how the incomplete denouement and the lack of enough visual resolution of that true, heroic story disappointed me at movie's end.
I'll look forward to seeing new director Angelina Jolie's work improve in the future.
Here, in comparison, I thought seasoned and more practiced director Eastwood got it right.
What did you think?
The Link
My wife and I joined an almost full house of 250 or so viewers at our local multi-plex at 2:00 last Friday afternoon.
Reportedly, several showings during the previous week turned away a number of expectant movie goers and I've noticed that six starting times are scheduled daily at least through the next weekend.
Our audience seemed very interested and remained quite attentive with frequent hushed murmurs, sudden gasps and other quiet sounds indicating apprehension, shock and/or empathy as Bradley Cooper portrayed Navy Seal Chris Kyle growing up with his Texas family, meeting and marrying his wife, serving with his comrades in arms in Iraq and trying to adjust to his life back home after each of his four tours.
The only thing that didn't seem real and true to me in this entire film was a single doll held by new father Kyle which fell noticeably short of being an actual baby.
Cooper gives a believable, well studied and thoughtful, objective and nuanced, cinematic portrait of a soldier serving his country and doing his specific duty to protect his brothers in arms from those trying to do them harm.
Kyle was skillful, sensitive to the responsibilities of his mission, used good judgement in the field and was brave.
Clint Eastwood delivers an accurate and balanced film about the harsh brutality of war and the different realities of returning home.
I appreciated this flick much as I do "Sergeant York," with Gary Cooper, and "We Were Soldiers," featuring Mel Gibson.
Each of those excellent motion pictures gives a vivid and honest representation of war, both on the field of battle and on the home front.
Thanks to all those (and their families) who have served, over there and over here.
IMO, Chris Kyle and his comrades are American heroes.
And I was proud that the audience at my theater in Marble Falls paid such close attention and when many clapped before filing out.
In my review of "Unbroken" I noted how the incomplete denouement and the lack of enough visual resolution of that true, heroic story disappointed me at movie's end.
I'll look forward to seeing new director Angelina Jolie's work improve in the future.
Here, in comparison, I thought seasoned and more practiced director Eastwood got it right.
What did you think?
