Midway – Review

Midway – Budget of $100 million – 2 hours and 18 minutes

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Edwin Langston sits with Isoroku Yamamoto at a state dinner.  They walk away to have a private conversation.  Yamamoto warns Langston if the US cuts off their oil supply, Japan would be forced to attack.  Langston takes this intelligence information to the U.S. government but it falls on deaf ears.  Years later, on December 7th, 1941, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.  After the attack, Lt. Richard Best looks for his best friend among the dead.  He is only recognizable by his class ring.  Best is devasted but wants back in the air to get revenge for his friend.  With the biggest failure in U.S. intelligence, Admiral Chester Nimitz is hired to lead the U.S. Pacific Fleet.  He speaks with Langston about what he knew before the attack.  Langston tells Nimitz he alerted them to the attack but failed to make the care.  The U.S. government did not take his warning about Pearl Harbor seriously because he works in the room with a bunch of nerdy code breakers and former marching band players.  Nimitz tells him to keep pressuring Washington until they listen.  When Langston comes back with a warning about an attack on “AF”, he believes it will be Midway.  Washington believes it will be Aleutians.  Langston must prove definitively the attack will be on Midway.  Lives, WW2, and the future of the world are at stake.

This gives a play by play of the worst mistakes the U.S. made before, during, and after the Pearl Harbor attacks.  From broken torpedoes to tainted oxygen tanks to bad directions, it’s hard to believe this war was won.  However, these brave men fought and knowingly sacrificed themselves to win.  It’s awe-inspiring to see the real faces and the impact of the true men behind the story.  While the costume designs were expertly done, the graphics faltered.  The green screen and CGI were blaringly obvious.  It takes away from the movie-going experience.  With those shortcomings, it should still be seen on the big screen to appreciate the attention to detail.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

You never know what’s going to get you.  So why worry about it – Aviation Machinist’s Mate Bruno Gaido

It’s me, isn’t it? – Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

You’ll be my wingman – Lieutenant Richard “Dick” Best

We’ll do better next time sir – Lieutenant Commander Edwin T. Layton

It’s just a rash – Vice Admiral William “Bull” Halsey

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Last Christmas – Review

Last Christmas – Budget of $25 – 30 million – 1 hour and 43 minutes

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In Yugoslavia 1999, Katrina sang in the choir and loved it.  In 1997, Katrina loves to sing but is bombing at every audition.  She works at Yuletide, a year-round Christmas store owned by a woman called Santa.  Katrina couch surfs from one friend to another, quickly and disastrously wearing out her welcome.  After staging a break-in to cover-up Katrina’s failure to lock a door, Santa gives her one more chance to keep her job.  Grateful, Katrina starts to clean a notices a man outside the store looking up.  She thinks he’s strange but checks him out anyway.  She sees Tom looking at a rare bird.  When she looks at it, the bird poops on her head.  He laughs as she runs into the store to get cleaned up.  He invites her to go on a walk with him.  She rejects the offer.  But later that night bumps into him after bombing another audition.  She takes a walk with him.  While on their walk, Tom gives her one instruction: Look Up.  She will see the world in a way she never has before.  Including the truth about herself.

This loveable klutz has fallen out of step with her life after surviving a life-threatening illness.  While the world sees her as lucky, she sees herself as half dead with parts her herself in the trash.  She just can’t get past this feeling of not being normal.  Tom helps her see that normal is a stupid word.  She must make the best of her new life; even if she stumbles through it.  While this movie is endearing, it could have easily been on Lifetime during the holiday season with the same impact.  The story tries to make you cry but it falls short.  See this one matinee, if you want to see a Christmas movie.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

What did you do this time?  Fry another fish – Santa

You don’t make jokes about what you don’t understand – Petra

Look up – Tom

Divorce is for the rich – Ivan

Just in case you thought I was too perfect – Katrina

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