Kenneth-8 Reviews

Flag of My Father (2011)

Absorbing faith-based military drama

[10/10 · 16 January 2012]

A gripping, heartfelt story of courage and faith, Flag of My Father is the story of Cpt. Judith Rainier, well played by Gigi Erneta, an Army nurse who is suffering from horrific flashbacks due to her POW experiences in the Second Gulf War. To add to her difficulties, her half- brothers (led by John Schneider and Andrew Sensenig) harbor animosity toward her for being their dad's (William Devane) favorite child, due to their bond of being war veterans and Judith being his only daughter. These feelings surge to the surface after the sudden death of her father, when the family has to decide as to whom has the right to own their late father's flag and war medals. As Judith deals with both trying to reconcile herself with her brothers as well as coming to grips with her own PTSD, the brothers discover a stunning revelation and in the process will get another chance at forgiveness and redemption.

Every once in awhile you enter a film with preconceived notions, only to be surprised or even blind-sided at how good and well-done a film actually is. Flag of My Father is such a film, where the audience goes in and expects the usual well-intentioned but poorly constructed and acted low-budget "Christian" film, only to leave stunned by how well the story is presented and acted. It's a military based drama that gives a voice to our veterans, yet doesn't come off as being too preachy or get bogged down in political statements or sensationalistic elements. Instead it goes straight for issues of the heart, dealing with not only how a combat veteran deals with the horrors of war but the universal need of each to connect with family and how painful it is for those family bonds to be broken due to trite misunderstandings and jealousies. It also shows God's redemptive power and how he can heal those broken relationships. Gigi Erneta is sincere in her portrayal of a physically and emotionally wounded vet, enabling the audience to connect with and identify with her. John Schneider and Andrew Sensenig, as the lead brothers of Daniel and Ben, take what could have been totally unsympathetic caricatures and make them into real two-dimensional people who are misled by their pride, selfishness and false assumptions. Kent Jude Bernard is a standout as a fellow POW who is encouraged by Judith's unwavering hope and faith. And William Devane, in the brief but pivotal part of the Vietnam veteran father, shines and adds poignancy to his role; it's a reminder of how strong and underrated a character actor he is. Director and writer Rodney Ray, in his first full-length motion picture, shows real talent in knowing how to construct a powerful story and to execute it professionally within the confines of a limited budget and resources. In a genre often marked with poor quality and technical incompetency, he is clearly a talent to be reckoned with. It will be interesting to see his future offerings.

Flag of My Father is a great film that is both entertaining and thought-provoking in how it sheds light on the internal and external struggles of some returning vets (and those who don't understand them) as well as the process of healing through faith and forgiveness. If you want a patriotic film that you can enjoy with your entire family, or just a good, inspirational film in general, be sure to check this gem out today.

Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)

Pointless sequel that has a few good laughs and good performances

[21 January 2000]

I agree with all of the other comments that the original Arthur was not a movie that needed a sequel. It should have stayed exactly where it ended. But, taken on it's own terms, Arthur 2: On the Rocks isn't half bad and actually has some really funny moments. Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli convincingly reprise their roles from the original and exchange some really funny lines between each other; they work well together and are fun to watch. All of the other actors also, from the original (minus Jill Eikenberry), do their best to add spark to offset the mediocre material. In fact the movie gets as far as it does solely on the performances alone. The movie itself is bland and lifelessly plotted and totally lacking in the warmth, magic, and style, courtesy of the late Steve Gordon, that made the original so much fun and endearing. Plus the new plot plays more like a sitcom than pure comedy. But the stars manage to squeeze out a few laughs anyway and Moore still gets some belly laughs as the perpetually drunk Arthur. So if your looking for a sequel that is on par with the original you will no doubt be disappointed but if your just looking for an average comedy with a few good laughs to kill time with you might enjoy it.

Cool World (1992)

Animated crap that notingly put Bakshi's theatrical cartoon career in toilet

[6 February 1999]

This movie makes no sense at all and the animation is boring to boot. It's all bad style and no substance; that's the extent of plot structure. I think this movie grossed $54 and is an embarrassment for everyone involved. And I actually skipped out on watching "A League of Their Own" at the time to catch this piece of crap!

The Ambassador (1984)

Exciting little action film that was Hudson's last

[10/10 · 6 February 1999]

A good little action/suspense thriller that was released by the now defunct Cannon group that has the novelty of dealing with the Israeli-Palestanian crisis with real intelligence and being Rock Hudson's last feature film. It stars Robert Mitchum as Peter Hacker, an American ambassador to Israel who tries to bring peace in the Middle East by unorthodox means, but his adulteress wife, played by Ellen Burstyn, threatens to derail his plans when she has an affair with a PLO leader. To make matters worse, someone threatens to expose a film of the affair if a high ransom isn't paid and the ambassador has a hefty price on his head for certain assassins. Rock Hudson plays Frank Stevenson, the ambassador's loyal security officer/friend who tries to unravel the scheme before the film hits the airwaves.

Heading a first rate cast, Robert Mitchum plays the lead role with grace and style as a man who tries to accomplish his goals when everything possible is trying to derail him and Ellen Burstyn plays the wife with right note between guilt and steadfast loyalty for her husband. Rock Hudson, on the other hand, is given little to do. He does what he can with the thankless role as the security officer but basically he's just there to try to talk some sense into the ambassador's head and to carry out orders; it's a little sad ending to a brilliant career. The film itself is well-done and first rate with a higher budget and quality than most Cannon films and the location shoots are first-rate. Check it out if you want a Middle-East political thriller with some action thrown into it for good measure.