The Rite

Movie: The Rite

Cast:    Colin O’Donoghue     (Michael Kovak)

            Anthony Hopkins       (Father Lucas Trevant)

            Alice Braga                 (Angeline)

            Rutgar Hauer              (Istvan Kovak)

            Toby Jones                  (Father Matthew)

            Ciarán Hinds               (Father Xavier)

Genre: drama

Synopsis: Michael Kovak and his father own a mortuary.  Michael decides to attend seminary school.  When he decides to drop out due to faith issues, Father Matthew makes a deal with him.  Michael will go to the Vatican to attend exorcism school.  If he still wants to drop out after that – he can.

While in Rome, one of Michael’s instructors, Father Xavier sees that Michael does not really believe in the idea of a person being possessed by demons.  Father Xavier sends Michael to Father Lucas.  Father Lucas takes Michael along for a couple of exorcisms, but Michael is still not convinced that what he is seeing is just some form of psychosis.  Then things start happening to Michael and he starts seeing and hearing things that cannot be.  By the end of the movie, Michael is a believer.

My two cents: Good but not great.  Some pretty decent possession scenes – but nothing as graphic as we saw in The Exorcist.

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Biutiful

Movie: Biutiful

Cast:    Javier Bardem             (Uxbal)

            Marciel Alvarez          (Marambra)

Genre: drama
Subtitles

Synopsis: Uxbal is a poor father of two in Spain.  He has custody of his children because his wife, Maramba has an alcohol and drug problem who also likes to party a bit too much.  Uxbal makes a living by acting as a go between between illegal immigrants and employees who want to hire them.  Uxbal is often appalled by the conditions these workers are forced to work and live in and does try to help them.  When he is diagnosed with cancer, Uxbal does some soul searching while he attempts to put his life in order.

My two cents: Javier Bardem turns is a remarkable performance in this movie.  He is under never-ending stress from problems with his children, a drug-addled wife, employers abusing the workers he supplies, police raids on the same workers.  Then he finds out he has only months to live.  Bardem was amazing to watch as his character gradually starts caving in to the chemotherapy and then to the cancer.

My only real beef with the movie is its length: 2hr 27 minutes.  I think it could have been cut to 2 hours without losing too much.  That said, if for nothing else, this movie is worth seeing for Javier Bardem’s performance.

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Bhutto

Movie: Bhutto

Genre: biographical documentary

Synopsis: This documentary is the story of Benazir Bhutto.  It starts with the formation of East and West Pakistan and the rise of her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to become the first democratically elected president of Pakistan.  Benazir was his oldest child.  He did the unthinkable and instead of grooming his oldest son to be his political heir, he chose Benazir.  From an early age, she broke from the Islamic mold for women.  When she came of age, she wore a Burqua once – at which point her father decided she would not have to wear the traditional garb. 

When Zulfikar was overthrown and subsequently executed, Benazir determined to pick up his political reins, ultimately getting elected Prime Minister as the first woman to lead a Muslim country.  She was removed from office following trumped up corruption charges.  She was ultimately elected again, and again removed from office on corruption charges.  Her husband spent a number of years in prison but was never convicted of anything.  During her two stints as Prime Minister, Bhutto accomplished some amazing reforms.  The day she was elected, she ordered all political prisoners freed, she lead the drive that eradicated polio in Pakistan, and she had thousands of schools built.

In 2007, Bhutto returned to Pakistan from a self-imposed exile.  She was the leading opposition candidate in the upcoming 2008 General Elections.  Two weeks before the elections, Bhutto was assassinated; dashing any near-term hopes for a democratic Pakistan.

My two cents: A fascinating look at one of the most powerful women of our time.  Bhutto’s accomplishments would be extraordinary for a man, but for a woman in an Islamic world they are truly extraordinary. I found interesting the parallels between the Bhutto family and the Kennedys – both in the number of family members who rose to political prominence and in the tragic deaths of so many.

The movie presents a great look at the history of Pakistan and at its continual conflict with India  . . . which directly led to both nations developing nuclear weapons.

The two things in the movie that hit me the most:

1. How incredibly sad and tragic Bhutto’s assassination was.  If the 2008 election had been fairly conducted, it seemed pretty clear she would once again have lead Pakistan.  The country was so close to becoming, again, a democracy.  That chance died along with Bhutto,

2. This movie made me realize how incredibly brilliant and farsighted our own forefathers were when they stipulated in the Constitution that our military ultimately falls under civilian control.  Just watch how the history of Pakistan has affected by their military leader and you will appreciate the wisdom of the authors of our constitution.

Perhaps the saddest part of the movie is the closing interviews with Bhutto’s death in which they describe their last time with their mother.

Bottom line: do not pass up a chance to see this documentary.

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