Showing posts with label Julia Roberts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julia Roberts. Show all posts

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Charlie Wilson's War


Mike Nichols: Charlie Wilson's War (US/DE 2007), screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, based on the book by George Crile, starring Tom Hanks (Rep. Charlie Wilson), Amy Adams (Bonnie Bach), Julia Roberts (Joanne Herring) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Gust Avrakotos).

Charlie Wilsonin sota / Charlie Wilsons krig.
   US / DE © 2007 Universal / MP Munich Pape. P: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks.
   D: Mike Nichols. SC: Aaron Sorkin – based on the book (2003) Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History (later titled Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times) by George Crile. DP: Stephen Goldblatt – shot on 35 mm Kodak Vision Super 35 – 2K digital intermediate by Efilm – print Kodak Vision 1:1,85.
   Starring: Tom Hanks (Rep. Charlie Wilson), Amy Adams (Bonnie Bach), Julia Roberts (Joanne Herring), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Gust Avrakotos).
   97 min.
   Released in Finland by Finnkino, Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Timo Porri / Saliven Gustavson.
   Viewed at Kinopalatsi 1, Helsinki, 9 Feb 2008.

An intelligent political satire based on the true story of US covert involvement in the Afghan war during the Soviet invasion. Having read Steve Coll's excellent book Ghost Wars I was familiar with the figures of Charlie Wilson and Gust Avrakotos; some other characters may be fictive. The strategic weight of Afghanistan for the U.S. has been crystallized in the expression "Operation Bear Trap", that is, the trap to kill the Soviet bear. The trap worked. There is a grim postscript, though. The war was won, the peace was not. Covertly armed by the US against the USSR, the frightful Mujaheddin started a new era in world history.

Monday, September 01, 1997

Conspiracy Theory

100381 12 US 1997 Donner, Richard thriller
Conspiracy Theory / Salaliittoteoria. PC: Warner Bros. P: Joel Silver. D: Richard Donner. CAST: Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart. 135’. Scope. DIST: Warner Bros. Finland. TRANS: Timo Porri. Viewed at VET, Helsinki, Monday, 1 September 1997. *** Offbeat thriller plays its Manchurian Candidate premise for comedy. Mel Gibson stars as the deranged conspiracy theorist whose worst nightmares prove true. Julia Roberts performs strongly as the agent who has to face a major case of suspension of belief. Reasons to like this: the two fascinating performances and Carter Burwell’s surprising score.