United 93
Everyone has their personal 9/11 story. Some are more dramatic than others. I just remember getting back to my apartment digs in the afternoon after a day at university, turning on the TV, and sitting there watching CNN well into the evening. It was incredible. Events just spiralled further and further out of control, with multiple airplane strikes, reports of fires on the mall. It was madness.
The next day, in a strange example of globalised over-reaction, the fire drill and bomb sirens were tested on the Pietermaritzburg university campus… As if fundamentalists were going to target South Africa’s ‘Sleepy Hollow’, and fly a rickety old Cessna from Oribi Airport into the university’s Old Main Building.
Anyway, United 93,written and directed by Paul Greengrass, is a superb, powerful movie that strips away the politics and drops you straight into the human drama of 11 September 2001.
The hand-held camera work, excellent editing (Oscar worthy stuff), unknown cast and dabs of information about people’s lives (usually discovered via casual passenger conversation) heighten the realism of what you’re watching. You feel as if you’re seeing events, as is, without any contrived manipulation by the film makers, which is vital for a movie depicting relatively recent world-changing events.
Be warned though that United 93 is not a fun evening out. It’s what I would classify as a “castor oil” movie. It’s good for you to see it, but it’s not something you would enjoy, or rush out to buy on DVD (It’s like The Passion of the Christ, but not at all as forced or manipulative). RC of Strange Culture makes a similar “once and done” comment about Oliver Stone’s World Trade Centre.
There’s a cloud of doom that hangs over United 93. As a viewer with hindsight you squirm when an old woman passenger asks sweetly for water with her onflight breakfast so she can take her pills. You marvel at the lack of paranoia that is so prevalent today – no one can fathom deliberately flying planes into structures; the first thought is that it has to be an accident.
The film also comes with an important message about fighting back, and not being paralysed by fear, which is an important message in so many situations.
United 93 scores an 8.5 out of 10, particularly for its emotional power. I was particularly affected by the phone calls the passengers make to their loved ones. I haven’t been as upset by a film since Peter Jackson’s King Kong.
In other Movie News:
At this point it’s highly unlikely I’ll be seeing Snakes On A Plane in cinemas. Paul has a long-held phobia about snakes, and the trailer alone has been freaking him out. He doesn’t think he can handle an hour and 40 minutes or so of slithering, venomous action.
However, we have struck a bargain and if I go see My Super Ex-Girlfriend, with Luke Wilson and Uma Thurman (thank goodness for half-price movie Tuesdays), he’ll watch The Devil Wears Prada.
The Devil… stars Anne Hathaway, and, more importantly, Meryl Streep in the ultimate bitch-boss role, finally usurping Working Girl’s Sigourney Weaver). The film also has the most unique trailer- an uninterrupted 3-5 minute clip from the film that really piques your interest. Look out for it...
Anyway, here are the South African release dates of some movies to look forward to in the near future:
Hoodwinked (25 August 2006)
Snakes On A Plane (9 September 2006)
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (15 September 2006)
The Descent (29 September 2006)
World Trade Center (29 September 2006)
The Devil Wears Prada (6 October 2006)
The next day, in a strange example of globalised over-reaction, the fire drill and bomb sirens were tested on the Pietermaritzburg university campus… As if fundamentalists were going to target South Africa’s ‘Sleepy Hollow’, and fly a rickety old Cessna from Oribi Airport into the university’s Old Main Building.
Anyway, United 93,written and directed by Paul Greengrass, is a superb, powerful movie that strips away the politics and drops you straight into the human drama of 11 September 2001.
The hand-held camera work, excellent editing (Oscar worthy stuff), unknown cast and dabs of information about people’s lives (usually discovered via casual passenger conversation) heighten the realism of what you’re watching. You feel as if you’re seeing events, as is, without any contrived manipulation by the film makers, which is vital for a movie depicting relatively recent world-changing events.
Be warned though that United 93 is not a fun evening out. It’s what I would classify as a “castor oil” movie. It’s good for you to see it, but it’s not something you would enjoy, or rush out to buy on DVD (It’s like The Passion of the Christ, but not at all as forced or manipulative). RC of Strange Culture makes a similar “once and done” comment about Oliver Stone’s World Trade Centre.
There’s a cloud of doom that hangs over United 93. As a viewer with hindsight you squirm when an old woman passenger asks sweetly for water with her onflight breakfast so she can take her pills. You marvel at the lack of paranoia that is so prevalent today – no one can fathom deliberately flying planes into structures; the first thought is that it has to be an accident.
The film also comes with an important message about fighting back, and not being paralysed by fear, which is an important message in so many situations.
United 93 scores an 8.5 out of 10, particularly for its emotional power. I was particularly affected by the phone calls the passengers make to their loved ones. I haven’t been as upset by a film since Peter Jackson’s King Kong.
In other Movie News:
At this point it’s highly unlikely I’ll be seeing Snakes On A Plane in cinemas. Paul has a long-held phobia about snakes, and the trailer alone has been freaking him out. He doesn’t think he can handle an hour and 40 minutes or so of slithering, venomous action.
However, we have struck a bargain and if I go see My Super Ex-Girlfriend, with Luke Wilson and Uma Thurman (thank goodness for half-price movie Tuesdays), he’ll watch The Devil Wears Prada.
The Devil… stars Anne Hathaway, and, more importantly, Meryl Streep in the ultimate bitch-boss role, finally usurping Working Girl’s Sigourney Weaver). The film also has the most unique trailer- an uninterrupted 3-5 minute clip from the film that really piques your interest. Look out for it...
Anyway, here are the South African release dates of some movies to look forward to in the near future:
Hoodwinked (25 August 2006)
Snakes On A Plane (9 September 2006)
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (15 September 2006)
The Descent (29 September 2006)
World Trade Center (29 September 2006)
The Devil Wears Prada (6 October 2006)
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