The 20th Anniversary of 9/11 Brings Films and Documentaries to Netflix

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Netflix as the 20^th Anniversary of 9/11 draws near, there are a few documentaries and a film that talk about that terrible day.

 

WORTH

Beginning with director Sara Colangelo’s film WORTH stars Michael Keaton as Kenneth Feinberg, a lawyer who wants to do something after seeing what has happened on 9/11.

Congress turns to Feinberg to be responsible for the September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund. Coming up with a ‘formula’ for payment to families, basically he now is determining something he once asked of his law students, “how much is a life worth?”  One person fighting against his formula is Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci) who lost his wife in the twin towers.

Working with his head of operations Camille (Amy Ryan), the interviews begin as the clock ticks on those who need to apply. There is one person willing to hear what Wolf has to say is Priya Khundi (Shunori Ramanathan) who then continues to ask Feinberg to listen to the people.

As the stories unfold, Feinberg finds himself torn between what he can and can not do for the people who are trying to show him that it is about justice for their loved ones. This is film is about the stories and one man who needs to listen.

Keaton as Feinberg is absolutely brilliant and its not just because I am a Keaton fan. His take on Feinberg is hard, focused on data and formulas and lives in his ‘lawyer suit’ as a justification for issues that are consistently brought. Watching Keaton go through the stages of understanding, his character is on a learning curve he could never have imagined. Well done sir! It takes a character brought to the screen by Tucci in the form of Charles Wolf that stands by his principles and wants to help others find their voices.

Tucci as Charles is equally as brilliant as a man who is dealing with his own deep grief yet wants to make sure that the families do not fall through governmental cracks. Reuniting with Keaton after their work on the 2015 film SPOTLIGHT. In that film Tucci is a lawyer who is trying to right the wrongs, so the character of Charles is something he is good at playing and believing. Again, Tucci is an actor who embraces every character he plays, and it shows.

Other cast include: Talia Balsam as Dede Feinberg, Laura Benanti as Karen Donato, Chris Tardio as Frank Donato, Ato Blakson-Wood as Darryl Barnes, Carolyn Mignini as Gloria Toms, Victor Slezak as John Ashcroft, Marc Caron as Bart Cuthbert and Clifton Samuels as Oliver.

In the end – what is the value of life?

 

TURNING POINT: 9/11 and the War on Terror

Next is the five episode limited series TURNING POINT: 9/11 and the War on Terror by director Brian Knappenberger. Beginning with the images we all know surrounding the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, there is a brief telling of the terrorists responsible for the nightmare of that day.

Then, the documentary uses a few episodes to tell the story of Iraq, Afghanistan and the soldiers who have fought those wars. In their own words, a few soldiers tell their story of what they experienced and their understanding (or lack of understanding) for the reasons they are fighting. From weapons of mass destruction to the continuation of the war in Afghanistan, the documentary gives the facts as those narrating and in-the-know can share.

The hunt of Osama bin Laden is sprinkled in the documentary with both Presidents Bush and Obama.

Documentaries about 9/11 are always difficult to watch because they bring up memories for us all as to where we were when it happened, to those who lost loved ones, to those who escape the destruction etc.

This documentary is geared more toward the politics. There is actually nothing in this documentary that I have not seen in other documentaries and that is a bit disappointing. What would have kept my interest more is if they would have gone into more detail about the terrorists such as where did they come from, how did they manage to do the things that they did and what caused them to do what they did in more than general details.

That being said, it does remind us that even with the death of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, there are issues that continue on Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan. Coming back to the beginning story of 9/11, the detainees at Guantanamo Bay are the biggest issues and the government is now prosecuting them with concerns about terrorist groups.

The episodes include They System Was Blinking red, A Place of Danger, The Dark Side, The Good War, and Grave of Empires.

The question becomes – what does the United States do with those who were part of trying to bring our country down?

In the end - history casts a long shadow.

 

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WORTH is a film that goes inside an issue that most people have no idea about. Learning that there was even a value placed on human life after 9/11 is a bit shocking to accept but even more difficult is the process in which these families had to deal with the aftereffects. It is an important story and I believe it is well done with Keaton and Tucci leading the way.

The documentary TURNING POINT is less so but only in that the issues brought forward are something I have heard before. Listening to the stories told by those who were a part of this history is important but, as I said before, there has to be a way to tell us more about those who participated that we know so little about.

Hussain and bin Laden are names we all know because most of us have lived through it all. The wars, soldiers, death and destruction. As a mother of a soldier, I have witnessed the aftereffects of the mistakes made under the guise of taking care of business for those that have returned home.

As the 20^th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, there will be more to hear, more memories, seeing the attack through videos etc., and the pain felt once again over and over. That being said, we also cannot forget how our country got here as the finality of Afghanistan has come to a close as well.

That is where the duality comes from, I suppose. We feel so deeply the sadness and anger of 9/11 and yet we do not know what to do with those emotions and we do not have answers of how can this happen and, even worse, can it happen again now that the Taliban is back in control of Afghanistan?

We can only be alert and have a hope that peace can hold in place.  

 

 

Three Men Come Together Again for the LAST FLAG FLYING

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Richard Linklater and Amazon Studios is a journey bringing the past and the present today for the LAST FLAG FLYING.

It is 2003 and Larry Shepherd (Steve Carell) walks into the bar of Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) who at first doesn’t recognize him. Eventually Sal realize he is talking to Doc, a man he served with during the Vietnam War they are both happy to see one another. After a night of drinking, he asks Sal to join him on a little adventure.

That leads both men to the doorstep of a church where Rev. Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) much to the amusement of Sal. When the three have dinner with the Reverend and his wife, Doc asks the two men if he will go with him to retrieve the coffin of his son who was recently killed in Iraq.

Absolutely stunned, the two men agree and on their trip the discussion of what happened to the three of them in Vietnam is hinted at. Arriving at Dover Air Force Base, Doc learns from Larry’s buddy Washington (J. Quinton Johnson) how his son died. That changes everything as Doc decides to take his son home for burial much to the aggravation of Col. Wilits (Yul Vazquez).

It is on the train ride home that Sal and Mueller talk about what happened in Vietnam, Doc keeps himself together and Washington escorts Larry home. The thirty years between Vietnam and Iraq brings about conversations that needed to be had and closure to souls wounded by it all.

Some friendships go on forever.

Carell as Doc is absolutely stunning and that’s the only word for it. There isn’t a lot of dialogue for his character but then again I wouldn’t expect there to be. Every emotion that pours out of Carell is heartbreaking and endearing in different ways. As a man who has lost a son, it isn’t the only thing he has lost in his life. There doesn’t seem to be a resentful bone in his body and even when he shows a moment of anger, it is justified.

Fishburne as Mueller is a Reverend who has embraced a different life. Once a wild Marine, he is now a settled man with a wife who holds him true to the collar he wears. There are moments where Fishburne completely lets loose and it sends the audience into fits of laughter. When he embraces his faith, he reaches out to Doc and shakes his head at Sal.

Cranston as Sal is completely out of control! He doesn’t like it when people play games, believes in shooting straight from the hip and doesn’t give a damn if he drinks from dusk till – well dusk again. Thrilled to be with his Vietnam buddy Doc, he is shocked to discover the life that Mueller chose after their time in war. He calls everything out, embraces the insanity of life and finds that he has been missing out once he gets his hands on a cell phone. As Carell is the emotion of the film and Fishburne is the spiritual guide, Cranston is all the chaos with no filter in between the two men and he rocks it from start to finish.

Johnson as Washington is a young soldier that is trying to do what is right both as Larry’s best friend and as a Marine. He gets to know Doc, Mueller and Sal which helps him understand so much more about being a soldier. Vazquez as Wilits is a man on his own mission who clearly doesn’t understand what being a parent is all about.

Other cast include Deanna Reed-Foster as Ruth, Graham Wolfe as John Redman, Jeff Monahan as O’Toole, Richard Robichaux as Anorak and an appearance by the wonderful Cicely Tyson.

LAST FLAG FLYING is an emotional roller coaster and I am not kidding. One minute the audience is laughing so hard they are crying to the next minute of crying so hard they can’t breathe. These three actors are so different yet in this film are perfection with the story they are telling.

The heartbreak that the character of Doc experiences can never be understood and I don’t think I could even try but that doesn’t stop us all of embracing every bit of his love, anger and laughter. Asking two men he hasn’t seen in 30 years to join him doesn’t require an explanation because I personally feel that all is revealed as it should be in the film.

One of the two best scenes of the film is when they are all in the back train car and the laughter is strangely contagious with Carell’s Doc having a laughing fit that had me in tears. The second is the scene as Sal convinces Mueller and Doc that it’s time to come to terms make that one event in Vietnam and make it right.

Of course I’m not being specific because the entire film is an experience that drains every emotion and I gave every bit of that willingly. LAST FLAG FLYING reminds us that war, no matter how many years in between changes young men that eventually become older men with regrets.

These three actors couldn’t have performed any better if they tried and LAST FLAG FLYING is beautifully told and excels in every way.

In the end – their last mission wasn’t on the battlefield.

THE LONG ROAD HOME Begins from National Geographic

Jeri Jacquin

Beginning this week on the National Geographic channel is the global miniseries event with creator Mikko Alanne telling the story of THE LONG  ROAD HOME.

Aguero (E.J. Bonilla) is with the First Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood but also a family man leaving behind wife Amber (Katie Paxton) and two small children to serve overseas. His youngest son Elijah is not taking it well and Aguero explains that he must go with the other soldiers because he is their leader. His son takes it the wrong way but it weighs heavy on his heart.

The next morning the entire company boards their transport to leave for Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq. Getting ready for transfer of authority Gary Volesky (Michael Kelly) prepares for the change working with Troy Denomy (Jason Ritter). Aguero, Sgt. Eric Bourquin (Jon Beavers), SPC Acevedo (Franklin Silverio), SPC Garza (Jorge Diaz), Sgt. Jackson (Joshua Brennan), Spc Carl Wild (Thomas McDonell) and the company are going through town learning the streets.

Stopping to visit with children along with translator Jassim Al-Lani (Darius Homayoun) they are being watched. Sgt. Miltenberger (Jeremy Sisto) makes it clear to the other soldiers that things aren’t always what they appear and that they need to be prepared for that.

Back home Gina Denomy (Kate Bosworth) begins working with Leann Volesky (Sarah Wayne Callies) in putting care packages together for the soldiers. Leann tells the families that help is only a phone call away and they should be afraid to reach out.

In Iraq, the platoon encounters weapons that are inside a mosque and when confronted, tensions rise. Calmed down by allowing the weapons to stay inside the mosque, the soldiers go on their way. Returning to their mission, the convoy is fired upon and they are trapped in an ambush. Taking fire from machine guns, they are forced to run through road blocks and into smoke laden streets where seeing is difficult at best.

At Camp War Eagle the wounded are being brought in and Volesky’s story is told. Celebrating Christmas early with his wife Leann and their young son Alex, the couple deals with last minute life things like changing the oil on the car.

Sadr City has become even more dangerous as the troops begin to search for those shooting at the convoy. This is a fire fight that isn’t going to stop soon.

Bonilla as Aguero is the leader of the group and it is clear why. He knows what needs to be done and leads his men. Trying to find positions to protect them all, he waits while Volesky decides on the next course of action.

Kelly as Commander Volesky believes in the mission of returning every soldier under his command home again. As the ambush breaks out, he must bring about the best plan to take more soldiers into for a rescue. Seeing the wounded men pushes him harder to find answers. Beavers as Sgt. Bourquin doesn’t settle fools lightly and is clear on what he must do. The first casualty brings up Bourquin’s suspicions of their interpreter as he finds it difficult to deal with.

Boseworth as Gina is raising a newborn while waiting word from her husband Troy. When it becomes clear that something is going on in Sadr City, she turns to Leann. Callies as Leann feels she has the trust of the women under her husbands command and does her best to keep them calm. Karina Ortiz is Lupita Garza who is the first to hear about the attack in Sadr City and wants answers.

This is only the first episode with Into the Unknown airing Tuesday, November 14^th at 10 p.m. on National Geographic. It is a series that is to be experienced in it’s telling of the eight-hour battle that happened in Sadr City on April 4, 2004. Told in real time it is a confrontation of innocent Iraqis and trapped soldiers whose families are at home waiting for news.

The film is based on the New York Times bestselling book The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family by Martha Raddatz. She is the chief global affairs correspondent for ABC News and over a twenty year period she has covered the White House and conflict zones world wide. 

Please consider being a part of this experience from National Geographic. Also know that the scenes are intense and in that are the stories of these brave men. There is a frustration level in the first episode alone as these soldiers must come to terms with their situation and how to survive it.

Once again National Geographic has brought a compelling story to television. THE LONG ROAD HOME is just that – compelling and heartfelt in so many ways. This miniseries is worthy of discussion after just the first two episodes and I will be watching every single one of them.

In the end – it is a story of men, their families and a battle for survival.