Happy 4th of July!

We are in the midst of moving, but I did take the time to watch Lions for Lambs (2007, Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Michael Pena of Crash) today while working on the kitchen and living room. Looking at the box office receipts (a tad under $15 million), critics reviews (C+ average) and fan reviews (D+ average out of 9000) it seems like I am alone- but my gosh, I thought that was an excellent film.

I think everyone presumed that it was going to be a garden variety anti-war film, or some kind of Angelina Jolie-ish bleeding heart Hollywood blather. It isn't. Here's the tag line "Two determined students at a West Coast University, Arian and Ernest, follow the inspiration of their idealistic professor, Dr. Malley, and attempt to do something important with their lives. But when the two make the bold decision to join the battle in Afghanistan, Malley is both moved and distraught. Now, as Arian and Ernest fight for survival in the field, they become the string that binds together two disparate stories on opposite sides of America. In California, an anguished Dr. Malley attempts to reach a privileged but disaffected student, who is the very opposite of Arian and Ernest. Meanwhile, in Washington D.C. the charismatic Presidential hopeful, Senator Jasper Irving, is about to give a bombshell story to a probing TV journalist that may affect Arian and Ernest's fates. As arguments, memories and bullets fly, the three stories are woven ever more tightly together, revealing how each of these Americans has a profound impact on each other--and the world."

It is about an hour and 20 minutes long, and worth the effort this 4th of July.