Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of July 6, 2020
Greyhound
Rated PG-13 for war-related action/violence and brief strong language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74% at time of writing
Available on Apple TV+
Tom Hanks writes and stars in this fast-paced WWII picture about a U.S. destroyer captain in charge of a large convoy of ships crossing the Atlantic under the threat of a pack of Nazi U-boats. With very little in the way of character development, Hanks jumps into action in what appears to be a very realistic look at naval life during the Battle of the Atlantic. If you are looking for an experience like Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers – you won’t find it here. But if you want to feel the pressure of trying to stay alive one more day so that you can complete your mission – this one is quite a historical thrill ride. Originally set for a June theatrical opening, Sony chose to sell the property to Apple rather than shelving it. Personally, I’m thankful for that as it’s a great little war film that might have been better on a big screen, but will find a nice place in home theaters as well. The most fascinating aspect of the film isn’t its historical accuracy and attention to detail, which are both impressive, but rather that they chose to make it so short, leaving out many of the things that would normally go into a story such as this. And what they did leave in, like the few minutes spent with his sweetheart, played by Elisabeth Shue, felt overly abbreviated and even unnecessary. At about ninety minutes, the film literally flies by, making it an easy enough watch, even if it doesn’t deliver the powerhouse performance you would expect from the legendary actor. The film feels like a labor of love, which isn’t a bad thing. B-
Summer of Spielberg: Week Six
Poltergeist
Rated PG for adult situations/language, violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Available on Netflix
While officially directed by Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper, this 1982 horror flick was written, produced and, according to people associated with the project, practically directed by Spielberg. Set in a peaceful new housing development, things turn for the worse when an evil force sucks a young family’s daughter into their television, forcing them to get next level help in order to get her back. Having not seen the film in quite a while, I was mesmerized all over again upon recently revisiting. The movie didn’t scare me as much as before, but then again I knew what was going to happen. I was surprised that the kids didn’t enjoy it as much as I was hoping, but with visual effect that you could tell were from the 80’s, its a bit of a stretch when you are used to everything looking so real using today’s capabilities. But in my head this film looks great and still gives me the chills I remember from my childhood.