Paul Kincs

Very good character study of a warden, struggling to cope with her responsibilities for carrying out executions, and trying not to come unraveled. I was fascinated by the choices made in the making of this film. Why a black woman as the warden? Why a black man as the one being executed? Why did she not have any children? I would love to know how the filmmaker made these choices and why. Alfre Woodard is one of the most versatile actors in film, and she delivers yet another outstanding performance. The camera absolutely loves her, and she always plays 'hard as nails' characters with just enough vulnerability to compel you to watch her. She is simply captivating to watch. As you watch her hanging on less and less successfully to her mental state, you come to realize the high cost of capital punishment. This is the problem: The collateral damage of the death penalty is severe and widespread. In the end, there is no resolution. No happy ending, as many Millenials would wish. We are left only to confront the anguish of so much damage caused by a childish, and superstitious attempt at justice. Incarceration doesn't solve crime, and the death penalty does not bring us justice.

I only saw it once, and loved it. It is funny, poignant, and fascinating. Can't find it on any free streaming service. Might have to buy it outright

I think this is perhaps one of the most haunting war films I have ever seen, and as far as WWI goes, is on a par with "Johnny Got His Gun". Peter Weir does a masterful job pulling us into the lives of very young men who are full of energy, vigor, and humor. He, and the actors portraying the main characters, get us to love their youth and their innocence. Like so many young men, their idea of war is very immature and based on second-hand accounts. They have no idea what is awaiting them, only that this is an adventure they must experience. Mark Lee is breathtaking: So handsome, lively, with an easy smile and a laugh. You just fall in love with him. His death, at the end, is a brutal slap to your face. You feel helpless, devastated by the sudden and silent end to a life so full of promise. I have heard others complain that not enough time was spent filming the actual war scenes. This is what war is like in the lives of these young men: Alot of waiting and preparing, the experiences and people they meet, only to get there and have everything over so quickly. So many veterans of so many wars talk about this same experience: Remembering long periods of boredom and attempts to amuse themselves, followed by battles that seem, to them, to last such a short amount of time. Peter Weir is a master filmmaker, and this film is one of his masterpieces (in addition to Witness), where he uses silence so effectively (the scene where Lukas Haas points out the murderer in the bustling police precinct is simply bone-chilling). The final scene of this film does the same thing: It makes you want to cry out with shock and disbelief at how quickly and silently war erases youth.

Tom Hanks acting was fine, though I certainly didn't think it was his finest work. I do give him credit for tackling a role that would be very difficult for anyone. However, I did not see Fred Rogers - I saw Tom Hanks trying to pretend he was Fred Rogers. I thought this film was going to be more about Fred and the development of the program. Instead, I got a small tale of some guy I never heard of who isn't anywhere near as important as Mister Rogers, dealing with typical existential issues without any real sense of recapitulation. The reporter's struggle with his mother's death, issues of abandonment, and anger seemed hollow and tepid. It didn't seem authentic at all. I was bitterly disappointed in this film, largely because I felt deceived into thinking it was going to be about Fred Rogers, and it was not. I don't know who is to blame for this, but whoever they are, should feel no great pride in lying to the public.

Very disturbing film. However, the filmmakers seemed to try very hard to be authentic. Then again, most in today's era of films do, unlike in the "good old days", when violence was sanitized and no one ever suffered grotesquely before dying. On the other hand, the 21st century sensitivities of today's westerns are a little too much to tolerate, at times. That being said, it is refreshing to see a film that depicts both whites and natives as capable of either the most angelic, or the most bestial behavior, which is the true history of the west. There were no heroes, and both could be villainous. No, the "era of universal Indian brotherhood" actually never existed. Whites did not introduce violence and abuse to the native peoples. Unfortunately, they developed that quite well by themselves. In fact, most indigenous tribes of the Americas went extinct before Europeans ever set foot in the new world.

Currently watching while at home hiding from the plague. Never watched it when it originally came out. Feels a little like Designated Survivor, which I loved. Terrific cast. I just wish we actually had a president now who was more like this fictional one, than a bloviating buffoon as Orange Foolius is.

This show is terrific. I fell into it on NetFlix, and got hooked right away. It's kind of like a cross between "Jericho" and "The West Wing". Keifer Sutherland is a great combination of politician and ethicist. Virginia Madsen's character is nicely nuanced and multi-faceted. Natascha McElhone, who is always a feast for the eyes, also gives a realistic (and refreshing) portrayal as a first lady who is both intelligent in her own right, AND truly loves her husband and desires to support him. The conspiracy plot is fascinating, but if there is a bone to pick, it's about the trips to North Dakota. Please, get your geography correct. ND does not have dense forests, and eastern ND does not have mountain ranges. Also, the distance from Grand Forks to Devils Lake is 90 miles on the highway, so there is no way it would take an hour to fly between the two towns. Also, stop saying "The middle of nowhere" It isn't nowhere to the people who live in rural, remote areas of our country: It's their home.