Patriot Retort:
If you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, I highly recommend renting the movie Midway.
Since I’ve been sick all week, I decided to treat myself. So I rented it last night.
[I don’t do comfort food; I do comfort movies]
Fact is, when Midway was first released last fall, I assumed it would be a typical Hollywood mess the way the 2001 film Pearl Harbor starring Ben Affleck was. Boy was that movie awful.
But a couple people whose opinion I trust said good things about Midway, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
And I’m really glad I did.
As a general rule, I love World War Two stories. Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Hacksaw Ridge – all of those are excellent.
The Battle of Midway is also an important subplot in Herman Wouk’s masterful epic novel “War & Remembrance” (the sequel to “The Winds of War”). I’ve read those books so many times over the last thirty years, and every time I read the chapters on the Battle of Midway, I think to myself, “Boy would this make an incredible movie.”
And boy, does it. MORE HERE
I have not been feeling well,either. I got in a few hours of yard work though. Then Dr Strangelove last night followed by half of The Oxbow Incident. Will finish The Oxbow Incident today and have The Cain Mutiny in Ready reserve.
Midway is a fantastic movie!
I tried The Brothers Karamazov w/ Yul Brynner yesterday, it took more concentrated than I was able to muster though.
I get most of our movies at the public libraries. The Brothers Karamazov I had to buy for a couple bucks off eBay.
Thanks for the recommendation.
Truly needed something to watch other than Democrats pulling out, (if only their parents had).
I usually base watching of reboots on casting,,,
this does look very good,,
Thanks again,,,,
I enjoyed Midway, coming from someone who typically doesn’t like war movies. Another good one is 1917. I watched both of them twice.
As a kid I read a book about the battle and how a bunch of pilots flew out to do their duty knowing they didn’t have enough gas to get back. That’s heroism!
I had a hard time with Woody Harrelson as Admiral Nimitz, because all I saw was Woody. But, other than that, I enjoyed it.
I also liked 1917. Interesting cinematography as it is all shot at eye level, like your the third guy in the action.
A little town near us shows free movies once a month at the town hall. Midway’s up next and I can’t wait to see it!
I commented on this movie when “Midway” was first released. It’s a very good modern movie about the pivotal naval battle in the Pacific, when three Japanese carriers were sunk during five minutes by courageous naval aviators. If anybody is interested in seeing how it was dealt with during the war, I highly recommend “On a Wing and a Prayer” for those who like movies made without modern computer generated imagery. All of the scenes in this 1944 movie were filmed with period aircraft and the carrier used in this movie was the USS Yorktown, which was the Essex class carrier that replaced the one sunk during the Battle of Midway. Both of these movies are far better than the 1976 attempt to recreate the battle with old footage and idiotic fictional characters.
@PHenry – Think I know what you mean.
There are actors and individuals.
Except for Popeye Doyle, I could not tell you a memoir-bile character that Gene Hackman played,, He always just plays and is Gene Hackman. It’s a long list, Al Pacino, James Caan, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Henry Fonda, on and on.
Peter Fonda is just a F’up never was,,,
Thanks, Dianny! FWIW, I agree with your take on the Assfleck version.
Hope you feel better soon.
I saw it A few nights back, I liked it. Just wish they would make one of these movies with the whole truth about how they burned are people at Pearl Harbor by purposely keeping them in the dark on what they knew exactly what was coming weeks I advance and wanted it to happen. Then prosecuting the commander’s. Makes you wonder about so much more.
It is a great movie. Saw it when it came out.
My son had given me the book And I Was There by Edwin Layton outlining his work before and after the war (and the work of many of the other code breakers as well). To say that he did not like the people in Washington would be an understatement.
With Layton being a major character in the film it seemed like I was watching an old friend. I told my son that Layton was a major character. He saw the movie with my brother and they both liked it.
My dad was a young Marine stationed on Midway Island at the end of the war. He worked on Corsairs in VMF-322. Not long back, I found a horde of photographs of him and his Corsair aircraft on Midway. I treasure them.