Movies of Conflict

Rarely am I ever in the mood to watch war films or movies depicting the atrocities of humanity or civil unrest. I much prefer happy escapism. Why bother with movies depicting real life when I already think real life and growing up two highly overrated things one must endure? Anyway, occasionally I'll stumble upon these movies when they fall into my lap.

While I was in Chicago, my brother happened to have a DVD of The Last King of Scotland. I heard great things but nothing about it interested me. But hey, since he had it around, why not? From the first 15 minutes, I was intrigued. I can't quite explain why it was so mesmerizing. It could be the phenomenally charismatic portrayal of Idi Amin by Forrest Whitaker. Or maybe the charm of newcomer James MacAvoy. Mainly it could be the story itself, about the fictionalized friendship between the dictator and his personal physician, seen through the young idealistic physician's eyes. Whatever the reason, the movie was riveting despite the subject matter.

Another movie I happened to watch on cable this weekend, was Courage Under Fire. It's over ten years old, but I remember I was somewhat interested in it when it first came out, probably because it had Meg Ryan and Denzel Washington in it. Now that it happened to be on at the right time, I couldn't stop watching it through dinner, Father's Day or not, much to the amusement of my parents. It's a little slow, but the mystery that slowly unfolds is worth it. Great acting on everyone's part, including a very young and skinny Matt Damon and a tough-guy Lou Diamond Phillips of La Bamba Fame.