Friday, February 8, 2013

MOVIE WEEKEND: FLIGHT

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

Today I present for your consideration a pretty intense film called Flight, starring Denzel Washington and released recently on DVD.


Flight (2012, Rated R) takes off on a wild ride when Captain Whip Whitaker (Washington, who received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for this film) flies a passenger plane departing from Orlando that's supposed to land in Atlanta. He starts by frightening his co-pilot half to death with tricky maneuvers as he makes his way through heavy turbulence. When they reach sunny skies, Whitaker turns over the controls to the co-pilot and takes a nap.

But as they approach Atlanta and Whitaker awakes, the plane starts to fall apart. Using his amazing skill, Whitaker manages to get the plane on the ground, saving the lives of most of the passengers. But here's the problem: Whitaker is drunk and coked out.

Flight is no longer an action movie after the landing. It becomes, instead, a study of an alcoholic who announces repeatedly that he CHOOSES to drink, in spite of the consequences. So, what will happen when Whitaker is under oath before The National Transportation and Safety Board inquiry into the crash?

Washington definitely deserved his Oscar nomination. I still think Daniel Day-Lewis will take home the award for Lincoln, but Denzel Washington is excellent in this movie. He makes us care about a character who is, by turns, kind and brave, and a real jerk.

The supporting cast is good, but they're pretty much in the background. This is definitely Denzel Washington's movie. Don Cheadle plays Whitaker's lawyer. Cheadle is a very good actor, but he takes a back seat to Washington here. John Goodman did stand out to me, though, in his fairly brief role as Captain Whitaker's creepy "friend" and dealer.

This movie most definitely is not for children, and if you're sensitive, the landing of the plane might be more than you can take. The film also has brief nude scenes, the portrayal of drug use, and quite a bit of profanity.

Dee, I don't think you would like this movie. Rita, I'm not sure about you.

I liked Flight although the flight had me gasping in horror and I was appalled by Captain Whitaker's behavior. It's just that when Denzel Washington is good (and I'm not sure he's ever not good), he's so good that I don't want to take my eyes off him.

I was also pleased with the conclusion of the movie; therefore, I give Flight The Janie Junebug Highest Seal of Approval.

Thank you again for wishing me well. As I continue to recover from the flu, I've been hit by "spring" allergies. It's so warm here in northern Florida that everything is blooming. We need more cold weather before winter is gone, but I don't know if we'll get it. Oh, how I dread the heat of summer and the whine of mosquitoes.

My poor collie mix Harper doesn't know what his fur should do. He grew a winter coat during December and started losing it in January. His fur is still coming out in tufts.

Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug



34 comments:

  1. Thank you for the movie review. It sounds like a good film.

    I will be glad when it is that warm here. ;-)

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  2. Yep, good movie and there IS a lot of truth in it...

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  3. I've heard nothing but good things about this movie. I think we'll eventually get around to viewing this one.

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  4. I had seen previews for the movie but didn't know the plot; sounds interesting; I think my hubby and son would enjoy watching it as a "family" night movie. Will have to remember it when we are planning for such a night.

    I'm glad to hear you are recovering form the flu; but sorry about the allergies :(

    betty

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    1. It's not really a family movie, unless your son is quite grown up.

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  5. I saw Flight twice cause Denzell was so good in it, then again when isn't he? Hope you begin to feel better, I have allergies too but they give me sinus headaches instead...yuck. ;)

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    1. I'm so sorry about your sinus headaches. I usually get sinus headaches, but for now I'm sticking with constant sneezing and nose blowing.

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  6. This is a good review. I don't think I would have given this movie a chance If I hadn't read it. I'll queue it up.

    Have you ever tried Flonase nasal spray? Works for my allergies.

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    1. I shall look for Flonase the next time I go shopping. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  7. It's easy to make is sound interesting because it really is!

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  8. Dear Janie, thank you for sharing your thoughts on "Flight" and whether I'd be able to watch it. The interesting thing is that just a few minutes ago I read Fishducky's Friday posting, which is about flight and airplanes. And I left her a comment in which I said that "Flight" was now out on DVD and I was going to get my name on the library list for it! I haven't done that yet and so I won't. Thanks to you! Peace.

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    1. And I just commented on your comment at fishducky's blog and listed the reasons I think you would dislike it. On the other hand, I think you'd like the conclusion and the way Captain Whitaker changes. I just don't think you'd care to watch everything he does to himself and other people first.

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    2. Dear Janie, and this morning--Monday--I found your Fishducky comment and replied to it there!!! Ah, the wonder of blogging. Peace.

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  9. My hubs wants to see this, so I'm glad I read your review. Thanks!

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  10. I have heard great things about the movie, but don't think it's my cup o' tea.

    Speaking of, go get yourself one (a cup of tea) with honey... helps with the allergies. :)

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    1. Have you ever had chocolate tea? I had it in a tea room at the beach. Now I wish I had it all the time.

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  11. This definitely sounds like a movie I would like. Then again, I've never seen Denzel Washington in a movie I DIDN'T like. (He's some kinda good.)

    Glad the flu finally flew, but sorry to hear it's deja choo time all over again for you. Looks like our pollen counts are gonna be creeping up, too, because stuff is starting to bloom here, too. We don't have to shovel the pollen yet, but soon...

    Happy weekend!

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    1. My friend Carol says that her black car is white every morning because it's covered in pollen.

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  12. Sniffles from allergies after just having the flu can't be fun. I'll send over some extra soft Puffs! Have a great weekend!

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  13. i loved this show. i love Denzel. he cant never look bad with that smile of his! i wonder how he keeps his teeth so sparkling white.
    take care of your allergies.
    what happens when you have it ? the spring allergies i mean.

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    1. Seasonal allergies make me congested. I sneeze a lot, and my nose runs. My ears are plugged up, as if they have water in them. Usually, I get sinus headaches, but so far no headaches. Just everything else, and that's enough.

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  14. Love this guys movies. Def. will watch it.
    www.thoughtsofpaps.com

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  15. Do you think they will play this on actual flights? ;)

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    1. Only if they want to frighten people and have them sniffing the pilot's breath.

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  16. Thank you so much for this review. My hubby and I plan to see this film this weekend on DirecTV, so I am glad to hear that you really liked it. And what's not to like about Denzel?

    I understand about dog hairs, what a pain it will be for the next couple of months.Last week, it was 60 degrees here and Samson began to lose his fur. Now it's cold again but I don't think the shedding will stop once it has started. Samson will write a post about it soon, or so he says.

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    1. I look forward to learning about shedding from Samson's perspective.

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  17. Looks like a good one. I've liked everything I've seen Denzel in.
    R

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