Green Zone

Search For The Truth[Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson]
This weekend, I dove right into the movies. There are a couple of flicks to see and I did not want to waste a moment.

SYNOPSIS: Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his team are charged with finding weapons of mass destruction in and around 1993 Baghdad at the start of the Iraqi War. As his searches come up empty, he becomes fed up with faulty intelligence and becomes embroiled in uncovering the source of the bad intel. On the way, he uncovers much more.

Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon team up again to bring us the opening days of the Iraqi War, the search for WMDs and the division of government as to how to run an effective war. Based on the book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone", the film gives us the insider's view of the start of the war, without the glamour and spin of the press.

Although not Stallone or Willis, Damon has become the most reliable dramatic action star. Partnering with "Bourne" director Paul Greengrass on this project, Matt delivers another solid performance. He brings a naivety and power to the role that endears you to his character and the story. As Roy Miller, he conveys what the American public feels about the war. 

Paul Greengrass brings his kinetic camera work and style to the script and brings out all of the grainy and raw details. Ramping up what he did with "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum", Greengrass uses the same hand-held camera work and adds new elements strategically, low-light and night-vision. It gives even more authenticity to the film. 

Greg Kinnear comes out of his do-gooder roles and provides a perpetual scowl as the bureaucratic Clark Poundstone, trying to run both an effective war and an effective media campaign for the support by the American people. Of course, every bureaucrat needs another government foil to run interference. In this case it is Brendan Gleeson as CIA Middle East operative Martin Brown whose 30 years of experience in the region is ignored as irrelevant and dated. And as an added bonus, we get a chance to see Jason Isaacs of "Harry Potter" and "Black Hawk Down" fame with his impeccable American accent as Poundstone's go to Ranger hunting down Miller before he exposes the truths meant to be left buried.

The story is fast paced and enveloping, keeping you captivated as to how the lone Chief Roy Miller can unravel why there are no Weapons of Mass Destructions to be found, who the source Magellan is and why the information is faulty, and why all of the government agencies and the press are after Magellan, but for different reasons. If you are a fan of "The Kingdom" and "Black Hawk Down", this film is a nice addition to your list.

Worth: Matinee or DVD

Invictus

Master Of His Own Fate

[Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon]

SYNOPSIS:  Nelson Mandela is elected president of a nation torn by apartheid, and attempts to unite the country with a mission to have the South Africa's national team win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Another weekend comes and another Oscar contender opens in theatre. This time, I would consider it a true contender. Opening opposite Disney's "The Princess and the Frog", this film was actually one I wanted to see.

"Invictus" is a poem written by William Ernest Henley and the title of Clint Eastwood's new film.  The story revolves around four characters - Nelson Mandela, Francois Pienaar and the South Africa Springboks, and the two sides of a divided nation. Nelson Mandela struggles to unite a post-apartheid country after being elected president. The division of the nation may be black and white, but understanding the needs to unify them is shades of gray. 

Morgan Freeman is wonderful to watch as Mandela. With or without dialogue, his eyes convey all you need to know. Matt Damon adds physical muscle and a spot-on accent to his acting pedigree to play the understated captain of the national rugby team, tasked with the mission to win the World Cup. The performances and the story are understated and powerful. Knowing the history of Mandela and his former imprisonment and the lingering effects of apartheid, every scene holds an underlying intensity. 

Playing as both a political historical drama and a sports underdog movie, Eastwood adds his style and keen directorial eye to a film worth while.

Worth: Matinee or DVD