The Kite Runner

It is my belief that, right now, Marc Forster is truly one of the best film directors we have. His films, which have included Monsters Ball, Finding Neverland, and Stranger Than Fiction, are of the highest quality, and almost all of his films have been successful, despite tackling subject matter that is not always broad enough for the general viewing audience. With The Kite Runner, Forster tackles a very heart felt, and omni-present issue - Religious persecution and fundamentalism in the Middle East, particularly Afghanistan.

The Kite Runner is the story of two boyhood friends, Amir and Hassan, who have a somewhat odd relationship, due to the fact that Hassan is the son of Amir's father's servant, therefore making Hassan a servant of Amir, as well. The two fit together well, until Hassan's act of devotion to Amir causes him to be assaulted while Amir watches helplessly from a distance (without anyone knowing he's there). The two become separated right before Khabul falls to the Russians, when Amir and his father escape to America.

Fast forward a decade, or so, and Amir receives a phone call from a mutual friend, Rahim, in Pakistan, who tells him the sad news of Hassan's death. Hassan has a son, though, and Rahim begs Amir to come to Pakistan, gain entry into Afghanistan, and risk his life to rescue the boy from the radical Islamic fundamentalists who have kidnapped him, and killed his family.

The Kite Runner is an epic story, without a doubt. Taking place over a long period of time, throughout many countries, and dealing with very real and relatable issues, the film is a testament to author Khaled Hosseini's understanding of growing up and being a man in that part of the world. Forster uses Amir's story to explore concepts of bravery and tradition which are, often times, forgotten in western films when it comes to the Middle Eastern culture, or are simply portrayed as cliche's.

What can you really say about a film like this, other than that it is pitch perfect. The Kite Runner is an amazingly well-realized film that brings to life so many things about a culture that many of us don't understand, because we just don't have very in depth or accurate representations of it. The fact that, in Khabul in the 70's, society was much like America or parts of Europe, is something I never would have known, but, historically, it was. Before the Soviet invasion of the area, it was an incredibly bustling place. To see it, currently, and feel like your stepping back in time a hundred years, because of the destruction and terror that the Soviet's and Radical Islam has brought to that area of the world... It really makes you feel bad for the people who are subject to that kind of tyranny.

The Kite Runner didn't jerk a tear out of me, but it was still an incredible film, and left me feeling like there is hope in the world, and that, even though tyranny and terrorism are still very real things in our society, good CAN prevail.

Charlie Wilson's War

When Mike Nichols makes a film, these days, it tends to be an event for film lovers. He is one of the old masters, who is still able to consistently turn out quality material, even after forty years in the industry. Although I didn't care too much for his last film, 2004's Closer, it is certainly a rare bump on the road for a man who has given us so many cinematic classics.

Charlie Wilson's War concerns a congressman from Texas who gets mixed up in the plight of the Afghan people after the invasion of Afghanistan, by Communist Russia. It starts out as a small, side interest, but, after visiting the Afghan people, stuck in refugee camps in Pakistan, he realizes that only money and weapons will solve the conflict that the Afghans face. The U.S. has been providing both, but in very minuscule amounts (nowhere near what the people need to even make a dent in the Soviet forces). Enlisting the help of millionaire Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), for initial fundraising, and CIA agent Gust Avrakatos (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to set up weapons manifests, get the weapons to the Afghans, and track their progress, Wilson is able to fight a covert war, with little attention or deterrence from the US government, and considerable success.

Nichols direction, as well as the tightly written script by Aaron Sorkin, brings the story of the boozing, womanizing congressman from Texas alive. Tom Hanks, who plays Charlie Wilson, is so good at what he does, you forget that it's Tom Hanks that you're watching. Philip Seymour Hoffman is on the ball, as usual. He hits his performance out of the park, portraying Gust as an incredibly intelligent loser, who doesn't get enough credit. The only weak link among the top players is Julia Roberts, but that is probably a personal issue for me. I just can't see her as anything other than Julia Roberts, and, I think, that takes away from her ability to wow me as an actress.

What is most important about this film, though, is exactly what well made films do best - it delivers a message within its entertainment, and the message is so poignant right now - If you start something, you have to finish it.  Wilson managed to flood the Afghans with money and modern weaponry to fight off the Soviets, but when the war was over, America was no longer interested in supporting the Afghans. This left them with little to go back home to, and a society to rebuild themselves. Is it any wonder that, a little over ten years later, Afghanistan would be a hot bed of anti-American terrorist activity. What the film say's to me, is clear - No one wants to be in Iraq anymore. It sucks. People are dying. But, we started something, and if we don't finish it, it's going to come back and bite us, just like the Afghan situation did.

Go see this film. It's storytelling at its best.