Elah is a powerful, sobering experience

"In the Valley of Elah"

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric,Josh Brolin

3.5 stars out of 4

Either you love Paul Haggis or you hate him, but one cant deny that he will always have something to say when it comes to his directorial efforts. Many either hated, or loved his previous Oscar winning film "Crash." I myself, loved it, and thought it was the best movie of 2005. Haggis presents his 2nd directorial effort with Elah. The story is based on a real life event that appeared in Playboy magazine a few years back, Haggis had read it, and couldnt shake it.

Now, its his story to tell, and its one of the most emotionally draining films I have seen in some time. The story is about Mike Deerfield, a soldier returning home from Iraq, after going AWOL, his body appears mutilated along side a dusty road in New Mexico. His father Hank, played by Tommy Lee Jones is out to find out what happend, and why. Hank soon enlists the help of Detective Emily Sanders (Theron) for help in figuring out Mike's death, but her department wants nothing to do with the case, as there seems to be jurisdiction issues with the Army. Sanders' character rings true, she doesn't take the case because she feels bad for Hank, just because she feels its the right thing to do, as she pressures her superiors played by Jason Patric and Josh Brolin to give her some leeway with the investigation.

Hank is a career military man, although he is retired and living quietly at home in Tennessee with his wife played by Sarandon , he can't help but investigate every aspect of the case, most notably, he tries to make sense of unclear media videos on Mike's phone that were taken during Mike's stint in Iraq. Hank is looking for the truth, but mainly looking for closure that can bring he and his wife to peace, if that is even possible. There are many powerful scenes in the film, most of them come from Hank's blank face in many scenes. Tommy Lee Jones' superb acting comes from silence, not dialogue. Most of Elah is like this, its a sobering film about post-tramautic stress of soldiers returning home from War. While many critics have stamped this as another attempt for Haggis to preach of an anti-war statement, I believe the film demonstrates a fathers love for his son, and it also raises questions about what turns these soldiers into what they are when they return home.

Elah is one of the many films being released about the War in Iraq, and whether or not audiences are ready for it, these are important films. Elah is succesful in its storytelling, acting, most notably by Tommy Lee Jones, and Charlize Theron. Tommy Lee Jones plays basically the same character in every movie, someone tracking someone down, or looking for the truth, this may be his best and most subtle performance of his career, he has a great shot of being nominated here. The wrinkles on his aged face show pain and confusion throughout the movie. This reminds me of Clint Eastwood's performance in "Million Dollar Baby", which also got him nominated. Haggis is doing great things behind the camera these days, and I expect it to continue . Elah askes great questions upon its audience and shouldn't be ignored, this film is as timely as it gets.

A Western with action and brains

“3:10 to Yuma”
Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol, Ben Foster
3.5 stars out of 4


The Western genre hasn’t reached audiences on the level that it has in the past, but James Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma” may change that. Mangold who is recognized for “Walk the Line”, has crafted a smart, and thinking man’s Western, that kind where there is a hero, and a villain, and the struggle between the two.

The story takes place in Arizona, a few years after the Civil War; Christian Bale’s character Dan tends a ranch, while having much trouble paying the mortgage. Evans, who fought in the Civil War and lost a leg, also deals with the fact that his kids don’t really look up to him or see him as anything special. There is a key scene mid-way through the film where Evans displays his frustration about this subject to his wife, played by Gretchen Mol.

On the other side of the law, there is outlaw Ben Wade, played by the consistent Russell Crowe. Wade and his crew of outlaws are famous for killing and stealing money from the railroad crews that carry money. Crowe is as fast with his gun as he is with his witty dialogue. As the plot moves on, Wade is imprisoned and is sentenced to be hung; he first must be escorted on the train leaving Yuma at 3:10, hence the title.

Dan Evans volunteers, along with a few other men to bring Wade to the train, in return he’ll receive a handsome payment of $200, more than enough to pay off his property. The film is filled with enough action, to satisfy any viewer, but the thing that struck a chord with me was the psychological aspect of the film that was displayed between the protagonist of Christian Bale and the antagonist of Russell Crowe. Each has an agenda, and is willing to complete it by any means. We see Ben Wade as a criminal, but as an intelligent man that recites the bible, and recognizes that Evans has no business being apart of the crew escorting him, he should be at home taking care of his family.

The film is one of the best of the year for several reasons. Crowe and Bale are the worth the admission alone, along with a strong supporting performance from the young Ben Foster, who plays one of Wade’s fiery henchman. Also, the cinematography is breathtaking, as director Mangold perfectly captures the Western atmosphere, with his set pieces and costume design. The Western genre is certainly re-established with these solid films, which hopefully will attract viewers due to the star-studded cast.

Both leading men do fine work, as Bale continues his streak of impressive performances; he is the most dynamic leading men in Hollywood today. Crowe is also very good, as he is the leading man, with more dialogue and more of a presence on screen. Mangold certainly knows how to portray the Western frontier on the big screen, and he achieves his goal with “3:10 to Yuma”