Mary and Martha

Friendship Can Change The World: An HBO Drama That Is Simultaneously Heartbreaking And Uplifting
The HBO Original movie "Mary and Martha" is one of those inspiring true life tales which showcases that individuals really can make a difference in the world. Unfortunately, in this case, the realization comes at a huge expense for those involved. Hilary Swank and Brenda Blethyn play two mothers, one American and one English, who lose their sons due to malaria while in Africa. From this heartbreak, a crusade begins. In this day and age, when deaths like these can be prevented, why are so many Africans succumbing to conditions that could be made so much better? Certainly it's a valid and necessary question. In some jaded ways, you could argue (and some undoubtedly will) that "Mary and Martha" is just one more movie where privileged white people are needed to save the day in Africa. It certainly is a recurrent theme in American films! Here, though, that didn't bother me. These women were looking for a way out of their grief, a way to assuage their feelings of guilt, anger, and...
Friendship Can Change The World: An HBO Drama That Is Simultaneously Heartbreaking And Uplifting
The HBO Original movie "Mary and Martha" is one of those inspiring true life tales which showcases that individuals really can make a difference in the world. Unfortunately, in this case, the realization comes at a huge expense for those involved. Hilary Swank and Brenda Blethyn play two mothers, one American and one English, who lose their sons due to malaria while in Africa. From this heartbreak, a crusade begins. In this day and age, when deaths like these can be prevented, why are so many Africans succumbing to conditions that could be made so much better? Certainly it's a valid and necessary question. In some jaded ways, you could argue (and some undoubtedly will) that "Mary and Martha" is just one more movie where privileged white people are needed to save the day in Africa. It certainly is a recurrent theme in American films! Here, though, that didn't bother me. These women were looking for a way out of their grief, a way to assuage their feelings of guilt, anger, and...
One of the years best must see movie by HBO!
One of the years best must see movie by HBO! This movie will hopefully move others to help the children of Africa.
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Phil Spector

Don't Expect A Spector Biopic! Speculative Fiction That Examines The Nature of Celebrity, The Media, And The Legal System
The fascinating HBO production "Phil Spector" was one of the season's most pleasant surprises in my estimation, but it might not be exactly what you are anticipating. If you are looking for a traditional legal picture about Spector's alleged crime and subsequent trial, this might not fulfill your requirements. If you are looking for a standard biopic detailing Spector's life up to and including his current incarceration, that's not to be found here either. Playwright David Mamet, the writer and director of "Phil Spector," does not seem particularly interested in recreating the Spector spectacle. Instead, he uses it as a speculative entertainment, a what-if scenario. A disclaimer at the beginning of the film says that this has no real basis in actual circumstances, but was instead merely inspired by the case. It's an interesting notion and one that is executed expertly. What we get unfolds very much like a play. Spector (Al Pacino) is confronted by a defense attorney (Helen Mirren) and...
Fine performances, but little depth in the story
This was a story that mesmerized entertainment junkies several years ago, but I found it vaguely unsatisfying in a lot of respects. Pacino and Mirren were outstanding in their portrayals of the principals, but the program wasn't long enough or deep enough to really show how these people got to where they were. The dissection of Phil Spector's character was interesting, but who was Linda Kenney-Baden that she was sought out for her contribution to his defense? And who was Lana Clarkson and how did she end up dead in that mansion? Helen Mirren can do just about anything on stage or screen, including look frumpy and deathly ill without self-consciousness. I liked her performance, but it was basically limited to the immediacy of that investigation and trial, and I would've preferred more. That's not her fault -- or for that matter Pacino's, who can also inhabit any character -- but maybe a longer, deeper production would've better suited my expectations. Nevertheless, I'm glad I watched...
An Excellent Movie - and Well Acted
I guess it can be easy to confuse one's feelings for Phil Spector and the alleged crime with one's feelings toward the movie itself as a stand-alone work of art. Some people love the man and think he's innocent, and will love the movie for those reasons. Others, I suspect, dislike him and think he's guilty, and will therefore dislike the movie for those reasons.
However, it is important to remember that the movie should stand on its own. And, in reflecting on it this way, it comes across as an excellent work. Al Pacino turns in an absolutely stunning and mesmerizing performance, and Helen Mirren and Jeffrey Tambor turn in strong performances, too. In addition to the excellent acting, the movie starts out with a strong sense of tension and maintains it throughout. In sum, it is a riveting and well-acted movie from start to finish.
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