It is thirty years after “the flash”; presumably a nuclear explosion that has destroyed much of life on Earth. Denzel Washington is Eli, a lone man traveling west with a book. He uses all of his considerable skills to protect the book and deliver it intact to an unnamed destination where it will be safe. It is the last copy of the book existing, and it has the power to change the world.
Along the way Eli uses martial arts, knives, bow & arrow, and guns to survive and to guard the book. He must defend it and himself against marauding road warriors, cannibals, and the real bad guy, Carnegie. Carnegie is played by the talented Gary Oldman. Carnegie, one of the few people who can actually read, had built a town in the desert. He knows that if he can harness the power of this book, he can expand his town and build other towns and become a powerful ruler.
You guessed it-this book is the Bible. So Eli has spent 30 years on his mission, and he is so close. As he makes his way through the bleak landscape, we see the ruins of 21st century American civilization-cars, trucks, highways, and even a J. Crew store. In Carnegie’s town, Eli stops for clean water, which is precious although Carnegie seems to have plenty, and for an equipment repair. He meets a woman, Claudia and her daughter, Solara. Solara is intrigued by the power of the book, and wants to accompany Eli on his journey.
The Book of Eli is a really good movie. Although the premise is superficially similar to The Road, it really is much deeper. Eli is a powerful character, and his motivation is noble. He is not just trying to survive, but to aid humanity. Although the movie imagines a bleak and frightening post-apocalyptic world, there is a message of hope and redemption. There is also a surprising plot twist, so pay attention for the clues that seem obvious in retrospect.
What can I say about Avatar that hasn’t already been said? Nothing! But I do have to post something so everyone knows that I have seen what is going to be the biggest blockbuster ever. So-humdrum story that we’ve all heard before. Technically amazing. Definitely see it in 3D, and in IMAX if you can.
The Zookeeper’s Wife is the story of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of Jewish lives in Warsaw, Poland during World War II. Jan was the head zookeeper of the Warsaw Zoo. Prior to WWII, this was a modern and important zoo. The Zabinski family lived in a large house on the zoo grounds. Many of the zoo’s animals were killed during the German army’s occupation of Warsaw; numerous other animals were confiscated by the Germans for their own zoos.
Throughout the occupation, the Zabinski’s gave shelter to Jews who were escaping the Warsaw Ghetto. They hid the fugitives in animal enclosures and tunnels in the zoo, as well as in their own house. Jan was able to enter the Ghetto. He brought food into the Ghetto, and often helped smuggle people out. Towards the end of the war, Jan also fought in the Polish underground army and was, for a time, a prisoner of war. The Zabinski’s story is briefly told on the website of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Israel. Diane Ackerman has done so much research and given a thorough accounting of the Zabinski’s heroism.
Unfortunately for this very important book, it is not so well-written. It took me a long time to get into reading it. I really had to plow on through the first few chapters. I only bothered because this was a selection for my book club. it would have been much more interesting if Ackerman had spent more time on the details of how the Zabinski’s helped the Jews. And if we had more information about the people they helped, it would have been more interesting. There are some photos in the book. I do think that a map of Warsaw during the occupation would have been helpful, as well as a map of the zoo.
To summarize-important, yes. A good read-no.
In USA:
Published in hardcover-W.W. Norton-2007
Softcover edition-W.W. Norton-2008
For those who might remember Basil Rathbone’s iconic Sherlock Holmes-forget it! Robert Downey Jr. is a much more fun version of the classic sleuth. He is serious about crime-solving, without taking himself too seriously. With Jude Law as Dr. Watson-certainly more partner than sidekick-this Sherlock Holmes makes a great holiday movie.
I’ve never read the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan Doyle, so I don’t know how faithful this tale is to any of the originals. I’m guessing not very, since Doyle’s only screen-writing credit is for the creation of the characters of Holmes and Watson. The movie is fast-paced and fun. The stunts and special effects are not so overdone as to seem impossible. The characters are more caricature than not, but it doesn’t matter. This is more in the action-adventure genre than classic cerebral detective story.
With the popularity of this movie (currently #2 at the box office), I’m guessing that a sequel is in the works. I will gladly see it, and recommend this movie to anyone looking for some fun.
