“I bet my life on it.  I’ll do it again.”

I decided to start reviewing movies and documentaries I have watched as a good space to personally reflect on the art of cinema and share with you all my thoughts on film. I love cinema. I will always love books the most, but cinema has a different kind of power in bringing the human experience together in a way that a book can not. It is no better or worse, but different with both books and film being equally important and impactful.

The first film that I am going to reflect on is one that I saw last night with some friends; Sully, staring Tom Hanks. I was reluctant to go to this movie not because I don’t love Tom Hanks (I do), but because it didn’t sound like that riveting of a film…I mean we all know the story of Captain Sully and the landing of the plan on the Hudson River. It is so inundated into our culture that Justin Timberlake references the incident in the movie Friends with Benefits. When Justin Timberlake references something, you know it’s important. However, I was very pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed the film. Does Tom Hank play the same role in almost every movie he makes? Yes. But does he do an outstanding job every time? Yes.

Tom Hanks brought a very personal inside look into the life of Captain Sully, a polarizing man who became a public figure in minutes with the aid of some birds and the media.

At the end of the day we are all just a human, and what a beautiful thing that is. 

The film was entertaining, Aaron Eckhart did a great job as the co-pilot and the overall tone of the movie was spot on. There were some rather predictable and cliche moments in the film that was elevated by intentionally emotional music….but how else are we supposed to know when to cry? Also, there was a woman who was a passenger who keeps popping up as a recognizable extra in a multitude movies-the one coming to mind was a nervous secretary in the movie 13 going on 30. It is the small details.

It reminded me the most of Tom Hanks other film, Captain Phillips with both main characters being an average man doing an average job and called to act on an extraordinary moment that ends up publicly defining them. But I guess that is what life is all about. Doing the best we can at any given moment, the moments when nothing of huge significance happens, and the moments where everything is on the line.

It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes.

If you’re thinking about it, it’s usually worth the risk. 

Let me know what you think of the movie!

-Kaila