Angels and Demons

Tom Hanks (b. 1956) is one of my favorite actors and producers.  His body of work is diversified and immense.  He is equally at home in a rom-com (Sleepless in Seattle - 1993, or You've Got Mail  - 1998), or a heavy duty war drama (Saving Private Ryan - 1998).  He pulls off light comedy and serious roles equally well.
I watched Angels and Demons (2009) yesterday, and it was enjoyable.  This was Hanks' sixth collaboration with Ron Howard (b. 1954). Hanks and Howard work well together.

It is a big movie with a twisted story line and a huge cast, exactly what you'd expect from a big star and a big director.  It has some problems, such as Ewan McGregor's (b. 1971) Scottish accent, in his role as an Italian priest.  And, as in most action movies, I simply can't swallow the amount of punishment a character's body can withstand and manage to keep going.

Let's look at some of the smaller roles.  Stellan Skarsgard (b. 1951) was intense, as usual in a dramatic role.  But I keep seeing him in Mamma Mia! (2008) and that always shakes my impression of him.  I must learn to watch the movie at hand and not connect it to every other role the actor has played.  In fact, I think I drive my wife crazy when I mention other movies an actor has done.

Skarsgard has done 108 so far, and his portrayal of Bootstrap Bill Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean series was spooky!  In 1997 he was in Good Will Hunting, and brought out his intense face as a math professor. 

The female lead was played well by an Israeli actress, Ayelet Zurer (b. 1969).  With only 26 titles, most of them foreign, I think we can expect to see more of her.  Look for her in Munich (2005) and Vantage Point (2008). 

One of the cardinals was played by Armin Mueller-Stahl (b. 1930).  Again, Stahl was outstanding.  His role was as the cardinal in charge of the voting procedure for a new Pope.  He subtly shows the internal conflict between his personal ambition to possibly become the next Pope, and the duty to God he holds close to his heart. 

Stahl first came to my attention on TV in "Twelve Angry Men" (1997) starring Jack Lemmon, and then in The Game (1997) starring Michael Douglas (b. 1944).  If you haven't seen The Game, what's stopping you?!?!?  It is another great, twisted story.  And Stahl may be one of my favorite Bit Actors.

The assassin is played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas (b. 1973) from Denmark.  Kaas has 47 titles on IMDb, most of them foreign.  My guess is that his voice was dubbed, since he had no accent in this film.  He is a handsome man, so I would expect larger roles for him in the future.

Angels and Demons is worth watching.  If you like action films, pick it up and make sure you have The Da Vinci Code (2006) as well.  It's a good pair to have on a winter weekend.

Hunt for Red October

The Hunt for Red October from 1990 was on last night, and I like that movie.  Come to think of it, I like most movies.  Red October is based on the Tom Clancy novel and is one of the adventures of CIA agent Jack Ryan.  In this one he is played by Alec Baldwin, but the next two movies, Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994), he is played by Harrison Ford.  I have always wondered why Baldwin didn't continue what would become a very good, and probably profitable, trilogy.

Red October won the Oscar for best sound effects editing...not best picture but it is an Oscar.  On to the bit parts.

One of the few women in the movie was Gates McFadden as Ryan's wife in the beginning scenes.  Of course, she was the doctor on the Enterprise in "Star Trek, The Next Generation" from 1987 to 1994.  So Red October was made while she worked on Star Trek TNG.  I am sure she is type cast because of her prominent role in Star Trek TNG, but what else do you need?  The residuals from the movies and the promotional items will keep her wealthy.

I noticed the Russian attack sub commander was played by Stellan Skarsgard.  He was nasty in this film!  I thought he was much more likable as one of the three fathers in Mamma Mia!, the off beat musical that tried to weave together a bunch of ABBA songs that really weren't meant to tell a story.  Yes, I liked that one, too!

Skarsgard's role in Red October was pretty small, so I think he qualifies as a bit actor here.  He had a bigger part in 1997's Good Will Hunting.  I wish he didn't look so much like Liam Neeson.  I keep getting them confused.

Fred Thompson held up well as the Admiral on the aircraft carrier.  I may have voted for him in the last presidential election if he had won the nomination!  He has 44 acting roles in his resume, and now that his political career is over, he's back to acting.  Do you remember him in Fat Man and Little Boy, when he rolled the truck tire into the office to complain?

Lastly let's mention Joss Ackland who played the Russian ambassador.  He has 179 credits on IMDb and his face pops up everywhere.  Born in England in 1928, he did the Russian accent better than most of the sub personnel, and certainly better than Sean Connery (Scottish!) who didn't even try.  No matter, I still like the movie!