IMPORTANT UPDATE!! Who knew that there was a Cranky Movie reviewer out there? Certainly not me. But his kind team of lawyers informed me*. So from this point on, movie reviews will either be known as “The Cranky Neocon movie review” or “Buffet Bitz” or some other insipid thingee.

* Not true. But I was contacted in a non-threatening fashion.

Original post begins below

Before I get into it, know that I suck as a movie critic. Most of my reactions are either “Awesome, you gotta see it!” or “pass me another mini-bottle of Smirnoff, Sweetie”.

However, I just got done seeing Changeling and just have to brain dump. The film is Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial project and he just seems to be improving with age. The story itself is an adaptation of the real-life case which took place in 1920′s Los Angeles. Angelina Jolie’s character, Christine Collins returns from work to find her son abducted. The Los Angeles police find a boy who claims to be her missing son, Walter. Problem is, he isn’t and the police want the case closed lest it create an embarrassment. Her protestations land her in an insane asylum.

So far, you have seen all this in the previews, but if I go any further, we’re venturing into spoiler territory.

Since this a caustic conservative site, let’s get into the political and social aspects.

The Los Angeles police department was especially corrupt during this period (and again at times I’m sure). I re-discovered my appreciation for a free press that can and does blow the whistle on gross corruption. Where they are now is a mystery unless you’re Joe the Plumber. But to imagine yourself at the mercy of a government which is out to silence you. That creepy thought is enough to bring the suppressed liberal out of you. The good kind of liberal, I need to stress. Streisand, Obama and Schumer can still kiss my tushie.

Lest you think me getting soft, however, the movie also reaffirms, clearly, the necessity of the death penalty. In what must be an anachronism, a villain is sentenced to death and it is carried out within a couple of years. Did I mention the movie is set in California? The bad guy doesn’t even get to write a book or recite resistance poetry!

This movie won’t leave you feeling all perky, but it won’t depress the hell out of you either. If you’re inlined to however, you and your friends might go to the Denny’s and discuss it until 1:30 am. It’s that kind of film.

My $10 movie budget usually goes to movies where stuff gets magnificently blown up and bad guys die – in space preferably. But I’m going to really recommend this film. I think it might be Oscar worthy, but I did see a trailer about the murdered homosexual politician, Harvey Milk. It stars Sean Penn so I think this year’s Oscar is already spoken for.

As a geek goodie, the story is written by J. Michael Straczynski who wrote the most excellent Babylon 5 series. Straczynski, has moved onto greater things and it shows.

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