Hello readers and happy 2020!! My first screening of the year was 1917, and I can’t say that I was overly thrilled with what I saw.

1917 tells the story of 2 British soldiers who are sent on a mission into enemy front lines to stop an attack on the German army. It’s simple and straightforward, but after the movie was over I left the theater feeling drab. I was impressed with the production and the camera work however. The cinematography is visually amazing. The screening was in Dolby Cinema to my surprise, so watching on that screen made for a super crisp viewing, and the sound system made the theater thump. There is a scene where bombs go off that made me jump out my seat a little bit. During the credits it was cool to see that this movie was based on the brief testimony of Sam Mendes’ (the director) grandfather, who served in a rifle brigade during World War I. The production team did fantastic set work. The recreation the battle lines and the infamous trench warfare was highly realistic. The film editing was amazing as well.  I watched some behind the scenes footage and the method of shooting to make the movie feel like one long take is executed with precision. As far as the movie is concerned, I appreciated that the brotherhood between the two leads’ characters was highlighted throughout their mission, but beyond that this film didn’t do much for me. I could sum it up by saying “That was it? Oh okay…..” I don’t think 1917 is a bad film. I appreciated it, but the story didn’t hit me the way it’s being hailed by Hollywood. If you are a hardcore war drama fan and you want the total experience, I recommend checking 1917 in premium format if you have the option. The casual viewers will be fine watching in regular format. I’m going to an AMC classic to see it again with my pops. He was supposed to come to the screening but he couldn’t make it out that night. It’s going to be interesting to see how he reacts. This isn’t a movie I’m going to be revisiting over and over though. I’m a Sam Mendes fan but I probably won’t even buy 1917 until it’s in the cheap bin. I have a nice amount of war movies in my collection so I’m good! In retrospect, I think the trailer shows too much. ARRGHHH!!!! See my live video review here: https://www.facebook.com/MoviesWithMigs/videos/3347123342025961/?v=3347123342025961

CHEERS!
Migs Rodriguez