I'm way behind on the latest movies -- a trend that has only gotten worse since my friend and colleague Chris Borrelli left for Chicago. He used to alert me to movies of interest.
I finally got around to watching Freedom Writers the other night and it was really inspiring. Hillary Swank plays an English teacher at a rough L.A. school who goes far beyond the minimum to make a difference in her students' lives. What makes it more powerful is that the movie is based on a real story, although I'm not sure how much liberty they took with it.

There were a few moments where I got teary-eyed watching this movie. I can't imagine growing up or living in a place where kids are getting killed by gunfire and gang wars. It reminded me, once again, to count my blessings.
I was tremendously impressed by Swank in Million-Dollar Baby, and Freedom Writers shows her excellent performance was no fluke.
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At the other extreme, I watched a horrendous film recently, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Unlike Iron Man, which had a real plot and character development, this comic-book-based movie was a trite throwaway that relied almost entirely on its special effects. Avoid at all costs.
Toledo, Ohio
July 10, 2008