Friday, April 28, 2006
What to Expect – United 93
Going to see the movie later today...oh boy.
Heading to the theater later this morning to see United 93. Not sure what to expect. Okay, I am sure what to expect. This will probably be one of those emotionally exhausting movies that midway through I will be asking myself, “Why am I here watching this?”
Generally when it comes to movie watching, I prefer films that entertain. But, I am also a historian, which means that sometimes I have to see films just to see how we remember things. Like most people, I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001 when I first heard. Our little girl Alethea was about 2 months old, and I had kissed her and Tanya goodbye, went to work, and was hacking away at my computer when my co-worker, Cherlynn, came in and said, “A plane just hit the World Trade Center in New York.” My first response was, “Man, what a bad pilot.’’ Within the hour my perception had changed enormously. I quickly left the office and my wife and I watched bed the events of that horrible morning with our daughter between us. We thought that would change the world she grew up in.
In truth, it hasn’t. What happened on 9-11-01 so far, is about as meaningful as what happened 11-9-89 when the wall fell in Berlin. And truthfully, except for the fact that I have friends and family risking their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq, that I have to wait much longer in security lines on my trips to the U.K., it hasn’t changed my life either.
So, I have to go see United 93. Was it as horrible and painful real as I remember? Well see when I go to our local Cinemark Tinseltown at 11am.
I will tell you about the movie later today. In the meantime, read a great discussion/review at http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200604280608.asp
