Media Monday--Charlie Wilson's War

PKR and I went to the Rena Theater here in Kellogg Saturday night and watched "Charlie Wilson's War".

The subject matter was very interesting, because it was based on a true story, but I'm not sure it is a "Best Picture" contender, even though it has been nominated for Golden Globe.

Mike Nichols directed the movie, and Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. I've enjoyed both of their work in the past, but I'm not sure this movie was a standout portrayal of either of their work. It was good, but not great.

But it did tell an intersting story, of Congressman Charlie Wilson, and his role in a covert operation in the 1980's to help the Afghans defeat the Soviet Union as they invaded their country, yet failing to help Afghanistan rebuild the country after the defeat.

And it seemed so easy to do. Perhaps it wasn't as easy as the movie portrayed, but it didn't seem like it took a whole lot to get millions of dollars appropriated through our country to finance this covert operation that the American people didn't really know was going on, or even many members of congress knew were paying for it.

The question that I came away with after watching this movie was....What movie will I be watching 10 years from now that will be telling a story about some covert operation going on right now? We never really know what is going on, now do we?

But it is just history repeating itself. This happens over and over, where things are done in secret, and we find out about them later. Sometimes I guess it is necessary. At least those in power always seem to think that is the case.

I probably could have waited to see this movie on DVD. It is worth watching for the politics, and the great acting by Philip Seymour Hoffman as the cover CIA agent.

But I'm not sure it deserves an Oscar.