HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Yesterday in the late afternoon, while walking in Santa Monica, I decided to go see a movie. I paid for 300 and then after two minutes realized that I wasn't in the mood for FANTASY, BLOOD AND GORE so I quietly slipped out and looked at the other movies, in the complex, that might be starting in a few minutes.

The serendipity, or synergy, of the moment proved to be extremely worthwhile and wonderful.

REIGN OVER ME with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle was starting in two minutes. I hadn't read anything about this film but had seen some still pictures of Adam with long hair so I figured....what the heck.

It turned out to be one of the best films I've seen in awhile.....maybe not as great as MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, but the acting performances were as memorable. I can't put MIKE BINDER in the same category as FRANK CAPRA but he's still young. He does have the ability to tell a story in ways that make the mind focus and work in a slightly different way.

I LIKE IT WHEN MY MIND WORKS IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.....IN OTHER WORDS.....I GUESS I LIKE TO BE SURPRISED.

ADAM SANDLER SURPRISED THE HEAVEN OUT OF ME.

His performance is not only OSCAR quality, but if he doesn't get nominated I don't think I'll attend the ceremony.

SERIOUSLY.....IF HE DOESN'T GET AN OSCAR NOMINATION THEN OSCARS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR GREAT PERFORMANCES. I THINK WE WILL FIND OUT JUST WHAT THE ACADEMY MEMBERS THINK OF ADAM SANDLER.

Often times comedians don't get the respect when they do a serious role. Something about...once you've made somebody laugh, you aren't allowed to touch the other emotional segments of the brain.

SHOW BIZ CAN BE SO HARSH AND CRUEL...AND OFTEN TIMES COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS. An example would be how the money was raised to make.....oh let's say 30% of the films that get made. I'll not pick on any one in particular.

SHOW BIZ AND POLITICS HAVE A LOT OF SIMILAR BLACK HOLES AND CROSS VECTORS OF REALITY.

REIGN OVER ME is an emotional roller coaster, but it never takes you too far away from the entry point. There are some moments during the film where I wasn't sure where it was going, or how it would get back on point....and then it simply became clear that it never got off point and where it was going was always part of the director's objective.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FILM regarding the idea of recovering from the loss of human life.

AN IDEA THAT EACH AND EVERYONE ON THE PLANET.....WILL BE FACED WITH DURING THEIR LIFETIME. SOME PEOPLE WILL BE FACED WITH IT ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF TIME.....ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO LIVE TO BE IN THEIR 80'S, 90'S OR GOD WILLING...100'S.

The recovery process is different for each and every person......and sometimes recovery is not in the cards for an extremely long period of time.....and sometimes the recovery takes completely different shapes and designs, that don't appear to be resembling the concept of "recovery."

REIGN OVER ME deals with the "recovery" concept in ways that are uplifting and unique.

I could go into long and detailed examples of why this film is important but I don't want to "shape" your concept before you see the film.

THE BEST REVIEW I CAN GIVE

GO SEE THIS FILM!

MICHAEL TIMOTHY MC ALEVEY

Do you miss seeing Reese's picture today? Maybe tomorrow.