The Phantom Tollbooth - Movies Reviews Index


Since 1996	Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....


Home Subscribe About Us Features News Album Reviews Movie Reviews Past Movies Movie Resources Concert Reviews Book Reviews Top 10 Contact Us	Miracle at St. Anna Stars: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller, Valentina Cervi, Matteo Sciabordi, Walton Goggins and D. B. Sweeney Director: Spike Lee Scriptwriter: James McBride from his novel Composer: Terence Blanchard Cinematography: Matthew Libatique 40 Acres and a Mule Productions Rating: R for war violence, language, sexual content and nudity Running Length: 160 minutes Miracle at St. Anna plods along at just the right pace for you to pay attention to a scene, and then settle back and wait for another important scene. In-between, there are runs through forests, arguments, conversations, all which could have been whittled away nicely. As it stands, "Miracle at St. Anna" is a war picture about black soldiers in WWII. James McBride adapted the script from his novel and the story is set in the latter part of 1944 in Italy. We know that black soldiers sometimes had a tough time in the military and this is shown with a heavy hand by the antics of Walton Goggins ("The Shield") as an almost-black-tolerating officer. In a flashback, we also see this particular group of soldiers in America, being denied service at a diner when German prisoners-of-war were served. The story begins in the mid 1980's when a U. S. postal clerk suddenly shoots a customer. The clerk had a German pistol with him at the time. While being questioned by a reporter, we flashback to August 1944 and a group of black soldiers in Tuscany. They are caught in an ambush while crossing a stream and most of them are killed, some by friendly fire. The four who escape (Michael Ealy, Derek Luke, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller) come across a small boy (Matteo Sciabordi) who doesn't speak English. He is wounded, so the soldiers take him to the nearest village for help. Miller is the soldier who bonds with the boy, and partly because Miller is carrying the marble head of a statue he found while in Florence. As the story continues, we meet the villagers and in particular, Renata (Valentina Cervi) who catches the eye of more than one soldier. There are partisans in the woods, but also a spy and suspicion falls everywhere. We go back and forth from this village to the village of St. Anna where there was a massacre to the American troops and D. B. Sweeney (Jericho) and the hungry German troops. You need a road map to pull everything together and at this, director Spike Lee, could have speeded things up. A flashback from one scene to another doesn't need a few minutes of troop movement or walking through a forest beforehand. Cinematography (Matthew Libatique) is excellent as is the soundtrack by Terence Blanchard. Miracle at St. Anna has more than one miracle in it. According to director Spike Lee during a recent "Oprah" show, there are 18 miracles connected to the marble head. I counted six at least, but I wouldn't doubt at 18. Acting is very well done, especially Omar Benson Miller as the kindly Train and Michael Ealy as Bishop. The child actor, Matteo Sciabordi who plays Angelo, was chosen from a casting call in Italy. He steals his scenes. We see the brutality of war and there is a poignant scene that follows a soldier's helmet as it floats by dead bodies. If you stand up anywhere, you will be shot and killed. Likewise, have chocolate with you at all times and it's best to learn some language phrases from the country you will be in. If someone says another person is completely trustworthy, watch your back. The enemy can be brutal or understanding, one never knows, except we share one thing. We all are human. Copyright 2008 Marie Asner