Jillian Chantal

I treated myself to two movies this weekend.  On Friday, I saw HANNA. It was interesting but disturbing. Cate Blanchett played the villain quite well. She was decidedly evil. The young girl that played Hanna was excellent. She nailed the part – she was very believable as the sheltered yet powerful teen/assassin. There were quite a few scenes that caused me angst and made me want a different outcome but it wasn’t in the cards.

On Saturday, I saw THE CONSPIRATOR. It’s based on the story of Mary Surratt. She was accused of being part of the conspiracy to kill Abe Lincoln. She was the first woman to be hanged in the United States. I knew going in how the thing played out as I presumed that it would be historically accurate. I was surprised at how disturbed I was at some of the scenes. The lawyer in me was deeply, and I mean soul deep, offended at the tactics of the prosecutor, the secretary of war and the chief officer of the military tribunal. They suborned perjury, they paid witnesses and the hearing officer sustained clear hearsay evidence as well as let in perjured testimony. Now, I believe I can understand the mass hysteria at the time  and the cry for the blood of those that killed the President, but dang, people, I was sworn to uphold the Constitution of these United States when I took my oath as an attorney and I was so offended by their tactics, I thought I’d vomit.  Literally. It turned my stomach. 

So, two movies, two days, two time periods, both movies disturbing in their own ways. Were they good movies? Yes. I believe they were both well done but be warned. They aren’t a walk in the park and there is no Happily Ever After. In either.

 I’m at my group blog (fourfoxesonehound) today talking about what I do after I get a story idea. http://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/ok-so-i-have-an-idea-whats-next/