United 93 (2006)

When I heard that a film was being made of the "fourth plane" of September 11, I was indifferent. I assumed it would be a melodramatic, American flag-waving, piece of war propaganda. I was pleasantly surprised after many friends recommended it to me.

The film rolls in real-time as the shocking events of that day unfolded. We go behind the scenes onboard the plane, at the air-traffic control rooms, in the military dens, and head office at the FAA. A variety of characters, ordinary people within an extraordinary event, at each of these locations present the story inside the cloud of non-information.

All of the actors (some of which were actual air-traffic controllers) skillfully kept the urgency of the moment without being carried away with illogical passion. The music was also subtly used, keeping us grounded in the real drama taking place rather than elevating the plot to another plain (pun not-intended).

I was most impressed at how realistic the filmmakers kept the movie. The people weren't glamourous. The lines weren't poetic. There weren't any superhuman illogical decisions made. It was presented from a human perspective and proved in the end to be a powerful testament to the humans who died that day.

Truth: People are best able to express their real belief system when faced with their own mortality.

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