Hi, this is Steve.

Hollywood will do just about anything for your attention,

massive CGI effects, insane action,

incredible spectacle, not to mention songs from the world's most popular bands, fantastic costumes, huge sets, and breathtaking locations.

The studios will literally spend millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars to keep you entertained.

And when they succeed, it is absolutely jaw-dropping.

But sometimes the most expensive special effects pale in comparison to what a great actor can do with a simple look, a gesture, or just plain silence.

The cast of Mississippi burning delivers unforgettable performances

led by the incomparable Gene Hackman whose intensity is only matched by his subtlety and

nuance.

Willem Defoe is brilliant playing against type as the by-the-book Agent Ward,

and Francis McDormand demonstrates in this

or the skills which will make her one of the great actors of this or any other age.

And they in turn are backed up by incredible performances

from Brad Deeref, Michael Rooker, and Stephen Tobolowski.

This is not only a great film, but a challenging one as well, and the conversation we had

with screenwriter David McKenna was absolutely fascinating. So if you haven't seen

Mississippi burning you should head straight to cinnophiles.net where you can buy or

stream every single film we've ever reviewed. And if you happen to support the show on

Patreon.com slash the Cinephiles, right now you could be listening to John and I discuss everyone's favorite secret agent,

James Bond, his history, the actors who played him, and what we might want to see in future

versions of 007.

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