September 5, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & IV • Page 17 Gargano’s ‘8:46’ personalizes the horror of 9/11 by Dennis Seuling “8:46” (Virgil Films) is a drama about a group of individuals from the tri-state area who are affected by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The title refers to the time the first hijacked plane slammed into the north tower on Sept. 11, 2001. The narrative begins the day before the attack, with stories about lives both ordinary and extraordinary. People are falling in and out of love, facing heartache, enjoying great success, coping with illness, and looking toward a bright future. Viewers get to know each character and then witness how each is affected on the following day. Director Jennifer Gargano blends actual news footage from 9/11 into these fictional stories, going beyond the now-familiar scenes of fire, smoke clouds, and devastation. The structure of the movie is reminiscent of any number of Hollywood disaster pictures, in which several characters are introduced so that when the disaster hits, the audience feels empathy for those involved. Unlike films such as “The Towering Inferno,” “Armageddon,” or “The Day After Tomorrow,” “8:46” doesn’t have an all-star cast or a mega-million-dollar budget. Some might say the film exploits a national tragedy and is therefore in poor taste, but the opposite is true. The film is often quite moving, with an honest feel and a cast of newcomers who are all the more convincing because they are not well known. “8:46” is an interesting companion to “United 93,” director Paul Greengrass’ account of the events on board the hijacked plane that eventually crashed in Pennsylvania, its hijackers overcome by brave passengers. At 55 minutes, “8:46” is unusually short for a feature film, but Spectators in Brooklyn view the crumbling World Trade Center in Jennifer Gargano’s tribute film, ‘8:46.’ there is no padding and the pace is brisk. DVD extras include a photo gallery and a featurette about the real people whose lives were forever changed by the 9/11 attacks. “Touchback” (Anchor Bay) is the story of former Coldwater High School football star turned farmer and family man Scott Murphy (Brian Presley), who still lives on a farm in Coldwater with his wife and daughters. The family farm is struggling and is in danger of being taken over by the bank. As matters worsen, Scott resorts to suicide, but he awakens. It’s 1991, the week before the state championship game. Scott is disoriented at first, but soon realizes he is being given a second chance. He seeks counsel from Coach Hand (Kurt Russell), his longtime mentor on and off the field, to help him decide whether (continued on Crossword page)