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thwingr
Reviews
The Man from Earth (2007)
After 14,000 years ... something new.
Here is a guy who studied with the Buddha and started a major religion. You would think he would have gained wisdom in 14,000 years. Yet he is limited by his fears to ten year episodes. And he is just about as clueless as the rest of us. Jerome Bixby shows us that even with practically unlimited time, education, experience, travel, friends, lovers, gurus and teachers ... we live only when we are open to new ideas ... the rest of the time is just wasted. Eternal life is not a blessing to someone who freezes their mind to protect it from change. And ten years of a full life can be better than another 14,000 years of mere survival.
Gunless (2010)
What If Liberty Valance hadn't been shot?
The ethical clash of the old Law of the West and the new Rule of Law, explored by John Ford in the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has an up-beat sequel in Gunless. In the sequel, the gunslinger is not shot with the rifle of the friend of the harmless lawyer ... he is saved from being shot by the rifle of harmless man he has sworn to kill from the forces of Law and Order. Law and Order is represented by the merciless bounty hunter who can tell if someone is telling the truth just by looking at them crooked. In Gunless, the gunslinger lives long enough to regret his killings and to reform his own character. The climax is the gunslinger's recollection of his killings and how each killing was required to maintain the self-image resulting from his first killing. Then with just a touch of the Rashomon effect, he admits he never even had justification for his first killing. Add a dash of Aristotle to suggest what character is and how it can be changed ... has any other movie been able to pull that off? The result is neither drama nor comedy but something more like a morality play. Not since Groundhog Day have I seen a movie with so many levels of meaning, and not since Galaxy Quest have I seen a movie with more satisfying ending.
The End (1978)
Burt's best and most unappreciated.
Up there with Groundhog Day for philoso-comedy. Carl Reiner makes every second count. Dom is desperately lovable. Sally shows she can act. And Burt is at his understated best. Unfortunately for Burt, he was 25 years too early with this now timely reflection on death and dying -- boomers did not want to be worried about death in 1978. Now that we are beginning to realize that we too are mortal, this movie should get the appreciation it deserves. Those of you who are turned off by movies dealing with ethical and personal dilemmas won't like this movie. You would think that with all the attention paid to the ethics of extending life and assisted suicide that this movie would be required viewing for the right AND left. I am convinced the Burt will be remembered because of this movie. Death be not proud.
The Lady's Not for Burning (1974)
When will we see the DVD?
How can my memory of watching this on PBS almost thirty years ago be useful here? Maybe by comparing it to the recent remake. I was disappointed by the remake because the tone had changed. I remember the "original" as being a much darker comedy and therefore(?) a much more inspirational love story -- almost a bi-polar experience.