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Reviews
The Creator (2023)
Not about AI
I follow AI developments pretty closely and was quite disappointed in the use of AI essentially as click-bait for this film. In fact many of the applications of AI seem to be completely missing from the story. Intelligent co-operative AI fusion reconnaissance, surveillance, and strike drones for example are nowhere to be found. Apparently currently existing and extremely powerful hand-held fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missiles and man portable air defense systems have disappeared in the future. I give a high rating to production values, but that's not enough to save this film from a plot is misleading - not really about AI - erratic and at times quite confusing.
Moonfall (2022)
Am I going to die?
So asks the cute little kid of his mother, in one of the innumerable tropes delivered in this movie with breathtaking lack of emotion by a cast with the acting ability of 2x4 pieces of lumber. In fact, there are SO MANY cliches in the film that if there was an all-time Academy Award for cliches in a Sci Fi film, this one would win, hands down. They must have paid Donald Sutherland a lot to deliver his few captain obvious lines in his bit part for this stinker. To be fair, I overcame my better instincts and gave the film two stars as there are a few well craft CGI disaster scenes in this otherwise utter disaster of a film.
The Andromeda Strain (2008)
Why sequels generally fail
Perfect example of a disastrous remake of a great original. Way overproduced, with lots of flashing lights, military hardware of all sorts, and complicated scientific instruments. Way overwritten, with some incredibly ludicrous and dumb dialogue. Way overburdened with superfluous subplots contributing nothing to the main story line. Way too "politically correct" with an overabundance of diversity of PC attitudes and characters. All of which provided the underacting and unremarkable cast with the impossible task of bringing any sort of life or credibility to this complete waste of money, time and effort.
The Come Up (2022)
Nothing but a bunch of loser pathological narcissists
These folks aren't "disruptors" as much as they are "regurgitators" of the empty narcissistic cultural norms so prevalent in the US and western society in general these days. Series supposedly gives an "exclusive" look into the NY "underground" about the "next generation of cultural icons." Icons? Really, to whom exactly? All I see are a bunch of obnoxious self-centered trust fund babies (none of them seem to have a real job) galivanting around NY looking to get into the latest "scenes" while pretending to be being "beautiful", fashion-conscious, artsy and "creative." Gag me with a shovel, please.
The Expanse (2015)
Epic Sci-Fi
I've watched practically every Sci-Fi series and this one ranks at the top of my list.
The cast is excellent and quite diverse with strong roles given to the many key women characters. The emotional landscape is exceptional, and there are some really touching moments.
The plot is quite complex and I found it handy to look up references on iPad via the series fandom wiki pages when on occasion I lost track of things.
Production values are outstanding especially considering the huge number of different locations presented in the series.
Spasti Leningrad (2019)
Terrible movie
Has nothing really to do with Leningrad (which erroneously gets called St. Petersburg at one point). The characters have no emotional depth and their interactions are mostly unbelievable. A lot of the scenes show in the barge "hold" while at sea are obviously on a stage as the light never shifts. Two ME-109s shot down by rifles, one with a single rifle shot? Puleez.
Elementary (2012)
A marvelous series
One of the best TV series ever, for outstanding casting, clever story telling, and high production values. There are delicate emotional moments - which you would never expect in a series about Sherlock Holmes - that are simply exquisite. The subtly shifting chemistry between the characters of Sherlock and "Joan" Watson are a testament of the fine acting skills of Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu. Top it all off with spectacular locations such as Sherlock's NY brownstone headquarters, NY city, and London. An exceptional revival of classic Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson in a modern setting with a wonderful twist.
Dune (2021)
Boring boring boring
The emotional tone of this movie matches the tone of its featured desert ... bland and grainy. And I suppose 10 year olds would be excited by all the gee-whiz vehicles, spaceships and CGI special effects, none of which rise up to the level of the practical effects of the first Dune movie. I would have got up and walked out, but was with a friend, and afterwards she said she would have walked out with me. 'Nuff said.
Decoy (1946)
Unscrupulous and undeterred
Margot Shelby - played by Jean Gillie - has to be one of the most unscrupulous and determined femme fatales in the noir genre. No swerving from her path or contrition for the multiple horrors she perpetrates in her quest, nor any pity for the men who fall for her, quite the opposite. The shocking ending alone makes me wonder how this film got past the production code. Top notch and no regrets!
This Changes Everything (2015)
Hope and change
My bias first. No question that humans are having a devastating effect on the environment, not just emitting way too much CO2. As a long time activist I am familiar with Naomi Klein's work, particularly her excellent "Shock Doctrine - the rise of Disaster Capitalism". I have not read her latest book which is the subject of this movie. The movie - despite some fairly inspiring stories - I found lengthy, repetitive, and missing a couple key points.
The movie essentially proposes that local community action and control is the key to avoiding the escalating impact of climate change. While in theory this might be true, at least two of the examples cited don't bear this out. One is the case of Greece, in which mostly peaceful local opposition to the destruction of basically their entire way of life has been crushed by the EU and the IMF. As of Nov 2015 riots have not improved the situation.
The second is the case of India, the 2nd most populous country on the planet and accelerating to 1st sometime around 2025. The issue here is that no matter how you plan to provide electricity to the vast majority of the population who don't have it, that plan will still have severe impacts on the environment as the ecological footprint of each person is magnified by huge population numbers.
Forecast human population growth to 9.2 billion with increasing ecological footprint (including CO2 emissions) is pretty much guaranteed to tip the planet further into devastating ecological overshoot which is already happening and probably beyond control given the ingrained profit driven nature of capitalism (another key topic not really covered in the movie), corporate control, and sheer public apathy.
Piece of Cake (1988)
The ME109s were powered by Rolls Royce Merlin engines!
The ME109s used in the series have a hidden irony. They were Hispano Aviación HA-1112 M. 1. L "Buchons" which had the "body" of a Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the "soul" of a Spitfire. They were powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin engine! This required significant modifications to the 109 fuselage. Look closely at the ME109s in the series and you can see the exhaust line at the top of the fuselage and the air intake under the spinner. The DB 601A used in Luftwaffe ME109s were mounted inverted. The exhausts are near the bottom of the fuselage. Also, there is no air intake directly under the spinner. The Buchons were retirees from the Spanish Air Force.