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arnoldripkin
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The Martian (2015)
I am NOT a botanist.
Why can't we send Matt Damon to Mars and leave him for real? The first movie I saw like this was "The Old Man and the Sea", a true classic where our hero (Spencer Tracy) battled the elements and fought for his sense of purpose as a human being. I do agree that the Mars landscape was spectacular. But that's about where the good ends and the bad begins. I never felt any empathy for Watney (Damon). The film never conveys a sense "emergency" on Watney's part because of his constant wise-cracking. When he began his survival plan it seemed like a segment from a "How it's Made" episode with the same dopey music. The likelihood of him having just enough of this and that to keep him alive for that long seemed incredible and too far-fetched for me. The part that really made my eyes roll up was when he dug up some kind of radioactive contraption, threw it in the back of his "rover" and used it as a heater. Really? I wonder what else is playing down the hall of the multiplex.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: American Tragedy (2013)
Politically Correct on steroids.
I can honestly say that I have watched every single episode of SUV, and have enjoyed them all until this one. They have always addressed current news stories, but this was too much. It was about the "hoodie" controversy and the Zimmerman/Martin shooting. But that wasn't enough for Wolf. He also included a large portion of Paula Deen to the recipe. Cybll Shepherd plays the part of a rich business woman from the South (of course)who kills a Black "kid" for no other reason that the fact that he was black and wearing a hoodie. She is acquitted in the end and the SUV unit sadly sighs. Sgt Munch turns to Tutuola and says, "sorry", to which Tutuola says, "ain't your fault, that's just the way it is". My question to Hollywood is: When will all Southerners stop being profiled as racists and bigots? Where do most most racist and homophobic crimes occur? Read the news, it ain't down South.
Pacific Rim (2013)
A+ All bases covered!
This movie has it all. All the elements of an entirely predictable disaster movie that is! This one didn't miss a trick. A hero (Swaggering Charlie Hunnam from 'Sons of Anarchy')who is not only whinny and brooding but is also an under achiever, another plus. Best friend is killed. In this case his brother (Diego Klatenhoff). Now he's really motivated! Two very nerdy scientists,(Charlie Day and Burn Gorman) discover how to kill the monsters after an earlier demoralizing defeat and with only two giant WCF style robots left in the fleet. In the process they were forced to do business with Hannibal (Ron Pearlman)who runs a used monster body parts lot. The hero's love interest was a lovely Oriental(Rinko Kikuchi)who was teaching the robot pilots how to fight while strapped in the bot's head. She later joins Hunnam in the giant robot as co-pilot because two brains have to be linked together in order to control the Bot. No conversation necessary because they are "in" each other's brains. Idris Elba was the token Black guy and leader of the Bot fleet and step pa of Rinko we discovered as Hunnam explored her brain. The only human "kind of" bad guy was Chuck (Robert Kazinksky) but he also became a hero after seeing the error of his ways. The two lovebirds ejected themselves to the surface from the crippled robot after beating up the monsters in a battle at the bottom of the ocean. The only ethnic group not well represented were Hispanics. They'll take care of that in the sequel 'Pacific Rim Dos'. Special effects were very good and they didn't waste much time telling the familiar story. A good 75% of the movie was CG Bots and Monsters swinging at each other.
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
Made for TV
It grabs you from the start. Intrigue, mystery, suspense, strangers lurking in the shadows. A beautiful girl eavesdropping in the men's room while our hero, a defeated political combatant ponders his concession speech. She emerges from the stall and proceeds to give him the greatest advice of his political life. Yep, tell the truth. Of course he becomes the odds-on favorite for the next senate opening. All is splendid! But then, for some reason the strangers wearing the magic fedoras seem intent on spoiling the love connection. I am still wondering why. What difference does it make who he picks as a girlfriend? The "why" of course IS the story, yet it still eludes me. This film could have (and should have)been a Lifetime Presentation, and not their best. It is in fact a love story, and little more.
Legion (2010)
Why all the trashing?
I thought this was a very interesting plot. Why should a zombie movie require non-stop action? Anticipation of action can be as entertaining or more as endless pow, pow, pow, right in the kisser. Adrianne Palicki was gorgeous in this character, a look she should do more often. I agree that the storyline was a bit far-fetched. but isn't any zombie movie far-fetched? The special effects were great although few, especially the locust cloud and the old lady turning into a monster. The end was somewhat flat but does follow the Chistian theology that Jesus gives us a second chance at redemption. All in all if was entertaining and worth the watch.
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
Michael Moore, Love Me!
Once again, Moore seeks to berate the very system that made him rich. I will concede that Moore is more honest in this effort, blaming dems as well as republicans for the debacle created by the banking and investment industry. Keep in mind that the players (the industry) just like on a sports team will use any means to cheat and game the system. That is why we have referees and officials to keep the order. As pointed out in the film, "officials" now have a stake in the outcome of the game. It is sad that, once upon a time, the rich made their fortunes by building businesses that created goods we wanted and needed and created many jobs in the process. Not true anymore, and that was the saving grace of the movie that this is pointed out. Unfortunately, and in typical Hollywood style, a man in a white horse rides in and saves the day (Obama). Angels sing and tears of joy flood the screen. And just like any other Hollywood movie, it's all fantasy. Obama employs the same crooks that got us into this mess.
Blindness (2008)
Interesting human nature observation
Concept is good but too long and much of the dialog seems a bit forced and unnecessary to the story. A strange virus causing blindness strikes the city and the government sends the infected victims to a former insane asylum and locks them in. Food is sent in, but distribution is left up to the inmates. All but one of them, a woman is blind. She foolishly decided to join her husband who was being forced into the quarantine. Even amongst the filth, urine, and feces one the wards decides to hoard the food and exchange it for sex. The good guys make their battle plan against the evil ward. After the battle, they realize the guards are gone and they simply walk out of the place, only to find everyone in the city is also blind and it looks no better than where they came from. Same sad story with a different locale. This movie contains a rape scene, dogs eating a human ,and other hideous action. The soundtrack sounds very "TV movie" It is dreary and unfortunately, dull, yet somehow still interesting,
Star Trek (2009)
Same old song
This was not a bad movie, but you get the feeling you've seen it all before. How many times have you seen a brooding smart ass end up being the hero of the movie? The story is amazingly simplistic. It tells us how the crew of the Enterprise first hooked up. The opening scene is quite good with dazzling special effects telling us how Captian Kirk's dad was a great commander, and how he gave his life for the cause. Fast forward to young Kirk, great whiz at galactic war strategy although he seems more at home playing the part of lounge lizard at the local bar. He schemes his way into the training academy and becomes the star of the class. On there maiden training mission, Spock who is the commander makes a mistake, gentlemanly steps aside and lets Kirk be the commander. Leonard Nimoy makes a Back to the Future appearance and helps save the day. BTW he looks like a zombie with all that eye make up. Silly yes, but we are talking about Star Trek. The movie does give us capsule stories of the rest of the crew, but young Kirk and Spock are the stars. This is a well worn plot seen many times in Westerns, Adventure, and Martial Arts Movies, just substitute the back drop. I'll give it 2 stars for the opening scene.