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janrigsby
Reviews
Downsizing (2017)
Problem is that it's 3 social stories and none are fully developed
My reaction to Downsizing reminded me of how I felt after watching AI / Artificial Intelligence years ago; the original story could not sustain an entire film, so instead of finding a way to develop it more fully, the director used it as a lead-in to explore grander ideas. I felt dragged along for the ride.
Great 1st act, where an ordinary couple is seduced into becoming part of what is feels like (and turns out to be ) a hedonistic community 'for the sake of the planet'. A jarring dose of reality shifts the movie from comedy to drama, but from that point onward the initial premise of physically having 'downsized' becomes superfluous.
2nd act showed Matt Damon's character adjusting to a change in economic status; instead of living in a McMansion, he has a small apartment - underneath an extravagant penthouse (??). Christophe Waltz's wealth and criminal past only serves as comic relief and to introduce the clueless Damon to the social injustices of his 'perfect' society.
3rd act shifts to Norway, and how a fairer social order manages catastrophic global climate change - by deciding to live underground for 8,000 years.
Acts 2&3 are badly stitched together by adding a love interest, but the original story/premise had long faded.
Cold Brook (2018)
Good people struggling to take a huge leap of faith
The movie is slow and delicate, in that it's startlingly real and down to earth - no car chases, no guns, no meanness or dysfunctional relationships that you know are headed towards harm on all sides. Wholesome view of male friendships and the jockeying we do to give all the different people in our lives what we can moment by moment - until something happens that requires the 2 leads to expand their belief system... (no spoilers or additional plot details).
Arrival 2016 struck me the same way; that I was watching real people handle something they didn't understand and might not even want to. The line that stood out was 'I'm just don't know if I'm willing to change that much'. It's my experience that transcending our own fears and limitations can be terrifying in a very subtle way, and that's hard to put on screen.
Wonderfully written vignettes and characters, well acted, gorgeous location. I was bothered by 1 plot point, but not enough to stop me from watching the entire movie again the same evening.
Storyville: The Farthest: Voyager's Interstellar Journey (2017)
Awesome combination of Astrophysics and Human Genius
Voyager was an opportunity of a lifetime to explore the solar system. It used each planet's gravitational forces to gain acceleration for the next step, slingshotting from planet to planet. Carrying the fuel needed for such a journey is still beyond our capabilities. Yet it still took over 40 years for the first Voyager to leave our solar system.
Yet what affected me most was the human story of a team so dedicated to the project that they sacrificed professional advancement, even delaying their own retirements for decades, because there was no one else who could do the job.
Voyager's computer were so limited that it could only hold the code for one flight segment at a time. After each planetary encounter, the entire system had to be wiped and re-programmed for the next segment. The technology was less than what many of us carry in our pockets. 'No, not an iPhone... an electronic car key.' To allow for testing, designs had to be frozen 3 years prior; the technology was obsolete before it was even launched. No one would ever learn those programming languages again, except to work with Voyager.
I remember Voyager's launch, and have been intrigued with it all my life. I arrived 1/2 hour late to see this film in a small theater. Was so inspired by the stories the scientists told and the detailed explanation of the project that I stayed to watch the next showing to see the part I had missed -- and watched the entire film again. I wasn't the only one in the theater who did that! Have seen it 3-4 times since on streaming and purchased copies for friends. 10 year old granddaughter was also mesmerized.
Voyager 1 left the solar system in 2013. Voyager 2 passed through in 2018, just after this film was made. Those who dedicated their adult lives to this project are fascinating human beings, and it was great to meet them.
Men Go to Battle (2015)
Mesmerizing -- you feel as if you are there
A civil war story about 2 brothers. A visual window into the human heart, where feelings seek resolution.
It's necessary to get over the lack of a steady-cam: the first few minutes can feel a bit disorienting, jerky, and off-putting because the camera is hand-held. Stay with it!
Very quickly, I became mesmerized. I felt as if I were transported to the time and place. The raw, realistic clothing, housing, and surroundings of that era (so different from today and seldom presented realistically) drew me into the time and place. I felt as if I were being privileged to watch real people -- without makeup, in their everyday clothes, struggling through horrific circumstances. I mourned the end of the movie, I would have gladly stayed with these people for another hour.
Acting, costuming, sets at their absolute best.I was intrigued by the reviews, saying that the movie was made for $500,000 when the military re-enactment scenes alone should have cost 4x that amount.