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Reviews
Denial (2016)
Direct hit, but some don't get it.
This is the kind of movie that is made for truth and sometimes truth doesn't come with fanfare and a lawyer at the end screaming "You can't handle the truth!" Denial relies on facts to move it's story forward rather than emotional manipulation. It's a movie based on true events, not "inspired" by them. The court scenes alone were written verbatim from actual transcripts. And it is far from being void of emotion. In fact, by the end of the movie I was as nervous a wreck as if I were Deborah Lipstadt herself. The whole film has a gripping undercurrent of emotion as we watch the character of Lipstadt struggle with letting others speak for her when she craves giving herself and Holocaust survivors their own voice. But, no hoopla of emotional breakdowns, screaming, and tantrums. And it is because of the film's lack of embellishment that we get a chance to listen with objective ears to the question at hand: can the Holocaust be scrutinized and proved without eyewitnesses? Can facts alone say it did happen? As for the actors, they provide all the human insight needed to make this film come alive. So all the nonsense I've been reading about how the script didn't provide an emotional catharsis for weeping and wailing makes me wonder why critics have jobs at all. They rarely get it. Denial wasn't meant to be a weeper. It made its point very clearly with sublime and refreshing (and I mean refreshing) calm.
The King Is Dead! (2012)
Fun little flick
I can see The King is Dead becoming a cult classic, though it's not a blockbuster type movie. It's a quirky little film with the quiet kind of humor viewers can relate to, even though there's not much in the way of guffawing laughter. It was quite an experience watching the contrast between the warm relationship the couple developed with the good neighbors on the one side and the progressive descent into madness caused by the "interesting" neighbors on the other side. It's not a movie for everyone. It's got a little too slow at times. Honestly, I totally think the producers could have cut out at least 10 minutes from it. It's almost as if they were trying to meet some kind of maximum time limit. And, being the Lani John Tupu adoring fan that I am, I'd like to have had those 10 minutes given back to him.
Speaking of whom,I have to say, Australia and Hollywood are dropping the ball with Mr. Tupu. He is one incredibly fine actor with a wide diverse range and the added benefit of being so very easy to look at. Even his eyes speak volumes with genuine organic expression. Being also well suited for comedy, he stole the movie in the end. Without him, I doubt I would have liked it as much as do.
Van Helsing (2016)
Vampires!
Van Helsing and The Strain have made vampires scary again! So,the acting isn't stellar and the script a little less than what intellectuals would like, but it's still fun to watch.
If you're looking for a philosophical tale filled with subtle symbolism and embedded metaphors, this show is going to bore you. If you're looking for a Gothic story of blood lust and intense passion, you're going to be bored as well.
If what you're craving is an emotional experience about the human condition with a little bit of scary thrown in five minutes before the show is over, you're in the wrong place. Van Helsing is for an evening of sitting in the dark eating popcorn and potato chips, which is one of my favorite things to do.
Jekyll and Hyde (2015)
Grand Production
I look forward to this fun and intriguing TV show every single week. I love the actors, the story, the atmosphere, even the costumes. It's very much like the old silver screen horror flicks, but contemporary enough to avoid becoming square. The balance of humor and drama is perfect so that it's never truly sad. I don't watch scary shows or movies because I want a good cry. Many so-called horror shows today are filled with too much tragedy. And though there are violent scenes in Jekyll and Hyde, it's not a gore fest with unnecessary blood bathes. Kudos to ITV for making such an grand production. I hope Jekyll and Hyde continues on for years to come.
Childhood's End (2015)
Hopeless
Childhood End's could be renamed Give up and Die Already. It has a sunrise/sunset message I found fatalistic, and its other message about faith and hope is dubious at best. If you have religious faith, you lose. So of course the Christian characters kill themselves off first. If your hope is in having children you lose. Hence dad gives up and takes an entire city with him. The devil works for god and god goes around destroying families,races,civilizations, and planets because children need to leave their nest and parents need to let them go evolve. For those who like the movies Knowing with Nicolas Cage or 2012 with John Cusack, Childhood's End is going to be a real treat.