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Mayor Cupcake (2011)
A good movie for studying contemporary Propaganda techniques.
I saw this on late night pay cable a couple of days ago...
This is a 100% Propaganda offering for the Sarah Palin camp. Regardless of the yellowed newspaper clipping photo at the end of the movie might suggest otherwise.. Yeow!
What I mean by this is.. Mayor Cupcake is Propaganda and should be described as such. It is NOT a movie.. nor a "True Story" or ??? To entertain the idea that "Mayor Cupcake" is a commercial movie is to make a grave mistake!
The Icing on this cupcake is the "Fox News" stamp of approval (which of course makes this movie a TRUE story!) Greta Van Susteren makes an appearance gushing all over this "Cupcake Mayor"! (was Greta even alive when the real Ms Mayor was around?) I about fell out of my chair when "Greta" called at the end of the movie. As if to say.. "Do you want to run for Vice President Sarah Palin?"
Sure there are technical differences between the real Mayor and Vice President Conservative wannabie Palin. Sarah has 4 kids (3 girls and a boy).. We really have no idea what the real Mayor Cupcake was all about. And I haven't been able to find much on the real Mayor of this town on the Internet. (not a big surprise) If this person was such a big inspiration... Where is the best selling book?
If this really was an independent story about a "Different" soccer - cupcake mom?? Why is Lea Thompson made up to look exactly like Palin?
>>Spoilers<<
The "Evil" that you find in this story is what the viewers subconscious will do with the information after the movie. (Transposition)
Here is this good hearted business woman who just happens to get elected because the fat ugly bad guy dies. Dies before the election could be certified.
Offered the choice.. She (along with permission from her cop husband) accept the job. Didn't Hilary Clinton consult Bill on all of her career choices? (LOL) What is implied here is that every Tea Party Wife would defer to the Man. To do otherwise would be unthinkable.
Ms Cupcake is respected and loved by everyone except the Baddies. Which includes a character who looks JUST LIKE Snidely Whiplash. Black mustache and everything. I might have missed him chuckling and twirling his mustache while cooking up his evil plans.. Did I say he was having an affair with the ExMayor's mean - LARGE daughter? Like something out of a story book for kids.
Along with these "Rocky & Bullwinkle" protagonists.. She finds that her whole town has been totally mismanaged.
Her solution? Move the Mayor's office to a section of her Cupcake shop. Put her (token) African American heart of gold restaurant manager in charge of the city's books. Defer to the wise old African American townie lawyer. (Personally I have never in my life met such a person.. maybe I should get out more??)
One of the strong messages that the viewer will take from this movie is how Mayor Cupcake solves the community's problems? Incredible but true.. they actually work! (They work because movies are not reality!)
Of course.. At the end of the movie everything works out and is set right! (Moms are always right!)
This kind of "Gut" simpleton problem solving reminds me of how the tea party looks at the world. Lets not forget GW Bush's "Gut" problem solving that has bankrupted America. ..sigh..
All of this information will be tucked away into the viewers subconscious.. And will color how they view Sarah Palin in the future.
I gave this a rating of 10 because it's a wonderful example of Propaganda. It would be a good movie to deconstruct for a College media class.
Bastards of Kirk (2006)
Lots of EyeCandy - only a few laughs - Boring!
I give this a strong B+
Acting as if you're a "Bad Actor" goes only so far..
The best way to rate a "Fan Film" is if it can hold your attention and leave you wanting more. This effort does neither.
Plodding, slow and many times this comedy sags and even stalls! "Get out and push already!"
Super high marks for Costumes, Set Design, and they really got the "Painting with light" spot on!
Did I mention there were a lot of very attractive ladies? Right when you find yourself falling asleep.. Out Pops a well endowed "Babe" in a classic GOLD ST Uniform. "Hubba Hubba!"
The "Sixty Minutes" parody was totally wasted. If comedy writers were used.. I'm sure the 60 minutes parody would be a bit more than a lame excuse to tell this story/Joke. Instead the 60min humor is totally "Thrown Away" in the first minute or two. The premise doesn't even provide the "Glue" to successfully hold the other episodes together.
Considering all the hard work and exemplary efforts by the production crew.. It should have been a lot funnier.
GENE
Beyond the Rising Moon (1987)
Am I the only one that caught the Space 1999 background?
This "Effort" was made in the 80's.. but Geeze!
Checking through the limited Sci-Fi fare available on Netflix streaming download I finally had a chance to see this.
What is wrong with this movie? Maybe a better question would be "What went Right?"
Here is a list of what I think was wrong to very very wrong:
A totally incoherent music score.
Did anybody else catch the "Solaris" theme roll by?
It's like Gerry Anderson's Model shop collides with a 3D effects program that stumbles into a Roger Corman and the latest Robert Rodriguez film projects.
In order of WORSEness:
1. Overall Audio Quality 2. Musical score? 3. Actors? Scenes? 4.Script? Story? (I mean come on!) 5. Directing? (I mean ditto ditto!!) 6. Ships going "Pa-Tank" when they land. Just like they did when you played with them in the sandbox as a kid. 7. A character named "Brickman?" ala the James Cameraon Abyss movie. 8. So the main lead was this "Hot" Sexy babe. In the end you settled for an untalented, wooden, MILF with BIG HAIR?
9. Fighting Scenes = Bump & Fall Down.
10. What exactly was this film about again?
Now that film distribution is finally breaking through to the HOME Big Screen Internet Connected TV and your hand-held smart Phone.. I'd love to know if this movie is NOW making money?
How much did this 16mm epic cost in 1986? How much did it cost to re-edit it for today?
Is it making money? Is it making money Now?
Thanks,
GENE
Buried in the Sand: The Deception of America (2004)
I sure hope these kinds of Propaganda "Indie" movies don't catch on.
It's 2011 and the Internet's bandwidth is getting wider each day. Netflix offers streaming HD movies to your Internet connected TV or PC.
Cost for watching? Totally free to a few bucks a month.
High Quality films brought into your life.. Are you equipment to handle it? (I know I'm not)
It is a natural human trait that we seek out programs that reinforce our belief systems. Generally if we see a program that "Challenges" our beliefs.. we turn the channel or turn "OFF" the program.
"Films" like this are very dangerous.
I consider myself pretty good at media studies. AND still this movie/documentary or whatever it is scares the heak out of me.
If you insist on watching.. At least question everything you see. If you find yourself at the end with a lot of "A Ha" moments.. Then do your homework.
GENE
The Domino Principle (1977)
I'ts amazing how many people don't like this
I finally saw the whole darn thing. (what I could see on pay cable) Totally blown away.. BTW.
BTW.. YES "They" WOULD just walk out of prison. Just like that. Or "Die" in a fake way. Done every day.. even today.
I liked how the Hackman Character Killed one of the Bad guys for THEM killing his friend. (cause he called him on the phone when they said not to) Easy to miss it.. That was in the first hotel BTW.
Micky Rooney as his protector/handler in prison. Yea I buy that.
What IS IT was you reviewers. Stanly Crammer was a real good filmmaker. He must have known or bumped into these "Types" while as a film guy in Hollywood. There is at least ONE Company Film office in Hollywood that everybody knows about. That's where you go to get co-operation for your pro-America film (sometimes). Think "Rambo III" I think. The one when Rambo went to Afghanistan. It was a totally company made film for the masses.. (made to pump up support for Afghanistan and fill the draft rolls) Lets not talk about the latest Transformer movie OK? So yea.. Run down the film because it might not be "Gone with the wind".. But as for Content. I think he Nails the subject totally.
Who are they? ????? The ones with the most power and money I guess.
The guys who use the awesome power of THREE.
GENE
Fired Up! (2009)
As if it was "Road Show" Hope & Crosby picture!
I haven't enjoyed a teen comedy movie since 1982.. This one (at the age of 49 when I saw it) totally blew me away.
In a way this could be compared to the Bill Murry comedy "Stripes".. Meaning a movie that was pro-military (comedy) post Vietnam. - And how the actors in "FU" were clearly 30 or older.. then the 17-18yr old's they were playing. (GI's in Vietnam 17-21 - Bill Murry Enlisting at 39?) "Fired Up" post Feminism & Aids (and probably every Christian abstinence program ever thought of) Just say YES! Very Very Fun flick.. Fun in the spirit of the Hope and Crosby road pictures.
Hey Producers.. send this pair to college. Lets get fired up again! GENE
The Soldier (1982)
My "Review" of this movie
First of all..
I co-owned a video store. There was this young teen who would only rent this movie. Over and over and over..
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This is surely in my top 5 GREAT movies to watch! This material deserves a real Film-DVD or Film-Blue Ray release. IMHO!
I saw it when it first came out. It was every bit as shocking as Glickenhaus's other genre movies.. if not more so.
I'm also sure its release has been hurt by how accurate it must have been.
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The folks that give this movie a bad or low rating.. Well they need to put this movie into context. Unless you were at least 20 years old in 1980.. NONE of this movie will make much sense. Many of the "In" jokes or cold war antics will not be fully understood.
Yes we were actually AT WAR with the Russians. Yes a whole lot of goofy stuff happened back then. On both sides of the wall.
At the time this movie came out.. This movie made it a point that America was not a super power anymore. We had lost the ability to field troops. Post Vietnam era really took its toll on the Military.
We couldn't even launch helicopters to rescue our hostages in Iran. Poorly trained.. Poorly armed.. We were a toothless lion (with nukes) in 1982.
Also you need to understand that SCENARIOS such as presented in this picture were actually "Thought about" back then. What if THEY do this? Is there anything WE can do? People forget that under Regan.. America nearly launched WWIII nukes more than 6 times! The scene where the American President orders a first strike against Israel. Then the next scene is the Israeli (guy in charge) being told the strike is coming. Yes it would surely have gone like that. So much for secrets right? To that end.. I'm sure there were rouge "Elite" units active back then. Folks that had the "Keys" and kept up the "Code books" to gain access.
There is probably more truth in this movie than any TOM CLANCY book.
Yea.. really.
PS: From what I understand Glickenhaus is "Not a nice man". His production company has hurt young film makers. (Watch out)
The Man Who Never Was (1956)
Preachy... but worth it.
I just saw this movie and really loved it.
It is also nice to see a historical "Correct" drama made in England vs. USA.
Clifton Webb delivers a "Preachy" performance.. Probably the only annoying part OF this movie.
The drama and conflict of this historical drama is actually pretty incredible.
For example.. The loading of the "Tube" onto the British submarine. The "Cover story" to the men. And then the looks on the faces of the guys that open the tube to find a corpse! Brilliant!
Star Trek (2009)
There she BLOWSSSsssss
Not that anybody will read this..
I haven't been to a theater since the last "Ring" movie. That said the house was about 20% full. Some twit sitting behind me was cracking wise and chewing popcorn. I got up and moved away. Yea.. then he shuts TFU.
I'm not a rabid Trek fan. But I do admit that I know more than most people do about the ST franchise. One of my "Online" friends actually designed one of the ST Ships. So far he is not a big fan.
There is a huge publicity machine behind this film. Lots of "Gold Pressed" is riding on the success of this film. That is why EVERYBODY LOVES IT! ..sigh.. The only comfort I can take is this wasn't a Voyager movie.
Right off the bat the makers of THIS Star Trek have no chops. What exactly has JJ Abrams done? Gene Roddenberry went to war. He was an airline pilot and survived a crash. He had the sack to hold it together until rescue. Gene was also a police officer.
JJ Abrams only claim to fame is a friendship with Tom Cruise. Please.
The heart and soul of ST is gone. The "System" has co-opted OUR future. That includes our hopes and dreams.
They did that by wiping out the future. Now free from common sense and a wink and a nod to the makers.. are free to shape and form as they please.
Remember YOU are the product.
GENE (the other one)
The Island (2005)
Finally.. Science not all that much fantasy...
Finally a "Sci-Fi" movie that wasn't more than a bunch of Fantasy.. Didn't feel as if they were playing for a 2 year old.
The "Horror" of this movie is how easy we all are to accept our man made mythology. See Cambell.
A better movie would have been based on the real organ trafficking going on right now. Organ Donor farms.. Ever ask what happens to all those missing people? (Naw I was just kidding about the Real stuff.. its only a movie) Nice to see L.A. brought up to a near real future. Finally a high speed mag-lev train in the desert.
The movie ended before the Real world Tactical Nuke that would have covered up the exposure. Then in a few years a new doctor and business as usual.
Ararat (2002)
Good and Bad Art Film.
It's an effective movie for what it is trying to do.. I found myself on the second watch how the Canadian's feel about all of this? The Canadian the "detached" observer of the history round them? Many good parts and I guess it could be used as a tool to teach film making. Watching Canadian production improve over the years.. It is good to see they can "Fake it" as good as Hollywood. (Technical meaning) My Gosh.. Bruce Greenwood needs to work more. (If he can keep his dam hand OUT of his mouth I mean) Interesting to see Bruce to lead the crew into the Film debut and the bad guy (actor) not being featured.
Mom walks into the airport and you hear church music? Which airport is this again? This "Tragic" topic is not served up with this bad script. They do their best but miss the mark by about a mile. So I say it is a "Good" movie and yet makes me laugh. The film maker in me is laughing not the person.
GENE
Serenity (2005)
A clear example of Internet Ratings gone wrong.
Firefly was rightly canceled by Fox TV years ago. Serenity (The Movie) was created based on series creator Joss Whedon's ego and a small yet Internet Activist User base.
These users corrupted the Internet rating systems to get their Infantile project back on the Screen. Special interest groups sprang up asking for donations to do what was necessary to bring this horrible (failed) program back on the air.
One of the best sources of Movie information on the Internet IMDb was suckered in and probably even pandered to this small but very vocal and out right hostile group. They broke every rule and as a result corrupted the on-line tools that the every day "Joe" uses to pick his Friday night movie experience.
Instead of going back to the drawing board and rewriting the IMDb rating system to FIX this corruption.. IMDb went right along with it. Taking away any credibility IMDb ever had in picking a good movie from a bad one.
IMDb also pandered to the few hostile Groups that hyped "Firefly and Serenity".
The result was many people wasting hear earned money on this terrible TV DVD set as well as DVD movie. These poor folks were like lambs to the saluter. Buying a clearly over hyped "Science Fantasy" Comic book yarn that appeals to a very narrow group. Thousand of thousands of these DVD sets were bought under false ratings and over whelming 10+++ comments.
Users that were out spoken about how bad the canceled series was were labeled "Trolls" and eventually deleted from the system. The hundreds of fanatical users (and their aliases) wreaked havoc every chance they got to manipulate the loose IMDb system.
IMDb/Amazon instead of taking the high road.. decided to let their system be contaminated. This contamination is still here today.
The long term effects of Firefly and Serenity has really hurt what could have been one of the best Movie services on the Internet.
I personally believe that the damage is one. The only chance IMDb has is to be bought out and bring in a management that not only understands movies.. but also understands the dark side on Internet Marketing.
I believe a better Movie Database system will take advantage of IMDb weaknesses and bury them.