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JeanMarie2081
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Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011)
Skip the movie and read the book
I finally watched this movie and boy, did it suck! Not as bad as some of the other junk movies served up on Prime, but pretty bad nevertheless. I kept hoping it would get better - it really doesn't. It's an incoherent piece of rubbish. It's no wonder why all three movies were flops.
While I realize a movie, or in this case a series of three movies, frequently doesn't fully succeed at doing a book justice. I have to wonder what were the producers thinking. This type of novel, especially one as in-depth as Atlas Shrugged, doesn't lend itself to a movie format. A mini-series maybe, but in the case of Atlas Shrugged it would have to be a passionate undertaking which this movie definitely lacks.
In my opinion, this was a poor and sloppy attempt at adapting the book to the screen whether you like Ayn Rand or not. Ayn Rand's philosophical ideas were and still are controversial to many, probably most. People either tend to like her writings or vehemently dislike them. In my particular case, I really like her fictional novels, such as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead where she characterizes her philosophy based strongly on an individual's personal integrity and personal truth and her strong distaste for socialism. If you derive your opinion and live your life according to others then you definitely will not like her ideas or her books. If on the other hand you considered yourself somewhat self driven, then give her books a try. Ignore the fact that right-wingers often claim influence by her books. Chances are they have never read, studied or much less understood her writing.
Like her ideas or not, this movie does an extremely poor job of accurately communicating her philosophy. I think Taylor Schilling did an okay job as Dagny Taggart, but I think she does a much better job as Piper in Orange is the New Black. Watching the latter is much more entertaining as well.
Do yourself a favor and skip the movie even if you're curious. Instead just take your time to read the book, it's the type of book that requires a lot of thought and open mindedness otherwise skip it.
The Man in the High Castle (2015)
Better than the Book
The series presents a terrifying outcome that could have occurred in a world controlled by Nazism and Japanese Imperilism of 50 years ago. It's much more blatant in its reflection of man's inhumanity to man, prejudice and intolerance of those that are different, and the intrigue and deception of various parties plotting against one another to get the upper hand than the book.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started watch this series although I wondered how the plot was to be modified to make it into a series based on the original book. Without giving away any of the plot or the storyline, I found the series to far exceed the original book. You have to realize that the book was written over 50 years ago and reflected much of the racism that still existed at that time especially towards those of the Jewish faith. While Jewish racism is still present in the series, it's not quite as blatant as it was in the book.
I found that the series goes far beyond the book in developing an overall storyline comprised of individual character development and the interplay between these various characters. While many of the characters in the series are represented in the book, there's much more depth in the characters presented in the series in my opinion. I may not like some of the characters or how the actors represent them, but there is much more depth to them than there is in the book.
Aspects of the series which standout for me include the use of films smuggled between parallel worlds reflecting differing history lines. The proof of alternate historical outcomes is intriguing although it's not quite clear of the purpose other than showing that the world represented by the series is just one of many. Even more intriguing is the fact that certain characters have or develop the ability to move between these multiple universes.
The storyline can be choppy at times as things bounce between the various characters and in some cases you might find yourself being disappointed as to how some of the characters develop (or fail to develop as the case may be) as the series progresses.
I would not classify the series as good science fiction (comparable to the original Blade Runner movie for instance), although it attempts to be science fiction to some degree.
Despite many of its flaws, the series is entertaining if you take it for what it is. It has just enough drama, character development, intrigue, alternative historical outcome with a touch of science fiction to make it worthwhile.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Portrayal of someone who discovers and has the courage to be themselves
I thought that this was a very moving and well done movie and I wasn't a Ben Stiller fan until watching this movie. I think Mr. Stiller did a magnificent job in his portrayal of Mitty who is an average individual living a life of quiet desperation until he has the courage to follow his heart. It's one of those movies that you will want to watch more than once.
Walter Mitty, played by Ben Stiller, might remind you of yourself as living an insignificant and repetitive life at the mercy of institutions, society, politicians and circumstances. While Mitty suffers through life, he has moments in which his imagination provides him an escape from this prison into a world of his own making as hero and adventurer.
Mitty appears pathetic and weak as he learns and reacts that "Life" magazine, where he works, is being repurposed and downsized. The new transition manager and his lackey's tease and humiliate Mitty for being out of it and call him Major Tom referring to the song by David Bowie which comes to play an important role in the movie.
Despite the abuse from the transition manager, Mitty continues to accept his plight in life until he freaks out when he sees that the most representative negative of Life magazine's history that is to be used on the last issue of Life magazine is missing. This leads Mitty to start a personal journey that forces him way outside his comfort zone and his routine into a real-life adventure as he tries to find and retrieve the negative. As the movie progresses Mitty becomes more and more committed to this self quest and finds himself traveling the world and experiencing real life adventures beyond what he had previously day dreamed. This self quest to follow his unique path consumes and nourishes him in ways he's never known before and which results in an admiring self evolution.
I won't give away details of the film, but highly recommend it. Well, maybe just a peak... There is some awesome cinematography in this movie. The scenes of Mitty skateboarding through Iceland are fantastic and are guaranteed to evoke an emotional reaction from you if you like adventure or nature by any measure.
Even if you have already seen this film, it's fun watching again. Especially if you like films depicting individuals discovering and following their own path. The travel and skateboarding scenes by themselves are worth watching the movie again.
Creed (2015)
Inspiring
Creed is the best Sylvester Stallone movie since his original Rocky in my opinion and I really liked all of the Rocky films.
Like Rocky, Creed has heart and exemplifies the tenacity and perseverance of Sylvester Stallone's real life story as he tried to sell the Rocky script to multiple studios only to be continually turned down until eventually getting some interest, but still having to fight to get the studio to agree to allow him to play the lead.
I am not a boxing fan by any means, but this movie's story is more than a boxing film. Like Rocky, Creed is a feel-good and inspiring film of someone staying true to themselves and overcoming not only the naysayers and others that are out to crush another's dreams that they can't understand. It's also about Adonis overcoming his own self imposed limitations. For me, Adonis's ability to overcome his self imposed limitations and all the odds against him was inspiring.
Yes, this is a gritty movie just like all the other Rocky movies, but it also has nuggets of gold showing that anyone willing to work harder than what anyone else is willing to do can accomplish the impossible.
If you like Rocky or like seeing one succeed in following their dreams despite the odds, then this movie is well worth watching.
Transparent (2014)
Superficial portrayal of Transgender People and falls way short of its potential
OK, I get it. People like Jeffrey Tambour for some reason that escapes me, but Jeffrey Tambour as a transgender person is absolutely demeaning and marginalizes the very stigmatized minority of society this series attempts to portray. There are a lot of transgender women that would have done a vastly superior performance. A non-transgender person such as Mr. Tambour doesn't have the slightest concept of what it is to be transgender, he simply parrots and caricatures his and others conscious and unconscious bias. While this may not be the fault of Mr. Tambour or Jill Soloway, this series doesn't portray transgender people in a realistic manner. It's a bit of a mockery with Mr. Tambour playing the lead role.
While this series has probably done a great deal in bringing issues some people face gender identity into the public view, I am not sure how positive the view that it portrays really is. I tend to regard the series overall as a failure and superficial in attempting to portray those that are transgender. Mr. Tambour's portrayal of Maura is almost abhorring when compared to some of the other characters played by actual transgender women, such as Alexandra Billings, in the cast.
Then there's the other elephant in the room which is the dysfunctional Pfefferman family. So what is the series trying to reflect here? Is this simply a reflection of Jill Soloway's family growing up or is this trying to suggest some other underlying and nefarious rationale that Maura is to blame? I don't know and I definitely can't tell what the point is. Maybe it's trying to be not much more than a dramatic comedy attempting to attract a wide array of potential curious watchers. Apparently this has worked for a while, but unfortunately Mr. Tambour has broken that spell by allowing his testosterone to dictate his real identity.
While there are some hidden and touching nuggets in this series, I believe that in the end the series failed way short of its potential to have a more lasting impact.
The Romanoffs (2018)
Missed Potential
So far I have watched the first 2 episodes and attempted to watch the 3rd. The 1st episode has been the only one worth watching in my opinion, but I have to admit some bias as to why. I am a French-American, whose roots are in France. Therefore, I found the use of French and all the Parisian scenes in the 1st episode delightful. I also enjoyed Marthe Keller portrayal of Anushka. Anushka is a lovely, proud and strong woman and not just a spoiled, arrogant and aged aristocrat as one might assume if they fail to pay attention to key parts of the storyline as it plays out.
Anushka may be of privileged class, but she has also endured hardship as she experienced Nazi occupation of not only her beloved Paris, but also acted as a servant to the Nazis and quite likely suffered other atrocities at the hands of the Nazis. Anushka is proud of her heritage, maybe too much so, but this is all she really has as she suffers through loneliness in her latter years. That is at least until she meets Hajar, played by Inès Melab. Hajar has been hired by her nephew Greg and his girlfriend Sophie to work as a caretaker for the aging Anushka.
At first Anushka treats Hajar with utter contempt because of Hajar's differences. Hajar is a Muslim woman with dark olive skin and unfortunately Anushka falls into that human weakness of attacking and marginalizing that which they don't understand or is alien to them.
Hajar appears immune to Anushka's sharpe and insulting tongue and instead of reacting to Anushka's behavior treats Anushka with dignity and understanding of where Anushka's behavior is coming from which is a product of her generation, her loneliness and insecurities as well as being marginalized by her nephew and his girlfriend.
Over time Anushka slowly let's go of her prejudices and insecurities and comes to see Hajar as a lovely and caring human being resulting in Anushka changing her will and leaving her Parisian home to Hajar instead of her nephew. This infuriates Sopie who is already very much antagonistic to Anushka.
Greg, played by Aaron Eckhart, is Anushka's last living relative based on what is revealed in the episode is a lost man-child who seems somewhat of a shallow, parasitic character waiting on Anushka to die so that he can claim his inheritance. At times, his feelings for Anushka seems somewhat sincere, but these moments are fleeting as he abdicates his own independence and allows Sophie, who plays a entitled and parasitic woman-child, to manipulate him.
The story takes an interesting twist as Greg and Sophie learn of the change of inheritance upon returning from holiday. Greg meets Hajar in an attempt to coerce her to reject Anushka's inheritance and that it is rightfully his. As the evening wears on Hajar and Greg wind up in bed which seems a bit perplexing. I am sure that there are many personal opinions on why Hajar ended up in bed with Greg having sex, although I suspect it had more to do with the writer/director allowing testosterone to dictate his creativity.
The story pretty much closes with the writer/director trying to save the storyline by closing it out with Greg discovering that Hajar is pregnant by him and he leaves Shopie for Hajar and ending with the appearance of Hajar, Greg and Anushka living happily ever after. Somewhat of a shallow ending, but typical.
I watched the 2nd episode, which had a few nice moments of Shelly on the cruise. However Michael was a completely despicable character. The story, if there was one, pretty much ends with Michael attempting to kill Shelly due to his own cowardliness to be his own person. Why not just divorce the woman? Why attempt to kill her? Again, seems to be a storyline produced by the writer/director allowing his testosterone to dictate the storyline.
I attempted to watch the 3rd episode, thinking this has to be better than the 2nd episode. However, after 20 minutes invested in watching the episode I finally turned it off. I decided not to waste any further time watching this episode.
Given the track record of this series thus far, it's unlikely that I will watch any further episodes. However, this is just my personal view and others may actually find further enjoyment in the series. Hopefully it will improve given it's budget.