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Reviews
First Signal (2021)
Concept 10. Production values 1. Panning for gold...
This felt like the product of two different writers. One who left a fascinating concept in a drawer. Then another who wrestled it into a feature length film.
I'm glad I didn't bail out in the cringe-worthy opening scene of the president arriving for her briefing. Most of the scenes take place in a sparsely appointed, 90s-equipped conference room, and my estimate of the budget sank lower with each new actor that entered.
But by the end, (in an open field), surroundings were irrelevant, and acting was secondary to the concept, in this theater-of-the-mind conclusion. By the time the low-end CGI was rolled out, I didn't mind at all.
The Mist (2007)
Alternate ending for War of the Worlds?
I almost didn't add this to my queue. Just by its "cover", it looks like yet another copycat B horror flick. But somehow I clicked anyway. Then I almost didn't watch it. Then I almost dumped it in the first 3 minutes. But it turned out to be a decent tension-building claustrophobic chamber play, with effective close-in photography, and an eerie soundtrack. The special effects were sufficient.
It features a bunch of veteran actors, and several destined for the original cast of The Walking Dead.
Unfortunately the writing starts to flame out in the final third, devolving into the screeching religious fervor theme. But don't miss the truly memorable the ending. Skip ahead to 1:44:00.
Community: Basic Human Anatomy (2013)
Freaky Troy-Abed-Jeff Day
I don't generally watch something more than once.
Not movies, and especially not a series episode.
But this, this was freaky-deaky.
Immediate re-watch...
Good Chemistry (2008)
Draws you in, carries you along - weak ending
We've all seen too much CSI to buy into the final scene, but this one pulls you in right from the start, and keeps unfolding, both in plot and character development. Each turn provides just enough so that you're left contemplating: what would *I* do, and on both sides of the good vs evil equation. It's just too bad that the finish was so anticlimactic.
After all of the effective tension building, and with the story poised for an interesting completion, the nicely crafted parts start to tumble to the floor. The story just runs out of steam. As the conclusion draws near, you get the impression that the writer was pressed for time. Maybe the script was due in the morning, and he was out of ideas. So we go from visceral opening scenes that are increasing engaging, building to a point were we are speculating on numerous possible avenues, (what would *I* do in this situation), to closing scenes that feel artificial, and finally campy.
I recommend skipping the last 15 minutes. That way you'll be left with a more satisfying mystery.
Incidentally, Brooke Anderson, (Laurie), reminded me a of a younger Jody Foster - or rather an older version of some of her teenage characters, back in the day. Watch her dialog delivery.
Burn Notice: Loose Ends, Part 1 (2007)
Worth while episode - with FF button
This is a pretty entertaining episode, but don't even try to watch it live. In the second hour USA shifts to 5 minute teaspoons of show, interrupted by equal spans of commercial break. Best to record this one and watch it later with remote in hand.
I like this episode because it breaks from formula a little bit. The pithy narratives continue, the family story is expanded a bit, and we still don't know why Michael was burned. But our heroes meet up with some interesting new challenges, and we get to see them function under some of the conditions that earned them their pedigrees in the first place.
I hope that the writers can keep it coming.
The Garden (2006)
Good photography, one good portrayal
Beside good photography, the only other good thing about this movie was the skillful performance by veteran Lance Henriksen, (as old man Ben). Unfortunately, painfully, the other main characters seemed to have absolutely no sense of timing. This I attribute to directing/editing deficiencies. So many of the scenes are drawn out like taffy. Even parallel scenes belabor alternating imagery, least the audience miss the meaning of the juxtaposition I guess? Once the story got going I was optimistic that a provocative pay off was in store. Alas, it ended the way so many movies do, offering nothing more than borrowed meaning, delivering no message or perspective of their own.