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malnatik9
Reviews
2016: Obama's America (2012)
Benign, and SLOOOOOW
I don't usually write a review unless it was a real stinker, or very good, but this one is right about in the middle.
This movie was SLOOOOOOW. I really wanted to see this film - my husband less so. He fell asleep very quickly at an afternoon showing, and I had to wake him up repeatedly from there. Unfortunately, I found myself nodding a few times about half way through, too. It's THAT Slow.
I have no gripes about the author, and went hoping to see something I didn't know, since the media has been woefully remiss in vetting this president, but I found very little presented that I didn't already know going in (except the Author's bio, which seemed out of place in a documentary about Obama).
SPOILER ALERT:
* The first half could be missed entirely, and not miss much. * Nothing about Obama's birth records, or SS controversies is even touched on, so if you want clarification on those issues, forget it. * Some info on known associates is presented, but so little is told about them, it's just a missed opportunity. * Info on Obama's father is given, but since he wasn't really involved in the Presiden't life, I'm not sure how much it matters.
Overall, this was a missed opportunity to give some real info on Obama. NO people who actually "knew" him were interviewed on camera (presumably they are mostly supporters, who wouldn't want to give interviews to the author, but he didn't say he tried and was refused, so I don't know).
If you live in a complete vacuum, and have no info on Obama at all, this might help inform you. If you have internet access, though, there's really nothing here that's unavailable elsewhere.
As to predictions for 2016, there's very little of that, either. I could have told you all the predictions presented (and more), when he was still Candidate Obama, not President Obama.
I'm pretty disappointed. I was so hoping for a better film.
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1987)
Not bad, not great.
Once I saw the opening, I knew it was a low budget, 80's, big hair kind of movie, but if you can get over that, it's not a bad movie.
I see others have complained about it not being true to the book, but I never read the book, and don't care about that. I judge movies based on the movie, not the book. This movie was fine. Not too exciting, and I'm not a fan of D'Angelo (really, what is the big deal with this woman? She's in EVERYTHING!), but at least she played this mostly straight.
What makes this a worthwhile watch, though, was the star. I'd never seen this Lewis Smith guy before, and was stunned by the similarity between him and Jerry Seinfeld. They could be brothers. Not quite twins, but very similar features, mannerisms, and even the style of clothes. Really caught my attention, and undeniable. It was also mildly amusing to see Wil Wheaton and Picardo in a picture that clearly predates the Star Trek series they both appeared in, as well.
Overall, not a bad movie, and perfectly safe to watch with your kids in the room, no matter how young. Other than one pretty tame scene near the end, there is no violence at all, and no nudity, either. (How I long for the good old days when you could watch a movie, and know you wouldn't be surprised by hard core sex scenes, or sick and twisted violence.)
Low budget, but a good story.
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
It is over the top at the end
This latest Die Hard movie was over the top. Especially near the end, but on the whole, it was fairly good up 'til then.
We've been wanting to go to the movies for a long time, and we were unable to find a movie we'd be willing to pay to see. We loved the Die Hard movies in the past, and were happy to finally see a movie we could enjoy together, finally, hoping that our dollars would encourage more good movies in future.
Unfortunately, it was disappointing to see the ridiculous nature of a fighter jet attacking a truck - and losing the fight.
One of the reasons one watches a Die Hard type film is the clear good guy vs bad guy nature of the films. One clearly roots for the good guys, and is delighted when the ultimate demise of the bad guys is carried out - spectacularly.
Having our hero go up against an Air Force pilot forces us to root for or against a good guy - on both sides. It ruins the joy one might have taken in their defeat, no matter who loses.
It's unfortunate that Hollywood does not get it. People need to care about the characters in a movie, and one needs to root for good over evil to truly enjoy the fight. Simply pitting two good guys against each other for a spectacular fight is not a good plot turn.
I wanted very much to love this movie, and was so hoping for a more upbeat movie, as the previous Die Hard movies had been. I can forgive over the top, but I'm sincerely disappointed by the depressing nature of the characters, and situations. John never wanted to do what he was forced to do in any of the previous movies, but he clearly enjoyed defeating the enemy, and we enjoyed watching him do it. This time, he was mostly just defeated, out of his element, and the bad guys were unrealistic, and tame. (Really? No terrorists - just computer geeks?)
I still urge you to go, to encourage more movies along this genre, but I sincerely hope Hollywood can get a grip on reality, and figure out how to make a movie with characters we can clearly root for or against. Life is not a bunch of grays, and there really are bad guys out there. We really need to hope there are some real good guys, too, and I'd like to see some in a well produced movie. Anyone Listening?
The Weather Man (2005)
Not a comedy!
This movie was NOT a comedy!!! We saw it yesterday, having seen only one promo, in which he is hit by a soda from a passing car. The promo made it look funny. We like Nicolas Cage, and thought it might be good. Since it presents it self as a COMEDY, we made some logical assumptions.
WRONG!!! NOT FUNNY!!! NOT GOOD!!! NOT FUNNY - AT ALL!!! (Think Mary Tyler Moore, in that movie where her son commits suicide - funny. NOT!) This was just a long, SLOW, depressing movie, about a guy's failed marriage, and subsequent descent into depression. To call this a Dramady would be misleading, because there was simply NO humor to any of this.
Strangers throw things at him - but not in a funny way. His Wife hates him, his kids hate him, his Dad is dying, and does not respect, or like him. Yeah, it was a riot! ZERO action, Zero Humor, and painfully little plot, other than his Dad dying - SLOWLY! Really - just depressing. Save your money.
Who, exactly is it, that gets to label these movies, anyway? No one who ever saw this movie could call it a comedy.
Smokin' Aces (2006)
Comedy - NOT! Spoiler, Not sure, but do take heed.
This was by far the worst movie I have seen in years, and the trailer was wildly inaccurate as to what it would be like. Nearly everything in that trailer happened in the first half hour, and was carefully selected so as to not allow you ANY clue what you would be in for.
I've never written one of these reviews before, but I feel completely ripped off, so I'm putting my warning up for your benefit. My husband and I have seen many violent movies, and we have no problem with some gratuitous gun play, but this movie presented itself as an Action/COMEDY!
FUNNY?: This movie was many things, but funny was not one of them. It was incredibly violent. It was completely incoherent. It was sick and twisted - in such a way as to leave you feeling assaulted long after you left the theater. I saw it well over an hour ago, and I still can't wipe the grimace off my face. I very nearly left before it was over, but I kept waiting for the funny part, because my husband swore it would be funny.
INCOHERENT!: At one point the movie cut from one scene on the highway, to another from a seemingly completely different movie (underwater) - without any explanation at all. I swear, I thought I fell asleep, because it made no sense at all to me, and even after the movie ended, my husband said he was lost as to what that was all about, too. I'm still lost.
This may count as a SPOILER, I don't know, but DO NOT TAKE A KID TO THIS MOVIE!
SICK!: You may like it if you're a pedophile, or a NAMBLA member, but for a brief while, completely out of context of the movie, the director seemed to want to insert a bit of child porn in there for some unexplained reason. It was completely unwarranted, and had NOTHING whatever to do with the plot. It was the kind of uncomfortable scene that just leaves your skin crawling. Not scary, just sick! That was when I wanted to leave the most, and I recommend you avoid this movie entirely, just based on those scenes.
PLOT?: As to the actual plot, well, I suppose there is a plot - sort of, but really, the "sort of" plot goes off the rails pretty quickly, leaving you wondering what the heck is going on throughout most of the movie. The last few minutes attempt to tell you some reasonable explanation of why you were lost for the last hour, but frankly, who cares by then. As I said, this was supposed to be an action/comedy - not a mystery.
The only mystery to me is why they bothered making this at all. This movie was bad, Really BAD, and do not assume the trailer bears any resemblance to what you're in for. That is not what this movie is about, and the only remotely "funny" scene in this whole mess is in that trailer. Not one person in the theater laughed out loud the entire movie, and by the time that one mildly amusing sight gag is played, you are so shell shocked, you will not likely laugh out loud, either.
If you find yourself laughing at the trailer, save the money, you've already seen the best of it.
Oh Yeah, if you're a fan of Jason Bateman (as I am), skip this movie. You won't be after, as his part is Infinitesimally small, and sickening.