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Reviews
Clerks II (2006)
Kevin Smith does it again
I didn't know what to think about this movie. A sequel to Clerks seems like it could be really bad. On the other hand, it has been over ten years since the first Clerks so it probably wasn't made for the sole purpose of making a quick buck like most of the sequels the business churns out.
The end result? A great film that is sure to offend all the right people. From conservative religious nuts to Lord of the Rings fans, Clerks II really does it right and doesn't hold back. This could very well be one of the most conservative times in the states since the Reagan years in the 80s. At least Kevin Smith had it in him not to tone down his movies to placate religious conservatives. Definitely the most gutsy sequel I've seen in years. Keep up the good work Mr. Smith.
9 out of 10 stars
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Always makes me smile
The Wizard of Oz is a wonderful film. Watching it on the big screen is truly adds a lot to the film -expecially in Kansas. I watched fellow Kansans smile, cry, and laugh. Dorothy Gale is a Kansas farm girl and pretty tough. I wonder about the Cowardly Lion. He seems a little funny. The monkeys are scary. Yet it all comes back to Kansas. I think about times I've traveled and the flight attendant will say "click your heels three times, you're back in Kansas." Every time it makes me smile. To know that Kansas is known for something that is so special to so many people is very gratifying. Gee, it makes me feel sorry for states like New Jersey that lack the sort of identity that Kansas has. Clerks and Jersey Girl are fine yet Oz is clearly in a whole other category. Truly a classic and one of my favourites.
10 out of 10 stars
M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (1931)
Landmark Film
M is an absolute masterpiece set in Germany about a child murderer roaming the streets. I see that over 150 people have written reviews so almost everything that I'd like to say has probably already been said. Here it goes: M is a great film. It's the kind of film that you won't see on television. Controversial, landmark talkie film among many other things. If you haven't seen it, it is well worth renting or even better watching on the big screen if you have access to a movie projector. The great thing about discovering a film like M is that you wonder what else might be out there. Then you watch Metropolis and so on. Something tells me that Fritz Lang may not have been the life of the party yet he also had a way of creating dark and dreary like no one else.
10 out of 10 stars
Citizen Ruth (1996)
Fantastic
There is something about Citizen Ruth that keeps me coming back to it. I must have seen it 30 times and haven't tired of it yet. It is genuine and the people are so amazingly real. It's almost as if some of my neighbours seem just like the characters in the film. That says a lot in my opinion. The Mid-west is a land that holds a special place in the American psyche. I can literally count on my hands the number of films that truly capture its spirit. Citizen Ruth is one of those films. From scenes in the hardware store to large rear wheel drive Fords, everything fits perfectly. This film captures a place called Omaha which for better or worse Hollywood largely ignores. It also treats a controversial topic like abortion in a thoughtful manner. Excellent film. Highly recommended.
10 out of 10 stars.
A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Fair movie
I honestly am not a huge fan of the show so I went into the theatre with expectations different from the true Prairie Home Companion fan. My thoughts: fair movie, terribly overrated. It's smug yet, condescending. I cannot honestly believe some of the rubbish Hollywood puts out and expects us to pay money to view. Part of me wanted to leave early but I kept telling myself that it would get better and a plot would eventually surface. Guess what? There's no plot here! Congratulations to the IMDb raters who have figured it out. The emperor has no clothes. This is a touching film is about death? Give me a break. Who wants to watch some fat guy wax eloquently about duct tape for what seems an eternity. That's what happens when you run out of plot. The preachy religious ballets are the same story. It's just filler. To me it is analogous to eating white bread. You consume it hoping it will taste better and don't pay attention that you're eating till it's all gone. It just leaves you less hungry yet never fully satisfies. That pretty much sums up APHC. To top it off, they kill the rich guy from Texas who wanted to deep six the show. What a rotten shame that was. Then the show gets scraped anyway. What is the point? It is that absurd.
3 out of 10 stars
Lucille's Car Care Clinic (1996)
Missing Lucille
Does anyone remember Lucille, the auto mechanic? Her show was pretty cool. I wonder if many people remember it. Come on folks, this show is perfect for a comeback. Being a female mechanic has got to be tough but she really knew her stuff. It's a shame this show got cancelled because it showed that anyone can work on cars. With reality TV even taking over motorcycle shows, here was a person ahead of her time. Was Lucille everything that she claimed to be? By all accounts, yes. It was reality TV to the extent that Lucille was pretty much just being herself. Although her show was not loaded with drama, it was real. Personally, I'm a bit tired of "reality TV" shows that are phoney and contrived. Give me a Pittsburgh auto mechanic named Lucille any day of the week over whatever rubbish is on network TV.
C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2004)
Upsets bigoted Northerners and Southerners
Don't believe all the negativity about Confederate States of America. Looking at some of the reviews posted, someone could easily think this movie is completely vile and not worthy of any merit. Funny what upsets people! Could the premise that only 20,000 Eastern abolitionists really meant it bother some New Yorkers? It's pretty apparent that this film upsets quite a few of people. Being from the first free state (Hint: Think home of Dorothy Gale and Bruce Conner) and knowing my history, it's not so easy to offend me by slamming the North for the role they played in the slave trade as well. Anyone who has bothered to study the US Civil War with any depth knows that some pretty serious things went down in Kansas. Yes Virginia, Kansas was founded by abolitionist folks from Massachusetts. And yes New York City, you once played quite the role in the slave trade.
At any rate, Confederate States of America was a pretty wild film that the viewer will either love or hate. There is very little middle ground. Honestly, most people want to think that the geographic region they identify with is basically good and devoid of religious nuts, racists, or whatever it is that sets them off. This film challenges that perception and to that end it frustrates viewer be it New Yorker or Kansan with a closed mind. That being said, I loved it! 10 Stars.
Nobelity (2006)
Beautiful Film
It's not everyday one sees a movie like this one. It brought tears to our eyes. I think that Nobelity is a special documentary in a genre with many films that seek to make political statements that literally beat the viewer over the head. No such game here. While political, folks like Desmond Tutu inspire. Narrated by Texan Turk Pipkin, this movie is proof positive that not everyone in middle America is completely wacky. Well, some of us at least make an effort to understand the rest of the world. We've have plenty of nuts, though. I still cannot believe how many people are unaware of this hidden gem. Along with Saint Ralph and the World's Fastest Indian, Nobelity is one on the three best sleeper films I've seen in the last six months. If it comes to your town, please see it. Overall an excellent film. Highly recommend! 10 Stars