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A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Astonishing
Kubrick's adaptation of Anthony Burgess novel is so well done as a satire against British Socialism in the 1960s. Well ahead of its time. Striking parallel to what's happening in US today. All the violence and lawlessness with no penalty to the youth for misdeeds Or very light penalties. Shows how the government fails when it tries to solve all our problems.
Time after Time (2011)
Many missed the undertone of hope with Alzheimer's
Richard in the future has probably had Alzheimer's. You don't learn this until the end. He snaps out of it at the end and is home from a walk not recognizing his home or the pictures of his wife. He had left the house for a walk and he apparently travelled back in his mind to when he's returned from being gone from Glenville pop 5100 for past 11 years at age 30. As in many who suffer from this disease, he plays out the events as though he is talking with a guy (himself) at age 55. As it turns out his current self guided his younger self to make the right decisions to stay and fight for his former fiancé while giving him a glimpse of the town's future should he leave including the collapse of his former fiancé's career and her death in an auto accident. Why do I say this? Because in the middle of movie he talks about a memory drug that would be invented in 2016. Now Back to when he snaps to in his house at 55 years old. He gingerly walks around and goes upstairs to find that he is married to her and she is wearing the pendulum he had laid down 25 years ago and she is getting ready for them to go out. His look is that of one who is lost and is surprised and wry affectionate to her in amazing disbelief. She says I wondered where you had gone. Wow. Maybe you should go for a walk more often. She says hurry let's go to the celebration and Richard says what celebration? She says seriously? Come on we'll be late. The scene pans to her dresser where the bottle of memory meds are almost empty and he goes with her. It was their 25 anniversary party at their cafe and he doesn't hardly recognize anyone including his son and his grandson. It ends with him smiling and her asking Richard if he's ok and he responds I'm fine. It almost brought tears to my eyes because I had an uncle who suffered with Alzheimer's and he would leave the house get lost and not remember how to get back home. The local police picked him up and fortunately his wallet had his license and they brought him home. He didn't recognize his wife or the home. After several episodes he had to be placed in a Nursing home for the rest of his life. Very sad. This movie was very well done and gives hope for loves lost and found again.
Death of a Nation (2018)
A Must See For Those Who Have Never Observed or Learned History
Most of the people who hate this movie are those who refuse to learn the truth about how our nation has morphed over the years. Bear in mind that sometimes the facts are ignored by those who refuse to recognize what is really happening in society. Only when we look back at our history can we compare what is transpiring in our nation. When our Supreme Court ruled to remove God, Prayer, and patriotism out of our educational system was when the real damage long term occurred. However, it began long before that but in a more subtle way within the realms of our government with the progressive movement and lean toward controlling people through propaganda and laws designed to keep people oppressed and suppressed. Classic Marxism contaminated our educational system and is now rearing it's head throughout our nation. Many of the comments I have read are seen through blinders and without objectivity. Being a conservative, I agree with most of the core of the film. Not because I despise the other point of view, but because I struggle every day wondering where the country I grew up in in the 50s and 60s has gone. We no longer care about our neighbors or strive to think for ourselves and are complacent in believing that everything is ok - that we shouldn't worry. That's what our leaders back in the Hitler era thought. We almost waited too long to get involved. I believe that there is a Tsunami coming in the form of a violent revolution and I fear it will have a horrible effect on us for a long time if not forever. I can only hope this next generation wakes up and goes back to fundamentals so that we can continue to be the home of the free and the land of the brave.
God Bless America and God Bless the USA.
Discreet (2008)
Excellent Journey into the Mental Aspect of Great Sex
First of all, I watched this 3X before I picked up on all that happens. Well put together. The story starts with a phone call wanting to schedule an escort appointment with Monique ($8,000). Then it shifts to a her in a clinic being tested for AIDS, we can only assume she is in remission because she is tested frequently and is none to fond of needles telling the nurse "you can stick me next time". Remarkable plot and story line involving 2 individuals and the journey toward sex between individuals without having it on the screen. The lady is a high priced escort provider and the guy (Thomas)is a young, successful high tech programming genius who is engaged (later revealed), but wants to know more about what sex is supposed to be. He and his finance had a bad first time experience we learn later after he confesses to Monique that he is not a virgin after all. He is wanting to break off the engagement. He is willing to pay the fee for it, and she wants to go on with him and does many things to stir his desires, but he would rather chat about it and find out what makes great sex. The setting is her high rent apartment flat and the erotic journey is incredible. He goes on and on not understanding but searching for more wisdom. She has many lapses to reluctantly tell him more about her. She lets her guard down thinking he may be the one to rescue her and proved it by violating one of her cardinal rules and kissing him on the lips in a move to show him she is serious! He then gently lets her down by wanting to just be a friend to help her get a respectable job. She quickly covers up by indicating that she would not go and be a secretary on low wages and indicating that she was just joking with him. He leaves the sensual adventure to go back to his life, but he comes back to her door more than once indicating he is having second thoughts. The last time he comes back in she is on a phone not hearing him come in only to overhear a conversation with her friend/handler that she had hooked him up for another session and to tell the next suitor that she is done for the night. At that point he realizes that he was played. Big surprise. That's what they do. At the end, she calls her Mom in a tearful state to say hi. We can only infer that she is really a lonely person who wants love. This movie was self financed by the actors and friends and really should get more US attention. Now that it is on Netflix, I think it will.
Dark Places (2015)
More character development needed for the man killer
I agree with most of the reviewers on it being a great suspense movie and really great acting on Theron's part. It would have been better to have had Theron track down the killer and put a cap in his behind - just for principles sake and for closure. Her brother choosing his psycho, murdering (killed his sister during the man killing the family), pregnant girlfriend over his family was weird and unacceptable. It almost made me think that the killer was Ben's girlfriend's father. Also, the fact that the truth wasn't revealed to the authorities to protect Ben's girlfriend and Ben's child by her was a bad turn because they (daughter and mother) tried to kill Theron's character Libby when she tracked them down to find out what had happened. I guess the Title of the film suggested once you go down that rabbit hole of a dark place you never come out.
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
Criterion Needs to remaster this from the original film
The uniqueness of this film is what separated it from most other films. I first sawit as a young child with my parents on the big screen back in 1961 - when you might say that it was at the summit or the height of Brando's career. As a 5 year old kid, this was incredibly awesome. Brando took over the directing when a young Stanley Kubrick walked out and Brando took over the Sam Peckinpaw script and shot some remarkable scenes and from what I understand, used a Geneis Book of World Record on color film just to get it to his satisfaction. The movie ran over the budget and Brando funded it out of his own pocket because he believed in the movie and making a masterpiece. It is indeed a masterpiece from a character, action, scenic, and plot standpoint. This is a must for any movie buff to watch. I hope someday it is remastered and put on Blue Ray with all of the facts about it. A true gem.