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pkerr21
Reviews
Stranger Fruit (2017)
Propaganda Alert
Jason Pollock is a shameless manipulator who has wantonly exacerbated an already volatile situation. He deliberately cuts and pastes to make the ludicrous assertion that Michael Brown "paid for" the cigarillos with a bag of weed. I'm not kidding. That's his whole point. Of course, you can view the unedited video to see for yourself that his "offer" was rejected by the store clerks and that he left the store in a big huff, leaving his "purchases" behind. Pollock also edits out the strong-arm robbery the next day when the store owner obviously knew nothing of any "deal" from the night before.
Many questions remain: Why does Pollock assert that this is new evidence? The store-video footage has been with the store-owner's attorney from the beginning and is now readily available to any who are interested in the truth. Pollock's big score is a big zero. Even if you give Pollock his baseless assertion of some hare-brained drug deal, what difference does it make to the events of the next day? Nothing! Nada! Zip! And anyway, why would Brown leave his merchandise behind if he thought he had "paid" for it?
Pollock uses a lot of foul language and false bravado to try to shame the audience into accepting his ridiculous claims. It seems to work on about half the viewers and that is a sad commentary on the ability of many viewers to think for themselves. Simply put, this film belongs in the trash bin of cheap, propagandistic junk. If it weren't for the hatred and falsehoods engendered by this film, that would be enough. However, Jason Pollock deserves a far worse fate for his wanton distortions and his incendiary rhetoric.
The Call of the Wild (2020)
Harrison Ford was Harrison Ford - that's the good news.
The rest was just awful. The cgi sucked to the point of being a major distraction. The story rewrite was inexcusably bad and most of the characters seem to have been chosen to satisfy the pc critics rather than to enhance the plot. That said, Omar Sy was likeable and well played in spite of the pc casting. Dan Stevens' archest of villains was simply laughable. The musical score was another distraction of 1950's orchestral schmaltz. Maybe this film is OK for 5 - 10 year olds but being well beyond that range, this became only the second film I have ever walked out on.
Goalie (2019)
Reality Bites - Hockey Dreams Dashed
For someone who grew up in Canada during the halcyon days of the pre-expansion NHL, this movie is like taking a shower in ice water. The name of Terry Sawchuk evokes memories of young boys scrambling on outdoor rinks all across Canada, fueled by the dreams of someday becoming our big-league heroes. This movie takes on the unenviable task of dashing those dreams to dust in an entertainment art form, without losing the interest of the viewer. The film makers gambled with unusual devices like real-time interviews with a few hockey legends (portrayed by actors) and on-screen title cards when some of the greats of that era are introduced. I think they succeeded in enhancing the documentary feel of the film although others have disagreed on that score. The performances, especially by Mark O'Brien and Kevin Pollack are nuanced and compelling. I gave the film full marks because it succeeds in keeping viewer interest throughout the telling of such a difficult and tragic story.
Secret Nation (1992)
Well acted and realized little gem.
An interesting take on the little understood - in the rest of Canada at least - shenanigans surrounding the decision of the independent country of Newfoundland to join the Confederation of Canada. I was surprised by the quality of the acting by former members of CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes. I wasn't expecting their dramatic chops to be so finely honed.
The decision to frame historically-grounded facts in a dramatic work of fiction, with the added suspense of a thriller, is brilliant. If more producers chose this approach I think we would find it much more palatable to learn more of our history, which is all too often portrayed in stultifying soporific fact-fests.
All in all, a well-made and enjoyable effort that won't waste your time.