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Reviews
Frozen River (2008)
Grinding Poverty, Unrelenting Hardship
I really wanted to like this film and its perspective on a part of North America I had no idea existed, the Mohawk Nation of upstate New York. The frozen river as an icy Styx was eerie. The two lead characters as Charons shuttling the dead across to be reborn at the push of a button. A brutal world of troopers and snakeheads, casinos and Yankee Dollar stores. Children pulling credit cards fraud schemes to eat. Stark locations. The acting was good and the script, too. But for me, it became a soap opera. It was like House of Sand and Fog but without the charm. Toward the end, I was looking forward to the credits. Tedious.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
Preposterous Ending Worst Since Chris Elliot in the Abyss
I really, really wanted to love this movie. The locations, acting, 18th century machinery and enfluerage factory in Grasse were all very interesting and appealing. The plum girl (or was it apricots?) that set Grenoille on his cursed quest was enchanting. However, for me, the ending was flat and ridiculous, and only a good excuse for the largest filmed orgy ever.
How could the scrapings and distillations of murdered wives and daughters percolated into "spirits" be anything but evil? I fully expected a parade of demons or the undead or something to pay divine retribution to Grenouille for his murderous gluttony when he uncorked the small bottle somehow hidden on his person through days or weeks of trial and torture. What I didn't expect was the world's most transcendent, mind-altering perfume d'amor being produced from the wicked acts of an idiot savante.
Up through Act 2 of this film, I almost couldn't wait to tell my friends about it. Act 3 pulled the rug out from under me. I give it a 5 for sets and location.
The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald (1977)
Kindling For the Fire
I saw this movie as a kid and then watched it from a library copy a week ago.
Since my original viewing I have intensely studies the various conspiracy theories, including the Federal Government's conspiracy theory: that a lone nut gunman who happened to be a USMC, Russian speaking defector, with US Naval Intelligence credentials, who flew back from the USSR at the height of the Cold War on a state department ticket, to repatriate in the US without a passport, who enjoyed the company of virulent right-wingers, assassinated the President with a Manlicher-Carcano (known as the Italian "humanitarian" rifle during WW2 because its barrel rifling was so bad) that he bought mail-order from Chicago, when he could have bought something better from just about anywhere in Texas back in 1962.
Yeah, these conspiracy theorists are real whack jobs.
Watch this movie to stoke the fires of your interest in discovering the truth. And don't let anyone call you a liberal or leftist just because you won't swallow the propaganda.
Think for yourself.
This movie is a good place to start.
War of the Worlds (2005)
1950's Version was Better
This movie was $10 worth of "annoyment" not entertainment. What the heck was Spielberg thinking? Great special effects, but putrid characters and story. Completely illogical. Brutal. Ugly. This movie should have been rated NC-17 not PG-13. My ears still hurt from Dakota Fanning screaming every 10 minutes in Megaplex 5.1 Super Surround Sound. I am giving this a 3 because the special effects, the tripods and the aliens were cutting edge. I expect more of Spielberg using an HG Wells story, than the illogic of "Godzilla" and "Independence Day". When will someone film a big budget version of this story as a period piece? Probably not for 50 years now, though I hear there's a low budget British production in the works. I hope it's good so once again a small, independent film shows up big money Hollywood crapola. Give me my money back. Ugh!