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desertdac
Reviews
Echo in the Canyon (2018)
Good music including remakes, but could be much better
I was expecting more that related the various places and homes, businesses the various array of talented musicians frequented, and how their music related to that place. Other than good music covers plus some original footage, it was mostly about the Byrds, Mamas and the Papas, and Beach Boys.
Those out of *all* the immense, groundbreaking musical talent that lived or passed through Laurel Canyon. Sure, that would be hard to cover in one film, but more could've been said. YouTube has a number of insightful videos on various houses where the musicians lived, would have impromptu jam sessions, and so on. Nothing like that was employed in this documentary, to liven it up.
My guess: I'll need to take a trip to LA, drive and walk through the area myself after watching YouTube videos on Laurel Canyon.
Sorry We Missed You (2019)
Real, intense, depressing
The decline of society seems to be led by a series of compounding stresses on one's ability to live. This film personifies a believable scenario, whether in the UK or other "westernized" countries like the US. In fact this is possible for many people, following the right collision of trials or health issues.
Seeing the stress of the family, each member in their own way, and the desperation and pain to go on, really affected me. It's a reminder to be thankful that I don't have all I don't want.
MLK/FBI (2020)
Accounts on what I've heard on MLK after HS, but...
MLK/FBI could have put forth 3 main issues with more power. That leaves it open to still hear extremists on the partisan left or partisan right continue justifying only part of imperfect MLK's world. While they ignore so many the great and thoughtful insights he stood for.
1) The FBI under misguided ruler-ship (Hoover & Sullivan) taking advantage of findings on surveillance (authoritarianism+) or manufacturing items if hard facts aren't found. This is the worst, and it shows how a monied public agency doesn't always serve truth and who pays for it.
2) Communist party involvement disproven by MLK's own stated beliefs, including his outing of more than one person involved in communism. The Alt-R and some voices in the post 1990 pay-triot movement, John Birchers, etc, hold onto this notion though apparently false.
3) MLK's adulterous activities weren't clarified until the end of the film, though much of that may have been beyond its scope. No matter, this should have been better explained during the FBI's tapping of his hotel rooms. That would serve we who try to do well, to be vigilant that our private and public lives are on the same high ground.
Regardless, it's a film documentary worth seeing, though it lacked details that could have been covered.