rls154 Reviews

Windstorm (2013)

Some studs just won't listen - to anyone

[7/10 · 12 November 2014]

To be sure, I've taken a hard look (actually it was shoved down my throat) at "spiritually-inspired training methods." Also, I'm aware of non US differences in techniques... Further, walking a horse off the Amish truck (Hungary) was not a foreign concept to me when I felt the need. And last but not least, I'm not here to "bad mouth" the film because movies are for entertainment purposes, with fictitious content - which should therefore not be subjected to peer review.

Having said all that, in the interest of harm reduction, I'd like to offer a few sentences:

Horses are extremely powerful animals and even the most docile weanling can cause serious injury to an individual unintentionally. No thousand pound class animal can be tranquilized and dropped in a few seconds with an intramuscular injection. Colts/Stallions in general, are not the type of animal you want to bond with - that's why most are gelded. Grooming takes place while a horse is tethered, preferably with cross ties. A horse in a domesticated environment requires a halter, at night, in a stall, it may be removed but should be replaced asap in the AM. Never lie down anywhere near a horse.

Outstanding lighting effects, please see it with your children - the ones that have reading skills.

The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Shana: The Wolf's Music (2014)

Through the eyes of a wolf (almost) or Mourning Becomes Shana

[8/10 · 5 November 2014]

Either my monitors color range settings are a tiny bit out of sync, or the makers of this film used some light-handed artistic license with their red/orange/purple shades - perhaps the reason for the dress ... but that's not important. What's important is they made an extremely valid attempt at the replication. Quite possibly the best I've seen, and I've seen more than my share. Also, I'd be hard pressed to think of a more profound way to pay homage to my deceased ancestors,than the way exhibited by Shana.

The blending of dreams with waking reality plays an important part in the film, and the same holds true here - When l was a little kid I'd pester my parents, night and day, to take me to the zoo. I became fascinated with the wolves and would keep running over to them every chance I got, but couldn't see very well because of my size, plus they were laid up in back of their enclosure. My father grabbed me from behind and lifted me up over his head to see. Immediately the pack came over to inspect the small offering. Looking down at my feet and seeing the wolves raise their heads up towards me was perhaps the most vivid memory of my childhood.

But while a wooden wolfs head carved on the for-end of a violin may give life to some, a silver one placed on top of a walking stick brings ever lasting peace to others.

White Rabbit (I) (2013)

And if you go chasing rabbits. And you know you're going to fall...

[7/10 · 31 October 2014]

With the image of a demonic bipedal white rabbit still imprinted on some of our minds, we are now introduced to a quadrupedal white/albino eastern cottontail, with less than angelic influential motivations reaped upon our teenage deviant. Although somewhat darker in nature than the bipedal rabbit, this one gives us homicidal urges rather than precognitive events (one could argue that observation) and pyromaniac tendencies. And if one is familiar with Swedish (and botched Hollywood clones) of a similar genre the: "fight back" scene may also seem familiar to some.

When I was a youngster, my sister was driven by my mom for her weekly ballet lessons, my other sibling was taught signing, my little brother labored under his ventriloquist instructor. Me - I was dropped off at the public library to diligently study books about rabbit hunting, got about 3/4s of the way down the rabbit hole before I found my way out. Most likely the reason for this review.

Adult World (2013)

Beginning to enjoy comedies

[7/10 · 19 February 2014]

Too many movies use a Christmas backdrop, with cold/snow/snowing, for whatever desired effect it can bring to the audience. Which can be many, varied, and (at times) successful. "Adult World" uses the weather elements, alone, as an enhancement to the overall story. Including, but not limited to, the defining of the the human condition (think -"White Bird") without the need to resort to holiday spirit as a smoothing effect for lack of quality.

John Cusack adds polish to any film, and Emma Roberts has that girl next door,l wanna be next to/outgoing/cuteness when in character. Somewhat similar to Mellisa Joan Hart. So it's a bit disheartening for me to see her (mildly) beginning to be sexually exploited, but I figure that comes with the territory in Hollywood. Not that all young actresses succumb to it. But remember I've been viewing her since "Unfabulose" so again, in character, I guess I'm a bit bias towards her sweetness.

Nevertheless, I did hear she has problems waiting on long lines - and I don't mean fictitious book signings.

Breathless (2008)

4th Grade report on Breathless

[5/10 · 12 November 2013]

This movie is about a faraway place were people get beat up kicked and spit on even family kids. If their really is a place like that wear nice people get beat up all the time I don't think I would like to live in a place like that even if my mother and farther had our house their.

It has many bad words in it and even the kids say them. The mane man smokes a lot and does most of the beating up.

Finally he meets a girl who almost changes him but she says bad words to. In the end they all cry for him when he dies because he almost stopped beating people up.

THE END

How I Live Now (2013)

Hodgepodge of life in th UK before and after a nuclear attack

[7/10 · 12 November 2013]

Beautiful English countryside, fun loving British kids, a somewhat mute animal psychic bloodsucking (non vampire) older brother, and falconry.

Burnt chicken topped with canned spaghetti, hyperactive pink rabbit eared dog, thermonuclear snow, tire rafting, first cousin copulation, and yelping/human body scavenging red foxes (Vulpes).

9mm double taps, treetops adorned with dead bodies, an eye wear burial in the forest, bloody socks, and orange puke.

Oh - and did I forget to mention, the UK nuked, a bitch girl from New York City, and being chased by dead rabbits ? Now, you may ask yourself how a movie with the above elements can miss ? It can't.

Sarah Prefers to Run (2013)

Has a lot of heart

[7/10 · 9 November 2013]

Not that I didn't enjoy the movie - as a runner with cardiac issues I certainly could identify with Sarah. And being a bit distant and withdrawn, which Sophie Desmarais portrays admirably, seems to be a byproduct of long/middle distance runners, at least the ones who excel that I've come into contact with. It does drag on at times, and the same sex undertones are there, but never really proclaimed, as Sarah struggles with her sexual preferences. However, the film does prove one thing. If you put two opposite gender biological entities together in a cramped space, eventually they get around to it. For me, as a runner, the final scene really says it all about the need to run as an addiction almost the point of.... well, I'll leave that unsaid for the viewers to conclude.

But if "Sarah Prefers to Run" she needs to lengthen her stride, because her leg action is all straight up and down.