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MrBigglesworth999
Reviews
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
Good film but read the book first
Eastwood had the challenge to condense a richly rewarding book of over 200 pages into a 2 hour film.
He succeeds in conveying the essence of the story however I strongly recommend that you read the book before you see the film. The book is as much a story about Savannah itself and the unconventional characters that live there as it is a courtroom drama. In fact half of the book is devoted to each of those themes.
If you read the book you will understand and appreciate the characters more thoroughly. The book will explain for example:-
Why was Joe Odom wiring up the house and what makes him tick ? What was that dust cloud that erupted from the prosecutor's chair when he sat down ? What happened to the other main characters after Jim William's death?
The addition of the author's female love interest was odd and unnecessary, particularly considering that the real author is gay.
Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
Probably more enjoyable if your'e a surfer/skateboarder
As a present-day surfer and, in my youth, a skateboarder, this movie captured my interest. An entertaining exploration of the direct evolution of skateboarding from surfing in California. I found the "Z boys'" recollections of the aggressive localism in the surf a bit over the top. You don't need to throw blocks of cement and glass at non-locals to get more waves: superior skills and local knowledge is usually enough to guarantee the inside section and right of way on waves. After watching Dogtown, I will never complain again about the localism at Sydney beaches such as Maroubra and Narrabeen.
Fallen (1998)
Compelling "original" story with an ultimately unsatisfying ending
The Rolling Stones classic song "Sympathy For The Devil" (which you will hear in the film) explores the notion that the devil is omnipresent, passing through generations. That song was inspired by a book that Mick Jagger's well-educated girlfriend Marianne Faithful was reading. In a similar manner "Fallen" explores the idea that evil can be conveyed from one person to another and cannot be stopped. Washington as usual is good value in the lead role as a cop investigating unusual occurrences following the execution of a convicted murderer.
It is an intriguing story that retained my interest but unfortunately I found the ending to be ultimately unsatisfying. However I'm not sure what the ideal ending would have been. Nonetheless worth watching most of the way.
Freebird: The Movie (1996)
The "Freebird/Tribute Tour" double-movie DVD completes it
The original Freebird was an excellent collection of live performances but did not explain much in the way of the band's history. The new double-movie DVD redresses this by adding the 1987 Tribute Tour movie to Freebird: this second movie describes the early history of the band and its members and also details the present (1987 at least) situation with the surviving and newly-added members. In all, the double movie DVD serves as a reminder of just how great this band was, and to a lesser extent, still is.
"You say you will be alright tomorrow, but tomorrow may not be here for you".