jmiller21 Reviews

20th Century Women (2016)

Unwatchable

[4/10 · 30 July 2022]

As a product of the 20th Century approximately the same age as the character Jamie, I can tell you with some certainty that this movie resemble nothing like the events of coming of age in the late 1970's, Another in a long line of Hollywood attempts to teach you how to mess up your child's life, the lack of discipline, the tolerance of the unacceptable, and the total lack of understanding of principled morality were not the characteristics of most homes of that era. This movie seems to exhibit a sense of the lost leading the lost which I suppose may have been true to those the sympathized wit the Carter presidency. I strongly encourage you no to waste two hours of your life watching this drab, uninteresting, and psychotic look at life without a single character of redeeming qualities.

After Class (2019)

The power of family and the insanity of liberal universities

[5/10 · 9 June 2020]

There is a good story here. How a family pulls together during a trying time, despite their differences, conflicts and foibles to love and care for each other. There is nonsense here that I fear may be an all too real ultra sensitivity that pervades liberal campuses. While the traumatic difficulties that one may face in their youth may be regrettable, there is no way that the Jennifer Mann character will be able to function in real life if she thinks she can live in a bubble of protection from someone hurting her delicate sensitivities. In some ways this is a powerful contrasts. There is family where there is acceptable and strengthening of backbone and character by the sibling rivalries that persist. Without realizing it, perhaps this movie is a meaningful criticism of the politically correct culture that weakens our fiber and a call to family to strengthen it. Put the challenges Agatha and her story of escaping Nazi Germany, learning a new language and a new life, and facing death and the strength she showed in contrast with the "triggered" response of students seemingly can't deal with the simple realities of seeing another person feel bad to the point of threatening a professor's job. A normal human being would simply experience the class, discount the remarks that the professor made, perhaps utter a "meh" and go one with their own life. The contrast of Agatha to the youth of today is damning.

11/8/16 (2017)

This should explain it.

[5/10 · 29 August 2019]

For those of you who wonder why Trump won, the answer is clearly in the people the producers of this documentary chose to exemplify the candidates' supporters. Clintons supports were people on the fringe of society, be it illegal immigrants, non-conformists, or people who see themselves as powerless victims or were associated with the media or the government. Trump supporters were hard working families with children who don't expect government entitlements to make their lives successful. And not a single Midwesterner All American type of person was even bothered to be profiled. Real America fought back on 11/8/16. As one liberal said...Trump spoke the language of the people and what America wants to say to the world.

A Feeling of Home (2019 TV Movie)

You mean this wasn't a comedy?

[5/10 · 15 May 2019]

The reason I gave a 5 star ranking was that I was laughing through out. I am amazed anyone involved thought this was a serious attempt to portray ranch life in Texas. The performing ranch chores was hysterical. Clearly there wasn't a single person every involved in this movie who has ever stepped foot on a working ranch. When Abby drove the garden tractor around the field to the delight of her father, i almost fell off my chair laughing. The yellow rose booth at the fair, the backdrop for the Texas internet broadcast seem to magically appear. I would not be surprised if anyone involved with this movie would quickly sue to get their name removed from the credits. It may well have been a career threatening decision to associate one's self with this production. Yikes!

American Chaos (2018)

Clueless Liberals

[7/10 · 20 February 2019]

James Stern, to his credit, displays what a clueless liberal looks like. He is totally detached from the realities that most Americans face and the values they hold across the greater part of this country. He attempts to educate himself, but rather than "listen" as he claim, he cops a condescending attitude toward the religious hard working middle Americans that make up much of America. I though he actually had an "ah ha" moment when he talked to the rancher on Arizona border about the illegal immigration crisis and the realities of illegal border crossing but then defends those who would open American to those not invited or welcome here. People watching this video can, unexpectedlly, reaffirm that America made the right decision in 2016.

A Kid Like Jake (2018)

Poor Jake

[5/10 · 19 February 2019]

With parents and teachers like these, that kid doesn't stand a chance. This movie could be a documentary on how to destroy a child's future. This is a household where the parents are at best confused, and probably too immature to raise a child. There are no boundaries, no expectations and no one has the courage to put a disruptive non conforming child in his place. You want a messed up kid? Follow this example.

A Summer to Remember (2018 TV Movie)

The Movie Poster just told you the whole story

[5/10 · 5 August 2018]

Outside of the location footage, this film offers an extremely predictable story without even a slightly compelling twist. Overly simplistic and without any real conflict that isn't resolved by a simple exit. Time is precious and this is somewhere between 1.5 and 2.0 hours of life you will never get back.

Alone in the Game (2018)

A Very Slanted View

[5/10 · 20 July 2018]

This documentary, while mildly interesting, does little to promote a balance approach to the issue of gay athletes in sports. It presupposes that the LGBTQ community is in the right and the predominant culture, the traditions and religions of society are somehow in the wrong. Perhaps the reason that few athletes come out of the closet is that sports is still an arena that respects rules and right and wrong. The documentary expects us to sympathize with people who choose to make themselves God and choose their own path rather than the one that they were created to follow. The phrase "living authentically" was repeated as some sort of mantra, when it is at least as equally right to live according to the beliefs and truths of virtually the entire world's religious teachings. Being on the supposed right side of history does not necessarily coincide with being on the right side of God and there are countless stories in history that show that the acceptance of immortality ultimately leads to the collapse of once great societies.

A priori (2014)

highly unlikely

[4/10 · 19 May 2017]

The "message" of the film is that in the unlikeliest of circumstances, you might find someone with some intelligence. Auguste is a gruff man who is wary of homeless people. It's not an unreasonable posture. The short provides no background on his past encounters with people of this sort, but most caution is based on a past history. In the film we are supposed to believe that Jenny, the non-conformist living on the street is intelligent and can fill his need for an employee. What is lost is that conforming to the norms of society is important in any successful business enterprise and someone who wears nose jewelry is not likely to be acceptable to most customers, regardless of the knowledge she might possess. To be successful in business, a degree of conformity to the expectations of society is necessary. This should be the real message of the film to anyone who wishes to change their situation and get a job.

99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film (2013)

The modern day carnival freak show.

[4/10 · 22 February 2015]

As a film, the 99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film offers a somewhat unique view of the side of America that is destined to be completely irrelevant..and it should be. Viewers get to see the youth of today attempt to describe the 'social injustice' of capitalism in a system they have made no attempt to assimilate to or the American culture as we know it. What you see is people who have made many bad choices in their lives, whether is its loans they couldn't afford, marginal college students with unmarketable major and the fringe elements radicals who feed on the weak of mind and backbone. Somehow they feel that America has let them down because someone has what they do not. There is actually an example of an adjunct professor who makes $800 a month teaching two classes. Clearly that is a part time job yet there is no mention of how she is otherwise employed, and yet she feels she is a victim of the system. Another spokesman actually said, I don't want to work hard all my life. Such is the pathetic work ethic of this group. The real title of this movie should be The Other 1%, because 99% of American's would never show their face at such silliness. As the well dressed men on the sidewalk said the reason they aren't going to the protest was because they had money to make.