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Reviews
She Said (2022)
Well done
They did an excellent job depicting buildup to the article. As to complaints about not finding an actor to depict him, this crossed my mind as I was watching, and at the moment when he entered the scene, I hoped they would do exactly what they did. Well handled, I thought. I'd have been disappointed with whomever tried to portray HW and it would have cheapened the message. If you cannot imagine his face by now......
The film includes some actual real life audio, at least the young lady that was wired. If that wasn't an actual period recording then the acting was both excellent and disturbing.
In a time of eroding confidence in the press, I think it good to see the pains they went to when breaking a story like this. Solid reporting that unleashed an avalanche of change. Well done to the actors depicting the courageous women, and for the courageous women appearing in the film.
Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend (2022)
Not great, but interesting
Not as bad as some make out to be. Certainly no masterpiece, but it is interesting. Really bad accents at times, but if that kind of detail doesn't distract you then any liberties with historical accuracy aren't likely to either.
The subject does whet ones appetite for a really good biopic, so perhaps someone will throw some money at it some day, cast more Italians, better sets.
For a low budget attempt at telling a story, it gets the job done, and it does have redeeming moments. If you're interested in the engineering, beyond the "you cannot fit 4 carbs i there!" or "pop-up headlights are too complicated", you'll be left wanting.
If you're happy enough to spend an hour and a half getting a very cursory look at the Lamborghini story, and can overlook some marginal acting, go for it.
Dirty Money: Hard Nox (2018)
Features perspectives of both US and European NGO's
Interesting to note the differences in opinion, insofar as one's financial interests. VW employees, stockholders, and Eurocentrists obviously feel hurt by the damning expose. The story is an interesting one, and really has nothing to do with the US or Europe, but corporate greed and toxic corporate culture.
Hitler was low hanging fruit that was leveraged to influence public opinion and outcomes. Hitlers unfortunate connection to VW will be notable forever, that will never go away - it is still recent history. The corporate culture at VW
lent itself to comparison.
US regulators and NGO's aren't particularly nationalistic, contrary to popular opinion. Europe is widely seen as having more stringent regulations. Any US corporation that endangers public health will be met with comparable outrage, but this story is about VW.... in Wolfsburg.
East of Eden (1955)
Good screenplay of a favorite book
Watching this for the first time, in my later forties.
Does a good job of capturing the essence of Steinbeck's book.
Huge James Dean fan now; I've never viewed his films prior to this.
BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Quality entertainment
I read books for facts, watch the tube for entertainment, so any liberties taken in the Ron Stallworth story are fine with me. The movie is pretty buoyant for the subject matter, and pokes fun whenever it can.
Ride the Thunder (2015)
Mediocre storytelling
I was incredibly surprised at the extremely favorable reviews after viewing this film. It doesn't help that the recent Burns/Novik film was released several months ago, eclipsing the efforts of this film. The story is epic, some of us are very familiar with the history of Vietnam from early colonial times to the present. I'm one of those people, and have spent considerable time in Vietnam, speak basic Viet, and understand the culture - so that's the caveat. The story told in this film was nothing new to me, and I mean nothing. The Burns/Novick film was refreshing, and there was new material I'd never seen, including some compelling footage gleaned from the archives in Hanoi. VC and NVA vets gave emotional interviews.... and in Vietnamese. And US vets also told their incredible stories. Ride the Thunder made some attempts at this, with a couple of interviews with US vets. Nothing from VC/NVA, or S Vietnamese. In the end, these portrayals created an awkward mix of low quality drama, and documentary lacking any real substance. It's kind of shocking, really.
This film had terrible acting. I'm sorry to have to relay this, but it was on par with a hastily made lower budget TV program, featuring extras. It took me three separate attempts to finish this movie. There were some Viet Kieu (foreign Vietnamese) actors, but I'm not sure there was a single Viet word spoken in this movie. Besides Dien Bien Phu, or Saigon, etc, lol.
If you're not up to speed on post war Vietnam following the fall of Saigon, or issues US soldiers faced back home after this terribly unpopular and foolish war, you might find this film worth your time. If you are somewhat informed, then you may find this film exceptionally cheesy and factually anemic. I'd have given it a lower score, but out of respect for the filmmakers, and their efforts to portray various perspectives, I'm not doing that. In all candor, it was a real let down.
Cuba and the Cameraman (2017)
Story of the people
I enjoyed watching this film so much, chatting away to my wife about all the familiar places and stories. My work has taken me there a lot over the years. The stories portrayed here are exactly what one sees when you develop friendships over the years in Cuba. I felt as if the three brothers were my friends too, having spent much of my time in the farming communities of Cuba. I felt emotionally attached to them as time passed and economic pressures shaped their experience.
There is so much depth and complexity to the Cuban story, and it can be incredibly confusing to go between the worlds of tourism, government lectures, and time in the homes or fields of Cubans. Add to that the sentiments of exiles and one can struggle to navigate these waters and formulate clear opinions. One is constantly meeting people in unexpected positions with extraordinary education. Ag engineers and entomologists breeding beneficial insects for organic farms in old soda bottles under palapa huts, PhD of Latin American literature checking you into your hotel, or a university professor selling peanuts on the street to make ends meet. This film also captures that phenomenon.
What is not confusing, is connecting with Cubans. This filmmaker does an excellent job of connecting the viewer with the experience of Cuban people for them to develop their own opinions based on these stories, history, geopolitics, etc. I was overly excited to provide my own supplementary narrative, translations, etc to my patient wife who has never visited the island. The footage is unique, following various people over many years. It's the first film of its kind filmed in Cuba that I'm aware of. My wife winced at some of the questions directed towards people in times of intense struggle, belaboring the narrative a bit at what was obviously a difficult situation. The people would have enjoyed telling their story though, and what a great body of unique work it has produced as a result of this filmmakers diligence.
Beatriz at Dinner (2017)
Excellent
Subtle, human story that makes the watcher uncomfortable at times. One doesn't have to be ultra-wealthy or an immigrant to relate to the experience of mixed company, especially when extremes present themselves. Beatriz is a lovely character, complex, but genuine and warm. At times I was chafing from her uniqueness, the tension at the table, the disruption to the halibut and tenderloin, the inconvenience of conviction to the hosts plan. But great movies prompt some reflection and this one does this, and it's easy to see why people politicize it, as everything is today.
But this is a timeless story of disparate experiences creating incongruity and friction, people challenged to reflect on their assumptions, what we value, what really matters once we're at the end. Salma plays this role exceptionally. I love watching her face, her eyes, never knowing what to expect to come out of her mouth, or how she'll be included as she navigates what could be an awkward situation with the poise only someone comfortable in their own skin can do. Not concerned with others praise, or acceptance, her character is sweetly inspiring. Lithgow also creates the perfect counterpoise in his character, very believable and well acted. The acting is spot on throughout, really.
This is an unusual movie with some great elements, I was very pleased. I'll be thinking about it more no doubt over the coming days, but these are my reflections directly after watching. Happy that movies like this are made, to balance out the typical productions. This movie will illicit a range of reactions; watch it yourself and whatever your experience, I'm confident you'll find it's time well spent. I think it resonates because I've been in this situation a number of times, and the experience changes with age.
The Vietnam War (2017)
Excellent and Balanced
To exclude the views of the victorious NVA or VC would truly be rewriting history. Like or not, this is a robust accounting of a long, dreadful chapter in VN and US history. Nobody was truly victorious, as stated in the documentary, everyone lost. To politicize the telling of the story would have demonstrated the simple mindset that sucked us foolishly into the conflict to begin with.
As I understand it, this film is largely the product of Kovich, who skillfully interviewed so many people across cultures.
I've spent a great deal of time in Vietnam, and I'm likely more informed than the average viewer. I especially enjoyed hearing new stories, and appreciated the telling of the colonial period as well as recent history. Vietnam has largely moved on and I could have watched a dozen more hours on perspectives and details not covered in this already lengthy film. I devoured it, unable to slowly savor, and I'll watch again.
Cheers to Kovich for a brilliant film.