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Marc-108
Reviews
Independents' Day (2016)
Not the sequel to "Independence Day" (1996)
This film is generally a low-budget re-rendering of the 1996 blockbuster hit, "Independence Day". If it were a spoof, it would have been more entertaining. As it stands, I suspect it's an attempt to capitalize on the actual sequel to "Independence Day", which will be in theaters on June 24th.
The rather limp response of the American Military establishment to the destruction of the White House, the President, and 2,000 White House staffers might be funny it weren't so sad. The new President's husband, a senator, issues commands to the National Guard and they follow them, as if a Member of Congress was actually in the Chain of Command.
The interiors of the alien spacecraft are decorated in Early Industrial Basement, with the most prevalent design element being deconstructed plastic milk crates. The militia members seem happy to accept direction from military brass or civilian authority. It's as if the writers have no idea what militias are all about: anti-government and obsessed with "personal freedom".
I'll be glad to see the real sequel when it come out.
Last Knights (2015)
A Japanese classic in medieval western dress
I enjoy the old Japanese Samurai movies made in the '40s and '50s. "The 47 Ronin", based on an historical event, is a film that has been made over and over in Japan. This is a translation of the story that moves it to a mythical empire that physically resembles a western feudal society. This is very convenient, because the original story takes place in a Japanese feudal society. The knights, just happen to live the by the same code as the medieval Samurai! All of this is to tell you not to expect any surprises in this film. If you're after an original story, you can sign off right here. This is an "oft-told-tale", if you happen to be Japanese.
What made it fun for me was the novelty of seeing a multiracial cast, turned out in fantasy western armor, making a straight Japanese historical fiction film. I never got tired of watching standard Samurai dialog coming out of non-Japanese actors.
Morgan Freeman, who has portrayed God, Presidents, and Generals, has no problem being totally convincing as the doomed, dishonored noble. Clive Owen is a hit as the leader of the noble's knights. The story is about how far honorable men will go to right an affront to their honor.
Suing the Devil (2011)
McDowell shines in otherwise dull Christian tract
I watched this film because I love supernatural tales and Malcolm McDowell. By the time I realized that I was being morally instructed, I was fascinated with how bad the film was. Until McDowell (as Satan) showed up, I was wondering how long they could draw it out. The protagonist, a naive and goofy loser going to law school at night, seems completely lost at the idea of playing a character and instead becomes an Australian caricature. The rest of the cast was even worse, over-acting cartoons of sinful lawyers and corporate types.
Then Malcolm McDowell appears, Satan coming to defend himself (with the aid of ten lawyers). He proclaims himself to be the Devil and denies all allegations that he is behind all of the evils of the world. He plays it pretty cool, with occasional satanic outbursts, until he's cornered and lets loose with a demonic soliloquy that literally shakes the rafters and is the only worthwhile five minutes of the film. Only McDowell or Jack Nicholson could do it so well.
Without the five minute reprieve, I would have given this one star. The other two are strictly for Malcolm McDowell's solo performance.
Afflicted (2013)
I didn't think it could be done
I've been forced to see several "found footage" films and I've always ended up feeling like that was a couple of hours of my life that I could never get back. I didn't realize that "Afflicted" was in that genre until I started to watch it. I'm glad I continued to watch it through the endless beginning in which it resembled other "found footage" movies. It turned out to have a plot, decent acting, good camera work, and excellent special effects. I continued to empathize with the protagonist even as he became a monster, which is a neat trick for a film maker to accomplish. This is the first horror movie in a long time that has kept me interested to the end.
Da Vinci's Demons (2013)
Exciting adventure/mystery
I have enjoyed every episode of this series and am hard put to understand all of the negative reviews. Why would anyone insist that a fictional adventure series be historically accurate? Someone complained that the actors had English accents! Did they expect the dialog to be period-accurate Italian? Would they have preferred phony Chico Marx Italian accents?
Tom Riley makes a swashbuckling, brilliant Leonardo. Elliot Cowan's Lorenzo de Medici comes across as a pure political animal, a believable Machiavellian prince. One of my favorite characters is Count Riario, played by Blake Ritson. He's a delightfully oily twisted evil cowardly schemer, but is almost always sat least one step behind Leonardo. I looking forward to his getting his just desserts. I was delighted to see Alexander Siddig in the role of the mysterious Al-Rahim. I don't think I've seen him since Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where I enjoyed his Dr. Julian Bashir for seven seasons.
I've always loved Illuminati-type mystical mystery stories (like The Da Vinci Code) and the series seem to be building up to a whopper. Each episode adds a piece to the puzzle and I can't wait to see the next one.
The only thing that kept me from giving the series a 10 rating is the excessive nudity when it does nothing to drive the plot. It seems to be there for nothing more than puerile titillation and detracts from the overall sensibility of the series. The shows base demographic is probably quite a bit younger than I am and more welcoming to the extraneous T&A.
On second thought, I'm giving it a 10 rating to compensate for the silly bad reviews from people who can't comprehend the difference between histories and adventure fiction.
The President's Analyst (1967)
This movie changed my life!
As a poor stoned college student in 1967, I went to see The President's Analyst in Ann Arbor, Michigan and came to the realization the The Phone Company was running the world via its giant computers and animatronic front men. My plans to become an orthopedic surgeon suddenly seemed less meaningful. I wanted to go to California and drink fruit punch that would make me glow in the dark.
This movie has no respect for anyone! The send-up of J. Edgar Hoover, with the midget FBI men, is one of the funniest scenes in moviedom. Coburn is at his manic best, with a terrifying grin that could eat a major metropolitan area. The cosmic Barry McGuire song over the secret agents killing each other trying to kidnap Coburn is priceless.
I LOVE this film! (And The Phone Company would really like to put a phone inside your brain - it's about five years down the road.)