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jude-87
Reviews
A Nightingale Falling (2014)
Cinematically Beautiful
A beautifully filmed period piece. It subtlety introduces the Irish civil war of the 1920s, & adds a bit more to the story for those already well versed in the history. As another reviewer said: "The setting and period were convincing, the sets were perfect, and one did get a sense of menace from the situation. The acting was fine."
I think the problem was in the pacing. The editing could have been a lot sharper, some beautifully filmed scenes would have worked just as well, if a little shortened. It was a poignant, sweet, painful story, & I appreciate it making it's contribution to our understanding of what happened in Ireland.
And So It Goes (2014)
A Sweet Film with Something to Say
This was a charming little film I was lucky enough to stumble into thru Youtube. Setting is pretty, cast are different - not all the Usual Suspects. So maybe it doesn't stretch Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas to the very edge of their very fine acting abilities, but it is a good enouhg pleasant piece with just enought to show us about relationships, love in later life, family relations.... to definitely be worth the time. I find it quite satisfactroy.
Murder on the Cape (2017)
The Scenery Is Top Notch
The Scenery can't be beat: lots of ocean, small town Providence, great sea side houses. This is an adaptation of a moderately successful book. While the book leaves the identity of the murderer unsettled, the film writers decided to make it simple for the viewer, and just sort of arbitrarily chose a murderer for us. Contrary to one reviewer's thoughts, the plot is relatively coherent and portrays characters that are relatively believable and events that could (maybe actually did in real life, happen). Josh Walthers can act some. The casting is often at perfection. The writing is stilted and so is much of the acting. Stiff scene after stiff scene, if you make it through the film. I watched it to the end, being drawn in by the location and curious as to how they would transform the book to film. Lots of cringe-worthy moments, however.
The Wisdom to Survive: Climate Change, Capitalism & Community (2013)
A gem of a small film on climate change
There are quite a few films about climate change; there will be many more. I like Wisdom to Survive because it has a little something for everyone: scientists and public figures whom we have heard from over many years, a sustainable gardening/permaculture representative, teachers who want to see solar installations, new age talk of spiritual struggle and expressions of great sadness at losing species and the beautiful planet as we have been blessed to know it in our current lifetime, concern for the grandchildren and those after who will not experience what we have had, an historical perspective on the relatively short time since industrialization and the speed up of the destruction of our atmosphere, and much more. It is well done with polished technical values, cinematography is quite beautiful, and it is short: short enough for people to take around to screen in church basements and schools. (59 min.) However, I hope it gets the widest possible viewing - in small theaters everywhere in North America would be the ideal destination for this little gem of a film.
After the Fog (2007)
Totally fascinating talking heads film
Extremely well done interviews done with eclectic variety of survivors of each of the United States' wars. Interviewers found survivors from WWII, Korean, Vietnam and the First War in Iraq, and they managed without leaving Vermont (and the Veteran's Hospital in White River Jct, VT) to find people of different races, and a woman who is a veteran of Iraq. People in the audience at the time I saw this film were really moved. Although technically a collaboration, I believe this was largely done by a beginning filmmaker under the mentor ship of an experienced film maker -- whatever, the results were admirable. I highly recommend people seek out this documentary.