Bob Bare is wired with dynamite, and holds 4 pregnant women hostage until he finds which one of them holds his artificially-inseminated baby. The solution to getting the women released is obvious. Get a judge to issue an order that after the births, all the babies DNA be compared to Bare's DNA. This is the only way to tell that the baby wasn't the husbands sperm even if Bare's sperm was there too. If Bare was given a copy of the judge's order, even he would see that this is the only way anyone can be sure that one of the baby's is his sperm. I think that even in a normal situation, a man would have the right to see if it is his baby
Reviews
7 Reviews
Les Misérables
(2012)
My personal best movie ever made
27 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I can't think of any better movie, nor is there anything in IMDb Top250. This seemed better than Casablanca, Dr Zhivago, Third Man, Citizen Kane, and the 1939 movies. In ways, the plot here is similar to Shawshank Redemption, but this redemption is more intense, involves more people, and more interrelationships.
The movie was very true to the play, but added some important subtleties from the book. Even so, the whole feel was much larger than the play - more lifelike. The acting and cinematography was really excellent. The imperfect live singing made everything more real. There were a few added minor songs which were OK. Fantines downfall was heartbreaking. In the very end of the play, Fantine and Eponine were involved; in the movie, Fantine and the bishop; a nice change.
The amount of action at the barricades was distracting. No, there was no intermission after One More Day, but the way the movie did it was almost as good as the play. Except for these, all the changes from the play were improvements. My main criticism was that while the singing was good, some was not quite up to this very demanding score.
The movie was very true to the play, but added some important subtleties from the book. Even so, the whole feel was much larger than the play - more lifelike. The acting and cinematography was really excellent. The imperfect live singing made everything more real. There were a few added minor songs which were OK. Fantines downfall was heartbreaking. In the very end of the play, Fantine and Eponine were involved; in the movie, Fantine and the bishop; a nice change.
The amount of action at the barricades was distracting. No, there was no intermission after One More Day, but the way the movie did it was almost as good as the play. Except for these, all the changes from the play were improvements. My main criticism was that while the singing was good, some was not quite up to this very demanding score.
The Good Witch
(2008 TV Movie)
Like Chocolat
18 June 2008
I think this is a take-off on the French movie Chocolat (1988). A mysterious but sweet wandering woman comes into a small town. She opens up a shop where she gives away things that magically make people better. But the conservative element tries to drive her out simply because she's different from them.
A complement to the movie is that although I missed the start, I recognized the plot immediately. It did have a similar feel to Chocolat.
But it wasn't nearly as good because it got distracted by a typical Hollywood love interest which wasn't germane to the main plot of intolerance. And it ended abruptly with a typical Hollywood cop-out. The question is not whether she's a witch, but could enough people in town change to accept her goodness.
A complement to the movie is that although I missed the start, I recognized the plot immediately. It did have a similar feel to Chocolat.
But it wasn't nearly as good because it got distracted by a typical Hollywood love interest which wasn't germane to the main plot of intolerance. And it ended abruptly with a typical Hollywood cop-out. The question is not whether she's a witch, but could enough people in town change to accept her goodness.
Diabolique
(1955)
Another solution
30 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The were several possible solutions which occurred to me. One of them was as filmed. Another was the obvious ghost solution.
But another possibility was that the body was actually found and quietly reported to the police. Then the ex-commissioner set a trap for the two women, who were obvious suspects because of the abuse. The traps the police used to check the ID of the naked body seemed to support this. It could have easily been the ex-commissioner who had the suit dry-cleaned and sent to the women. It was obvious that the suit was meant to scare the women. And he finally did get a confession, though his reaction showed that this wasn't the solution chosen.
SPOILER: Actually, the movie's solution has a flaw, since it depends on the wife not checking that he is really dead, something they could not be certain of.
The best part was at the very end, where it seems clear that the wife isn't really dead, and is giving payback. I hope she succeeds.
But another possibility was that the body was actually found and quietly reported to the police. Then the ex-commissioner set a trap for the two women, who were obvious suspects because of the abuse. The traps the police used to check the ID of the naked body seemed to support this. It could have easily been the ex-commissioner who had the suit dry-cleaned and sent to the women. It was obvious that the suit was meant to scare the women. And he finally did get a confession, though his reaction showed that this wasn't the solution chosen.
SPOILER: Actually, the movie's solution has a flaw, since it depends on the wife not checking that he is really dead, something they could not be certain of.
The best part was at the very end, where it seems clear that the wife isn't really dead, and is giving payback. I hope she succeeds.
Hair
(1979)
Terrible
18 March 2008
I was a hippie age 22 in 1965, have seen the play 5 times, have 2 versions of the music, and have read the script many times. Maybe taken as an separate thing, the movie is OK, but as an adoption of the play, it's terrible.
First the good. The songs are sung well, and the production values are pretty good. The homosexual implications in Black Boys, White Boys is cute. The Claude/Berger switch was interesting. Hair is a fluid production, and constant changes in it are inherent provided the basic spirit of it is retained.
But the basic spirit was very much distorted. It seemed like all the producer wanted was to sing certain songs, and fit the story-line to them regardless of what that did to the original intent of the play.
Claude, Sheila, and Hud were presented as a selfish brats who could care less about anyone outside their tribe. Claude destroyed Sheila's parents party (it's hard to believe that she smiled while her parents were being hurt), and repeatedly stole cars. Sheila stole the soldier's clothes and car. Then she left him in the middle of the desert where he would certainly sunburn badly, probably be busted in rank, and could likely die on that lonely Nevada road. Good fun. And Hud found it fine to break his son's heart while yelling at his ex. This is not what hippies were like, not what the play described, and is directly opposite to a love generation.
I've never seen a hippie beg for money. The point was to be self-sufficient outside the capitalist system, not beg from it.
After Berger is thrown in jail for ruining Sheila's party and Claude offers to bail some out, Berger insists on being bailed instead, with no better plan for bailing the rest that hitting on Sheila's parents, and then hitting on his own mommy.
"Be In" has always been a very spiritual point, but here it is wasted on silly brides floating around. Even if this is part of his trip, it ruins a beautiful song. I know they're contrasting "Floating In Space" with the Army. But again, it totally ruins a beautiful song.
While Sheila and Claude are skinny dipping, Berger steals their clothes, laughing "it was fun man" even after he could see both were very annoyed. Then a little later, Berger does one thing that no hippie ever does. He hits Claude. Terrible.
Then they have the perfect opportunity to sing "Starshine" at night in some beautiful SF spot with the stars twinkling down, maybe working into an inventive duet. Instead, the whole tribe sings it in the blazing sun speeding down the road in a convertible (stolen of course).
I was vastly disappointed with the movie in 1979, and I like it even less now. I think it would have been possible to do a reasonably close adoption of the show, but this ain't it.
First the good. The songs are sung well, and the production values are pretty good. The homosexual implications in Black Boys, White Boys is cute. The Claude/Berger switch was interesting. Hair is a fluid production, and constant changes in it are inherent provided the basic spirit of it is retained.
But the basic spirit was very much distorted. It seemed like all the producer wanted was to sing certain songs, and fit the story-line to them regardless of what that did to the original intent of the play.
Claude, Sheila, and Hud were presented as a selfish brats who could care less about anyone outside their tribe. Claude destroyed Sheila's parents party (it's hard to believe that she smiled while her parents were being hurt), and repeatedly stole cars. Sheila stole the soldier's clothes and car. Then she left him in the middle of the desert where he would certainly sunburn badly, probably be busted in rank, and could likely die on that lonely Nevada road. Good fun. And Hud found it fine to break his son's heart while yelling at his ex. This is not what hippies were like, not what the play described, and is directly opposite to a love generation.
I've never seen a hippie beg for money. The point was to be self-sufficient outside the capitalist system, not beg from it.
After Berger is thrown in jail for ruining Sheila's party and Claude offers to bail some out, Berger insists on being bailed instead, with no better plan for bailing the rest that hitting on Sheila's parents, and then hitting on his own mommy.
"Be In" has always been a very spiritual point, but here it is wasted on silly brides floating around. Even if this is part of his trip, it ruins a beautiful song. I know they're contrasting "Floating In Space" with the Army. But again, it totally ruins a beautiful song.
While Sheila and Claude are skinny dipping, Berger steals their clothes, laughing "it was fun man" even after he could see both were very annoyed. Then a little later, Berger does one thing that no hippie ever does. He hits Claude. Terrible.
Then they have the perfect opportunity to sing "Starshine" at night in some beautiful SF spot with the stars twinkling down, maybe working into an inventive duet. Instead, the whole tribe sings it in the blazing sun speeding down the road in a convertible (stolen of course).
I was vastly disappointed with the movie in 1979, and I like it even less now. I think it would have been possible to do a reasonably close adoption of the show, but this ain't it.
The Verdict
(1982)
No redemption
1 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
While this tried to be great acting, I don't think it was. It feels like Newman plays his character as either depressed or hyperventilating -- nothing else (bi-polar?). I only see one moment, when he asks Kaitlin "help me?", where he significantly breaks out of this pattern. We haven't seen Newman in this mold before, but that doesn't make it less monotonous. Mason plays Mason and Warden plays Warden as always. Laura Fischer doesn't have much of a role, and plays it correctly as not much. Milo O'Shea plays the judge ambiguously as cute but mean. Only Lindsay Crouse does a really good job as Kaitlin. If I were on the jury, I would believe her absolutely too.
Now for the plot:
*** Major spoilers ***
In refusing the $210,000,Frank is clearly putting his own redemption (as a lawyer) above that of his client. Only way too late does he try to correct this.
The love interest, Charlotte, secretly works for defense attorney Ed Concannon (James Mason), but stops being a spy before telling Ed about Kaitlin. You see her staring at a phone, but not calling him. Indeed, she secretly gives Frank the letter that allowed him to trace Kaitlin. Because of this, the jury was able to hear the other side - that the doctors had changed the one hour to nine hours. Yet at the very end, Frank refuses to answer Charlotte's phone calls and listen to her side - that she stopped spying in time. This verdict of Frank against even listening to Charlotte belies Franks closing argument about a prayer for justice. So I don't see that Frank is redeemed at all.
Now for the plot:
*** Major spoilers ***
In refusing the $210,000,Frank is clearly putting his own redemption (as a lawyer) above that of his client. Only way too late does he try to correct this.
The love interest, Charlotte, secretly works for defense attorney Ed Concannon (James Mason), but stops being a spy before telling Ed about Kaitlin. You see her staring at a phone, but not calling him. Indeed, she secretly gives Frank the letter that allowed him to trace Kaitlin. Because of this, the jury was able to hear the other side - that the doctors had changed the one hour to nine hours. Yet at the very end, Frank refuses to answer Charlotte's phone calls and listen to her side - that she stopped spying in time. This verdict of Frank against even listening to Charlotte belies Franks closing argument about a prayer for justice. So I don't see that Frank is redeemed at all.
Valley of Fear
24 May 2007
This is clearly an adaption of the first half of Doyle's novel "The Valley of Fear" ( http://sherlock-holmes.classic-literature.co.uk/the-valley-of-fear/ ) with tantalizing similarities for those who have read the book, and a few disappointing omissions, such as Doyle providing a much more dramatic ending to the first half of the novel. Still, this is very entertaining and well condensed. I agree that Ronald Howard makes a surprisingly good Holmes. Not up to Rathbone of course, but good.
Thanks to the other reviewers who mentioned the 30 and 39 episode DVDs. Just google "The Case of the Shy Ballerina" to find them. Look around cause prices vary. I just ordered the full series.
Thanks to the other reviewers who mentioned the 30 and 39 episode DVDs. Just google "The Case of the Shy Ballerina" to find them. Look around cause prices vary. I just ordered the full series.
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