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Earthmonkey16
Age: You do not ask a lady (alright fourty-something)
What I do: Taxonomist
Hobbies: Reading, hiking, painting (oil paint), travelling, art history, meditation
Books by: Tolkien, Carlos Ruiz Rafon, Isabel Allende, Diana Gabaldon
Movies: PotC, The Shawshank Redemption, Princess Bride, LOTR, Green Mile, Benny & Joon, Chocolat, Cry Freedom, Driving Miss Daisy, Playing by Heart, Only Lovers Left Alive, Hollow Crown series
TV shows: Northern Exposure, Gilmore Girls, M*A*S*H, MacGyver, Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders, Sherlock, Endeavour - Morse - Lewis, Game of Thrones
Music: Pink Floyd, Queen, Coldplay, Rolling Stones, Maroon 5, Tina Turner, Beyonce, Jazz and Classical music
Reviews
The Game Changers (2018)
Biased and cherry picking
Reviewer compsci97 thinks the vegans have nothing to gain, but....
This is a documentary that is produced by someone aiming to own the largest pea company in the world.
The scientists are all either payed by or have other monetary interests in plant based institutions or publications.
The science is cherry picked or misrepresented.
Check the facts, vegan diet only if you sponsor the farmaceutical industry with vitamin pills
Archipelago (2010)
British to the hilt
This is a film about a family coming together for a holiday, well almost all the family..
The undercurrents of resentment, unhappiness, family strife are cringe worthy but not overacted or overexposed.
The weather works well with the story, clouds and cold. The metaphor of watercolours as an on the surface not too intrusive thank you very much hobby for unhappy people.
The treatment of the cook by the different members of the family illustrates their philosophy in life or how they see their role in society I do not remember the music which means it either was illustrative of the film or lacking..
The Eichmann Show (2015)
Needs to be followed by copious amounts of your favourite cartoon/film that makes you laugh
Can there be spoilers on a rendition of an historic event??
This is a heartbreaking view, they used footage of the original Eichmann trial did they not? Anybody with a heart will have tears in their eyes and their stomachs turned over and over at the sight of the (thankfully short) parts of the documentary of Auschwitz. Very strong emotional attack.
Are men capable of being monsters, well Eichmann was.
The closing statements of the film, an accusation to all that judge people on their religion, the colour of their skin, on anything BUT their character.
Muse of Fire (2013)
How to approach Shakespeare
I grew up NOT reading Shakespeare (I am lucky in that aspect, I cannot read any of the classics in my own language, so i can relate to the apprehension of the English/British) My first taste of Shakespeare was at The Globe theatre in London, Much ado about Nothing, and Shakespeare is imho best appreciated while watching on stage.
Two young actors Dan Poole and Giles Terera (both have actually been in a Shakespeare production since) trying to find out how to tackle The Bard, they interview the great actors of this age to find out how they do it..
Their documentary takes them to Denmark for Hamlet and L.A. for an interview with the director of Romeo & Juliet (with Leonardo) while they themselves hit a hard patch in their careers.
It is a documentary to liberate Shakespeare from his reputation and make him into a pleasure - something I truly support.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Film Noir meets White Rabbit
Someone recommended this movie based on a somewhat liquored up discussion on the benefits of art house films. I was swept of my feet...
The melancholy mood of the beginning took me back to the Film Noir genre and the hippie era.
The movie floats on air, the chemistry of Adam and Eve, their history, the age in their eyes and words, while acting and dancing like young lovers..
The mood changes for a while, when Eve's sister show up.. she is like a teenager without a clue.
The score helps with the feeling of detached bliss with a sad afterthought.
If you think this review is too trippy, don't watch the movie.. I typed it when I was watching it (it lifted me ten feet of the ground)
I will try to find some other films by this director...
Breaking the Code (1996)
Code breaking and hidden secrets
Although the story of Alan Turing should be well known to everybody I put in a spoiler alert..
Alan Turing's life is shown in this film, his fascination for mathematics started as a lifeline for his homosexual feelings.
The whole story is centered around Alan Turing being burglarized .. which leads eventually to his arrest for being homosexual... And his suicide..
But it shows how secrecy over wartime activities in Bletchley Park has haltered many brilliant minds in their civilian careers. The tragedy of not being able to enjoy what was his due... Although Alan was awarded an OBE his work was kept secret for years... And did not protect him in his personal life... sadly.
It is also testament to how an open society which does not shun those that are different from important positions (like the code breakers) beats a totalitarian regime like Nazi German. I also recommend you try to find the BBC -Code breakers, Bletchley park lost heroes- which shows 2 even more hidden geniuses, who worked at Bletchley.
It is a touching story, well acted (Derek Jacobi is always brilliant in his acting)
Last Will & Testament (2012)
Only believers??
Over 70% gave this a 10...
All the reviews were raving..
I do not trust either....
This is clearly a film that has so far only been known by believers in the conspiracy of DeVere as author.. Nothing to link that man to plays or the company that performed them. Nothing in his writing indicates that he wrote like the author of the Shakespeare canon (and no that is not due to lack of comparison material, it is because of the abundance of comparison materials) DeVere's enemies never mentioned him writing these plays, even though they accused him of all kinds of misdeeds..
And what was so dangerous about the plays that DeVere had to hide his authorship?? When there is NO indication that anybody was ever accused of writing these (apparently not so) dangerous plays... Not like the Isle of Dogs....
This seems a remake of the Anonymous film http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1521197/ Which was very liberal with history...
Is there any new evidence?? Does this film ignore the same facts as other Oxfordian ideas?? Does this film invent historical facts?? Probably..
Doctor Who (2005)
The only series I watch real time
I remember my first episode. Midwinter 2010/11, snow had turned to ice, you really did not go out of the house unless you really had to. Now you have to know that for a few months I did not get BBC 1 and 2, but BBC Entertainment..
Just finished watching the news and the weather report came on... Not interested it is going to be horrible again, so I started to flip channels.. And got to the BBC and instantly I realised I had stumbled into something about Shakespeare, I just couldn't figure out what that guy in the trench coat and sneakers was doing there (not to mention the woman in a red leather jacket and jeans) but it is the BBC there must be a good reason...
I sat there for about half an hour (missed the first minutes) letting my coffee get cold, totally mesmerised, the next thing I did when it finished was 2 things, book tickets to see Shakespeare live in London and google what the &#@@ was I just watching.
I got my hands on the whole series and watched them, I have favourite episodes. 9th doctor: Unquiet dead, 10th doctor: Blink, Girl in the fireplace, and the emotional 'End of time' duo) 11th doctor: Eleventh hour, Vincent, Lodger
I was hooked, but on what exactly, it is not a real SF, it is not a real drama, it is not a real comedy, it is in my eyes something typically British, basically mad with a lot of sub-sets.
Can I be more specific?? All I can say give it a try, start with Blink I always say, that is a doctor-light episode, or if you are interested in Shakespeare (the Shakespeare code), if you are interested in Vincent van Gogh (Vincent and the Doctor, if you are interested in Dickens (The Unquiet dead), Agatha Christie (The Wasp and the unicorn), that man gets around..
Anonymous (2011)
I couldn't care less... unfortunately
I am an Stratfordian, let's get that clear from the get/go. I am however not someone who would hate a movie because of the message.
My favorite movies are Shawshank, Green mile, Benny&Joon, THHGTG, Lord of the Rings. I can enjoy History of the World part I, Robin Hood, Spartacus, Gladiator, and others that take history as inspiration... yet deviate for entertainment purposes.
I wanted to see this movie to see how the anti-Strats would bring their message, and I have to say not very well.
But halfway the movie, I found myself not caring... not caring whatsoever, if the Spanish Armada had shown up and won the day (not all that unusual in the fictional history in this movie) and I was asked if the characters in the movie had to be spared?? My answer would probably be which answer ends this movie faster.
The images are great mind you that is why it gets a few points but the characters, not one of them I could care about. The queen was too dumb to be a secret mother of all those boys (no girls as far as I could tell but I didn't care, remember) and too much into bedding everything in pants and not interested in state which seems to be unusually odd. DeVere was unbelievable in his attempt to put politics in plays without the ones paid to spot it finding out, while the commoners of London spotted it immediately.... Shakespeare was way to uneducated and dumb to be a convincing front-man. Jonson... odd,, a man of the theater not recognizing good/great plays when he sees it?? Marlowe, in very good shape for a man dead for years... (sorry but that was so totally stupid, the death of Marlowe was Shakespeare's opening in playwriting)
So no unfortunately even though i am hugely interested in the subject of Shakespeare authorship, and love to read other people's opinions, debate them and learn ever more, i am going to watch Shakespeare's Henry V this summer (historical incorrect probably, but entertaining, I am told) if it is as entertaining as Much ado about nothing I am happy.
The 10th Kingdom (2000)
All fairy tales thrown into one
A delightful mix of various fairy tales, where a man and his daughter somehow get into a universe where various fairytale figures have their own kingdom (snow white, Cinderella and others)
For foreign viewers it is sometimes hard to figure out which fairy tale is portrayed but once you let that go you'll enjoy this. A miniseries is (for me at least) the perfect solution for those times it is too early to go to bed and too late to tune into a movie.
But this is also one of those miniseries which makes you go:oh just one more....
Best be warned
Der 90. Geburtstag oder Dinner for One (1963)
rolling on the floor laughing .... let me catch my breath first
Ingredients: - 1 elderly lady, celebrating her 90th birthday - 1 old butler - 4 friends, passed away a long time ago
What you get: - a fancy dinner party for 5, including the various refreshments that usually accompany the various courses - same procedure as last year, miss Sophie?? -Same procedure as every year James!!
Which part is the best??
Oh, I don't really know is it the part where James mimics the guests?? Is it the anticipation will he or won't he trip over the tigers head?? (I ain't telling!!) Or is it the surprise at the end....
Usually I am already in tears from laughter half way, and then it gets even better
All Creatures Great and Small (1975)
Lovely
The movie is nice, not world class, but shows you a splendid young Anthony Hopkins as Sigfried Farnon.
This movie never reaches the level of the series (which were started after, because of(?) this movie) It was a bit too hasty, no real depth in the characters, most things you have to deduct from conversation. The real Herriot lovers are waiting for the explosions of Sigfried, especially if you ever saw Anthony Hopkins in action, but he is surprisingly sedate almost throughout this movie.
I would recommend the books, and the series, but this is an enjoyable movie non the less.