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Thumb Tripping (1972)
I was there!
My best friend and I were hitchhiking along the PCH when we were stopped due to the movie being shot in front of the Big Sur Lodge. We were given $5.00 and a free meal at the Lodge to perform on the side of the road, play our guitar and tambourine and dance. The story was written by someone who had no idea how hitchhikers and hitchhiking was like at the time. Remember, this was not long after the Manson massacre. The characters were contrived, and totally unrelatable. Easy Rider was so much more entertaining and the story and characters, while obviously fiction, were relatable. The quality of acting (Dern and Foster excluded) could have been better using one of the many hippies on the side of the road. Oh, and our piece ended on the cutting room floor.
Treason (2022)
C'mon, people - it's not a documentary!
I was thoroughly entertained. I could see the holes in the plot, the problems with reality, but I felt the acting was superb for what the story contained. My only negative was seeing Adam dying before his vindication. Real people act differently when in stressful or unknown situations. The wife had a small amount of PTSD due to her tour in the Mideast war, so her mistrust of her husband, that fear of abandonment - that he was cheating on her, and not doing "spy stuff" - was understandable. When the truth was revealed, she held herself accountable and helpful. So, put aside the negatives and give the show an unbiased look-see.
Lupin (2021)
Ignore the holes in the story
Suspend belief; there are tons of inconsistencies and missteps in the story. Ignore them. But allow yourself to saturate into the story, the atmosphere, the tension, the music, the flow of the narrative, the hooks and twists. You will find an exciting, watchable experience to binge on.
Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)
The first viewing is the best
The first time I saw this little gem was with a group of filmmakers in California in the mid-1970s. We gathered in one of the workers' apartment, sitting on cushions, watching short funny films. When the "stomp" came, we all burst out laughing. I now have this on a VHS along with two other funny shorts. My preteen sons had the same reaction I had, and couldn't wait to show the movie to their friends. I wish I could find a copy of G. I. Joe Meets Bambi. I think it was by the same crew of animators. Those two were the best of the evening.
If Found Please Return To (2011)
Short, sweet and silly
Like short stories, I enjoy these little nibbles of creativeness. I came across this piece while seeing what else Natasha O'Keeffe had done, and was thoroughly amused. Well done, Natasha!
Peaky Blinders (2013)
Still excellent
One reviewer said that the 5th season is a disappointment. I totally disagree. Yes, the Peaky Blinders have moved from their original turf, but people grow, move on, grow up. They are still the same people, but circumstances change. The "real" Peakies didn't last long, a short lived era; this show is fiction and can live as long as Steven Knight and the actors agree to allow it to change with the times. The word out now is that it will end at the beginning of World War 2. That feels like a good ending. After that there can be spin offs, which, if the quality continues as is, I, for one, will continue to savor this mythical, dirty, addicting story.
I feel I have to add to this review. As I skim over the complaints, the nitpickers and naysayers, I feel this series needs one more "10" explanation. This show is not a documentary - it is FICTION! It is ENTERTAINMENT! And it fulfills completely if you overlook the unimportant details: the cigarettes they use are not tobacco, and pretty much everyone DID smoke then; the booze is flavored water or juice; the cars have license stickers on the windshields, push button locks and seat belts not available during the era; the true music of the era would make a good comedy for our current times, so music that FIT the tension, the mood, the anticipation, the atmosphere was chosen from the enormous selections available today, and I feel they did a brilliant job of selections. I could go on and on, but I've said enough. Watch the show. Binge like I have. Eagerly await the next season. And put your prejudices away while bathing in the shadows and blood and acting and writing of a fine piece of cinematic entertainment.
Likvidator (2011)
It's not an American movie!
You can't look at this film the same way an American would make an action film. The differences are subtle, but definitely there. I enjoyed this film. I came across it while looking for Russian language movies so I could practice my fading understanding of the language. The shaky camera work was a bit annoying which dropped a star for me, but all the rest kept me hooked. The story line, the characterization, the acting, the gritty settings, especially the end (I won't tell) made me want a sequel. As for Vinny Jones, he's just icing on the cake - but the cake was great.
Kremen. Osvobozhdenie (2012)
Rambo goes Zen, Russian style
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It says it is a series, but I can only find one season. The plot and action are straight out of Hollywood, but there is a very different attitude. Yes, the bodies pile up beyond counting them, but Andrei's love affair with his knife and nature make him a three-dimensional character. And Nastya is quiet, gorgeous, tough, and worthy of being his girl. She is no Wonder Woman, but a very human survivor, just like he is. I wish there were more with these characters, or if there is I wish it was more readily available to us Americans.