rpullman-1 Reviews

Gone (II) (2011)

Useless

[1/10 · 17 January 2021]

We bailed early on so some of this is from reading other reviews. It is a tragic story, the loss of a child in a foreign country, body never found, almost certainly murdered. But this film does more to confuse than to clarify. It is little more than interviews of the mother, close up in a studio. She recounts an ordeal of hostile treatment by the Vienna police and their refusal to investigate, which might have been the case but she comes across as a Karen. From what we could tell there was no report of a crime scene to the police, nor witnesses on record, so what are the police to do a week after her son's disappearance other than to treat it as a missing person. Supposedly he was at a very upscale gay bathhouse, was seen by one couple running from it naked, and seen by a fisherman in the Danube Canal. It would make sense for the film to drill down into those leads, talk to the couple and the fisherman, interview people who were at the bathhouse. It would make sense to solicit interviews from anyone else who might have witnessed a bathhouse altercation, a naked man in the street, or a man drowning in the canal. Not to mention coworkers at UNIDO (how did he get the job?), friends, lovers, etc. None of that apparently. Just Mom, on camera, making allegations.

Princess Cyd (2017)

Skip it.

[3/10 · 13 December 2020]

We bailed after 15 minutes. The characters and dialog do not ring true. The direction is very stiff. The opening scenes suggest the girl is in Chicago for the first time, and recovering from an awful trauma, yet the first thing she does is go for a long solo run from Ravenswood to Lake Michigan and back. We figured the whole film would be like that, a salad of Mike Leigh style scenes, most of them unrelated to the girl's emergent sexuality.

The Americans (2013–2018)

Season 6 Psychic Spoiler

[10/10 · 3 February 2018]

I love this show; have watched each season week by week and binge watched repeats. Since learning, before season 5, that there would also be a season 6, my wife and I have had several discussions fantasizing on how the remainder of the show will unfold. Here is what I think.

The Jennings will be arrested as spies. It will be a rookie mistake that triggers suspicion and arrest. They will be unaware of the mistake and completely surprised by the arrest. They will be jailed but will not be tried. They will be a prisoner exchange with Russia. Paige will opt to go to Russia with her parents; Henry will not. In Russia the Jennings' relationship will falter and they will separate. Paige will live mainly with her mother and visit her father. Philip's son will move in with him. Philip and Martha will meet but not resume a romantic relationship. Stan will resign from the FBI. Henry will live with Stan when home from prep school. Paige will learn the complete truth from her parents and decide to return to the United States. She will remain on lukewarm terms with her parents.

For all that to happen the arrest would have to happen pretty early. The mistake is made in episode 1. The FBI plants a bug in the Jennings' house in episode 2 and the arrest is made in episode 3. Stan knows the layout of the house and can set things up. Since the Jennings do not know who Aderholt is, he could pose as a repairman to plant the bugs. Stan would have sabotaged the furnace or fridge to set that up. Then the Jennings are spooked into having an emergency chat by being informed of the rookie mistake.

Episodes 4 , 5, and 6 include a lot of interrogation, much of it by Stan and Aderholt. Some of the interrogation will be complicated by enduring feelings of friendship. But there will be no confessions of importance to Stan, nor physical evidence to connect them with the cases of the most interest. While that matters personally to Stan, it is a moot point to the FBI. The Jennings will spend the rest of their lives in prison. Except it is 1985 and the beginnings of glasnost, and the circumstances are right for a prisoner swap. The FBI would dearly love to avenge its two murdered agents, but not keen on revealing that a KGB agent married the head of its counterintel department. So the deal is done and the Jennings are back in Moscow in episode 7, and the remainder of the season addresses how they and Paige adapt there, and the consequences for Stan, and Henry, in the US.

It is hard to see any room for Oleg in season 6. That role, along with Gabriel, seems to have ended in season 5. There will be a few color scenes for Oleg and Gabriel but no development. I think the character of Henry will be more prominent than any other season . Claudia will flame out; perhaps sacrifice herself in a vain attempt to save the Jennings from suspicion. Martha and his son return to Philip's life late in the season.

Samurai Gourmet (2017)

This is not what a spoiler looks like.

[8/10 · 10 October 2017]

Well there is no plot so nothing to be spoiled. This series is the visual equivalent of a tone poem. It goes nowhere but it is relaxing and pleasurable. For me very much so. Retirement is an adaptation process. After a lifetime of the self-discipline and regimentation of the salary man, what does one do? Travel? Volunteer? Start a new career or hobby? None of the above in this case. The food and the imaginary samurai are mcguffins. The series explores the exalted state of personal freedom to structure one's day however one wishes.

Transparent (2014–2019)

Worth a try

[6/10 · 28 September 2017]

We enjoyed the first 2 seasons but bailed after episode 1 of season 3. Other reviewers have criticized the writing, the characters, and the setting. It might be more of an improv than a tightly scripted show like Frasier. There are loose subplots but no story line. The show revolves around a coming-out and its aftermath. It does not moralize or lecture. It does a commendable job of showing rather than telling.

And there are funny moments, just not of the Mel Brooks variety. It has its charms.

Sensitive Skin (2014–2016)

Season 1 was sort of OK. Season 2, Episode 1 was a disappointment.

[5/10 · 16 January 2017]

I wanted to like this show but it did not deliver enough. It spent too much time setting up jokes that are neither funny nor original. Season 1 of Sensitive Skin was much better. Episode 1 of season 2 did not come close to making me laugh. There were a handful of lame, clichéd jokes telegraphed. The characters were not believable, perhaps because the dialog was as lame as the jokes. Like so many shows, it relies more on eye candy interior decorating than on clever writing. I don't fault the actors since they had little to work with. Season 1 had some great scenes - the visits to the doctor, the encounter with an old school friend. Episode 1 of season 2 had nothing.

Eight Miles High (2007)

I was there.

[11 July 2008]

I will catch this film when it plays here in Chicago in August. I was in Kommune 1 for a couple of weeks in March of 1969. There were two residences - Rainer Langhans, Uschi Obermaier, Dieter Kunzelmann stayed in the larger of the two, a factory loft sort of place. I stayed in the other residence, a dozen or so people in one large room. I went there with a friend from Frankfurt who wanted to reconcile with his girlfriend, who had left him for Dieter Kunzelmann. His girlfriend was unreceptive and he split right away. I was welcome to stay on for a while and did. It was easy living. Everyone was nice, except grouchy Dieter. No star attitudes or pretensions. Both Rainer and Uschi were very grounded, not at all affected by their notoriety. I think that set the tone. I'll give this film a 10 just on its subject matter.