d_carlotaj Reviews

Barry (2018–2023)

LA: Mecca for Lost Souls

[8/10 · 27 September 2022]

"Barry. (2018), a tv series. Directed by Bill Hader and Alec Berg, who created it. Stars Stephen Root and Sarah Goldberg and Henry Winkler. This movie is either a horror film or a theater of the absurd film. But if it's both, the film manages to skillfully weave these two genres together to make a statement about the film industry, its purpose and patterns of psychological states of minds of the "hopefuls" who desperately pursue success in acting. At times it is almost painful to watch as the actors' dreams descend into bathos. Years of trauma, neglect, and rejection literally warp their perceptions to the point to where they cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy. They are seeking truth in acting. Which is actually an oxymoron. They end up believing that if they "hit all the marks," they will maneuver themselves into position to attain validation, fame, money, career, acceptance, love. All that glitters that is supposed to be fulfilling. This film shows just how myth can destroy lives. Like the hopefuls flocking to LA, and even the migrants who believe that America is an endless utopia ripe for the picking, dreams will be dashed when reality sets in.

Henry Winkler's character is almost the father figure who tries to gently guide his students to a stable frame of reference.

Childhood trauma and trauma of destitution are the culprits in this cycle of desperation.

The actors were very good and the script as well.. Overall the production hit all the marks. I give this movie 4 stars of five stars.

Sun Dogs (2017)

Sun Dogs vs. Devil Dogs: A Mirror Image

[10/10 · 16 June 2021]

"Sun Dogs,(2017). Starring Michael Arangano and Jennifer Morrison. Directed by Jennifer Morrison and written by Raoul McFarland. This movie on its face is tragic and sad. But its purpose is to parody and expose a danger to society. What danger is that? The danger is the U. S. military preying on the unsuspecting segment of the population: the human fledglings. This stage of human development is from about 12-22 years of age. At this stage the human brain undergoes a phenomenal change, marked by heightened and acute awareness, enhanced by the chemical, hormonal changes which enable the survival of the young in a highly competitive and hostile natural world. Unfortunately, the unnatural world of the military uses these fledglings for nefarious purposes. Historically, one example of a government scapegoating its citizens can be seen in the film "Sarajevo." In American recent daily life, this surrepticious ploy can been seen in the Boston Bomber attack. Another in the Twin Towers attack. Another the Charles Manson rampage which happened at the behest of the CIA.

Sun Dogs is a parody of how the military is responsible for using natural behavior of its citizens as a weapon or tool. This film is told in a contrario. It is a mirror image to what is actually happening in society. Ned Chiply is disabled at birth and is in a diminished mental capacity. Human fledglings achieve a new stage of development where they are at their peak in areas of their physical fitness. But they are handicapped by the new developments in their brains which is geared toward the flight or fight response. Ned's fight response is well developed and on target. And unfortunately suceptible.

This film is very well done and would be a good film to discuss with young adults, comparing and contrasting with other similar films.

I give this film 5 of 5 stars. The writer makes a very astute social comment on the military. Enjoy!

The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

Cinderella:. South Vietnamese Style

[10/10 · 4 June 2021]

"The Scent of Green Papaya," (1993). Starring Nu Yen-Khe Tran, Man San Lu, and Thi Loc Truong.

Directed by Anh Hung Tan. This film is absolutely a visually spectacular treat. Every time I see it I have the same experience. Every frame is an artistic masterpiece. Not just because of the talents of the director, but also because of the cinematographer, Benoit Delhomme. When I looked him up on IMDB, I found that many of his films were on my favorite films list. He's truly a genius. He captures the the essence of the universal and the humanism which is the running theme of this fairytale brought to life. Hung Tan masterfully captures the magic of the Cinderella story and his personification of it makes this my favorite version of the fairytale. Little animals which captivate Mui. The ugly stepsister who vies with Mui for the prince.. The plight of the orphan girl. The drudgery which Mui delights in...excels in. The slippers and shoes which foretell her fate. The happy ending. But my favorite scenes are the ones of the youngest boy who delights in bedeviling Mui. His devilry is the personification of Lucifer, the cat in Cinderella. Writing on the floor with his "implement." Teasing her as if he's going to splash her. He's a typical devilish little boy! He's going to steal your heart. This film will too! I hope you'll catch this on Hulu. I give it 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy.

The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)

Cinderella: Viet Namese Style

[10/10 · 3 June 2021]

"The Scent of Green Papaya," (1993). Starring Nu Yen-Khe Tran, Man San Lu, and Thi Loc Truong.

Directed by Anh Hung Tan. This film is absolutely a visually spectacular treat. Every time I see it I have the same experience. Every frame is an artistic masterpiece. Not just because of the talents of the director, but also because of the cinematographer, Benoit Delhomme. When I looked him up on IMDB, I found that many of his films were on my favorite films list. He's truly a genius. He captures the the essence of the universal and the humanism which is the running theme of this fairytale brought to life. Cinderella is my favorite fairytale. Little animals which captivate Mui. The ugly stepsister who vies with Mui for the prince.. The plight of the orphan girl. The drudgery which Mui delights in...excels in. The slippers and shoes which foretell her fate. The happy ending. But my favorite scenes are the ones of the youngest boy who delights in bedeviling Mui. Writing on the floor with his "implement." Teasing her as if he's going to splash her. He's a typical little boy! He's going to steal your heart. This film will too! I hope you'll catch this on Hulu. I give it 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy.

Brothers by Blood (2020)

The Mob and The Peter Principle

[10/10 · 1 June 2021]

This film is very striking. From the beginning, we notice that the lighting is very dark. There are few scenes that are well lit. The ones that are show their characters in an open and in an innocent state of being. The darker scenes show people moving surreptitiously, harboring secrets and secret agendas. The characters, particularly the leading ones, are shown in profile or semi-profile as if to tell us that the character knows not to reveal hidden feelings. We see Peter Flood finding himself in various precarious situations, due mainly to Michael's inability to assess the gravity of dangerous situations and his inability to grasp that his erratic behavior, pride, and egocentrism make problems for himself and others. Not good for career advancement in the criminal world. Peter is constantly having to put out fires that Michael starts. And we see that Michael causes an actual fire which destroys a completely innocent man's life.

Peter's name symbolizes the running theme in this film. It is ironic that Peter Flood is considered to be eligible and desirable for advancement into the professional realm of the Italian mob. Yet the Irish mob is at an incompetent level. Peter is constantly trying to keep his "family" from over stepping their limitations. We hear him say things like "he's alright where he's at.". So, Peter is acutely aware of The Peter Principle.". Its definition is the following: Peter Principle

DEFINITION

the principle that members of a hierarchy are promoted until they reach the level at which they are no longer competent.

There comes a point where a decision has to be made. Does a man choose right action of man...or does he go down with his "brothers"?

Matthias was able to capture just the right emotion with each action. I have to say that once I was asked, "What would you do if you knew you were the smartest person in the world?" I said, "There would be nothing you could do.". The only thing you could do would be to jump out a window and hope you don't survive.

That's what this movie is about.

I loved this film and Matthias in it. I give it 5 of 5 stars. It's on Prime. Enjoy!

The Kominsky Method (2018–2021)

Sometimes Things Get Tweaked the Wrong Way

[31 May 2021]

"The Kominski Method," SE3, (2021). Starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Morgan Freeman. Directed by Chuck Lorre. Written by Chuck Lorre, Alan Higgins, and David Javerbaum. Today was the Netflix release for TKM, season 3. I have to say that seasons 1and 2 were top notch. Great actors: Alan Arkin, Nancy Travers, and Jane Seymour. So what happened to season 3? Well, the cast changed. The Bromance between Arkin and Douglas was the driving force in Seasons 1-2., two wonderful actors who played off each other so well and a screenplay which hit all the benchmarks. But in season 3, with the loss of Arkin and Travers, the script took a downward turn. Jane Seymour's character devolved into a caricature of her former role in the opening scenes, foretelling a downward slide into ribald humor, similar to All in the Family. Michael Douglas was the lone force holding this production together, and he did well as usual. What could have been a Knives Out-like experience fell quite short. The writing, the characters, and the direction seemed to mismatch the intention of the first 2 seasons. The screenwriters' attempt to show character progression and change was more than a bit over the top. The change does not have to be a drastic personality disorder. The change that a grieving lover goes through, and that the viewer can discern, is change enough to show the character's progression because of the events of the story.

I can't say for sure, but I am thinking this will be the end of The Kominsky Method. At least, for me. I wish them well. It's on Netflix.

The Painted Bird (2019)

Hobbsian Point of View and The Territorial Imperative

[10/10 · 8 May 2021]

"The Painted Bird," (2019). Starring Petr Kotlir, Harvey Keitel, Julian Sands, Stellan Skarsgård. Directed by Veclav Marovl. This is a wonderful film. And the first thing one notices about this story is its structure. This bildungsroman begins with a journey of a pre-adolescent boy who is sent to live with his elderly, fragile grandmother in a distant country home. The setting of this story employs a device of non-specific time or location. There is also a dearth of dialog, but it is filled with dramatic action. For all intents and purposes, the viewer is left to connect the dots. The dots are arranged into a set of chapters or tales, each named for a character whose behavior imparts a new type of aggression and primitive human response to the imposition of the boy onto each new setting. Some peasant's territory.

The boy's father's intentions were to send the boy to safety in the countryside, away from the war and its horrors. We watch this young boy learn about the territorial imperative, as he, as the outsider, suffers dehumanization at the hands of various uncivilized denizens.

I liked learning about why location/period symbolism represents non-specific setting or non-specified era or time period. A very noticeable device in the film, The Painted Bird. What this device does is to cue the viewer that this story pertains to a universal truth. The theme, the territorial imperative, is pervasive throughout this film. It is so because aggression toward outsiders is an innate human response which has repercussions for the economic survival for a group which has been imposed upon. The outsider must figure out what assets he has that he can use to barter for his survival within the group. So non-specified location and time implies that whatever is going in the story happens in all human interactions, regardless of location, time or period.

Each chapter, or Chaucerian tale, ends with the protagonist learning a specific human behavior. What I took away from this film is this. A parent who loves his child will never send his child away from himself to a vulnerable situation. The soldiers were equipped to protect and teach the boy how to survive. The grandmother was not equipped because she needed to be protected herself.

The boy learns that life is "nasty, brutish, and short," a Hobbsian philosophical overtone. Parents, keep your children close and protect them even if it kills you! Duty. Important. I loved this film. It's on Amazon Prime. I give it 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy!

The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012)

Life Doesn't Have to Be Hard

[10/10 · 17 March 2021]

"Broken Circle Breakdown," (2012). Starring Veerle Baetents and John Heldenbergh. Directed by Felix van Groeningen. This is one of those wonderful, hidden gems, full of surprises: the acting, directing, screenplay, and all elements that brought this story into being. As you might have guessed, it is a Belgian film and is about as sad and heart wrenching as you will ever find. Not only does Didier and Elise's child die from cancer, but we also watch the breakdown of their marriage. If two people who are so right for each other in so many ways cannot sustain their marriage, we wonder why it doesn't survive. Didier believes that he alone sees through the sham of Christianity. He's a realist. And he is a hard man. He will not accept that he is wrong. Or even accept her though she might be wrong. Elise must cope with life's hardships with the salve of Christianity. Belief that life is eternal. But it is not life which is ungenerous, as Elise determines. Didier does not even yield when his child who is dying, looks to her father for comfort. Like many men, Didier in fact has his own fantasies. He wants his woman to be exactly like his ideal of her is. He cannot accept her for who she is and love her anyway. She was lucky he wanted a Cinderella or Princess who would fulfill his desired fantasy. Elise fought hard for her own identity. Deleted his name from her tatoos. Changed her name. She claimed her right to believe what she wanted and removed herself from his presence. He never accepted that he could not control her. She killed herself believing that they could reunite in the afterlife as Alabama and Monroe, a new start for eternity.. So the hard man was left with his rigid, lonely, loveless life. A hard lesson, to be sure. The score in this film is bluegrass music. If Didier and Else's music ideal, Bill Monroe, had sounded as good as The Broken Circle bluegrass music, I might have like bluegrass music. Get out your hankie! I give this film 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy!

The Neon Demon (2016)

Let's Do Lunch? Horror!

[10/10 · 20 February 2021]

"Neon Demon," (2016). Elle Fanning, Christina Hendricks. Directed by Nicholas Winding Refn. This film uses the Last Supper allusion to depict the Sacrificial Lamb/ Transubstantiation metamorphosis of the Christ Figure. As with most aberrant psychological disorders, this film about the effects of all consuming, malignant jealousy fits nicely into the horror genre. The setting is the Los Angeles model scene. Of all the horror symbolism which pervades the scenes, the unusual reliance neon lighting is used evoke eerie feelings and rarified state or unnaturalness. Extreme beauty in juxtaposition to the less beautiful seems to cause malignant narcissistic cannibalism. The cannibalism manifests itself in a most peculiar way. Normally less beautiful girls will attach themselves to a beautiful girl as if proximity will ensure that some benefit will rub off on them, as in surplus males and spill over. But in malignant jealousy, the envious one becomes homicidal. It works this way. The psycho will insinuate herself into every aspect of the life of the object of her desire. She will almost insert herself into the private regions as if if she remains long enough, she can work her way up from the inside and look out of her host's eyes, thus becoming the host and no longer feeling jealousy because she will own what the besutiful woman has. In the film this phenomenon is shown in eating, ingesting, digesting, and consuming imagery. Males do the same thing. Keenau's slipping into Jesse's room while she is sleeping and slipping a knife between her lips suggests that his purpose is to destroy the beauty that he feels he cannot have, his jealousy reflecting eating or consuming imagery. These are the types of men who maim women or kill them. They are often cruel or denigrating to a beautiful woman for no conceivable reason. No pun intended. The lion lying in wait in Jesse's bedroom symbolizes danger lurking in predators whose purpose is to rid themselves of competition. It is strange that Jesse's instincts kick in and she manages to sidestep death at that time. But because she is young, she naively allows herself to be backed into an irretrievable position at the pool. What, one wonders, is the reason that a sixteen-year-old girl is alone in the world, suseptible to the dangers of a cut-throat industry in LA? Usually, runaways were chased away. By something. From something. They become statistics. LA is full of them. This is a well done film. Superb script direction, action, lighting, art production. I give it 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy!

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

The Morally Bereft:. Seekers of Status and Wealth

[10/10 · 19 January 2021]

"Nocturnal Animals," (2026). Starring Amy Adams, Jake Gyllendaal, and Michael Shannon. Directed by Tom Ford (screenplay). From the novel by Austin Wright. This film's theme is morality and the lack of it in our daily lives. I forget where exactly I learned this, probably in an Anthropology class, but reiterated in an English class by a professor who believed that the most common motivating drive in the human being was sex. The other innate drives were survival (food, shelter), status, wealth, and power. This particular story is about women and a desire for status and wealth. The protagonist in NA is Susan Morrow, a wealthy art dealer. She is smart enough to detect her mother's weakness for the security of wealth and status and her compromises to attain it. But Susan does not have the convictions of her beliefs. She succumbs to taking the easy way to achieve her goals, a hallmark of wealthy people who adjust their morals to suit their ends. So what we have is a person who is a nocturnal animal who hides her motives in darkness, definitely not a mark of true class. The other characters are nocturnal predators who have no qualms about their actions or limits to them and their crassness. So we have an interlacement of the adminatio device of class/crass. The difference between the wealthy morally bereft and the lower class is the openness of action. When Susan ditches her high classed partner, she slashes his ego unmercifully. She even goes so far as to betray her own womanhood by aborting his child because of its inconvenience. She later slashes her new lover's ego when he's having financial problems. She's like a flea, jumping from a drowning dog to a floating log after log, to put it crassly. Ray ditches her but doesn't tell her why. Edward/Tony does tell her, in so many words. He gives her a chance to let his lesson sink in. But it is too late, as he warned her before their breakup. The imagery of lewdness and crassness is contrasted with the discernment, discretion, and sensitivity of class throughout the film. The relationship between Tony and Bobby is a mirror image of men who are morally and psychologically alike. And who find a way to bring about justice and moral cognizance. This film is important and reaffirms the necessity of living by a strict moral code, giving up vanity in our daily lives. This film hit all the marks for an excellent film. I give it 5 stars. It's on Amazon Prime. Enjoy!

I'm Your Woman (2020)

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

[10/10 · 20 December 2020]

"I'm Your Woman," (2020). Directed by Julia Hart. Starring Rachael Brosnahan and Marsha Stephanie Blake. I stumbled upon this film while surfing Prime Video. I had never seen this title, and it seemed like it might be noirish. And it may be that this is the new style of noir. This movie reminds me of Mads Mikklesen's movie "Flickering Lights." In FL the characters are also criminals who want to have a normal life: wife, children, home, money, employment. However, the way they go about achieving their goals is to take shortcuts through criminal activities which, of course, must be masked in secrecy to give the illusion of propiety. Jean, fragile from harrowing fertility problems, is viewed as incompetent by her husband, Eddie. She can't have children, can't cook, and is in a fragile mental state. Therefore, her decisions are made for her. She is kept in the dark and treated like a mushroom. But she is actively collecting data from the visible world around her and connecting the dots. The setting for this film is a specific time period, the 1970s. A time when women were treated as objects and were used and treated according to a perceived dehumanizing economic value. Jean reacts according to her conception of marriage. The wife is loving, loyal, obedient, trusting, and the arc of Jean's journey changes only when she is convinced that Eddie is dead. She is now able to make her own decisions. She demonstrates her intelligence, stamina, acumen, and foresight. Most notable throughout this film is the device of lack of exposition. Things left unsaid that must be figured out carry and determine the plot. The stars in this film are relatively unknown but did a wonderful job of characterization and acting. The action is always taut and propels Jean to new levels of awareness at all times. Deeper meaning. The breakfast scene. Jean serves Eddie a burnt offering for breakfast. He tells her that her cooking is incompetent. It is odd that she cooks the same thing everytime she cooks, and she never learns how to properly cook eggs. Eddie is incompetent because He cannot perform his duties in a legal or moral way without making someone his victim, displaying a lack of intelligence And competence. So the moral of this story has to do with competence and what and how one brings his/her share to the table. Totally engrossing. I give this tour de force film 5 of 5 stars. It's on Amazon Prime.

Sound of Metal (2019)

Hits the Right Notes

[9/10 · 9 December 2020]

"The Sound of Metal," (2019). Starring Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke, and Paul Raci. Directed by Darius Marder. This is a structure film. The structure is linear, a downward spiral from the main character's successful rock career as a drummer to the abbysmal loneliness of disability...hearing loss. Ruben's journey is ma8rked by denial, fear, anger, betrayal, isolation, conflict, and finality and everything inbetween. Through each phase, we see Ruben strive to do everything in his power to regain and hold onto a life he's devoted to and loves. He learns to shift dependence on sound to dependence on sight. Eye imagery becomes dominant, and Ruben's expressions and visual focus enable us to take each step with Ruben as he has to undergo his illfated journey. He loses everything. His career, his girl, his home, his friends, his hearing. At the end of the film, he is standing alone in a strange place with no prospects. No hope. What will become of him? Will he be relegated to sitting alone in an environment stripped of anything recognizable, writing on a new blank page every day? Like the guide who trained him to adjust to his new handicap? This movie teaches us to have charity for those with handicaps and to be thankful for our blessings. Because but for the Grace of God, there go we. This movie is depressing but well done. I give it 5 of 5 stars. It's on Netflix.

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020)

CC2: Specifically Written For Small Children

[10/10 · 29 November 2020]

"Christmas Chronicles 2," (2020). Starring Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn. Directed by Chris Columbus. The little heroes, Kate and Jack, are played by Darby Camp and Jahzir Bruno. Jahzir was a natural. His performance was least contrived and a sure bet to delight the young viewers. Although the first Chronicles appealed to a wider audience, this film is particularly suited to the point of view of a much younger viewer. The most notable difference from CC1 is the attention to detail in the creation of a fantasy world. There are so many homages to children's classics: E.T., Star Wars, the Grinch, even Diego from Ice Age, a feminist's statement for the egos of little girls, and many more. I enjoyed trying to spot them. The other characters, Mrs. Claus and Santa, embraced their characters with relish (that's my homage to Grease). Goldie's midas touch was perfect as only she can do. Kurt's Santa hit all the right notes. Unlike Whoville, Santa's Workshop was pretty well dominated by CGI. But how else could the Aurora Borealis come to life? The kids are going to love this! I did. It's on Netflix. 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy!

In the Cut (2003)

Role Playing and Toxic Masculinity

[10/10 · 21 November 2020]

"In the Cut, " (2003). Starring Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Director Jane Campion. Written by Jane Campion and Susanna Moore. This movie seemed so bizarre at first. I had trouble figuring out where I was being led. The male/female relationships were not the usual romantic type. And Meg Ryan always seemed to react to the advances of individual males as if she had just had a bone chilling premonition. And to be truthful, I wondered why the men did not react to the female lead in a normal attraction mode. After the film was over, it occurred to me the title of the movie was a clue. The men in this story represented the type who possessed a big, dark predatory instinct. This type of man sees that in order to get "in the cu*t," he has to role play. He has to pretend to be attracted, make the right moves, and the lady will succumb to his efforts. He has lured her to place where he can get to do what he fantasizes about, a woman victim in "the cut" of his knife or razor. The women fantasize about romance leading to marriage. Marriage imagery runs throughout the film. They fantasize about undying love and everlasting, till-death-do-us-part marriage. Never dreaming that the undying love and death do part is coming up quick and so is his undying fantasy. So "in the cu*t" and "in the cut" are the adminatio enlaced throughout. It is similar to the Lacy Peterson murder paradigm. Goldie Hawn's movie "Deceived" had this theme. In Deceived, her husband confesses that his understanding was that marriage to him was a temporary role playing for sex and why should women feel deceived? Men who kill their wives have this view of marriage. The acting, direction, cinematography, and art direction were excellent. The make up was kicked up a notch. Was quite gory. This movie was a tour de force by women and for women. Ladies, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. I give it 5 of 5 stars. It's on Roku.

Maudie (2016)

Dynamite Comes in Small Packages

[10/10 · 16 November 2020]

"Maudie," (2026). Starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawkes. Directed by Aisling Walsh. Written by Sherry White. This film is a biopic of a woman named Maud Lewis, who despite her arthritic disability managed to become a prolific painter. She had several talents actually and a profound sense of self, along with keen intuition and a sharp eye. Maud did not limit herself and endured whatever she had to endure, yet she was able to maintain her personal boundaries at the same time sustaining many blows, including the physical, psychological, and emotional ones despite not being able to defend herself. You cannot see this movie without being impressed with this tiny little woman's spirit. Her paintings reflect her vision of her little town, Marshalltown, NS. She became internationally famous. The acting, direction, cinematography, art production were all excellent. I give this film 5 of 5 stars. It's on Amazon Prime's Starz channel. Enjoy!

The Devil All the Time (2020)

The Devil Never Sleeps!

[10/10 · 11 October 2020]

"The Devil All the Time," (2020). Directed by Antonio Campos. Written by Antonio Campos (screenplay) and Paulo Campos and others. Starring Donald Ray Pollock as the narrator, Bill Skarsgard, Tom Holland (Arvin), and Robert Pattinson as Rev. Teagardin. As this film opens, the viewer is directed to a map of a part of West Virginia, the area around Nitro. Immediately we sense that the setting for TDATT is an impoverished area whose inhabitants are denizens of a culturally backward class of Anglo people. A narrator makes an appearance and introduces us to and informs us about the characters in this story in much the same way that Chaucer uses the Prologue of his Canterbury Tales to setup the structure of his verse. In TDATT, the narrator gives us glimpses into the narcissistic/supply paradigm through various vignettes or tales such as The Friar's Tale, featuring a specific character or characters. The predatory instinct of the narcissistic personality type is revealed through cunning and lethal imagery, both psychological and physical. Religion and prayer are tools in the community arsenal used to guide the pilgrim and restore order. Both tools enable the community to rein in the terror foisted on the community by the Devil, or in this case malignant narcissists preying on the innocent. So we have an enlacement (complexio) of the prey/pray adnominadio running throughout. When Arvin, the protector of his family, is trying to figure out to restore order to his community, he contemplates what his aunt, the elder in his family, would advise him. She would tell him "to pray on it." So Arvin decides "to have prayer" with the predators. He preys on them. He stalks them. Watches them. Reveals to them that they have been unmasked. And that he will seek justice. And deliver it. So in effect, it is the men of right action who enable the rights of their people. Men who are able to use common sense and analytical powers restore order because, you know, the Devil nevers sleeps! This is one of those very special tour-de-force movies with all the stops pulled out. Excellent in every way. Screenplay, direction, acting, art production. And most of all...a message. A message which tells us what is the meaning of prayer. I give this film 5 of 5 stars. It's on Netflix. Enjoy!

Shattered (I) (2017)

Shattered:. A Labor of Love

[10/10 · 28 September 2020]

"Shattered," (2017). Directed by Natasha Kermani. Starring Ray Wise, Kate Burnett, and Tom Malloy. This film was obviously a labor of love! Produced as a humanitarian act and one which would be appreciated immeasurably by the one for whom it was intended. The direction was nuanced to perfection. Kate Burnett and Ray Wise nailed their characters, evoking emotion and body language to perfection. I do love a good puzzle and decoding a well done a contrario film. Thank you to the producer for bringing all the elements of this story to a superb film experience!

A Hidden Life (2019)

Malick Makes Movie Magic

[10/10 · 30 August 2020]

"A Hidden Life," (2019). Starring August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, and Matthias Schoenaerts. Directed By Terrence Malick. What a wonderful, sad, heart rending story. While it is almost three hours long, the length symbolizes the long, laborious ordeal that Franz endures. An ordeal foisted on him by an evil subversion of his homeland by Nazism. One which Franz finds he cannot be silent about. He becomes a conscientious objector. The plot of this story revolves around various people trying to help Franz see impact his actions have on himself, his family, and countrymen. And various seats of authority, a bishop, the mayor, elders, and others, cannot dissuade Franz. Franz and Fani are so in love, they cannot keep their hands off each other and never miss an opportunity to express themselves. Fani is the reason that Franz does not want to go to the front lines. But the best of these efforts is the scenes of Captain Herding played by Matthias Schoenaerts. It is apparent that he sympathizes with Franz when he tells him, "An antichrist will use your virtues to mislead you." An outstanding performance. This movie is similar to The Jack Bull and Age of Uprising: Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, all leading characters refusing to be broken. The cinematography and art production are so excellent. The director pulled off some magic. I loved this movie. I give it 5 of 5 stars. Rent it for $5.99 on YouTube.

Word of Honor (2003 TV Movie)

Word of Honor:. It's in the Details

[10/10 · 11 August 2020]

"Word of Honor," (2003). Directed by Robert Markowitz. Starring Don Johnson and Jeanne Triplehorn. Also starring Jesse Johnson, son of Don Johnson, who plays Lt. Benjamin Tyson as the younger version of Benjamin Tyson in a flashback. This film pays attention to details. In this story Tyson witnesses a war crime. He wrestles with his duty, his conscience, and his decision which involves his word. This part calls on Johnson to draw on deep emotions, something I have never seen him have to do in a film. But he pulls it from some deep well inside him. And I think he accomplished what the part required of him and gave a brilliant performance. Word of Honor proved that Don Johnson is not just a pretty boy with a lot of charm. I give this film 5 of 5 stars. It is on YouTube. Enjoy!

The Devil's Advocate (1997)

The Double Fall

[10/10 · 25 July 2020]

"The Devil's Advocate," (1997). Starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. Directed by Taylor Hachford. Written by (Andrew Neiderman (novel), John Lemkin (screenplay) and others. The key to this movie is characterization through name. The antagonist's name is John Milton. Milton wrote the epic poem "Paradise Lost" in the 17th century. Milton's poem is granted the full status of a single course at UWF, my alma mater. However, the reputation of the professor who taught the course had me scurrying about trying to satisfy curriculum requirements without having him affect my grade point. Yet, watching TDA last night had me regretting not taking Milton and Paradise Lost, the only literary work this class was devoted to. But having a slight acquaintance with the fall of Adam and Eve story and a smidgen of Satan and the Fall from grace from the Bible, I was able to garner a glimpse of the narrative that the voice of the screenplay was evoking. This movie is about temptation and susceptibility to it. Satan knows your weaknesses, and he will bring you to low places using your weaknesses to exalt in the power the fall gives him. Satan sees only that man's vanity causes him to fall. Satan does not see that his vanity requires your sacrifice and subjegation to his will. He is in competition with God for your soul. So we have what Milton called the Double Fall as the leitmotif of this film. Al Pacino as Satan was superb. Keanu Reeves as Satan's mark, so well done. I could see myself in Satan's cross hairs at the time I was in Los Angeles. Pure evil all around me. And I could see that Mary's acumen was the same as my own. Fortunately, I was able to leave "hell." Once you know what is going on, you will find this story applicable in your life. And you will have an awareness of when you are being set up and how to avoid it. The motto of the Catholic Church is "All Is Vanity." Best give it up! This film is on Netflix. I give it 5 of 5 stars. Enjoy!

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

What's Up with the Feet Up?

[9/10 · 9 July 2020]

Alrighty then. I've noticed something I'm having trouble with. In Inglorious Bastards, Quinten had Diane Kruger's feet up close and mid field of vision in the frame. And in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quinten has Sharon Tate prop her feet up in the middle of the theater scene. Then the hippie girl riding in Cliff Booth's car props her feet up on the windshield, twice. At the Spahn ranch, the hippies are sitting around the tv with their feet up and in the middle of the screen. Feet again in Cliff's fight scene with hippie. So I guess I am wondering what's up with the feet. I mean besides having the feet up. Rick Dalton's feet up on raft in the pool, too. I have a theory. The feet imagery has a rhetorical device purpose. Feet on the ground would symbolize an observable truth. Feet in the air symbolizes a contrario , or opposite to reality, or parody. If only this story had actually happened, the Manson murders of Sharon Tate and others would not have happened. Who knew that in reality, a bunch of disgruntled dropouts could have wreaked so much havoc on so much human potential. I would have preferred that Quintin's version had been the reality.

The Circle (I) (2017)

What Does Emma Want?

[10/10 · 5 July 2020]

She wants to work for a upwardly mobile conglomerate and a chance use her "potential.". See the interview!! Her advancement and moving towards goals keeps her from joining Ty and her work friend...and even Mercer. Yes, she demonstrates her wants...her drive.

The Circle (I) (2017)

Shades of Go Ogle!

[10/10 · 5 July 2020]

"The Circle," (2017 ). Starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. Directed by James Ponsoldt. Written by James Ponsoldt and Dave Eggars. This is a special effects movie about the effects of rampant social media intrusion. The setting is the near future. Almost immediately, one conjours up a mental image of Bill Gates and his major, global conglomerate, Go Ogle! Where a symbiosis of Big Brother (CIA), Big Business, and the Big Bad Guys (Mafia) form a unified Watcher's Association, whose logo could well be 👀! The CIA would be able to find anyone by tracing people who ogle a particular target. Big business ogles targets whose interests might be profitable to them. Ah! And the Mafia could ogle people for black mail purposes or for mining unremunerated creativity. A whole host of potential monetary projects could loom large. Needless to say, things could go South for everyone. And I say that it starts with computer safety and cell phone intrusion. Oh, and let's not forget...home surveillance. This movie was pretty well done. Enjoy! It's on Prime!

The Laundromat (I) (2019)

Don't Worry! I Clean It Up!

[10/10 · 5 July 2020]

Money laundering is pervasive obviously. Dirty business. Not too long ago, the tv series "Ozark" appeared on Netflix, where in a small rural community in the Land of the Ozarks, a money laundering scheme is the main theme . So one would naturally assume that money laundering might be raised to an art on the world stage. And the movie "The Laundromat" shows us how the elite and the ruthless do it. "The Laundromat," (2019). Director, Steven Soderbergh. Starring Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, and Antonio Banderas. It looks like The Harvard University Corridor spits out graduates of the Schools of Finance, Business, and Law who are very clever and very creative. What do they create? Shells. Shells that provide privacy for tax evasion purposes. In reality, it was a big scandal which happened during the Obama administration. So what we have is a film which mirrors life...art imitating life.

Meryl Streep plays the whistle blower. Oldman and Banderas provide the chorus which narrates the information for us to fill in the blanks. But the most interesting thing to me is the imagery in this film. The leitmotif running throughout the film is The Bible. We see a juxtaposition of churches, priests, and Catholicism and scenes in which the Ten Commandants are flouted and the criminal characters display contempt for the Seven Mortal Sins. The guilty are betrayed by our little "John Doe" Judas character, and they are condemned, and crucified. And buried. My hope is that they don't get resurrected. But after watching "The Family," I can see that the future ruthless, soulless next generation of parasites are already installed on Capitol Hill and in training to become the future Robber Barons.

"The Laundromat" was a very good film. My favorite line? "Don't worry! I clean it up!" My favorite character is Maywood, played by Matthias Schoenaerts. His naivete is so genuine, and his death scene is too real! This film is a David and Goliath film. And little David wins. I loved this film. I give it five stars. It's on Netflix. Enjoy!

Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out

[10/10 · 1 July 2020]

"Knives Out," (2019). Directed and written by Rian Johnson. Starring, Christopher Plummer, Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, and Jamie Lee Curtis. This is a movie worth watching several times! In fact, it reminded me of sitting in front of our brand new 1952 Philco black and white snowy, stripey first tv, watching a 40s "The Butler Did It" film. Complete with a New Orleans creepy mansion and a cast of devious and deceitful characters. And a convoluted, intricate plot. It had more twists and turns than a dog's hind leg. But for me, my favorite character was Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig. Who would have thought that he could nail a Southern accent? I am thinking that the setting was supposed to be New Orleans, complete with architecture and props. However, Daniel's accent was not quite a Nawlins accent. But close enough! I loved this film. I give it 5 of 5 stars.