Kali1008 Reviews

Dominion (2018)

'Earthlings' for a new generation.

[10/10 · 18 June 2018]

This documentary will open your eyes to the truth about the 'food' you choose to eat. It explodes the myth of 'humane slaughter', show the reality of 'free range' and every day farm practices and animal agriculture in Australia, but common around the world, as well as some other practices that occur in other countries to bring us in the West, our 'creature comforts' like down pillows and fur coats.

The undercover footage that was bravely obtained by activists and painstakingly put together for this film, along with the drone footage, has some of the most moving and powerful scenes portraying the suffering and horror that is the life and death of farmed animals.

Especially if you still consume animal products, have the courage to watch this film and see if your choice to do so really stacks up as a good reason to do something that requires so much suffering, and creates so much waste, greenhouse gases and poor human health outcomes.

River of No Return (2008)

Moving and inspiring documentary about Frances Djulibingu, an Australian aboriginal woman, and her determination to fulfill a childhood dream against terrific odds.

[10/10 · 5 January 2014]

I just finished watching River of No Return on NITV in Australia.

I have never written a review before, but felt compelled to as there was no review for this moving documentary on IMDb.

River of No Return, written and directed by Darlene Johnson, allows us to enter a world that most reading this have no experience of. We may know what it is to go without, but not many of us would have experienced the kind of life that actress Frances Djulibing has had.

The backdrop of extreme poverty and unbelievably poor living conditions in the remote community of Ramingining in North East Arnhem land in the Northern Territory of Australia, makes Frances' story even more remarkable. You can't help but be struck by her courage and her quiet but firm determination to follow her dream of screen acting.

We learn that the spark that lit her desire to act came from her own admiration of a Hollywood icon. This woman with one of the most famous faces in the world, who came from fairly humble beginnings herself, becomes Frances' inspiration to act and even to live, against sometimes tremendous odds.

I was moved to tears of sadness, but also joy. You will be shocked and I hope angry, by some of what you learn from this documentary, but you will also find yourself laughing along with Frances as she and her family relive some of the more unique dance performances of her people.

Her longing to be able to tell the stories of her ancestors through screen acting have been partially fulfilled, and I for one hope that Frances Djulibing gets many more opportunities to do this. Her debut performance in Ten Canoes as Nowalingu, the second wife, was brilliant.

Mad Men: Christmas Waltz (2012) Season 5, Episode 10

Disappointed with the lazy research too

[2/10 · 21 May 2012]

As an avid fan of Mad Men and also a former member of the Hare Krishna movement, I was very disappointed with this episode. I just thought that Mad Men would be the one show that actually at least got the clothes right when they depicted hare krishnas. The guys don't wear 'togas' with material draped over their shoulders. The usual clothing for Hare Krishna men is a white or saffron top with a white or saffron doti - which is a long piece of cloth that is worn in a specific way - but cloth trousers are quite acceptable too.

The women wear saris, and generally keep their hair in a neat plait at the back. As for this 'Lakshmi' woman who is supposedly an initiated devotee since she has a devotee name and is not of Indian descent - well pleeaase !

I'm really tired of the total misrepresentation of the Hare Krishnas whenever they are depicted on TV. Vaisnvaism is a strict religion that adheres to principles laid out in the Vedic scriptures and four regulative principles must be strictly followed by the devotees.

These are: No meat, fish or eggs; no intoxication (the really strict devotees won't drink coffee or eat brown chocolate - and they sure as hell wouldn't eat in a diner either) no gambling and very importantly no illicit sex - which means none outside of marriage, and even then it is regulated depending on the individual couple's choices.

In all my years in the Hare Krishna movement I never heard anyone referred to as a 'recruiter' and certainly back in the days when Prabhupada was in New York there were some hippie types hanging around, some of whom did become HK devotees. Once accepted and initiated however, there is no question of a young devotee woman asking for an alcoholic drink and then offering herself up for sex for any reason. This is the Hare Krishna movement - not the Rajneeshis ! There is no sharing of women or free sex or anything of that nature. There is no having a 'girlfriend'either.

Of course the HK movement has had its share of scandals, and individuals may break the principles - like may occur in all religions - but it is not the norm. To offer up this nonsense as a glimpse into the HK movement in the 60s is lazy research and actually quite insulting - especially to the dedicated women of the Hare Krishna movement of today and back then in the 1960s.

My Family: Wheelie Ben (2010) Season 10, Episode 1

Disgraceful and really not funny

[20 October 2011]

I usually don't mind this show but this episode really got my back up. There is nothing funny about using services meant for people with disabilities and some less informed able bodied people might actually believe that all the services that Ben gets in this episode actually exist for all people with disabilities, are all free and come as quickly as he got them.

I can tell you that this is not the case. Although I am in Australia I have checked this out with people in Britain, and the real story is totally different.

I am very disappointed with the BBC and Rude Boy Productions for making this episode, and I am not being oversensitive - I can have a laugh.

I don't have a problem with Little Britain, for example - and the guy who pretends to need to be in a wheelchair because that is so absurd you just know it isn't true - especially as he climbs ladders and all sorts of things like that. It should be noted however, that there are people who have good and bad days with their condition and may need a wheelchair some days and not others, or can walk a bit but still need a wheelchair or mobility scooter. I know people in this situation who able bodied people have threatened to report!! To whom I am not sure?!

I also laughed hard at the IT Crowd episode when one of the characters gets caught in the disability toilet and then pretends someone stole his wheelchair, because he is so embarrassed. That showed how shameful it is to use facilities needed by others, and some really funny consequences of it. This My Family episode does not!

No Strings Attached (I) (2011)

Don't be put off by the prudes - it is funny!

[7/10 · 26 April 2011]

I was nearly put off this movie completely by a couple of the over the top comments here about the crudeness in it, but I've been an Ashton Kutcher fan since his days in That 70's Show, and other reviewers said it was funny - so I thought I'd take a look.

After a fairly awkward start, it has some laugh out loud funny bits, some sweet ones, and some where you can't help really feeling for Asthon Kutcher's character, Adam.

I would describe No Strings Attached as a modern romantic comedy about dysfunctional people having some pretty dysfunctional relationships.

Not too schmaltzy that a guy couldn't enjoy most of it I think, and as others have said, I think it would make a good date movie.

I gave it 7 out of 10 as a romantic comedy - a genre that I am not a big fan of - as they are not usually actually funny at all.

That being said, I've seen every romantic comedy that Ashton Kutcher has been in - although after Killers I vowed never again. I'm glad I took a chance on this film though - it is easily the funniest romantic comedy that he has been in so far, and had enough to keep me interested to the fairly predictable end.