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samstokes2000
Reviews
The Outer Limits: The Man Who Was Never Born (1963)
Time travel the way it is suppose to be
Rubber monster make-up aside, this is a great example of the B&W videos of the early 1960s. It follows the "grandfather" paradox of time travel perfectly, if you change the past the future is affected. Every tool available to the film process for TV was used and the camera work is excellent. Acting is spot on, the technology shown for the future was reasonable, and in fact the seats for the "astronauts" look pretty futuristic. If you have access to Hulu, check this episode out. It isn't a fun watch, more tragic Twilight Zone, but good. You might want to split your viewing over two days as there isn't any of the modern tension devices so it might be boring.
The V.I.P.s (1963)
Excellent film, camera work awesome
If you are studying film or film creation, this is an excellent movie. One wishes that the storyboard was available to compare to the final product, but it is likely to be an exact match. There are several plots moving through the film, and it is a well done "soap opera", each frame is emotional. There is little tension that has become common in current digital films, just actors playing parts showing society at large. Heathrow is one of the actors by the way, this was entirely filmed (with the exception of the hotel rooms) at Heathrow in 1962/63. Brief green screen of the jet airliners shows off the inefficient jet exhaust systems in use at the time for the aero-techs. In one brief scene there is a shot of the 707 cockpit or more likely a simulator cockpit that had the feel for the tightness of a true cockpit, again for the aero-techie. Orson Welles appears to have simply shown up and was told to act normal. Maggie Smith is a wonderful actress playing against Rod Taylor. Scenes with 'Liz Taylor and Richard Burton also appeared to following the instruction: "Liz and Richard, just act normal when drinking." And they did. There is a 3D quality to the film in some shots that is amazing. But 1963 was a harsh year with excellent tools, productions and acting, the competition for best films was tight. Compared to the overly CGI movies of today, it is a piece of art that shows a part of society we normally didn't see. As to the "Airport" movie that was later produced, the fog was a gentle device compared to the battle against snow in "Airport" to keep the airplanes on the ground. If you are used to modern movies, you might want to split the viewing of this movie into a few days or it will bore you.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
$400 million doesn't go as far as it used to
Spoilers If you love infinite CGI, Green Screen that will look bad on the home screens and set-ups for more films, then this movie is for you. If you are expecting character development then this is not the film for you.
Batman and Superman have character depths of a comic book page.
The plot might be confusing to most people. But if you didn't get it, see the first 5 or 10 minutes of the animation movie: The Incredibles to understand what the tension is all about. See, people are tried of super heros in the real world, I tire of them at the movieplex.
Long, dark, and frankly, I dozed off for awhile it was that boring.
I had thought that I would dislike no movie more than Birdman last year, but this film beats it.
It seemed like the characters would be better off just committing suicide and end it all. Somewhat like what my money did when I bought the ticket.
Casting appears to have been accomplished using a random number generator. No one ask themselves, does this person seem to meet the rules for the character from the comic books? Nope, just use anyone who is available.
Finally, were there no actors in Hollywood that could have brightened this movie a little. Amy Adams, a bright star in the heavens, seemed to be coated with a film that prevented her from showing her skills.
Conclusion: Run away!
The Imitation Game (2014)
Someone remind me why Birdman won even one Oscar when compared to this movie?
OK, the technical details were off in some annoying ways, the extremely important work the Polish spies did was not mentioned, and that is important because the Poles were Jews as I recall. The time line was off and there was no mention of the four rotor problem. Nothing about the insanely precise operational magic the British pulled off. And the Bombes (the device that Turing was shown working on) increased by a large number over the war.
But that is just technical stuff that there is a movie that covers it pretty well: Enigma with Kate Winslet in it, watch it if you liked this movie. This movie capture the pain of being a software programmer way better than it did the homosexuality issues that Turing faced, which felt bolted on and really could have been easily extracted from the movie. First and foremost, Turing was the first software guy to face project creep, delivery issues and personal problems related to programming.
Now if you remove the part about his homosexuality, that is also a very interesting show, and an important message.
So bottom line: Why didn't this movie sweep? Was it because of that piece of trash Birdman? That "insider" emotional piece about the pain of being paid millions for being a technician at the hands of a director and writer? And the pain of having all that money? Really? Imitation Game has something for everyone who thinks, creates, loves, designs. Birdman? Junk in comparison. Birdman is seeping by people who have the good looks and an ability to follow instructions.
Ignore Birdman, watch this twice.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Why did this film win any Oscars
Glad I had a coupon when I watched this awful movie. In comparison to Imitation Game, this is a show that could be played on Mystery Science Theater. It is a waste of time, you would be better off just turning off your viewing system and staring at it with nothing on it for two hours. Really. OK, Micheal Keaton running along Broadway in his white briefs was a scene that defines his poor performance. This was not a Oscar worthy movie, no more than a Yugo would have won a Car and Driver award, but somehow did.
A totally Hollywood insider movie that made me weep over the time lost watching it. I had high hope for Michael Keaton, but maybe he should give Kevin Costner a call, at least Kevin is doing workman like films not films that are weepy in nature.
It makes me ill to think that this film, which highlights the problems of people who make millions off their good looks and little else. These actors, who live off their good looks and yearn for something more worthwhile, well, make me ill.
Seriously, don't waste your time. Watch a Mystery Science Theater episode, it is likely the movie will be better. And you get some funny jokes. With this film the joke is on you.
Elysium (2013)
May be worse movie with Matt Damon AND Jodie Foster
This movie is overly violent and makes little sense. It seems as if Matt Damon was filmed in one movie and Jodie Foster was filmed in another. Jodie Foster, who looks great, seems to be asexual, but Hollywood didn't dare make a statement about Gays/Lesbians, by having Jodie have a female life partner. Matt Damon is just a confused mess.
The Elysium space station set is poorly designed and make little or no sense given the ability to do interesting things in space, but NO, the culture designs track houses on a rotating space station of large size.
Then the technology, oh my gosh, if you think about it, and of course if it was a well written movie you wouldn't notice it, but the screen writer is completely either on drugs or just writing propaganda for the administration (which is fine, but at least do a good job).
Here is the way I see it: 1. Somehow the world community is able to build a large space station that is so large that you can see it completely visible in the daylight. Really? Since it appears to be stationary, it must be in a 25,000 mile orbit. 2. This same world community is unable to fix problems that it faces. 3. People seem to work if they are a criminal and don't if they aren't on the Earth's surface. 4. Surgery can be done in non-sterile environments. 5. Workplace safety is so poor that normal "lock out, tag out" procedures are not followed for closed environments with high radiation doses, something that has been in the workplace for 100 years. 6. Aircraft can somehow get to 25,000 mile orbit in just a few minutes. 7. It is possible to fire a shoulder weapon at a super sonic vehicle and hit it. 8. The ambulance space ships at the end are NOT going to be able to support enough help for the Earth's population, how many could there be?
This is just a mess of a screen play. Watch it for the most excellent acting by Jodie Foster and she LOOKS great. I wish it was possible to edit the film to get rid of the Matt Damon part and just have Jodie foster.
It's a piece of junk, but looks good, sort of. If you need an overly violent movie then this one is for you.