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Reviews
7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)
Wonderful movie
A remarkable movie for any time.
I have to admit to having a fondness for this film, as I have seen it many times on on TV in my childhood.
As pointed out already, Randall puts on a stereotypical exaggerated Chinese accent that makes some cringe today.
However, those viewers are missing the point; Lao's chinese accent is purposely created as a means to lower barriers because that is the parochial expectation in Abalone, circa 1900 (I'm guessing). Depending on the mood and purpose, his accent changes ethnicity or fades away entirely.
There is something magical and surrealistic about this movie. It moves between being charming, funny, or serious, seamlessly. Everytime I've watched it, it draws me in.
The mystery of the universe is celebrated by this film with such joy. It comes to an emotional peak one hour in, when Lao tells the boy, Mike, about the wonder of everything around him.
There are problems with the movie.
I didn't appreciate the amount of time spent on Merlin; it seems to be drawn out. The release of the sea monster could have been improved.
The fable ends on a high note when Lao is leaving. Oh, and the final theme music, same as at the start, is magnificent.
Scrubs: My Screwup (2004)
Incredible
I can't say anything more than what others have already said. This episode is the best of the series and one of the best episodes of all TV. The payoff at the end is emotionally riveting.
Having said that, to get maximum enjoyment, you need to watch the previous two episodes in season 1 with Ben. Those are in My Occurence and My Hero.
I have found that Scrubs humour is not for everyone (sadly that's true).
So if you don't like the style of humour, keep an open mind while you watch all three episodes.
Earth: Final Conflict: Bad Genes (2002)
A different Atavus
Finally, we see that not all Atavus are human-feeding killers.
Good, but not good enough to make the episode a winner. The episode is passable.
Fear the Walking Dead: Close Your Eyes (2018)
Boring beyond belief
A two person episode, with lots of overacting, and a petulant child.
The episode contains almost no real action. The tension between the characters is cliche and obvious.
The Outer Limits: A Stitch in Time (1996)
One of the best episodes
This episode is one of the best time travel TV episodes of all time of any series, comparable to Dr Who's Blink in quality and time travel concepts.
The acting is exceptional. Plummer gets all the kudos, but Forbes deserves as much praise.
12:01 (1993)
Well thought out smart story
This is one of the best of the time loop movies. Nothing is at it seems. The subtle details are there if you pay attention, but it's also enjoyable on rewatch. Silverman plays it light hearted, but when realizes what is at stake, he becomes smart. He needs to convince the woman scientist involved in the project, that the time loop exists. What I like about it is that he backs up his claim with evidence, unlike so many other SciFi movies where the protagonist comes off as a kook.
In one of the loops, he convinces the scientist (Slater) in just a few minutes, and you can feel the emotion bond forming. It's mesmerizing.
The DVD commentary is also very illuminating.