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Reviews
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
My Life is Already Too Stressed!
Yes, this film is in some ways brilliant & certainly unlike any of the 10,000+ other films I've seen. I'm not sure who deserves most of the credit for that - the Director or Screenwriter. Probably both equally, with a healthy portion left over for Tim Robbins.
Had I seen it when I was in my early 20s & right out of college, when I was early in my military & diplomatic career, had no kids, & feared NOTHING, I probably would've rated it 9 out of 10. But I'm pushing 70, my 6 kids are all grown up & having kids & careers of their own, & I'm trying to limit stress in my retirement yrs.
When I first saw this film 25+ yrs ago the implications of the final scene bummed me out for days, & I vowed to never watch it again. Yet, as a life-long film aficionado, & having hosted a film series for 2 yrs during my final diplomatic posting to Shanghai, I try to give every film a fair hearing. So I watched it again this morning. I wasn't quite as bummed out this time, but perhaps that's because I skimmed thru the most painful scenes.
In any event, if you're sensitive about the love a parent has for their child, & you tend to empathize with grieving parents, you may want to give this film a pass.
The Battle of the River Plate (1956)
An Outstanding War Film; An Interesting Diversion from the Archers' Usual Fare
Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger formed a film production company named "The Archers," & during the 1940s & 50s they produced some of the finest movies for which British Cinema is known. The total number of films The Archers produced is somewhere between 14-24, depending on who you ask. While it's not a very long list, regardless of which number is correct, it contains several 'landmark' films that greatly influenced later producers & directors on both sides of the Atlantic. "The Red Shoes" & "Black Narcissus" are widely regarded as their most critically acclaimed pics, & both are character-driven. But "Pursuit of the Graf Spee" takes a very different approach, almost 'documentary' in style, which may be its most redeeming feature.
After viewing this film, one cannot help but feel much better informed about the details of this particular battle. No doubt the most interesting character involved is Capt Langsdorff of the Graf Spee, & one day an entire film should be devoted to a study of this man's character & his life, which culminated in his suicide by pistol bullet to the head 3 days after the battle. This is but one similarity between Langsdorff & Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
But a far more relevant similarity is the degree to which both men were respected & even somewhat admired by their military counterparts, & it's that quality that consumes nearly half the film - depicting the aftermath of the battle. The movie's single most hilarious scene (& best scene in my view) is one of these post-battle events. I've no idea if it depicts reality or simply film-making license. But as a retired USAF officer & both military & civilian diplomat, it's the scene with which I can most easily identify. While the Graf Spee is still in the Montevideo Harbor, Royal Navy & British diplomatic officials want Capt Langsdorff & German diplomats to believe the arrival of a large force of British ships is imminent. Knowing the Germans have tapped into the British telephone system, a Royal Navy officer jokes that he's about to commit career suicide. He then calls a nearby British Diplomatic Mission & knowingly violates British OPSEC (operational security) measures by relating on an unsecured telephone line the need for the Mission to have a certain amount of fuel ready to replenish a Royal Navy force arriving in the area. During the entire length of the phone call the British official on the other end of the line is pleading with the caller to stop talking bcoz he is in clear violation of OPSEC procedures. Yet the Royal Navy officer on the phone simply raises his voice & continues describing the fuel necessary for the arriving RN ships, totally ignoring the other official's protests. The exasperation of the British civilian official speaking on the phone is priceless, & the caller's RN colleague at one point notes that one of the ships identified as part of the arriving force is actually in dry dock back in the UK.
In any event, this film is very well made thanks to the creative duo behind the Archers - Powell & Pressburger.
Seinfeld: The Shoes (1993)
Goof
When Jerry & George arrive at Russell's apartment, Russell says he feels ill & suspects there was something wrong with the pasta primavera he had at Pheiffers. George says his cousin works at Bouchards & they use the bouillabaisse as a toilet. Russell asks "What are you saying?" George replies "You didn't hear it from me but . . . If you go in there stick to the Consommé." Later Jerry, George, & Elaine are in Pheiffers & Elaine says she's going out with Russell. George asks "Where's he taking you." Elaine says "Bouchards." George chokes & Jerry says "I think he's saying 'Get the bouillabaisse.'"
Seinfeld: The Finale (1998)
What Could Be More Apropos?
I challenge every reviewer who gave a negative review of the finale to suggest a more appropriate ending than what the writers & producers crafted. It's genius. I can't think of a more fitting way to encapsulate the self-centered lifestyles & social agnosticism consistently displayed through the behavior of the show's 4 main characters than to surf the 9 seasons & nearly 200 episode to identify the events & personal interactions that best define their shared moral compass.
Much of the show's humor is imbedded within the diverse characters with whom our 4 stars interact, & the genius of the writers & producers is revealed by the plot used to justify a gathering of some 40 of the funniest characters to have appeared in the series. Having criminal charges against our stars may stretch our imagination, but it's the perfect ploy by which individual character takes center stage.
To roughly parrot one of Jerry's lines from early in the series, albeit with a twist, "It's not Kramer, it's KARMA!"
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
Too Reverential?
Reading the user reviews, one reviewer stuck in my mind: "Too reverential"? Give me a break. Do you even know the meaning of the word reverential? I think not.
The Siren (2019)
Whoever Funded this "Film" Should Demand Their Money Back!
Thank God I check the user reviews before devoting any real time to a film. I took the advice of the reviewer who suggested watching the first 10 mins & then fast forwarding to the last few minutes. Unfortunately, I can think of a million better uses of those 14 minutes of my life.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Best "War" Film Ever Made
As a retired military officer & both military & civilian diplomat, I'm especially partial toward "war" films without respect to their "attitude" about war. There are great anti-war & pro-war films, but the best films, regardless of their attitudes toward war are those films which can tell the truth about war without judgment. By that standard, I believe this to be the best war film ever made. It lays out the facts & lets the viewers draw their own conclusions. Moreover, this film has one other attribute necessary for a film to be great; it is entertaining! 😎
Seinfeld: The Puerto Rican Day (1998)
The Defining Episode of "The Worst of Seinfeld"
I love Seinfeld. I have the complete set of DVDs, & except for the 1st & last episodes (which I refuse to watch again), I also have every episode saved on my DVR, which requires no small % of my DVR's memory. But this final regular season episode (Puerto Rican Day) I watched only once. I value my time too highly to watch it again. The review that says "worst episode of the entire series" hits the nail on the head. Coincidentally, I believe the 2nd worst episode is the very 1st episode ever made. It's ironic that the funniest series ever made should have as its bookends the worst 2 episodes. But in between these 2 are +/-172 episodes of the most entertaining TV ever created. (I say +/- bcoz the total # depends on how you count the 7 two-part episodes, & anyone familiar with the South Park episode in which the 2 geeks fall out over the precise total # of Star Trek episodes knows how devisive this issue can be, so I simply accept the # shown on this IMDb website: 174.)